falling

I seriously cannot stop talking about how much I love fall. 

It's busy, it's hectic, school threatens to drag me down into the deep, dark, depths of depression. Okay, so maybe that last line was a bit of an exaggeration. But really, it's a busy, crazy season. I'm spending 14 hours in class a week, observing therapy sessions about 4 hours a week, and working about 25 hours a week. The rest is spent trying to keep up (or should I say catch up) on homework and assignments. It's crazy. BUT fall makes it so worth it. The moments that I open my window and smell fall (and try to ignore the seasonal allergies), the moments that I can sneak a short walk or a run, and yes, even the moments that I spend sitting at my desk doing homework with a candle burning are worth it. 

This weekend, my best friend/boyfriend came up to Mankato. We've both been busy and a bit overwhelmed with school and decided we needed a fun weekend. So, we ate out at a fun pizza parlor downtown (you can draw on the tables), we bowled, we went to an apple orchard and attempted to make apple turnovers and applesauce out of the apples, we made a delicious supper, watched a movie, went to church, ate lunch, and walked outside at Minneopa State Park. Whoa! Busy, but fun. It was good. So good. Fall is wonderful. I dread the day when it's too cold to stroll outside comfortably. Maybe I'm not meant to be a Minnesotan. But let's not think about the cold quite yet. Until that day comes, I'm soaking in every color-changing leaf, every breath-taking view from the hilltop, and every moment of solitude that I can. Nothing beats fall. Oh, and cornbread muffins fresh out of the oven.

P.S. Someone got a new camera, but I won't tell you who. It's not a professional one by any means, and not even close. It is, however, an upgrade from the free digital one I have been using. Now just to learn how to manually operate it =)