DAY 31

Chuck E Cheese Blues...

Haldan's outage schedule has created new challenges. In order for the house to be quiet today, a Saturday, we were forced to venture out and find an activity that would entertain the children for a while. That's how we ended up at Chuck E Cheese on a Saturday, because no one in their right mind would do that just because; and I also had promised the children we would go this month and the end of the month is here.

Let's rewind. Camille has been traumatized by Chuck E forever. I think the last time we went she was still hiding under the tables when he came out. She's seven. It's a weird phobia that I don't totally understand. So, I told the kids we could go if they would agree to a photo with Chuck E for my photo of the day. They both agreed. Camille even said that she wasn't afraid anymore!

I asked an employee if there was a scheduled time that Chuck E would make an appearance because my daughter wanted to see him. She asked if it was her birthday and I told her no, but that she has been afraid of him for over 7 years and says she's not afraid any longer. They told me to return in 5 minutes and that he would make an appearance. So, I rounded up the kids and we waited. While we waited we talked about how this was just a person in a costume just like Halloween. Camille seemed fine until he came out and then she totally freaked out! I reminded her that it was just a person in a costume and she scrunched up her face and said, "He looks big and scary!" We waited a couple minutes. Connor gave him a hug and then he left. We just couldn't convince Camille to get near him. The other employee asked if they should try it again, but I told her I didn't think it was going to work. She suggested that the person dressed as Chuck E introduce himself without the costume.

So he came over and told Camille that he was dressed up as Chuck E. Even though she felt more comfortable with him she still didn't want him to go put that costume back on. I should be a more understanding mother, but for some reason felt annoyed. I guess I just am ready for her to move on. How are we ever going to be able to go to Disneyworld if she's scared of Chuck E? She agreed to a picture with just the guy, but not the guy in the costume. It was at least a step in the right direction. So, no picture of Camille with Chuck E today.

The kids played a bit longer while I tried to not give in to feelings of anxiety and claustrophobia- there were people everywhere! They ran out of tokens and it was finally time to cash in the tickets and go home. Connor ended up with 238 and had 402 from another visit. Camille ended up with 99 tickets. As she turned around her sad little face was priceless as she said, "I didn't even get 100." Connor felt a little bad for her, especially since he had over 600 tickets himself, and offered her a quarter. That seemed to make her feel better and she perked up a little.

By this point I had a throbbing headache and had to help the children figure out what to spend their tickets on, the job Haldan usually takes care of. Somehow it all worked out. The kids went in together and got a bag of cotton candy. Connor got a ball for our basketball game at home, a twisty straw, and a giant sucker. Camille got a few little items, I think body glitter and a sucker.

We made it to the car and I insisted they hand sanitize immediately. Something about that place makes me feel filthy. I'm sure if germs weren't invisible I wouldn't be alone in my feelings.

The ironic part of the story is that it actually turned out to be a beautiful day here. I think it got up to 40 degrees today. Why in the world didn't I just send them outside to play all day rather than putting myself through that kind of torture?

At least it's another Chuck E Cheese day behind us... and we don't have to go back any time soon. So, until next time...

DAY 30

potluck (pŏt'lŭk') 1. (n.) Whatever may chance to be in the pot.

Tonight we had a chili cook-off and preparedness fair at our church. My mom and I made a "Southwest Chili"- it comes from the kitchen of Shawna LeSueur who got it from her friend Becky. I liked it so much I wanted to share.

Southwest Chili

1/2 lb ground turkey

1 diced onion

3-4 celery stalks, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 can rotel (mild or medium)

2 cans stewed tomatoes, diced

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can red kidney beans

sm pkg frozen white corn

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 pkg dry ranch dressing

Combine turkey, onion, celery, and pepper. Cook together until turkey is done. Add remaining ingredients and cook in pot for 2 hours or crockpot on high.

DAY 29

"There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment."

-Norman Vincent Peale

Tonight we celebrated milestones- Connor discovers he can blow balloons for the first time and Camille learns to tie them off. Great fun!

DAY 28

What a fun birthday! My mom helped the kids decorate the house and then she fed them breakfast and took them to school for me. We went out to breakfast. After writing off IHOP it was quite a task trying to come up with a nice restaurant that served breakfast. We had to do a little research, but found the Cedar Grille at the Marriott. It was a wonderful meal and they even brought this beautiful fruit platter out for my birthday! We highly recommend them for anyone else having a special occasion. The rest of the day was great. Haldan and my mom really went out of their way to make it a special day. Haldan even made my angel food cake with white fluffy icing despite his crazy 12 hour night schedule. All in all a fun, memorable birthday.

