with xylitol

kieren is not the only one who checks the blog. and i did call her on her birthday, the great big sister that i am. actually i think i text messaged her on her birthday, and call her the next day, also great because i realized that she didn't want her big sister cramping her style on her special day.
today i've chewed through almost a whole pack of trident bubblegum. 18 sticks. i usually chew two at a time so that i can blow bigger bubbles. i do this when i am irritated with my co-workers. i figure if they are bugging me, i'll bugg them back by popping my gum. unfortunatly i think the only person this really bothers is myself. ah well. i also remember reading something on the internet about the xylitol in sugarfree gum causing people to loose weight rapidly. not in a good way. not healthy. but i figured i give it a shot. ha ha ha. so far it hasn't worked. i'll have to get another pack for tomorrow.
kieren looks pretty in those pictures.

p.s. FAMILY- today is my birthday

since nobody in this family ever reads this at all, i don't feel weird about posting secrets about myself. it's therapeutic, actually, like writing in a journal and then burning it. so, my big secret for the day is this: sometimes, to me, rubber cement smells so good that i can't even TAKE IT, and i can't resist putting a tiny drop on my tongue. it tingles and tastes kind of minty.

ok, but for real- skyelr, this is more for you than for anybody, but guess where i was the other day? the COLBERT REPORT. i wished you were with me. he makes me laugh so hard i seriously get cramps.

hey, it's just a "phase," don't worry about it.

mom and dad, i know you think i am so, so weird already. i'm ok with that. but here's something i have to know if YOU'RE ok with: what if, instead of getting married and living in a house with beige walls, i just start collecting scary dolls? hundreds and hundreds of them. and i live alone with them and talk to them at night. would you ever start calling them your "grandbabies?" come on, look at these little gems! how could you say no to their cracked, feral-toothed little faces?

(the bottom one looks like she's making a face of slight constipation, which is ADORABLE with a capital A, in my book.)

for mom

for skyelr

nothing sets my hears a-flutter like colbert dancing joyously.

something tender i'd like to share

this blog kind of died, didn't it? maybe the bairds are too superior for this whole "blogging" thing? or, wait, ok, we probably just suck at it. but if anyone ever checks it anymore, i wanted to share this video. it makes me glow inside, for some reason. you might not be "feeling" it as deeply as i do. but if you watch it 17 times in a row, hopefully you'll start to.


it makes me feel almost as tender as this makes me feel:

Shhh. Secrets.

During my visit to California, like the true spook that I aspire to be, I did a bit of snooping around. What I uncovered may shock you. For the first time in print here is a list of private secrets of the "Merrill Clan".

- Greg Porter carries a purse.
- Tim Lyons wishes he was Ben Folds.
- Alan Andrus is still just a deacon.
- Daenen showers in swim trunks.
- Jeff Hill carries an umbrella in the sun.
- Matt Coombs uses the "N" word.
- Kieth goes "commando" regularly.
- Dagen thinks he can kill a yak from 200 yards away with mind bullets.
- Kaela believes she was a kaola bear in the pre-existence.
- Kamee chews "ABC" gum.
- Kahna designed and wears leopard-print garments.
- Kapree wears velcro shoes, because she never learned to tie a bow.
- Keri cannot control the tone or pitch of her voice.
- Dagney believes in the Easter Bunny.
- Alley carries a shoe-horn where ever she goes.