eager mcbeavers

i don't know why someone felt that it was necessary to label the first week of voting "early voting." don't you think most people vote on those days as opposed to actual election day? so why can't it just be "voting" and not "early voting"...? "early voting" makes me look like an overachiever. like i'm too ridiculously excited to vote and i can't possibly wait until november 6th to keep my voice to myself.

... well, maybe that last part is a little true.

so last night, 9 days early, we voted!
and i guess i was really eager and excited.
i maybe even forced my voting buddy to wear republican reds with me. 
i practically skipped all the way to the west jordan city hall.
(we strategically chose the voting location closest to yogurtland)

it was the first time voting for both of us. 

i am excited to have hit this rite of passage in my life.
after voting, i feel older and more important.
i feel like i walked in as a girl, and walked out as a woman.

happy voting, everyone!
click here for some unbiased election loving. 

the first of many

most of you know that i am studying elementary education.
why do i want to be a teacher, you ask?

well. shall we start a list? 

1. i connect with elementary-aged people

2. i am patient

3. children make me happy
4. i have a weird fetish with grading papers 

5. i feel comfortable in front of big groups of people

6. i want to pass on my love of learning

7. i want to make a positive difference in children's lives

8. summers off

9. teaching is rewarding- and i'm not talking about the dollars

10. i love writing on a whiteboard 

and, as an added bonus, i am itching to decorate a classroom and call it mine.  

so to no surprise, the shopping has already begun.
a few days ago i bought my first piece of classroom decor: 

what could be more fitting for a classroom than a lovely wooden apple?

i'm pretty excited about it. 

and please excuse the self-taken pictures, 

this is what happens when scotty is my only option as a photographer: 

-mrs. marx

a day maker

i am so not a morning person.

seriously. scotty and i think it's hilarious that my initials are now A.M. ... because if i had my way, i would have absolutely nothing to do with the A.M.! in fact, my dad tried (several times, actually) to warn scotty about my grumpy morning facade he knew all too well from my seminary days. i'd say the follow picture shows a pretty accurate example.

with that being said, on saturday my sweet husband woke me up at 4:40 (yes- A.M.) to help him work for the community co-op (click here for more info). they distribute local produce and other goods all over utah. scotty and i ventured down to provo to promote and advertise the company at the provo farmer's market. combining early morning, work, provo, cold weather, and cramps is not really in the makings of my ideal saturday.

so i was being whiney, and being a bum, and complaining, and wanting to go home. i ventured off from the market to entertain myself. while doing so, an unexpected and quite urgent message came from my man: 

being the creep that i am, i quickly hopped in the car and drove back to scotty, and he held my shaking hand as we walked over to her. 

stephanie nielson had already impressed me from her blog, her book "heaven is here," her appearances on oprah, 20-20, and mormon messages (click here), her speech at byu last year, and not to mention her impeccable fashion sense... and yet, she is even more amazing in person! 

i was standing in front of her, and i kind of forgot how to form words. i rambled like an idiot while she so humbly and politely stood and listened. the best word scotty and i can use to describe her is "sweet." she didn't have to wrap me in a sweet hug when i stuck my hand out to greet her. she didn't have to make conversation with me and ask me where i'm from. nor did she have to gasp and question, "you commute from midvale to provo? every single day?" ... but she did. we only shared maybe 5 or 6 minutes with her, and we left feeling like she was our newest friend. we talked about politics, school, the cougars, and even hugging oprah (... and me hugging someone who has hugged oprah. i couldn't help it). she cared about us and took time out of her personal family outing at the farmers market to talk to a homeless-looking admirer. other memorable moments from our encounter: 

scotty: she is so excited to meet you. i think she's crying. 

stephanie: *laughs*

me wiping away a tear of joy: ... no seriously, i just have something in my eye. 

me: i'm sorry for intruding, this is probably so annoying! does this happen a lot? 

stephanie: haha uh... no, not really. 

(but you know it does!)

me: thank you! you are such a great example. everyone just loves you. 

stephanie: trust me, i feel the love! i wouldn't be here without it. 

she is an amazing woman. 

"running into" her changed my day and my perspective for the better. 

she inspires me as a future mother, a wife, a writer and blogger, a member of the church, a homemaker, and especially as an optimist. i mean, if she can overcome her plane crash and live such a happy, joyous life, why should i make a big deal about any of my stupid problems? she has taught me to find joy in the journey regardless of the bumps and hills along the way. 

... so maybe waking up at 4:40 AM wasn't so bad, after all.

our first family tradition

you can't really have a "tradition" until you've done something at least twice, right? right. because if you only did something once, it would just be that one thing you did that one time. buuut, if you did something twice, there's a pattern forming. a tradition in the making.

and friends, as of friday night, scotty and i have carved pumpkins together TWICE. 

two solid years in a row. 

last year, we carved pumpkins as an antsy & anxious engaged couple: 

this year, we carved mini pumpkins as a moneyless & merry married couple: 

aside from a house with decent lighting that wouldn't make our pictures look so yellow, i am looking forward to many more years of pumpkin carving with this guy.

we are loving this beautiful fall season!