Octobers and Fall

"I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." 

-L.M. Montgomery 

I wholeheartedly agree. 

Fall has some of the most beautiful surprises.  Growing up in the valley of Arizona, I never knew too much of autumn, the true season.  When I left for grad school, I remember driving all around the city once the leaves started changing just to try to appease my craving for those beautiful colors.

Now that I have experienced fall for FOUR years in a row, I am even more in love with this time of year.  It is such a happy time.  A final celebration of a beautiful year, before it starts a new one.  

This year I tried to take every opportunity I had to be outside and soaking in the season.  I have put leisure reading, the elliptical, treadmills, and lots of indoor cycling on hold in order to make sure I spent lots of days outside.

• We ran through Provo Canyon to see the fall leaves. It wasn't quite fall yet, but it was still really pretty!

• We made halloween sugar cookies with Jared's family while they were in town and with my cousin and her family as well.

• My brother, J, flew up to Utah for a couple days while we were both on October break and we went to Provo Canyon too.  He longboarded and I rode my bike.  The leaves were much more colorful this time around.  It was a wonderful afternoon with good company!  Sure do love my brother! 

• A couple weeks later, we hiked Rock Canyon and the leaves were perfectly fall!  It was beautiful!  I wish our picture even did the trees and the mountains and the cool air justice! 

• We went to Cornbelly's again this year.  I honestly think that is one the most fun dates!  It is such a celebration of holidays - the one that starts off the holiday season!  They have so many fun things to do there! We saw pig races, completely got lost in the corn maze this year, played cornhole (I lost by one), and so much more!  

• We dressed up for Halloween.  I had to wear a costume to school for work.  Jared dressed up in order to get extra credit in school.  I found something comfortable to wear (since I have to be professionally dressed every other day of the year).  Jared had to represent something he has learned about in his Parasitology class (yes, a class all about parasites - gross).  I decided to be an Olympic Gold Medalist.  Jared decided to be a Copepod hosting a Coricidium (which eventually turns into the fish form of a tape worm - yuck).
  
  
  
  Fall is coming to an end.  Most of the leaves are now on the ground, the nights are continually getting colder, and daylight continues to decrease.  It's turning into winter.  I don't know if I am excited or not, but I can definitely say that I took full advantage of this wonderfully beautiful fall.  

A New School Year

As school started back up, I was having serious withdrawals from summer.  I was missing the sunshine and the 8+ hours of sleep and most of all, my husband.  So, we started to plan a few more outings - even mid-week outings.

We went to Thanksgiving Point's Ancient Life Museum.  Although it is primarily geared to kids, we learned a lot about dinosaurs, and actually had a lot of fun!  We walked around some of the gardens afterwards and ate a yummy dinner there (everything was only $2/person since it was "two buck Tuesday").

We celebrated Jared's birthday by going to the movies.  Jared has wanted to see Man of Steel since we saw the first preview so we really had a good time going to the dollar theater to see it!  We rarely go to movies anymore since it's so expensive, but you can't beat the dollar theater up here!

We spent a couple more days at Seven Peaks before that closed.  As a little girl, I dreamed of being a mermaid.  I love summers and water so much!  I lucked out when I married someone who loves it almost as much as I do!

We spent an evening at the park just enjoying the cooler nights and the city views and a few stars and listening to music.

I really love spending time with Jared.  At times it feels as though being in school is hard, but I know that the real world of work will be the same - busy, and stressful.  We have found that it is important to still plan outings though.  I am not always the best at planning things, but we have so much fun when we do!  We've even learned that some of the most fun things we have done don't cost money!  (Like taking a blanket out to see the stars or playing Ultimate Frisbee with couples from around the area - something we do each week.)

I'm thankful that I married my best friend!  Dating him only gets more and more fun!  And I am grateful that he takes time out of his busy schedule to date me!