my 2 cents.....

and there is a lot more than 2 cents here.. so you may want to skip to the next blogger who has updated. Is it against blogger code to post 2 days in a row.. I've never attempted until today, and probably won't happen very often.. if ever again. But I have some thoughts I wanted to express, so please still be my friend even though my last couple of post have been freakishly, annoyingly wordy.

To make an obvious statement... today has been a day that will be distinctly remembered throughout history. I'm embarrassed to admit that in the past I have not been extremely interested or involved in politics of any kind, including the past elections for the United States Presidents'. I have always listened to the news of course, and had a slight opinion- usually influenced by what everyone else was saying about the election. But this election has been different, I feel emotionally involved, and at 25 years old... its about time, eh?!!

  

First of all, my heart has kinda ached and been relieved at the same time for President Bush today. More than Obama, Bush has filled my thoughts.  What a good person. Not a great spokesman, not the brightest, not the most influential leader of all time... but a good person with integrity.  If there was a handbook for the future that Bush.. or anyone for that matter.. could have read 8 years ago that would have laid out what was to come during his presidency, I'm not sure we would have had anyone step up to the plate. How does anyone judge someone in a position like Bush has been placed in with so many diverse/complex/tragic situations? If He would have done things differently, the other half of the country would have been upset, he was in a position where he really couldn't "win" no matter what he would have done. I agree with my dad... maybe not for years and years, but with time, Bush will be known as an amazing man in history... because he really was/is. I can't speak for anyone but myself.. but I'm grateful I can express my opinion, and hope Bush knows there are so many people that were/are behind the decisions he made. I truly feel..know.. he didn't make his decisions "alone". I will miss him, but am so relieved for him. It's someone else's turn, and his turn to relax a little, and not be in the spotlight of mockery anymore. He looked "tired" today. Can you even imagine?! As cheesy as it sounds, I'm proud to have such a huge portion of my life with the memory of such a "true" person leading our country.  

Although I have had many mixed emotions and have heard opinions on every end of the scale about Obama... I have high hopes. I was entirely impressed with his speech today, if you haven't listened to it... you need to. Many say that they hope he isn't "just" merely a good speaker.. I am one that agrees with that hope... but in the same sense, I have felt "at peace" with everything as I've thought about him today.  I just believe influences beyond this world have more of a role in this transition than many people give credit for.  There was a couple of things Obama said today that gave me hope.. and actually gave me chills. When he was addressing the economical crisis our country is in.. he made a comment about us needing to turn necessity into courage, and imagination into common purpose. I love that statement. It's going to take a lot more than a good president to heal our country of the crisis it suffers from.  He also said we should be the kind of person that would take fewer hours if it meant a friend could keep a job. That gave me chills, and I couldn't agree more. That comment doesn't have to be taken literal.. but more as "Lifting others loads" and sharing blessings with those less fortunate is definitely more of what this country needs, and I think he was portraying that in his own way today. He talked SO MUCH about being free, and being a country of "peace"... and wanting to be at peace with every country and leader, and every man and woman in the WORLD.. There is no greater goal.  

For many, this election did not turn out the way they would have liked, but now that it is what it is...  I think its important to remember there are positives to focus on in every situation... and I hope the feelings I have had toward Obama today are going to be accurate in the coming years.  I have put a link to his inauguration speech if you missed it.  It's worth your 20 minutes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7840926.stm

happy late anniversary, & misc.....

I have to rewind to the beginning of January... JANUARY 8... and wish my wonderfully fantastic parents a big fat HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! 

I know I post about how great they are quite a bite.. but I could never really explain through words or a silly blog how truly wonderful they are.  I am the youngest of 6 children... therefore.. being on the tail end of things, I was able to have a couple of years with these two cute people ALL to myself. I was the only child left at home throughout my last few years of high school and my first year of college, and although I love my siblings to death, I wouldn't trade that time alone with my parents for ANYTHING! During those couple of years I grew extremely close to the both of them, and they both became my very best friends in the entire world, and our friendship/relationships have only gotten sweeter since then!  It really is true that you grow to appreciate so many things about your parents the older you get, huh??!! Other than my sweet husband, there is no other people I would rather spend my time with. They make me laugh, can comfort me like no one else, guide me through any trial, and continue to teach me through their words and their actions about the things that are eternally important in this life. 

I have told them both this before, but I can only hope my children feel the same about me as I feel for them.  

I love you mom & padre! Hope you enjoyed "Bride Wars" on your anniversary, still makes me laugh that's what you went and saw that day!  ;)   

This is mostly for them, so skip reading this if you want! ... but here are just 38 reasons they are the greatest people in the world

1.  mom: hilarious 

2. dad: best cook - always putting random foods together and making them taste fantastic!

3. mom: positive - even when you want her to be negative, she makes you see the positive

4. dad: determined - I dare you to tell him he can't do something

5. mom: easy to talk to 

6. dad: hard worker - too hard most of the time! Such a great work ethic!

