House Tour

This is for you, Mom :) Please forgive my mediocre photography skills.

We live along the back fence of the complex. Nice and quiet except for the family of noisy squirrels that lives in the tree. They squeak and chitter all night long. It's so weird!

The downstairs is all one big, open floor. I love how open and airy everything feels after living in a basement apartment.

My Hawaii and Catalina tiles keep me in my happy place while I'm doing dishes :)

The second floor is all open as well. It's our bedroom/library. So fun!

Matt's Birthday Week

I love birthdays. I do. Any excuse for celebration is loved by me, but birthdays include sprinkles, candles, favorite foods, and giving/receiving presents. So yeah, I love them. That's why I do my best to extend the festivities and celebration for as long as possible. Matt patiently endures my birthday week hype even though he's more of a birthday person (I think he secretly likes it). 

His birthday is on Sunday so the birthday week has only just begun! Here is part one:

A walk through the Museum District and Hermann Park Gardens 

I was more excited about these than he was . . .

Our first Astros game

Beach trip!
We explored Galveston today. So awesome that it's only an hour away from home!

Of course we had to stop here. What is it with men and Fry's?

And it's only just begun. I love birthday week.

Hello Houston

We’re here! And we’re here to stay. Man, I don’t ever want to move again. It’s a lot of work. Packing, cleaning, loading, unloading, living off of fast food, sleeping on camping mattresses, living out of a suitcase, it felt like it would never end! But it did. We’re finally settled here in Houston and we’re loving it. I have to give a shout out at this point to Matt’s parents. They have been such a huge help these past couple of weeks. They helped us with all the loading/cleaning stuff in Utah, and then they flew out to Houston to help us move in! Matt’s Mom stayed for a couple extra days to help me organize and decorate. We are so grateful for them and we miss them already!

Goodbye Provo!

Saying goodbye to Sam and Shane. These guys have been friends since middle school!

Last night in our old house.

Best packing job ever!

Leaving Utah County

Story time. When we got married, Matt and I each had a car. Since we decided to go with a moving company that transported our stuff for us, we had to drive separately. It drove me a little crazy not to have anyone to talk to for so long. Thank heavens for audio books! Anyways, Matt’s car died somewhere in New Mexico. They patched it up, but it needs a new transmission in order to run properly. The mechanic assured us that we could get it to Houston if we drove carefully, went super slow, and didn't let the engine overheat. Since the transmission would cost more than the car was worth we opted to stay under 65 mph and eased it home to Texas. Slow and steady. Its road trip days are over, that's for sure.

Pressure in the engine burst right through the pipe.

Stopping to give the car a rest...we did this a lot.

We have one more week before we start work and school. Last week of summer! I’m going to enjoy every second of it. Here are a few pictures of this awesome place:

I didn't realize how green it would be here. Way prettier than East Texas.

The Alamo

So many beautiful churches in Downtown Houston

Exploring the Museum District . . . only a mile from our house!

Museum of Fine Arts

Smurf fire hydrants :)

Everyday is Saturday

It's official. Matt and I have way too much stuff. How is it that once you start packing up your belongings they start to multiply? When did we get so many books? Do I really have that many shoes? Why did I think I needed so many scarves? That's my life these days. I have to admit, though, Matt has done most of the packing. He started back in May so we actually don't have much left to do. But when my house gets to looking like this I start feeling antsy! Can't we just move already?

Life's actually pretty darn good right now. Everyday is Saturday. We have a pretty hefty to-do list, but we get to do it together! How often will this happen once he starts med school? I'm pretty sure never. But for now it's me and Matt together all day every day. Except, of course, when I need a little more pink in my life and go out for a pedicure. And pick out all the pink circus animals. And drink ice water from a pink straw.

My Favorite Holiday (besides Christmas. Duh.)

I'm not sure how many people know this about me, but I am a nut for the 4th of July. I love it! Christmas is my favorite favorite no matter what. But Christmas comes with quite a bit of pressure. It's Christmas. You've waited for it all year long. The 4th of July just pops up! It's there before you know it! And then it's time for sparklers, firework shows, BBQs, swimming, putting together the perfectly non-tacky red, white, and blue outfit. . . it can't be beat.

We had such a fun day with the Scotts. Hiking to Cecret lake in Alta and then hiking down through gorgeous wildflowers and scenery, lunch at a restaurant in Snowbird that was right on the side of the mountain, seeing People Like Us, and a delicious BBQ dinner. Then. We saw. The. Most. Amazing. Fireworks. Ever. Matt's parents live in a neighborhood that's set up above the valley, so we had a view of just about every fireworks show in Utah county! We were close to a couple of big professional shows but we also got to enjoy the random aerials that people set off in the neighborhoods. God bless America and our love of colorful explosives.

Enchanted

Next week Matt and I will be flying out to Houston together for the first time! I've been thinking a lot about this move lately. I feel like there are three types of people. The people who love where they live and totally embrace it, the people who are content but aren't crazy about where they live, and the people who are just biding their time until they can leave for whatever reason. Now I understand that everyone's situation is different, but I just really want to be one those first people! I know there will be things I don't love about it, but I can't wait to get to know my neighborhood, explain all the nooks and crannies of the city, find the best restaurants, learn the surface streets, and become a true Houstonian. Why not, right?

Nora Ephron, the incredible screenwriter of my favorites: You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and Julie and Julia, passed away last week. She wrote an article about her "love affair" with her Upper West Side apartment and, let me tell ya, this women loved where she lived.

Here's a quote from Tom Hanks about Nora Ephron:

"Knowing and loving Nora meant her world — or her neighborhood — became yours. She gave you books to read and took you to cafés you’d never heard of that became legends. You discovered Krispy Kremes from a box she held out, and you learned that there is such a thing as the perfect tuna sandwich. She would give your kids small, goofy parts in movies with the caveat that they might not make the final cut but you’d get a tape of the scene. For a wrap gift, she would send you a note saying something like, “A man is going to come to your house to plant an orange tree — or apple or pomegranate or whatever — and you will eat its fruit for the rest of your days.” Rita and I chose orange, and the fruit has been lovely, sweet and abundant, just as Nora promised — a constant and perfect reminder of the woman we loved so much."
http://entertainment.time.com/2012/06/27/nora-ephron-a-life-of-voice-and-detail/

She sounds like such a cool lady! So there you go. Bring it on Houston. I'm ready to be enchanted.

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Home Sweet Home

We're home! Leaving was hard. Harder than I expected, actually. It was such an amazing vacation, it being Hawaii and all, but it was also the longest stretch of time I've spent with my family in three years. Coming home is always good though and Matt and I have so much to look forward to these next few weeks! For now we're enjoying being together in our own little house and getting ready to move. I'm going to try to keep blogging regularly, so stay posted :)

The final farewell at the airport. I love my sisters!