Presidential Primaries

So....today I am using my blog to blow off a little steam--I am so bugged, angry, and disappointed in the coverage of the presidential primaries from the media. It is so compeletely biased and ridiculous. Brian and I have been watching this year's election really closely with all of the debates, forums, caucuses, and polling. The only people they give time to on the Rebulican side are Huckabee and McCain. Ewwww!! I can't stand either one of them. I feel like Huckabee is so out of touch with what is going on in the world. All he knows how to do is play the religion card. He has no real substanitial plans on any issues and just seems way too idealisitc.

McCain, on the other hand, will probably die on us in office, if he even makes it that far. I do not agree with his constant personal hits at Romney. Romney at least attacked McCain's record and stand on issues, not his personal character. I really don't like McCain's idea for immigration and I just really think that he lacks the skills and mind set to change what needs to be changed.

I really like Romney's ideas regarding health care and immigration. I think that he has the experience and business mind-set to really improve our economy, which is seriously struggling. I like how he presents himself and I think that he is very concise in his responses to questions. While no politician is perfect, I would much rather see Romney head this country than any of the before mentioned, and for sure any democrat running.

Romney took 2nd in Iowa, 1st in Wyoming (which the media never covered and barely even mentioned), 2nd in New Hampshire, 1st in Michigan(which the media also downplayed due to the fact that his father was a governor there) 1st in Nevada today (which they are not covering because it was "uncontested"), and for the first time will probably finish 3rd in South Carolina.

There is not one other Republican candidate that has that stong of a record and yet, they continue to make excuses for his wins! He does NOT get the amount of positive air time that everyone else does. However, they will be the first to report anything negative on him. I am so absolutely frustrated! At least in the end it is the number of delegates you win and not the media that decides, but seeing as how the media has such a strong influence on people I wish they would try to be a little more objective!

Home for Christmas

There is nothing like a Utah Christmas. Fresh snow on the ground, the beautiful snow covered mountains, and a bright blue sky morning. We had so much fun this break Skiing with family up at Snowbird, sledding and snomobiling with family at Emron and Aaron's cabin, Playing games with friends, going to the Nutcracker on Chrimas Eve, Seeing our new little nephews...and one one the way, and just spending time with family and friends that we haven't seen.

Our new little nephew

Here are some photos of our new little nephew Darren! (dosen't Brian just look like a natural! :) Darren is such a good baby and what a joy! Congrats again Paul and Corinne!

New Year's

New Year's Was awesome (when we finally made it) Brian and I were returning from California after visiting our cute little nephew and Paul and Corinne. Our flight kept getting delayed and we finally made it up to Midway for the New Year's celebration with all our friends just a few minutes into the New Year. It was a blast though!! It was sooo much fun to see everyone that we have missed so much. It was great to just talk and catch up with good friends! Thanks to Nate and Lauren for holding it at your place and letting us crash after calling it a night no later than 5:00 A.M.! We hope that all of you are having a wonderful 2008 and can't wait to see all of you again soon. I was so disappointed that we didn't get pictures with everyone. :( We definitely have to do it next time.

Christmas in Iowa

This Christmas was a blast! We really enjoyed being with friends and family so much. Brian and I had our Christmas together on the morning of the 23rd just before flying home to Salt Lake City. My favorite gift would have to be my new Coach purse. I really love it and I was in dire need of a replacement. My coworkers were pleased to find out that I retired my last torn up purse to the garbage.

Brian's favorite gift this year was his excercise bike. He has being eyeing this upright bike at Walmart for the past month or so and I kept trying to downplay it and push it aside so that he would not just run out and buy it before Christmas. His running arguement was that his parents were giving us money for Christmas this year and that he could just go buy the bike now and then when we got our chistmas money he could just deposit it in the bank. I kept insiting that we wait...so he wouldn't spoil his Christmas. It all turned out though and he was surprised.



Flying back home was quite the ordeal! We were delayed in Iowa City for 6 hours and then finally were on our way to Minneapolis and the pilot came over the speaker and said that if they didn't get approval to land from air traffic control soon then we would be forced to fly back to waterloo...which is really making no progress at all. Luckily we did get the go ahead from air traffic control and made it to Minneapolis. In minneapolis our flight was cancelled and we ran the risk of having to fly out the next morning, but gratefully the flight attendant back in Iowa City booked us for both flights flying out that night to Salt Lake City just in case. So we decided to take the risk that this later flight we were booked on would not get cancelled as well. By doing so we ran the risk that if we did not get out successfully that night by then tomorrow's flights would be much more full and we probably would not get out until late afternoon or night of Christmas Eve. However, the risk paid off and after sitting on the plane for an hour and a half we were finally on our way to Salt Lake City. We arrived at 1:00 in the morning when we were supposed to arrive at 4:00 the afternoon of the 23rd, but we were happy we made it!

Walking Home

So out here in Iowa we get AMAZING thunderstorms and the rain just pours! They are really fun to watch because you can see forever since there is nothing to really obscure your view....like mountains, or even a hill, for that matter. So, you can see these amazing thunderstorms that seem like they are right there next to you, when in fact they are miles away. They can also come on very quickly and just down pour like a monsoon. It's nuts!

So I was at work the other day (I work downtown by the university) and there is virtually NO PARKING. Needless to say, I am perfecting my skills on parallel parking. In order to get to work I have to leave an hour early just so I can find a parking spot 6 blocks away so that I can walk 6 blocks to work and get there in time. I actually don't really mind the walk, seeing as though it is the only excercise I am getting these days and holds as a good excuse to justify my lack of exercise. But yesterday, I found myself forgetting that I am in Iowa, and it is the Fall. I got off work at about 7:00 that night and gathered my things to make the trek to my car, and right as I got to the door, I noticed it was raining and I had no umbrella. I waited for a few minutes to see if it would let up. It didn't. I decided to just take the plunge. It really wasn't that bad for the first 1/4 of the trip and then it decided to just hammer down. I started to pick up my pace and run, but really, I was not even half way to my car so I knew there was no avoiding it. When I finally got to my car I was DRENCHED! It was really quite the show to those sitting out on their porches watching me frantically try to find refuge from the monsoon. Yet another lesson I have learned being out here. ALWAYS, carry an umbrella in the Fall because you just never know when that drizzle is going to turn to a flood.

Tornado Warning

I was sound asleep in my bed this morning and was awakened by this shrill siren going off outside. I had no idea what was going on. It lasted for about 2 minutes and then came on once again! I was terrified because their I am in my pajamas, alone in a home without a basement, Brian is at school, my phone won't work and I think I have just heard sirens for a tornado warning. Oh yeah-just to top it off last night we had a terrible and severe rain and thunder storm, confirming my concerns. I have no idea what I am supposed to do. So, I run downstairs and manage to get the internet up to see if their is anything in the headlines. I can't find anything so I google it. Sure enough, I find it was indeed a tornado warning....that they routinely perform the first Monday of the month--granted that their is not occasion for a real alert. I check the weather just to be sure and find.....nothing alarming, thank goodness! Geeze, scare the bejeebers out of me! I did however take the opportunity to read up on a few tips about what to do in the case of a real tornado warning so that next time I won't be so clueless.