Playing Catch Up...Fall 2011

Well, in short, here is a photo stroll down memory lane (i.e. everything I wish I had been documenting all along but haven't been). Some of these go clear back to August - but I wanted to make sure I had them in the archives. I always remind myself this would be easier if I blogged as we went :) Here's to hoping I will get better at this...especially with our little guy on the way.

Camping at Lake Coeur d'alene. This bridge is part of a trail that loops around, and across, the lake. We spent some time biking on it while camping there in September. It was beautiful!




Getting my tonsils out...yuck! (don't worry - this was just pre-pregnancy)



Blackberry festival outside of Moscow in Juliaetta, ID - we froze these and enjoyed them in smoothies and on cereal for weeks after!


Cider Pressing in Potlatch, ID with David's WWAMI class.



Here I am at our first ultrasound about 10 weeks along. Then here are two copies of a a book I was given - same book, different editions. Can you tell which one represents the "Millennial Mom?"



Here are some pictures of our ward Halloween party. We still hadn't told anyone quite yet - but we were about 12 weeks along :)



We went to breakfast at a "must-try" place here in Moscow called "The Breakfast Club." Sadly...this was before I had gotten past all of my sickness and, although David was good enough to order just about anything I thought sounded good, this was about all I did with it :) We'll have to go again sometime...David said it was great!


THE HOLIDAYS:

I made the Jenkins famous "poppy-seed bread" as our Christmas gift to friends. I am happy to carry on the tradition!


The Price family held it's first ever "Christmas 5K." David won...and I was proud just to complete it at 21/22 weeks.



Nativity at the Price's. We had three Mary's in this years reenactment...all of which insisted on riding the donkey (thanks Austin)!


We spent Christmas at "Soldier Mountain," cabin with the Jenkins. We had a great time sledding, playing games, eating and enjoying the get-away. Wish we would have taken more pictures!



We came back from break just in time for an amazing snow-storm. It snowed for most of the week and David even got a day off of school. It was sure beautiful!




So...that brings us just about up to speed. Here we are, entering David's first week of tests for the semester, my 28th week of Pregnancy and a spring filled with baby showers, family weddings, house hunting in Seattle and a new baby in May! We're hoping our little guy makes his debut after finals :)

[Photo: View of a harvested wheat field out our back window.]

This article made my day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15104707

Recently, Rihanna contacted a farmer in Ireland requesting to use his field for a music video. She probably had no idea what she was in for on any farm, let alone this one. Her first sign should have been that the farmer, Alan Graham had never even heard of her. "I didn't know who was coming. If the name 'Rihanna' had been mentioned, well, no disrespect but it wouldn't have meant anything," the farmer said in the article.

As they were filming, Rihanna, as pop-culture goes, started losing clothing. Mr. Graham walked by the shoot headed for his tractor when he saw her:

"I thought it was inappropriate. I requested them to stop and they did," he explained. I had my conversation with Rihanna and I hope she understands where I'm coming from. We shook hands.

"From my point of view, it was my land, I have an ethos and I felt it was inappropriate. I wish no ill will against Rihanna and her friends. Perhaps they could acquaint themselves with a greater God."

Can you picture that conversation happening...and the hand shake? I don't know if you could have witnessed an interaction between two more different people. And good for him for standing up for his humble, but timeless values. Best of all he didn't apologize for his beliefs. Those same values have probably been preached on that same family farm for hundreds of years - the rest of the world has changed, not him.

People like Mr. Graham are refreshing, and it is one reason we have loved the greater Moscow area and its people so much already. Just this week I was speaking with a receptionist at our medical school named Shannon. I mentioned I was looking to buy firewood for the winter and she readily volunteered to keep an eye out for me. One lead that came up was a cord of wood being auctioned (cord is a very official measurement of wood, I've had to learn the jargon!). She said a father in a nearby town had died in an accident leaving a wife and two children. The town is holding an auction and spaghetti feed this weekend for them, hoping to show support and raise a little money. Communities taking care of each other.

When you get tired of hearing about Hollywood and Washington just look to small towns and all the good, honest people in them. Their simple, thoughtful life is refreshing - from northern Idaho all the way to a farm in Ireland!

Grow where you're planted!

Our first three weeks in Moscow, Idaho have been great. On Sunday I was asked to introduce myself in Relief Society and tell everyone my favorite thing about Moscow, so far. Without a a doubt, my answer was...the people. We have been blessed to meet wonderful people in our short time here in Moscow. We have great neighbors; varying in age, stage in life, occupation and religion (this was a change from our rather homogenous surroundings in Provo). We have been so impressed with the wonderful and interesting people in David's class. We have been especially grateful for the kind and fun people we have met in our ward.

I have received a question from several people that goes a little something like this: "Is it hard to really feel like settling in and meeting people when you know you are moving again so soon...?" David and I have talked about this at times. The reality is that over the next 10-12 years we probably won't spend more then 3 years in any one place at a time. And so, our goal is to "grow where we are planted." Right now we are in Moscow. Though it will be short-lived, we hope to put our whole hearts into it. We have already begun to reap wonderful blessings from our time here. I am sure we will find this to be the case with each place we go, and with each new season of our lives.

A few great Moscow memories...

The Lentil Festival:
A 350 gallon pot of Lentil chili!

Delicious!


Spokane Temple trip on my birthday...


Driving Range Date...(notice the beautiful backdrop/scenery)



A couple of things we love about Moscow...