Life Since Texas: an Overview

In Texas today it is 24 degrees and here in Calgary it is -24 degrees. It's a good thing we have such wonderful friends and family to come back to otherwise we might have just stayed in Houston. Speaking of Houston, I never did post about our drive home or anything that has happened since so here are some highlights:

1) On our drive to Calgary we stopped at this crazy restaurant in Amarillo called the Big Texan Steak Ranch where they are famous purveyors of the "Free 72 oz Steak." I think "free" is a bit of a misnomer in that the steak is only free IF you can finish it along with a baked potato and salad in one hour. If not, you have to pay a dollar for every ounce (i.e. $72). I had no interest in eating a 4 pound hunk of meat so we steered clear of that vomit inducing entree; however, apparently there were/are some people out there who find this activity appealing, including a 69 year old grandmother (the oldest person to finish the meal) and 11 year old boy (who was the youngest to finish). The current champ happens to be a World Hot Dog Eating record breaker, who downed the vegetarian's nightmare in just under 9 minutes. Gross! Russell did look really cute in their complementary hat though and the reasonably portioned steak we ate was delicious.

The windmills that we drove by in Wyoming (at least I think it was Wyoming) were gorgeous. Yay for alternative energy!
2) We arrived safely in Calgary and started figuring out Halloween costumes. Russell already had a spider costume from last year so Ken and I made spider-web shirts and a web pumpkin to match.
3) Then came winter. Russell loves it...we do not! I didn't think I would complain about the cold since it was so incredibly hot in Houston but it is SO COLD!! And I reserve the right to complain about it as much as I desire. Brrrrr!
And that pretty much brings this nutshell up to date. Glad to be back.

Happy winter driving!

-J

Mexico and Matrimony

This past week, our little family flew to Cancun, Mexico to attend the wedding of Ken's youngest sister, Donna's, wedding to a lovely young man named Darcy (does anyone else think of Pride and Prejudice when they hear the name, Darcy?). Anyways, between sunburns, tantrums (and I mean from Russell not Donna), naps, naps, naps and room invading centipedes, we were able to have a fantastic trip. The ocean was gorgeous, the snorkeling was awesome and the wedding was simply perfect. We couldn't be happier for Donna and Darcy and we're sure glad to have shared in the moment with such incredible friends and family. Although I will say that I never want to go on a "vacation" with a small child again haha! Now we need a vacation to recover from the vacation!

Aahhh...the beach was so relaxing...

...except when we were chasing this little rascal.

Donna being given away by her Dad - so beautiful

Cutting the cake...which, by the way was sooo delicious

The Conrad Mariachis

The very bold and friendly Coatis

I freaked out when I saw Russell almost touch one...eeek

The boys on the beach

Our sore feet...

and the jungle!

The wedding was supposed to take place on the beach but a class 2 hurricane ruined those plans. However, it was just as beautiful in the old Spanish chapel. It was fun but it sure feels good to be home!

-J

Park n' Play

We had a perfect day at the park today. There was lots of running, chasing, sliding and discovering. For example, Russell chased some pigeons and discovered that they were not afraid of him in the least. It was so warm, it didn't feel like Fall at all.

- J

Reading List

I have become very well-acquainted with the community library here so I thought I would share with you some of the books I've read thus far - the good, the bad and blah:

1. The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates - From the very beginning it was a very depressing book, although it did become more hopeful. The writing was excellent and the characters were interesting, but I'm on the fence on this one.
2. Host by Stephanie Myer - My beach companion. It was an easy, fun, science fiction read. The main character got a little annoying but, overall, enjoyable.
3. Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth - Oprah pressured me into reading this book and, although, it didn't exactly express anything new, it was insightful and interesting.
4. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway - It sort of reads like a poem or a parable. It has it's beauty but got a little tiresome. Good thing it was short.
5. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - Awesome! The dialect takes some getting used to but once you get into it, you can't get out.
6. The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears - Woven plots lines, mystery and literary allusion = a great read. I don't think this book is for everyone but I loved it.
7. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut - Not what I expected at all. An anti-war, science fiction novel with dry wit and dark comedy. Very, very good.
8. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - This book was so long but sooo powerful. It's great but you really have to commit to it because it's 1,168 pages long in small font!
9. On the Road by Jack Karouac - Sorry to all the beatniks out there but this was a snooze to me. I guess I'm just a traditionalist but I just couldn't get through this one. Why waste time on something you don't enjoy when there is a whole library full of books just waiting to be read. *finger snaps*.

