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. 
