beauty, quizzes, and winter

I really love Idaho! When I left my apartment to go to class, the sky was almost blue, but not quite, and you could see some dark clouds that were headed our way.

I decided to park where I could walk by the maple trees that have shed all their leaves already. I like walking that pathway; the trees seem to still be so alive even though they're sleeping for the winter. Their red leaves blanket the ground directly beneath them, and, right outside the building I'm going to enter, there is a large tree (that the squirrels really like, I must add) that has scattered it's golden leaves all over the ground. You cannot see the grass beneath; everything looks golden.

I decide that it will be a great day in class.

It is Facilities Management again. We are to come up with a quiz for each class period. A random person is called, and they give their quiz to the class (and Brother Anderson takes it, too!). Today is different, however. We break off into groups of three or so and choose our top three questions from all three of our quizzes. I was in a group with Jason and Lark.

Here is an example of one of my questions:

3. Do you recall the mandatory fee for each membership/household?

a. $1,587.27 per month
b. $335 per year
c. There was no fee; that was just a rumor
d. $20 and a jar of mayonnaise for a lifetime membership

(b is the correct answer, by the way)


Anyway, we ended up using one of Jason's questions because he makes questions that are easier than either mine or Lark's.

Here is Brother Anderson, contemplating the answer to a question.

I don't think he knows when I'm taking pictures of him.

After class, I climbed up the stairs to go outside (this classroom is in a basement kind of room). It was snowing! It was so pretty, but I couldn't get a good picture of it for you. Later, I took a picture of some of the coneflowers after it had stopped.

It almost looks sad, does it not? That's what I thought at first. But, I started thinking about how everything goes to sleep in the winter. Some things do die. In the spring, everything either wakes up, or new things grow.

While I was thinking about these things, I thought about how the disciples, all those who followed the Savior, must have felt when he died. In the tomb for three days. I don't know what I would have thought.

The Savior is the victor over death. Winter doesn't last forever, and it helps me remember who I should look to for hope. In the end, spring comes, and life grows better after the most heavy of snowfall.

I've always liked the winter, I thought of it as a time of rest...but it sure isn't that way when you have horses to care for, is it? :)

Anyway, I love you guys, and I can't wait to see you the week after next!

let it snow...

I would be more excited, but I really did want to go to Arizona. Now I know what Mr. Gardner meant about the weather not cooperating.

We got about 5-6 inches today. I felt I was transported to a magical land not too far from Narnia.

Kim and I did not know what to do for an FHE activity. I slyly suggested that we go swimming (I personally knew that no one would want to go, and I really just wanted to go with Kim). We ended up going swimming in the Hart building, and then we did a workout called ZUMBA!

Yes. Can you imagine the crazy antics that were Kim and I dancing?

a visit home

I was so happy to see my family this past weekend! I am so lucky to have such good siblings and parents.

I had a great time going to "The Price of Freedom." The only thing I forgot to do? Get pictures with all of the cast!! Emily, wouldn't it have been just smashing to have had a picture with Jordan Bluth? I think so.

So...

What did you all think of my friends? I think they had a most enjoyable time with all of you.

What did you think of Miss Jessi? Wasn't she fun? I hope you can see why Lark and I like to have her with us whenever we are doing something fun.

Speaking of Lark, can you all see that she is like having another sister while I am here at school? It isn't very often that one can have a friend like her. They are few and far between; I am so happy that Heavenly Father blessed us to meet each other at Badger Creek.

It can be hard to be away from home at times; Lark and Jessi make it quite a bit easier. My roommates (especially Kim, Mo and Ashley) have also been very kind to me. I wish you all could get to know them, too!

It was hard to leave you all, but thank you so much for jumping up and down and waving goodbye to us--it made us feel very grand!

Well, I have a lot of pictures and not a lot to say about them.

Just continue to scroll down and read, and you will see what it is I'm talking about.






Adam really seemed to enjoy reading "The Tale of Jeremy Fisher."



Let's see...just a few more. When it was time to wake up Ephraim for church, it took about ten minutes to wake him up!!


Even when I patted him on the back, he just sighed and continued to rest. I wonder why he threw out the blankets? I thought that perhaps it was because his green ones were being washed. What do you think?


What a cutie!

After we left, the sunset over the mountains was very pretty. I wish I could have taken a better picture, but, it is what it is. I hope you can kind of see how pretty that sunset was as we made our way back to Idaho before the snows came.

I love it when...

I love it when program management gets canceled...especially when I've slept in and would have been late, anyway. If I had a picture of myself from this morning, it would be funny. I got back under the blue cozy-blanket right after I received a text from Jason-Greg-Wiggle telling me that class was canceled.

It just seemed to good to be true.

Well, I visited Lark last night, and I got to watch a rainbow come and go.


Isn't it beautiful? It went across the whole sky in a perfect arc, but I couldn't capture that with my camera. The best part was everyone in the apartment complex coming out to just watch it. One girl, especially, was very excited. She had come out of her apartment to take out the trash or something, saw the rainbow, squealed, jumped up and down, ran back into her apartment, and spoke (loud enough for everyone to hear): "You all need to come see this rainbow!"

It reminded me of being at home with all of you.

I love Idaho sunsets

When I came out of my last class, the sunset was so beautiful. I couldn't see the actual sunset from where I was standing because of the buildings, but the sky and all the trees were lit up.

I took a picture of these pine trees that were right by where I had parked Vader.

I like the way the sky looks kind of smokey, don't you?

I wish you all could have been right there with me. The air smelled so crisp and clean--and it was just cold enough to feel refreshing, but not to where it hurts when you run really fast and have to take deep breaths.

I felt that Heavenly Father was being so kind when I saw all of these beautiful things. When I had been in class, the discussion somehow got on the topic of divorce.

I was so saddened by the number of my fellow classmates whose lives have been shadowed by divorce. I knew that it was more common than it once was or should be, but I hadn't realized how rampant it had become.

Two girls in my class in particular were having a hard time. Both of them had parents who had gotten a divorce within the last three months. We talked afterward and gave each other hugs. I wish I could do more.

When we all walked outside and saw the sunset, though, it was interesting to see how many of my classmates stopped to look at it. There were quite a few.

It's comforting to know that there are people out there who know and appreciate the beauty of Heavenly Father's creations.