the good life.

hey guys! i'm not sure why it's taken me so long to return to this space! it seems the longer it's been, the harder it is to jump back in because i just don't know where to begin. our new life in Portland has been pretty wonderful. i struggled with bouts of anxiety at the beginning (which i don't think was helped by our Breaking Bad marathons), but i feel like within the past month, i've started to find my rhythm and really start to settle in and feel like myself again. our house has started to feel more like a home (i wasn't really feeling it at first). there are so many amazing things about living in Portland, between all of the local farm stands/markets & amazing produce, endless mind-blowing (and reasonably priced) restaurants, gorgeous hikes, cheap/fun/unique entertainment options, the laid-back lifestyle, no sales tax(!).. and yea i could go on for awhile. yea, i would say it's a pretty incredible place to live & i get why Portlandians take so much pride in their city. i literally gasp every time i suddenly get a glimpse of majestic Mt. Hood. it's hard to believe it's real, that i get to live somewhere with so much natural beauty, and with such an appealing lifestyle.

i'm actually at 'home' (in Michigan) right now for the holidays. i get to stay a whole month because of my flexible work situation (i work remotely from Portland & am working in the office while i'm here). i'm learning to be more thankful for the flexibility, i think i generally take it for granted. i am a pretty bad complainer actually. anyway -- i am happy to get lots of time with my family and friends (and their cute babies). it's been so great being at my parents' house, especially with my brother here too. missing joel though, i will be very happy when he's back here next friday.. this is the longest we've been apart. need to get in lots of girl time in the meantime!