Can't Seem to Slow Down

I think it's pretty obvious that Adam and I love to travel and see new places. This past month we have been in Houston, Chicago, and Florida - we've spent way more time on the road than we have at home! We went to Houston to visit Adam's family after Christmas, and while we were down there we had family pictures taken by Kurtis' girlfriend Marisa, and she did a great job! I love all of them, but I have a few favorites :)

Dad, Kristen, Kurtis, Adam, Me & Mom

I love his family <3

We spent almost 2 weeks hanging out with them, going to movies, jumping in their FREEZING cold pool (then steaming hot tub), watching Kurtis and Adam play Call of Duty, shopping, and on a whim got plane tickets to Chicago. I jokingly said we should go out there to help Adam's mom find an apartment and started looking at tickets, and a couple days later we ended up in the windy city! I miss being in Chicago in the winter (I lived there for my last 2 years of high school), even though it is colder than cold! I love dressing up for winter, and you almost feel like you should be extra fashionable when you're in a city like Chicago. Granted, we packed for Texas weather...so I had to have my mom send me my winter coat. It was still amazing nonetheless, and we found her an apartment on Michigan Avenue right next to Millennium Park and with a view of Navy Pier. So perfect!

Taking the bus for the first time in the city! And...it got in an accident! Bad omen?
Needless to say she didn't get that apartment!

Ice cream treats at Ghirardelli's :) Delicious!

After a cold and windy trip in Chicago, we headed home to Utah for a few days before heading to Florida to go to Disneyworld and Universal Studios! My birthday/Christmas present this year from Adam was to go to Hogwarts...because I LOVE the Harry Potter movies and books. Not in an obsessive way, but in the way that I can pretty much watch any of the movies and never get sick of them. We spent 4 days at Disneyworld and 4 days at Universal with hardly any lines and perfect weather...needless to say it was SUCH a fun trip - who doesn't like feeling like a kid again?

Enjoying some cultural experiences at Epcot.

Oh my goodness, he makes me smile.

Yes...we did. But only because Hulk Hogan was supposed to be there!

Hogwarts was amazing! I only wish that everyone else didn't think it was amazing so I could enjoy it all to myself (and Adam of course). It was pretty busy all the time, but understandably busy because it is so cool. When you walk past the Hogsmeade sign you walk into a magical world of butterbeer (which is incredibly delicious and exactly how I imagined it to taste!), broomsticks, snow-covered rooftops and...hundreds of other tourists. Lame. But when I pointed my camera just above their heads it was perfect :). Zonko's and Honeydukes are the first stores you come upon, and they are full of gadgets and goodies galore. Overpriced obviously, but we couldn't resist eating a cauldron cake and chocolate frogs while wondering around the tricks and toys in Zonko's. We also ate at the Three Broomsticks which had the second best fish 'n' chips I've ever had (second to the Blue Dolphin in Opononi, NZ)...not something I expected at a restaurant in Universal Studious - but if you ever go there, you have to eat there...even if you don't like fish like me. I do love fish 'n' chips though. We rode all the rides, my favorite being the one through the castle - standing in line in the castle is almost as good as the ride itself! They have talking pictures, Dumbledore's office, and they even have Dumbledore, Harry, Ron & Hermione there. I don't know how they do it but it's some sort of 3-D pojection trick that makes it look like they're standing there talking. It's pretty awesome.

Zonko's - isn't it so bright and colorful?! Adam drinking his butterbeer.

Butterbeer 'stache! It's butterscotch flavored and so yummy.
Thinking about it makes me want another one!

The detail on the castle is amazing! Obviously it's not life size or it
would be the size of the entire park, but it is to scale, and huge.

Adam made this trip possible and it was so much fun! Sorry my posts are always incredibly long because I cram a whole month's worth of activities into one...but I'd much rather be out playing than blogging! We haven't even been home a week and I'm already itching to go somewhere! I've been looking at friends' pictures of Hawaii and Europe and I just want to go - you only live once right? Goodness...I can't wait for summer to go somewhere new :)