fall is

my most favorite time of the year! I think it's everyone's favorite, actually.

Although I personally think Virginia has the most beautiful leaves (mainly because there's more of them and they last longer than 5 days) Utah's leaves are pretty vibrant too.

This is my 6th year to experience a Sundance fall, and there's really nothing like it. I could go on the Alpine Loop drive every single day.

Since we heard snow was on the forecast for the end of this week, Eddie and I headed up on his day off. Well....we actually did it twice because I'm crazy and wanted the view from provo canyon to american fork canyon AND the reverse route =)...what? I got tired of whipping my head around to take in all the views!








Sundance

miss howick

One of my best friends/ roomies , Paige, is a 5th grade teacher. Seeing as I am not yet employed, I have plenty of time to visit her on the job! I did not realize what I treat I was in for.

The theme of her classroom is "Hollywood" (which should have been a given because she knows every celeb and piece of hollywood gossip there is). Whenever a student wins an award or writes a good paper or something like that, they walk up and down the red carpet while the other students pretend the be the paparazzi and take pictures; it's incredible. What I didn't know is that visiting her classroom entails taking a stroll down the red carpet myself!

Miss Howick @ her desk


announcing Miss Gold ( she's so serious through the whole thing. I don't know how, I mean she even turns on the "award theme music" that they play at the real awards shows)


doin' my thang

giving my acceptance speech


Thanks Miss. Howick + class! Employment permitting, see you again next week!

the fair

One of my favorite memories growing up was going to the VA state fair. It's weird how much you can love crappy food that makes you feel awful, rides that feel like they're going to break any second (and they do), and the most interesting people of all time. But the combination of it all is incredible. Thus, we headed up to the utah state fair this weekend

Ok, ok, I called and told him what to wear


We were all intrigued by the snake lady so of course we paid to see it. It was a lady sitting with just her head poking out of a table and a plastic snake body coming out of her head. Paige just kept referring to the "snake lady" as money well spent.


Pre-funnel cake

Floating the Rivah

On Saturday my roomies & I floated the Provo River. This time was 1000x more enjoyable than last time, mainly because there was no one else on the river, the day was gorgeous, and my float didn't deflate. I borrowed Paige's float that had a head rest and cup holder- posh. This is one of my new fav things to do in Provo.

a boyfriend's birthday

Eddie turned 26 yesterday! To continue the list tradition I started on my birthday, here are 26 things I love most about Eddie/ our relationship.

26. He loves seafood too
25. He is super masculine. for example, he bought an old truck and fixed it up himself. He is 100% pure boy
24. The time when we were just friends and we floated the Provo River. I got out early because my raft went flat half way through and I was sick of skidding my stomach along the rocks. So I get out of the river barefoot and walk up the steep embankment to the road. I turn around to see if any cars are coming and what do I see? Eddie climbing out of the river after me. It was like 150* and neither of us had shoes on
23. The fact that I've never opened my own door to his car in all the years we've known each other
22. How hard of a worker he is. He'll do whatever it takes to get ahead; He was something like the youngest manager UPS has ever had
21. His sense of humor. I especially like how when I get mad at him for picking on me, he just does it more. Somehow it's just what I need
20. How serious he is at work and how playful and fun he is when he leaves
19. He's a sailor! He has a sailboat and knows what he's doing
18. One of our most favorite things to do is go on drives through the canyon; esp. up to park city.
17. Our shared love of country music
16. How when I tell him to be quiet when my favorite song/ part of the song is on, which is sometimes every 10 seconds, other people would be annoyed but it's OK with him
15. The time when I got in a prank war with the boys that lived behind me and they took all the tires off my car, Eddie came right over and put them all back on by himself, and was late to work.
14. He's loyal
13. Whenever we go anywhere, especially gas stations, he always gets me a bottled water. And he knows I like the kind with the twisty top the most
12. He talks with his dad everyday and his mom quite often. How many 26 year old guys still do that? =)
11. He pretended to be my dad in 8th grade to get me out of school
10. He likes the worlds worst candy from blockbuster; gummy stuff
9. He's helped me assemble everything in my new room

8. Although we may have different politics, I love that he's knowledgeable, interested and passionate about it. To me it's better to disagree with me than be apathetic

7. He appreciates real milkshakes you can drink with a straw

6. My favorite thing in the world are back-tickles, and he hates doing it. But he's learned how to do it for more than 12 seconds =)

5. Children love him- sometimes they love him more than me but whatever

4. He suffered through Twilight with me

3. He sends great care packages

2. His patience with me; very, very patient

1. Before he was my boyfriend, he was my best friend

At midnight he came to my house and was greeted with cupcakes and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday from my roommates & I

The morning of his birthday I went and got him for some "banana purses" courtesy of Sandra Lee- check em out they were delicious

the spread

opening his presents

a quilt! just what he wanted i'm sure. i was actually real proud of this it took me forever & had a nautical theme
..and a sweatshirt!

us at his friend dinner- it was a combo of my friends and his since mine love him as well

Hope your birthday was a good one, Eddie =)

23

I turned 23 today! And in honor of that I'm going to write 23 things I'm grateful for. Here goes:

23. Virginia. I'd vote it most beautiful place on the planet and I'm so glad I grew up in a place with 4 distinct, perfect seasons, friendly people and a down-to-earth atmosphere
22. pilates and kickboxing- my favorite forms of exercise
21. all the mother/ daughter trips we took (and still take). i love them
20. my study abroad in Israel- I was watching the news last night and the reporter was broadcasting from the streets of the Old City; I really wanted to go back
19. my BYU education
18. books; esp. the Alchemist
17. good movies; esp. 500 days of Summer. I loved this one
16. conversations where what I'm really feeling is understood and vice versa
15. mani/ pedi
14. flowers for any occasion
13. feeling and being really girly
12. thunderstorms/ rain
11. discovering new things about myself; i had squid the other day and loved it. thanks jess =)
10. spending time w/ my familia
9. the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints= peace and comfort
8. my closest friends I've gained over the years
7. my extended family
6. my best friend/ boyfriend Eddie- he's incredible
5. Adam
4. Jordy
3. my dad
2. my mom
1. my Savior, Jesus Christ, and esp. the fact that I was actually able to walk the places He walked and live the places where He lived

wow. this list seriously took me 2 minutes to write.

ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE!

....UTAH tomorrow!