It's Beginning to Feel A Lot Like Christmas!

This week I had a delightful time getting into the Christmas Spirit. The Branch Christmas Party was filled with all sorts of fun chatter, Christmas music, Santa Claus, and - for a very fun change - swing dancing. The Branch President decided that it would be nice to have a fun activity for the youth and the adults, and it was a success! Later I accompanied (meaning I drove so they wouldn't have to use up miles) the Sister Missionaries to Plains to attend their Christmas Play/Talent Performance. It was really cute and every one did a great job. There are definitely a lot of talented people in Plains. Then, I joined in the festive tradition of wreath/centerpiece-making with some of my new friends in Noxon and Thompson Falls. It was so much fun, and here are the results:

What do you think?

Tom the Turkey

I've tried and tried to capture a good photo of the wild turkies that roam around here, but I just haven't had much luck. The turkies always come out as tiny specks in my pictures. So, I borrowed one from a Thompson Falls Bed and Breakfast website. Aren't they neat?

Welcome to the World Little One

Such a sweet bundle of joy, and I got to hold him! It's funny how easy it is to forget just how tiny newborns really are.
Lisa and I dined on cafeteria food and had a good chat. I'm SO glad she and Silas are home now...I think she was on the verge of dying of boredom when I arrived. Now she has plenty to do with two little boys and one big one to look after.

I looked at this picture and thought, "nope...we still don't look alike!"

Now Remember....

What's the long lost Missy been up to?

I've been traveling A LOT, and on my way to and from work I see some pretty beautiful sites.

The mist sits on the river most mornings. I captured this shot just before I reached Plains on my way to St. Regis.


This a view from Noxon.

Between Thompson Falls and Plains you will find the animals for which the word frolick was invented. Along all of the routes I take: Trout Creek, Noxon, St. Regis, Hot Springs, and then back to Thompson Falls I see the larch turning yellow and spread out through the pines.

The photo doesn't do this sunrise justice:

On my way to and from Hot Springs I pass by this pretty little lake.

It's a pretty beautiful place, I tell you!

Settling In

It's been nice to settle into town. I've discovered:

-I can hear the football games clearly from my house (and I enjoy it).

-My house sits on a loop that is 1.2 miles long.

-On Thursdays there is a fresh produce stand situated right where I turn of the Highway to go home.

-There are trees here called Tamaracks that look like a type of pine, but they're actually a type of larch and they change color in the fall and lose all their needles in the winter.

-I still can't decide if I like the trip to Noxon, the trip to Hot Springs, or the trip to St. Regis better...they're all so beautiful.

-Fall is still my favorite season. The air is starting to turn crisp, there's a faint smell of woodsmoke in the air, and all of the shrubbery is just beginning to change colors.

-The Speech Paraprofessionals that I work with are wonderful.

-I still like it here.

Settling In

I'm finally settled into my new apartment. After claiming victory over the wasps, discovering the nice running paths near my apartment, and getting to know a few of the people in the area, I can say with confidence, I like it here!