DAY 27

Camille slept with me last night and let Grandma have her bed (since Daddy was working a night shift). She appeared to be quite cozy in her deep slumber.

So, what exactly went wrong? She woke with a bit of a swollen eye. By the time I took this photo her eye range had improved considerably, but it was starting to get pink.

We scheduled an appointment because the school has strict policies when it comes to pink eye and we couldn't be sure that it was or wasn't. The earliest we could get in was 12:45PM. While we were at the doctor's office she got one of her bloody noses. Consequently the scope of the doctor's examination extended to the nose as well as the eye.

After a thorough discussion it was decided that she was possibly suffering from an allergic reaction, but the doctor didn't think it was pink eye. She wrote up a slip and Camille went back to school for the last two hours. Tonight her eye is still swollen and red, but she has never had any of the crusty matter that generally accompanies pink eye. Now we wait and see what tomorrow has in store. I'm crossing my fingers and praying that it's nothing contagious. She is still sleeping in my bed after all!

DAY 26

"Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice."

-Author Unknown

My mom decided to come out this week and the kids have been so excited all day they could hardly wait. I must admit, I'm a little excited myself to have her all to myself. What a fun birthday present!

After spending half the day trying to think of a great photo op Camille finally loses her other front tooth! She was in her room playing a game on her computer when it happened. She said she was trying to pull her shirt up and somehow her hand slipped and her fist hit her tooth. Even though she cried and said it hurt at the time, she's now convinced that punching your teeth is the best way to get them out! She can't wait to show Mr. Fred tomorrow.

DAY 25

"Your journal is your autobiography, so it should be kept carefully. You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life."
-Spencer W. Kimball, New Era Dec 1980

Starting the first Sunday of the year our time slot for church changed so we now have much more free time in the afternoon. To help fill the time with productive activities I asked the children to either write a letter to a loved one or write in their journals right after church. The first Sunday there were lots of moans and groans, but since then they have come to accept the task. They don't have nice journals yet so they have just been writing in notebooks. When I was about 8 or 9 years old I kept a journal. It is so fun to go back and reread the thoughts I had at that age. It has become such a treasure to me. I hope that one day Connor and Camille will see it as a treasure as well and not just a chore their mother made them do.

DAY 24

Today was yet another cold day in Iowa. The kids have been asking me to make bracelets forever so I thought this would be as good a time as any. Yes, even Connor. I actually got some "boy looking" beads a while back and just haven't got around to using them yet. We even got a head start on baby gifts. The kids have four new Rasmussen cousins on the way. We're hoping there's at least one girl. It might be hard to tell in this photo, but this bracelet is very tiny... perfect for a brand new baby!

DAY 23

"I wanted to devise a wholesome, constructive activity that would foster a closer father-son relationship and promote craftsmanship and good sportsmanship through competition."

-Don Murphy, Founder of the Pinewood Derby in 1953 Manhattan Beach, CA Cub Scout Pack 280C

This was Connor's 2nd pinewood derby that he has participated in. He didn't do as well as he had hoped, but made it much longer than last year and had a fun time until he lost. His car was the patriotic car that the boys chanted "U.S.A." to as it went down the track. He was in charge of car design, color scheme, final sanding, and detailing. If you look closely you'll notice that he also used legos in the design. He has a lego guy, steering wheel, windshield, and super charger. He's already making plans for next year's car. We'll just have to wait and see what he comes up with.

DAY 22

"Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A whole clear, glorious life lies before you. Achieve! Achieve!"
-Andrew Carnegie

Connor came home today with two different medals for his participation in the lego league tournament last Saturday. He also received a very sweet letter from his school principal in the mail telling him how proud he was of his performance and the way he represented Madison Elementary. We are also very proud of Connor and are trying to be supportive of his interests. Ever since Connor was a toddler he has loved legos. It all started with the duplos. He has just recently taken apart all of the sets we diligently separated out last year and dumped them all together. He has really taken to making his own creations and is excited about the possibility of building a lego robot. He's been talking about what he might need to accomplish this task. Lego league has filled his mind with all sorts of new ideas. I can't wait to see where his ingenuity leads him.

DAY 21

(door bell rings) "Mommy, it's the fake clouds!"

Several weeks ago now we were at Target and I saw the most beautiful sky. The clouds were so perfect they didn't even look real, as if someone had painted them there. I was so disappointed that I didn't have my camera handy. The kids and I just sat there and enjoyed these clouds for a bit. So, when they were outside playing in the snow and they spotted these "fake clouds" (as they call them), they couldn't rush to the door fast enough to report their discovery. I'm so glad they wanted to share that moment with me.