What have you been reading? Any suggestions on what I should read next?

-J

Giveaway

My very talented friend, Laura, just introduced a great giveaway on her blog where you could win one of these beautiful framed quilled monograms:

For information on how to enter the draw, just visit her site. Why not give it a go eh?

-J

A Little Bit of History

Yesterday Ken, the boy and I headed over to the San Jacinto Battleground where Sam Houston and his Texan army (which as we learned, surprisingly, included some Canadians) defeated the army of the Mexican despot, Santa Ana. It was a pretty cool monument.

Russell liked climbing all of the stairs

The picture below was taken under much duress - we were being eaten alive by mosquitos

Then we were able to traipse all over the USS Texas, the only remaining American battleship - ahem "Dreadnought" - to survive both World Wars.

Russell rode the ammunition

The boys put on a gun show

Russell shot something!

And we even had a nap

I don't think I was cut out for the life of a Sailor. Just being in those cramped quarters for thirty minutes made me start to feel a little claustrophobic. Although the ship was equipped with it's own bakery, scullery, mess hall, canteen/five-and-dime, post office, barber shop, butchery, dental office, hospital and 50s soda shop. It was like as floating city! Not too shabby says I.

-J

Leaving

I read this comic today...

...and I just laughed out loud because I think about that all the time. I guess I'm just a paranoid person haha.

-J

Wedding Party?

The other day, we spent the afternoon at the park when we came across what we thought was a wedding party.

On closer inspection, we discovered that the "bride" looked much to young to be married; plus, she was wearing yellow. Finally, I realized that what we were looking at was a Quinceanera. I didn't know much about Quinceaneras but I was surprised grandeur of the display in the park. Enter Wikipedia:

A Quinceañera, Quince, Quinceañero or Quince años (English: "fifteen years"), is a coming of age ceremony held in some Latin Americancultures on a girl's fifteenth birthday, comparable to a Sweet Sixteen celebration. Usually the girl will wear a white dress but in more recent times she may wear a colored dress.

Planning begins up to a year in advance and requires the resources of several members of the family and friends. The family priest will perform a Quinceañera ceremony in a church. The girl's baptismal Godparents will oversee the spiritual celebration and her friends and relatives will attend to see the recognition she receives as she makes the transition from girl to young woman in everyone's eyes.

Quinceañera are comparable in scope and grandeur to weddings, and the party atmosphere that follows the somewhat more subdued religious atmosphere. There is a significant dress, just as with a wedding, and can be just as expensive and unique as a wedding gown. Flowers and decorations are selected to match the color scheme of the festivities, a reception is held at which guests will be served a meal and there will be dancing for all in attendance.

Well, that explains things, I suppose. Mom, Dad - you guys seriously cheaped out on my Sweet Sixteen Party!

-J

Race-car Driver

There is a little play center in the mall that I frequent a block away from our apartment. I take Russell there all the time (because it's too hot to play/walk outside) and he has grown quite fond of the the cars - which makes Ken very happy. Whenever he climbs on top of one he always claps at his own achievement which I find hilarious.

Kids really are pretty entertaining!

