smithdon cousenielsen

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Weekend Update...with Aubrey Poehler and Nate Meyers

(If you came here from the peer pressure link on Monica's blog, then scroll to the bottom of this post.)

On Saturday we had a huge yard sale with five other families in our cul-de-sac. I was exhausted afterwards, but glad to get rid of some junk.

Apparently Deacon took exception with an item I was selling:

He kept crawling into it & wouldn't get out!

I wasn't feeling well before the sale (rhyme), and was even worse afterwards. So, for the first time in six and a half years----dat,duh,duh,dah---I called in sick to work. I thought it would be all traumatic for me, but it wasn't. I might try it again sometime. Haha. Ü

That afternoon, Nathan called up another student from the hospital (the one he went on a date with) and they went for a motorcycle ride on this very winding, dangerous road!!!!
Nathan in his new riding gear.

On Sunday, Deac helped make breakfast in bed for Dad. Waffles with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Then we gave him the card/photo album that we worked on this week:


I'm Gonna LEVEL with you.....

You're the best Dad I ever SAW!
(Surprisingly, it was only mildly awkward posing with the power tools at Wal*Mart and taking my own picture)


No one else can MEASURE up.....


.....you can AXE anyone!

Sure you're a NUT sometimes.....

....but that just makes us love you all the MOWER!

You've got "#1 Dad" NAILED down.

You're TOOLY the best.
Happy Father's Day to a dad who's loved by one and AWL!

Easily Influenced By Others (Part II)

Speaking of being easily influenced by others.....

I found this site with fun dating ideas and they recommended this book:




















So I bought it.

One of the ideas in the book is to have a "Month Of Love," where you do something special for your spouse--everyday---for a month. It may sound daunting, but it is mostly simple acts/gifts.

Here are some cute ones we did this week:









































(or you could use baby oil)







This was the best activity so far! We had so much fun paging through a book I made during our first few years together. So many memories we had forgotten! I'm glad we wrote them down and it makes me want to be more diligent with our blog.

Happy Birthday Monica!

I've always looked up to my big sister, Monica. I wanted to be just like her (still do). Even though we are six years apart, I always fancied we could be twins.



She was tall. I was tall.



She had long beautiful hair. So I grew mine long too.





Even after she was married and moved out, she'd indulge me by wearing matching outfits (we had at least three matching church outfits for when she visited).



















Maybe I inspired her to adopt a few of her own sets of twins?



















Madison, Monica, Jim (holding Taylor and Kennedy) and Maci

Monica taught me all of the "important" things in life:

She taught me how to shave my legs without slicing an artery (she even bought me my first fancy razor and shaving cream for my 12th birthday).

She taught me how to curl my bangs up high to heaven.



















She taught me how to dress cool.















Monica on the right. Yes, it was in 2002. NOT 1982.

She's not heavy, she's my sister!



















I love you Monka! Happy Birthday!!!!

Sorry....I don't have a lot of embarrassing photos to post for her husband, Jim's birthday: it was yesterday. Happy Birthday Jim!!!

Easily Influenced By Others

I've never considered myself a follower. Yet lately I find myself doing whatever people suggest---people I don't even know!

I stumbled across a stranger's blog who suggested this book:

So I read it.



Another person---also a stranger---posted this recipe:

So I made it.



Different Blog. Different Recipe.

Made it.

Now if only I was so easily influenced by people I actually know....Nathan's sister, Ashley, said she's training for a triathlon.


So far I've been able to abstain from her peer pressure......Ü