"Sometimes you just have to take the leap,

and build your wings on the way down."

Kobi Yamada

Watch This!

Incredible Video

Shop Till You Drop

I had the most intense shopping experience of my life today!!
I accompanied Julia Pearson while she shopped for KidzCity supplies
(4 carts full!). I arrived at Wal-mart just ten minutes after Julia ... she had already filled up an entire cart and was ready to have someone start ringing up the items. After dropping off the cart to the timid cashier, she asked me to grab another cart ... and the race was on!

What you must understand is that EVERYTHING Julia does is in high-speed. She completes tasks at a speed that no other human can imitate. I, on the other hand, tend to work in slow motion. I was raised in a small town where things naturally function at a slower pace AND I enjoy taking my time - I review all my options and make cautious decions. Shopping for me is an *experience* not a task ... I walk down every aisle, compare prices, look through all the products on the shelf AND spend time people watching (that's the most important part). Until today, I have never run down the aisles and frantically collected my items while making it back before the cashier has finished ringing up my first cart of items. Shopping with Julia is an entirely different *experience*.

I am writing this blog from my living room couch. The Conrad's have now installed Wireless Internet! I can eat dinner, surf the net and watch TV all at the same time ... this woman has never felt so lazy!!

I Packed Your Angry Eyes ...

Perhaps you remember Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head from Toy Story 2 ... at one point during the movie, Mrs. Potato head packs Mr. Potato Head's angry eyes "just in case". This post is inspired by that famous spud
(and Katie Roy because she quotes the line all the time!).

I think this one includes some of the best angry faces


This one includes a few bloopers (some had a hard time looking angry)


Nicole and I decided to try making angry faces while I was driving! Nicole took the pictures while I tried to watch the road (warning: don't try this at home!). It was a little difficult and I realized that I am TERRIBLE at making angry faces. Fortunately, that is not something to be ashamed of ... although, it is rather embarressing that we seemed to resemble a Samurai and Mr. Magoo rather than someone with an angry face.

Now you see that angry faces are quite entertaining!
Who do you think wins for the best angry face??

Bridal Shower, Old People and More!

I went to Belinda's Bridal Shower last weekend and got to spend time with some old friends from high school. Brandon and Belinda will be married in just two weeks ... it's crazy!!

On another note, senior citizens are so stinkin' awesome. Emilie and I were eating lunch together earlier this week and an entire golf cart of really old people drove by on their way to the grocery store - it was so amazing that it took my breath away ... we had to stop talking for a moment. Then, I was at Souplantation watching an incredibly old couple that was standing in line in front of me. The husband was explaining some uninteresting political information with his wife and she was actually interested. And then she decided to put on her blue cardigan (he was already wearing his matching yellow cardigan) but she couldn't get her arm into the hole. So her husband, a man who is SO frail and can barely stand on his own two legs, hobbled over to her and held the sweater while she put her arm in the hole. It was SO precious!! I was also talking to Fiona earlier in the week and she said her neighbor had passed away ... this is very sad news because Fiona had actually become good friends with this old woman. Fiona heard piano playing coming from the apartment below her and went to check it out - that's when she met Katherine, a 94 year old pianist. Fiona (and her visitors) frequently visited Katherine and enjoyed her piano playing skills. I only wish I could have met her too!

Lastly, after Jon Owens posted about the possibility of Magic Mountain being shut down, Charlotte, Nicole and I began discussing what would happen if Christians opened their own amusement park ... we could have a ride similar to It's a Small World but it would be called "It's a Big Ark" - you would ride around the ocean in Noah's Ark while animals sang to you from the shore. Or one could enjoy the highest rollercoaster in the world, "Ascend the Hill of the Lord." OR, my personal favorite ... instead of riding teacups there would be a Communion Cup Ride!

Happy Father's Day!

I love my dad because he has taught me to appreciate SO many things in my life. The first, and most important would be family. My dad loves his family (see above). I appreciate the time and the energy that he has put into both Robbie and I - and I am also very grateful for the relationship he has with my mother.

(My dad was quite the stud - check out his sweet car AND sideburns!)


My dad taught me to appreciate having fun. He never missed an opportunity to take us on a fun vacation ... camping, skiing ... we did it all! He taught me to appreciate the outdoors (esp. any body of water).



My dad also taught me to appreciate football. Perhaps that is a strange thing to mention, but I really am thankful to have been exposed to sports. I have very fond memories of sitting in front of the TV with him while watching the 49ers or the Superbowl.


This is one of my favorite photos of my dad and I! We had a shed built in our backyard and my dad and I painted it together. I appreciated my dad including me in projects - I would often be his model for photo test shots and he would even bring me into his studio to help him file papers and call his clients. It is from him that I get my perfectionist habits (I can assure you that this shed was painted perfectly).


Lastly, my dad taught me to appreciate music ... and for this I am forever grateful!! My love for music stems from my father's great love for music. I think my dad taught me how to sing before I could walk! We have recordings of my dad and I singing songs together when I am only two years old. And each year we would sing a song together in the school talent show (below) ... we had quite the reputation. Today I cannot listen to a James Taylor song without thinking of my dad.


How do you thank your dad with just a few little words? It seems silly or maybe even impossible ... how do you thank someone who has loved you, poured into your life and sacrificed more than you will ever know?

Dad - thank you for helping me to appreciate my Heavenly Father SO much because of your example as an earthly father. Thank you for every great memory that I wish so many other young girls could have experienced with their own fathers. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and encouraging me to be ALL that I am today.
I love you and I will always be your Honey Bunny!!

