Cousin Chris

My cousin Chris and I have a good relationship. We are about 12 years apart, so our relationship didn't really start until I was at least in the sixth grade because I was too worried about children things and he was too worried about teenage things.

I identify the most with him out of all of my cousins. He and I are both very driven and end up doing homework over the long breaks when the family gets together. The rest of the cousins make fun of us, but hey, they can do their homework super late at the last possible moment. I don't care.

That being said, I haven't seen him in two years. (See he moved to Washington) Sure, there is Facebook, but he's not really one to go on often, nor am I really. There is also Skype, and we've only done that maybe twice.

So, at the beginning of the school year I devised a plan which was dubbed acceptable by Rudy, Chris's younger brother.

While cleaning out his mom's (Nancy's) house I found a good number of postcards from really random places. And this is the least random thing we found in her house. That lady has moved so many times, but this time Mom put her foot down and the two of them (over the course of 3 weekends) cleaned her whole house. That was a project.

It became a thing to call for me when a postcard was discovered and at the end of the house cleaning I had a good pile of odd postcards. While the pile was forming so too was an idea in my head.

I decided to smoke Chris out of his 'hole' in Washington by sending him a postcard each week. I figured this worked with Tekla (to an extent) so why not with Chris.

On Friday I received a package in the mail from Chris. It wasn't a huge surprise because I had talked on the phone with Chris a few times since I had started my project and I had gotten the word from Grandma and Nancy that he loved the postcards, but it was still fun to have solid evidence that Chris has seen the postcards.

In the package was the new Brian Selznick (if this name rings no bells google him!) book titled: Wonderstruck, a puzzle postcard, and a note from Chris.

Plus a poem, which I'll end with.

A Note From a Friend

-H. Hensher

When you are weary and sick

at the close of the day,

And things don't seem

to be going your way

When even your patience

seems near the end

What a wonderful lift

that note from a friend

With a troubled heart

and a heavy load

Perhaps he, too, may have

travled the road,

And you find real comfort

in the end

As you read the lines

in a note from a friend.

What a welcome, the few

words of cheer

Received from this friend

you hold dear

No troubles so great

God and time cannot mend

After you've read this note

from a Friend.

Mumford & Sons

This past Friday my family went out to a movie, but we were an hour and fifteen minutes early, so we decided to stop over at target instead of hanging around the movie theater.

Dad made a b-line for the music section as Mom, G, and I tagged along, stoping only to lay down in some outdoor chairs. As we chilled, being all hip in the music section, Mom found the Grammy section and announced that she was going to get the Mumford and Sons cd, because (as she put it) "They're supposed to be good."

Now, I knew the songs on the cd, and Mom isn't one for swearing (or unintelligent language as she calls it) so the song 'Little Lion Man' (which is the BEST) wasn't going to fly in Mom's world.

Mouth open I asked Mom if she had even heard them play before. "Yea. Think they played at the Grammy's. One of them has a bald head right?"

Oh, god.

We played the cd in the car, but it was too loud that Mom didn't catch the swear words (yea...not sure how she didn't) and so it wasn't until Saturday morning (before my ACT prep-class) that Dad asked me why Mom had gotten the cd. He said he was surprised that I had let her buy the explicit one. So, I ended the whole thing by playing Mom 'Little lion Boy' so she could hear the chorus.

The Return of R&T

These past few weeks I've been craving a certain TV show. (Remember? 1 and 2)

We just started watching the episodes again yesterday. Oh, how I missed you!

Din' Din'

Tonight I cooked Dinner. We had broccoli, apples, and parmesan chicken. I had to fry the chicken, I was the bomb at it. Dad helped a little because I was washing my hands too much going in between the chicken and vegetables. I also got to chop with the big knife. I think I'll like making myself food when I leave the house.

On my ninth birthday I had a cooking birthday party. I invited people over and we made pizza. Everyone had a little piece of dough and got to create their own. I had a lot of fun, it was cool pretending to be a chef for a few minutes. I think being one would be awesome.

One of my day dreams is to move to France and buy a giant farm which grows fresh produce and grapes, with the bright, fresh, green grass as far as the eye can see. Then I'll become thirty pounds overweight and wear cooking clothes every where I go. In town I'll own a restaurant and I'll be on the food channel cooking in my own kitchen like the Barefoot Contessa.

