Rasmussen Family reunion, minus the kids and Shaun

Shaun has been traveling a lot so I got to use his sky miles and go home. I didnt bring any kids and it was so different than my normal life! it was weird, fun, but i missed them all. I was welcomed home by Carter throwing up on me. it was great! we shopped, had fun, exercised, went toliet papering, ate good food. it was relaxing and got me ready to mother again!

lunch at the Corner Bakery. My hair is still wet but it was nice to be able to wear it down without doing anything (thanks to the Keratin Blowout)

Luke and Kevin helped me make cookies

Lily got my camera. she took a TON of pictures! i don't know who these people are. haha. they don't look to happy either.

Jessie and Deidre being silly

Ryan, Annalyn Noah and Luke. and Annalyn is on the way.

with Grandpa and Grandma Rasmussen. This was right before my Dad feel over the fence and into the ditch. He was a Little hurt but was OK we all tried not to laugh.

real mature

Carries House

My tree

Jessies Tree

Jacob told my mom he stayed in the car... LIAR

Deidre took over plants and hedges

it was them!

the after! IT WAS AWESOME! we all felt like we were 15 again. it was 10:30 at night and all of Carrie's lights were on and the neighbors were all outside. We did it anyway. we bought the worlds longest rolls of toilet paper we had 3 each and ended up with 3 left over! It was so fun. Watch out carrie, I think we've made a new tradition!!

worlds best pizza

the Pizookie, best dessert ever

no more pizza, Carrie ate it all

"do I have soemthign on my teeth?"

they are trying think of a better pizza place, they can't think of one.

The family all together

big bump. not fun

Right before I went to California, Jordan was running and fell right on her face! it was so sad. it swelled so big and when I came home her eyes are bruised and it looks so sad. talk about hurting.

on the road AGAIN!

Shaun has been home 4 full days this month. NOT COOL. and he's on the road again. Mexico this time. "why is he going to Mexico?" you ask. good questions I thought he was done with that project too but apparently everyone loves him and wants him back. The problem is I like him too. His kids like him too, well most of the time. So he's gone again until Wednesday, but don't worry, when he comes back I am taking a MUCH needed, anticipated trip home to California, without any kids. Crazy, i know. its a love hate thing. you hate to leave your kids but its nice to get away every now and then. and sad that I wont see Shaun for basically all of March, good thing we have all eternity.

and the great brother award goes to.... NOT CARTER

Don't we all wish we could eat cupcakes naked?

Carter "how do I open the door so I can knock Ellie over?"

carter was outside, Ellie was inside standing up on the door. nice huh!

Allergies anyone

Pollen is SO bad right now! its everywhere! temperatures are in the 70s-80s so we've had the windows and doors open. poor Jordy is allergic to spring! her eyes are itchy and red, carter breaks out every now and then and Ellie's sickness has been attributed to an ear ache and allergies. my poor kids. I haven't really ever had them so I can't relate but just check out this table to see how thick it is! all that yellow... pollen. Shaun's car looks gold and our furniture gets a nice pollen dusting every couple days with the strong wind.

Why do mothers do things?

So you'll be glad I don't have a picture of what happened tonight. Ellie is sick, no fever, a slight cough but she gags on food and throws up. anyone know what that means? anyway. so shes been on small amounts of formula and pedialyte for a day or two. today we attempted goldfish, things were great. so tonight we tried soup. my kids love soup!!??? i got this greek lemon soup that had small (like tiny) peices of pasta that are round, soft and small. so she ate a ton, apparently a little too much because she just started throwing up in the restaurant. oh don't worry, i caught it! why is my instinct to catch the throw up???? so i cleaned up my hand and the little that spilled. just a few seconds too late she did it again. IN MY SOUP! at least most of it. the rest went in my hand and down her outfit. so nasty. good aim but so nasty. Luckily I was pretty much done and so were the other kids (mind you i was at a restaurant with my 4 kids alone, shauns out of town, AGAIN!) i just started laughing. first i catch it, then in my soup, poor kid, poor me, poor people who watched it and hadnt eaten yet. do other moms do that? what's my deal?

