Fall colors and happiness DO exist!

I just returned from a most relaxing long weekend in the mountains enjoying the changing of the colors for Fall. One truely doesn't understand FALL in Las Vegas. I can't even explain how happy and relaxed I have been over the last 3 days, especially after such a long, grueling week at work. It truely was a timely trip.



About 6:00am Friday morning, Carolyn, Kim and I began our journey to see color - yellows, reds and oranges intermixed with the greenery of Cedar Mountain. Excitement of excaping Vegas was too much to handle! After stopping in for a yummy breakfast at Cracker Barrell (and picking up some nostalgic treats), we headed up the mountain as giddy as kids in a candy store! As we gained elevation, the colors were tremendous and created beautiful stripes of colors across the mountains and valleys.
















At the Leu's cabin, we enjoyed much rest, relaxation, feeding of squirrels and chipmunks, hiking, reading, cooking, and sleeping in. It's so nice of them to let us come up and play with them - their cabin is in the middle of the woods far away from civilization! Friday, Carolyn and I took off for a 4+ mile hike into the woods to explore the colorful aspens and get some exercise. Saturday, Kevin took us on a long drive all over the mountain to see the different colors and vistas. We made fools of ourselves trying to photograph "aspen rain." Last night, we enjoyed a fire on the deck and made s'mores with Jay and Keli's family. It got down to the high 20s at night and to the mid 70s during the day. That hammock was a favorite napping spot.....my version of heaven!




After enjoying a second morning of sleeping in, I stayed back from church to study for seminary lessons this week in the silence of the woods. After a nice lunch and relaxing just a little tiny bit more (we eeked out as much relaxation as humanly possible), we headed off to take some more pictures of all the yellow and orange before heading down the mountain. One of the most enjoyable parts of the whole trip was all the singing at the top of our lungs in the car - everything from John Denver to Martina McBride to Vanilla Ice! My throat is so sore! But the contentment and happiness is something I hope I can hold on to as I return to work and all the other obligations that occupy my life. I am so appreciative of people like the Leus who invite us up any time to enjoy the peace of their cabin and surroundings as well as for friends like Carolyn and Kim who like to do the same things I do...including laughing until our guts hurt!

Things I'm sick of

I need a break. A long weekend in the mountains should to the trick. I have been so irritable this week and get so exhausted trying to hide it...and wasn't very good at it this afternoon. So, in honor of "last nerves," here are a few things I'm sick of:

1. Title 1 meetings, regulations, plans, ammendments, paperwork, phone calls, organizing, bribing, and funding that hasn't been distributed yet.

2. Michael Jackson being the top story of every newscast. He died. Get over it.

3. Stupid people.

4. Selfish drivers - you know, we're all on the road going somewhere. Take your turn - you're no different!

5. The feeling of always being behind, not truely catching up because you can't.

6. The feeling of not being available for everyone who needs me when they need me.

7. My protein shakes for breakfast on the way to seminary.

8. People quoting song lyrics on their status updates on Facebook.

9. The heat.

And finally...
10. Not being able to drop another pound no matter how much I work out or try to eat well.

On a happier note, I'm so grateful for friends and family who lift me up and make me realize that not EVERYONE is stupid, selfish, or fake. Kudos to my pals!

The show must go on....

Last night I drove up to Tuahcan with friends to see "Aida" and it was a fun adventure, to say the least! As we drove into St. George, off in the distance towards our destination, we could see ominous clouds looming overhead. Our seats were up in the back, center, as we had a friend who needed a handicapped seat. And thank goodness we were up there, under only 1 of 3 covered rows of seats! Before the play even started, the wind kicked up something horrible! I had to hold my glasses onto my face it was that hard! Then the sprinkles began as the play started it's introduction. The rain continued to fall in steady sprinkles along with the hurricane-strong winds all the while people were trying to sing and dance on stage with their costumes blowing in the wind. Many times the wind was so strong that we couldn't even hear the actors talking. After about 20 minutes of this 'entertainment,' they called a 20 minute intermission to see if the weather would subside. People were running for cover, drenched. Everyone's hair was all caddywhompus and/or dripping wet. We were convinced they were going to cancel the show, but right as the 18th minute clicked by, it subsided some and the show continued. A while later, we got a huge, long clap of thunder, lightening brightened the sky every few minutes, and an electrical short shot across a wire across the stage like lightening - the microphones shorted for a second, but the show went on without even a blink of an eye. Two songs before the real intermission, they stopped the main character mid-song and said there would be another intermission because the rain had gotten stronger and the wind was awful. By now, the orchestra was packing up and moving everything out of the pit. The stage was being mopped up. The patrons were still hanging on, and we, in our covered spot, just enjoyed the dropping temperatures and wind-blown hairstyles we were now sporting. Again, 2 minutes until the 20 minute decision to cancel, the weather subsided and we actually got to watch the rest of the show with very little interruption of weather. They continued the show with pre-recorded music. I enjoyed it a lot - the story line was interesting and the music was good. We just had to laugh and chalk it up to a good story! I wouldn't have had such a good time, however, had we been sitting directly in the rain!!! I was impressed with the actors' mantra: The show must go on!

