Two Important Items of Business

First item of business: After a few months of searching, Nils was offered a new job. His current job hasn't been going so well. They made everyone start taking one day off a week unpaid, and in the month of July, Nils was required to take 2 more weeks off- unpaid. Thank goodness for freelance. Anyhoo, he's very excited to start his new job. Good company, good benefits- and they seem like the kind of people that wouldn't make you go to a Chinese buffet for the company Christmas party.

Second item of business: I have been needing/wanting/searching for a pair of boots for years. Years and years. I'm pretty particular, so I haven't found a single boot to make the cut in all this time. Well, the search is over. I found them. I need them. I want them.
The problem: the cheapest I can find them is $230. Nils of course thinks this is the most ridiculous thing ever. He doesn't believe that I'll wear them every day for the rest of my life. I tried explaining to him how much money we'll save because I'll never have to buy shoes again. He asked me what my plan for getting them is.

My plan? My plan is to buy them. Someday. They will be mine. Oh yes, they will...be mine.

Husbandisms

My dear friend Becky, future owner of a pony, Husband tagged me.

1. What is your husband's name? Nils Anders Rasmusson

2. How long have you guys been together? We met in December 1996 and have been together since.

3. How long did you date for? He had to go on a mission from Nov. 1997-Nov. 1999, so I guess you can't really count that time as "dating". We were married 6 months after he got home, because he had this lame goal of waiting 6 months. Missionaries are weird.

4. Who eats more? More of what? Hot Pockets- Nils. Salad- Me. Sugary confections- Me again.

5. Who said "I love you" first? I don't remember who said it first, but I do remember we said it for a long time before Nils would admit that he was IN love with me. He said he loved me like a best friend. For not being IN love, he sure liked to make out.

6. Who is taller? Nils.

7. Who sings better? I'm afraid I can't answer that question.

8. Who is smarter? Nils when it comes to his mad skills. Me when it comes to all things practical and logical.

9. Who does the laundry? Me. Nils helps fold when he can.

10. Who does the dishes? Me again.

11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I like to sleep on my right side without someone breathing in my face, so I do.

12. Who pays the bills? The online automatic bill payer does. I used to, but when I had babies my brain fell out and I forget.

13. Who mows the lawn? Nils.

14. Who cooks dinner? Me. Nils can make man-food, like mac n cheese, frozen pizza, etc.

15. Who is more stubborn? Me. Me me me me me.

16. Who kissed who first? Nils sucked my face off and I thought I was going to suffocate.

17.Who asked who out first? There was no official dating, we just started hanging out every second of every day that we could.

18. Who proposed? Nils did. It was January 3, 2000. I worked until midnight, so he picked me up from work and took me too my elementary school. There was a blanket under a tree that we sat on so we wouldn't freeze to death on the snow. He wrote a little song about fingers and how the 4th finger is the coolest because it gets to wear a ring. He's cute.

19. Who is more sensitive? Me FOR SURE.

20. Who has more friends? Me. I think that goes with the territory of being female and a stay at home mom.

21. Who has more siblings? We both have 5 siblings.

22. Who wears the pants in the family? Nils is pretty laid back, so if I feel strongly about something he lets me have my way. Otherwise I think we're pretty good about coming to an agreement.

I tag Mary Ann and my cousins Melanie and De Ann.

The San Diego Report

We rolled back into town last night. We had a fun time. San Diego is beautiful and the weather is perfect.

We learned some valuable lessons on this trip. Anders and Addie are now at ages of being very interactive and fairly cooperative, so we were a little ambitious with our plans. We wanted to go to Sea World on Monday, the beach on Tuesday and the San Diego Zoo on Wednesday. We did all of the above, but by the time Wednesday rolled around and we got to the zoo, we didn't give a hoot and the kids didn't give a hoot.

Lessons Learned:

#1- San Diego is far away. By golly, it's almost in Mexico. Don't underestimate driving time.

#2- When you stay at a hotel in San Ysidro, CA, you can see a gigantic Mexican flag flying not far from you. You can also see a really tall fence and border patrol.

#3- We spent all that money on Sea World and the Zoo, but everyone's favorite part of the trip was the beach. The beach is free, as you may well be aware.

#4- There is nothing you can do to keep Aani from eating sand at the beach. Seriously. Sand is everywhere.#5- Wear more sunscreen. Shower in it if you have too. We're all fried crispy, even after what we thought were liberal applications of sunscreen.

#6- When your husband buries you in sand, there's very little you can do to keep him from making giant sand boobs on top of you. #7- After a couple days of amusement attractions, they start to run together. Do one or the other. I recommend Sea World, which leads me to...
#8- I'm not a fan of the zoo. I thought I would like the world famous San Diego Zoo, because I've really only been to the Hogle Zoo, which is....well, you know. The SDZ is really nice, but I didn't find it all that much different of an experience. The majority of the interesting animals were hiding. The kids didn't care about the animals we could see. We still found ourselves feeling sorry for the animals, being gawked at by a bunch of people with cameras and screaming kids. After about 3 hours of not seeing much, we asked the kids if they wanted to stay or go. They wanted to go.

