home sweet home

Tucson is really the only home I have ever known. I moved there right before my 5th birthday and left a bit before my 24th birthday. I have done all my schooling (you can tell by the spelling errors), learned how to drive, and met the man of my dreams in Tucson. I love Tucson! And absence has made my heart grow fonder. Let me count the ways:

1. Mountains everywhere! They are great for figuring out what direction you are going and they are sooooo beautiful.

2. Real Mexican food. Some sort of Mexican yumminess on every corner! Sanoran Hot Dog carts all over the place, its like heaven!

3. Libraries galore! Tucson has a million libraries! They pretty much have any book you would ever want to read + they give you three whole weeks with your borrowed entertainment. what a blessing!

4. Sunflower Market. Need I say more? The best produce, so cheap! Natural things that my hubby will eat without saying it's like eating cancer.

5. The smell of rain. Tucson rain has the most magical smell thanks to the creosote. I love a nice jog while inhaling that wonderfulness.

6. Shopping malls! There are 3 great malls! Two of which have forever 21! the best store! Gap, banana republic, love culture, old navy,and so many more.

7. Multiple movie theaters! cheap seats, park mall cinemark, el con cinamark, Harkins, the loft(okay, so the loft is weird, but still), and even more! plus, $5 first showing! Amazing!

8. Targets!!!!!!!! There are 3 on Broadway alone! What a city! You can't go anywhere without passing at least one. No matter where you live in Tucson, you are always minutes away from a terrific Target.

9. 92.9 the mountain. What a station! They play clean, awesome music. What a rare thing that is these days! plus, they sponsor studio C which brings in all kinds of amazing musicians.

10. The Howe Family Headquarters! Treat closet, delicious left overs, a tv in every room, ice cream in the freezer, homemade yumminess, mom, dad, brothers, sisters, nieces, nefews, mia, fun and crazy times to be had, etc. Nothing compares to this. Even if I lived in a mansion on the beach with a target and a mall next store with free sanoran hot dogs, it would even come close to how much I love Howe HQ. I miss being in that home more than anything. I miss my family more than I can even say.

So people may say Tucson is just alright, but I say it's heaven on earth. Who care's if the schools are falling apart and don't teach kids how to spel (case and point). It is a beautiful place with a lot of culture and great people. All it really needs is a Temple:) I can't wait to be back in that wonderful part of the world!

My summer Vacation Part 2: D.C.

Reese at the Metro! I was horrified to go on the metro. I don't enjoy being under ground. But Reese made me go and it wasn't too bad:)

By the time we got to the Smithsonian, We were STARVING!!! So we ate at the Smithsonian. SO EXPENSIVE! It cost us $30! ARG! You live and you learn. I love how the lady in the backround is like some sort of secret agent. Her phone call must be full of classified information.

This is Reese losing his mind. LOL! I love this picture! I must have caught Reese mid yawn. We were on our long journey to the lincoln memorial.
Arizona! My home sweet home!

Italy! Reese's home sweet home!

My Summer Vacation Part 1: The Move

Our tiny love nest

One last picture in Tucson:)

At our hotel in Abilene Texas they served this delightful waffle for breakfast

I was surprised that Reese ate that waffle. It was not whole wheat and I'm pretty sure
it had partially hydrogenated fat or high fructose corn syrup or msg or maybe all three:)

Our 2nd day in the car! Fun fun fun!

Hey we know that guy!!! How did Parkin get all the way out here?


Welcome to the land of green!

Here we are on our Sunday walk in Petersburg battlefield. It was so humid!!! We were drenched by the time we got home. No wonder you don't see people going for walks around here:)

The dead tried to escape I guess

"Walk down that lonesome road all by your self. Don't turn your head back over your shoulder."
Aw the King Singers... Anyway another shot at the battlefield, lol no pun intended:)
o
Our ghetto hotel where some murderer was hiding out while we were staying there. No joke. Oh the adventures we will have:)

Reese's First day of work:)