DAY 20

"The most exciting place to discover talent is in yourself."
-Ashleigh Brilliant

DAY 19

Favorite Cereal: Malt-O-Meal (cold or hot)

Malt-O-Meal coupon: http://www.malt-o-meal.com/special-offers/special-offers.php

Malt-O-Meal recipe blog: http://www.malt-o-meal.com/feeds/recipes/

IHOP no more… true story

So, Friday night Haldan suggested we go out for dinner because we were leaving early in the morning for Ames and would be gone all day. He thought I would appreciate not having to worry about dinner and clean up. Agreed. Haldan and the kids wanted IHOP. Breakfast food didn’t sound that good to me, but IHOP sounded fast and cheap. IHOP it was. When we arrived there was a bit of a wait. Over the course of our wait we saw many interesting things. As one older couple were leaving the woman (who had gloves on) reached in her mouth and pulled out some food with her glove on and ate it as saliva was hanging out of her mouth. There were many other “interesting” people, but I won’t go into great detail. To get to the point, I was a bit grossed out before we were even seated.

After looking over the menu options I decided the breakfast items seemed more appetizing than the other food choices, so I went with the french toast meal which included bacon. I specifically asked for crispy bacon. The first thing I noticed when she brought the plates out was the soggy bacon. I politely asked if they could crisp it up.

In the mean time Camille started to eat her pancakes. She pulled off the bottom one and it looked half eaten. Haldan asked if she had already taken bites and she said no. We were a little disturbed by the half eaten pancake tucked under the stack. We mentioned it to our waitress who offered to get another, but Camille politely said she was fine.

I get my bacon back and it is charred and tasted bad. Trying to eat it reminded me of that scene in Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation when they are eating the remains of the scorched turkey. I then proceeded to start eating my french toast. After two bites I knew it wasn’t right. I had half of another bite to make sure, but had to spit out the rest. Haldan tried to convince me it was just my nose, but after sampling it himself agreed that it was bad. It tasted like rotten milk or something… I let our waitress know and again she offered a replacement. She also said that her sister thought the same thing when she ate them there. I’m not sure when she ate them, but I’ve had them there before and they didn’t taste like that! I figured it was probably the batter or the milk and another wouldn’t be better. She offered pancakes or something else, but by then I was grossed out and just wanted to go home.

By now Connor was ready for a second stack of pancakes (he got the all you could eat). I buttered them and cut them up for him. After he poured the syrup he started chewing and right away pulled something out of his mouth. He said he thought it was a “rubbery piece of butter”. After examining it we think it was a napkin or some sort of wrapper that must have been cooked in the batter.

At this point Haldan told Connor to not eat any more. He wanted the ticket and to get out of there as well. But I was fired up. We asked to speak to the manager so I could let her know why “we would never be eating there again”. I told her the IHOP experience was less than stellar and itemized everything. Her excuse was that they didn’t expect to be that busy. This is a Friday night and that is no excuse for bad food!

Haldan didn’t really have many complaints about his pancakes, but 3 out of 4 meals… pretty pathetic! She finally told us the meal was on the house. All I could think was that I wouldn’t have paid for that even if she didn’t make the offer. And that I wanted to get out of there!

I’m not sure if I will ever eat in an IHOP again. After having a moldy subway it took me 3 years before I would eat there again. This has left a pretty bad taste in my mouth.

Have you ever had a bad IHOP experience?

DAY 18

"Youth is a perpetual intoxication; it is a fever of the mind."
-Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld

DAY 17

This photo was taken on the way home from Ames today. It was a scary drive to say the least. This has been quite a week. The kids had an early dismissal Monday and 2 hour delay on Tuesday for a snow storm, then they were off Wednesday thru Friday for dangerous temps, now today we experienced an almost 50 degree increase in temperature and have this on the way home! Iowa is definitely not predictable when it comes to weather! (FYI: Haldan's thermometer in his car jumped to -29 degrees a minute after he took his pic with the phone yesterday, but he said he was tired of taking pictures. So, at 7AM yesterday it was actually -29 degrees... actual temperature! Today at 7AM it was 20 degrees. Iowa did set a new record. As far as I know it is -29.)

