Utah to DC and back in 36 hours:

This weekend (more like the end of last week) I jumped on a plane and flew out to DC for another med school interview! Woohoo!

The night before I left I was up until 3 AM finishing homework assignments that were going to be due while I was gone, so when I got on the plane in Utah, I promptly fell asleep and didn't wake up until the pilot informed us we were descending into Washington DC. 

Best plane ride ever.

My good friend Jenna picked me up from the airport and I decided to head out and find the school and the building I was supposed to check into for the interview in the morning. 

It ended up being the world's easiest building to find, and upon consulting google maps I discovered I was only about a half of a mile away from the Lincoln Memorial! So off I went. 

DC happened to be freezing cold, (okay not freezing, but pretty dang chilly!) So I might have stopped into H&M to buy a jacket and a scarf... they were necessities!

Okay but chilliness aside, DC is beautiful at sunset! And I loved the Lincoln Memorial! (I didn't get to see it when I was there last time, or the time before that.)

Jenna and her husband Mike picked me up and we went and tried 2Amy's for dinner (Well, I tried it, they'd had it before,) and it was amazing! Totally lived up to the hype.

The next day was all intervewing n' stuff, and then I managed to squeeze in a quick stop and Anthropologie and it was off to the airport! Until next time DC!

^^^ I sent this picture to my brother, who then asked me if I was playing with photoshop.

Here's to a New Week:

My life lately, summed up:

Dinner dates with couple friends + brunching with california friends (come visit again!) + exercising... wait, nope that didn't happen... I blame netflix entirely + watching the boston red sox game (!!!) + eating j-dawgs & donut holes + finally seeing Captain Phillips + studying for a statistics test + acing that statistics test + preparing to fly to DC on Thursday + not doing laundry + sending mail to my favorite missionary (my sis is almost halfway done!) + and of course blogging, instead of making notecards for a chemistry test.

A Pumpkin Carving Party {minus the carving part}

JP and I attended a pumpkin carving party put on by my cousin, and my goodness I don't know if I've ever been to a party where there was so much creative-ness being projected onto pumpkins! 

I mean, people had power drills out. Power drills!

JP and I however, found ourselves in a bit of a conundrum (<-- that, right there, is a great word)

You see, neither of us exactly excel when it comes to being creative and putting sharp knives in our hands while we're trying to be creative? That's just dangerous. 

Also, our pumpkin was honestly the most perfect pumpkin I have ever laid eyes on. The shape, the color, the lack of any blemishes! It was a state fair pumpkin. 

Anyways, those two factors sort of led us to the decision to not carve our pumpkin [see picture above] so instead we chatted. socialized, tried to figure out what everyone else was carving, and had ourselves an absolutely fabulous time. 

Life Starts All Over Again...

... when it gets crisp in the fall."

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

This weekend, JP and I took advantage of these beautiful mountains that surround us and went on a drive up the canyon! 

It was a dream: we put "Old Man Radio" on Pandora (best. station. ever), rolled the windows down, and brought a little pseudo-picnic to eat as we drove! (peanut butter + honey for me, roast beef +sausage for him)

Love love LOVE this place we live in!

:)

^^^ stolen from JP's instagram

:)

Powerful:

This girl is amazing.

I had read a little bit about her incredible story when she was first shot, but had no idea she had since written a book. 

Watching this interview is 100% worth your time, the answer that leaves Jon Stewart speechless comes at 4:20!

Weekend Recap:

I officially feel like fall has arrived. 

I think it had something to do with it being conference weekend, as well as Utah experiencing the first truly *cold* day since summer ended. I got my winter clothes out of storage and even put up Halloween decorations (!!!). 

Full disclosure: the winter clothes are still sitting in their boxes in my living room. BUT, they are out of storage :)

I also managed to watch the entire first season of Friends (thanks to a birthday gift from my sis-in-law!) and am currently scouring the internet for access to the 2nd season. Even though I've already seen probably 70% of the entire series... It's fine, I don't have a problem. 

Speaking of TV shows, DOWNTON ABBEY IS BACK! I watched the season premier, cried my eyes out, loved every minute, but no spoilers! I haven't seen the latest two episodes yet. 

Okay, now just so you don't think my life is entirely lived vicariously through others on my computer screen, a little weekend recap:

>>> A few girlfriends and I made it up to City Creek Mall on Saturday and managed to find a few things that we couldn't live without ;)

>>> I also finally tried my first authentic dirty diet coke (think DC + lime + coconut). And I mean, come on, I'm already a huge fan of diet coke so I didn't need much convincing of it's deliciousness. 

>>> We also went out to eat at Pizzeria 712 for the first time in a while, and my goodness! I'd forgotten how much I love that place. 

>>> We had a Sunday brunch with my fam and walked around my parents' block. There really is nothing like Utah in the fall. 

>>> And last, but not least, one of my absolute best friends in the entire world GOT ENGAGED THIS WEEKEND!!! Markell and Jordy! (We sort of dubbed him 'Jordy' because we already had a friend who was a girl named Jordan and it was just far too confusing)

They're one of those couples that are so perfect for each other, they just radiate happiness when you're around them. 

I just couldn't be more excited for them!!

You Know How Much We Love a Themed Party:

Okay, I'll be honest, when JP first presented the idea of a "Chili Cookoff" to me, I was less than excited. 

 Exhibit A) Everyone's in school! People don't want to take the time to make chili!

Exhibit B) I don't even know how to make chili. 

Exhibit C) We hosted a BBQ just 3 weeks ago! I don't want to dominate people's social calendar. 

(I didn't take any pictures at that particular event, which was a shame because JP made bacon-and-cheese-stuffed hamburgers.)

But luckily JP just ignored these hollow protestations and eventually I got on board and voilá! We had the most fabulous chili cookoff I have ever attended (also, the only chili cookoff I have ever attended. But the bar is set preeeeetty high now).

Everyone brought amazing chili's, we got to spend quality time with friends we love, play the most hilarious game ('Head's Up' -- look it up on the app store!), and eat JP's signature pie again! So I would call the night a success. 

Should we make this an annual tradition? It's not like JP and I have very many of those ;)