1,353 ft. Views

If you go to Chicago & want to see a great view, go to the Willis Tower. But anytime you reference the skyscraper call it the Sears Tower (it's former name) - you'll seem more Chicagoan. Justin & I went up 103 stories to the Skydeck and it was so cool. Before we went up, we walked through a fun museum that gave us more facts & food recommendations about the city.

At 1,353 feet, we walked out onto "The Ledge" and looked down at the ground below us. A super weird feeling to look down & try to feel safe!

Justin loves, loves fast food and will take a McDonald's run any day. Our goal is no fast food chains while we're here so we can hit as many Chicago restaurants as we can. Ross, Justin's agent, introduced us to a super good Italian restaurant called II Porcellino. It looked like a scene from Tangled. The lights inside were so pretty & jazz music was playing in the background. We met Ross's girlfriend, Rebecca. They're both so nice & we couldn't stop saying how much we enjoyed the evening with them. I know God will continue to place people in our path who we need and vice versa. He wants us to be happy in all circumstances! I keep thinking how glad I am that we're making friends who we'll stay connected to for a long time after basketball is over.

Pretty view from our apartment's outdoor patio.

I got to go with Justin to his basketball workout today. He's AMAZING. I know how hard he works & how much he loves basketball but it makes me so grateful and proud to see him in action. He has a great support system & coaches here at Priority. I've loved meeting everyone and hearing their story on how they became a part of the company's team.

Found an inside joke restaurant. (Christmas Every Day - David Archuleta)

Justin asked me to document this on the blog because, "How many plastic bags do you see floating through the wind in a tree?"

Art Institute of Chicago

My guy <3

A hymn & a Friend

Last night, Justin & I sang the hymn "Our Savior's Love" on the ukulele. I love the peace that I feel through hymns & testimonies of God & the Savior. The scripture at the bottom of the hymn is John 15: 12-14:

12: This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

He has the greatest love for us & I know that He is also our greatest friend. So grateful for simple, constant reminders by the Holy Ghost that we have a loving Heavenly Father & Savior who are so aware of us. I love Them!

The Windy City

 I was sooo excited to get to Chicago! Justin & I had been apart for 9 days and I was ready to be reunited. It has been so fun to explore a new place with just the two of us. We miss our Logan people, but we've loved the past week in the city. Leading up to our move we had lots of lists & shared recommendations from friends on sites to see and places to eat.

It's been super cold recently but the sun came out on Saturday & we had perfect 80 degree, sightseeing weather. Since then, the temperature has been jumping from 40-60 degrees. I'm ready for permanent sun & my chacos!! Two things that make me smile here: I love opening & closing the blinds each day to see our downtown views. I also love the flower boxes. Mom & Dad visited here a few years ago and said how much they loved seeing the cute flower boxes everywhere.


We took advantage of the 80 degree weather and walked past the shops on Michigan Avenue, visited Millennium Park, & did the architecture boat ride. I had no idea the focus & pride that the city has for architecture. It was amazing to learn about the different styles of the buildings & the history behind each one. I loved being with Justin all day. We couldn't stop smiling & had so much fun exploring.





We tried yummy Chicago-style pizza at Giordanos & watched the Jazz pull off the playoff win by 1 point. When we turned the corner to walk into the restaurant, we ran into some friends from Logan who are living here during grad school. Small world!

On Sunday, we rode the train out to Northwestern University in Evanston. It is a BEAUTIFUL campus (Justin argues not as much as USU) right on the beach of Lake Michigan. The buildings reminded me of Utah State as each one has its own style and character. The wind was definitely present & we may have gotten a few gusts of sand blown in our faces as we crossed a bridge on the beach. We took an Uber home & I've loved chatting with our drivers learning more about them and their families. Chicago is huge a melting pot with people and cultures from all over the world.

Our church building is a short walk from our apartment & we were excited to meet our new ward on Sunday. We walked into the chapel & ran into a fellow USU ambassador and her husband who are doing dental school here. They took us to our first NHL game and we loved it! Hannah is from Vegas & the Blackhawks happened to be playing the Vegas Knights that evening. The game went down to overtime & a shootout. We were in the minority but cheered loud for the Knights. It was such a fun night to be with Tanner & Hannah and reconnect after a few years of not seeing them!

All in all, we're loving the title of "long-term Chicago tourists" & making memories in this new home.