I also got sad today as I took Kailey to the bus thinking Jordan will be on the bus and in school next year. With Kailey I was excited for her, with her. its was what happens, the oldest goes to school. but why do they all have to grow up?

Lost a tooth

the before and afters. oh the funny phases kids go through

Greenville, NC

see we did see Shaun, just at bedtime!

bath time after pool time

"why am I eating food off the floor in a hotel mom?" good question. bad parenting I guess...

Nap time in the hotel

Shaun went to Greenville this week and was supposed to be home on Friday. supposed being the key word. They told him he had to stay until Sunday so on Thursday night the 5 of us headed to Greenville (5 1/2 hr drive) to get some time with him. He was working pretty much all of the time, but we hung out in the hotel and the kids got spoiled. The kids keep asking to go back to the hotel. Friday I took them to Toys r us and told them they can each have 5 dollars. then we went swimming in the pool. and met Shaun for lunch. Saturday Shaun worked again so I told the kids if they all took naps they could stay up as late as they wanted, it worked! We went to TJ Maxx and bought the kids swimming suits because they are all too small, and Kailey some "cozy" skirts. she was in heaven! funny part is she needed them. then we headed to target and i let them each pick something from the $1 isle. they are so easy to please! we did go swimming 2x that day. pool with 4 kids when 3 can't swim, not to easy! Kailey's response "this is the best vacation ever! you are getting us things and we don't even deserve it!" so funny, to be honest they might not have deserved all of it! Sunday we went to the park to enjoy the hot sun, then we got ice cream and saw the WORST movie ever! don't see Rango!!! it was a fun, boring trip! we didn't get to see Shaun much, but we at least we saw him at night.

Lunch Box notes

The first day of school I started a tradition of writing notes in Kailey's lunch everyday. she started saving them and LUCKILY we haven't missed a day. the notes may get a bit lame, but some I'm pretty funny! i mean Come on, this is pretty funny right?

She came home from school and was like "mom i don't get your note" all that funniness gone to waste. so I explained it was the "kitty sandwich" meowing and wanting to get out. then she started busting up. a little late but now she gets it.

funny things and cravings

just to remind me how funny my kids are, besides their love of food they have inherited from my side of the family, today Kailey asked "mom, how does the computer know everything?" (this was as we were listening to music from itunes. funny

when I run I listen to Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend" so whenever someone says hey, i obviously say "hey hey you you, i dont like your girlfriend." Carter responds with "i think you need anuber one" not even the right words but right on cue and normally on tune!

oh and Jordan, that kid whips out with so many comments i can't even remember half of them, i wish i wrote more down. She is such a good cuddler I told her she was my favorite cuddler(i might tell all my kids they are my favorite) but she said "mom shh, Kaiely might hear you and I KNOW i'm your best cuddler"

goal: write more of these down.
Note: Don't judge me: i've been doing so good at eating healthy, is it bad that at 9pm tonight I wanted to make chocolate scones, so i did. I have had 2... i'm thinking of a third! loh this is after all my kids are in bed, Shaun is out of town and I'm watching the Bachelor...look for them on my food blog this week. Delish!

POST EDIT: i had 3.5 oops :) call me a fatty but it was worth it!

The Cheese monger(s) strikes again

Against Shaun's wishes I asked him to bring me home a 5lb block of Tillamook cheese in his luggage from Utah. and man are we glad today!

i showed Jordan this link so everyone took turns eating it fresh from the block.

So I like Tillamook better than any other cheese on the planet, does that make me a cheese snob? maybe, but after Tillamook can you blame me? its so creamy and a little salty, there is nothing like it out here on the South/East coast. I've tried the fancy expensive ones but nope, its Tillamook or nothing. So, that being said, anyone coming to visit, please bring us blocks of cheese in your carry-ons. and come often! our 5 lb block is only a 4 lb block after 1 day! good thing I am heading to Cali in 2 weeks, looks like I'm bringin home some more cheese!!!

ps. visitors, we also accept costco tortillas that are in the refrigerator section, and a list of items off of several restaurant menus. ie: cafe rio, kneaders, ect. :)