-J

New Hair

Hey y'all. It's been a long time since I've posted. I could say that I've had a lot going on because my life is so interesting and exciting; therefore, I simply had no time to fit blog posting in. But...that would be a big fat lie. Tangent: I've always been a little on the...ahem..."thick" side and when me and my sister played together growing up, every time she used the phrase "big fat" before something (i.e. "you're a big fat liar") I pretended to be personal offended by it to guilt her into letting me get my way. What can I say - manipulation works. Sorry Jenny. Okay, tangent over. Back to why I haven't been posting. Basically, I've been lazy. Plus, when you update your Facebook and write Family Newsletters to members of your family who aren't computer savvy enough to regularly follow a blog you get kind of tired of repeating yourself. That's why I'm posting a picture of my new big fat haircut. Then I will send this link in an email to said dinosauric (spell check is telling me this isn't a word but I beg to differ) family members so they can check it out too. Lame, isn't it?

Before...

After

Ken misses the long hair but I no longer miss the time wasted blow drying that thick mane. Besides, it's only hair - it will grow back and in this Texas heat less is more! Maybe you'll be hearing more from me but maybe you won't. That's how I roll.

-J

Russell The Tween Magnet

Move over Edward and Jacob - you have some competition. For the past month or so here in Houston, Russell has elicited much attention from people of all ages. However, more recently he has been the subject of adoration for a plethora of tweenage girls. I have never before seen him fawned over, kissed, hugged, incessantly followed and even groomed by so many girls in my life. At the mall, at the grocery store and, conveniently, at the park, Russell has accrued a small army of happy helpers. I love it. I take advantage of any chance I can get of taking a break and these girls have been awesome. Sure, help my kid down the slide. Why not clean his messy hands with a wipe? Hmmm...I think I smell a number two; any takers? Going once, going twice and...sold to the prepubescent girl who obviously has malfunctioning olfactories! And to make matters better, Russell loves the extra attention. No he can't leap over trees or transform into a freaky canine but he's cute and needy which, apparently, is what all the girls are looking for. Hallelujah!

J

See Ya Later Alligator

Yesterday we decided to check out the Texas back country and headed out to Brazos Bend State Park. We were lured by the promise of seeing Alligators in all of their bad bayou glory. We were not disappointed. It was a sweltering 38 degrees and, to be frank, I wasn't expecting to be impressed by the park but I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it actually was. Hanging moss, cranes, alligators, frogs, turtles, blue sky, canopy trees, buzzing insects and unusual vegetation made us feel like we were walking through some old Southern movie. All-in-all, it was a melt-your-skin-off great day.

A ten month old Gator Baby

Ken's favorite tree

The Bayou

Lurking Alligator

We have a video if an alligator that we got a lot closer to that I'll post later. It was pretty cool.

J

R.I.P. - Rest in PIECES!!!

You know how there are big, scary bugs called cockroaches that live in Texas?? Well, yesterday when I went into Russell's bathroom, I turned on the light and sitting there on the counter-top by the sink was a big, fat roach the size of Russell's hand (I love to wax hyperbolic). EEEEEKKKKKK! I picked Russ up and instantly ran away from the bathroom screaming my lungs out!! Then, once I had calmed down a bit, I went and found the can of Raid and readied myself to enter the dragon's den. I opened the door with my foot and sure enough, there was roachzilla right where I had left him. I quickly sprayed the insecticide on him and he instantly went berserk. Man, cockroaches are fast!! And, of course, I slammed the door (as if that would contain it) and ran away screaming again. Russell had no idea what was going on but he didn't cry or anything. He just gave me this knowing look that said, "I always knew you were nuts." When I went back into the bathroom, the roach was nowhere in sight. I was completely paranoid the whole day though. I just kept thinking that cockroaches were lurking around every corner ready to scare the living crap out of me.

