The Flower Man

Today was my last day working at the BYU preschool! I will really miss being there, especially working with the kids. The teachers were also amazing people to be around and excellent mentors. I'm glad I held out for a little bit longer on finding a job instead of accepting the custodial job which paid about half as much and would have been 10 times lamer. Plus, I now know songs such as Tommy Thumb and A Peanut Sat on a Railroad Track. My life will never be the same. :)

So it's goodbye Kerplunk and Elefun and hello hearing aids and canasta. I will start commuting to Taylorsville 5 days a week for a full time internship at Bennion Care Center beginning this Monday. I know I sound disappointed but I am actually excited.

One last note about the preschool. The director of the preschool is a fantastic woman. She runs the place as efficiently as a... okay I can't think of a good example, but I'm sure you can. Anyway, sometimes she's does her job so well that she can be a little intimidating. However, I know that she's not all stern face and business. I was really touched when she gave me a going away present today, one of her favorite books, "The Flower Man". What was especially nice is that she remembered how I was always looking for wordless picture books. "The Flower Man" is the best wordless picture book out there! The illustrations are really fun and it's so chuck full of characters that there are over 60 stories to discover (yes, I think you should at least check it out from the library). Plus it has a good moral. So I guess that ends the BYU preschool chapter of my life. Thank you Flower Man for making it a good day.

p.s. This is completely irrelevant, but in case you were thinking that taking a drive on the Alpine Loop would be a really fun autumn experience, you're probably right, but if you decide to go after October 23rd the leaves will probably all be dead and fallen to the ground. But hey, an hour and a half of driving and talking with your hubby will be well worth it.

Pumpkins

Last year's product (it's an owl in case you can't tell):






And this year's:


Carving courtesy of Stephen both years :). And I guess you just have to wear an orange sweatshirt if you're the pumpkin carver.

My brother thinks it looks anime.

My aunt and uncle invited us over for a really fun FHE, with the carving as the activity. This is almost the whole crew.

Family Visit and St. George

We have been total and complete slackers in the blogging world. I'm so busy today that I probably shouldn't waste time making this post, but I'm going to anyway.

Last weekend Steve's family came into town. Last time they were here we went to Brick Oven and the whole family was converted. We officially made it a family tradition by going there last weekend.


The fun table! (Steve's signature pizza: tomato and pineapple; Heather's signature pizza: pepperoni and green peppers)


Todd with his girlfriend and the parents

They also gave us the awesome gift of taking us to the BYU vs. New Mexico Homecoming game. It wasn't a blowout or anything but they won and we had a terrific time.


The 3 stooges (Steve's aunt and parents)

Our first and only game this season

Steve's mid-throw shot (10 points if you can actually see the ball)

Brotherly love

We reached a milestone this week: first time being away from each other for more than 24 hours since we've been married. It was really weird to be away, but I had so much fun taking a trip with my fellow graduate students to do hearing screenings at the Senior World Games in St. George for 3 days.

What did we do?

1. Enjoy 80 degree weather

2. eat for free every meal including at Cafe Rio, IN-N-OUT (my first time-- excellent burgers), and Arby's

3. see more earwax in 2 days than we have in all of our lifetimes combined

4. see Nights in Rodanthe (by same writer as the Notebook-- I thought it was HORRIBLE, luckily it was free);

5. hear the following joke 100 times Me: I'm going to be doing 3 tests with you today. Old smelly man who just finished playing softball: What? Huh? Can't hear ya? hahahahaha

6. meet some AMAZING senior athletes from around the world (USA, Canada, Brazil, Russia, Germany, etc) competing in everything from volleyball to softball and pickleball to square dancing. Seriously, they had gross earwax and B.O., but I don't know many 75 year old men who can roll into a backwards summersault during a volleyball game. They were never in a hurry and SO patient with us when we were slow.