My Grandmother passed away 2 years ago. Sad to say, I never felt close to her. She and Grandpa lived with us when we were younger, but it was not a pleasant experience. Years later, after a death in the family, a family feud turned into that scene from "The Office," where Dwight "shuns" Andy... She was Dwight, and our family was Andy.
While I was on my mission she suffered from a stroke, and through the years those continued. I moved to Utah in the fall of 2008. I lived in Sandy, and my grandparents lived in Ogden, about an hours drive north. I made it my goal to get reacquainted with my grandparents and tried to visit and call at least once a month. By this time, Grandma had had so many strokes she wasn't the same. Her memory was also gone. In fact, once when my mom visited her she told mom she was going to have a new baby brother! We still get a good laugh out of that one. Two years ago though, there was not much more doctors could do for her. She passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by family. I was thankful to get a chance to say goodbye to her, even if she didn't know who I was. I was pregnant with Logan at the time, about 7 weeks away from delivery. I was able to ask her to watch out over my little boy until she could send him to me. She smiled, and patted my hand. That's the last memory I have of her.
Since then, I have tried to keep in touch with Grandpa and check on him every so often. We call, and visit enough that I have started to feel close to him again. Every time we visit he gives me things that were hers--an old candy dish, a picture frame--small things, but momentos. He has been starting to go through things, and is slowly starting to let them go. Last week he called and asked if I sew like my mom. I told him I never will be as good as she is, but that I am starting to learn a bit here and there. He then offered me Grandma's old machine and sewing table. I was floored, and so touched as this is the very machine that my mother learned how to sew on years ago. I am honored that he thought of me to have it since it has such special memories attached--both of grandma, and my mom. The machine itself is no longer made which makes it sentimental as well. I asked my mom to teach me how to use it, and hopefully someday I can hand it down to my daughter thus turning it into a family heirloom. I am grateful that even though I was not close to Grandma in this life that I do have something of hers to remind me of her.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
2 Car Family!
Yes, It's official! We are once again a two car family! We were able to buy a 2005 Toyota Camry, and we LOVE it! This has become my car since it's bigger than our Volkswagen and I almost always have the kids with me when I am out and about. It rides so smoothly, and is roomy for the kids in the back. I love having the freedom once again to go and do whatever activity I want with the kids and not have to worry about being back in time for Luke to get to school or work. I no longer feel stranded at home when he is away because now I can go and do! This week we already made several trips to the library, the park, the mall, the grocery store, a play date, etc. Hurray for second cars!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Temple Square
We have not been good about doing a formal family home evening lesson with Logan, but we do try to set aside time each week where we are doing some fun family activity. This week though, we decided to take the kids up to temple square. Because of short attention spans, we didn't dare do any of the tours, but we did walk around the conference center a little and talk (on a VERY simple level) about prophets and general conference. We then walked across the street to the north visitors center and went up to visit the Christus statue exhibit. As we got to a point where Logan could see him, Logan got so excited saying "I see Jesus! It's Jesus!" When we got him out of his stroller he ran up to it and said, "Jesus loves me, mommy!" It made me so happy to hear him say and that, and that he knows it is true! So, maybe formal lessons are not our thing, but somehow we have done something right to teach him! He knows Jesus loves him, and that he is a child of God (he is learning the words to that song too!)
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Summer Slacker
I can hardly believe how fast this year is going by! I missed posting the entire summer? And how is it that we are already into fall?? Well, nothing too exciting happened this summer--except that we had a BABY! Ella is already almost three months old, and we love her so much! She is a doll, and just an easy going baby. She was born July 2, and we brought her home on the 4th. Needless to say fireworks were not as important to me as sleep that night!
In August, we celebrated both Logan's 2nd birthday and Ella's blessing. My sisters and parents traveled from Vegas, and it was the first time in 3 years we have all been together! Logan's party was Sesame Street themed and held at Melissa's home. We had a lot of family come from both sides and a few friends too. We had 3 cakes--Grandma Jolene made Elmo, and I made Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Cookie Monster was a crowd favorite, and I was so excited since it was a last minute idea (got to love pinterest for help and inspiration!)
