Elegant Tea Party

I know that this may offend some people, but I am going to go ahead and say it anyway. This past Friday, the KINDERGARTEN class at Liberty Park put on an ELEGANT TEA PARTY! You are thinking COOL, right?? Well this Momma didn't think so.  This is an annual thing that this school has been doing for years and I LOVE the idea but not the product. Okay, so here it is...All KINDERGARTENER's have to dress up in their SUNDAY BEST. They have an ELEGANT TEA, where they practice what they have been learning, over the past few weeks, manners and etiquette of all sorts. THIS I LOVE. They have learned how to properly set a table, which silverware to use, how to sit properly, & what to say at the appropriate time. This has been fantastic. Here is the part I HATE... Let me remind you before I start on this rampage that they are in KINDERGARTEN. At the end of the "tea", they have a DANCE. Let me say that again- the KINDERGARTENER's have a DANCE, where they HAVE to dance with their assigned, OPPOSITE SEX partner. Most of the children at this age, hate this anyway...so please tell me WHO this benefits and who is encouraging this??? PARENTS!!! The parents of these children think that this is so cute and sweet and they encourage this interaction with pictures and flowers, etc. They stand on the sidelines snapping pictures of these babies dancing with each. They are ON DISPLAY for our personal amusement and benefit . To me this is so sad. I am saddest for these KINDERGARTENER's.  They are babies. They should ONLY be dancing with their Daddy's, Grandpa's, or brother's. We force things on children so early. We force adult/grownup experiences on our babies. Why??? Why do we have to encourage them to grow up so EARLY. It really bothers me. Needless to say, Reese stayed home from school for the day and hung out with my sweet Sis and her babies, and played all day...Did I tell you that they are in KINDERGARTEN.

PS- I think the teaching part of this activity is FABULOUS. I just think it could be taught in a much better way.

Clayton's Birthday - BIG 8 Year Old

Clayton's birthday was March 16th.  Since we were on Spring Break during his BIG day, we had his party the week earlier. BOY, WAS IT FUN! We had 25 little boys in one place for 2 hours. We rented a Laser Tag place and we TOTALLY got our money's worth. These boys played and played and played the entire time. We had PAPA JOHN's pizza- YUMMY!!! and Clayton wanted a cookie cake- so that is what we had. The little guys did not want to stop playing to eat. We had to make them stop. It was so much fun and Clayton felt so special.

Clayton is my child that REALLY lacks self-confidence. The boy has no idea how COOL he really is and how much people REALLY like him. God LOVE him!!!

Spring Break Baby!

How can I say it LOUD enough how much FUN we had in Pensacola for our Spring Break. We (and I mean all of us) did NOT want to come back. We spent so much time with our families. Oh how we miss them. Unfortunately I LOST every one of my pictures from my camera. UGH!!! So I will have to describe how great our Break was instead of show you.
First, my children had SO much fun playing at Nana Cindy's house. They stayed outside the ENTIRE time. They fished, rode horses, drove the go-carts, and played in the sand pile. They had a BLAST. Reese got to hang with Nana and her horse people the whole time. She LOVED every minute of it.
Tuesday night, we spent the night with my Grandmother. It is always so special for us and them. They truly miss my kids and we all MISS them terribly. We spent time talking and playing games. They are so special to us.
For the rest of the week, we spent time with my parents. It is so relaxing over at their house and my children love being there. We went on a Nature Walk, played chess, and played all sorts of games with Nana and Papa. We also ran errands with my sister and Mom. I Love being with my parentals.
By the end of the week, we were glad to come home and Kristian was ready for us to be home. It was great to see everyone and get to hang out with quality time spent.

Life without Kids

Okay- before I begin to enjoy this TOO much, I better get my children back :)
This past Sunday, My WONDERFUL mother in law, took my children (yes- all 3) to Pensacola with her. Kristian and I had SOOOOOOO much fun! We went out to dinner, played tennis (uninterrupted), watched a TERRIBLE movie (don't recommend "THE BOX") and snuggled (wink, wink) without the fear of someone waking up and knocking on our door.  WHOO! It was a fun night. Then on Monday, I cleaned and I cleaned and I cleaned my entire house. It was so nice to know that in a few hours (when kids get home from school- typically) that it wasn't going to get messy again. IT STAYED CLEAN! It is so peaceful. Then on Monday night, I made a VERY SPECIAL dinner consisting of GRILLED STEAK AND ASPARAGUS, lima beans, and sweet potatoes. YUMMY! Before dinner, Kristian and I went for a run...AT NIGHT ALONE!! Then we caught up on LOST- which is AWESOME and snuggled MORE (wink, wink).
I have to meet up with those little people - who live in my house sometime, right!? So , I guess that will be today. Seriously, I can't wait to see them, but we have had a GREAT time without them. We will be in P'cola until Sunday- YAY!!!
 I Love P'cola and it is STILL HOME!!!

Take me out to the BaLlGaMe...

Baseball season is in full swing around here. IT IS SERIOUS STUFF! I am not talking once a week practices and once a week games. NO SIR! Around here, we are busy 6 days a week with one team or another. We have two - three practices a week on top of two- three games a week. AND THAT IS FOR BOTH BOYS! This year is a little different for us. Both of my boys are playing, which is normal, but they are two different fields this year. These fields are on completely OPPOSITE sides of the city. We are NEVER home.

