Me and Blogspot are in a fight

So I have attempted, very unsuccessfuly to post pictures of our trip to Prescott twice now. Both times it has taken like two hours (that's an exaggeration but I have to say it for effect) to download the images and then they all come up as symbols. Grrrr. I'm glad that Matt at least got our hamburger and Christmas morning photos to work. Obviously both highlights to the trip. Although not nearly as funny as our Sunday experience, the rest of the trip was a ball. I know Matt will be on here posting shortly after his return from NYC (I'm interested to see if this trip will bring any closeup shots of his "butt"), so hopefully we can throw a few Prescott pictures in there. One of these days I'll figure this all out!

Misinterpreting signs

So, I got confused by these things in Prescott this last weekend and had my picture taken with them.

Spot On Personality Test

So, a good friend of ours introduced us to this great personality test that you can take to see what you are like. Her personality test showed that she would be good at being a Mafia Don, which is really pretty close. See it here. It all sounded way above board and legitimate, so I took the test, and here are my results:

Your personality:

Quiet, humble, yet giddy and often exuberant. Tends to focus on animals for comfort and support, often to the detriment of more pressing tasks. Will spend time riding his horse “Charlie” bare-back across an open range with nothing but the wind and the sky, with young “Lassie” running along side. Excels at picnic lunches (for he and “Lassie”, his prized purebred Golden Retriever,) of peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches, Spicy Nacho Doritos, luscious grapes and a glazed honey bun, all the while providing great oats and water for “Charlie”. Well-developed sense of when to get back home before the storm hits, to ensure that “Charlie” and “Lassie” will be ok, and that he gets to the cellar and locks it so that nothing bad happens, like in The Wizard of Oz, because even though something bad happened in the movie, it did end up ok in the end for everyone. Plus it was a dream. But still.

Careers that could fit you include:

Dog Catcher (and the Lover and supporter of said dogs), Bee Catcher (for the sweet honey), Horse Feeder, Storm Sensor, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Maker, Oat Provider, Spicy Nacho Doritos Purchaser, Honey Bun Enjoyer, Cellar Door Locker, Putter of Names of “Animals” in “Quotes” ”,” Wind and the Sky Lover, Luscious Grape Licker, and The Wizard of Oz Watcher.

Anyways, anyone who knows me must realize that it was spot on! Try it here. It's a game the whole family can enjoy!!!

So, sometimes crazy stuff happens at church

Ok, funny stuff happened yesterday at Amy's parents ward in Prescott. Remember, it was Fast and Testimony Meeting.

1. So, with all the family staying at Dave and Georgia's house over the 4th, we took up 2 big rows in church. Drex was sitting next to Jenny and JR, and right in front of Amy and I. As the Sacrament hymn was beginning, Amy whispered to Drex asking if he wanted a hymn book. He got a way-excited look on his face, and enthusiasticly said "Yes!" So, Jenny leaned over and gave him a hymn book. Then he got this confused look on his face, not sure what had just happened. He turned around and Amy asked him what was wrong. He asked, "What's this for?" Amy answered, "You said you wanted a hymn book." The clarity on his face was classic as he realized the miscommuniation. "Oh, hymn book. I thought you asked if I wanted a hamburger!"

Yes, Drex, on this Fast Sunday morning, we grilled up some burgers and have them here in the purse for you. But hurry and eat up, because the Sacrament hymn is almost over. Oh, and do you want fries with that? Just wondering. And take this large Coke with you as well. Share some with Braden. Crazy.

2. During testimonies, a little kid got up. We found out later that he gets up every Fast Sunday and bears a thematic testimony on different topics. Yesterday's was on rain. He started, "some people like rain, some poeple don't. I like rain. Raise your hand if you like rain." (Everyone in the congregation raised their hand). "Ok, now raise your hand if you don't like rain." (no one raised their hand). "Ya, that's about what I thought it would be." He then went on to tell us why he likes rain, but that the last few days the rain has been "annoying" him since it would start to rain and then stop. Start and stop. Start and stop.

It was cute, but I don't think he heard the counsel from the First Presidency a few weeks back. No audience participation during Sacrament Meeting. The next thing we know, he will be using props for his testimony and asking the congregation to turn to the scriptures with him. Not cool. Someone needs to sit down with him and ask him if he really is going to follow the prophet. In fact, raise your hand if you're going to listen to the prophet from here on out, kid!

3. The weirdest part happened to finish testimonies. Drex, apparently hungry from no burgers earlier in the meeting, asked me how much longer til the meeting was over. I checked the time and told him 6 more minutes. At about the same time, a testimony ended and 4 more people stood up and walked to the stand. Admittedly, I groaned a bit inside, knowing that we were gonna go over, a pet peeve of mine.

