Boy or Girl?

We finally took our laptop (where all of our pictures reside) in to be fixed. I feel I have so much to catch everyone up on... I know that you are all waiting with bated breath. Soon enough, dear friends. Soon.

In the mean time, I have put up a poll. We will find out in one week if we are having a little girl Rasmussen (tentatively entitled "Dani") or a little boy Rasmussen (possibly "LJ").

Lance and I have absolutely no inkling or inclination whatsoever-- nor do we actually have a preference. Any thoughts?

Whether the baby is a boy or girl, "it" is starting to kick me like crazy... I think we may have a soccer star in the making.

Joy and Chaos

Today I am watching kids for four different friends-- 10 children altogether, ages 3 months - 5 years.

I am not going to lie-- I really enjoy days like these. Having a gaggle of kids about actually relieves me of being the official entertainment for the day. I actually tend to have more time for myself and get more accomplished around the house.

Still... when I woke up this morning and pondered the day ahead of me, all I could think was, "I need a Diet Coke". And no, the weaker, less delicious, caffeine-free version would not suffice today.

Knowing that even my huge car would never fit all the car seats I would need, I knew that drinking a "real" Diet Coke today was just a pipe dream. Enter Jen. She appeared at my front door like a vision in a brown tank top, bearing the most perfectly delicious drinks in all the land.

Thanks Jen. I am drinking one now and am so happy about it. Regardless of what the doctors say, I think even my unborn child is enjoying this treat. I mean, he/she is my child, right?

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know...

I was tagged by a friend and since I am never tagged (and also because I don't have much else to write about), I thought I would bore you all with the minutia of Kira:

I am: going to keep this post rather shallow
I think: my son has pooped
I know: he needs to be changed
I want: someone else to change his diaper
I have: a headache from a lack of caffeine
I dislike: caffeine-free Diet Coke
I miss: Diet Coke, Seinfeld, and my size 6 jeans
I fear: I will never again wear a size 6
I feel: very pregnant today (and I'm not even 5 months yet!)
I hear: that sushi and facebook are all the rage, but I just can't seem to agree
I smell: like fried corn tortillas (from dinner)
I crave: smoothies-- all the time!
I usually: get my way
I cry: very rarely and at stupid things-- like "Newsies" songs
I search: the internet to see if Justin Bartha is in a Geico commercial (Lance and I have a bet)
I wonder: if I'm having a boy or a girl
I regret: not starting a Roth IRA when I was 20
I wish: I could eat at Chili's more often
I love: Chili's
I care: about Winston-- our front porch frog
I always: want to be tan
I worry: about losing my tan
I am not: a born athlete-- though I try
I remember: the first moment I laid eyes on my gorgeous husband
I believe: in tipping generously
I sing: all the time and generally, off-key
I argue: with my friends about ridiculous things-- like the merits of strawberry picking
I write: worse than I did in college
I win: at trivia games
I lose: at Yahtzee
I don't understand: how anyone could dislike reading, the beach, Diet Coke, or Chilis.
I can usually be found: reading a book at 2 am
I need: to get to the beach
I forget: where my cell phone is EVERY NIGHT!
I am happy: pretty much all of the time

As you can see... not much going on up here in the old noggin.

Weekend Highlights

Here are a few highlights from Easter Weekend:

1. The kids wearing Easter outfits-- courtesy of "Papas"2. Zoie making her debut in a Sacrament Meeting Primary performance of "Beautiful Savior"
3. Easter crafts with Aunt Jen (somehow my super-successful career woman/ devoted Mom best friend has the time and energy to research, shop for, and carry out Easter crafts with my kids)4. Tobin eating said crafts5. Easter egg hunt(s)-- a first for Tobin6. Using the web cam to show off my cute kids to my parents
7. Making my very first Easter dinner-- complete with my Mom's famous Carrot Cake

Hope everyone else had just as fabulous a weekend!

Easter 2009

Apparently, the Easter Bunny makes a stop at Wal-Mart each year. Happy Easter!

Slovacek Scoop

Today is my Dad's birthday. Last Friday was my Mom's birthday. I thought I would devote a little time to them this morning (True, I could call or email them directly-- but that is not my style).

My parents are serving a full-time mission in Prague for three years. My Dad is the Mission President and they oversee all the missionary work in Czech Republic and Slovakia. They won't be back until July 2010.Here is a little inside info on the dynamic duo-- the lesser known side of the Slovacek pair:

Mom- It took me a few years to understand why Mom was such a light eater in a family of big appetites. Then I began to see the signs-- the glove compartment chalk full of empty jelly bean packages, the Hershey's kisses wrappers stuffed in her purse. The truth was there the whole time: My Mom is a candy-aholic. Well, candy and popcorn.My Mom has a love for shoes and shopping. Now that she is overseas, I see just how deep her love of online shopping goes.

Mom loves my pug, George and of course, my kids. I know that she can't wait to come home and take my kids and dog shopping, where they can snack on candy and popcorn.

She is the most creative, fun, spiritual and real person I know-- all that and she has just a tiny bit of attitude that I seem to have inherited. Thanks Mom!

