Shake, Rattle and Roll

We experienced all of those today during the earthquake that hit at 11:42am. The epicenter was in the Los Angeles area, it was a 5.8 magnitude. Down here it felt more like a 2 but the chandelier in the dining room was swaying back and forth and the house was shaking. The chair I was sitting in was shaking from side to side. No harm done here though, everyone's fine. My mom had Ethan and Luke at the time. They were coming home from the movies and didn't even feel it! I was calling her over and over to make sure everything was ok but the cell lines were so jammed up. I laughed when I finally got a hold of her and she told me they didn't even know one had hit.

Some Randoms

Has anyone ever tried the Grocery Game? I know of one friend of mine that told me about it a couple years ago but I was wondering if anyone else has any feedback about it. If you don't know what it is you can check it out here. Another question, does anyone have a Maya wrap? Do you like it? Dislike it? Is it better than a Bjorn? Thank you for all the nice compliments about my bump picture. Seriously, I think Anna is magical with her photography because I don't think I look like that normally. Thank you nonetheless. I have the worst heartburn right now. This little girl better have some good hair to make all this heart burn worth it.

Bump and list

This is me and baby girl Rasmussen six months along. My spectacular photog sister in law took this picture while we were up at her parent's Mammoth Creek cabin. If you want to see more pictures go here. I still can't believe I'm having a girl. My sister and I stopped in a store this week and I looked at some girly car seat covers. Oh my gosh. They were adorable. I'm not gonna lie but making the transformation from boy stuff to girl stuff is going to be kind of fun. I'm going to have to practice a lot of control so as not to give my dear hubby a heart attack.

Steve and I went to a concert last week with some friends. We saw One Republic. I really like the song "Stop and Stare." Listening to music live is my favorite. We are excited to go see Dave Matthews in a month. Its going to be even more fun because we were given catered box seats! Way to go Steve!

I think my Sacrament meeting program is all done. I had a three hour meeting yesterday with the presidency to get all the parts nailed down and spent the rest of the day getting the final draft together so we can get the Bishop's approval. I probably won't be there for the actual program since my due date is the same day as the program but then again....

I feel like I don't have anything to talk about.....

Cabin Fever

We had a great time over the 4th of July with most of the Rasmussen clan up in the mountains of Utah. No one even got sick during the drive or the trip, thats a huge improvement from our last trip to Utah. I finished Eclipse the first day. I'm so excited for the next book! Ethan and Luke fell in love with the four wheelers that Sherrie and Wil brought up. Sherrie and Wil were so patient and willing to take the boys out on rides whenever they asked...which was all the time! We went for a fun nature hike one day, ate delicious dutch oven potatoes and cobbler with ribs for the 4th, played at the river, went fishing, made wood airplanes and boats, flew foam airplanes and hung out with all the cousins and aunts and uncles. It was a blast! Thanks to everyone that made it so much fun. Of course I forgot my camera so I snuck in some last minute pictures from the last four wheeler ride with my phone. Ethan has the helmet and gloves on, which became an immediate necessity from the beginning...he wouldn't ride without them because he saw his cousin Jaxon (who has his own four wheeler) wearing one and his dad and uncle wearing them so he had to be like them. It was so nice to get away from the city and be up in the mountains. Ethan and Luke were so filthy every day...isn't that what childhood is all about?

I need more

I just finished Twilight this morning and I'm like a heroin addict...I need my next hit. I'm anxious, my body has too much adrenaline. I have to know what happens next. I'm going to have to practice patience (remember that I don't have any?) and wait for my dear sister to finish reading it. Oh my....I don't know what I'm going to do. :)

Back to life, back to reality...

*Do you remember that song? I was thinking about it Saturday when Steve and I were headed back home from our little "Management retreat." This retreat was in San Diego. We stayed at the lovely Hotel del Coronado. Supposedly some of the hotel is haunted and Steve's boss really hyped it up but I'm sorry to say that I didn't have any ghost encounters. I did get a lovely pedicure and got my hair done at their Yamaguchi salon. I just love getting pampered, eating food that someone else prepared, sleepin in a bed someone else will make, using a bathroom someone else will clean. Ahhhh....its so liberating. And I actually got Steve to get a massage! I think he enjoyed it, though that man won't show enthusiasm to save his life (love you, hon). We went and saw a little play called "The Hit," which was really cute too. If you are in the San Diego area I recommend it. It was a great little trip. Many thanks to my parents for taking care of our little munchkins for us so we could go away for a little while. *On another note, we're heading off to the Rasmussens Reunion this week. I'm really looking forward to it. The last time we were at this cabin it was such a good time and Ethan was only three months old! I wish we could teleport ourselves though. I'm not looking forward to the drive, not gonna lie. *I'm reading Twilight now. I'm hooked. And Ev, Esme IS kind of a cute name now that I read it. Don't think Steve would go for it though. *The house next door is for sale. They are asking way too much for it, in my opinion, for this market. I'm really hoping a nice family moves in that we can make friends with. It would be too perfect if they had kids around the same ages....or maybe I should be hoping for cool teenage girls so I can have easy babysitters! Or a stay at mom like me so we can hang out, switch off errand days, etc. Either way, having some neighbor friends would be such a dream...Ha....a girl can dream right? *The park right by our house just re-opened. It is sooooo nice, I'm in love. What a difference it makes to have a nice park around the corner from us! I used to avoid that park because it was so nasty (I once found a used condom in the sand, DISGUSTING!!!) but now I can see us making it a weekly routine. So nice. *I hate potty training. Have I told you that lately? Ugh. I'm not a patient person. I need more patience. Luke, please accept my most sincere apologies for all the times I ran out of patience (and they are many). I really, REALLY do love you to pieces. I know potty training is harder for you than me and I know you're trying hard. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I can't wait until this is over, for both of our sakes. *I don't like going private on the blog thing. Its such a hassle. I feel caught between a rock and a hard place though. Protecting my family's identities or not having to sign in to read? Blah. Is it really a hazard to leave a blog public? Am I just being crazy? Jeni B. and Abby I didn't put you on the invitations because blogger said that blog authors already have access, I hope it was right. I didn't want to exclude you. I feel like no one reads my blog anymore....not like its a popularity contest right? haha....