But this is all a daydream, I couldn't become a chef. I decided a long time ago I wouldn't work in the food industry.

Lack Of Tears

This is a post in response to this post.

When the cousins arrived, I really didn't feel like Tekla was too cool and that I had to act too cool. Thanks to my companions in Math class, who told me to just be myself, I was able to calm down and just chill. This visit there was no breakdowns and I think Tekla was surprised by my actions, I wasn't envious of Gretchen, instead I felt bad for her. She tried a little to hard to be buddy-buddy with Tekla.

*note on picture above: we be cool....can you tell Dad caught us off guard?

Tooth Fairy

This little girl on the right (Evelyn) is my cousin once removed, I think. She's my cousins kid, so....if anyone out there understands what I'm trying to say... The other little girl (left) is named Emma, she's my cousin and recently stayed over with her sister at our house.

Her sister, above, lost her first tooth at our house last night. She's so cute! I can't believe I was ever that tiny!

Good-By Fingernails

I was informed today by Dad that Tekla, Chisana (Chooch), and Davy are going to be stopping in tomorrow and staying until the 23ed of December.

Clockwise starting with me, Gretchen, Tekla, Renae, and Chooch.

First I was super excited. Then the dread came.

I don't know what it is about Tekla, but I want to be her best friend and at the same time I want to prove I'm so much cooler then her. It's kinda sad, especially because she's a disgusting eater (imagine a baby times 10 then you have what Tekla's face looks like) and she's younger then me. Yet, she is one of those people who (as Meghan put it) radiate coolness.

Maybe this time will be different and I won't be so envious of how Gretchen acts so cool around her. I just have to be myself, right?

Do any of you guys have this problem?

Me Pelo

I had decided before school to grow my hair out. For normal people that would be growing her hair to her shoulders and then cutting it short again. Not for me. I don't do anything half way. I'm growing it all out! And if any of you remember my hair back in eighth grade then you'll have a mental picture for how long I want my hair to be before I even think of cutting it. Now, I'll be trimming it to keep the hair healthy, but no drastic hair cuts for a while.

I kept it a secret because I thought Mom would hate the idea. She hated it so much when I had it long last time, but I've learned to properly wash my hair since then. I know that sounds bad, but I have super thick hair that has to be washed twice in the shower and I have to flip my head over when rinsing the shampoo out, then hardly any conditioner. It's a process. It's either that or dousing my head in vinegar every other month and people don't react well when I smell like vinegar.

My little cousin, Renae, also thought it was a bad idea. This was when I announced it over Thanksgiving break. Apparently she has this girl in her sixth grade class that has stringy long hair that she doesn't take care of. She's also Hawaiian, which means, because of her religion, she can't cut her hair. Not even a trim. They look at hair as the soul. Quite deep.

I have been thinking about it a lot recently because I watched The Kids Are All Right and the teenage girl (bottom right) has long blond hair that I was mesmerized by the entire movie. Then I watched Grey's Anatomy via Hulu Plus on our new TV in the basement and this weird Pill commercial was on every time! I really didn't listen after the fifth time and I just concentrated on the girl's (top left) red hair trying to figure out if it was dyed or not. Then I thought of the other celebrities with long hair. Lisa Kudrow, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyoncé Knowles, and Joy Bryant (from Parenthood). I hope my hair will look as good.

I Need Some Sleep

I had a wonderful week, true I am wiped out, but it was great seeing Tekla and Choochy (aka Chisana). This little video basically sums up what we did for fun. Listened to Chooch sing along to the music while her head phones were on. (plus some Gilms, which for thoes of you who don't know is Gilmore Girls)

The song is from Shrek 2, it's called I Need Some Sleep.

Cardwell's

This time baby I'll be bulletproof.

Roslyn

Mom won vinegar queen, our shirts say: You think I'm cute? You should see the international vinegar queen.

My cousin Rudy posing with a lion, Dad is sending it to him so he can use it as his facebook picture.

The pickle! Got to feel for the poor smuck in the costume.

