Simple Things

I feel like I don't have too much to blog about lately. With my cousin escaping Gustav in Louisiana and my brother's wicked going away party, our lives seem really quiet.

But in reality they really haven't been. We found out this last week we are expecting a boy which still hasn't sunk in yet. And I feel the need to clarify, for those who read our last post, that we are most definitely NOT naming our child Edward Jacob. Matt just finished the fourth book in the Twilight series (yeah, I know he freakin rocks for reading them) and he thought it would be funny to put that. But most people didn't pick up on it and while I think Edward is a fantastic last name (Cory and Kristen), its definitely not what we are using.

We celebrated in true Rasmussen style and got blizzards at Dairy Queen after the ultrasound. The 16 year old at the counter looked at me like I was crazy after I ordered a large chocolate shake and said "there's enough calories in that for two huge meals!" Gee, thanks dude, but if I were truly looking for low-cal ice cream, I would not be at the DQ.
Reagan loves ladybugs and just calls them "bugs." But she let this one crawl on her arm! It was really cute, she was completely fascinated!
While in the shower the other day, this is what Reagan was up to.

The other day my friend Liz asked me if my appetite was back. While it is no doubt better than the first three months, I didn't realize the extent that it was back until this last week. It was 11am in the morning and I was hungry for lunch. So Reagan and I headed to the store since I had to grab a few things anyways. We first had to stop at the bakery to get a free cookie and I usually pass and just get one for Reagan, but I grabbed one for me, too. So then we head by the deli counter and those sandwiches just CALL out my name! So I grabbed a turkey sandwich to go for us for lunch. But wait, then I walked by that nice little soup station that they have there in Safeway and I smelled something good. It was clam chowder, which I don't even really love, but I had a really good bowl while on Fisherman's Wharf in June, so it sounded good. I got some of that to go. Then we are heading down the frozen food section and I spot the corn dogs. I had one a week ago at Cherie's, and have been wanting another since. So I grabbed a huge box of those.

I decided it was a good idea to just skip the rest of the aisles and head for the checkout. I got home, ate my soup and was full. I felt so silly for all the food I had bought and am thinking that poor Matt is gonna read this and worry that I will drain our bank account over the next 4 months on food. I will watch it from now on, Matt!

X + Y = Boy

It's a boy! Edward Jacob Rasmussen is alive and kicking. We celebrated the same way my dad did when he found out that he was having his first boy, by going to dairy queen (although we found out before the birth and didn't go at 2 am).

Daytime Fun, Nighttime Not

Reagan has been without a binky for the last three nights. We took her binky away for a myriad of reasons. The main one being that she simply does not need it anymore. However, she is very much attached to it and requires it to sleep. So nap and bedtime has been horrendous and I dread it almost as much as she does. In fact, I am listening to her cry right now in her crib. I am hoping things get better soon.

To counteract the nighttime battles, we have been trying to keep her entertained well during the day. She loves her "cat" shirt, which is a treat for her to have this Halloween!
She went to a birthday party at Pixieland for one of her friends and she had a blast. She also threw one of the biggest fits I have ever seen her throw and it was another reason we took the binky away.
She has been living in her swimsuit. We have been swimming quite a bit in the last month. She wakes up in the morning, and goes to put her "simshack" on. Yeah, she really calls it that. Funny, huh.
She got to spend more time with friends yesterday, racing them on the deck.

Giants game

We went to a Giants game a few weeks ago. The real reason we went is this pic below...Mr Manny himself. It was against the Dodgers and we loved the fans in front of us who were wearing Dodger hats with Manny wigs attached to the back. Matt wanted to see Manny in action. Since the tickets were through Matt's work, Reagan got to sit with Addie, and that of course makes her day! She really enjoyed the game, I think. She and I took the BART into San Francisco and met Matt for dinner. She was excellent on the train. She stared out the window and exclaimed "too-too-twain" every 5 minutes and also stared at the guy sitting across from us. He was wearing sunglasses, but I bet he was staring back. Halfway through the train ride, he got out some chapstick and after using it, Reagan held out her hand and said "some." She does this to me when I put it on. It was funny.
I love this stadium for the good view. Although our seats are nosebleed, our backs are to the incoming fog, so it isn't as chilly as the other end of the stadium. The water behind is San Francisco Bay and you can barely see Oakland in the distance.