#9-Only in Vegas do you see a truck with a cute cuddly bear and the word BIMBO underneath it. I think it's a snack cake brand? Anyone ever tried one? Photos for posterity:

Addie Girl

While we were in San Diego there was a get-together at Nils' cousin's house. I didn't go because I was puking sick with a migraine, so I wasn't there to witness the events. There was a pool, and apparently Addie couldn't stay away from it. Long story short, she went under the water twice when no one was looking. The first time Nils' dad jumped in fully clothed to save her. His nice cell phone and electronic car remote were in his pocket. They're ruined, but Addie is alive. He also hit his head on the railing. The second time, he was in his swim trunks with his nice camera around his neck. The camera is ruined, but again, Addie is alive. So thanks to GrandPar (his name is Par, so instead of Grandpa, he's GrandPar) for saving our little Addie and sacrificing his electronic devices.

Addie is in a really cute phase right now, so I want to write some of what she's doing so I don't forget. She loves to sing, albeit off tune and often the same line over and over again. She says her R's as "Wuh" or "Oy", so alright is "awight" and sure is "shoy". Dora the Explorer is "Doywah the Expoylah". When we tell her she's cute she says "yoy cute too" (you're cute too). She loves cereal and could eat it for all three meals, particularly Honey Nut Cheerios. She loves princesses and has a particular affinity for Snow White. A couple weeks ago we had a few extra dollars so we let the kids pick out a toy. She wanted a Snow White Barbie and Snow White's horse. The whole time at the store she stared at them and kept saying, "Mommy, I love it." She loves to brush hair. If I let her she'll brush my hair for an hour. She's a good sport and usually goes with the flow. She loves chocolate. I love her.

San Diego or Bust, Baby!

Nils' extended family has a family reunion every two years in some exciting location. This year it's in San Diego, so off we go. Have a great week!

Cute for Cupcakes

We've been having some trouble coming up with the right paint color scheme for the family room in the basement. We want something bold and fun. We tried a couple of colors already that had to be returned because they were horrid on the walls. Here's where we are now:
The plan is to have white chair rail between the two colors.

Me no likey. Nils stayed up until 2:30 a.m. Saturday night painting (by choice). He told me I better like it, because he's not painting another color on those walls. I like the green. I like the brown. I do not like the green and brown together. It reminds me of this really cute cupcake mix in my pantry. My awesome friend Laura gave it to me for my birthday. Isn't it cute on a cylindrical container that holds some sinful deliciousness? Cute for cupcakes, not for walls. So I think I'll keep the brown, but put something more neutral on top, something tan. Any suggestions? I can't keep buying paint.

The Haps on the Craps

Hello there. I have exciting news. I went to the dentist for a "checkup from the neck up", and tomorrow I get to go back for 3 fillings and possibly a root canal! Don't act like you're not jealous.

The great news, however, is that Nils' job started offering dental insurance TODAY, retroactive from July 1. So what would have cost $1,115 will now cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $200. Blessings, blessings. I tell ya.

What could be more exciting than my root canal, you ask? That vision of beauty above, that's what. That bad boy is mudded, taped and textured. We still have to do doors, trim, paint and carpet, but LOOK! Isn't it wonderful? Sometimes when I need a little pick-me-up, I come downstairs and look at the basement. Can you imagine when we can actually live in it? Joyous rapture, my friends. Joyous rapture.

I Could Puke!

Nils and I are what you might call "liberal" in the I'm so paranoid about every little thing I can't enjoy life unless my kids are in a cage department. We only wash pacifiers off if they're visibly dirty. I KNOW! THE HORROR! I let my baby eat Cheetos off the floor. I let her crawl around the sidewalk outside, and I don't care if she gets dirty. I let her explore the house and the yard without having to be 2 inches behind her at all times. This morning Anders came home from a friends' house and told me he stuck his head in the gutter water. I didn't care. I let Anders and Addie play outside in our yard or cul-de-sac while I peek out the window every few minutes. Here is further proof of our negligence:

This is Addie, sitting in a camping chair, eating Cheerios...

WITH TWEEZERS!

This is how I found Aani one night when I went to check on her. I know, I know, I was actually checking on my children, which goes against my liberalness. You can only be so bad for so long.

This is Anders with his new Spiderman underwear. Incidentally, it was brand new out of the package (I know you were wondering if it was clean or not).

I've encountered some uber-paranoid people lately, and seriously- I could puke. Yes, I'm aware that Anders is riding his bike with flip-flops on. Addie poured sand on her head? That's nice. Aani pulled herself up and is trying to push the stroller? Ummm....she's learning to walk. Oh, but she might fall on her keister? Don't worry, she has a nice soggy diaper to cushion her fall.

ARE YOU WITH ME? HUH?