Leaves, Apples, Puzzles...& more

If I haven't mentioned it before, I love Fall!! It really is my favorite season. I love the cooler weather (but not cold). I love the shorter days (but not endlessly dark). I love the anticipation of holidays (but not yet in the thick of all the hustle and bustle). I just love it! This weekend, I got to bask in a little more Fall and a lot of R&R. On Friday (September 30th), Jeff and I took a scenic drive to look at the abundant fall colors. We chose to meander through Skyline Drive on the mountain ridges from Spanish Fork to Fairview. We had hoped to make it all the way to Ephraim but some slick mud and a less-than-slight panic attack from me cut our journey short. Still, the mountains were overflowing with bright yellows, vibrant oranges, and a few deep reds. More than the colors, I enjoyed the company. I love slowing things down and just being present with Jeff. He truly is my best friend.

Speaking of slowing things down, the rest of the weekend was almost at a stand still as we basked in the peaceful spirit of General Conference. We were actually able to listen to all five sessions with minimal interruption (part of that is because it was only Jeff, Danny, Jonas, and I). All of us engaged in some form of quiet activity as we listened. Jeff and I put together puzzles while Danny and Jonas built Lego creations. All quiet. All listening. All edified (ok...that may be a bit of a stretch but I know the boys were listening). I loved that when the prophet spoke, Jonas leaned over to me and asked that I help him remember what the prophet has counseled us to do so that he can "follow the prophet & God". I hope he will always have a desire to do that. In between sessions, we checked off a few items on our to-do lists; one of which was to get more apples! There is nothing sweeter than a crisp apple straight off the tree. Well...pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are pretty sweet too! That was another session filler activity and perhaps a fall conference tradition. All in all, the weekend was uplifting from enjoying God's creation to hearing His word through prophets, apostles, and leaders. It was the perfect way to start October...and a beautiful way to continue all the fall fun.