Ella's blessing day was nice as well. Luke was a lot less nervous this time than for Logan's since he had done it before! He gave a nice blessing, and the rest of the day was to celebrate our little girl. After the meeting, we gathered on the lawn of the church for root beer floats, and then my family came over for dinner. All 13 of us managed to fit in our tiny apartment! We had a good time with no drama-which is amazing for a family of all girls!
On Monday, Logan's actual birthday, we took him up to Hogle Zoo. They have a new polar bear exhibit that we got to see and he got to ride the train around the zoo with daddy. He was so excited to go home that day and open presents! Overall, the birthday was a success.
That same week (August was a really busy month!) Luke started his first semester of college! He is really excited about it, even though it has been a struggle already to balance classes and homework with his work schedule and family responsibilities. He is studying criminal justice at Salt Lake Community College.
Since he works 4 nights a week, and goes to school the other three nights, it has left me an "evening widow," so I actually got a job in August. I am working for a workers' comp website called claimwire. The site actually launches next month so I have been doing mainly data entry and helping to get things ready. I work from home and set my own hours, and it's all online. I love spending time with the kids by day and working by night. It's also nice because it keeps me from being too lonely at night, but gives me something to do other than change diapers, feed kids, toilet train, and other mommy duties :)
So, that's the "Readers Digest" version of our summer. I love being a mother of two, though some days I wonder how people do it with more than two kids! Amazing how in two short years I had forgotten how much attention a newborn needs, but I am learning as I go. My little family is the highlight of my life, and I can't imagine it being much of a life without them!
In August, we celebrated both Logan's 2nd birthday and Ella's blessing. My sisters and parents traveled from Vegas, and it was the first time in 3 years we have all been together! Logan's party was Sesame Street themed and held at Melissa's home. We had a lot of family come from both sides and a few friends too. We had 3 cakes--Grandma Jolene made Elmo, and I made Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Cookie Monster was a crowd favorite, and I was so excited since it was a last minute idea (got to love pinterest for help and inspiration!)
Ella's blessing day was nice as well. Luke was a lot less nervous this time than for Logan's since he had done it before! He gave a nice blessing, and the rest of the day was to celebrate our little girl. After the meeting, we gathered on the lawn of the church for root beer floats, and then my family came over for dinner. All 13 of us managed to fit in our tiny apartment! We had a good time with no drama-which is amazing for a family of all girls!
On Monday, Logan's actual birthday, we took him up to Hogle Zoo. They have a new polar bear exhibit that we got to see and he got to ride the train around the zoo with daddy. He was so excited to go home that day and open presents! Overall, the birthday was a success.
That same week (August was a really busy month!) Luke started his first semester of college! He is really excited about it, even though it has been a struggle already to balance classes and homework with his work schedule and family responsibilities. He is studying criminal justice at Salt Lake Community College.
Since he works 4 nights a week, and goes to school the other three nights, it has left me an "evening widow," so I actually got a job in August. I am working for a workers' comp website called claimwire. The site actually launches next month so I have been doing mainly data entry and helping to get things ready. I work from home and set my own hours, and it's all online. I love spending time with the kids by day and working by night. It's also nice because it keeps me from being too lonely at night, but gives me something to do other than change diapers, feed kids, toilet train, and other mommy duties :)
So, that's the "Readers Digest" version of our summer. I love being a mother of two, though some days I wonder how people do it with more than two kids! Amazing how in two short years I had forgotten how much attention a newborn needs, but I am learning as I go. My little family is the highlight of my life, and I can't imagine it being much of a life without them!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Time Flies!
Seriously? Where has this month gone? I feel like I was just in Vegas yesterday, and it's already Memorial Day weekend? This year is almost half over already!
