Hello friends!

I am still here, I am still reading blogs every day but I have been SO busy I haven't been able to post my own.   Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what we have been up to the last few weeks :)

Thanksgiving-we had a great day and ate A LOT!  Grandma Jan came to celebrate with us.  Ava did her best to dress up like a Pilgrim.  She said she was a boy Pilgrim-ha ha! 

I found a white pumpkin this year and I used it as our simple Thanksgiving centerpiece. 

After thanksgiving I flew to St. Louis to visit with my family and to attend a conference for work.  I had a great time visiting with my Dad, Vicki, Shelby and Ryan and most of all Ainsley!  She is getting SO big and is completely adorable I loved spending time with her.  My sister takes a lot of pictures with her iPhone and when ever you lift your phone Ainsley thinks you are going to take a picture so she smiles really big.  It's so cute!

We took Ainsley on a double decker carousal.  Shelby and I loved it but Ainsley was a little scared. 

I only got to spend 2 days with my family before I went to my conference.  Here we are with my Dad on our last morning together. 

The first day of my conference was great!  I attended a few good sessions and met up with two former students at the opening reception!  Both Matt and Jason were fraternity presidents in college and now they are working as Greek Advisors.  It was fun to catch up with them!  Unfortunately I got really bad food poisoning from the food at the opening session so the next day I stayed in my hotel room all day.  I have never been so sick in my life.

Brock and Ava have been super busy.  Brock made the JV basketball team so he has had practice every night after school and Ava is going to be in the Nutcracker ballet so she has been busy in rehearsals for that.

Here is Ava with her BFF Anika in their Nutcracker costumes.  Ava plays a little boy and Anika is a soldier. 

I have got to get to bed.  Graig and I took the day off work tomorrow to go Christmas shopping.  Usually I have all of our Christmas bought and wrapped by now but this year I haven't bought a thing!  Hopefully we will find a lot of presents tomorrow!