another marathon post

life. is crazy. as always. why do we always have a million things going on? why do we have to keep track of so much information and so many appointments?

anyway, the point is- i'm keeping up decently well with everything in my life, except this blog. so here is another long post to get you up to date:

Lately:

• Camp Drake- Jonny got to attend a ScoutLeadership training weekend at a boyscout camp about an hour away one weekend. And I drove up to pick him up and stayed for their campfire and stargazing. It was so nice to be out in the beauty of nature, breathe the fresh cool autumn air, sit around a fire watching skits and listen to stories while snuggling my handsome Eagle Scout. Star gazing was incredible too. I learned how to tell the directions by the North star, and thought a lot about the universe and God and the wonder of creation.
• Halloween- I dressed up like a gypsy at the last second, basically throwing on a bunch of black clothes and every gold dangling thing I own. I looked awesome. Unfortunately this poor photo is the only one I got of my gypsy-glory. Jonny didn't dress up because he had a lab to attend at school and missed the first part of the awesome ward party. Chili cook-off (where ours won "Most Unique!"), chemistry magic show out at the fire pit, and costume parade. My personal favorite was a certain awesome 4 year old I know- who dressed as a nondescript Clark Kent and then ripped off his glasses and shirt, dramatically revealing a Superman uniform underneath.
  
• Football- Jonny really misses watching college football, so we decided to go to a game, and the Illini actually won!(sorry Purdue). I can be semi-proud of them this season. We had a big pancake breakfast at our house before and went with 7 of our close friends. It was a blast. We also watched some football at our friend Akash's house while eating home-made Indian food. Yum.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• St. Louis- I went to a conference with some friends from school to be certified for an incredible therapy program developed for people with Parkinson's Disease (LSVT Loud). It was very well organized and it felt so nice to be validated- to be able to sit through essentially 2 whole days of lecture and understand everything- all the jargon and terms and theory and physiology and research methods. It made me feel like maybe I have actually learned something in the last 5 years of school! And it made me more excited to actually get out and be a 'real' clinician. Also, we stayed in a snazzy hotel in the Loop and had fun looking at the pretty tree-lined streets and brick homes, walking around funky shops and eating out.
  
• Piano lessons- Wow. I am one of those typicals. Yep. Those people who took lessons as a kid but resisted the whole time and learned pretty much nothing and then looks back 10-ish years later and regrets it. So, thanks to a wonderful woman at church, I get to take quality lessons from her at a dirt cheap price. And use those cute Alfred books. Remember those? haha. It is so much fun. I look forward to practicing, and I love my lessons. Its nice to think about something that exercises my brain in a different way- hand eye coordination and such- and I love love love music, so it makes me happy.
• Running- I recently decided that I need to take advantage of this lovingly lastingly long long autumn we are having and get some running done outside before the winter comes. I got some amazing new running shoes thanks to my sweet husband. So my friend Ali and I are meeting at sunrise to run a couple of miles around the neighborhood a few times a week. It is such a nice way to start the day! Lets keep our fingers crossed that my right foot will stop hurting.
• Planning- Jonny and/or myself will be traveling to 4 different states in the next few weeks. Crazy! Stay tuned for more updates on our adventures.