fall fix

photograph from Pinterest.com

I've been a little homesick for fall over the past few weeks. Apparently in Arizona the cacti and palm trees stay green all year long. Go figure. Since my little display of pumpkins and fake leaves atop our entertainment center just isn't cutting it, we are doing something way more fabulous to get our fall fix this year.

In three weeks we will be traipsing around Central Park, Times Square, The National Mall, and other fabulous sites in New York and Washington DC. 

And I'm just dying with excitement over here because my three absolute favorite people in the world will be traipsing right along with me. I don't think I will get a wink of sleep until then. I mean, really? Look at this place...

why not just make a habit out of once a month?

 The Arizona Life in August:

1. School started! I am student teaching senior English at Mesa High School. In the last week I have read 138543 student essays. And I will admit that I love EVERY minute of it.


2. Tyler got a JOB! A career-type job that means we are probably calling AZ our home for a while. So proud of that man, so proud.


3. We have done a fair share of getting lost frolicking around Phoenix, AZ. It's just SO big. It makes us miss Idaho just a tiny bit.                                                


2. We witnessed a little MLB action at Chase Field. Unfortunately,  no foul balls made their way up to the nose bleeds.
3. Shopping in Arizona is AMAZING. It can also put a nice dent in the bank account. At least we're savvy shoppers and we find outlet malls and such on every block. 


4. We have finally found an ice cream shop that is suitable for our needs. It took many failed attempts before we found ourselves slurping raspberry/brownie bite shakes at Culver's.


5. On another note...we joined a gym. Who knew that people living normal non-college-going lives could find time for such frivolous activities?


6. I saw a number on my phone thermometer I thought I'd never see. It said 117. No. Joke.


7. We got a little blogging gig on the side for an
 SEO company. We write 60 articles a week about important topics such as Baretta firearms, Arizona hard money lenders, and fulfillment companies. Long story. But it's money. And we've done worse things for money...like participate in two years of faithful plasma donation.


8. We've almost lived in the pool. The great thing about Arizona is that you don't even have to take a towel. You get out of the pool...you're dry. Just like that. "Yeah, but it's a DRY heat," they tell us.


9. We absolutely adore our new ward and all of our new church-going friends. They really help Mesa feel like home.


10. We attended our first Mesa Jackrabbit football game. They lost pretty ridiculously but I don't know that I've ever seen a school with so much school spirit. They even have legitimate purple people...high school boys try out (yes, they try out) to be a "purple person." If they are so talented as to make the "team," they get the privilege of painting their ENTIRE selves purple and standing in front the crowd screaming at the top of their lungs for the duration of the game. Hands, feet, face, armpits...all purple. They do wear shorts though. (That could be awkward.)

Anyway...

We haven't melted yet. So that's good news.

lately

Life lately has been...busy...to say the least. The last two weeks have been filled with joy, tears, excitement, and exhaustion. Here's a quick run-down:

*Tyler came home from working in North Dakota, much to my excitement. And much to my dad's disappointment. The two of them have become pretty good buds over the last three months.

*We packed up our lives and left our little home in 807. While it was one of the more exciting moments of the week, I couldn't help but shed a few tears as we left the apartment we used to sit on the street corner and look at, dreaming of the day when we would get to live there.

*Lots of family and friends came to share our big day with us as we graduated college. It was a touching and inspiring day in so many ways. BYU-I sent us off with memories that will always be cherished and high hopes for the future.

*We made one last quick trip to Salmon to play in the 24th of July softball tournament. Then, we buzzed up to Island Park to get some water skiing in. Tyler is grateful that I will now stop complaining...baaabe, a whooole summer without skiing. It's been a common lament since summer began.

*We drove for two solid days to get to Mesa. We visited family in Utah, stayed the night in Beaver, and finally pulled into our new abode on Wednesday evening. After staying six nights in six different places, we were glad to have a place to call home, even if only temporarily.

*Yesterday, we visited Mesa High School. It was absolutely fabulous--the principal and my cooperating teacher were so welcoming and the school is just stunning. I'm sure it will look much different when 3,300 students fill it up next week. To hear more about that adventure, you can visit my official "teaching" blog here.

*Then, we lounged by the pool, grilled shish kabobs, and explored our new city. Between the shopping and the food here, I don't know if we will ever leave. Yesterday was mild, we were told, at 106 degrees. The summer sun is relentless, but the beauty of Arizona makes it bearable.

*Today, Tyler had two job interviews. With two more on Monday, we are hoping that something works out in his favor. He looked so handsome this morning, all nervous in his shirt and tie. He's really somethin', that man.


Sometimes life is just too good to be true. Somebody pinch me!