One More for 2007

Darn it, I thought we'd make it to 100 posts for 2007, but I guess we'll just have to be happy with 95.

It might surprise you to know that despite my scrooginess, I do like Christmas and I celebrate it every year. :-) We had a nice Christmas, although we've all been sick over the last couple of weeks. Poor little Addie was pretty miserable for Christmas. She opened her presents like a trooper, but sacked out for the rest of the day. So, without further adieu, here are my favorite Christmas highlights:

Anders' gift to me

Aani. Sweet, sweet Aani.

Santa found this totally sweet train set at Ross for a killer deal! That Santa...such a savvy shopper!

Addie was an angel in the Nativity...a Diva Angel!

Anders received this T-Rex from Santa. They were cracking me up with their little arms!

The T-Rex's name is Roary. Poor Roary. He looks so tough, but still needs a binky.

This just kills me with its cuteness. What a girl!

So, to make this the longest post ever, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight the year 2007 for us Rasmussons.

* We found our home in Saratoga Springs, remodeled, and moved in.

*Aani Sophia came into the world. What an amazing blessing she's been!

*Addie gave up the binky, moved into a big bed, and potty-trained.

*Anders started preschool and is reading. He continues his quest to dominate the universe by relentlessly asking questions.

*Nils has been plugging away at school, and now has a mere 9 credits before he graduates.

*Katrina. Hmmm. Well, you've all sort of been in my brain this year by reading this blog. So, I'd just like to tell my wonderful friends how much I love you all. I've been blessed with great friends in all stages of my life, and that brings me so much happiness. Thanks! Hope you all have a wonderful 2008.

So long, 2007!

Love

There's so much love in this boy he can hardly stand it.

Name Change

Nils started this blog one night while he was at school almost 3 years ago, and I took to it a couple months later. I didn't give the title "The Paradigm of Nils and Katrina" much thought. It's unique, so I thought it was fine. Last week Nils told me I could change the name of the blog if I wanted to. I asked him why he wanted it changed and he told me he had been reading a book by Stephen Covey when he started blogging. I guess Bro. Covey is a fan of the word paradigm. So now that Nils is out of Covey Mode (he's been listening to Tony Robbins lately), the name's changing.

Nils announced to the children and me a few months ago that we should call ourselves "The R Team", because we're a family...we're a TEAM! So there it is. He really liked The A Team and Mr. T as a kid. And since he drives some distance to and from work every day, he sees a lot of bumper stickers. His favorite bumper sticker says "Git 'er Done." Not sure what it means, but boy, is it funny!

On a totally unrelated note, we just got home from Nils' work Christmas party. It was at a Chinese buffet. Brutal. I've decided I'll be okay if I never eat at a Chinese buffet again. And I'll be okay if next Christmas, we go to a different company's Christmas party. Oh yes. Yes, I will.

Thank you if you've read this.

Calling All Math Nerds!

Hi folks. It's Nils. As many of you know, Katrina and I were born with a debilitating DNA disorder known as I-Suck-At-Math-A-Lot-itus. Our children are doomed to the same fate but state law requires that I pass College Algebra in order to receive my degree. Therein lies the dilemma. I should have had my Associates a long time ago but I could never pass the math courses. Now I find myself nearing what I hope to be my last semester of college and the elusive passing grade of College Algebra 1050 (or 1030) stands between me and that diploma for both my Associates and Bachelor's degrees. Katrina has let me know on no uncertain terms that Spring '08 will be my last semester of college whether I graduate or not. This is where you come in. I need help. I'm hoping to find a Math Tutor who will help me study for my placement test and then offer some help occasionally during the semester. I have taken Math 1050 four separate times and failed it each time. I am truly mathematically retarded. What can I say? Now, because it's been so long since my last passing grade, I have to qualify to get into the new class. I'm just not ready for that so I need help.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS WILLING TO HELP ME FIGHT TO FIND MY CURE FOR I-SUCK-AT-MATH-A-LOT-ITIS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. We're poor so I can't pay cash but I will happily teach you something in return or do some tradework for you. I'm a fairly skilled guy at a couple of things after having spent 11 years in college. I'm good with Photoshop, photography, video, audio, web design, illustration, woodworking, construction, whining, complaining- wait, those last ones aren't really skills- but anyway, we'll work something out. Also, you do not need to be a total math nerd to qualify. Remember, I am an idiot when it comes to math so if you know what polynomials or integers are, or if you have ever memorized equations and still know them, you're light years ahead of me.

Thanks for your help!
-Nizzle.

My Apologies

Addie dressed up in my clothes and decided to show off our amazing tree. Please note the many snowman ornaments.

Ashli Christmas tagged me. I read the questions, all TWENTY-TWO of them, and decided I couldn't possibly answer them without sounding like a total scrooge. So, instead of answering them, I'll just let you all in on some of my scrooge-like qualities.

1. We bought our tree at Wal-Mart 6 years ago. It was $20. That's right, I said twenty. I can't stomach the thought of spending hundreds of dollars on something that graces us with its presence for a month. We are way too poor for that. Maybe someday when we're millionaires, we'll buy a big honkin' tree.

2. Most of my Christmas decorations have been given to me through the years by my mother for...Christmas! She seems to think that I fancy snowmen. Sure, why not?

3. 5 years ago when I was 100 months pregnant with Anders, Nils and I decided not to give presents to each other for Christmas. We decided to keep our $20 tree up until he was born, and he would be our late Christmas present. We broke down and budgeted $25 dollars for gifts to each other. Anders was born January 6.

4. I really don't decorate for holidays at all- with the exception of Christmas, thanks to my mom. We've moved 9 times in the 7 1/2 years we've been married, and I just don't want to schlep around more stuff than we have to. Holiday decorations qualify as more stuff.

5. Anders let me know at Halloween time that we were the only people in the world that didn't have our house decorated. So, we got some Halloween decor. I guess now that the kids are getting older, I will do more for holidays. Mainly so we don't get turned in to DCFS.

Merry Christmas!