Saturday, Jan 31, 2009

Journaling: This is my life. I was on the phone making lunch and talking to Chelsea. I heard the kids say "Look at the snow!!!" I turned around and saw this on our kitchen table. Now don't think I condone eight little feet on a kitchen table. I don't. But, I couldn't help grab the camera, and even though the picture is blurry, this is so what happens when I talk on the phone. Chaos. The kids getting away with things they shouldn't. But this showcased the kids personalities to the tee! Hailey-our singer-complete with the mini hymn book she carries around. Brynlee the motherly one with her hand on Ethan. Karli-willing to follow the kids to do anything and Ethan-the daredevil-getting ready to hang off the table. Yep, this pretty much sums them up!!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Journaling: Ammon had his huge-once-a-year ABSITE test the next morning. This is what happens when he studies at home...the kiddos climbing ALL over him. I was laughing because this is life as we know it. It always has been. School + lots of kids= The Rasmussen Family! Bless Ammon's heart!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Journaling: I walked in on Ammon doing bedtime one night. It was so cute to see him reading and all the kids surrounding him listening. I am a lucky wife and mom! The camera happened to be sitting on the the dresser!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Journaling: Ethan's favorite thing is sneaking in the girls bed to sleep. Right before I went to go up to bed one night, I checked on the kids one last time. Sure enough, he was in there and snuggled right up to Hailey. His wife will love this! ;-)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Journaling: Some favorites in our house right now.

Favorite Movies: Brynlee can't get enough of the Barbie movies.
Favorite Cookbook: I picked this up at Sam's last week...I LOVE IT!
Favorite Meal: Hailey dubbed this meal "her most favorite ever!"
Favorite Cookie: Andes Mint Cookies. YUM! (See attached recipe)

Monday, January 26, 2009

Journaling: Karli was having a hard day-crying a lot. I finally got her to calm down by letting her play the fun toddler games on fisherprice.com. I love that site! Thank goodness for them. All the kids love their free games. I caught a fun moment of her and I having some one on one fun!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Journaling: These three wanted to "help" with dinner tonight. First Hailey, then Brynlee and of course Karli. No one wanted to set the table though-just help with the "dinner" part of it! It always takes a little bit longer to get dinner on the table, but it is fun to have a cute audience! Here are three little mothers in the making!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Journaling: Jack and Brynlee Bowen.

I can see it now...these two are going to get married someday! Of course they don't know it yet....Brynlee sure hopes it though. She calls him "Jackie" all the time-poor guy. She sure is twitterpated with him! Aren't they cute?

Friday, January 23, 2009

Journaling: Pizza and game night with the Bowens. It was complete with pizza, Wii Games, Rootbeer Floats and a rousing game of Ticket to Ride. Ammon got his highest score ever...143! We are sure blessed with wonderful friends!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Journaling: Caught in the act...it is no secret that 75% of the nights each week, Ammon and I fall asleep in the kids beds. We are two tired parents!! We say we'll lay down with the kids "just five minutes" and then three hours later, the house is still lit up like a Christmas tree, it is 1:00am, and we have to find our way to our own bed. We are so funny...tonight I got the chance to catch Ammon asleep in Ethan's bed. These are the moments you know? The kind you hold dear forever. Like father...like son (pictured with Ethan's favorite buddy-Cocoa his webkin).

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Karli loved being my laundry helper today!! We did about 15 loads of laundry all in one day!! I was so determined to get it done! It was monumental...for the first time in years, I got caught up on laundry!!!! Hmmm....now the questions is, can I keep up on it after today? Karli such a cute girl. She just played in the bucket as I folded away. She was cute company to have beside me!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Journaling: We watched history unroll before our eyes. Barack Obama's Presidental Inaugaration was today. We were glued to the TV as he became the first black president of the United States and President George Bush said goodbye to the White House. While we didn't vote for President Obama in the election, we hope and pray he leads our country with faith and with wise decisions. It is a neat time to be alive and see how far the country has come from days of segregation. It is also a scary time for the economy right now and people are so about change. I just hope the change he has promised is what our country needs right now. Good luck President Obama...