My post is not nearly as celebratory as Amy's daughter peeing in the toilet for the very first time, but I can say that I went to my very first 'super saturday' activity yesterday and made 3 (yes, count them, 3) crafts. I painted 2 sets of blocks and put vinyl lettering on them (Halloween and Christmas), I made a cool little basket gift box thingy, and I sewed (yes, on a real sewing machine) a 2-sided table runner (well, I got the two sides put together - now I have to add the batting and finish it). Yep, there you have it. I was a certified "Crafter" yesterday and it was fun visiting with all the ladies there. Yeah for being social!

I had someone today say that they didn't get what all the hype was about seminary teachers having to get up so early in the mornings. The person said that they had to as a parent to drive their kids there for years and there was no apparent sympathy for them. I didn't think anything of it, but later on I tried not to feel offended. My earlier comment had been that I have isolated myself more since becoming a seminary teacher and I am so tired at night, etc. What I was trying to say was that my schedule, albeit not balancing a family as well, has become very tight and isolating and that I needed to find things to do besides plan the next day's lessons. Then as I was thinking about the aformentioned comment, by a friend of mine, I thought to myself, "You get to wake up, drive to seminary in your PJs, and go home. I have to get up, prepare for not only seminary, but for my work day (which means packing a change of clothes and shoes, breakfast and a lunch, and work out clothes, and and and) In the evenings, after returning home about 5:30 or 6pm, I eat a simple to make dinner and then spend anywhere from 1-4 hours researching and preparing for my lessons, how to make them interesting to 15 year olds at 6am, and then I fall ito bed - there is no more TV entertainment, reading novels for fun, nor going out past 8pm. So, YES, I DO have sympathy for seminary teachers more than the parents (not disregarding the hard job it is to be a parent and all the responsibilities they have) - especially those teachers who are parents and have to add in another 10 layers to complicate the calling. I can be thankful for that lack of blessing in this context! I know my friend didn't mean any offense by the comment, but this is just how I processed it today. Moving on......I'm over it.

Power of Suggestion

I was pondering how much I'm affected by the power of suggestion today. I really have some quirky issues when it comes to the subject. Here's a few I'm willing to share:
1. If the milk carton suggests an expiration date, it's for a reason. When shopping, I'll reach back or move others to get the furthest back milk with the furthest away expiration date.

2. If someone is eating something that smells good, I think about it for quite a while...sometimes until I can eat it myself when otherwise, I wouldn't even think about it. For example: the smell of a Port-a-Subs sandwich, lasagna, chocolate cake or ice cream, or other such bad stuff!

3. If the car repair place (or tire place) states that your brakes (or tires) should be fine for another 100 miles (i.e.), then at mile 101 I start to feel the brakes work differently or think the tire is going to blow at any time. I would be the sucker that has to "fix" it when suggested - people can make tons of money off me!

4. If someone talks about an incredible book or movie or play, I can't concentrate on other things until I see/read/watch it.

5. If the warning on the computer says it's time to run a check because there might be a virus attacking it, I run it right away - otherwise I hold my breath each time I click.

6. If I get a really good coupon in the mail, I feel like I should use it on something I really don't even need at the time. THIS one I have under control - I don't clip them anymore because I don't need anything!!!

7. I can hear a song in the morning and find myself humming or singing the chorus later in the day.

The power of suggestion cracks me up when I stop and think about it. I have many other quirks, but I'll save those for some other time! I just thought I'd give you something to laugh about.

The 5 Mile Power Walk

So our stake has these Fun Runs/Walks every holiday, it seems. Today, I decided to do one for the heck of it. Mikayla and I power walked 5 miles and felt great! Most people signed up to do 1 or 3 miles, but we went all the way! By the time we returned (we were the only 'walkers' on the 5 mile), they were pretty much cleaning up the finish line, hauling away the water, and unplugging the big time clock. Oh well - 2 of my YCLs stuck around to cheer us on across the finish line! We felt quite accomplished and proud of ourselves! Now if I could only get up the energy to finish all the things I've GOT to get done today to prepare for the week! Aaarrgghhh!

Dawn's Early Light

Well, I've survived 2 weeks of early morning seminary now! I teach a great group of 14 sophmores at 6:00am each and every morning. It's nice to start your day in something good like the Book of Mormon. This is a quick shot of our 'journey into the wilderness' to get out of our tiny room for one morning. Some of them brought out the couch from the foyer as their 'provisions.' Funny kids and phenomenal kids.

This week at work was better than the first - by far. Starting to get a handle on all the responsibilities resting on my plate and trying to get out of there and to the gym at 4:00 each day. I made it only twice this week. But I'm getting better at leaving. Work will always be there the following day, right! I reached my 50 pounds lost mark this week and hope for 15-20 more by Christmas. Slow and steady wins the race, so I've been told.

Nothing else too exciting has been going on - just seminary and work - coming home to fix a quick dinner, plan a lesson, and falling asleep as quickly as possible because 4:30am rolls around all-too quickly. This week there are a few things at night which I'm going to try to participate in - become a little social again. We'll see!