Promises I fully intend to keep:

1. Indepth photo-heavy posts re: the wedding and the honeymoon.
2. Regular updates on our lives.
3. A photo tour of the new place.
4. Lots of sappy comments about how fantastic James is. :)

But, the internet in the hotel is real slow (and our photographer is starting school next week). And we're scheduled to sign a lease tomorrow afternoon, but we're going to see a house built in 1912, newly renovated, prairie style (30 minutes away from work and 45 from Madison) tomorrow morning that may ruin everything.

James, however, is fantastic. And bearded. And charming. And fun to hold hands with at church.


This week:
Apartment searching. A lot of dingy cream-colored townhomes. Some smokey, some pet-smelling, some fine but sort of soulless? I found out after 3 or 4 Craiglist postings that "charming" gets me every time. It's been fine--we've had some success just out and driving around. We've spent most of our time in Verona (Hometown USA), where my job is, which is a little town (10,000), very charming, renaissancing. Lots of trees and delicious eats (more later). But we're also looking at the surrounding areas. Mt. Horeb ("the troll capital of the world") is smaller, 15 minutes down the road and delightful. Mt. Horeb is probably where we'll end up.

Eating. Culvers (home of the Butter Burger if you can imagine) was the big Verona success--a small chain (3-4 locations), killer custard and a pot roast sandwich that I could eat every day of the week. James started throwing around the word "obesity", but I'm not certain what he's referring to. We also tried the Grumpy Troll in Mt. Horeb. I got the brat burger (served w/sauerkraut and a side of spicy mustard) and wondered why it's taken me 28 years to come to Wisconsin.

Driving. It's crazy beautiful here. So wooded it looks a little jungly, lakes around every corner, rolling corn-y hills. Love love love. We took a drive out to Tyrol Basin, the local ski area (also charming :) ) and stopped by Little Norway--we didn't take the 1 hr tour (full of local history and family anecdotes) to see the 5,000 Norwegian artifacts, but I did decide where I was going to prep for Christmas. (Unfortunately the Scandinavian influence has not helped anyone pronounce my name correctly, but.)

If all goes well we'll be in our new place next Sunday. Until then: much love and we're safe and happy and etc. :)

Wisconsin: also a thing.

So we started out 3 days later than we anticipated (but well rested and brilliantly packed). And when in the middle of Nebraska the flat, open, west began being filled up with trees and was suddenly and certainly midwestern I felt a twinge of panic. And when we crossed the Mississippi into Wisconsin, even though it was entirely gorgeous, the "west of the Mississippi" in me felt a lot like throwing up. We may just have moved across the country. Out of Utah for the first time, really. (Hurrah/wtf!)

But. We're here! And safe! And a lot excited.