grateful

It's still weeks until Thanksgiving, but I think I'm well overdue in creating a gratitude post. Here's the beginning to a list to be lengthened:

In no particular order, I am grateful for...

• Colors
• Time (even little bits of it)
• Good health
• Scriptures
• A kind and genuinely good boyfriend (a true friend)
• Faith in Jesus Christ
• A true and living Prophet and Apostles
• Sweet roommates
• Words
• Sunshine on crisp Fall days
• Morning runs with Conz and Steph
• Sincere and helpful Professors
• Neighbors
• Meaningful work and inspiring co-workers
• Life's experiences (past and present)
• Team-working classmates
• Smiles
• Loyal friends of past and present
• My little trials
• Temples and Covenants
• Uplifting and beautiful music
• Loving and thoughtful parents
• Laughter and expression
• Wheels
• Thoughtful siblings and their precious kids
• Ear-warming flaps on my hat

ten pianos and tons of rocks

Are you familiar with the Suzuki Method? Brock and I went to the Ten Pianos Suzuki Concert at the Conference Center on Friday night. It was a prelude performance to the big mult-instrument concert that would take place on Saturday.

Here's the Picture for You: 10 Steinway pianos, dozens of piano students from age 3 up to 19, Suzuki-esque Bows to start and end each piece performed, parents and grandparents, teachers and siblings, Brock and I in the audience.

It was actually a really cute and impressive recital. You could close your eyes and forget there were 12-20 hands (6-10 pianists) playing, because they sounded as one! They even played a special number written by Jon Schmidt, All of Me, 10 student (ages 10-19) all in sync! The rest of the concert brought back memories of plunking away on the piano as the family patiently listened to me prepare for lessons and seasonal piano recitals at the Dance's home.

After the concert, we enjoyed some time on beautiful temple square, running into the stellar sister missionaries. Then we joined Ross, Brock's brother, for ice cream at Maggie Moo's. I recommend the chocolate mint with oreos and the red velvet with raspberries!

To put a bandaid on the photo-less night, Joseanne kindly took a few when we returned home. This is Brock's favorite:

Fall is nearing an end and Winter is quick on it's way, SO we combined powers with Connie and Brandon for outdoor adventure, Rock Climbing and Dutch Over Dinner up Provo Canyon.

It was quite busy on all the popular (and simple) climbs, so we found ourselves searching in places were were not too familiar with, looking for a spot. This led to a nice warm up as we scrambled up then slid down some sketchy look mountain. Brandon and Brock are much better and skiing down rocky hills than Conz and I. No injuries.

We soon found a place that opened up... Andrew and Rach might remember this climb. I think it's Rachel's favorite. After doing this route, I only have added amazement at my sister's skillz. Woot woot Rach!

This was Brock's first outdoor climb, and he ROCKED it!

Meet the Dutch Oven Chef, Brockolee.

Meet the delicious chicken enchiladas... they were followed by chocolate cherry dutch oven cake. Yet another first (c. enchiladas in the dutch oven)- Way to go, Brock!

We had a great time with Conz and Brandon (sorry we failed to snap a photo of us all). Beautiful place, excellent company, delicious food.

kim kame 2 town!

In case you were not informed in a previous post, Kim is a dear from from DC, and she has an amazing voice. She came to Utah to sing at a DC friend's reception in... Provo! We got to spend a little bit of time together, including a visit to Temple Square where we went to Music and the Spoken Word. The morning we went happened to be a special one, as Gov. Herbert, was presenting a recognition for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the new state day for Music and the Spoken Word. Along with Gov. Herbert, many local and national leaders came to view the concert, including President Thomas S. Monson!

Kim and I then spent some time visiting before I left SLC, and we caught the fountains in front of the Church Office Building just at the right time!

It was so nice to see and spend time with Kim. She is an incredible woman and a special friend.

Lil Cottonwood and Oktoberfest

Saturday, we drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon, south of SLC to Snowbird where Oktoberfest (German festival) took place. On the way up, Brock captured a few beautiful shots of the leaves on either side of the canyon. It is such a pretty time of year, which helps decrease the sadness that it's becoming quite cold outside.

We bought these awesome hats (German?) at the festival for a great deal after watching a Champion Yo-Yo Man and a true German Chopstik juggler in Lederhosen . So, a new favorite pic is here. The hats will help welcome in Winter. Good day.

Moved and Moved

So there are more pictures to post from this past month after moving back to UT officially than I can manage right now. Rather than taking the time I can't, but fulfilling my duties, here's a quick update that will hopefully be edited for improvement before the end of this month. No promises.

• Living with the Skeens (Andrew, Rach and Kaili) in PG was ideal. They were so good to me, and I could never get home too early- I loved spending time with Rach and Kai in the early evenings. I even got to be on pick-up duty after Kai's daycare on days that Rach was running behind. I can't be grateful enough for the time I got to spend at the Skeen home!

• Started my graduate program at BYU. Instructional Psychology and Technology is the department. I am thoroughly enjoying my associations with excellent instructors and peers. There is quite a variety within the student body in terms of background and age, which I really like. There is even a man in his late 60's or early 70's auditing my programming class! In the next couple months I should be able to nail down my master's project plan, which is really exciting. Most don't start this until later on in the program, but I've got a good feel for the direction I'd like to move in and an early start can't hurt.
• Working as an Instructional Design Assistant at the Center for Teaching and Learning under the direction of my friend, Tonya, has been grand. Again, the faculty in the center are outstanding, and I really like the projects that I am working on. My main project (developing a social/academic networking discussion board) helps to support my other job as an IPT287 Instructor, which is awesome. Additionally, the CTL hours count toward internship credits. I'm very grateful for this opportunity and am convinced this was handed to me from the Lord in many ways.
• Instructing an undergraduate technology integration course has been a good experience as well. I really enjoy many of the student interactions that I have, although it has also been eye-opening and slightly disappointing to see some less-than-ideal characteristics surface in many of the students. I am determined to exude positive energy to help inspire them to love learning and the challenges that come with building new skills.
• Moving to P-Town just over a week ago has been good. I miss the Skeens, but it's been less of a drive and has helped me be able to put more hours into work and school. Also I started dating Brock. He and I were friends a few years ago before I moved to teach in VA. We went on our first date at the beginning of September and have enjoyed getting to know each other more since. It's really good to be able to spend more time with him since I live closer now. He's kind, happy, smart, funny, talented, awesome (that includes a lot) and more. Simply put, I like him.

these are the best pics we have yet... enjoy :)