OH! How I love thee...

We've been photographed together for years...

I have driven a red Ford Focus since I turned 16. I learned how to drive in one. I took my driver's test in one. In 2002, we traded in the old red Ford Focus for a new one. Red. Ford. And still a Focus. When my family moved across the country, the red Ford Focus came with us and even had its own spot in the moving truck next to our couches and table. I eventually bought it off of my parents and when I came home from my mission, it was still in one piece waiting for me. Now, it's friends with Chris's white Toyota Camry...they share a driveway. The truth is, although I have always driven a red Focus, if someone gave me a Lexus--I would be okay with that. If someone gave me a cute little Rav 4, I would be okay with that, too. It wouldn't even matter the color. I am not completely loyal to my red Ford Focus...it's just always been there. Given the opportunity and, more importantly, the financing, I would trade her in. Is that sad, or what?

You must be thinking, wow, she is not a very loyal person. Untrue. I will prove it to you. There are some products/brands that I cannot live without. Some have been in my life longer than red Ford Focuses and some I have only loved for a few months--but these products, I am 100% loyal, wouldn't buy another brand, must haves for me (disclaimer: I am talking only of products/brands, I am very loyal to my husband, my church, my family, etc.):

1. The Proactiv system. I know you have seen the commercials, so I am not about to pull a Jessica Simpson on you and tell you how much it has changed my life. I'll just say, I had problems with my skin for awhile and now, I don't. I thought my acne was cured so I stopped using Proactiv for about 8 months and realized I wasn't cured at all...so now I am using it again and I vow to never stop. It works for ME and has since 2005.

2. Kosher Salt. This one is a new one for me. It tastes different than regular salt, I promise. It tastes SO much better. It even makes food look prettier. We keep it in a little black crock on our counter top right next to our peppermill. Kosher salt is part of our family now. I would never go back.

3. Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lipgloss in Dreamy. I have tried to hard to walk away from this. Over and over I keep convincing myself that I can wear a different lip color. I have tried! I have spent money on lipsticks, stains and glosses that end up lost in the bottom of purses because I don't care to find them again. I'm stickin' with Dreamy. It's neutral enough that I don't think it will ever look like I'm stuck in an era...I hope.

4. Blistex Silk and Shine Chapstick. I got it in my stocking maybe 6 years ago and I am so completely loyal to it. I don't always want/need color on my lips, sometimes I just want great moisture with a little bit of shine. Um, this is the product. My sisters sometimes make fun of me because I "still use the same chapstick!?" (They all got it in their stocking, too.) I say, "Why not?"

5. The Chi. Sigh. Where would I be without my straightener...one day I will have to post a picture of that with a viewer discretion advisory. My hair is quite out of control prior to straightening. Huge and puffy. The Chi has solved all my problems. I used to use a Revlon straightener, but it damaged my hair quite a bit and burnt out after 3 months. I have had my Chi for 4 years and I will never look back. Mwuah! I love you Chi straightener.

6. Victoria's Secret So Sexy Hair Serum. I don't even remember my life before this product. I don't even know what it exactly does, or if it does what it says it does because I don't go a day without it. If my hair is washed and wet, before I do anything--this product goes in it. Period. End of discussion. That's just how it is.

7. Orbit gum. I don't care what flavor. I don't care that it might be more expensive. It's a nice package and a good size portion. Currently chewing: Sweet Mint. :)

8. Heinz Ketchup. This loyalty goes deep into my childhood. I grew up in Pittsburgh where Heinz is manufactured. I have gone on fieldtrips to the factory. I am disgusted when I go to a restaurant and I see Hunts or any other brand. I just won't do it. I can't. It's against who I am. If Heinz ketchup isn't available wherever I am, I will either leave .... ... OR choose to eat something that I wouldn't normally have with ketchup--because I notice the difference. And the difference isn't good.

...told you I was loyal.

"Wath is your age?"

I'm only 26 years old. My hair is falling out, my joints crack and I think I'm even starting to develop a twitch. How could this have happened so early? I'll tell you how: baby. Now before you jump to thinking that I'm insensitive and am going to be a horrible father, let me explain. I'm not talking about our baby, but about the idea of a baby and the stressful preparations we're all tricked into making. Specifically, the nursery.

The baby industry is making a KILLING off first-time parents, like Jules and myself. Every baby website comes equipped with a list of "Gotta Have's" for the little one, and each list seems to be bigger than the last. But these baby sites aren't stupid. They know that I don't need to buy a $100+ changing table. And honestly, I know that too. But they somehow turn these luxury items into necessities that, if I don't buy, I'll need to have my back fused from the constant bending over. What they don't tell you is you're more likely to need back surgery from putting the thing together than you are not having a changing table at all. Billions of people from the beginning of time lived their lives without a changing table, but that means nothing to me. I NEED TO HAVE ONE!

So I buy one. And of course the box its in isn't shaped like a changing table. I wish that once, just once, I would order a crib, chair or anything else and it would arrive in a box shaped like the item supposedly inside. But instead I have to spend an hour figuring out how to turn a square box into a stroller.