Fast forward to this morning. I'm getting my swimming stuff together to go to the pool and I need to go into the "roach bathroom" to get a swimming towel...ugh...awful. Anyway, I work up the courage, open the door, turn on the light and...phew...no roach by the sink. I grab a towel from the cupboard, turn around and....AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH...ROACH!!!! Roach on the wall right behind me now scurrying very quickly!!AAAAAHHHHHHH!!! I slam the door and run away. I quickly got my stuff together and got out of Dodge!! At the gym I swam 75 laps (Russell was in the child care center) and it was so relaxing because I didn't have to be paranoid aboutRoachzilla. I took my time at the gym because I wanted Ken to be home by the time I got home so he could be my knight in shining armor and kill the big, bad bug.

Fast forward to when Ken got home. I tell him my terrifying story (he hadn't seen the roach yet) and he peeks into the bathroom and sees in the mirror that the roach is still on the wall behind. He even got the shivers from it. So I tell him to trap it with the toilet plunger...haha...I know - great idea eh?? But it works and he traps it. Man, he's so amazing! But then what?? The roach was trapped but how could we get it out of the apartment and then kill it a thousand times?? So I went and got some cardboard and we slipped it under neath the plunger to trap Roachzilla. Phew it worked. Ken took it outside (while Russell and I hid in the house not wanting to be anywhere near the beast) lifted up the plunger and stomped on it a bunch of times. Man, those things are resilient. Finally, it was dead!! Then Ken took a picture of it so we could show people how big it was...bleh. The horror!

Don't judge me people. I'm a tough gal but when it comes to roaches...I turn on my Valley Girl and head for the hills.

J

P.S. That's a dime, just in cased you were wondering.

P.P.S. It looks a lot bigger when it's moving creepy fast.

Holocaust Museum

Yesterday we drove to the Museum district of Houston and visited the Holocaust Museum there. Amid the large but somber groups of high school students, obviously there on a field trip, we slowly made our way around the exhibits. No stranger to World War II history, I knew what to expect and I knew that I would get emotional so I came prepared with tissues. We read the information boards about the Nazi Party's rise to power, Mein Kampf, the Nuremberg Laws, Kristallnacht and the Final Solution as we viewed various artifacts like the Star of David arm band, prison uniforms and denied emigration requests. We went inside one of the train cars that the Jewish people and other "non-desireables" were packed into in order to ship them to the concentration camps and read devastating but inspiring stories of loss and survival.

As though taking a cue from the atmosphere in the building, Russell remained relatively silent the whole time. He was so good and I actually held it together pretty well emotionally until we watched a film where Holocaust survivors who had relocated to Houston after the war told their stories. Most of them ended in "and that was the last time I saw him/her/them/ my baby/my my children/my husband" etc... It was incredibly heart breaking. I looked at Russell and imagined what I would do if someone ripped him away from me. I looked at Ken and imagined what it might feel like to be separated from him for so long and not even know if he was alive. Well, there was no way to hold back the tears after that.

It was a melancholy and solemn experience but definitely one worth having to be reminded of one of the darkest moments in human history in order to appreciate the blessings in my life.

J

P.S. I would have taken more pictures but we weren't allowed cameras inside the museum.

Texas Ho!

Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota

The Devil's Tower, Wyoming

We are finally here!! We arrived yesterday afternoon to a hot and sweaty Houston. Fortunately, our apartment has some great air conditioning along with two bedrooms, two king sized beds and two en-suites...woot woot...not to mention a great little kitchen complete with dishwasher and washer and dryer. I know this may not seem like a big deal to a lot of you but to us it's awesome. Our balcony overlooks a beautiful little courtyard with a gazebo. Russell loves to play out on the balcony; he always tries to fit his little body through the bars. Thank goodness he's not that skinny...but he is VERY whiney! He's been drooling a river, complaining our ears off, has a fever and has a runny nose which can only mean one thing: he's teething again!! The horror!