Monday, January 19, 2009

I did want to but I got all the kids ready bright and early and headed out shopping. I didn't know why...call me crazy...but I almost felt led to bargains!!!! It was incredible! We found seven pair of shoes at Target for $25!!!! Can you believe it? School shoes for next year, winter dress shoes for next year, etc. We were right there at the guy was putting them on the clearance rack. It was perfect. Later that day I found two coats at Old Navy for $25 that were originally $145. I was so grateful to have found those sales especially with how tight money is right now! Days like these make me HAPPY!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Journaling: I glanced out the window this Sunday morning and I caught a glimse of the sunrise. It was one of those times when I reflected on this beautiful world that we live in. I felt awed, grateful and my cup was filled at I watched the sun welcoming a brand new day. I know that there is a loving Heavenly Father up there...and if anyone needs proof...I caught a second of it this morning.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

After a lot of begging, Ethan got Ammon to take him and the girls sledding with the two new plastic sleds we got. They had a ton of fun together!! It is fun to live in a place where it snows (that way I am so grateful when summer comes around again too!)

Friday, January 16, 2009

Journaling: It is an icy cold waste land here! Temperatures have been in the negatives lately-today:14 degrees. This is the coldest weather we have ever seen in Columbus since we have lived here! I had to finally give in an order waterproof thick gloves online for all the kids today. I am glad they should be in the mail soon. Check out our house with the icicles!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Journaling: It was haircut night at our house tonight. I think I am finally getting faster at this whole process. I still don't love it but I appreciate that it does save us money each month with two boys in our home. The girls even got bang touch ups too. This is real life going on here!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Journaling: It snowed and snowed all day here. We got several inches and the temperatures are dropping like crazy! While Karli was napping, the kids, Ammon and I had fun out in the snow and shoveling up the driveway. Every year I insist we are getting a snow blower but who can resist this hard working crowd?

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Journaling: Ammon and I had a hot date tonight!! I was nervous about it all week. It was a dinner for all the new applicants for next year and all the residents were supossed to go. Ammon had been to three previously and this was the last one for the year. It was held in a really cool cellar of the restaurant Barley in the Short North District. If you see the brick behind us, that was seriously how the how bottom was-like an old time cellar. Although it is always a little funny to stand out not drinking and being Mormon, we had a good time, ate good food, I got to know the residents better and had a fun time trying a new place. Columbus has really neat culture!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Journaling: Dinner was a family affair tonight. I made the recipe, which we'll now fondly call a pizza worm-a recipe Chelsea and I made up. It is sooo delicious, so yummy and so easy. In fact it would have only taken 10 minutes (not 45!!), even with the homemade pizza dough, had I not had help!! But maybe they'll all love cooking someday, right?

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Journaling: Ammon and I laughed and laughed at this little one today. He and Ammon played "catch" in the family room together. We were in awe as Ethan caught catch, after catch, after catch. He ran around like a firecracker, never missing one. We have watched Ethan go from being a dandylion picker during sports games to an amazing little athlete these days. From soccer, to teeball, to basketball, to football he plays his little heart out. It is so fun having a boy! Ethan, you are growing up fast!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Journaling: Today Ethan had another basketball and he made his first basket!! We are so proud of him! His coach made a funny comment about how the "short ones are always the quick ones with the ball". Ethan is showing this natural ability with sports and we love watching him in action. Great job Ethan!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Journaling: The Bowen kids were over again for our typical date night switch. Jon and Jeannette watched the kids the night before so Ammon and I could go out, and tonight we watched all nine kids together. Nine kids that get along so wonderfully and play so well together. The kids chose to end the night watching Kit Kitenridge and eating bowls of popcorn!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Journaling: Ammon came home today sporting this cute new scrub cap that fellow intern Megan made for all the residents. She asked everyone their favorite sports teams, ordered the fabric and had her aunt help sew 17 of these. Aren't they great? Ammon sports it around the hospital, and if the fact that he was married with four kids doesn't say he's a Mormon, or the fact that he doesn't cuss or drink at any of the social things he goes to, then the fact that he sports an awesome BYU cap will!!! I absolutely love it. Doesn't he look hot?

