June 26, 2009

CHICAGO

After a l..o..n..g drive through b-e-a-utiful countryside we FINALLY arrived at our destination: a small town outside of Milwaukee, Brookfield, Wisconsin. We love our new apartment, it is spacious and pretty and right next to a golf course. We hadn't even been here for a week yet and decided to take a trip to CHICAGO! It is only 1hr 30mins from us and I had never been there!

Saturday Ben got out of work early and surprised me by taking me to Chicago. We stayed at the Marriot hotel downtown. Saturday night we ate at the famous HARRY CARAYS! Ben loves baseball, so of course he wanted to eat here. We took a picture by the "Holy Cow!" which literally had holes in it and by the Harry Caray statue. We bought a magnet and Christmas ornament...because it is tradition.

We took a double decker bus tour the city. We had the BEST views from that bus and took so many pictures. The city is beautiful, especially by the waterfront. We took pictures at Millenium park of the GIANT BEAN and the waterfall/fountain. There are two fountains and they show faces of Chicago citizens, the faces change and about every five minutes the face will shoot water out of its mouth. We took a picture of Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, it used to have a Renaissance look but with the upgrades it looks like a UFO landed on it.

Next visit: Wriggley Field...we love Baseball! And i'm crossing my fingers to get tickets to an Oprah show!

FACT: Chicago is "the windy city"...not neccesarily because it is windy but because the people are long winded.

Mt. Rushmore!



After only being married for 6 months, we've already lived in 3 states! We started in Rexburg, Idaho where we attended BYU-I, then after graduation moved to Portland, Oregon for Ben's job, then Ben's job moved him to Milwaukee, Wisconsin...of all places!

On our road trip to Wisconsin we stopped at Mt. Rushmore! Ben was like a little kid, all giddy and excited to fulfill one of his dreams...Mt. Rushmore, up close and in person.

Another place we can now mark on our map of places we've visited. Another magnet and Christmas ornament to collect. Another handstand picture!

June 25, 2009

"Portonians"

Ben calls the people of Portland, "Portonians." He obviously is not from there.



After graduation we made our way up north to the beautiful state of OREGON where we made a temporary home in Portland. I must say I wish it wasn't so temporary. We fell in LOVE! In love with GREEN...not only is it so lush and green, with rolling hills, but the people are very "green." They are earthy, organic, very hippi-like, really diverse, and very accepting. In fact you can walk outside wearing anything you want and you won't get a second glance. We had some good laughs at some of the crazy outfits and the unique people we met there.



Portland is the perfect place for a runner like me. There are trails everywhere and my favorite is the trail along the waterfront and the endless trails at Forest Park. Forest Park is the biggest park in the nation that is within a major city, it is 5,000 acres! I signed up for the FOOT TRAFFIC MARATHON on Sauvie Island, nearby.




Ben and I had so much fine dining out in Portland since there are countless restaurants, all very unique. We rarely went to a chain restaurant. One place, Montage, specialized in mac & cheese. They wrapped your leftovers in tin foil shaped as something...mine was a swan!

I rarely went to a mall since there were so many streets with the cutest boutiques. The $hopping is AMAZING there! Plus there is NO SALES TAX. What a dream! :) This is Lauren, Rachel, and I shopping on Alberta Street.




Ben and I visited the Chinese Gardens.




Just about every Thursday night a group of us would catch a midnight premier at the theater. This time we saw "UP" in 3d!




The Portland, Oregon Temple...Gorgeous and unique!

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