Side note: We were in Ames for Connor's Lego League Tournament today. We opted not to stay over in a hotel so we had to get up before the crack of dawn to make it there by 8AM. I couldn't believe how many people were there. I heard that there were over 70 teams, which would mean thousands of people... all for legos! Today in the opening ceremony they said it started in 1998 with 200 teams and today there are over 10,000 teams in 44 countries... whole new world I never knew existed! I think Connor had fun, although his team didn't place and will not be moving on. Connor did a robot run for the technical interview. You'll have to have him explain it all some time. The important thing is that he has really enjoyed the experience!

DAY 16

"It's better to have loved and lost than to have to do forty pounds of laundry a week." -Dr Laurence J Peter

Side Note: Today at 7AM it was colder than yesterday! They call this an Alberta Clipper. So, if this comes from there... Iowa doesn't seem all that bad after all.

DAY 15

“Whether the weather be fine, Whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold, Whether the weather be hot, We'll weather the weather, Whatever the whether, Whether we like it or not." -Unknown

weather update

I woke up a little before 7 o'clock this morning and it was even colder than forecasted. According to KCRG channel 9 it was (actual temperature) -24 degrees and -51 degrees with the wind chill. Burr!!! My thermometer is reading some sort of error. It won't even register. Send all your WARM thoughts this way! Can you imagine living in Minnesota or Canada about now? I have a friend that just moved to Fargo, ND. I feel for her 'cause as cold as it is here, it is colder there.

DAY 14

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Berthold Auerbach

Side Note: Today was a snow day, a very cold snow day I might add. The snow is very powdery and not great for snowmen and the temps were -30 or so this afternoon with wind chills. So, we downloaded itunes to pass the time. Thanks Santa & Anna for the gift cards. We just got word that school is closed again tomorrow. I'm guessing it's temperature related. It's supposed to be -20 degrees in the AM and -40 degrees with the wind chill. I'm not sure what we will fill our tomorrow with, but I'm sure we'll think of something. Gotta love Iowa!

DAY 13

We are die hard American Idol junkies! Tonight was the premier of season 8 and we were so excited! Camille even prayed about it last night. I struggled with which photo to use tonight because I really didn't have any great ones. I finally decided to put myself out of my torment and use two, both of which highlight our "idol" night.

This will be the fourth season the kids and I have watched together. It's become a fun tradition. It's the only nights I let them stay up past 8 PM. We get snacks and blankets and hunker down. They remember Taylor Hicks win in '06, Jordin Sparks and runner up Blake Lewis (the beatboxer Connor rooted for) in '07, and the "Davids" in '08. We all liked David Archuleta, but in the end were ok with Cook taking the win. (Both had amazing natural talent, but Cook had better stage presence.)

Tonight's show had some questionable scenes. Paula and Simon kissing, bikini girl, and sexual chocolate tattoo guy are a few that come to mind. I might have to start taping them like I did last season and screen the inappropriate junk out. It's too bad they can't just keep it clean. Last season right away they had some crazy girl they had to bleep about a hundred times. She was a bit disturbing and even used inappropriate hand gestures. Luckily they blurred that out as well.

Although Simon says cruel comments at times and I have to screen the show to make it a PG rating for the kids, there are great aspects of American Idol in my opinion. I think it's great how they've rejuvenated the music industry. They let contestants with raw talent have a place to be heard. They turn ordinary people into familiar names and faces. Some of the contestants that weren't even in the top 3 have gone on to be successful in the music or film industry. In season 5 Elliot Yamin (3rd place), Chris Daughtry (4th), and Kelly Pickler (5th) all signed amazing record deals. In season 2 Kimberly Caldwell finished 7th, but went on to become an entertainment reporter and host for TV Guide channel. In season 3 Jennifer Hudson finished 7th as well, but was later chosen to do the musical Dream Girls. She earned an academy award & golden globe for that performance.

My children both love music and it's been fun to watch them pick out the idol they like and follow them. They are both so different and like different kinds of music. They've even downloaded some of the previous winner's music to their ipods. Connor's excited to download some new American idol itunes from his $10 card he got from Santa.

This season has a fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, who I knew little about before tonight. There are also going to be some format changes with the show this season. If you've never watched it before it's a great time to start!

We don't get too excited about tv around here, but for now just know you'll probably get our voicemail on Tuesday nights for awhile.

DAY 12

Camille's two front teeth have been loose since last summer. I guess I wasn't ready for the "mixed dentition" yet (she had the cutest little teeth), so I told her she couldn't wiggle them until after our trip to Washington. I thought for sure she'd be singing "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" at Christmas time. Those teeth are just as stubborn as she is! Here it is Jan 12th and she finally lost the first of the two. As you can see in the photo the other one is hanging on by a thread as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it hangs on another week. Since the last tooth pulling episode with Haldan where she freaked out, he is officially "done" pulling teeth. I tried to wiggle the tooth for her yesterday, but she kept saying it hurt so I stopped. Haldan told her to eat an apple at breakfast and it would fall right out. She gave it a go, but was unsuccessful. When I picked the kids up from school today the tooth was gone. Camille said her teacher took a paper towel and pulled it out and it didn't hurt. Thanks Mr. Fred!