The great ear ring debate

Now that we are on the verge of entering the world of all things girl some of our conversations have changed. One instance in particular relates to whether or not we will subject our dear little daughter to having a whole pierced in her ear. When Steve and I first embarked on our "journey" known as parenthood we discussed what "procedures" we would choose for our children when they were young. We always knew we would circumsize our boys, no question. The question of ear piercing came up and I said its the same as circumsizing, in my opinion. Now before you attack me with the reasons that ear piercing and circumsizing are not different just hear me out. I know piercing my daughter's ears has no known health benefits, I'm not equating ear piercing and circumsicion in that aspect. I just say, there is no question about it. My dad pierced my ears when I was a baby and both my sisters had their ear pierced as babies also. I think its a heck of a lot easier to pierce a baby's ears than to wait until my daughter is older and can remember the pain of the experience. Its also easier in upkeep too. Piercing my baby's ears gives me the control of taking care of them whereas having an older girl's ears pierced the care would be in her hands therefore leading to unnecessary infections and pain (believe me, I speak from experience, having pierced my ears multiple times in elementary school). Also, if I don't do it now who's to say she won't choose to do it behind my back? One of my most vivid memories of elementary school is going to the bathroom every recess for a month to pierce my good friend Amy's ears. Her parents would not allow it so we would pierce them for the day, she would remove the ear rings when she got home and we would have to repeat the process the following day. (All your perfect notions of me are vanishing in thin air aren't they? Well who am I to assume you even had any perfect notions of me to begin with...hehe) So, in case you were wondering, yes we will be piercing her ears before she is six months old. I won't judge you if you won't judge me.

All we need is just a little patience....

I am seriously devoid of this attribute and potty training is a bitter reminder of this fact. Grrrr... I just want to growl every time. Day three and I have a new mantra: "hang in there." Every ounce of my being wants to quit. Diapers are my security blanket right now. But I've heard that this is one of the unpardonable sins, to turn back once you've started. Grrrr.....

Pinatas and Angels

We have had a really exciting weekend. Friday the law firm threw a pool party to announce the winners of its "Biggest Loser" competition. We all stuffed ourselves with the delicious crepes, fruit and other goodies and played in the pool. Zane came sporting his new cowboy hat and I couldn't resist getting a pic but he never quite looked at me directly. There was too much else going on. The boys were so sad to leave. I had originally only planned on staying for like an hour so they could go home and nap but we ended up staying until almost 4pm. We still made the boys take a nap because we were going to see the Angels play that night (Mormon night with the Angels). This was our first pro baseball game together. Steve and I don't really care much for baseball but we all had a better time than we thought we would. Ethan and Luke would get up and dance everytime the music came on. I was sooo wishing that my phone had video capabilities....dang iphone.

Then Saturday morning I headed over to "work" at the Stake Primary activity and Ethan came a little later. Luke hung out with dad while we were gone. This led to another late nap but we had to squeeze it in because we had a wedding reception to go to that night. Again, the boys were dancing and having a ball at the reception. Congrats to Bricia and Tom!!!

We're still going strong with Father's Day and Steve's birthday tomorrow...so much fun packed into four days.

Oh, and I'll mention here that we are officially potty training Luke now. Today he actually asked to wear underwears so we're not turning back. He had one success and one accident while at church today. And I forgot to pack a change of clothes because we were running late so he spent the last hour of church in a diaper but no pants. Oh well. I'm crossing my fingers that this doesn't take all summer. Luke's got his brother cheering him on too. Its really cute to see Ethan get so excited for Luke when he goes. Could I be so lucky to have two potty trained boys before this little girl is born?

Father's Day

Walk a little Slower

"Walk a little slower daddy,"

said a little child so small.

"I'm following in your footsteps

and I don't want to fall." Sometimes your steps are very fast,

Sometimes they're hard to see;

So walk a little slower, Daddy,

For you are leading me. Someday when I'm all grown up,

You're what I want to be;

Then I will have a little child

Who'll want to follow me. And I would want to lead just right,

And know that I was true;

So, walk a little slower, Daddy,

For I must follow you."

I really like this poem. I think my boys have a great father. If they follow his example I know they will become good men. I also know they have a father in heaven that will guide them in life too. They can't go wrong with either of these wonderful men.