The Rodeo...

Andrew suprised me the other night and bought tickets to the Days of 47 Rodeo. He knew I've wanted to go to a rodeo ever since we went to our last one (which was almost two years ago). I always get nervous the riders or the animals will get hurt, but it is so fun to watch and cross your fingers that they will make it the full eight seconds. After the Rodeo we got to go watch the Liberty Park and Bee's game fireworks. They had just started when we were driving home, so Andrew decided to take me to one of the properties he does sprinklers at. It was the perfect spot! We had a blast. Thanks for the fun date Andrew!

Thinking

I have been thinking about a lot of things lately like should I go back to school, should we start our family, should I find a new job, where are we going to grad school, and what will the future bring. I get caught up in the future sometimes that I forget to enjoy each day. So today I thought I would write about what makes me happy about right now. Things that make me smile each day.

-When I dropped Andrew off at school this morning he put on his cute brown nerdy lab goggles and gave me the biggest smile and waved to send me off. I love him!

-I got to talk to my sweet sister Ashley and hear her talk so patiently and lovingly to her darling little girls (Ainsley and Emmaline). Ainsley was so excited to try on the new clothes Ash and Rom had gotten her she accidently put them on backwards, instead of telling Ainsley that she had put them on backwards, Ash told her they looked cute that way too! I love that little family! Happy Birthday late Rom we love you!

-I have a loving Mother and Father that did the same for me. They always encouraged me in everything I did even if I did it the wrong way first. My parents are always trying to help us and encourage us in all we are doing. I love them!

-Bre and Ben always make us feel welcome when we come over to visit. Poor Bre even turned off part of her favorite shows "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" the other day when we came over. Bre and her family are a joy in our lives. Noah comes and gives you hugs or tells you he loves you just when you need it.

-Brett and Ali are always so sweet to text me even when I'm sure their lives' with five children never stop. I'm grateful for them and their examples. Their sweet baby twins will be one in just a few days! Happy Birthday babies we love you! Eliza, Hunter, and Hannah always make us smile. Eliza is our little adult that is great at giving hugs, Hunter is always thinking of his next project (he definately gets this from his Dad), and Hannah is always so sweet to let me hold her.

-Andrew's parents and Ster are also so supportive of us. They make the best Sunday dinners complete with appetizers, main course, dessert and games. What more could you ask for.

-We have the best friends in the world. They are so loving and accepting of me and my imperfections! Thank you Katie and Scott, Annie and Brian, Ashley and Jared, Maggie, Brittany and everyone else. Thanks for calling and texting and listening.

-And most importantly I know the one thing that will never change in this world is the gospel. I'm so grateful for Conference and the messages that were shared. I know that our Heavenly Father lives and that he loves us and wants us to be happy. I know that the Savior knows us all individually and that he wants to help us through every step in life.

So where ever these boots take me I know that I will always have people to make me smile and help me along the way.

Sorry I feel like this post is a little silly, but I needed to write it. So thanks for reading!

What do you think?

Well Andrew and I decided tonight that we needed to spruce up our apartment and we need your help to decide on a color.

Here is the room/wall we want to paint....

Here are the colors: sea spray, softest juniper, and warm gold.

Here are the colors on the wall we painted. We normally have pictures hanging here (just in case we chicken out :).

In this picture I'm just trying to show you that I probably got more paint on my fingers than I did the wall, but you can't see it very well. I always do that when I paint!

Here is Andrew looking very stressed. That's why we need your help.

We just thought it would be fun to get everyone's opinion. To give you a little update on us, we are doing very well. Andrew is busy with school and research. He has so many labs, I can't keep track anymore. When he tells me he just left lab I don't know which one he means half the time. He has a research lab, the lab he works in at ARUP, a Physics lab, and Biochemistry lab. He works so hard though and I am so proud of him. I am doing well, just working at ARUP and trying to keep myself busy while Andrew is studying. I recently started a sewing project (scary I know, but I trying to get better). We both got new callings we are now the ward athletics directors, yikes and I am a relief society teacher, yikes again (both these callings scare me to death, but I am excited to give them a try:). Anyhow we hope you all are doing well, you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Love,

The Madsens

Our Two Year Anniversary

Wow I can't believe it has been two years since we went to the temple and were sealed for time and all eternity. How grateful I am for that decision. Andrew is so kind and patient! He always knows what to do to make me feel better if I am having a bad day, even if it is just making fun of me (he learned that from Ashley :). I love to spend time with him and am grateful for all the fun adventures he comes up with daily. Well sorry for all the mush, I realize I haven't posted anything on our blog for 6 or 7 months and this is probably not what you wanted to read! To catch you up on our lives we have been doing a lot of this....

welcoming new nieces and nephews into our family. We love them all so much and are so happy they joined our family!

this is andrew and I with Brett and Ali's cute twins Jeremy and Madeline.

Here is Andrew Brean and Ben's sweet little Job......

And the newest edition Ashley and Romney's little Emmaline. Unfortunately we haven't held her yet, because they are in Michigan,but we hope to very soon!

a little of this......

we were able to go and visit Ashley and Romney in Michigan and loved every minute of it!

We went on lots of walks to the wetlands close to Romney and Ashley's house.....

