Monday, February 23, 2009

My Little Buddy

What a poser!  He loves to have his hair done, loves this sweater, and loves to have his picture taken--unless we are getting them professionally done, that is!

You Know You're A Redneck When...

I have a serious problem.  This farm that we live on is really driving me nuts!  One of Johns customers gave us about 10 chickens last year.  Only 1 has survived, we call him Obama.  This chicken scares me to death!  (are they going to peck at me?)  So, anyways,  a few weeks ago Obama came to our back patio and was yelling for some food.  I thought this was so cute, so I gave him some bread.  That was my first mistake.  Every morning, he began this ritual.  NOW, he walks around the house to the front window and watches us from the front patio.  This morning, 5 times, he tried flying up to get through the window, causing this horrible bird-hit-a-window sound.  Dang chicken.  This afternoon when I jumped into the car to go to the grocery store, the moon visor was opened exposing the sunroof glass.  I turned my car on and all of the sudden, something looked straight down from the sunroof at me.  The dang chicken made a perch on my car!  I don't want him on my car at all, so I made sure that I shut all the doors into the garage.  The chicken went to the side yard...why can't he go to the chicken coop?  Oh, that's right, because he had found yet another perch right next to the front door.  Nice.



And speaking of red necks, I wish I would have taken a picture of the freaky "meth-lab" looking RV that Kirt had parked here for a few days.  That one made me laugh, too.  

Monday, February 16, 2009

Ranch Dressing

From the day that Jensyn could eat table food, she has been in LOVE with ranch dressing.  She is fine eating it, drinking it, whatever.  The other day, I made John a cherry-chocolate cake.  I headed into the kitchen where Jensyn met me half way.  

"Mom,"  she said,  "I love ranch on my cake!"

I followed her into the kitchen, and found that she had created this all by herself.

Doesn't that look delicious!

Valentines Day Weekend

Well, it is no surprise that since it is a 3-day weekend for the girls, we headed up to the cabin.  It was much different this time since John couldn't go up with us on Friday because he had to plow snow.  I met cute Calvin and Becca along with their 2 friends on the freeway, and they followed the kids and me up to the cabin.  Once we got there, Calvin and I had to be the ones to hike up to the cabin to get the snowmobiles.  I rely on John so much to do this very difficult task!!  I got this bright idea to run.  We made it about half way, then we started walking and taking breaks.  Once we got inside the cabin, I could barely even move.  My hands were numb, and I couldn't breathe!  I guess I should have thought that one through a little bit more since the temperature in the bone chilling air was about 12 degrees.  My lungs must have frozen, and I swear I caught the pneumonia! I recovered through the weekend, or shall I say that my lungs thawed out!  Never again will I complain again that I had to wait with the kids too long while John does this dreadful task!  John did make it up a day later, on Valentines Day, and I was SO glad to see him.  Weird. (without my Johnny, not weird that I was glad to see him!!)

We played Quelf several times, played Sequence even more.  I love how the Russell's are always in to play a good game.  Quelf is the most random, hilarious game I have played in a long time. My mom had to choose a player and do a great stunt.  I was her trainer, and she was my dog.  for 1 minute, she was required to follow my instructions:  beg, roll-over, shake, fetch, etc.  It was the funniest thing!  She had to do this other stunt as shown below, and say some funny things in the process.  At one point, every time my mom wanted to say something more than a 2 syllable word, she had to request permission to speak--to her foot!  Her foot would then respond in a high voice, "permission granted."  I can't think of a better sport than my mom!

Calvin had to find something around the cabin where he could pretend that he was a scuba diver. He cut out 2 water bottles and put them together with aluminum foil.  He had the aluminum foil on hand already since the previous stunt for him was to wrap aluminum foil on his head since he failed a stunt.

The kids were really good, I feel like they are right at home up at the cabin.  For the first time, Jack also loved the cabin and was able to play with the kids and explore the inside of the cabin all on his own.  What is even better, is he even slept though the nights up there!  (uncommon for the cabin, not so much at home.)  AND even better than that?  I slept great, too!

My parents came up, as did Kirt, Grace, Chelsey, Tony, and cute Hogan.  It was a full house, but in my opinion, the more the merrier!



