#97: Trips to Utah

Although I love living in Seattle, whenever I go back to visit Utah, I realize how much I love it here. I've only been here two days, and already, I've realized I miss so many things about Utah.

1. Family: It's so good to spend some time with them. Even if Carrie did beat me at Nertz tonight. I especially love my niece Callie, my "best friend." I totally get to release my inner kid and play Barbies, High School Musical, and Disney Princesses. I even introduced her to Jem and the Holograms from my childhood. She LOVES them (I think that's why we're kindred spirits), but can't understand why none of her friends know about Jem....hmmmm.... I say we totally bring Jem and the Holograms back. "Showtime Synergy...."

2. The Utah Mountains: Hiking in Seattle is green, very green. It's fun, beautiful, and it's one of my favorite ways to spend a summer day and you can find some pretty cool mnushrooms. Good times. But oh man, there's NOTHING like the Utah mountains. I went up Big Cottonwood Canyon yesterday, and I started to tell my friend, "So we'll go to Sliding Rock, Moab, oh, and maybe we'll even get in a night hike to Stewart Falls." She replied that was way too much hiking, but I wanted to say, "Sheesh, it's not like I suggested we hike Mt. Everest or something...." If I had my way, I'd totally go hiking every day I'm here.

3. Cheaper cost of living: It's sad when $3.95/gallon is cheap for gas, but I've been paying at least $4.35/gallon for a while now....so when I saw these gas prices, I had to text my friend Emily and let her know....not that she needed any more convincing to move back to Utah, but you know...wink, wink.