We have been busily preparing for Ella's arrival. I can't believe we are down to 6 weeks! We had our 34 week check up yesterday and everything is looking good. The doctor is thinking she may arrive early, but I don't want to get my hopes up. Logan was 5 days late! She is due July 6, but the ultrasound says July 11. My Grammie is hoping for the 13th on her birthday, but we will see when the little one decides to make her entrance!
I have been finishing projects around the house trying to feel more at home here (funny we have been in this apartment for 5 months now and it still doesn't feel like home. I wonder if we won't get that feeling until we are settled in a house... in a few years??) I finished the curtains I have been wanting to make for our living room, and 3 throw pillows to compliment them. We got a new bed for our room including a head/foot board and curtains and a bed spread so our room looks nice and put together for the first time in our married life. I also am putting together another round of freezer meals to feed us up until then and maybe a little after (depending on when she comes!) I am trying to get things arranged in the kids room still too. I really want to stain my crib, but I was told I need to sand it first, and this is not recommended activity when pregnant. Does anybody have any suggestions for this?
Luke had some time off this week so we were able to take Logan to the community pool for the first time. He wasn't so sure about it at first, but at the end he didn't want to leave! Luke also got fitted for contacts this week and is getting used to wearing those and getting them in and out by himself. He has to work all Memorial day weekend, but I feel like we celebrated with all his time off last week.
We have been busily preparing for Ella's arrival. I can't believe we are down to 6 weeks! We had our 34 week check up yesterday and everything is looking good. The doctor is thinking she may arrive early, but I don't want to get my hopes up. Logan was 5 days late! She is due July 6, but the ultrasound says July 11. My Grammie is hoping for the 13th on her birthday, but we will see when the little one decides to make her entrance!
I have been finishing projects around the house trying to feel more at home here (funny we have been in this apartment for 5 months now and it still doesn't feel like home. I wonder if we won't get that feeling until we are settled in a house... in a few years??) I finished the curtains I have been wanting to make for our living room, and 3 throw pillows to compliment them. We got a new bed for our room including a head/foot board and curtains and a bed spread so our room looks nice and put together for the first time in our married life. I also am putting together another round of freezer meals to feed us up until then and maybe a little after (depending on when she comes!) I am trying to get things arranged in the kids room still too. I really want to stain my crib, but I was told I need to sand it first, and this is not recommended activity when pregnant. Does anybody have any suggestions for this?
Luke had some time off this week so we were able to take Logan to the community pool for the first time. He wasn't so sure about it at first, but at the end he didn't want to leave! Luke also got fitted for contacts this week and is getting used to wearing those and getting them in and out by himself. He has to work all Memorial day weekend, but I feel like we celebrated with all his time off last week.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Recap
I spent the past weekend in Las Vegas visiting my family, and while there I had it pointed our to me I hadn't done very well at keeping up my blog. So, I decided to post an update about our little family over the last 7 months!
The holidays were a busy time for us, and not just in usual holiday manner! In November we found out we are expecting baby Rasmussen number 2! We are so excited for this new addition to our family, though it will be a whole new experience as we learn how to raise a baby girl. Luke tells everyone he is honored to become a daddy to a girl. She is scheduled to arrive in early July and her name will be Ella Rae. Logan talks about baby Ella all the time, and I think he will be a great big brother!
December brought on quite a few surprises as well. We had been struggling a lot with the family we were living with and tending for, and felt that the relationship with the parents was getting more strained by the day. Plus, knowing I was pregnant with what would be the sixth child I cared for was a bit overwhelming. Luke and I had been looking to move and were trying to find the perfect spot, when after a falling out, the father of the family we lived with told us we needed to leave. I won't go into too much detail as I am still healing from things that were said both to me and about me, but it was not a good situation. Luke's parents came over that night to help us start packing and we were out the next day. The only problem was we didn't have a place lined up yet, so we packed all our things up on Luke's dad's trailer and stored it at their house where we stayed for two weeks before finding our own place. Did I mention this all happened about two weeks before Christmas? On December 23, we moved into a tiny two bed apartment in Millcreek, and on Christmas Eve we left for Vegas to celebrate with my family. Upon returning, we had a lot of work to do to get settled. During all this transitional phase, Luke had started a new job at the Grand America hotel in their security department, and was not around much to help me settle in and unpack. His mom was good about coming over and helping both with unpacking and entertaining Logan while I worked on things, and eventually we got more comfortable.
