The Month in Photos: December 2011

Madelyn Parsons, 7, listens to directions on how to create art using tessellations on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, at the Paul Smith Children's Village. A tessellation is a single repeating geometric shape fit together without gaps or overlaps, similar to a jigsaw puzzle. (Miranda Grubbs/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

University of Wyoming's John Hutchins sings 'Ragtime Cowboy' to the fans as he holds up the bronze boot after winning the border way with Colorado State on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins. The Cowboys defeated the Rams 22-19. (Michael Smith/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Jonathan Ojeda, a worker for state facilities maintenance, concentrates as he lines up a branch before screwing it into place to help fill out the top of the Wyoming State Capitol Christmas tree on Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, in the capitol rotunda. Workers on Friday filled out the tree with extra branches before topping it with a star. The tree stands around 27 feet tall and was taken from the WyColo area. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

University of Wyoming linebacker Brian Hendricks is the third generation from his family to play in the Wyoming/CSU football rivalry game. His grandpa, Joe, played offensive guard and defensive tackle for Colorado State in the 1950s. His father, Mike, was a fullback for the Rams from 1978-81. (Michael Smith/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

East coach Rusty Horsley reacts after his team committed a turnover during a girl's basketball game in the McDonald's Classic on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at Cheyenne East. East won 44-38. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

A rebound slips out of reach for East's Elissia Johnson (42) during a girl's basketball game in the McDonald's Classic on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at Cheyenne East. East won 44-38. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Max Grove, 10, reacts as he sleds down an hill into Pando Park on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Cheyenne. Several youngsters took to the park for sledding on the fresh powder on Saturday after a Friday night snowfall. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Carl Halladay, of Cheyenne, shares a laugh after playing a Christmas tune on his Epiphone guitar during a meeting of the Cheyenne Guitar Society on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, at the Plains Hotel in downtown Cheyenne. The club, founded in 1995, includes some 50 active members who gather on the first Tuesday of each month to play guitar tunes to and with eachother. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Shelley Girard works on a mushroom-shaped piece of glass under a flame during a glass-making demonstration on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at The Ancient Sage in downtown Cheyenne. The glass making coincided with Cheyenne's Art Tour where 10 local businesses stayed open between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday evening. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

While waiting in the wings, Ryker Hager, right, listens as kindergarten teacher Katie Cook encourages Sidney Alkire to go back onstage after a bout of stage fright during "A Gingerbread Christmas" on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011, at Goins Elementary School (Miranda Grubbs/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Occupy Cheyenne protestors carry an American Flag down a sidewalk as they march from the Wyoming State Capitol to the Depot Plaza on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in Cheyenne. About 60 people turned out for the rally. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Piper Crawford, 4, wipes her eyes in boredom as she listens to speeches at an Occupy Cheyenne rally on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, at the Wyoming State Capitol. Crawford was at the rally with her parents, who recently moved to Cheyenne from Portland, Ore. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Capt. Jessica Getrost of the 321st Missile Squadron paints the face of Jaycee Nace, 7, during Operation Provide Joy on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. Each child was pared with a service member from the base and partook in games and crafts. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Miss Frontier Sami Jo Heitsch, right, and her lady in waiting, Chloe Pfoor, center, talk with youngsters during Operation Provide Joy on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Donatellia Austin, 15, practices wrapping gifts during "Wrap It Up!" on Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at the Laramie County Library. Austin attended the event, which taught teens the basics of gift-wrapping and ribbon-making, because as a member of the Laramie County Library System's Teen Advisory Board, she will help wrap presents at Barnes and Noble this year. (Miranda Grubbs/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Onlookers watch from the balconies after a ceremony lighting the Wyoming State Capitol's Christmas tree on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, in Cheyenne. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Jayden Pickens, 7, gives Santa Claus (Jack Coffey) a hug after unwrapping a few presents on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, in south Cheyenne. Santa stopped by to drop off toys donated to the Pickens family following a Dec. 1 fire that destroyed their apartment. Members of the community donated $1,500 in cash and gift cards to the family and Cheyenne Fire Local 279 bought and wrapped toys. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Cheyenne optometrist Marty Carroll laughs during an interview on Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at his office. (Michael Smith/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

University of Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith tries to escape the grasp of Temple defender Levi Brown during second half action at the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, in Albuquerque, N.M. Temple defeated the Cowboys 37-15. (Michael Smith/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Debby Phillips pushes a cart as she and several other volunteers help assemble Christmas baskets on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, in downtown Cheyenne. Volunteers were assembling baskets for the Laramie County Christmas Program. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Kyle White dives into the pool for a portrait on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, at Cheyenne Central High School. White is the WyoSports Cheyenne prep athlete of the week. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Patrick Scrak, 14, adds gravy to turkey stew on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011, at the Elk's Lodge. Helping Hands Women's Ministry offered a free lunch for those in need on Christmas Eve. (Miranda Grubbs/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Joe Melia, left, Julia Melia and Stephen Saxer put the finishing touches on a snowman complete with a Mohawk on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, on a frozen pond in Lion's Park. The snowman cost a total of 27 cents to construct: two pennies for the eyes and a quarter for the nose. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Motorists proceed cautiously past two overturned tractor trailers that were blown over by high winds on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011, in the southbound lane of Interstate 25 just south of the High Plains interchange near Cheyenne. Wind blew over the tractor trailer pictured at right around midday on Wednesday followed by a similar incident that toppled the tractor trailer pictured in the background sometime on Thursday morning. For the second day in a row, road signs on the interstate indicated a light trailer restriction for high profile vehicles between the Colorado state line and Cheyenne due to wind gusts higher than 65 mph. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)

Blake Wilson, right, president of C.H. Yarber Construction, and Paul Bartow prepare to hang a lighted 2012 sign on Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, from the arch entry to the Cheyenne Depot Plaza in preparation for a ball drop on New Year's Eve. The ball will drop from approximately seven stories high during the count down to midnight on Saturday. (James Brosher/Wyoming Tribune Eagle)