It was a loooonnnnggg drive but still fun. We watched wild horses in Montana, visited the Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming, and waved hello to four famous presidents at Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota. We were bored by the agriculture in Nebraska, were detoured through Colorado (due to construction), hit 40 m/h winds in Kansas and were extremely annoyed by the loud roads in Oklahoma. Jane nearly had an apoplexy in Dallas as she attempted to navigate the snaking, confusing and furious traffic of the big city while Ken casually commented on the architecture and Russell screamed in the back seat. Finally, we rolled into a balmy Houston where we immediately acquainted ourselves with the nearest mall called "The Galleria" (so Jane could buy shorts), IKEA (to get Russ a high chair) and the closest Walmart (for everything else).

We think we can safely call this road trip a success. Jane didn't shoot Ken (although she does claim her right to bare arms as is the American way), Ken didn't throttle Jane and nobody harmed a hair on the head of the little screech owl (although we were tempted to strap his seat to the top of the car).

We are definitely looking forward to getting to know Houston better but we miss everyone back in Calgary too.

But...now I'm off to the pool sucka's!

J

Happy Birthday Russell-Pants!

On April 29th my little boy turned 1 year old! I can't believe it. Where did the year go? He walks everywhere now, chats my ear off with wonderful nonsense, uproots everything that's not nailed down, collects objects and relocates them to secret places (which drives me nuts sometimes) and now refuses to let me feed him which has made meal time very, very messy!

We had a couple of parties for Russell with lots of family around and, more importantly, lots of cake n' icecream. Thank you to everyone who helped make Russy's birthday(s) tons of fun!

J

Trip Planning...Or Lack Of

I hate trip planning. In fact, I despise it. Here is a list of things that I also dislike but would prefer doing instead of trip planning:

wash dishes, do laundry, go to the bank to get loonies in order to do laundry, change Russell's poopy diaper, read Samuel Richardson's Clarissa, watch Everybody Loves Raymond, take a cold shower, pour chalk dust on my hands, play with a spider, watch eye surgery, attend a lecture on moral relativism, listen to the soundtrack from There will be Blood, bake a pie, rub my fingertips on newspaper, know the answer to a question in my mind but be unable to access that answer because my child has made me stupid etc...

I think you get the idea. For those of you who enjoy trip planning - please, by all means - plan away! But don't get mad at your partner for not wanting to join in on all the "fun." Just because I don't want to plan doesn't mean I don't love you and that I don't care about the trip. I'm doing other things that you hate to do.

Phew...glad that's off my chest.

J

P.S. This post is about you, Ken.

Zoom, Zoom...Wuah, Wuah, Wuah

I have had an awful realization: our car is the devil!! Or should I say Christine?? Do you remember that movie --"She's the Devil Incarnate. She's Christine. Body by Plymouth. Soul by Satan." Well, just swap Pontiac for Plymouth and you're bang on. Last summer the car broke down in Kamloops while we were on our way to Vancouver Island for our vacation and we had to fork out 2 grand in repairs. The clock display worked the first day we brought it home and hasn't worked since; I often cannot get my keys out of the ignition or switch the shifter from Park into Drive without some fancy fandangling and just the other day we took our car into the shop to be checked out before we drive (yes, I said drive) to Houston only to discover that in order for our car to be considered "safe," we would have to throw away 4,000 dollars - I repeat - 4,000 dollars!!! And that's not the end of it.

Yesterday, I was driving myself and my sister to the hospital to visit my cousin when the front left tire exploded!! Luckily I was close to a parking lot and was able to pull in without causing an accident but then I had to deal with changing the tire. This story gets funnier when you learn that I have never changed a tire before in my life. I've seen Ken do it before, though, and know how to do it in theory; however, I have never actually physically done it. So just to make sure I made my sister get out the instruction manual and read the instructions to me. Thankfully, a good Samaritan by the name of Thomas saw us and thought to himself, if they have to get out the instruction manual they must not know what they're doing. Thank you Thomas - you sweet, sweet man!! He had that donut on in 15 minutes and we were on our way. I'm pretty sure it would have taken my sister and I a good hour to get it done. El Diablo!!!! Lately, I've taken to cursing in Spanish so Russell can't understand me and it's all because of the Pontiac of putrescence. Bleh.