Uncanny

Meghan this is for you.

ok, will you guys hate me after this..? my newest televison obsession is.....................the west wing :(

The text from above is from Meghan's post titled sadder than SADD. When I read it I sure didn't hate her, instead she showed me another reason why were so alike. We both are/have been obsessed with The West Wing. The show is about the inner workings of the White House, the staff and the Presidents family. It's quite addicting and it should be added to my family's list of obsessions (referenced to this).

I was reminded of the show when I went all OCD last Saturday and organized the DVD's. We have the second, sixth, and seventh seasons of the show which I am more then happy to lend to Meghan.

The thing that really pulled us towards the show (aside from the drama) was that the character Donna Moss (portrayed by Janel Moloney, pictured below with her kinda boyfriend Josh from the series) looks exactly like our cousin Deni. It's actually kinda' creepy, it's almost as scary as my twin from Modern Family.

Human Genome

"Wow, OCD much?" - Gretchen

Today instead of preparing for my english final or Spanish or even History I organized the DVD's and, knowing me, I really organized them.

There's the Pixar movies, and dramas, then musicals and movies that are part of a series, then kids movies and holiday themed ones, and then the movies that Dad bought but never watched and I just opened.

Sad part was I only got ride of a handful of movies, I wish I could just chuck most of my parents, they never watch movies anyway!

I was opening all of the unopened DVD's and goodness me! Do you know how hare it is to unseal a DVD case? It's better security then the president has. My hands really hurt now.

No Privacy

"You don't a person until you walk 10 miles in their shoes."

Recently it's been big news that Facebook isn't as safe as it once was and I'm a little fed up with it all. Hello, if you create a profile online where you post personal things then yes, people are going to see it.

Anyway, I happened to come across one of my cousins facebook messages and then it led me to his profile picture history, and then....

(btw, the 2 guys on the left are both my cousins, but the one I'm talking about is in the middle)

I guess you never know a person until you take a look at their profile pictures.

Oh Me Oh My!

"So, you know how great my hair looked in Arizona." Gretchen says as she leans up against my door frame. I look up from my recent Wikipedia search and nod yes.

"Well, I think I was putting face wash in my hair instead of hair gel."

Tonight we went to go see the Mississippi because, as you might know, it's rising. Dad wanted to take some pictures and we figured we could tag along and get some Punch pizza out of the deal. I was so hungary, I would have eaten a whole pizza by myself. The Peterson's (some family friends) were there and I talked with the older sister who is very cool about her music conservatory she goes to for collage.

Tomorrow I have to film a short film for video. It's 10:50 and I still haven started the story board, great.

1,000 Words

Doggie Props

"If I would ever meet Jack Johnson I would seriously kiss him, like big sweaty, tung, long kiss.", says my cousins boyfriend. No wonder they named their dog Jack.

Most of the time (down in Arizona) is spent caring for this animal. Tell ya the truth, I'm not a big dog person....well animal person. Though I am kinda' growing on little Jack. Only confusing part is my cousins boyfriend's name is Jake, and his dogs name is Jack....such an easy slip.

Best part about animals, the stories. (hands down)

A week ago, Jake and Deni (my cousin, she goes to ASU in Flasgtaff, they live together in an apartment) had woke up to Jack whining. Jack (who was in his kennel in their bedroom because there is no other space) was freaking out and whining. They thought he just wanted to get out and decided to be tuff parents, so they (tried) wait him out.

Two hours later they were at their wits end. They both had a test the next morning and Jack would not let up. So, Jake got up and opened the kennel. Jack race up onto the bed, jumped around for a second and then raced into the corner of the room.

SPLWASHOSH! (a.k.a the sound of diarrhea)

You need to remember the whole time it's dark in the bedroom.

Jake had to squeeze through the door (because the incident happened right in that corner, by the door) so he could get something to clean it up. Poor Deni was stuck in the smelly bedroom with the crazy puppy that was freaking out because he didn't know what had just happened to him. Apparently she was trying not to puke.

Their apartment smelled for the next few days, that poor dog held it for two hours, I've got to give him props.

Kid in a Toy Store

Don't you just hate when you get your hopes up and then your let down. Nic loved Dances With Wolves until he visited the set and saw how unreal it was. This might sound bad, but sometimes it's good for a person to have low expectations. Then they don't get let down.

We went to the zoo. Rudy absolutely loved it.