Autumn

This morning I was driving and I noticed the mountains. Have you seen them yet?? They are a gorgeous array of red, orange, and brown trees. I couldn't stop staring. They are beautiful!! I have been so busy with homework that I have not even noticed them. I am so glad that I finally did. Have you ever smelled Fall? I think it smells different to every person, but I am almost one hundred percent positive that it is one of the most heavenly smells on earth. To me it is sweet spicy candles, crisp morning air, home-baked goods, and the smell of the heater when it first comes on. I love it. Holiday buzz is just beginning to start, and there is a hint of Thanksgiving and Christmas in the air. But first comes Halloween. With pumpkins and costumes and lots of sugar to be sure. It is time to pull on a warm jacket or two every morning, and when you walk outside your breath turns into a cold fog. It is a time of celebration, laughter, and family parties. This poem describes my feelings perfectly...

The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you
like the leaves of Autumn.

Fall poem by John Muir

Oh yes, life does not get any sweeter than this. Autumn is my favorite time of the year, as you can plainly see. What's yours?

Free

Do you want some exciting news???
Okay I will tell you.


Ammon
is
Lyme FREE.

tests said zero.
none.
It has been a good day.

I am alive, believe it or not...

Ok, time to come back. I decided I have been the worst blogger EVER. But in my defense I really have been busy. And to answer my mom's lovely comment, no I did NOT die after Hoyt left. I am quite alive and doing well. School started a long time ago :) In fact, first term ends on October 23rd of this month. Wow, only 3 more terms of being in High School. It gets weirder and more exciting to me every day. Should I quickly sum up the last two months for all of you?? Not much has happened, but I will anyway... Firstly, I am seventeen!! And guess what I got for my birthday?? Beautiful dishes from Gardiner Village. I love that place. Is anyone up for a visit?


The picture doesn't show them as well as I would like, but they really are awesome. I love collecting things for my future home!!
Happy Birthday to my Mom!!!!! She wouldn't like me to tell you this, but you will see it in the pictures anyway. She has finally come to the big 4-0!! I love you mom!! Thanks for always being there for me. We threw her a small surprise birthday party, and it turned out quite nicely.


Happy Birthday to Quinci!!! This post is going to include a lot of birthday news, so sorry if you get bored. Here is a cute video with Quinci blowing out her candles. She is such a sweetheart, I really love her.

I also went to Homecoming with my friend Jeff. This pic is the night he asked me, and we had to put together a puzzle to find his name.


And this is the actual night of the dance:

It was really fun!! Thank you to my mother (for my dress), grandmother (for my dress), Ammon (for my jewelry), and Lindsey (for my hair)! It turned out great!
We also went mini golfing recently for Ammon's birthday. Oh it was so so fun. Even though I got second to last place :) Happy 20th Birthday Bro!! Sorry for the blurry pics by the way....



Tanner also had a birthday!! His fourteenth! I really almost cried when I realized it. My little sidekick is growing up. *Sniff*



Whew!! Made it through all of the big stuff.
I have also begun volunteering at the hospital, for those of you who don't know. It is kind of slow right now to tell the truth, but I am enjoying it. The point is to get to know how the ball rolls at the hospital, and this will definitely accomplish that goal. I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to start Nursing school. If all goes well I can have my Bachelor's in Nursing by the time I am 21!!! It is so exciting for me. And nervewracking at the same time. Every time I think about it I get little butterflies in my stomach.
What else? Is it completely stupid to give you guys an update on how Hoyt is doing? Probably, but I will do it anyway :) He is great!! He leaves for Japan on October 13th, just 9 days away!! He is loving the MTC, even though the language is extremely difficult. Missionaries are kind of funny. Not in a rude way at all, but his letters consist of spiritual thoughts and scriptures. It is cute. He is so into it, which is exactly how is should be. I look forward to writing and receiving letters every week. He is a freaking Hot missionary, that is all I have to say.
Well, that is all the news I have for now, but I hearby promise to post more often :)

Goodbyes

Let's just say that today was not the funnest day of my life.

I waited all day to say goodbye to him along with the rest of my family, at about 5:30 p.m. Then it would be over. The day seemed to drag. Then he came, and we talked and played and had a good time as a family. He mentioned a 'friend get together' at his house at 7:30. I had no desire to go, I had already prepared to say goodbye with my family. Then he looked at me and told me that he wanted me to come if I would please. He wanted his last hug from a girl to be from me. So I went for him. 8:30 came and it was time to say goodbye. He gave me a hug, two in fact, and told me he loved me. I love him too. And then I drove away.

Now my eyes are red and blotchy and mascara is smeared on my face. But my angel parents helped me. Emotion seems to be coming in waves. He is going to be an incredible missionary, and I am truly happy for him. But it is hard too. He is so many things to me, and to my family. Absolutely amazing. He has been a blessing in my life and I will forever be grateful for how much I have learned from his example.

We have two years to grow. He will grow in testimony, maturity, and love for the Lord. I am determined to grow too. Because when he gets back I want to be ready for him. It will be a great time of learning to both of us. And we will see how things play out.

So tomorrow begins the 730 day count down until I can see my missionary again. But for now, it is time for him to serve the Lord. And time for me to grow as well. I feel peace. And excitement. And maybe a little anxiety. But it will all be okay, of that I am sure.

Senior School Schedule

I have been so bad about posting lately. I never know what to write about, my life seems so ordinary. I don't want to bore you all!! But I got chastised by some of my blogging friends, so here I am posting about my school schedule! This is the agenda for this year.... so far. I never know what changes could possibly be made. Anyway, here it is. My senior year schedule! Woot Woot!!

Semester One
A1 Physiology
A2 A Cappella Choir
A3 AP English
A4 Gov. & Citizenship
B1 Seminary
B2 Psychology
B3 AP Biology
B4 Lifetime Activities

Semester Two
A1 Physiology
A2 A Cappella Choir
A3 AP English
A4 UVU Math 1050
B1 Seminary
B2 Digital Photography
B3 AP Biology
B4 UVU Math 1050

So there you have it!! I am excited for school to start in some ways, and dreading it in others. This summer has been wonderful. I have enjoyed it so much!! Oh and for those of you who have not heard and are interested........

I am not VL anymore! Hee Hee Hee

Manti Pageant

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to go to the Manti Pageant with Hoyt. It was honestly the funnest date I have ever been on. I loved every minute!! I took some fun pics that I thought you guys might like to see....







By the way all of the cheesy photo poses were HIS idea... but it was so fun. The pageant was awesome, I highly recommend it. But the best part of the whole thing was being with that missionary of mine who is leaving in no more than 28 days.

For Lindsey :)

Hey guys Lindsey really wants to see some pictures of my prom experience so we are going to go back a few months and look at them....



Thanks to Lindsey's friend Kim for the cute dress!! I loved it!!
Oh p.s. I got a hair cut if you didn't already know..... isn't it so freakin cute?! I really love it. But while we are back in the past a while we might as well go back and look at all the stuff that happened that none of my other family members blogged about right? I'll start with the most exciting one: Hoyt got his mission call!!!!!!! To a place very far away :( Nagoya, Japan. We are all so excited for him. This is the morning he got it. It was about 7:00 a.m. so that is why we are all in our pajamas..... except him of course.



We also very recently made grow boxes!! Ammon was doing very good that day, which is why you will see him in some of these pics. He helped build some of them, it was a really fun day!







Now we have a cute little garden that is coming along quite well!! We also finished the girl's room! It was such a fun project.