SONG FOR DAD by Keith Urban

Lately I've been noticing I say the same things he used to say
And I even find myself acting the very same way
I tap my fingers on the table to the rhythm in my soul
And I jingle the car keys when I'm ready to go

When I look in the mirror he's right there in my eyes starin' back at me

And I realized the older I get the more I can see

How much he loved my mother and my brother and me

And he did the best that he could

And I only hope when I have my own family

That everyday I see a little more of my father in me

There were times when I thought he was bein' just a little bit hard on me

But now I understand he was makin' me become

the man he knew that I could be

In everything he ever did he always did with love

I'm proud today to say I'm his son

When somebody says I hope I get to meet your dad

I just smile and say you already have

A Late Night Jowl

I should be in bed right now ... it's late and I am tired ... but, I have SO many pictures to share from this week that I really can't stand going to bed without showing at least a few. The difficult part is deciding what should be shown first. Being the Type A person that I am - I want to show them all in chronological order. However, because I enjoy laughing I'm more inclined to put the funny ones first. So, here you go ...







A couple cute videos of Catalina "playing" with Simon.
Click here for video #1. Click here for video #2.

Oh! And apparently Robbie has a myspace now.
If you go on it you must watch the KT Tunstall video - INCREDIBLE!!

Highlights from the Week

Sorry for the delay between posts ... now that the weather is nice, I have been spending more time outside and less time sitting in front of my home computer. Woo hoo!! If you have any plans that involve the outdoors (or anything fun, for that matter) don't forget to invite me!

Last Monday I went to Lake Poway for the day. I met up with Chris, his girlfriend Jenn and Deanna. We played a couple rounds of Bocce Ball (I had never played!) and then we decided that we need to celebrate old people sometime soon by having a day in which we do things that old people do ... you know ... play Bingo, play more Bocce Ball, crochet, play cribbage, eat out for dinner, etc. After Bocce Ball, Deanna and I walked Simon around the Lake and talked about childhood camping trips. It was so much fun and refreshing. We hope to go back soon and rent a pedal boat to take around the lake.

Later in the week I watched Big Fish. I had forgot how much I like that movie ... it is really bizarre but it's a great movie! Tim Burton is an awfully strange man, but he sure has a fantastic imagination and a great amount of creativity!! I also noticed how many actors he used in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from Big Fish.

On Saturday, I went with the Route 56 group (our 5th and 6th graders) to see Pixar's Cars. It was a little long, but overall it was a great movie - very entertaining. I enjoyed the music too ... most of the scores were written by Randy Newman and there were a couple old songs covered by Rascal Flatts & Brad Paisley (for country fans), John Mayer and James Taylor. Below are some of the girls that came to see the movie.


Sean With His Face in a Movie Billboard


Saturday night, I went to In-N-Out Burger with Deanna, Gaby, Ben and Nicole. Gaby was quickly falling asleep at the table and we decided to take a picture of her looking crazy. We took a couple fun group shots too (sorry we missed you Deanna).





My Favorite Flatmate at In-N-Out - Doesn't She Look Beautiful?!?




Nicole and I spent the evening in Del Mar and Encinitas yesterday. We originally planned to go to the Del Mar Fair, but we ended up eating at an interesting restaurant in Encinitas (prices are great, but the ambiance was lame) and then walking the beach in Del Mar. It was a lot of fun to be out of the house and spend time together.

During our stroll along the beach, I decided to tie Nicole to a nearby railroad track. I think Nicole was excited at first ... but she freaked out a little bit when the train started to pull up closer and blow its whistle.



We ended our adventure riding small animals in the park.


I met a man while riding a stork ... it was love at first sight.

Woo Hoo!! A New Post

Okay ... enough about the weird family resemblance. It's time for an exciting week in review! First, Simon's fifth birthday was on the 24th
and in the picture above you can see what he did to celebrate. For your information, I did not throw him a birthday party like some owners do.
I decided that Simon is a dog ... he eats cat poop and licks his behind ... he doesn't need a birthday party.


Earlier this week, one of Robbie's friends showed up with her brand new pug. I had forgotten how small Simon once was! But, we had a lot of fun watching Simon interact with the miniature version of himself.



Jael and I got to spend a night out together this week - we saw the new X-MEN movie. Despite Jean Grey looking a little too demonic, I really enjoyed the movie. I suggest you see it in the theater.



The Interns graduated this week - CONGRATULATIONS! Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at home so I will have to borrow photos from everyone else. Here is one picture I took at the after party at my house.



On Memorial Day, I headed to the beach with Robbie and some friends from church. It was SO great! I love, love, love the beach!!! Jeremy brought his kayaks ... he and David attempted to paddle their kayaks while Ashley and I rode on the back (our plan didn't work and we kept tipping over). So, Ashley and I took the kayaks out past the break while the guys swam back to shore. It was SO fun and refreshing and beautiful out on the water near the La Jolla caves. We stopped to talk for awhile and I got seasick from the rocking of the waves, so we had to head back to shore. But the best part was while I was riding a wave in, a five dollar bill floated past me - woo hoo!! FIVE BUCKS!! Now that is exciting! :) Here are some pictures from the day ...

Pastor Jerry and Tami Relaxing in the Shade


Robbie & Jeremy with Sharp Knives


The Guys - Scott, Donald and David


Robbie and Jake (Julia in the back!)


Donald Ready to Surf


Robbie and I Up Close


Jake Eating a Smore (gross!)


Scott Doing Something Weird


A Sunset Totem Pole


The Pearson's at Sunset (they are SO romantic!)