VOTE

Today my sister posted this on my mom's blog. I would encourage all who know her (and those who do not) to read the post (as well as the others...there aren't that many...hence the campaign) and leave a comment on her blog, or my blog. What Kelli said is true, our mother truly is the wittiest person we know...and the smartest. Each one of us can benefit from her insight, wit and just general coolness. Who knows, maybe if my mom starts blogging again my blog will improve in wit, insight and coolness...she has always been my hero and having her words of wisdom available to me is a treasure that I definitely benefit from, but I think that all mankind in general will benefit from them as well...so mom...get to blogging!

My Family

I know that I recently blogged about my family, but I felt like this was worth some recognition. Tonight I was at my parent's house for dinner and my sister Kerri was getting ready to go back to school (she attends BYU). As she was getting ready, very reluctantly I might add, she asked our mom if she could just stay at home..."Do I really have to go back to school?" "Can I just stay home?" Of course our mom said no and Kerri continued to begrudgingly haul her things out to the car. As she was standing at the kitchen counter looking so sad to be leaving I told her that she should be grateful to have a family that she loves spending so much time with. She agreed with me. (Kerri would probably in almost every case, pick to spend time with her family over her friends except maybe Mackenzie...who is sort of a family member anyway).

As I watched Kerri leave, with tears ALMOST welling up in her eyes, I thought about how truly lucky I am that I have such an awesome family. I really do. I'm so grateful for them. I wish that every one could meet us and hang out with us because frankly we are "good times".
As seen here: (I was not present for this particular good time, however this is on par for what often can and does happen when the Russell clan is together).

Blogging resolution

For Christmas my mom and dad were the bomb.com and got me a new laptop. It is actually a graduation/Christmas present...yes, graduation from college which happened in 2002. But let me tell you that it has been WELL. WORTH. THE. WAIT. Yesterday while I was exploring my new gift my sister Kerri told me that now that I have a computer I should blog everyday. So in attempt to not let my little sister down I am blogging today, and while make an attempt to blog everyday...ok, so that is REALLY NOT going to happen, but hopefully I will be better. And while I'm thinking of goals, resolutions, etc perhaps I will post mine for 2010. I've actually never been much for resolutions...I'm pretty much a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl and so resolutions don't usually work out well for me...but at times in my life I find myself wanting to be better and so I decide to work on a particular trait or issue. A few months ago I found myself wanting to be a kinder person. I've realized in the last few years, but more pointedly so in the last few months, that kindness should NEVER be underestimated. And so for the last few months I've been working on being a kinder person, and I think that it is a worthy resolution for 2010. I can't think of a catchy phrase...like "Life will be sublime in 2009"...but that is ok because someone else made me a nice little rhyme that I learned as a child. I'm thinking of getting it tattooed on my wrist...however until I make a firm decision I will post it here:

"I want to be kind to everyone,

for that is right you see.
So I'll say to myself, remember this:
'Kindness begins with me'"

And as a plea to all those who read this, I would love your help in working on this, so when you see me, or read my blog, or email me, or text me, or call me...ask me how my resolution is going.

There really is a "Funeral for the Whales"!!!

Many moons ago...I believe it was the summer of 2002, the Russell family found themselves cruising on a a ship off the coast of Alaska. It was a wonderful vacation filled with laughs, love, and lies...."LIES?!" you say? Yes, lies. One balmy Alaskan day the four Russell children found themselves in the cruise ship's cafe. As they sat there laughing and eating...probably ice cream...(give me a break, it's been a few years since this trip) they heard a song on the loud speaker and began discussing it. The oldest of the Russell children, Brooke, thought it was reminiscent of an Enya song (YES, I like Enya). While the youngest, Kerri, said she actually knew what the song was. It was a song called "Funeral for the Whales". She went on to explain that it was on a video she watched in her American history class. The song was played anytime a cruise ship hit a whale and killed it. Of course the other three Russell children were skeptical, and called Kerri out on her "Funeral for the Whales" tale. She laughed and admitted that it wasn't a song played when cruise ships hit whales, but that it really was a song from the video she watched in history class...she even went as far as to give the title of the video..."America the Beautiful" or something like that. She said the song really was called "Funeral for the Whales" and that it was part of this video. Well, as far as the Russell children go (no offense other Russell children) Kerri was definitely the kindest, and most honest...so why wouldn't Brooke have believed her. (I would dare say that Kelli and Scott believed her too, but they would just deny it).

The trip ended, after much merriment and good times were had. Months went by or perhaps it was only weeks, but one day Kerri started laughing as she told everyone that "Funeral for the Whales" wasn't real and she had made it all up. The Russell family had a good laugh, and now refer to any of Kerri's "stories" as "Funeral for the Whales".

The other day I was browsing through my MSNBC RSS feeds and came across this story about a group who is working to save the whales from the Japanese whaling industry. I laughed right out loud..."Funeral for the Whales" DOES exist! You can see it performed here! It is actually quite an interesting story and the song is a bit creepy and might actually do it's intended job of scaring off the whalers.

Ten Reasons Why Scottie is my FAVORITE BROTHER EVER!!!

10. He is FUNNY. He makes us ALL laugh. ALL the time.

9. He is HUMBLE...seriously...I'm amazed at his humility because if I was that great, there is NO WAY I would be humble!

8. He is GENEROUS...he has a "homeless fund" in his car for people standing on the street corners.

7. He is an EXCELLENT listener.

6. He makes good beef jerky.

5. His "Dad" skills are TOP NOTCH!
(Word on the street is that his husband skills are too...Mattie?).

4. HE. IS. PATIENT.

3. He is a very spiffy dresser.

2. He has always been there for me when I needed advice.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY SCOTTIE IS MY FAVORITE BROTHER?!?
...
1. HE IS MY ONLY BROTHER!!!!!


I LOVE YOU SCOTTIE...
and that really isn't the number one reason...the REAL number one reason is that you are truly the best example of what a "real man" should be!