The last 2 testimonies were this young married couple. She got up first and introduced herself and her husband who were visiting, but had come for the baby blessing that day. (Great, I thought, visitors making the time go over. Double pet peeve.) And then she literally spent 2 minutes (of overtime, mind you) telling us about the debate she and her husband had about "if I go up then you have go up, but if you don't want to go up, you have to go up anyway because I want to go up.....blah blah blah." And then for 5 more minutes she continued to go on about how fun the family reunion this week has been, how her husband is the best returned missionary ever, and that hopefully she has done a pretty good job being the big sister to 3 brothers, but that she still has time to do better if she wasn't. Thankfully, she finally sat down

We were WAY over time when the best returned missionary ever stood up. He expressed his love to his crazy wife, and then acknowledged the time was short by saying (and I'm not kidding)....."Since our time is up, I want to bear my testimony today by singing you a hymn. Now, I haven't been singing for very long, but I want to do this. And this isn't a normal hymn for right now, but it has a great message about Christ. But due to the time, I will only sing the first and last verses of (wait for it...) 'Silent Night'." At this point I almost dry-heaved and burst out laughing at the same time. Amy and I made eye contact. There was the most uncomfortable feeling in the chapel, like everyone was thinking "no way this is happening". But it was. And sure enough he sang the the first and the last verses of a Christmas hymn. In July. For his testimony.


To top the meeting off, we all stood (which I don't think we are supposed to do) to sing all 3 verses of The Star Spangled Banner, including the verses that nobody knows. I wanted to shout "Play Ball" at the end of all the verses. What a crazy 90 minute meeting that should have been way shorter than that. But after church we went home, opened presents, then went driving aroung looking at Christmas lights. Oh, and ate candy canes too.

That is all.

Matt

Summer Fun!

So, one month down, one and a half to go! Summer has been very nice and relaxed for the Rasmussens thus far. I love the lazy, somewhat slower pace that summer seems to take on. The kids have swim team/lessons every evening, but other than that we are just free to play and enjoy our HOT summer days. Here are some things we have done to entertain the troops:

Sleepovers with siblings - isn't that what summer is all about?!?

Sadie and Abbie at their summer dance recital with famed dance instructor Caitlin McGrath.

Swimming with cousins, or really anyone that shows up in our back yard.

Drex got an expander put on about a week and a half ago. This is our first experience with orthodontia. We have to turn the key twice a day and I was pretty worried that it would hurt him a lot, but he's been really good about it. They said we would notice a big gap between his two front teeth after awhile. Sure enough. . . . Now he's twins with his mom!

Building forts. This has been a favorite pass-time, but this one the kids built with cousins Jake and Trevor was pretty much the mother-load. It came complete with a master suite, two guest bedrooms, a living room, family room and bathroom. The kids slept in it for a couple of nights until mom (I'm such a meanie) insisited that they clean it up before Sunday.

Pretty much just being silly. Also a favorite pass-time.

Teaching baby sister how to eat popsicles. Okay, so I'm not just a mean mom, I'm a bad mom!

Making edible play-dough. The kids loved this, and the best part was, we had lunch already made that day!

The Grandma Ras Retreat

First off, how can I possibly follow up such a fantastic post as the previous one?

So, our kids have some pretty cool grandparents. Every year Grandpa Rasmussen takes all of his sons/sons-in-laws/grandsons on the Grandpa Ras Rendevous. They go camping, hiking, do service projects, have flag ceremonies decked out in full scout uniform, etc. My boys have a ball every year. So, this year, Grandma Rasmussen decided that it was about time the girls got to play, too. Thus, the Grandma Ras Retreat. Only, for us, there was no camping or scout uniforms involved. Only a whole lot of pink, purple, princess, ballerina, barbie, frill and foof.

We got to stay at the Desert Oasis Resort in Scottsdale for two days and dress up like princesses and ballerinas, paint fingernails and toenails, make crowns, bracelets and necklaces, decorate picture frames, color, play with paper dolls, picnic, swim and dance to the infamous Hannah Montana. The girls got goodie bags filled with stickers, bracelets, pencils, lipgloss, candy, you name it. They each also got a tutu that Grandma Ras and Aunt Angie made for them. Needless to say, these little girls had a blast! At one point, Abbie said, "Mom, this is the best party I've ever been to!" We are very grateful to Grandma and Grandpa (resident photographer and pizza delivery boy) Ras for all of the hard work and love they put into this. Check out these cute girls:

All 4 Princesses














Atlie










Sadie










Ballerinas Jo and Abbie














Ballerina Jo Picking A Winner

The Little Stuff

Sometimes it's just to be grateful for the little stuff. And it's even better when it's 2-Ply. Who's with me on that one?