Trick or Truth

It's true that when your a child you believe everything you hear. I think about all the things my siblings told me and they STILL influence my thinking at the age of 22. When you are a wide-eye, innocent, little kid you take in everything with such wonderment and amazement that it would all be ruined if you second-guessed the world. While I miss that state of mind, I'm glad I can mostly decipher the difference. However, I'm still trying to tag some things that Jenny, Erik, and my dad told me as truth or trick. I think all babies of the family can relate. Below is a list of some of the wisdom my siblings and dad instilled in me while I was wide-eyed with curiosity. Although they may be tricks, I still get a smile when I request no mushrooms. -Mushrooms are the fungus found in between old men's toes. -Deodorant is meant to be put behind your ears. -At the school computer lab they give you shots. (computer lab/doctor lab-get it?) -Cotton balls taste like Marshmallows -I have an Indian Uncle named Huka-muka-huka. -If you sneeze with your eyes open your eyeballs pop out. -They only allow so many rat hairs in a can of tuna. -Bloody Mary lives in the downstairs bathroom. -The old man down the street killed his wife. -If you don't step off the escalator in time it will suck you under. -You're adopted. -If you get fingernail polish on your skin, it will stay their forever. -If you eat foil all your organs will implode. -There's worm eggs on the tip of markers

Burn after reading

My sister and I took a different approach to high school than Erik did. We left behind no legend, no names on walls, minor awards, and quiet spirits. As opposed to Erik, our names are probably not known among the upcoming students and teacher's won't recognize our faces in Target. However, we did leave behind the most important success and we knew it was crucial to this achievement that we remain as much a part of the wood work as possible. This is a talent that feeds off silence and trickery. Sacrafices must be made and friends cannot. At most, only one other person can be involved. You can trust no one when in action. I have two words for you. GYM. CLASS. Jenny can probably tell you the exact amount of gum that was stuck under bleacher number 15 during the years of 1997-2000 during lap runs. I can tell the miticulous steps to take to accomplish swimming sessions/tests without 1, getting your hair wet and 2, without actually swimming. Running the dreaded mile? Be sure to bring extra popsicle sticks or whatever the gym class before you used to count laps. Sit up test? You're golden going with a few less then the class average so you will show improvement when you actually do record the class avg. next test. I've got many, many more baby. Those aren't even the best. Anyway, my hatred for gym class is tri-fold. Here are a few reasons: *For the music students "early bird gym" began at 6:15. Therefore, I was going to gym class when it was still dark and the temp at not hit the high of 0 yet. *My first and nearly only, D came from gym. This was before "the talent" was crafted. *Fitting a schoolbag, a violin, AND a giant gym bag in a locker was near impossible. Add a locker partner freshman year and we're talkin' tears. I still need to apologize to my locker neighbor for contortding the sides of my locker so that his would no longer open. All for gym. *Revealing the deformed, bird-like, strucutre of one's run is nothing to be revealed in a room filled with teenage peers. That's just cruel. However, the number one reason my gym-dodging talent was so accomplished was because my body and mind lacked what athletes must relay on: coordination. All four of my limbs do different things when confronted with physical activity. It's interesting really and I have not had to re-realize this for a good four years. Then, I decided it was our Arizonian duty to climb a mountain. It did not take Will long to soon discover that one eye...and hand on me was best if we wanted to get home with all limbs, noses, and digits intact. Will and Amanda were desert monkeys, of course. Regardless of the awakwardness, the scenery was GORGEOUS and it was good to get some fresh air.

Hubby lovin'

"I want people to look at me like they look at my dad and Grandpa Cousin." -Will Cousin This made my knees weak. I love Will's value, love, and respect for his family. What a husband.

Ode to Miles

I'm typing as my sweet little kitty endures his second full day of recovery from his surgical procedure that will forever keep him from pursuing adolescence and manhood. I felt exceptionally selfish as I dropped my kitten off at the spay and neuter clinic so I could be assured that come spring, he will only have the desire to stay with his mama on the porch instead of running off to pursue the scent of a little betty. However, its comparable to the human relationship of mama and son... of course on a different level. While it's much more sweet natured than human/kitty... it's a similar concept. Do mama's not try to hold dear to their son's when the son begins to take notice of fluttering eyelashes, with their homemade breads, perfectly tucked sheets, and cash flow? I believe so. Therefore, I feel the procedure was justified and I'm glad I have at least 15 years before I may possibly need to learn how to make homemade bread. While I waited with sweaty palms to pick Miles up from the doc, I made a few stops to find what get-well soon presents I could find. Since kitten's are lactose-intolerant my favorite after surgery treat, milkshakes, were not much of an option. He hasn't taken any notice to his new tunnel and catnip but I'm hoping it's due to medication influence. I also do need to say, that while vets are not any fun- I was questioning which situation Miles would prefer as a women in an electric wheelchair with her cat in the front basket, the cat dressed in a cat parka (complete with fur hood), rode the halls of petsmart comparing fake mice. Hmm... Here's what Miles has been up to lately. I must note that those are not clean dishes in the dishwasher and we usually do not have Will's underwear on the bed. So- our dishes our clean when you come over (not cat infested) and our apt. IS clean. Home from the hospital and apparently very glad to be snuggling with blue elephant again.

