7 months ago, we were flying fast and loose. We had zero commitments. Zero.
AND THEN…
- Colin went ahead and decided he wanted to marry me (I tricked him good).
- +One Eternal Commitment
- We decided we wanted a wedding with family and friends so now we’re planning a wedding instead of escaping into the mountains somewhere, throwing everybody off guard.
- +One Pricier Commitment
- We found a home that checked all the boxes and BOUGHT IT!
- +One 30-year Commitment
- But that home is in Utah… so, we up and moved from living with friends in beautiful Carnation, WA to Midvale, UT, just outside of Salt Lake City (SLC).
- +One 12-hr Drive Commitment, a few hours of packing, and 20 min of unpacking
- But we don’t just want a house, we want an investment. So, we’re converting this single family home (SFH) into a duplex AND building a sweet little one-bedroom apartment on the property. Colin is serving as our General Contractor and we’ll be doing as much of the work ourselves that we possibly can.
- +One very.busy.and.labor.intensive 9-month Commitment
If living in 86 square feet together for over 2 years in Vaniel didn’t prove that we’re the best couple ever, then by god, this will. You disagree? Come at me, bro.
So. Why Utah? We’ve heard that a time or two so it’s time to come clean and tell you all about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and how it can change your life. Just kidding. 🙂 With that said, we have met a large handful of these wonderful people and what you’ve heard is true, they’re the nicest people ever with the cleanest mouths. (I’m sure my mom will be most pleased if some of that rubs off on yours truly).
So, why Utah.
- It’s more affordable than Washington and Colorado
- It’s central to so many states that we love to spend time in (look at a map; if it touches Utah, we like it)
- There are over 20 national parks and monuments within a few hours’ drive of SLC
- Arches, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Zion, Canyonlands to name just a few of our favorite adventures in the area
- Utah has about 300 sunny days a year which will be a nice change from Seattle, especially for Colin who gets Seasonal Affective Disorder which is a real thing
- Utah is the only state where every county contains at least part of a national forest (great for vanlife)
- SLC is home to the Red Iguana and Red Iguana 2 (so good they opened a second one just a few blocks from the OG) which serves THE BEST mole ever
- Utah snow is known to be lighter and drier than snow in other states, making it perfect for skiing (Colin) – or falling down while trying to ski (moi)
- SLC is home to the nation’s leading manufacturer of rubber chickens, which, I think, speaks for itself
If the rubber chickens alone don’t sell you on Utah, you should reassess your priorities. Or look at all the outdoor recreation.
And there you have it. SURPRISE! We moved to Utah. We already signed up at a sweet local climbing gym, visited IKEA, picked up our library cards, bought a bed, and took all of 20 minutes to unload our belongings into our new home, so I guess we’re residents now. And adults.