Tucson adventures! (Finally)

O.K. So lots and lots of changes. I am not the best person with this whole blog thing and I vow to become a little better. But seriously, who has the time to do this when life is at its busiest? But that is when you should document the most right? Ugh.

Anywho... So quick synopsis: Eric and I have moved to Tucson and left our dear little 200 W 400 N apt. in Salt Lake City. It was a little tender to leave our first home that has been so good to us. Nevertheless, we were strong and brave and pressed forward. : ( We traveled with my mom and Eric's parents dared to drive the 13 hours in the Budget truck. (Bless their hearts.) Two days of driving, many stops, a stay in an interesting "hotel" in Flagstaff, a lacking salad bar at Sizzler, and many squished limbs later we rolled into our new home town in style.

As we made our way around the area to our new home, (with our navigating phones rerouting quite often) we pulled into 2806 N. Tucson Blvd. What a shock! More shock came when we stepped inside. AHHH!!! A kitchen that I'm pretty sure was suppose to be a closet. Kitchen linoleum rotting and coming apart, wallpaper that was tearing and in a lovely print, a stove that must have been an antique, a homemade shelving unit that was secured to the wall with one screw, and finally a Wedgewood blue kitchen counter. This was just the kitchen mind you. Just a slightly malfunctioning swamp cooler in 112 degree weather and a few bugs where the only other complaints. I keep saying that this was a "cross your fingers, hope Craigslist will come through for you" kind of thing.

Due to all of the "surprises" that we discovered upon arriving and the 2 inch cockroach I found in the kitchen sink when Eric was at school. I had no choice but to beg my neighbor I had never met before to come kill the dang thing (he reluctantly obliged.) Anyway... I mentioned to our landlord that this might be a wonderful time to do a little updating. New tenants... fresh start! Right?... So I proposed that he redo the kitchen floor, let me paint an accent wall over the wallpaper and perhaps a new stove? Oh and maybe we could get a functioning swamp cooler that produces cold or even cool air without black particles shooting out with it? To my astonishment, our landlord agreed to it all! And rather quickly might I add. Along with a list of his favorite restaurants in town, a few tips on how to stay cool with a swamp cooler, and some fertilizer for our very own grapefruit tree in the back! We love him! I was able to pick out the tile and paint for the kitchen, and he hired quite a character to come and work on the floors. I don't have all of the after pictures but they are coming. Here are a few of the before and during photos.

Enjoy!



On campus



Mesa Temple


O.K. we are pretty cute


Living room before


Some living room after..


Not very good shots but you get the idea.


Where Eric's magic happens


Bedroom before


Some wall before...


Some wall after!....


Nightmare kitchen


More kitchen before...


Ancient stove and homemade shelves...


Yucky wallpaper


Nasty floor that is 22 years old!


Yikes!!


ahh... much better! Making progress.


Let the painting begin...


Yep.


That's right. We be gettin' our paint on.


What a good boy!


Oh, and we had our fridge sitting outside on the back porch for a week.


White trash is very "in" these days.


Well... Thanks for enduring with us on our little project. I will put up the real after shots when I see my boy next on Thursday!!!! It has been 10 days since I have seen him and am quite excited!

Also, despite my little complaints about our new "home," Tucson really is a wonderful place with wonderful people and a wonderful ward who has adopted us (Eric) into the family. I am so grateful that there are six law students in our ward! And they have adopted Eric and invited him into their homes. Thank you so much to all the generous people who have made this period in our lives bearable.

Eric is loving his studies and hammers it out 12 hours a day! (What else is he going to do?) I am surprised at how challenging my last semester is not, and will be so happy to be a graduate in December! Living with the parentals is an adjustment for all of us and we have laid down some ground rules... : ) I love them so much for their help. And Eric's family who has not forgotten that I am still around. Skype is wonderful invention that helps the distance somewhat livable.

I will keep you posted on any changes that arise. Hopefully a little more frequently.