7. mom:  up for anything, anytime.. spontaneous

8. dad:  he is the funnest person to tickle.. ridiculously ticklish 

9: mom: listens and doesn't always have to have the right answer

10: dad: loves the gospel and has taught us how important it is to have it as the focus of our lives

11: mom: so forgiving  

12: dad: motivated- the least lazy person I know

13: mom:  contagious laugh

14: dad: great teacher

15: mom: great sense of style

16: dad: can fix ANYTHING

17: mom: can sew like a maniac

18: dad: can apply something with the gospel into any conversation

19: mom: so supportive, never missed a silly basketball/softball game

20 dad: good sport around all of us morons, and thinks we are funny once in a while!

21: mom: great cook, and usually doesn't even need a recipe

22: dad: no worldly AT ALL 

23: mom:  cutest lady ever, I love it when people say I look like her!

24: dad: cutest man ever, I also Love when people say I look like him! 

25: mom:  

26: dad: can pull off being bald like very few men can!  One of my beehive instructors said, when I was 12 years old, "your dad doesn't need hair, he has gorgeous eyes" .. its true.

27: mom: can shop and find bargains like no other

28: dad: i love that he grew up on a farm, and i love that he loves taking care of his pigs and cows

29: mom: caregiver- by nature, my mom is a nurturer, I'm not going to lie, I milked being sick a few times just because she took such good care of me when I was sick... and always!  

30: dad: realistic- sometimes when I get stressed out and loose my head, he brings me back to reality

31: mom: loves her kids and grand kids and LOVES to be with them- doing whatever they are doing.

32: dad:  trustworthy- very few people i trust more than him

33: mom: keeps her house SO clean- my dad always says this is one thing he appreciates about her SO much 

34: dad: has always held the priesthood and has given me some of the sweetest blessings ever.

35: mom: blunt - don't ask her something unless you want to hear the flat out truth! I love this about her, no sugar coating

36: dad: always does what he says he will do... so dependable 

37: mom: happy- can make any day better just by talking to her.. people love being around her

38: dad: has always been the "disciplinarian"... but somehow found the perfect balance to discipline and still let us know he loved us.

HAPPY 38!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

Jeremy and I were just talking about how we really need to cherish "good friends" because they don't come around too often.  You know.. the friends you can see yourself still wanting to hang out with for years to come..  And we were reminded of how lucky we are to have some of the friends we have as we spent some time with a few of our favorite couples this weekend.

 

Welcome to Utah... CHELS-GORD-& TYDON~~ WOOD

They just moved to Utah, and we are so excited. They came over for some homemade chicken noodle soup... and a little ROCK BAND! So we quite possibly stayed up until 2 in the morning with them rocking out! We are too old for those late nighters... holy hang over the next day! 

When your eyes and hair start looking like this... you're up too late! 

Amanda. Ryan. Alli. BOWLER

Some of the best people ever.. and great friends! We had Sunday dinner with them and played a little spades (amanda, who won again? too easy huh?!!) 

Their little girl Alli is seriously too cute, and when we went to dinner with them about a week ago, she was so funny with Jeremy, she would look at him and then look away all bashful... like she was flirting with him, she couldn't stop looking at him.... I guess I've got some competition! 

Couldn't keep her eyes off him at Olive Garden. I know the feeling. The cutest thing ever.

Lace, Jared, & "mister"

Lacie(LANER) and Jared, and their little boy Keaton came to stay with us for 3 nights!! Lacie may quite possibly be the funnest person to be around. Hope the pictures give you a slight incite of how hard we laughed all weekend... how ridiculously cute her little boy is.... and how lucky we are to have them as family.

Lacie and I got our hair did.... and straightened. isn't she gorgeous

after seeing this picture.. pretty glad we decided against buying these hats.

not quite sure what Lacie's plan is with that apple

My mom saw this first picture of me and said it looked like I was a character on Twilight.

Watch'n a movie at our house with Lace and Jared... and Jeremy getting ready for Church

Shopping in Park City.... and NOOO... i'm not pregnant.. the yellow shirt just makes me look like it.

Jared and my brother Shaun went fishing ALL DAY on Saturday..... Jeremy couldn't got with them because of work, but we met up with them and Shaun's family for dinner at PF Changs later that night... Sydnie was lovin the rice, she's such a clean/tidy eater

"Mister" ..aka.. Keaton... was was good the whole weekend... and put up with all our shopping so well... so did Germ

too bad he's deprived of hugs and kisses. 



We love you. 

Cougs..

First of all, I feel like I have been holding out on all of you by not sharing Jeremy's nickname... more than a nickname actually... the name he is known by around the "huls" house.. and what my sisters and my mom call him 100% of the time.... GERM .... so now that its understood... this is what I will refer to him as on a regular basis throughout my blogage.  The history of this nickname rooted from my nieces and nephews not being able to say.. Jeremy... they would just say ... Germy... therefore, the suffix being Germ.

On to bigger and better things.. kind of

We went to a BYU men's basketball game tonight.. and without surprise they killed Western Oregon. Not much of a game, but the ice cream was fantastic. When our time comes to leave Provo... we will sure miss all the gaming!  

