Fun in Columbia

A little over a year ago, I blogged about how I just don't love Missouri.  Most of what I said is still true... especially the part about the tornados (I still panic every time I hear that stupid tornado siren go off) and brown recluse spiders (they found 3... THREE! in one week at my in-laws' house... I unfortunately stumbled upon one of them myself and then I couldn't sleep until we were home again because I was so terrified a brown recluse spider would crawl on me in the night)... but that being said, I have really come to like & appreciate living in Columbia.

Columbia actually has a lot to offer, especially for families and children.  Thanks to my new playgroup and my resolution to be a better mom that I mentioned yesterday, I have been taking advantage of more and more of Columbia's family-friendly programs and activities.  This week, I am going to try super hard to be an awesome mom, and I am going to take Naomi to do something fun every day.  We'll post about our adventures and brag about how much fun we have each day... maybe you'll get so jealous that you'll want to come visit & play with us! (I'm talking to you, my wonderful family who I love and miss!)

So today was the first day of our extra special fun week, and we went to the mall.  They have a little play area for kids in the middle of the mall, so Jacob took Naomi there while I went into a store with Aleta.  Then we took Naomi back to the kiddie rides, which she loves!  She screamed and screamed when we told her it was time to go home.  She continued screaming as we buckled her into the stroller, and as we strolled back through the mall, and as we buckled her into her carseat.  She was throwing such a tantrum that one of us had to hold her into her seat while the other buckled her in.  At least she had fun while we were there!

"Jacob, smile so I can take a picture!"

I also took Naomi to the park tonight when I got home from work.  The weather was gorgeous today!  Beautiful spring 70 degree weather.  I had to work today, which sucked, because I couldn't take Naomi to the park until later in the evening (it was almost 7:00 before I even got home from work) but we still had fun!  I'm hoping this beautiful weather will last one more day, because tomorrow we are going to the zoo in St. Louis, and I can't wait!!!

My Apologies!

Well, it turns out that the internet here at Jacob's brother's house is pretty crappy... we lost internet for a few days, and even when we've had access, it has been spotty and slow, so I got frustrated and gave up using the internet altogether. But I'm back! The internet is still slow and annoying, but I suppose it will have to do.

Although I didn't get to post them all in a week as I had planned, I did think of 7 reasons why we're going to love Missouri!

Reason # 4: Lightning Bugs!

I LOVE lightning bugs. Growing up in Pennsylvania, we always looked forward to being able to catch lightning bugs in the summer evenings. Lightning bugs don't exist in Utah, which was a bummer when we lived there... but they have them in Missouri! Yay for fireflies!

Reason # 5: Lots of Green

People from Utah think that Utah has green, but it does not. By green I mean lots of pretty trees, grass, bushes... all that pretty scenic stuff that makes Pennsylvania and Missouri so beautiful. Utah has mountains, which are beautiful, but I grew up around the green and I have missed it!

This is actually one of the houses Jacob's family used to live in... but look at that yard! You don't get a pretty green yard like that naturally in Utah.

Reason # 6: Rain

Now, rain and I are currently having issues in our relationship due to the fact that it caused us to have a car accident, damaging my pretty little car and costing us a lot of money that we definitely don't have. Normally, however, I love the rain. I love the way rain smells, I love the downpours, and the thunderstorms and the storm clouds that come with them. I love it when it rains so hard that you're soaked after only 10 seconds of being outside. Utah does not have good rain. Utah is a freaking desert. And on the one day a year when they do get a good rainstorm, the rain makes the temperature way too cold to comfortably play in it, so it isn't any good anyway. Here, however, we get lots of rain! We had the PERFECT downpour on Friday evening, and Jacob and I would have been outside playing in it if we weren't about to leave for a wedding reception. (To be honest, we considered it anyway but then decided it probably wouldn't be very nice to show up dripping wet if we could avoid it.)

And Reason # 7 to love Missouri is... Humidity!

Humidity would also probably be on my list of reasons to hate Missouri, if I had one of those, because it's so dang uncomfortable. But I love it as long as I don't have to sit outside too long in it, because not having the dry, Utah air means that I no longer have cracked, bleeding hands. That was a problem that plagued me the entire time I lived in Utah, no matter how many times a day I applied lotion.

Reason # 3 to love Missouri:

Family!

I am having a lot of fun being so close to family and being able to get together with them all the time. With our 4th of July celebration, Sunday pasta dinners, and then having Jared & Jen and their two kiddos here to play all weekend, we have really enjoyed spending time with the family!

(Naomi & her Nanny on the 4th of July)

Reason to Love Missouri # 2:

Steak 'n Shake!

If you don't know what that is, you are missing out. Oh man, it is scrumptious. We may or may not have gone three times within our first week in the state.

Their fresco melt and double chocolate fudge shake are to die for!

Reasons to love Missouri...

This move has been really hard for me for numerous reasons, the latest of these being that we gave up the two-bedroom townhouse that we were going to rent in Columbia to move in with Jacob's family in a tiny, middle-of-nowhere town called Marshall so that we could save money. Luckily, I have amazing in-laws who are completely normal and wonderful, but it is still hard not having our own place. I didn't blog for two weeks after we moved mostly because I was really depressed about life and our situation, but in the past few days I have shaped up and am feeling more optimistic!

As part of my new, optimistic outlook on our life here in Missouri, I am going to find a new reason to love Missouri every day for the next week. So, reason # 1 that I am going to LOVE Missouri is... (drum roll, please...)

No Traffic!!

Traffic in the Provo and Salt Lake City area totally SUCKS, and I have been loving these empty roads!

What a beautiful sight!