A little BNS

If I lived in a perfect world.....

I would be living in London while still attending BYU-Idaho while having a job as an airline stewardess while participating in a flash mob daily; there wouldn't be a 6 week wait for medical school application, there would be fifty hours in one day, the so called "high salary" at BYU-I would be above $9 an hour, Joshua Radin would be my personal troubadour, and most importantly my butternut squash plant wouldn't look like this:

Back in June Robert and I planted in our square foot garden. I don't have any good pictures of our beauty before it bit the dust, but it was quite lovely. We had a voluminous butternut squash plant, peppers, beets, basil, (a) tomato (that died), and cauliflower that was attacked and then killed by aphids. Okay, so about half of our garden was successful, but I can't even begin to tell you my excitement for this squash. 

Two years ago I was living in London, and my parents came to visit for Thanksgiving. We took a lovely trip over to Plymouth. For Thanksgiving dinner we ate at this incredible restaurant that completely changed my palate. It was a fancy restaurant that may or may not have been owned by Jamie Oliver (by far the fanciest I have ever been to). Layne and I both had a butternut squash risotto (which I want to weep thinking about) that gave me a strange fascination with the squash. 

The thing I looked forward to most about Autumn (besides the colors) this year was the chance to eat my homegrown butternut squash. FAIL. An early Rexburg frost robbed me of that opportunity.

 But, when the weather fails, WINCO doesn't (bonus points, it also doesn't force me to break my wallet). Butternut squash was eighty cents a pound, and I jumped all over that one. Good thing my husband is a good sport, and will eat whatever is put in front of him (except butter, cream, grease, overly sweet things, or high fat foods. but that is another story). The last few days our dinners have consistently been orangey, and delicious. 

butternut squash risotto (a favorite), butternut squash curry, roasted butternut squash, butternut squash macaroni, butternut squash soup, mmmmmm. Did I mention I heart butternut squash?

highlights

One of my most favorite things about the church I belong to is the chance that we have to listen to the Prophet(s) of the Lord twice a year. (plus, who doesn't love being able to have church on their couch in PJ's? Just sayin') On my favorite family traditions is having breakfast with family friends (usually waffles) before the morning session. This year Robert and I had some friends over on Saturday morning for waffles and a hash.

We were just sitting down to our waffles when we heard the announcement that has gone viral. (the poor people who aren't a member of my church are probably very confused by all the talk on FB). Young Men can now go on missions at the age of 18, after they have graduated high school. The age for women has also decreased two years, to 19! In summary, this is what was gained from Saturday morning:

(my awesome aunt made this)

picture via

picture via

And then there was the talk given by Dallin H. Oaks. This was one of my favorite talks given in the past two days; before this talk the subject on which he spoke has been on my mind, a lot. I am convinced, LDS or not, everyone in the world needs to see/hear/read this talk: 

la la la la, life is wonderful

Today my new nephew finally decided to emerge from the womb. Collette may or may not have been a few days late and a little anxious, but I am sure it was well worth it. (considering he got here in about record labor time.)

Meet little Darwin Wixom Call:

Co-bag and J-Bone live in Boston, so I don't get to see the little fool until Christmas. Knowing his parents, I can't think of a child that will be more hilarious, or have more personality than this kid. I already love him. I'm excited to see him, and also how he gets along with Natalie's future child (who is due two weeks). They will be quite the pair. Collette and Justin both thinks he looks like a mini version of Winston Churchill, and I kind of agree.

Speaking of Mr. Churchill. When I was growing up, my dad always had our "weekly family quote" that we got to memorize. Churchill and Emerson are two of my dad's most favorite people in the world so more than enough came from him. As of late, one of my favorite quotes we memorized growing up has been running through my head, nonstop:

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

And so Mr. Churchill helped me recognize that I was feeling rather lazy and unproductive, that I wasn't doing enough (you probably would never guess what my parents were like), like I needed to do something more exciting with my life rather than being a critic. 

Which beings me to my next point: Today I overheard my friend talking in my class saying that the soccer team needed more players, and I thought "what the heck, I love soccer. Sign me up!". After classes I got to play soccer for the first time in a year and a half, and it was a beautiful thing. It brought me back to the early days of college, playin with this girl:

And my last game of Senior year playing with these awesome ladies:

(this was the best picture I have. Although you can't see their faces, they are pretty cool)

When I got home Robert-o sweetly reminded me that I am currently taking 15 credits, the head Anatomy & Physiology TA, a Nutritionist, a personal trainer, a wife, and a soccer player (again). Somehow all the rest of that stuff slipped my mind, but what the heck? I love doing it all. So, life is good. Plus, its Fall!, and I get to walk (or run) home everyday when it looks like this:

Did I also mention that I have a really cool husband? Oh, well, I do.