This past Saturday was opening day for us. It was our first games of the season and the boys had a GREAT time. We aren't sick of baseball yet :)
Each team did GREAT.  My boys LOVE baseball and they really like their Coaches and teammates this year. Here are some pictures from the weekend filled with baseball. 

Spring ...Wonderful Spring

Spring and Fall are DEFINITELY my most FAVORITE times of the year. They are so different and so unique and I LOVE so many different and unique things about them. Both seasons reflect the different characters of God and who HE is. For instance, Spring is so new. Spring is so FRESH. Spring is so BEAUTIFUL. Spring demonstrates NEW LIFE. New Life through the HOLY SPIRIT. We see a beautiful sunset and we know that the HS did that. A blooming tree or a budding flower, that is the work of the Spirit. He is FRESH and NEW EVERY MORNING (if we seek Him).
I love the AIR that surrounds us during this time. I love the birds that wake me up BRIGHT AND EARLY, right outside my bedroom window. I love the green blades of grass that are trying their hardest to break through the dead brown mess that lays dormant all winter. I love the way SPRING makes me think of my FATHER and how HE created ALL of this so that we can not help but be drawn to HIM in personal inward worship. I love that HE made ALL of this just for YOU and ME.

Fun times with Family

This past weekend we had a special visit from my wonderfully delightful niece, Milly and her precious (just like a sister to me) mother, Deryn. Milly is 4 months older than Quaid so she moves right in and is at home with the energy and craziness of my household. My children ADORE her. We don't get to see them often since we moved to B'ham but once upon a time ago, we would see them AT LEAST once a week. Most of the time it was more than that.

The kids played the entire time and Deryn and I talked THE ENTIRE TIME! It was so fun to catch up and it was so nice to be around her. I miss them desperately. (sorry the pictures are foggy)

The Perfect morning...

We, in the Rasmussen house wake up every morning with a song in our heart and a kind word on our lips. We wake up with Hugs and Kisses, Sunshine and Flowers! It is perfect here in the Rasmussen house. Every child is perfectly obedient and every adult is perfectly Lovely. The children get dressed with their shirts tucked in and pants neatly ironed because I, the perfect mother, has ironed everyones clothes before I went to bed last night. We have OBEDIENTLY taught our children that GOD comes first, so each of our children have had a Quiet Time before heading downstairs for a PERFECTLY healthy breakfast feast of fresh fruit and home-made oatmeal (which I might add, they gobble up quickly with NO arguements or complaints, because they LOVE IT). We all exchange hugs and kisses just before heading off to school where they will learn everything possible about READING, WRITING, & ARITHMATIC. They will NEVER have their names on the board or have to sit out during RECESS. They NEVER get in trouble with their teachers and they get along perfectly with their friends and siblings. IT IS GREAT TO BE US!!!

Okay, here is how our day really went (and most days I might add)... we woke up late because we went to bed to late due to baseball and baths and homework and chores, etc, etc, etc... so we are running late. Kids are grumpy because they are tired. One child is complaining that he doesn't like the breakfast we are eating. Another complains because someone is touching her. Another complaint about how his shoes don't feel right. AND THE LIST JUST KEEPS GOING. Well the good MAMA i am forgot to make lunches last night, so I am last minute throwing things together. Not sure if it is healthy or not because I am half asleep.
Milk is spilling off of the counter, dogs are eating the dropped food, and children are fighting. I have had enough. So, the good mother in me starts yelling...YOU GET THE PICTURE.

We had a "COME TO JESUS MEETING" on our way to school. We are NOT going to have anymore mornings like the one we have had this morning or sadly too many mornings in the past. We are starting a MARBLE JAR. I have been wanting to start this system for a while now and today seems like the perfect morning. I bought three jars and each child's name is painted on the jar. I have written out a schedule for the morning and afternoon, on a poster. Every morning (and afternoon) that the schedule is followed by each child, they can put one marble in their own jar. If there is a problem with the morning, that particular child does not get a marble. There are NO chances here. They have been warned! :)

Now the reward for getting marbles is having a sleep over with a friend. If you get 100 marbles in you jar, then you can invite ONE friend over for a night of SUPER FuN times. In the Rasmussen house, sleep overs are EXTREMELY RARE. In fact, Quaid has had maybe 3 in his life and the other two even less. (We aren't too fond of our kids sleeping over at other people's houses either- but that is another story). So this is a HUGE treat for them. I will keep you posted on how it is going!

A Date with a Little Girl

On the same night that I took Clayton out on a date, Kristian took Reese to a Daddy/Daughter Dance for her girlscout troop. They started the night off with dinner at the Super Fun Restuarant, ICHIBAN (habatchi grill). Where Reese said, she got to help the cook. After that, they made their way over to the dance. Kristian had given Reese a corsage and they even had their picture taken like it was prom. They apparently danced the night away. They got home at the late hour of 9:15 and Reese was EXHAUSTED!! When they got home both of them were grinning ear to ear. Kristian said how special the night was for him and Reese said that her daddy danced with her the entire time. I asked her what her favorite part of the night was and she said with all love and humility... "Having daddy all to myself. AND, that I looked SOOOOO beautiful".