January brought on exciting times. It was a new year, we were expecting a new baby, living in a new place, Luke had a new job, and tax season began which meant I officially started my new job doing customer service for a tax prep company as well. Luckily, my job was part time from home and all on the computer so I could still be with my little man. I had my second OB appointment for the baby and no surprise from all of the events going on in our life I had actually lost weight through the holiday season. When we told the nurse about things that had been going on she instantly checked my blood pressure and was surprised it wasn't sky high! January also brought on a milestone for me as I hit the big 3-0! Getting out of a bad situation in that basement was a good enough present for me, but we celebrated with dinner and a movie and a family surprise party after. I am really looking forward to all the changes this year and think the 30's will bring some good memories!
February brought on more fun times. With our tax return we were able to buy a car! We had been borrowing one from Luke's parents for about 6 months, but now we are the OWNERS of a 2000 VW Golf, which we love! It's been a great little car for our family, and we plan on getting lots of good use out of it! The car only had 75000 miles on it when we bought it, and has a sunroof, heated seats, keyless entry, and is just fun to drive!
Luke also lost his job in February at the Grand America. (I know, that didn't last long!) Things were just not working out there, and he didn't enjoy it. Luckily, I was working, and he still had his part time job at Enterprise. Before he even qualified for unemployment insurance, he was offered another security position with a company called Guardsmark. The job came with crazy hours and LOTS of paperwork and background checks, but paid more, and he will be eligible for insurance before the baby is born. We are amazed at the way blessings come into our life!
Luke and I were also called to teach the 8 year old primary class in our new ward. It proved to be tough with his new schedule at work, and our very active and disruptive class, but we welcomed the new challenge. Logan also started nursery this month, and he LOVES it! The first week he ran into play without looking back or letting me say goodbye! The last couple weeks he has began to recognize his leaders during sacrament and gets so excited! He ran to me a couple weeks ago when I picked him up and said "Nursery FUN!" I am so glad he loves it as it makes it easier to leave him!
March and April flew by. April found us celebrating our 3 year anniversary which to us feels a lot longer (in a good way!) Luke is still enjoying his security job, and my job ended at the end of tax season in April. Now I get six months off to enjoy my babies, and get into a new routine with two kids before coming back on in November. Logan has been our angel through all of this and every day he makes me smile. He is growing like a weed, and will turn two a few weeks after the baby is born. He got his first haircut this week at 20 months and he looks like a little man!
Logan and I got to spend the last weekend in Vegas with my parents while Luke worked the weekend. I needed an escape before the new baby is born, and Logan got to play "shadow" with papa Freitag! I don't know who loved it more, but we all had a good time. We got to have a BBQ with Lauren and her cute family, and go to the temple with Leslie, do a family sealing with Lauren and Garn, go to hear papa's band play, take my mom to dinner for mother's day, and meet up with a friend of mine from my singles ward days! We had a good time, and were sad to leave, but glad to get home as well.
That's our life in a nutshell over the last few months. There have been hard times, but I know Heavenly Father is blessing us so much! I will try to do better at posting updates on our busy life, and next time post some updated pictures!
The holidays were a busy time for us, and not just in usual holiday manner! In November we found out we are expecting baby Rasmussen number 2! We are so excited for this new addition to our family, though it will be a whole new experience as we learn how to raise a baby girl. Luke tells everyone he is honored to become a daddy to a girl. She is scheduled to arrive in early July and her name will be Ella Rae. Logan talks about baby Ella all the time, and I think he will be a great big brother!
