Defeated

Today Chicago lost the Olympic Bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games...so sad. I was really hoping they would get it -- not only because I absolutely LOVE the Olympics and it would so exciting to have them here -- but also for the economic benefits. If we got the bid it would benefit this whole area immensely.

But, I'm not surprised.

America is not the most popular nation right now, and Chicago is probably one of the most corrupt -- if not THE -- most corrupt city in the country. It's a fact here. Everybody knows it, and it is just accepted. That culture here is a little hard to get used to. ;)

Oh well, I'm just going to have to save up my pennies to go the Olympics somewhere else...

House Update

Luke and I have officially moved into our new home and it is so relieving. It was a mess to coordinate a sale and purchase on the same day (note to self: NEVER do that again)...but we're here!!

It is so nice to be in a house again, and although we have about a million projects to do to make this place into the vision we saw in our heads when we bought it, it is still great to be settled.
I've been covered in paint from the first weekend we moved in -- one room down, a billion to go -- but I keep reminding myself, "one step at a time."

I picked these roses from my garden, and I love them! I've always had a love affair with roses, so to be able to pick my own, is pretty cool. Now I need to do some reading up on how to take care of them. Unfortunately roses aren't the low-maintenance type. They're worth it though!



People have been bugging us to send them pictures of the house...and we will....as soon as we get our projects done! So, if you want to see it sooner, well, you might just have to come visit us! :)

It Just Keeps Getting Better

Four years ago today Luke and I were in Portland, OR celebrating our marriage for Eternity. While I couldn't comprehend it at the time, I can honestly say I am even more in love with my wonderful husband than on that perfect day. And it just seems to grow infinitely day by day, year by year.
Without being too sappy, I'll just say that my life has never been the same since I met Luke and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.



Here's to 4 years -- and to 50 more!

Happy Birthday!

I love this guy!!!



While it wasn't the most festive birthday we've had together (Unfortunately we had to move that day), we still managed to celebrate my favorite guy's 27th birthday, complete with his favorite meal: Cheese Fondue. I also made a chocolate, chocolate, chocolate cake for his birthday celebration while his family was in town last week. We had a great time.

One year older and wiser too....



Unfortunately our cameras are packed, so the cake picture is the only one I have (courtesy of Gordon)...

Moving and House Hunting!

Luke and I made it -- 17 hour moving truck ride and all! When we first pulled out of our subdivision and started on our journey from Houston at 4:00 a.m., the truck cab was pretty uncomfortable and I was thinking "Oh man, this is going to be the longest day of my life..." But, it did get better and we actually had a pretty decent day. We got to our apartment in Illinois at about 9:00 p.m., and just crashed. Monday morning, the missionaries came by and helped us move most our stuff into the back bedroom of our little apartment. It is stuffed pretty much to the ceiling! (see picture below). We figured if we were going to buy a house soon, there was no point unpacking anything!

We had been looking around the area and a few areas up north for houses that we liked and we were really struggling with the decision of where to live. We weren't sure we were going to find something that we really liked in the town that Luke works, so we were exploring all the surrounding towns and wards and trying to figure out what we felt like we should do.
After we got somewhat settled, we went on another house-hunting trip with our realtor and we found the perfect house! We put an offer on it a few days later and it was accepted! So we have a house! Well, not officially until the end of the month, but pretty close. We are super excited and Luke is ecstatic that his commute is about 5 minutes. (I don't think we can call that a commute....). It is definitely an improvement from his previous commute, which was 50 minutes one way.
The house definitely needs some updates because the couple who owned the home are retiring to Florida and their taste in wallpaper and paint colors are definitely "from another time...," but we are really looking forward to the projects and making it "ours."

Our "storage unit":

Chicago -- And Some News!

I apologize that I have been neglecting my blog, but in my defense, I have been pretty busy and I've had a very testy internet connection. We're not really getting along, but right now we are trying to work out our issues.
We've been having a good time this last month, getting used to a new place and figuring out where we want to live. We also have some news (read the 2nd and 3rd post!) Don't assume too much -- no, I'm not pregnant. I know that's what you were thinking.... ;)

Luke and I have spent a couple weekends in Chicago since we moved up there...and we readily admit it is a lot more fun than Houston. Sorry Houston. There are a billion shops, restaurants, cool architecture, festivals, shows, Navy Pier, the beach, museums -- the list goes on and on. I don't think we'll run out of things to do up there anytime soon.

