Friday, November 27, 2009

The Curious Case of Russell Conrad


In my opinion, there are many things that Russell resembles: some sort of elf a-kin to Yoda or Dobby, Ken, or an 85 year old man. This pictures really brings out the latter in him don't you think? Too bad we didn't have a cane handy.

J

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Catching Up

Today I talked to a friend that I haven't seen or talked to in years. It reminded me of the time he and my sister were in charge of the decorations for a Stake Youth activity (I was 14 and they were 16 at the time) and I volunteered to help them paint murals in my parent's garage. I flirted shamelessly with him and we soon became distracted by my great grandfather's wheel chair that was being stored there. He wheeled me down to the park where we lay in waiting for some unsuspecting passers-by to take advantage of. Then he pushed me down a great big muddy hill, pretending all along that he lost control of the wheel chair. I played my part perfectly and flew from the wheel chair (that was real), landing in a gross mud puddle at the bottom and faked that I couldn't move my legs. The joke became less funny when the couple we were "duping," genuinely concerned, ran down the hill to help me up. Rather than admit that we had played a joke on them, I continued to keep up the charade and let them help me back into the wheel chair. You would think that we might feel a little shame after that but...no...we just did it again to another couple but this time I pushed him down the hill. Awww...so stupid. We laughed and laughed and I had the hugest crush on him.

"The young are permanently in a state resembling intoxication." - Aristotle

J

Monday, November 23, 2009

The Mediocre Loser

There are some very fortunate women out there (a.k.a. freaks of nature) who snap back from having kids like a rubber band to their svelte pre-pregnant bodies. I,too, am like a rubber band but more like one of those bands that has been stretched around a dusty file folder for too long, is all dried out and won't go back to its former shape no matter how much you want it to. No, I am not one of "those" women. However, I do happen to know a few and when I think of them I get all bitter inside.

Therefore, I shall not dwell on how blessed they are but shall celebrate my own successes as fully distinguished and separate. Which leads me to announce that after 6 weeks of healthy eating and exercise I have reached my first milestone: I have lost 12 lbs!! I know, it's not all that impressive. The weight is coming off slowly but it's coming off. Only 30 more lbs to go...ugh. Man, I feel like a burger.

J

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Modesty Patch


This laundry room sink has seen many a naked baby and they all come out of it smelling like lavender. Maybe that's why Russ is smiling so wide; he likes smelling like flowers.

J

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

My Husband's Brain

Just insert "Ken" where "Scientist" is. J

Monday, November 16, 2009

Jingle All the Way


Yesterday my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law and myself participated in the Jingle Bell Walk/Run for Arthritis in Heritage Park. It was a pretty cold morning but it was great to get out, get active, have fun with the girls and support a worthy cause at the same time. I forgot my Santa Clause hat but was supplied with an ample amount of bells to tie to myself. It was festive but boy did hearing those bells get old. Next time, if there is a next time, I will not forget the hat.


J

The Kearls: a.k.a. "The Hippies"


The older I get, the more and more I appreciate the relationships I have nurtured, and will continue to nurture, with family. I also think we start to look a lot more alike - a phenomena that the girls in the family all took note of recently.

Last week Russell experienced his first plane ride to Langley to visit his BC relatives - or "hippy" relatives as Ken likes to call them. They aren't especially liberal; in fact, they are quite conservative. However, Ken thinks anyone from BC is a hippy...haha...so I guess that makes me one to. I'm okay with that. Russ was a very good flier! He immediately fell asleep when the plane started moving and didn't wake up until the plane touched the ground again. It was great.

We were in Langley for four very eventful days of birthday parties, baby showers, marathon chats and Rook matches. It was great to be back in the comforting and welcoming arms of "home" but it's even better being back in the new home I have helped to create with my own growing family. I sure do have a great template though.
J








Sunday, November 8, 2009

It's a Bird, It's a Plane. No - it's...a Crayon?




Who knew that a baby dressed up as a crayon could be so cute?? Seriously, this kid is so my hero!


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Snotacoughaclingasaurus!

Russ has a COLD! And in true male fashion, his reaction to being sick is hugely disproportionate to the severity of his sickness. My goodness, the boy is a stage 5 clinger. At first I thought it was really cute because he doesn't often like to cuddle for long periods of time but now, as I sit here in the pajamas that I haven't taken off yet with sneeze juice all over them and tissues and burp cloths tossed in various places because my son SCREAMS like I just pulled out every one of his nose hairs with tweezers when I put him down, I have realized it is definitely not cute. I have not yet reached the stage where I just need to put my disease-riddled child down yet and leave the room for his own safety because Mommy is going insane; however, I can definitely see how it could go in that direction. Let's just hope he gets better soon. Even now as I'm typing with sicko-baby in my lap, he's making these pitiful whining/wheezy noises. Poor Russ! And poor Mommy!

J

Caricature Ken


Last night Ken went to a Young Men's activity where they were taught how to draw caricatures of one another. He showed me all the pictures they drew and I was pretty impressed. So I asked him to share what he learned with me and we had a little portrait session at the kitchen table. He refused to draw me because apparently he was told to never attempt such a thing because he might offend me and then obviously the fallout would be divorce. Because I couldn't convince him in any way shape or form to draw me, I decided to draw him. Amazingly, my efforts did not result in a legal separation so I guess I did an acceptable job.


J