Now we are buying a new car!! Yay. I am so excited and it better treat me right or it's the wrecking yard. Anyone want a devil car??? It's cheap - power everything including free demon possession. Some cars are born bad.

J

She Ain't Heavy, She's My Sister

I can't even imagine what it would feel like to be able to run, jump, swim, ride and hike for your entire life and then in one fell swoop - one tragic moment lose that ability indefinitely. How would I react? I have no idea. I can only hope that I would have the courage and determination that my best friend and dear cousin, Katie, has right now because, unfortunately, she has experienced that tragic moment; due to a freak ATV accident she has lost the ability to feel or move anything from her chest down.

It sounds trite and somewhat cliche but I really didn't believe it when my Aunt called me to tell me the news. No way. Her body's just in shock right now - she'll be able to move things perfectly in a few hours. But I guess that's not exactly the way a broken neck and extensive spinal cord damage works...unfortunately.

She was flown into emergency in the Foothills Hospital and, thankfully, I was able to spend the night with her there as her parents wouldn't be able to fly in until the next morning. She joked about how "awesome" it was that we would get to spend a lot of time together now and we chuckled over the fact the EMTs had to cut away her favorite shirt but at least she didn't have holes in her underwear because that would be soooo embarrassing. I held her hand until she was wheeled into the operating room to get some beautiful hardware installed in her neck to repair the fractures. Titanium plates and screws - the newest accessory for Spring was her last joke and I laughed and cried a little at her optimism.

The surgery went well and I am so incredibly happy to say that after surgery, a lung collapse, countless IV bags of dopamine, saline, albumin etc..., oxygen masks, arterial lines, central lines, intubation, respiratory therapy, "Moaning Myrtle" down the hall, low blood pressure, high blood pressure and many many prayers, Katie has taken some big steps on the road to recovery. It's been twelve days but, man, does it ever feel like that accident happened a lifetime ago.

I still believe in miracles - even the slow ones that you have to work like hell for. And every inch of me is pleading that she be one of that 10% that is able to walk again. But if not....well...I'm a very patient person and I think I can wear God down...hahaha!! Think you can help me out?

J

So Much Depends Upon a Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
-William Carlos Williams

J

Abstract Painting

One of my New Years Resolutions was to paint more because I used to paint all the time. So, for the last three months I have been doing a lot of abstract painting - extremely abstract. No brush, no paint, no canvas - I just think about it a lot...haha. Abstract, indeed! Finally, today I pulled out my kit and a practice canvas board and just painted. It was really nice. Russell was napping and I had to be quick so I didn't plan or do any rough sketches first - I just let my hand do whatever it wanted to do. I did not expect to create any grand masterpiece, and I definitely didn't, but it was relaxing to reconnect with an old hobby - like reuniting with a childhood friend. I'm already starting to think about what I'll do next. Russell, expect to be ignored in the very near future.

J

A New Love

I have just recently discovered a television gem that has somehow eluded my notice for the last six months. It's a show on History Television (right there is a sign that it's gotta' be great) called Ancients Behaving Badly. It is an eight part series that applies a modern analytical approach to some of classical history's most infamous rulers. The show seeks to investigate historical figures like Nero, Julius Caesar and Genghis Khan and applies physical testing, archaeology and a modern knowledge of the sciences from toxicology to ballistics to re-appraise their lives in order separate fact from fiction. I have always loved history - even the boring parts - and this show consistently keeps me glued to the screen. So far I have seen episodes featuring Julius Caesar, Caligula, Hannibal and Attila the Hun but am greatly looking forward to Nero, Genghis Khan, Cleopatra and Alexander the Great. I am crossing my fingers that after they are finished with the more sinister Classical "bad boys (and girls)" that they'll move into the Middle Ages. Here's hoping!

J

Check Out Those Lashes!

-J