Sunday, February 8, 2009

December's Lesson Thought

“I urge you, dear sisters, to attend the house of the Lord and to encourage your husbands to go with you. If, perchance, there may be some here who have never been or who have not been for a long time, I suggest with love in my heart that you do all that is necessary to qualify to do so. If you have not done so, you have missed, really, what this Church is all about. The very purpose of this work, as declared by the God of heaven, is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men and women.  Do you love your husband? Do you love your children and your grandchildren and your great-grandchildren? Then do not miss the opportunity to bind them to you in an eternal compact that time cannot destroy and death cannot break. This can be accomplished in no other way.”

Gordon B. Hinckley

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Fancy Nancy





Jensyn's name has changed to Fancy Nancy.
Thanks, Casey.


Chick-Fil-A

After much thought of where to celebrate Jensyn's 4th birthday, I finally came to my conclusion.  I considered Chuck-E-Cheese, Jungle Jims, Bouncing off the Walls, Classic--I just wasn't in the mood to spend very much money this year.  I would rather give the money to her!  I was driving Jensyn to school one morning and saw McDonalds.  It dawned on me that I could scab her party there.  Then my bright idea came to me!  I called John and immediately made plans at Chick-Fil-A.  Nothing special, but for a 4 year old she was happy--I don't think they care anyways!  She had maybe 8 kids, including cute cousins, my mom and dad, Chelsey and Hogan (he counts as a cousin, too), Kirt, Leslie, and Fischer and Grandma and Grandpa JJ.  It turned out really quite fun with just lots of talking and laughing.  Thank you for coming, everyone!


  

Maybe I can take a better picture

Yesterday, Chelsey, Leslie, my mom, and I braved taking the boys to get their pictures taken. We walked out of the studio without a single picture in hand.  The two little boys (Hogan and Fischer) were fine until Jack belted Fischer in the head causing him to cry and then, in turn, Hogan gives the sympathy cry for Fischer.  So now all 3 babies are crying, the whole time-but then you have the photographer too slow to act on anything.  We spent way too much on their mismatched (we can't have any matchy-matchy) outfits only to fail at the pictures.  When I got home I thought that Jack looked too cute to pass the photo op up.  What a dude he thinks he is.  And...finally!  His hair is growing back out.  Is it bad that he likes me to do his hair and look at himself in the mirror?  I thought John would fall over dead when I brought Jack home tonight with his pink outfit on.  John still thought he was a cool dude.  How can he not be?



A sweet picture of Hogan and Fischer checking each other out.

Happy Birthday, Jensyn!



FOUR years ago, Jensyn Kenedy was born!  I remember calling Dr. Smith's office the Friday afternoon prior to delivering Jensyn (I was scheduled for a c-section on Monday.)  It went something like this:

"Hi, I have the BIGGEST favor!  I was watching the weather and we have a problem.  I am scheduled for a c-section on Monday, and that just isn't going to work."

"Ok...." my cute office nurse said.  "What seems to be the problem?"

"Well, my husband owns his own company, and you see, there is a snow storm that is supposed to hit on Monday--he plows the snow.  I need him with me, so what are the chances that you can do the surgery before Monday?"

"How far along are you?"

"I'll be 39 weeks on Monday."

"Hmmm.  Insurance requires deliveries no earlier than 39 weeks unless there is a medical emergency.  I'll talk to Dr. Smith."

At about 4:30 that afternoon, Dr. Smith called me back.  "I understand your concern!  Here's the plan he said.  Go to Alta View at 7:00 in the morning.  Tell them that you are having horrible pains.  The trick is going to be that I am not the doctor on call, so you have to really make a good case.  You have to somehow get them to call ME, not the doctor on call.  I will tell them that we need  to prep you STAT for surgery and I'll come in.  Good luck!"

Saturday morning rolled around.  I went in to AVH and pleaded my case as best I could.  They indeed could see some major contractions (I couldn't feel them!)  and saw my prior history with Logan.  Within about 20 minutes, I was notified that I was to be prepped and ready for surgery by 10:00 am.  Jensyn was born very healthy, and for being one of my babies, small!

I was able to deliver that Saturday, and then come Monday, John was out pushing snow.  I LOVE Dr. Smith.  He works miracles.  I believe that he saved Logan's life prior to her birth.  He has been my doctor since I was 16 years old, when I found a mass.  

Jensyn Kenedy-Birth
7lbs 14 ounces
20 inches long

Today when you went to the doctor, you have some pretty impressive numbers!

Jensyn Kenedy-4 years old
35 lbs
40 1/2 inches tall

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENSYN! 

You still are my sunshine, and I love you to heaven and back.

Mom