Dad- My Dad is fantastic at giving advice. He knows just when to be serious, but has no problem bopping you on the head and calling you a nincompoop-- when necessary. My dad is a people person and even though he has been gone for over a year and a half, I still have people tell me on a weekly basis how much they admire and miss him.Unless he was joking, or at least partially joking, my Dad never raised his voice in our home growing up. Although he does love to sing the BYU Fight Song at the top of his lungs and accompany it with a dance that can only be compared to the chicken dance.

My Dad called me by various nicknames growing up-- Kira Bira, Care Bear, Annie Bananie, etc. and was fond of giving big hugs.

Mom and Dad have what I consider to be the ideal marital relationship. They are real-- they disagree, bicker (particularly if a board game is involved), and poke fun at each other. They laugh and commiserate. It is clear to anyone who watches them that they are truly best friends. They created a very fun and happy household that I was blessed to grow up in.

Thanks for everything guys-- and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Goodbye Grylls and Grissom

I mentioned in my last post that we gave up cable and our DVR several months ago. I thought that in the effort of full disclosure, I would elaborate on the tragedy.

Lance and I have been quite successful at cutting the extras out of our budget-- eating out, clothes shopping, etc. We both guiltily knew that cable was our one last "luxury". As we got further and further into the Dave Ramsey lessons, we knew we would have to let it go. It was a no-brainer. We had foolishly gotten the Verizon Fios package and were paying a small fortune for it.

We rationalized that we had always been without cable before and in all honesty, we don't watch all that much television (or so we thought). We were sad to part ways with the Discovery Channel (Bear Grylls and Mike Rowe, in particular) and the kids miss their Nick Jr. and Disney Channel.

What we did not anticipate was just how devastating the effects of no more DVR would be. It is horrible to be a slave to the television programming schedule. I had no idea that I would now have to choose between The Office and CSI. Its like Sophie's Choice!! We will never again be able to see Conan O'Brian (now Jimmy Fallon) without staying up until 1 am.

The worst unforeseen consequence of all this has been the television shows we now watch-- as we have no choice. I kids you not, we have actually sat and watched the following shows just because they happened to be on when we felt like watching tv--

1. Coach
2. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
3. Everybody Loves Raymond (I have yet to see an episode where Deborah does not get mad at Raymond-- she's a horrible wife!)
4. Numbers
5. The Unit
6. The Cosby Show
7. CSI:Miami
8. Dancing with the Stars (although Lance will never admit it!)

I don't mean to insult any of these shows-- but they definitely never made our DVR list before. If you happen to have DVR, cherish it... and record CSI for us!

Sesame Street

Since getting rid of our beloved cable and DVR several months ago, we have reacquainted ourselves with the likes of PBS. My kids have (involuntarily) traded in Dora and Diego for the kind of shows I grew up on: Arthur, Curious George, and Sesame Street.

Over the past few weeks, I have grown quite fond of the clever, witty sketches on "The Street".
For example, Law and Order: Special Letters Unit. This skit cracked Lance and I up. We kept hearing the trademark Law and Order music and couldn't figure out why the kids were watching Law and Order. This is what we discovered: Hilarious. I don't want to give anything away, but the letter "M" did it.

And then I saw this skit- "I'm the Letter T" to the tune of "Hey There, Delilah". Its hysterical. And I must add-- a vast improvement over the original version (less whiny and irritating).Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4J_7jfck7Y

Good for you, Sesame Street. My kids love you and you still manage to be relevant and entertaining for all ages.

Birthday Boy

We celebrated Tobin's birthday a few weeks ago while my siblings, Heidi and Steve were in town. Here are some shots of the ensuing party:





Needless to say it was pretty wild and crazy...

Two Years Ago

Two years ago today, I had my son. I remember thinking how big he was. He was mellow and loved to be held.True to form, Tobin is still big, still mellow, and still loves to be held.

Mother of the Day Award

I love being a Mom. I think we, as Moms, are a fantastic people.

I would like to spend just a moment and honor Moms for making the tiny, every day sacrifices that are rarely mentioned.

I have two toddlers at home and am declaring myself "Mother of the Day" for the following reasons (most of which actually happened today):

1. I applaud bowel movements and make up happy songs about poop-- which really just goes against human nature.

2. I automatically switch the television from The Today Show to Curious George when I hear the kids get up.

3. I listen to "Barbie Music" in the car. (This is HUGE! Imagine Jessica Simpson and Shania Twain songs performed by little girls... which come to think of it, may actually be an improvement over the original recordings....)

4. Trips to my beloved library are now spent in the enclosed kids room-- debating over Thomas the Train and Dora videos.

5. On the rare occasion that I indulge in a delicious McGriddle from McDonalds (which no longer occurs, thanks to Dave Ramsey), I give my kids the outside buns because they taste like pancakes. This leaves me with a piece of sausage and squishy egg-like entity.

I am by no means complaining. As I said, I love being a Mom. I am sure that with each stage of Motherhood, comes unique experiences and sacrifices. So, what makes you "Mother of the Day"?