December brought on quite a few surprises as well. We had been struggling a lot with the family we were living with and tending for, and felt that the relationship with the parents was getting more strained by the day. Plus, knowing I was pregnant with what would be the sixth child I cared for was a bit overwhelming. Luke and I had been looking to move and were trying to find the perfect spot, when after a falling out, the father of the family we lived with told us we needed to leave. I won't go into too much detail as I am still healing from things that were said both to me and about me, but it was not a good situation. Luke's parents came over that night to help us start packing and we were out the next day. The only problem was we didn't have a place lined up yet, so we packed all our things up on Luke's dad's trailer and stored it at their house where we stayed for two weeks before finding our own place. Did I mention this all happened about two weeks before Christmas? On December 23, we moved into a tiny two bed apartment in Millcreek, and on Christmas Eve we left for Vegas to celebrate with my family. Upon returning, we had a lot of work to do to get settled. During all this transitional phase, Luke had started a new job at the Grand America hotel in their security department, and was not around much to help me settle in and unpack. His mom was good about coming over and helping both with unpacking and entertaining Logan while I worked on things, and eventually we got more comfortable.
January brought on exciting times. It was a new year, we were expecting a new baby, living in a new place, Luke had a new job, and tax season began which meant I officially started my new job doing customer service for a tax prep company as well. Luckily, my job was part time from home and all on the computer so I could still be with my little man. I had my second OB appointment for the baby and no surprise from all of the events going on in our life I had actually lost weight through the holiday season. When we told the nurse about things that had been going on she instantly checked my blood pressure and was surprised it wasn't sky high! January also brought on a milestone for me as I hit the big 3-0! Getting out of a bad situation in that basement was a good enough present for me, but we celebrated with dinner and a movie and a family surprise party after. I am really looking forward to all the changes this year and think the 30's will bring some good memories!
February brought on more fun times. With our tax return we were able to buy a car! We had been borrowing one from Luke's parents for about 6 months, but now we are the OWNERS of a 2000 VW Golf, which we love! It's been a great little car for our family, and we plan on getting lots of good use out of it! The car only had 75000 miles on it when we bought it, and has a sunroof, heated seats, keyless entry, and is just fun to drive!
Luke also lost his job in February at the Grand America. (I know, that didn't last long!) Things were just not working out there, and he didn't enjoy it. Luckily, I was working, and he still had his part time job at Enterprise. Before he even qualified for unemployment insurance, he was offered another security position with a company called Guardsmark. The job came with crazy hours and LOTS of paperwork and background checks, but paid more, and he will be eligible for insurance before the baby is born. We are amazed at the way blessings come into our life!
Luke and I were also called to teach the 8 year old primary class in our new ward. It proved to be tough with his new schedule at work, and our very active and disruptive class, but we welcomed the new challenge. Logan also started nursery this month, and he LOVES it! The first week he ran into play without looking back or letting me say goodbye! The last couple weeks he has began to recognize his leaders during sacrament and gets so excited! He ran to me a couple weeks ago when I picked him up and said "Nursery FUN!" I am so glad he loves it as it makes it easier to leave him!
March and April flew by. April found us celebrating our 3 year anniversary which to us feels a lot longer (in a good way!) Luke is still enjoying his security job, and my job ended at the end of tax season in April. Now I get six months off to enjoy my babies, and get into a new routine with two kids before coming back on in November. Logan has been our angel through all of this and every day he makes me smile. He is growing like a weed, and will turn two a few weeks after the baby is born. He got his first haircut this week at 20 months and he looks like a little man!
Logan and I got to spend the last weekend in Vegas with my parents while Luke worked the weekend. I needed an escape before the new baby is born, and Logan got to play "shadow" with papa Freitag! I don't know who loved it more, but we all had a good time. We got to have a BBQ with Lauren and her cute family, and go to the temple with Leslie, do a family sealing with Lauren and Garn, go to hear papa's band play, take my mom to dinner for mother's day, and meet up with a friend of mine from my singles ward days! We had a good time, and were sad to leave, but glad to get home as well.
That's our life in a nutshell over the last few months. There have been hard times, but I know Heavenly Father is blessing us so much! I will try to do better at posting updates on our busy life, and next time post some updated pictures!
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