An Apartment in the City

We decided to go against everything we (read Derek) said he would do in life; we moved into the city. We traded his love of dirt roads & no backyard fences to underground parking, elevator riding, and mini grocery carting our fruit & veggies up to the door {Costco trips make this interesting}. We are steps away from shopping, dining & the trolley line runs right outside our place opening up countless opportunities for going to the Zoo, Balboa Park, the beach, & Old Town. Each night we have our windows & sliding door open and hear cars, pedestrians, and the booming of  the Sea World firework show.  I also hopped back on the "employment" train so we give kisses in the wee morning hours, and part ways in the parking lot basement. Now, that's what I call romantic.

Five Things {Graduation Edition}

{first scene pulling in from New Mexico & into the hot desert}

So we don't overload this blog with too many photos of Derek's medical school graduation {because I easily could}, here are our five favorite moments from the weekend. From the ceremony to floating the lazy river with pina coladas in hand, we sure enjoyed our last real visit to the state we spent so much of our  engaged & married life in. Man, oh man, Arizona is always going to be one of those places for me.

{before the ceremony, last time Derek would be a "student"}

{please see any of these fantastic doctors for your below the knee needs}

{the gang celebrating the big accomplishment}

{the doctoral hood; Derek also wore two cords for graduating Pi Delta with honors}

Doctor Smith

He did it & we're both so happy. 

His 28th Year

This handsome husband of my celebrated his 28th birthday this weekend. We kept it simple with dinner, walks, and enjoying the beautiful weather Michigan is giving us before we pack up. The only thing Derek requested for his day was chocolate cake with fluffy white icing, which I make for him every year. We reminisced about past birthdays {and couldn't believe this year will mark 5 years of them together!}, and I reminded Derek how from here on out, the rest of this month is all about celebrating him and his accomplishments. Who knew that first birthday in Rexburg that in just a few years we would be married, celebrating his medical school graduation, and moving to San Diego for residency, all while being surrounded our family. It's funny how life does that sometimes; just gets better as the years go on.

Five Things

/ our first glimpse of Spring was spent at the park having a picnic/

These five things are pretty self explanatory. The weather has been glorious and has called for open windows, picnics in the park, and walks through the outdoor malls to window shop. Of course, all these things are made a tad bit sweeter hand in hand with my cute husband. Finally we have some weekend time together, and I love it.

/ hosting a Cinco de Mayo bash with Mexican Coca-Cola /

/ these blooms are everywhere & they make me so happy /

/ lounging in a friends backyard while playing with the kiddos /

/ the Henry Ford Museum was just as fun as last summer's trip to Greenfield Village /

May Day

The month of May always leaves me with that "Sunday night in high school" feeling. You know, that anxious & excited, but almost dreaded feeling? Where I grew up, we didn't get out of school until mid June, so May was another full month of school before we could even start thinking about the end of the year. Now, as an adult, it's that last month before a lot of major events in my life; a summer doing EFY, the summer we were married, & last year our summer in Michigan. This year, we are spending the month soaking in the last few sights of Michigan, outings & parties with friends, a long drive back to Arizona, and ending with the excitement of graduation. One of these outings was going to a local working farm for the day with a picnic. Did I mention it was 76 degrees & glorious. Oh May, keep up the good work.