Looking for an East Coast Autumn

I love the Autumn season! I love the cool, crisp air. I love the excitement of upcoming holidays...lots of preparations and parties. There's always something going on. One of the things that I love the most is the changing colors that are on the trees. After experiencing a New York Fall, I must admit that it has been somewhat of a disappointment to see that the trees in Idaho just don't have the beauty that the ones on the East coast have. I miss it so much and I have been on the look out for beautiful leaves. I was so excited to finally find a tree that had changed colors...so excited that I had to take a picture with it! :) Sadly, the leaves barely made it into the picture but you can see the flecks of orange above my head.

Last Monday we had a random holiday. I've never had school canceled for Columbus Day so this was a first. I decided that my apartment needed to bond a little bit more as roommates. I have never lived in an apartment with such opposite personalities. My roommates are great, we are all have very different interests. So I took the initiative and we all agreed to go hiking together. We drove to Shoshone Falls and hiked on the Canyon Rim Trail. It was so fun and I wanted to just keep hiking all day. I decided that a backpacking trip next summer is a must because my little heart is missing the hardcore hiking that comes with backpacking.

Above: Jordan, Nicole, and I. We are missing our adopted roommate Jackie but we will have to catch her next time.

This is Shoshone Falls. Did you know that it is higher than Niagara Falls? It should be just as famous!

Other random thoughts: I passed my second Nursing Exam...I truly consider passing a Nursing Exam a miracle. There's no way that I could do it by myself. The Lord has been blessing me. Also, I think that I've matured since my pre-mission days. I went to "A Midsummer Nights Dream" last night. I actually understood what was going on and enjoyed it. I have never been able to do that with Shakespeare before.

Looking forward: Wedding bells ring next weekend and I get to see my family!

P.S. I don't know why my computer is underlining these words but I can't get it to stop....

Conference Weekend

Here are some fun pictures from Conference Weekend. I didn't get a chance to take too many pictures but here are some that I did get. Enjoy!

Reunited with my sisters! Sorry your eyes are closed Lila but this is the best one that I have. :) It was so fun to be together again...especially for Lila. That tough girl still lives at home with our three teenage brothers. She's quite the trooper!

The newlyweds! Speaking of newlyweds, how long am I allowed to call them that? Notice Lila's little head poking up in the back? Love it!

Here is a few of us in the Conference Center. Again, Lila wasn't looking at the camera. My brother look so happy and excited to be at Conference. :) It was a long day for all of us that day but so worth it!

I was wandering through my CDs and found a CD with pictures from my BYU-Idaho days. I miss these girls so much! It's been amazing how after a few years our friendships with each other are still going strong despite the fact that we are all now scattered across the country. Memories were brought back this weekend as I sat in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City Utah. I remember the time that we took a road trip to conference. Good times! I love you D-5 roomies!!!

See this beautiful building below? This is the Provo Tabernacle located in Provo, Utah just a few blocks from BYU campus. When I lived in Utah, I lived just a few blocks from this building and

would walk to it and have meetings in it frequently. Sadly, while I was in New York, it burnt down with just the exterior walls standing. It was announced this weekend that they are rebuilding it and turning it into a TEMPLE!!!

On a side note: To those of you that I didn't get to meet up with this weekend...I'm planning another trip to Utah sometime when I will have time to do things other than sitting and watching conference. :) Love you all!