*Side Note* What's up with UPS? I swear our UPS delivery guy has a remote that sets off our doorbell after he's reached a safe distance. No matter how quickly we try to get to the door when the doorbell rings, he's nowhere to be seen. He just leaves the box on the front door and I have to haul whatever it is around back to the entrance of our apartment by myself. It also doesn't help when Amazon's package tracking site says the box weighs 21 pounds when it actually weighs 90.

So I get the package into the house and start unboxing everything. Boards; dowels; tiny bags full of tiny screws that, when dropped, disappear into the carpet until 30 minutes later when they jab into your foot. We take a quick glance over the printouts that came with the instructions and notice a few typos ("Wath is your age" for example). That doesn't really boost my confidence in the instruction packet. I've discovered that, for every step listed in the directions that come with an item, I have a 10% chance of stabbing my finger with a screwdriver or smashing my toe or hurting myself in some way. So any item whose assembly requires 10 or more steps, it's pretty much a sure thing that I'm going to hurt myself. Our changing table? 24 steps. That's a 240% chance of me experiencing pain during the construction of this table. That meant I was definitely going to be hurt twice, and there was a 40% chance of having a 3rd incident. Bring it on.

So it took Jules and I about 2 hours, but we finally got the changing table put together and, not to brag, but it's looking good and is very sturdy. That was the last item for the nursery and now everything is ready. We cleaned the car and put the car seat in. After weeks of boxes being delivered to our door, the only delivery left is the baby. We're so anxious and excited to see our little girl and welcome her to our family.

Imagine this...

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Finalized nursery pictures to come.

the recap

2009… that was a big year. Thinking about where we were a year ago, versus where we are now, it’s hard to recognize that we’re living the same life now that we were then. Let’s do a quick synopsis of the events this past year brought. Here we go in 3…2…1…

· Jules was pregnant · house-sat for Marcum grandparents · started final year of school · picked names for the baby · saw each other approximately 2 hours a day and Sundays · had first argument over who knows what · bought Jules flowers and did dishes (crisis averted) · mysterious infection in Jules’ foot · prescribed baby-killing drugs by inexperienced physician (never took them, threw away) · Jules put on I.V. at home-missed lots of school · I burned vacation time skipping work · infection went away · went to Red Robin together for the first time, after which Jules had a sharp pain in her abdomen · miscarried · Red Robin killed our baby · Jules’ sister Patty did our taxes · Jules received her first C in a class · Government gave us a huge tax refund thanks to Patty · found new apartment · bought furniture with tax refund · moved to The Village apt #2-104 · FHE group organizer (is that even a real calling?) · finished semester · took a day off and spent it with my wife · started final semester of college · Jules didn’t want to go to enrichment · contraception failed · Jules called to enrichment committee · took Jules to meet grandpa Andreasen · skipped classes more than one should · bought tickets to go on a cruise · grandpa passed away · found out officially that Jules is pregnant again · found out I was getting a D in one of my classes and wouldn’t graduate · ran out of vacation time at work · went to class and did homework · Jules threw up about 4 times a day · rocked final project in class, pulled the D up to an A- · Graduated from BYU-Idaho with BS in Communications! · went on cruise and came home 15 lbs heavier · started looking for another job · went golfing every morning · found out we’re having a girl · revisited list of names from previous pregnancy · interviewed for job in Provo · sick of my job in Rexburg · offered job in Provo (took it, of course) · Wednesday, October 28th- drove to American Fork and stayed with my brother and his wife for the night · Thursday, October 29th- toured crappy apartment after crappy apartment for 11 hours (finally found nice, new basement apartment that we LOVED. Gave owner a check for first month’s rent on the spot). Got back to Rexburg at 11:30 pm · Friday, October 30th- packed up apartment · Saturday, October 31st- moved out · Monday, November 2nd- moved into new apartment in Pleasant Grove, UT · Began new job November 4th, 2009 · celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Bear Lake, UT on November 8th, 2009 · drove to Rexburg for the first time as a visitor · brother Cam got married · preterm labor · Jules put on bed rest · Marcum family came to our apartment for Thanksgiving so Jules didn’t have to travel · Jules cleared for mild activity and taken off bed rest · Bradley parents came for a visit- their first time seeing the lights at temple square · drove to Rexburg for Christmas · watched everyone open gifts, anticipating the following day when we bought a new video camera (so we can video tape our baby girl) · New Year’s Eve at Macaroni Grill with Brandon, Stephanie and Matt · spent the rest of the night watching Animal Planet and America's Funniest Home Videos ·

As much as has happened in 2009, we expect bigger and better things in 2010, starting with the birth of the next member of our family in about a month. We are so grateful for the blessings we’ve received this past year, even the ones that were somewhat trying. We’re grateful for our family and friends who have been so supportive and can’t wait to look back again one year from now and see how much further we’ve gone.


Happy New Year, everyone!