Houston vs. Provo

(long, tall Texan sledding for the first time)

I loved living in Texas (and I love being married to a Texan). There is something special about a place where school children not only pledge allegiance to the nation's flag, but also to the state flag every morning. Texans truly believe that everything is bigger and better in their state (if you don't believe me, just watch a few commercials or read the billboards on the freeway). So, here are a few things that I do and don't miss about Texas - specifically Houston vs. Provo.

Things I Miss

• I never had to scrape my car windows in Houston
• Miller Outdoor Theater where free plays and other programs were offered all summer long
• A variety of excellent museums where one night a week was free
• Our house
• Our neighborhood (I loved that our street had trees that stretched over the road in the summer)
• Knowing that if I got a flat tire, someone would stop within five minutes to help change it
• Freeways (it was a lot faster and easier to get places)
• The Astros
• Southern hospitality
• People that teach their children to say "yes, ma'am" and "yes sir"
• Great restaurants (Utah has good restaurants too, but Houston is known for the variety and quality of their eating establishments - many are very affordable as well)
• Diversity of religion, race and culture
• Movie Tavern - dinner and a movie at the same time!

Things I Don't Miss

• Taking a mixing bowl out of the cupboard and having to check it for roach shells
• Copperhead snakes in the backyard
• High cost of utilities, especially in the summer (over $200 just for electricity for our little house)
• The Rockets
• Everything being flat (I love mountains)
• Nazi neighborhood associations
• Commuting 40 minutes each way to work (although I did like riding the bus - lots of reading time)
• Humidity that sucks the air from your lungs (but it is great for the skin)
• The high crime rate
• Street signs, lamp posts and brick walls toppled over by drunk drivers
• Boobs hanging out (meaning the body part, not whiney people)
• Cabarets
• Large groups of kids hanging out outside the theaters