The weekend after I got up there, my parents came to visit on the way home from their second cross-country motorcycle tour (9000 miles in two months!!!) and we had a ton of fun with them.
We took an architectural tour which is cool because I love buildings, rode the famous Navy Pier ferris wheel that overlooks the entire city and Lake Michigan, and caught a cool show in town.

One of the views from the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel:


At the Italian Tapas restaurant we found just off Michigan Ave that was SO good:


One of the cool art installations/fountains dotting the city:


At the end of the Pier:


The new Chicago riverwalk (apparently, they are really working to revitalize this):


Kate: This one is for you. We found a moose right downtown Chicago! ;)


We figured out how to take the train into downtown, so now we can go more often and not have to worry about paying $30 for parking every time! Yay!

A new nephew

My sister was due to have her second baby down here in Houston on July 4th. My mom was flying from Chicago (after coming to visit us for the weekend) June 30th and on a last second whim, I decided to join her. (Priceline.com -- try it!)
We came down a few days before the baby was born and got Heather ready for the big day. He is such a cute little guy and the BEST baby ever. He is so good natured, and besides have his nights and days mixed up for the first week, is a little gem to take care of.

I was planning to fly back home July 14th, but plans changed (see my next post!) and I will be sticking around until the end of the month! I miss my Luke something terribly, but it is for the best and it will only be 1 1/2 weeks more.

Yesterday, Mom and I planned an at-home-spa day to give Heather some pampering and relaxation and it was really fun! Eva loved it too -- she loved it so much that she had a hard time going down for her nap because she knew she was missing out on a party -- even though we were taking a break because we all needed a nap!

Our House

IS SOLD!!!!!

Yes, folks the crazy real estate monster did not get the best of us. We've got a contract on our home and will close on August 26.

Luke is going to fly down here on July 24th and help me move all of our stuff out and then we'll make that awful drive just one more time with the moving truck. Oh well, it will be much more fun with my best friend along for the ride. (After 16 hours in the car by yourself, you even run out of things to think about). So I'm excited that Luke is able to take a day off of work and make the drive with me.

Oh, and we are super excited to get our stuff back!!! Yay, we'll have furniture again!

We're here!!!!

Well, we both made it. Luke left a few weeks earlier than I did because he had to start work, and I stayed behind waiting on an offer to come in on the house...which never did come...so I finally decided to surprise Luke and arrive a week earlier than planned. I showed up Thursday night and it was fun to see the surprise on my little bored bachelor's face.

We've been having a lot of fun here in the last few days. Friday we explored the area together and Saturday morning we got up early and went rollerblading through the trails at the local state park. The park has about 10 miles of paved trails winding along the river, and it is really serene and pretty. I'm getting a little better and the stopping thing...but I did take one crash down a little hill. (Note to self: ski-like traverses do not slow you down on rollerblades...it just makes you out of control and going really fast.) No injuries, besides my pride though...

Watching to see if I make it in one piece down the stairs with my rollerblades on:


The trail with a cute covered bridge:

On Saturday, we also made a trip up to Chicago and saw a White Sox game. There was a group going from Luke's work, so we decided it would be fun to see a game. It was pretty darn cold and rainy, but we had a good time and our streak is still alive...So far the home team has always won whenever we are in attendance. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

Wow...fast.

It's official. We are definitely moving to Chicago. We have a written offer in-hand and Luke is starting in 3 weeks! That's a bit quicker than we were anticipating, but they're anxious to get him up there.
Yikes! This has all happened so quickly, but we are very grateful that Luke has been given such a great opportunity.
Wish us luck!

DA BEARS...

So, we finally got some good news! FINALLY! It has all happened really fast. Luke had his first phone interview with this company about 1 1/2 weeks ago. A few days later, they called him up and asked him if he'd be willing to fly up there for a face-to-face interview. After six agonizingly long days of waiting (yes, I know it isn't that long, but it seemed like a month to us,) this morning, we got a job offer! 

The position is for a pharmaceutical company that specializes in research and manufacturing drugs for blood diseases, such as hemophilia and others. It is exactly the field that Luke has been wanting to get into since college, so we feel extremely blessed.

So where are we moving? The title should be a hint...

We are moving to...


CHICAGO!

More to come soon.

Have I told you I like spontaneity?