Ringing in the New Year

Historically, banging pots and pans, yelling at the top of one's lungs, and homemade noise makers were used to create overhelming noise at midnight to scare off the evil spirits for the year. In Denmark, they "smashed in the new year" by banging on the doors of their friends' homes and throwing pieces of broken pottery against the sides of the houses. In Japan, dancers went from house to house making strange noises and rattling and pounding bamboo sticks and banging on drums. USA 2010, Will and Ashley Mae Cousin welcomed the New Year in the comfort of our jamas and giant couch...at 11:00. Even better, we had Will's parents down the hall and Jonny down the street enjoying the resolution celebration. Some may say lame...but I say there are three things perfect with this picture that beats other's ten dollar cocktails and crowded venues. 1. I saw the re-run of the ball drop, that I could not have seen at the Mill Ave. block party. 2. I got a FEW New Years kisses while waering no make-up and PJ's. 3. I had the comfort of knowing a portion of our family were footsteps away and I would be well rested the next morning to spend time with each of them. Therefore, it was a success and worth the early night. ------- It was wonderful to have my in-laws in town! Although I have made giant leaps toward wifehood, there are still things that mother's notice and know that haven't yet been added to the wisdom of a young wife. I am now complete with a hair blow dryer that has been produced in the last ten years and Will had something better to shave with other than a hatchet. Woo! Thank you Malissa for the quiter mornings and increased blood flow in Will's face. It takes a secure Iowa fan to put pro-Iowa state gear but it was the next best thing based on location and timing. Along with our friends, we enjoyed a little bit of Iowa enthusiasm as Iowa State played some other team. I still do not know who won, I did not watch a single play, and my six dollar nachos were far from filling. The rest of the week Bob and Mo showed US around to the hoppin' places to dine and shop. We did much relaxing which was needed for everyone staying at the Cousin Suite.

Santa Cousin came to AZ, Santa Squires came to IA, and MN had a white Christmas

When you have three Christmas's in three different states, a girl's blog is bound to get alittle bit behind. I cannot explain with all the English language adjective's how wonderful Will and I's Christmas season was. Though our time was spread thin in order to spend time with everyone...having too many loved ones seems like a good problem to me. My in-laws returned home just minutes ago and now it's back to the grind for Will and I. But don't let me fool you...I still have a solid two weeks until school starts back up and the high today is in the seventy's. Some grind eh? :) During the course of a couple weeks there have been several highlights and events. Because pictures speak louder than words, I'll let them do the typing. However, keep in mind that there are still some things a photo can't capture such as the tension of pictionary with the Jorgensen's and the late nights with the vast personality's of a full Cousin house. To start off the season, hubby lovin' and I had our own little Christmas with Miles and our minimal-branched Christmas tree. Although I put much thought into my gifts to Will, they were duds. Will sent a sales clerk on a mission around the store requesting the entire outfit on the window maneqin for my gift. Secret: I already have a look-a-like outfit but couldn't confess this to such a proud hubby. He even commented the other day on the boots I was wearing and how proud he was of picking them out...I just couldn't tell him that they were indeed NOT the boots he got me and I have had them since last winter. What baby doesn't know only keeps his head big, complete with a smile. :) NEXT we made our way to Iowa for the Cousin Christmas where our new neice was awaiting to meet Uncle Will and Auntie Mae as well as SEVERAL Santas...in all shapes, sizes, and genre of mammels. I am now beginning to accept that both the Cousin's and Jorgensen's have entered the realm of life where the the grandchildren/nieces & nephews are taking over. As the baby, knowing the show isn't for me anymore is alittle hard to swallow. However, I have found myself being the main photographer for Junie, Aiden, and now little Lissy. The point: nearly the whole family were at both Christmas's (minus Julie,Zach, and Erik) however, my siblings are apparently not cute enough for the camera anymore since the babies have arrived. They WERE there...just not in the line of camera fire. Now, I take you to Minnesota for the Jorgensen Christmas, where the game pictionary turns into an analyzation of character and when Marme is around, Ami isn't the coolest anymore. > Most of my reader's don't read my sister's blog but recently she wrote about what adorable things have been coming out of Aiden's mouth as he is talking up a storm. Well, last week I kept telling Aiden that the white stuff on the ground was snowman guts and while Jenny was at my parents she asked him what was outside and he yells, "SNOWMAN GUTS!". Ah, my auntie position has now begun to be defined. Will and I had an eventful New Year's season as well but this entry's plate is comparable to my plate on Christmas night-STUFFED. So stay tuned because more stellar portraits and commentary are awaiting their upload...