It's Autumntime! It's Autumntime!

I feel like I used to feel when I sat down to start a paper in college...a little anxiety and absolutely now clue how to begin what I hoped would be some of my best writing ever. Okay, so I don't feel like this blog post has to be a masterpiece, but I hate not knowing how to begin any piece of writing. Even in my journal I usually have to have some sort of salutation or beginning sentence to set the stage. Oh well, I guess now it's started one way or another so I can just get on with the rest of this post. :) September was a busy month for us. Jon and his partner, Russ, were invited by the Construction Management program at BYU to speak at a seminar for all of the Construction Management Students. This seminar is held weekly and is required for all CM students to come and listen to industry professionals speak on different topics. It was really neat that for Jon and Russ, who were seating in those same seats two and a half years ago, to present and share things that they learned while in school that led them towards owning a successful home-building business in a down economy. Most of Jon's family attended the seminar, using it as an excuse to visit Provo, attend a football game, and meet Brendan and Kristin's new baby, Nora. Even Grandma Margaret and Sterling came to hear Jon speak! I don't think I've ever been prouder of my husband, listening to him give a flawless presentation using excellent public speaking skills, describing how they took a crazy idea and made it into a reality. After the presentation, Jon and Russ had lunch with several students who were interested in residential construction, and will likely find themselves in mentoring roles as these students look up to them and what they have done. Like I said, we were able to hang out with all of Jon's family while we were in Provo, where we saw BYU football beat UCF, attended a Jimmer's All-Stars charity game, and spent a lot of time holding sweet Nora. Seeing her full head of hair gives me hope that maybe our babies will break the Baker curse of baldness!

Aside from our trip to Provo, we've been busy with other things here in Boise. A few weeks ago I was called to be the second counselor in the Young Women's presidency in our ward, with responsibility over the Beehives. I'm blessed to have a good friend as my adviser, and we have 11 girls in our class. It's been a little overwhelming getting organized and acquainted with everything, but I already love all of the girls and I'm excited for this challenge. This last month I also learned how to bottle salsa with my friend Alyssa, and we've already spent two Saturdays turning my plentiful garden tomatoes into delicious salsa. Thanks to my mother-in-law for spending the first of those Saturdays next to the phone as I called her at least half a dozen times for instructions! I also learned how to crochet flowers to put on headbands, and made a few for a friend and my new niece. Other than that, I've just been working, exercising, and reading a ridiculous number of books!





This weekend marks the first weekend of the Fall Parade of Homes, of which Jon was the committee chair in charge of organizing the whole event. I was absolutely beside myself when I first saw his picture in the Parade magazine that is being distributed by the thousands, along with his personal invitation to Boise to check out the homes featured in the Parade. Tresidio has three homes in the Parade, further establishing their legitimacy as a leading builder in the Valley. Have I mentioned how proud I am of Jon?


I absolutely love autumn. The weather starts to cool, the leaves turn, and we all start to think about the holidays and family, cozy fires and blankets. One thing I love about autumn is General Conference. I challenged/bribed my Beehives to take notes on at least half of the talks, and figured I better follow my own counsel. I used to take notes, but had fallen out of the habit in the last couple of years. I forgot what a difference it makes, how much it opens your mind and heart to the Spirit and revelation as you concentrate on the messages of the leaders of the Church. I gleaned at least a little bit from most of the talks, committing to make adjustments in my life that would bring me closer to the Savior, but the talk that really took me by storm was Elder Hale's sermon on waiting on the Lord during adversity. It was such a message of hope and love and comfort, and was exactly what my heart needed.

Now, ending a piece of writing is almost as difficult as beginning one. You get to the point where there's really nothing more to say, but it would feel unfinished if you just ended abruptly, and it sounds contrived to wrap up with a summary of your previous paragraphs and points. Perhaps practice will make perfect as I strive to write these posts a little more often. We can only hope!