When Luke's last day came on the 28th, I decided that we needed a little celebration. Well, I'm not sure if celebration is the right word, but something to kick off our new adventures -- whatever they might be. I was wracking my brain that morning and trying to come up with something special; some sort of surprise that would make the day a memorable one, and I had a brilliant idea! Granted, a little bit complicated idea, but with a little bit of reshuffling, it could work. I remembered that a friend had offered her beach condo in Florida to anyone who would like to use it. Since Luke didn't have to be back for anything the next week and my work schedule was flexible, I decided to give her a call and see if it was available. It was! As the ball got rolling, I rescheduled any prior engagements we had and made the necessary arrangements to head off to sunny Florida for a week (or however long we decided to stay!)
When I told Luke we were heading off to Florida for a week ('right now, so jump in the car!'), he looked at me like I was crazy...but, with a little bit of explaining he was onboard and we had a lovely week on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen!
It was just what we both needed. A little spontaneous vacation to relax, regroup and leave our worries behind for a while. The weather was a little chilly when we first arrived, but we used those days to explore the surrounding towns and relax in our sweatshirts on the beach with our books. ;) The weekend, however, was really nice and Luke even got some boogie boarding in. (I was a wimp and couldn't hack the so-cold-your-feet-freeze-in-10-seconds water.)
Hooray for road-trips and wonderful, generous friends that let us have such a memorable week!

Truly the best-kept secret of Florida:


Isn't the water and sand beautiful? The sand was so white it almost looked like snow.




We ate a few meals at this place just down the beach from the condo, and they started having some pretty lively volleyball tournaments at the very end of our stay:


The sun was a little bright -- which explains why I can't open my eyes:


Poor Luke had to go boogie-boarding by himself because his wife wouldn't get in past her knees (in my defense, the water was freezing! -- what do you expect in early March?)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Luke and I had a low-key Valentine's Day at home -- getting into a restaurant around here is crazy on a holiday -- but we had a fun time and some great food, if I may say so myself. My gift to Luke was to make him a gourmet meal with his favorite foods -- cheese, bacon and chocolate.
I posted my recipes on our food blog, but we had:

Cheese Fondue:


Pancetta and Fennel Salad:


Roast Beef with Spicy Parsley Tomato Sauce:


Pot de Creme au Chocolat:


Chocolate Dipped Strawberries:


YUM! Anyway, hope you all had a great holiday!

Okay, so they're good

I generally pride myself on eating healthy and avoiding processed, unnatural food most of the time. Luke on the other hand, has a sweet tooth to rival pretty much anyone I've ever known or met. I was hoping in the 3+ years we've been married that my eating habits would have rubbed off more -- but alas, I think it has resulted in the opposite. :) Yes, I'm living with a bad influence. But, I don't mind.

However, I was horrified when Luke brought these home to eat for breakfast:

That's not a proper breakfast! It is pure sugar and little else. Luke conceded that it was indeed a sugar bomb, but that even I would think these little pellets were delicious. I had no intention of trying them -- I'm not much for sweets at 7:00 a.m., but this morning I was running late for work and, on a whim, I decided to try them.
I hate to admit this, but they were really, really good! Even at 7:00 a.m. Dang it! Luke's sweet tooth really is rubbing off!

Christmas in Portland

Luke and I flew up to Portland to be with his family for Christmas this year. For the first time in almost two years, we had the entire family together. We've had a great time together and enjoyed the chaos.

Making gingerbread houses -- a great Werrett tradition:


Christmas dinner featured with my sister-in-law Betsy and my cute nieces Alex and Elizabeth.


Christmas morning mayhem:






My new skis -- I'm a lot more excited about them than it appears... :)


Luke's new toy:

We had so much fun catching up with everyone, staying up late playing games and eating all sorts of yummy food and treats. A very merry Christmas it was.

Snow!!!!

I know snow in December isn't front page news anywhere else, but in Houston, TX, it is a big deal. Yesterday was a miserably cold, wet day and when Luke and I got home from work we noticed the rain drops had turned into teeny-tiny snowflakes. We threw on our coats and went for a walk around the neighborhood to observe other people's reactions. We had to laugh when we saw two kids had pulled out their sleds...probably not quite enough snow for that...not to mention there isn't a hill for a good 150 miles. ;) 

For some reason, this tiny bit of snow made it feel more like Christmas. I guess I miss the snow more than I thought! ;) Merry Christmas everyone!

Luke's marble-sized snowball that mostly melted before we could get a picture:

Life Challenge

Rules are: Anything you have done has to be in bold.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

It looks like I've got a lot left to do! How much have you done????

Promises Kept

Luke and I did what we promised last year we would do...If you don't remember my post from last year, you can read it HERE.

Thanksgiving

Today I'm thankful for family. My parents are in town for a week and a half, and it is so nice to have them here. We had a great time preparing all the food this morning and eating our delicious feast.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!



Eva waiting for her food already: