September 30, 2011

Happy Birthday~ Mike Rasmussen! We Love & Miss You!!

This month it was Mike's birthday - Toby's dad! He is very loved and greatly missed by us all.

 C.J. and Mike - Honeymoon.

Mike and C.J.'s wedding day in November.  They later joined the church together after they had a couple of children.  I am very blessed that they joined the church, or I probably wouldn't have met Toby.


Toby and our kiddos!  You are a wonderful daddy Toby!!  Our kids love you so much!!  I know your dad is proud of the father and husband you are!!


Toby and his family with his dad holding him as a baby in a family picture.
He was a commercial artist - very talented, witty, funny man. He was a family man and loved his family very much! His laugh was contagious and brought light into every room he entered. He was a jokester and loved to make people happy! We named Mikenna after him - and Mikenna is very much like her grand dad in a lot of ways! We talk about him a lot in our home - and make sure our children know the kind of person he was. He was a friend to all, loved people and the gospel. He was a wonderful father and husband - and put his family first - and was the center of a good time! He touched so many peoples lives in the short amount of time he was with us. He passed away when Toby was 13 years old - the same age Jaron is now. Knowing that - and how much a boy needs his father during those teenage years, you would never guess Toby grew up without him here in the physical sense. He had a strong impact on his children and didn't waste any time loving them, teaching them, showing by example, and always making the most out of each moment he had with his family. I feel so blessed to be married to a man that has the same qualities that his dad did. It's a reminder to me each year - not only how wonderful Mike is - but how wonderful Toby is - and how blessed I am to have them in my life. This time of year - I miss loved ones that have passed on - my grandma and grandpa Winder - and my grandpa Higley - my father-in-law Mike......I feel them especially close in the Fall season. Even though they are not here physically, I can still feel them around me loving me, encouraging me- and still a big part of my life. I have never met him here - but I feel a closeness to him and have on many occasions felt his spirit in our home. I feel like I have met him and know him - and miss him. I am so grateful for Mike and for Toby - and for the wonderful fathers they are. My kids are so blessed! And I know I am equally blessed! I love you Toby, and I am grateful for all you do for me and our family. I know you miss your dad. I know he is so proud of you, and the man you are, the father and husband you are. Some day you will have him by your side again, and be able to talk to him again, and joke again and spend time together.
Toby - he is so cute!!!

Mike - always the jokester....this is a picture of him playing a villain in a play. 

Mike and  C.J. Honeymoon Photo.
C.J. and Toby - wearing the mickey mouse ears, his brother Perry wearing a wig, and Jill and Jean-Marie - having fun!!
Toby and his siblings and C.J. during a Rasmussen Reunion in Colorado at his brother Perry's home.
Mikenna, Mandy and C.J. during a Rasmussen Reunion in Colorado.
Mike jumping on the trampoline joking around again.
Toby - and his family on one of the last vacations they took as a family. Mike designed the t-shirts they are all wearing - Colorado Clan-and has all of their names on each shirt. There are 8 kids in the family - one was adopted and not in this picture. They had Rasmussen cheers they would do as a family.
Toby and our family during the Rasmussen Reunion in Colorado.
Toby and his sister Jill.
Being silly!  Toby's family during the Rasmussen Reunion in Colorado.
Toby and his brothers - Cody and Casey- Perry is missing in this picture. 
Mike and C.J. Honeymoon photos.

Toby's brother Casey-wearing Mike's glasses - and holding up a picture of him in honor of his birthday!
Casey - thanks for sharing this!  It made us smile!!

Cable Bridge 5K~December

Toby & Jaron are registered to run a 5K together in the Cable Bridge 5K Run in the middle of this December.  Toby will be in the 30-39 age group.  And Jaron will be in the 13-19 age group.
December 17th!!

Toby & Mandy~Date Night!!

Mikenna took some pic's of Toby and I before we left on our date. She did a pretty good job - she is learning to use the camera. We went to a new restaurant in Kennewick called Costa Vida - it was really good - plus they stay open until 11:00pm - and since we have to squeeze dates in Friday nights after Brielle's dance class - because every day of our week is booked with activities for our kids including Saturdays- we try and see a late movie and go to dinner. Just being out for a couple hours to talk since we don't see much of each other these days is fun! And usually we go do a little grocery shopping together after our dates - because it seems our kids are eating us out of house and home these days and the food isn't lasting as long!

I so enjoy having one on one time with my best friend!

Mikenna has a hard time getting all of Toby - because he is so much taller than she is!

After helping her with the angle a bit - she did great!!
So, I am trying to document more of Toby and I - our life is so full and busy with our kids and thier activities - we are juggling and have to work harder at finding time for one another as a couple.  We are using our time that we do have together wisely, and being careful of what else takes our time outside of our family and our children's lives.  We don't have our kids for very long, and we are really trying to do the best we can with the time we have been given with them.  We are planning some fun things for next year as a family and can't wait to do them together and with our kids!!

Jaron~Punk Rock Day!

Today is punk rock day at the middle school. Jaron wanted blue and yellow hair - those are the school colors. I could only find blue hair color - no yellow anywhere - so we settled on just blue.



September 29, 2011

September 28, 2011

Jaron~Deseret Hills Kennewick Cross Country Meet~Placed 5th out of 19 Boys

Jaron - Relaxed before the meet in Kennewick at the Desert Hills Kennewick Cross Country Meet.
He placed 5th out of 19 boys.  His time was 13:11 - for two miles.  Last year he ran this coarse his time was 14:30.  He has improved so much in one year.  His starts are a lot faster - and his pace is faster throughout the race, and he is also learning how to finish with a strong kick.  He did great!
He is able to stay pretty relaxed before he starts running - he likes to joke around and have fun - until the guy says to line up - he then gets his game face on is concentrating to get a good start.
He was making faces at me - all of his friends know who I am - they call me the "Camera Lady"
We measured Jaron - he is 5'9" and a half inches now.
He looks so tall to me all of a sudden.
Wishing Jaron and his team mates good luck!
The start - he has his game face on now!

He got a great start!
3rd place at this point in the race.
Jaron and his team mate mid-race.

Jaron at the finish line - he had a great kick today at the end!!



We are proud of you buddy!!  You ran an awesome race!!