Date Night

Tonight I had a date with the best lookin' fella in Salt Lake City. It was an awesome evening...mellow and entertaining...good eats...perfect weather...and the best company I could ask for. Don't believe me...see for yourself:

This is my date. His name is Jonah.

Jonah loved watching all the "fishies"...although he didn't love the "jellies" (jelly fish) and he zero desire to touch the star fish...he was happy to just look.

Finding Nemo...literally.

This picture was totally an accident...I wasn't even looking at the screen...but I think it looks awesome...although I wish I could take some of the light from the flash off his face. but still...a serendipitous photo. He was looking at the sharks and giant sea turtle when I took this.

Looking at a big "fishie"

Pushing this button to hear the noises that frogs make might have been one of the highlights of the evening for Jonah.

Jonah is quite the photographer. He took this one all by himself. We watched the penguins swim and jump in and out of the water for a solid fifteen minutes. He is TWO folks.

I will neither confirm nor deny that this is possibly what we ate for dinner. There is a waffle under there.

We decided to ride "the train" and walked through Temple Square to get there...but ended up taking an hour long detour because Jonah LOVES water and waterfalls ...and there are a LOT of waterfalls and a LOT of water on Temple Square.

Here is the first stop. He loved this "waterfall" and we watched it for a few minutes and of course he had to put his hand in to "touch it".

Playing in "more water"

"Touch it!"

I took this picture while playing in the water and then messed around with the editing tools in iPhoto. I love the moon...but not so much the spots on my lens.

In addition to water he also enjoyed the flowers. Kelli you should be proud...he is a nature lover!

But let's face it...it all comes back to the WATER! In any form. I splashed in that puddle as well.

Riding "the train"...aka Trax. He loved watching all the cars go by.

Seriously! Even with the binky he is the cutest fella' in town! Does life get any better than this? I'm pretty sure it doesn't.

I can't decide what the highlight of the night was for me...watching Jonah get startled by the shark as it swan right in front of his face, running away from the "Jellies", all the compliments I got on how cute "my son" is (props to you Mattie and Scottie), snuggling while waiting for "the train"...I think just spending time with Jonah was the highlight...I think he is my favorite person.

I love you Jonah! Thanks for the great date!

Happy 21

Today is my sister Kelli's 21st birthday. I think this may be my best limerick yet:

There once was a girl named Kelli
Who was really not all that smelly
she hiked with mad skills
and played the piano for reelz
I'm so glad you came out of mom's belly!


And this is dedicated to you:

the best advice I can give you for your mission and your life is summed up nicely in this song:
"But hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight"

Real Gems...

Once upon a time there was a girl named Brooke. She was very sleepy and wanted to go to bed. Her friend called her at about 9:30pm and they chatted for a little bit. During the course of this conversation Brooke could hear people gathering outside to move someone into the empty apartment below Brooke's apartment.

"Odd", thought Brooke, "that someone would move into an apartment at 10:30 at night...well...whatever...to each his own." As Brooke got ready for bed, the gathered group got louder and louder.

"hmmmm", thought Brooke, "I hope this noise doesn't last all night. It is after all, a Wednesday night, not a Friday or Saturday." As Brooke climbed into bed the noise continued. Without even straining her ear, or putting it up to the window she could CLEARLY hear the conversation of the people in the apartment below hers. She decided to watch a Netflix movie online to drown out the noise. Unfortunately that was a source of frustration, since every 15 minutes the streaming movie would stop and have to buffer again...whatever that means. This issue was due to the fact that her landlord had just got a new Internet service which he said was going to be better and faster....not so much

The movie eventually ended...it was about midnight and the people below were STILL chatting away and now smoking pot! REALLY?! In a non smoking apartment? UGH! During the course of all of this a few expletives may have left Brooke's mouth. Brooke finally put her headphones in and turned up the volume loud enough that she could not hear the folks downstairs, but it was so loud that it made it difficult to fall asleep.

Sometime between 12:30am and 1:00am Brooke FINALLY fell asleep...ONLY TO BE AWOKEN AT 3:50AM BY THE SAME DAMN NEW NEIGHBORS WHO WERE STILL LAUGHING AND TALKING AS LOUD AS THEY COULD!!! So Brooke put her headphones back in and turned up the volume and managed to fall back into sleep sometime between 5:00am and 5:30am.

This morning at 7:30am when Brooke's alarm went off she was not totally awake and thus turned off her alarm, unknowingly and woke up at 9:45 on her own.

the end.

Handsome man!

Today is Jonah's birthday. He is two years old. He is the love of my life. I love this kid so much! Happy birthday Jo-G!

this is the J-man on his first birthday...


what have I been up to over the last year....

Jonah's favorite movie is cars...in the last few months each time he has been at my apartment we have watched Cars. Also notice the very WET and heavy diaper.

Enjoying Cars from the comfort of the pool!

A walk on the beach with mom

loving the water and the little waves

I'm a good looking fella!

Watering grandma Lorie's toes




I love my nephew as you can see...he brings a lot of laughs and just plain old good times.


We're all really happy to have him in our family.


Happy Birthday Jonah Scott Russell!!!

There once was a boy named Jonah
Who made me as happy as being in Kona
He was the most handsome man
Looking so cute with his summer tan
You're the best nephew I've ever known-a!!

this is dedicated to one I love!

Last Saturday August 14, 2010 My littlest sister Kerri Ann Russell turned 19. I can't believe she only has one more year as a teenager. She is one of the kindest people that I know. I'm not just saying that because we have similar DNA...she just is so sweet...and she loves Jesus...so there's that.

cotton candy dress that mama made for a school dance.

pre jump photo from her FIRST time sky diving...yes, she's been twice.

post jump picture with a look of joy!

Jonah's first Christmas

RFV 2009??

RFV '09?? waiting for the taxi to take us back to the warm cabin after a flat tire.

Kerri pre-triatholon photo...2 years ago (day before Jonah was born)

Kerri and Jonah at Pineview

Scottie and Kerri July 4th 2010

McKenzie and Kerii at Brandi Carlile (Kenz is like an adopted sister. She is Kerri's best friend)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KERRI. I HEART YOU!!

There once was a girl named Kerri
The kindest girl, not a little bit scary
She had such a wit
causing laughter in fits
You are one of a kind...a rare-ie!!!