3+1=4

I heard our little babe's heartbeat today, so I guess I finally feel safe enough to post. Most of you who have seen me in the last few weeks probably can tell anyways. Arrival date is late January. We're pretty excited and as much as I hate getting fat (especially when I get scrutinized for gaining 6 pounds in 5 weeks), pregnancy is not something I take for granted and I see it as a total blessing and miracle. Here's to an insane, but fun 2009!

White Water Rafting

Since Matt didn't really explain this post, then I will post some better photos and give more detail. During my last week in Utah, Matt flew home for work and also for the High Venture trip with the Young Men. They went White Water Rafting down the American River. He hasn't stopped talking about it and based on the photos I have seen, its pretty obvious why. It was a blast for them. Matt is the one in the back on our right. I think these photos are from an area of the river called Tunnel Chute, but I may be wrong and if I am, he will correct this post at first chance. Hopefully he can provide more detail, too :)

This reminds me of...

...when Matt and I were dating in college and, like most guys apartments, the trash would be stacked up to the ceiling until someone finally took it out. I remember seeing this sight many times in Matt's apartment at the Riv, only the stack was about twice the height and width.

We had a stack going on like that last weekend and it was like deja vu!

Hats off to my bro!

He will be entering the FBI Academy soon! We found this good news out while I was in Utah and it trumped most of my top 10, we were that excited for him. I won't put any details because I am not sure how private they are about it, but basically we are proud of him, his hard work, and look forward to having our very own...."secret A-GENT MAN" in the family.

Where will you be?

On Tuesday night?

I will totally be watching the womens gymnastics. They had me mesmerized tonight, even with their mistakes. I love womens gymnastics and I can't wait to see them compete more.

On September 25th?

I will totally be watching the season 5 premiere of The Office!! Where do Jim and Pam stand? This episode will be different--it will air as little 10 minute segments and actually show what went down over the summer, as opposed to "real time" which is what they usually do, skipping over what happened over hiatus. Can't wait.

Our Top Ten of Utah (a.k.a "the longest post ever")

10. My sisters and I hit up Barnes and Noble, then Walmart to grab our copies of Breaking Dawn at midnight. They were some weirdo super-fans at Barnes and Noble (dressed in wedding dresses and chanting and stuff...), so we headed to Walmart and got our books and were driving home fifteen minutes after midnight. I have never seen such efficient service at Walmart.

Lindsey made us these wicked t-shirts. On the back they said, "frequently dazzled." She is so clever:) By the way, I won't put my thoughts on the book since maybe some haven't read it, but basically I thought it was entertaining, but lacked what the other 3 books had.

Following in the Roundy tradition, Lindsey was grateful for a diet coke.9. The main reason I was out in Utah...this little "dudeski." I was helping watch Max while his sisters and parents were away. Reagan loved having a constant companion and mimicked EVERYTHING Max did. She would watch Max all day long.
Highlight for Reagan: getting a lift in the ol' John Deere that Max calls his own!
8. This place rocked. It was the rec center in Bountiful and had an indoor water park, complete with a huge slide and lazy river, as well as an outdoor water place for younger kids, with a pirate ship. We all went crazy and for 5 bucks a pop (Max and Reagan were free!) you just can't beat it. The weather was morbidly hot, so this place felt good.

We all went down the slide, it was pretty fun. Not exactly Raging Waters, but hey...5 bucks, remember??! Actually, Matt and Lindsey both took Max and Reagan down on their laps and they LOVED it!