These pictures are from our day at Michigan Lake, it was beautiful! I love this picture of Ainsley! She is so cute! Needless to say Ainsley was the most brave, she loved playing in the cold water.

All the girls toes in the sand.

We went on a paddle boat and Ashley and I were the first to sit up front and peddle, but after not going anwhere and going backwards instead of forwards for awhile the boys decided they would take over. We can't help that we have short legs. :)

Ainsley did not like her life jacket at all, but she was such a good sport to let us all try out the paddle boat. Thank you so much Ash and Rom for the fun trip! We hope we can come and visit again very soon! Love you!

We will continue our little of this and 2009 post soon! We had such a blast this past year and can't wait for the adventures 2010 will bring. We wish you all a happy new year!

What we have been up to....

Pictures from our trip to Disneyland in January. Pathetic I know! We went with Andrew's parents and had such a wonderful time. We love you guys! Thanks for such a fun trip!

This picture is for Hunter and Noah. They love Handy (Manny?). We love you guys!

Us in the bug life's world.

It was my first trip to Seaworld and I absolutely loved it!! The shamu show was amazing!

We were able to feed and pet the dolphins. They feel like a slimy balloon. I know that's sounds weird, but that is the only way I can think to describe it.


It has been so long since Andrew and I have updated our blog. We are still alive and kicking. We just don't have internet right now and never have time to update our blog at our parents houses, but today I decided I would. We have been having lots of fun with family and friends. We have welcomed some new additions to our family Madeline and Jeremy, Brett and Ali's new twins. We love them to pieces and can't wait to go visit them soon.:) We moved again. We are now living in my Grandma's basement and love being there with her. She always has great advice and we feel so blessed to spend this time with her. Andrew had a week summer vacation and is now back at school :(, but he is taking a week off to go visit my sister and her family in Michigan. We are so excited and can't wait to see them. They have lived there almost two years and this will be our first visit there. Other than that things are about the same. I'm still working at ARUP and am enjoying it there. Andrew is excited that he will be taking his last math class this summer (calc 3 yuck!). We love this sunny/warm weather and can't wait to have lots of barbeques, snow cones, vacations, and spend time with family and friends. We hope you all are doing well!

Miracles

Well to start off Andrew and I are very sorry for neglecting our blog for so long. Life has been pretty busy with the holidays, but we have been loving every minute of it. We celebrated our first year anniversary on December 15th. I am so grateful for Andrew and the wonderful first year we've had together. He is such a wonderful husband, he is such a positive, outgoing, and service oriented person. He is so supportive of me and always takes time for us. Thanks babe! Sorry for the mush, but since I didn't write about our first anniversary I thought I better tell him how much I love him!

On a different note Andrew and I were talking the other night about the new year and how excited we were, when we started thinking about all the miracles we've witnessed in 2008. So instead of writing our new year's resolutions, we thought we would right about some of the things we were most grateful for in 2008.

-celebrating our first year together (not that I thought we wouldn't make it)

-surviving mono, ulcers, and chicken pox (we gained a greater testimony of prayer and patriarchal blessings)

-We were called to be Primary Children's representatives when we first moved into our ward. We witnessed so many miracles at this hospital. I know that Heavenly Father loves his little children and that he will help us through our trials. One night we received a call that someone needed a blessing. So Andrew and his friend Zach and I ran up to the hospital and found a little 3 month old baby all by herself. We wondered if we should give her a blessing without her parents there, but the nurse told us that her Mother was still driving to the hospital from Southern Utah and that she didn't care if she was there or not, she just wanted to know that her baby had received a blessing. What incredible faith this Mother had.

-I finally got a new job. I truly consider this a miracle. I've been looking for quite awhile and with the economy it was pretty difficult. All of the people I spoke with said that for each job they had listed they had over 60 applicants. I realize times are getting tough out there, so I am so grateful for work.

-Andrew and I are also so grateful for the wonderful Christmas we had. I have to say it was one of my most memorable Christmas's so far. It was so fun to wake up and have hot chocolate with peppermint sticks and sit in front of the tree with Andrew and open presents and then head off to our families houses. This Christmas we truly witnessed the power of forgiveness and the pure love of Christ. We are so grateful for our sweet families and for all the blessings they bring into our lives. So thank you family! We love you!!

The list could go on and on, but I don't want to make you read all that. :) So anyhow we are really excited for the new year and all it will bring. We wish you all a Happy New Year and a very belated Merry Christmas!

Love,

The Madsens

Life...

For Andrew and I lately life has been full of decisions. We have been living on a roller coaster lately, but it has been fun. We have been able to step out of the norm (literally) and see all of our many blessings. So since it is that time of year and I have some much to be grateful for I thought I would like so many others (thanks ash) tell you what I am grateful for this Thanksgivning:

-I am so grateful for my sweet husband who supports me in all that I do and all the decisions I make.
-My family who I miss and wish I could see everyday. I can't wait for all of us to be together over the hollidays!
-My beliefs and my calling. I love the nursery! The kids teach me so much about life.
-Friends and neighbors who are always there for you!
-Our apartment!!! Even though it's tiny, it's home!
-The Christmas season approaching and all it brings
-Older adults and the wisdom they share
-Chocolate oranges or raspberries
-Mashed potatoes
-Work
-A life full of suprizes

Happy Thanksgiving!