July 31, 2009

Terra Blanca


Toby and I went to Terra Blanca last night. Toby had planned a customer appreciation dinner there for his customers and vendors for Officemax. It was a beautiful night. It was fun to see my man in action! I had people coming up to me telling me what a wonderful person Toby is and that they enjoy working with him. Terra Blanca is a beautiful winery, beautiful scenery, grounds, yummy cheeses and sauces to try. The event was catered...yummy food! My favorite was all the different cheeses to try and the huge jumbo shrimp!! Toby and I got to take home the leftovers...our fridge is full of catered food!! The Hewlett Packard vendor took pictures of everyone while they arrived. Once the pictures were uploaded and printed out; I helped him put them in frames and everyone had a nice picture to take home with them. He printed out a huge 13x10 picture for Toby and I. I am going to get it framed. He was showing me all the cool paper you can print your pictures out on. The watercolor paper and the canvas paper were so cool. I loved his printer too. I would love to have his camera too. Fun for me to help out in that way. I also helped Toby greet customers and show them into the event. I also loved going around to each of the vendor tables and hearing about all the new and upcoming electronics and organizational products. My favorite new product coming out is a really strong post-it like labels that are sticky on the whole back of the label, and great for labeling those big plastic tubs that we all store things in and put in our garage. I also loved the new label maker coming out and the HP printers and photo products. Toby did an awesome job. I was really proud of him.
Posted by Picasa

Terra Blanca

Posted by Picasa

My Finds

This was a steal! I have been looking for a jogging stroller. I found this one on Craigslist. I love it! Brielle loves it! She asks to get in it every night for our walk. Toby took her for a 1.5 mile jog the other night. She loved it. It's a Schwinn; only been used a handful of times..usually sells for around $250. I bought it for $25! It's basically a brand new stroller!
The kids and I went school shopping and found these shoes for the kids. Clearance shoes that happened to be in their sizes. I bought each of them for $4.98 -regular price was $19.98 each.
Posted by Picasa

July 30, 2009

Mikenna & Brielle...Haircuts!!

Took the girls today to get haircuts! Cute....Easy....and good for summer, swimming & school!!!
Mikenna wanted her hair shorter. She is so active and was getting sick of taking so much time to take care of it. She is much happier about her hair now.
I think Brielle looks really cute in this haircut. She has such a cute round head; and this just fits her.
Posted by Picasa

Mikenna & Brielle....Haircuts


Some more cute pictures of Mikenna & Brielle with their new haircuts!!
Posted by Picasa

We Love You Grandma!!!

We love you grandma! It was good to see you. We are praying for you!! You are the best grandma ever!!!
Posted by Picasa

July 29, 2009

School Shopping

I took my kids school shopping. It was fun and a little stressful. They had fun picking out new school picture shirts, supplies, etc. Mikenna is going into 3rd grade and a little nervous about having a nice teacher; but as always excited to be social and have lots of friends. I can't believe I have a son going into middle school...YIKES..he's ready; I am NOT!! I am going to be a mess on the first day of school...I usually am.
Brielle loves her new backpack...that lights up! She is excited to be a part of what Jaron and Mikenna are doing. I on the other hand; am sad my little baby is growing up! Preschool; here we come!!
Jaron...He's growing...what can I say? I love him so much and feel so blessed that he is my son.
My three babies! I love you..my little chickadees!!
Posted by Picasa

July 25, 2009

Brielle's Birthday Party

Brielle's Birthday was celebrated at her grandma & papa Winder's home. We had a yummy dinner of ribs, salads and corn on the cob.
Brielle opened her birthday gifts and was so fun to watch. She had everybody laughing and watching her. She would open a gift and say "I knew it!!!" Some of her gifts played music and she would dance for everybody. She received a loving family dollhouse from Toby and I. She LOVED it! She plays with it for hours on end. She got the little mini van that goes with the house and plays music. My parents and my grandma Higley got her accessories to go inside the doll house. She got a Strawberry Shortcake Doll from her aunt Steph and uncle Dave. She loves it too! She also got a Tinkerbell doll and big coloring pages and markers from Jaron and Mikenna. Mikenna wrote her a sweet note and also gave her a purse with some play make-up in it. She also loved the light-up Tinkerbell backpack. She had such a blast...She didn't want Jaron or Mikenna touching her stuff. She was so happy it was finally her birthday and she was the one opening the gifts this time.

She was so excited when she saw the doll house accessories and the backpack and play mini van. After gifts; we ate a Tinkerbell chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. We then went back into the living room and visited and let Jaron, Mikenna and Brielle show us all their dance moves. We also took rides on the mule. The kids went with my dad for a ride and Toby and I went too. We played ball outside after it cooled down a little bit too. It was a really fun birthday for Brielle and us! We love you Brielle!!! You are so cute and fun!
Posted by Picasa

July 23, 2009

Brielle's 4th Birthday

Brielle turned four today! I cried...I don't know why; but I am so emotional when my kids birthday's come around. I think because she is my baby..and I know I am not having anymore kids...it's a little harder with her. She is the light of my life..I feel so blessed to have her in our family. Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!! I Love You!!
Posted by Picasa

July 22, 2009

Family Night....ICE CREAM!!!