Do you love how I take a picture of the court as if its a big... eventful... tight game!??? lame

um.. sweetie... did you not quite make the ice cream cone out of your mouth in time for the picture. darn it. your still cute

How about this winter wonderland in Provo the last couple of days! Nutso

I think Germ may have parked as far away from the Marriot center (where the bball game was) as physically possible as its blizzarding outside.. but he was kind enough to make me look like a fruit with his hat PERCHED over my hair to protect it from the snow wetness... as if it needed protecting. Thanks friend 

Christmas 08

I can't believe the holidays are over.... how many of us have said that the last few days??? It just goes to darn fast doesn't it?!! Jeremy and I had such a great time in Idaho spending time with our families and just spending time with each other for the past two weeks! What a special time of year! Jeremy can vouch that I'm a pretty emotional person.. to say the least... and this holiday season just stirred up all sorts of emotions. I couldn't begin to explain my feelings for all I am grateful for and especially for my Savior at this time, but to put it in a few words... I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for the knowledge and confirmation I have about the Saviors birth, perfect life, perfect example, ultimate sacrifice, and the promises that gives each of us to be able to be our imperfect selves and still have a way to return to live with him and all those we love if we will follow the example he has lead for us, and if we apply his wonderful sacrifice each day in our lives. How blessed I am to have been taught these truths, and then to have had a confirmation of them in my own heart and life. I love that reflecting on the Saviors birth and having so much time centered around him, and the unified feeling of "giving" is how we start off every year... and that the holidays are a perfect reminder that this is how it should be in our lives everyday of the year.
As I was around both of our families over Christmas... I thought MANY times how incredibly sad it would be if this life was the end... makes my heart hurt to even imagine how terrible that would be to believe that we would only be with those we love until we pass on from this earth, and I'm eternally grateful to my brother and Savior for making it possible for me not to even have to imagine that.
We hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season, we are so so so grateful for such amazing friends and family, we are so incredibly blessed in so many ways.

Some highlights from I to the F (Idaho Falls for you foreigners)

Christmas morning was a true treat for me!!!! Jeremy got me a snowboard, snow pants, a coat and all new gear for snowboarding... and a reservation for a night in Jackson and a day of snowboarding.  How fun in Jackson in the winter??!!! It's so beautiful up there right now. The mountain was REAL icy, but it was still fun to break in my new get-up, and it was just fun to have a little get-a-way for the two of us.  Cute husband of mine, love love love. 

We spent Christmas Eve with the Calls... and got spoiled. Jeremy got a bunch of nice tools.. much needed... and I got a ..... KITCHENAID.... so so excited! Jeremy, me, Chase, and Brooke went 4-wheeling on Christmas eve, other than the huge bruise on my knee from slamming into a bank of snow after going over a jump... it was so much fun!  Jeremy's sister also blessed her sweet little girl, Kamryn, and it was a beautiful blessing. 

We spent Christmas day at the Huls, and loved every minute of it. My parents got us a HEATED mattress pad... and you would have thought I won the lottery... EXACTLY what I wanted... and Jeremy was equally as thrilled that it had a DUAL heater... so he can turn his off while I have my side on. We are what I like to refer to with a little analogy... fire and ice! He's ALWAYS hot.. and I'm always freezing! 

Anyway... I have to take a second to tell my parents how grateful I am to them for putting up with us for the last couple of weeks and letting us take over their life for a little while! They were so great to us... more than great... took care of us 5 star style. My mom is the cutest ever... always ready to go and do... whatever... whenever.  If Jeremy wants to do something and I'm not really up for it... he will ask my mom... because he knows she will be a sure bet! She is so fun to be around and makes me laugh. She is so patient with all the chaos that goes on in her home with all the people, kids, and grand kids! Cutest lady in the world, and I love her to death and look up to her in so many ways! And my dad... those of you who don't know him are missing out. Such a cute person. Jeremy and I even got him to stay up playing cards with us until 1 in the morning... a couple of times actually! That is unheard of for the old padre! It has been a joke for the last couple of weeks that we don't know what we are going to do when we come back to Provo because he has cooked us 3 meals a day for the last 2 weeks! and that is not a joke! Between my mom and my dad cooking, I think I have eaten better the last few weeks than I have in the last few years! And dad... Jeremy is going to miss going to water aerobics with you!!  Thanks mom and dad... we miss you guys already... what are you going to do without us ;) !!!! Ha!!!

We are back in Provo and ready to get back into real life. This is Jeremy's last semester at BYU.. and he is going to be busy with work, and working on getting a few of his "ideas" up and running. It will be exciting to see what 2009 has in store for us.   

These are all my siblings... aren't they cute?? Love them all so much. This was taken on Christmas Eve so I'm not in the picture because we were at Jeremy's family... but this is the whole crew minus me. 

Christopher, Lacie, Josh, Natalie, Shaun

ALL the grand kids except for Maya (she was sleeping).... we are accumulating quite the circus around the Huls house these days