Reese Approved

On Tuesday I was craving homemade treats so badly and I couldn't figure out why. I was even dreaming about cake and we all know that's crazy for me, the pie girl. Then it hit me. I have had a homemade treat every Sunday since before I can remember and now I have gone two Sundays without one. Once I realized this I knew there was only one way to cure it. Make and eat a delectable treat. I was really craving some no bake cookies, so I called mom and got the recipe. The recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar!!! That's a lot of sugar. I knew Reese would have a heart attack if I used that much sugar, so I substituted the 2 cups of sugar for 1 cup of honey and 1 tsp of stevia(my favorite sweet combo). Now there are times when this doesn't work because of the chemistry of baking and garbage like that. But this time it turned out AMAZING!!!!!!! These are the best no bake cookies I have ever had! NO joke! They have the perfect consistency and the BEST flavor. I also used organic peanut butter(peanuts and salt nothing else), so it was even better. Reese ate them and loved them! We all know he is not one that eats sweets, so you know if Reese puts his endorsement on it, it must be good for you:)

Virginia!!!!!!!!

Well, here we are in VA! It is very different here:) I have never seen so much green in my life. Humidity is not my favorite so far, but I don't need lotion anymore, which is good:) Church was really great. People are so friendly here. This nice young couple invited us over for dinner and we are really looking forward to that. I got homesick our first day here and wanted to go home so badly. I felt alone and I missed my family so much. Reese was so helpful and made me feel a little better. That night I prayed to feel better and feel at home here. It is amazing to me what a comfort the Holy Ghost can be. I could feel my Heavenly Father's love and concern for me. I do miss my family and friends a lot, but I know that I am not alone. Reese has said that this adventure is kind of like my "mission" experience and I agree. It's called growing pains for a reason:)

I am super excited about going to this theme park in Richmond. It has the biggest drop ride in North America! I can't wait! Reese said he will go with me and try to be a good sport:) He doesn't exactly love theme parks. What a good husband he is:) Going to DC will be very fun and interesting as well. All and all, I know we are going to have a good time here:)

BBC Drama Addiction!

I recently discovered the magic of checking out movies from the Library. I cannot believe I ever survived with out it. It has led me to discover the wonderful world of BBC Drama. American cinema cannot touch these movies/mini series. It is a world full of passion, romance, fashion, and, best of all, funny old ladies. I would highly recommend "Cranford" to any of my Jane Austen loving peers. It is absolutely Fabulous! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you will fall inlove with Cranford. Wives and Daughters is also a little gem. Very dramatic, just how I like it. So if you love a good drama, try the BBC variety. You will not be disapointed, unless you are a man. They usually don't like female drama. I wonder why:)

8 Random Things

1. Any time I look in the mirror I have to look at my butt. It's not so much that I like to look at my derriere, but that I want to make sure it doesn't look like a total disaster. Butts can get out of control very easily. Or at least mine can.

2. I often fantasize about quiting my job and working at Disneyland. In said fantasy, I get to be Bell (dressed in a modest version of her boob-a-rific gown) and be in those little shows they put on. That must be the best job ever! I bet nobody yells at Bell because she won't cash their check.

3. I love singing in a choir, but I despise choir girls. They are the most stuck up people ever! "I can hit that C in my sleep" I'm sure you can, anything can happen in dreams. "I sang with Josh Groban once and he said I was really talented" vomit! Josh Groban! Pa-lease! He is not going around listening to wanna be divas in community college choirs. Most of them need a big reality check!

4. If I have to read out loud, like at church, I pretend to cough if I think I'm gonna stumble on a word. This way I don't look like an idiot, but if I do it too much people think I'm sick.

5. I am sometimes tempted to ask people if I can give them a make over. I don't ever do it, I think they would be a little insulted, I know I would be. I mostly get this urge at institute. These poor girls would look a million times better if they just knew how to properly dress and groom themselves. NewBalance tennis shoes with a dress top is NEVER attractive or acceptable for any occasion.

6. Once I used a stick and a half of butter in a pasta I made for Reese and I. I knew Reese wouldn't eat it if he knew there was butter in it, so I lied and said it was just olive oil like we always eat. He loved it and after it was all gone I confessed that I used butter. He didn't rave about so much after that:)

7. I have an irrational fear of going over railroad tracks. I try to avoid them at all costs and if I do have to go over them, I look both ways, hold my breath, and say a prayer. I hope this tactic continues to work for me.

8. I cannot stand "Howe" jokes. I am so glad I won't have to hear "Sarah Howe ya doin'? haha get it?! Howe ya doin! ha ha bet ya never heard that before!" actually, I think I have heard that joke over a billion times. I will take "Like Harry Potter?" over that anyday:)