This is Matt and Max splashing into the water. Max swallowed a little water on that one, but he was up and waving in no time! We were sad to go, but it was getting late. Max fell asleep around 7PM that night and didn't wake up until past 8 the next day.
7. My sister Lindsey knows all the hot-spots for kids in Utah, especially because she works for Kindercare. So she also told us about the Treehouse Museum in Ogden. It is much like the Discovery Museum at Gateway, but smaller, cheaper, and less crowded. It was perfect for our little tots. My mom and sisters were present, which I was MORE than grateful for, since Max and Reagan both wanted to explore their own areas. This was the first place Reagan went to...naturally. She loves babies.
Lindsey dressed up as something Alice in Wonderland-ish. She looks like my mom here. Not the outfit, her expression.
Max and Reagan in the kitchen. The cooked us plenty of pizza and vegetables......while we lounged on this bad boy. Most comfy spot in the house and once we snagged it, we didn't move till exit time.
6. Watching Reagan this time around with her grandparents was a real treat. I didn't grab any photos of her with my parents, but I did get some of her with Gram and Gramps Rasmussen. It was awesome to see her go to everyone so willingly and wanting to give love. She remembered names and faces, which is really special when you live so far away.
5. We were so lucky to be out here on Utah's very own holiday, Pioneer Day. We spent the day down at Mel and Aaron's house, which really is more like Disneyland, when you count all the toys that they and their neighbors have. We had a great time. Mel and Aaron bbq'd some tri-tip, which was AMAZING! I think I had about 5 pieces of steak. The kids and a few adults slipped and slided and tried out Mel's skim board. We visited the fair in downtown Spanish Fork. Even though we felt like we were somewhere between Tijuana and RedNeck-Ville at the fair, it was still so much fun. Reagan and Brooklyn rode this ride together.

Driving the cars.
Reg, Lindsay, Whitney, Mel and Lyle.
I would have liked to have gone on this ride, but we sent Matt and Aaron instead. It went really really fast. Like just watching made us dizzy.
Mel, the family pyro, let off some amazing fireworks. I like a woman who will take her shopping money, and instead of buying shoes and purses, she buys fireworks!!! Awesome.
4. Our Pioneer Day celebration began the night before the 24th. My sister wanted everyone to come down to Bountiful and see the parade and fireworks. It was hot as hades, but we had fun anyways! One of the first floats was the Utah Jazz, which featured more cheerleaders than players and Matt kindly asked me to get a photo of it. Out of kindness I took one, but out of spite, I will not post it. Instead, I will post my mom, Regs, Lindsey, Emma, Kelly and Max.

Once Reagan realized these floats were tossing candy and we were eating it, she became VERY insterested in the parade. I had to hide some of the candy from her because she was eating all of it.
This was Reagan's favorite float. She is really into singing lately, especially the songs she learns in nursery, which includes The Ants Go Marching. That was the theme of this float. There were some gorgeous floats in the parade and most were North Salt Lake stakes ;)
Most went home, but a small group of us hung out for the fireworks. We had Pier 49 Pizza. I was super tired, but so dang glad I did because it was by far the best fireworks show I have ever seen. It was beautiful and unique, and very long. We must have had like 5 finales. I did, however remember why I usually stay indoors during the summer nights in Utah...I hate mosquitos.
3. Miss Reagan got to experience her own seat on the slight. This is actually her (and her baby) on the flight out there. It was really early, left at 6AM, so she was out of it, but liked having her own seat buckle.

2. Matt is such a kid at heart. He and Max spent a very long time playing Legos and building this award-winning pirate ship below. I know that he is into it when I hand him a microscopic piece that is a wheel to a boat and he says, "Thanks, I have been looking for that piece forever!"


1. My 27th birthday was last Sunday, so Matt got me some roses on Saturday, my favorite cookies which also happen to bear my name (although spelled wrong). He arranged a sitter, took me to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Walnut Creek and we did some shopping afterwards. It was such a treat to come home after not seeing him and being dead tired and he lined up all this!

One last pic for the record: Reagan's favorite spot in Grandma Rasmussen's house! Move over Little Tykes Kitchen, here is the hot spot.

White Water Rafting (Click on picture)