DAY 11

"In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen."

"Trees help prevent city flooding by catching raindrops and offsetting runoff caused by buildings and parking lots."

DAY 10

"Sugar and spice and everything nice... that's what little girls are made of."

Today we had a "Mommy-Daughter Day" with the Jarbos. It was alot of fun! We went to lunch at Applebees (Camille loves the mac & cheese), went to Bath & Body Works, Claires, got our nails done, and had an icee. Every now and then it's nice to just have a fun girl day!

DAY 9

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."-Lou Holtz

15 Best Diet Tips Ever (WebMD)

Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.
Tip No. 2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.
Tip No. 3: Consider whether you're really hungry.
Tip No. 4: Be choosy about nighttime snacks.
Tip No. 5: Enjoy your favorite foods.
Tip No. 6: Enjoy your treats away from home.
Tip No. 7: Eat several mini-meals during the day.
Tip No. 8: Eat protein at every meal.
Tip No. 9: Spice it up.
Tip No. 10: Stock your kitchen with healthy convenience foods.
Tip No. 11: Order children's portions at restaurants.
Tip No. 12: Eat foods in season.
Tip No. 13: Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables.
Tip No. 14: Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress.
Tip No. 15: Be physically active.

DAY 8

"Even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children. Avoid any kind of substance abuse, mistakenly thinking that it will help you accomplish more. And don't allow yourself to be caught up in the time-wasting, mind-numbing things like television soap operas or surfing the Internet. Turn to the Lord in faith, and you will know what to do and how to do it."
-Elder M. Russell Ballard
April General Conference 2008

DAY 7

de·ter·mi·na·tion \di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən\
1: the act of deciding definitely and firmly ; also : the result of such an act of decision 2: firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end

DAY 6

"Without having experienced the cold of winter, one cannot appreciate the warmth of spring." -Chinese proverb

DAY 5

"A characteristic of the normal child is he doesn't act that way very often."
-Author Unknown

DAY 4



This is my man. He's my partner and my best friend. We've been together 16 years now.

He was born 35 years ago today in Penang Island, Malaysia while his parents were serving in the Peace Corps.

He is a wonderful father and enjoys spending time with the kids. He especially loves his boy time with Connor. He's taught Connor many invaluable life lessons in wilderness settings such as Montana and Boundary Waters.

He is a likable, generous, thoughtful, trustworthy man of few words.

He loves seafood, sports, and the outdoors.

He is very handy and industrious.

He doesn't like attention and doesn't need possessions to be happy.

He is training for another triathlon.

He is a wonderful provider and example.

Happy Birthday, Haldan!

DAY 3

"We live by the Golden Rule. Those who have the gold make the rules." -Buzzie Bavasi

DAY 2

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."
-Angela Schwindt

New Year's Resolution 365 Day Project

I set a goal as a New Year's Resolution to do one picture a day.

I wanted to do it for 365 days, but maybe 100 is more practical. We'll see how it goes. I thought by setting this goal it would not only force me to learn my camera better, but it would also stretch me creatively and help me find the beauty around me, even on gloomy winter days like today.

So, I ventured out with camera in hand to see what I could discover through my lens. I must admit today was a bit of a challenge. I took a dozen pictures and the one I liked the best was the first one I took. As I drove through Ellis Park I saw this row of trees that caught my eye. I don't know if it was the color of the bark or the setting, but I had to stop and back up. It was in a manual setting and totally over exposed, but as I review all of the photos this is my favorite today... as is, totally unedited.

One of my favorite books as a child was "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. As I looked through the pictures I was moved by their beauty. I was inspired to dig up my book and read it again.

DAY 1

"Time-honored, beautiful, solemn and wise.

Noble, sacred and ancient.

Trees reach the highest heavens and penetrate the deepest secrets of the earth.

Trees are the largest living beings on this planet.

Trees are in communion with the spiritual and the material.

Trees guard the forests and the sanctified places that must not be spoiled.

Trees watch over us and provide us with what we need to live on this planet.

Trees provide a focal point for meditation, enlightenment, guidance and inspiration.

Trees have a soul and a spirit."

-Lavenderwater