It's time to LOVE Utah, folks!!

Okay. Let's have a frank discussion about Utah. I've always thought of Utah as brown, ugly, dry, extreme weather, weird people, boring, etc. It's only in the past year (shame on me) that I've really tried to open my eyes and appreciate all the good things about Utah. My recent trip to Seattle confirmed everything I've always thought and I may have looked at some rental options in the Shoreline area (ahem). Nevertheless, this is where I live and it's about stinkin' time I enjoyed it! No more wasting time being disgruntled and unhappy about my living conditions. It's not going to change for a while, if ever, and there are so many great things about this state. What a waste of a good life to wish it away, wanting to be somewhere else or doing something different. I'd rather be enjoying things RIGHT NOW. Plus, I want my kids to take pride in where they live and know that beauty is everywhere. Friends can be made anywhere. Fun is something you create, not something that falls into your lap. Unless you live in the Northwest, but let's not go there.

Here are some things I thought of just this week that I absolutely LOVE about living in Utah:

1. Las Vegas, one of my favorite places, is only a 5-6 hour drive. I would miss that if I moved.

2. I've planted a super cool garden this year and has yielded a whole ton of veggies:
             -20 cucumbers
             -several handfuls of beans and peas
             -25 onions
             -4 green peppers
             -about 60 tomatoes from two plants!
             -2 cantaloupe
             -3 huge pumpkins
             -lots of corn

Some of these things--like melons--only grow in hotter climates. Hooray for organic gardening *cheers*.

3. The LDS temples are close by and very easy to access.

My unofficial goal is to do better about being positive about this blessed state. See? There was only a small amount of sarcasm in that last statement :). Besides, I have so many great friends here. I would really, really miss them if I left. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you think of Utah--if it's positive!

And speaking of Seattle, I have many many pictures to post this week. It'll have to wait until I get a speck more energy. Maybe tomorrow, but only if I have some bridge mix to accompany me.

Comments

Jennifer Walker said…
We've been having this same discussion at our house. One of my favorite things about Utah is living near you! (and other family). It's safe. It's affordable. It's where we are employed.
August 25, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NYE

New Year’s Eve 2009: Mapleton, UT I left Brian  in Logan and took the girls down to visit my parents for the new year. I felt bad and I felt relieved. I needed a break from him. We didn’t have money for food. He spiraled and never climbed out.  New Years Eve 2014: Mapleton, UT I went to Utah with my girls and left Jacob in Miami. He could have come but made up an excuse about studying and visiting his dad instead. Always talked about visiting his dad—alone— when I talked about a family visit. New Year’s Eve consisted of me, my parents and Stephen and laurel. There might have been some others that left earlier. I took no pictures. The new year rang in and felt so alone and empty. Did Jacob even care?  New Years Eve 2015: Vancouver, WA Pregnant with Lucy, unable to work, Jacob had just failed the most important test that would allow him into residency, I decided to wait out the remainder of the pregnancy at my parent’s new house. This move was one of the most humiliating ex...
Read more

Parent Teacher Conference

Dear Mom, You left 4 months ago. You clearly didn't mean to leave when you did, with your shoes sitting by the door and your unfinished paper boxes of chocolates for Relief Society. No one else wants to hear how the girls are doing. No one else has lived with us for so long and understands them and the dynamics of my family like you do. I've retreated into my own silence and my own world, desperately trying to survive each day--sometimes each hour--knowing that although so many friends and family care (and I couldn't survive without their support), there is really no one left that has experienced firsthand the horror story I'm starring in. We had parent teacher conferences last night at Leah and Hannah's school. We had to bring Lucy, who wet her pants twice and cried to go home. Here's a summary of teacher comments: HANNAH: *a natural leader *most well-liked student *grades range from 85 (one class) to 93-99 (every other class) *no missing assignment...
Read more

3 Years

Image
The social media version: “A new burger place in Park Slope— pretty good but girls still love Black Tap better. I love the exposed brick and VW van counter.” The reality: We were supposed to go to burgers last night to remember Dad on the 3rd anniversary of his death. I was very sick this weekend. Leah had a fever of 105— I’m gonna day that again— 105 and Lucy was being picked up by her clown father. No one was ok. We somehow made it out of the house today but we could hardly talk about Dad/Grandpa. Hannah regrets that she doesn’t remember much. Leah is deeply grieving a very special connection they had. She cries silently. I am physically wasted with a chest cold, anxious about how Lucy is doing at her dad’s house and too broken to help anyone. Our world went dark three years ago and the light hasn’t come back on.  The social media version: I can’t even write it because it’s not in my nature to sound so fake.  The reality:  Her clown father took her to a party for the g...
Read more