A Few More

  Here are a few more pictures that did not download the first time around.  While I was home for Thanksgiving, I got to visit with two of my good friends from high school, Julie and Mary Kate, and their families.  They both of cute children and I was excited to get to play and hold them.

 Each year my siblings and I draw names so that we each get one sibling a gift for Christmas, this past year, Jamie had my name and his family spoiled me with the gifts that they got me.  He bought me a new pair of boots to help me push forward with my hiking of the Appalachian Trail!!!

 Over the Christmas holiday, Anotina had her 8th birthday and was baptized in Tennessee while they were here for Christmas.  We all got to be a part of her special day and we went out for lunch together as a family afterwards to celebrate her special day!!

2 Months In - 14 To Go!

It is hard to believe that two months have already come and gone since I started nursing school.  Spring Break has started for the next week and it will be nice to have a few extra minutes to breathe.  These past two months have been busy with lots of learning going on.  I have been learning so much that will help me be the best nurse possible - I even gave my first real shot a couple weeks ago to another student in my class.  In two more short months, we will be starting our clinicals in the hospital, helping other nurses take care of real patients.

Here are a few pictures to update on my comings and goings since the end of 2013! Enjoy!

 Steve and David came to visit NC and Mama and Daddy happened to be in town so we got to have David for the evening!!

 Elizabeth prepared all Fall season for her upcoming mission.  She was able to attend the Raleigh LDS Temple to receive her Endowments! It was a great day for us to all be together.  She has already been on her mission for two months!

 I was able to go home for Thanksgiving and we had the missionaries over for our Feast.

 My church congregation does a Christmas Program every year and I was able to play the dulcimer with several other friends, Uncle Bob, Lisa, and Ava came along with Mama and Elizabeth!

 This year I had the opportunity to see the Creche display in Apex, NC. There were hundreds of Nativity scenes set up for viewing along with different musical performances throughout the evening.  It was a beautiful event with many beautiful scenes from all over the world.  Here are two of my favorites - this one was from New Zealand...

 Travis, Collin, James, and Camilla came with me!!

 Every year our family goes Christmas Caroling to different families we know in our community.  My parents went for the first time when my oldest brother Jamie was a baby - 35 years ago.  This year we got to visit Anthony DeeDee Booher.  They are both great and work with my Dad at the Bill Gatton Honda store.  It was a very special visit and we loved being in their home.

 Here is the gang that got to come home for Christmas this past year!!

 One of our outings consisted of a visit to Grayson Highlands to see the wild ponies.  It was pretty chilly but the sun was out shining brightly and the ponies made a great showing!

 Before Elizabeth left on her mission, she had a chance to give a talk at church and we were all still home for the Christmas holiday.  Both of my dad's two brothers and their families were also able to come for the talk and visit afterwards together.  It was lots of fun getting to all visit together!

 Just 6 weeks after Elizabeth left for her mission, Christopher arrived home from his.  As you can see, he is sooo happy to be home. It is hard to believe that two years have already come and gone.  we are excited to have him home and see what's next for him in life!!

 Classic airport picture after he got home!!!

 

University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill!

Well, it is official! I will once again be a student, but this time it will be at UNC! I begin their accelerated nursing program on Tuesday and will finish May 2015! I am very excited for this new opportunity and adventure.  I am very blessed to have parents who support me in my endless quest for a career that I feel will be a positive fit for my personality and desires.  Working at the hospital this past year, has been a great learning experience and I believe has helped me decide that nursing is what I would like to pursue! 

Final Trip of 2013!!

During the 2nd weekend of November, I went on my final backpacking trip of 2013 and we hiked 40 more AT miles to put me at 200 AT miles over the past 2 years!! I am on track to hike the entire trail over the next 20 years of my life!! =) It was another wonderful trip. The day time weather could not have been more perfect, the night time was a little on the chilly side!! =) As always, I savored the opportunity to be out in the beautiful world that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created for us. 

This tree is apparently the largest tree on the entire AT!! It and I deserved a grand hug!

Jaclyn, Brenna (a friend of Jaclyn's from DC), Jake, and Daniel (not pictured) joined me on this adventure!!

Hard At Work!

Back in October, my mom and Elizabeth came to visit for a few days and while they were visiting we put ourselves to work and finally hung my window after it sat on my floor for forever! My mom was more excited about this than anything else we did those few days.  We borrowed a drill from a man in my apartment building and decided our project was a success!! Thanks Mama for your help and inspiration!

During their visit, we made a trip to the North Carolina State Fair and had a great time.  The pumpkin in the background won the prize for being the largest, it was huge!!  We had a great time, seeing the beautiful produce, eating delicious food, seeing the many different farm animals, and viewing all the different exhibits!

McAfee Knob on the AT!!

My AT adventures continue and this one left me with some amazing views and three ugly spider bites! I have been wanting to do a section of the AT for a while that takes in a spot called McAfee Knob and is the most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail.  My friend Jaclyn from DC wanted to do it as well, so we met in the middle and had a great time. This trip ended up being a 35 mile section in three days and it was wonderful.  We had amazing weather, hiked several different types of terrain, and had a run in with the cops!  What more could you ask for on a hike through the woods.  The more I backpack on the AT the more I come to love my time there.  If I can get in one more 40 mile trip this year, I will hit 200 miles backpacked on the AT over the past two years!!  Enjoy the pictures from the trip!!

Mt. LeConte 2013

Ever since I was a little girl, my family has gone camping. I came to love this activity as a child and that love continues today.  During my college years, I did not camp very much due to my long hours of study and most of my camping equipment stayed in TN while I was in UT.  Since being back on the east coast in a more permanent state, I have been able to camp and backpack much more and continue to love it with that childhood zeal I had many years ago.  This summer Elizabeth, my mom and myself were able to camp for a couple of days in the Smokey Mountains and my dad was able to join us on Saturday to hike Mt. LeConte.  As stated in Alma 30:44, "...all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."  These are the words I think of when I am out in the mountains and am blessed to behold the beautiful creations of our Heavenly Father!!

 On top of Clingman's Dome with Elizabeth and Mama

 Elizabeth and I

 State Line between TN/NC - two of my favorite places

 Top of LeConte

 The Great Smokey Mountains!!!