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Journaling: This girl is a doll! I love her! She is growing up so fast. Sometimes she is a little stinker (she ate my scrapbook paint this day, as well as snuck in Brynlee's purse and ate her Christmas candy cane!) but overall she is a sweetheart who is growing up fast. She turned 20 months old today. Can that be? Our youngest is almost two? Look at those beautiful blue eyes and red hair. You are going to melt hearts someday with those baby blues...you got them from Daddy! ;-) We love you to pieces Karli!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Journaling: An average day around here. Music and Movt starts next week so the girls and I stayed home and did a ton of cleaning, etc. Right before Ethan came home I caught them in an average scenario. Ethan was due to arrive from school ten minutes later, Karli was napping and these two were playing together, but this showcases them. Hailey in frilly dressup clothes, pretending to sing and play the piano and Brynlee, ever studious, working on her letters. I wonder who these two are going to become? They are always telling my about when they get the chance to be moms but will they also be an opera singer, an actress, a doctor or an engineer? Only time will tell but I am definately loving watching them become them.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Journaling: We finally went and saw High School Musical 3 with the Bowens. It was at the dollare theater...who could resist? It was super cheesy, super predicatable but we still all really liked it. The music was catchy too. I'll have to order that piano music too sometime soon. And, Karli only ran around the theater about 50 times this time (we are breaking her down!!!)....luckily there were only 10 people in there!!!!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Journaling: Church started at 9:00am today! I think I did pretty good about getting all the kids and I there on time by myself (Ammon was still at the hospital). They actually did really well during sacrament meeting. It is always a relief when they are reverent when I am alone with them! They all went to their new classes-Hailey's first day in primary! I can't believe that! Three of our four kids in primary. The time is flying by...so inconspicuosly I don't even notice until is has passed. We came home and Ammon had just arrived and had crawled into bed. Poor guy, he was up most of the night. I let the kids do fingerpainting while I finished those calendars (darn those things!!!). Silly move on my party. Forty five minutes later they were COVERED in puce colored paint, the kitchen was a mess and they all needed a second bath. Why is it when you try and be a fun mom it makes for more work!? ;-) Oh well, they had fun and between the paints and bath, they were entertained almost until Ammon woke up. Pphhewww...another call day under our belt!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Journaling: Today Ethan had his first basketball game. It was SO fun to watch him! Unfortunatly Ammon was on call so we decided to go with Beth and Jeff to COSI to spend the afternoon. The kids had so much fun!! It made me aware that we don't do as much like that with Karli as we did with Ethan. I am recommitted to do more toddler things again with her even though we have older kids now. It's hard to believe. I remember when only Ethan was old enough to ride a car and we just had Brynlee. Time goes by too fast! Aren't they cute?

After, we ate dinner at Mt. Carmel, which is 2 mintues from COSI, with Ammon. (I had brought it in the car.) It was a good way to spend a Saturday with Daddy gone...the kids were tired when we came home!!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Journaling: It is getting close to the end of Christmas break. This hasn't been our favorite Christmas with being away from home, being sick with the flu, etc so it is a relief to almost be back to our old routine. Today we had Alex Harston over. The kids had fun having him over and we did melty beads. I was impressed with how creative the kids were-even Karli who spilled over a thousand melty beads ALL over THE KITCHEN!!! ;-) Oh well-at least they were entertained!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Journaling: Ammon was post call today and we spent the rest of the day putting Christmas decorations away. This is what the kids did while we were busy doing that-destroying the girls room, tearing off the covers and making a "sledding hill" with the matress. Oh what a mess to clean, but they were entertained!!