Since it's Brielle's 4th birthday this week...we headed out for Ice Cream at Sonic for Family Night. I loved Brielle's "rock on" hand pose with her tongue hanging out. After ice cream; we headed home and watched the movie Coraline together and ate popcorn. I love long summer nights! I am so grateful for my kids and wonderful husband.
Posted by Picasa

My Chick

Here's my cute chick! She loved walking around in these all day!!! She thought she was pretty clever.
Posted by Picasa

July 21, 2009

Oregon Coast



Posted by Picasa

Oregon Coast




Posted by Picasa

Oregon Coast




Posted by Picasa

Oregon Coast

We headed to Oregon this past Thursday. We went to visit my newly married sister Steph and her husband Dave. We helped them clean out their garage and get some things organized. We had quite the adventure. We left in the early evening. We estimated we would get there around 2 in the morning. Well; plans changed when Jaron got wrapped around in the seat belt and got stuck. He was sleeping and somehow twisted himself in it and it kept getting tighter and tighter. We pulled over and tried ourselves...didn't work; we stopped by a fire station; nobody there...we stopped at several hotels..no luck with finding the right tool. We couldn't find a 24 hour store anywhere..it was a pretty small town we stopped at. We finally found a 24 hour gas station-we had to cross a scary metal see-through toll bridge to get to it...we finally found made it to the gas station; and lucky for us..there were two cops there getting late night treats. Jaron was stripped to his underwear by this point because he was getting claustrophobic. We showed the cops our predicament...they were so kind and took us to a city maintenance building and got the correct tool to loosen the seatbelt. If they hadn't been there we would have just cut the seat belt off with Toby's leather men. But we were trying to save the seat belt since we were on a long trip and needed it. So we got back on our way. I have never seen so many trees in my life..hanging over the road..curvy roads..in the dark; I was ready to be out of the van by the time we arrived. We arrived at 5:00 a.m. at Steph & Dave's house. Toby had a head/chest cold...I drove most the way. The kids did really well traveling. They slept a lot of the way; except for the seat belt ordeal. Jaron slept very well after he was worked up being stuck in the seat belt. The next day we spent time catching up on sleep; and the kids playing with their cousins Carson and Shaelie. They had a blast! They were all so good the whole time we were there...they do so well playing with one another. Dave & Steph showed us around the house..it's gorgeous! My mom and dad showed up Friday night. We went to Marie Calendars for dinner. It was fun! We all went to bed soon after. Saturday morning we all got on our work clothes and tackled their garage...it took most of the day; but hopefully it helped them out. We had so much fun working together. At the end of a yummy spaghetti dinner; I was putting some toys away and I hit my head so hard that I saw stars. I was dizzy and nauseous for the rest of that night and the next day. I started feeling better Monday; the day we came home. Sunday we headed to the Oregon Coast with Dave and Steph and their 5 kids. On our drive Toby and I saw a girl driving a jeep swerve and over correct herself; and the jeep flipped several times in the air and landed on the side of the road. We saw it all happen, and was very grateful it didn't hit us too. Toby stopped and helped the girl..she was crawling out of her jeep once we got to her. Called 911 and waited for them to arrive. Several other people helped..one being a retired fire fighter. So after that; we got back on our way. We arrived at our destination and realized it was a pretty windy, cold day...but it was still fun. Brielle loved it for about 20 minutes or so; and then she was done with the sand hitting her legs and hurting them. Mikenna and Jaron loved it! We found sand crabs that were fun to play with. We stopped along the coastline a couple times during our drive...it was so pretty!!! We said our goodbyes to Dave and Steph there; and headed to Portland that night after dinner and stayed in a hotel for the night. The next morning we let the kids jump in the pool for awhile before we headed home. On our way home I ran over some wire that was on the road and got stuck up underneath the van that made a weird noise on the road when I was driving. We stopped and Toby pulled it out with his leather man. Luckily no damage. We were about 30 miles away from home; and I started noticing that the van was swerving more and more..and there was no wind that day. So I pulled over at the next exit -and we had a flat tire...we could hear the hissing air coming from it...it was a pretty big leak. Toby pulled out his leather man again...and pulled a huge piece of steel from the tire. We went to get our spare tire...and no tire. We have no idea what happened to it?? So we were stuck at the exit for 3 hours. Dave saved the day; by calling his friends dad that lives in Hermiston. He came; got Toby and took him to go buy a new tire; while the girls and I stayed with the van. We made it back home...thankful to be home after a fun; kinda crazy trip!!
Posted by Picasa

July 12, 2009

We are Blessed!!

Toby and I are so blessed with our beautiful daughter Mikenna Jo! She is our sunshine in our lives and in our home. She brings joy to all those that know her. She has such a fun, sweet spirit..people are naturally drawn to her. I had her write down how she felt during her baptism so I can put it in her baby book.

My Baptism Memories:
By Mikenna Jo Rasmussen
July 11, 2009

When I walked into the water with my dad...and after he said the prayer and came up from the water; I felt warm, and happy. I couldn't stop smiling!! I was very proud of myself for making the decision to follow God's commandments and get baptized. I felt the spirit so strong. After my mom helped me get dry and into my white baptism dress; we went to a room filled with the people I love. With the help of my papa, my uncle Ty, my uncle Dave and my Bishop and his counselors; my daddy placed his hands upon my head and confirmed me a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also gave me the gift of the Holy Ghost. I felt warm and peaceful and knew the Holy Ghost was with me. I love my family and the church.
Posted by Picasa