I believe in Omega-3

I am not a naturalist.... I do not hit up stores' health supplement isles but this thing is truly great! Omega-3 is an oil found in many fish and some plants/seeds as well ( I know my research is astounding). It helps our brains function better and all sorts of things like breaking down the plaquey fats in our blood stream. Pregnant and nursing moms should take it to help their little ones' brains develop even stronger. In the old days they'd give their kids all sorts of oils including Omega-3 fish oils. Anyways, if you want to read up on it then I recommend you simply Google it -some stuff is really factual and reserved and other stuff swears it heals everything- a bit over the top.

Here is my personal testimonial...Angeli started talking really early on and she was saying her words really well. But then it all sort of stopped. Looking back it was when she stopped taking her DHA, aka omega 3, fortified formula. Months and months went by and her speech continued to be at a stand still. At her 18 month doctors appointment they said if she doesn't get more words soon then we should take to be evaluated at the Early Intervention Services. I was so annoyed. I was not going to have to take both of my kids to speech therapy and I knew deep down that she was just fine. I was complaining to my sister about it and she told me I needed to start giving her the Omega-3 supplements. She said her son did the same thing; he was an early talker but then it totally dropped off until she started giving him the Omega-3 supplements. So I broke our budget and bought a bottle of kids chewy Omega-3 "candies".

They smell like fish but it has worked like a charm!!! She is learning so many words all of the sudden. Her speech is so much clearer. It is like night and day. Studies have shown that it also really helps kids with behavioral problems...well, Bridger really has been so much more behaved. When I took Bridger to his speech group last week his speech therapist was in awe with his speech progress.

So anyways, there. I have born my testimony about Omega-3 and my conscious can be clear that I told people about the wonderful thing I found in my life so that if they are so inspired they can put it to use in their lives too! :O) I know I am such a dork!!!!

P.S. It's supposed to help varicose veins too! who knew?!?!? If only it took care of bad skin, flat hair, and weight gain. :)

Woe Is Me!!! :)

I just need to complain. Here is a list of my physical woe's that I have suffered through today. I usually have two or three of these at a time:

- TERRIBLE Varicose VEINS!!!! It is so bad that sitting doesn't even bring me relief. Laying down with my legs elevated is the only thing that makes them stop hurting. And you can imagine how often that happen for me during my day.

-Heart Burn! I have terrible heart burn. Hate it!

- A Very Sharp Hip Pain. It is caused by my wiggly hip bones pinching a nerve. It hurts when I lift things (like my children), sometimes when I walk or attempt to walk- its more of a limp, and when I lay down is when it hurts really really bad. Thus when I lay down to relief my veins my hip kicks in double time! ugh!

- Shin Splints. If you have ever had these before then you know how terrible they can be. I remember the first time I got them in high school I started crying...and I am pretty dang tough.

- Braxton Hicks. I started getting these last week. Whenever I am doing a little heavier activity I get them and these aren't the worst pain ever but they certainly are not comfortable. Plus they make me have to pee. :) Which is annoying to be running to the bathroom every 15 minutes.

- A Sore Knee. I walked a little too intensely the other day and my knee has been really lose and tender ever since. It hurts most all the time. I will be happy when all my tendons start to work again!

Needless to say I am pregnant and not getting through it with the most grace. In this moment I have hip pain, heart burn, and shin splints. But I guess nothing very wonderful ever came free. Now you can all say poor Emily and make feel a little better. ;) LOL

Busy and not much to say...

I feel like I should post something but I have nothing to really say so feel free to skip my rambling efforts to try and create a post. :)

We are alive, busy, and happy. Stew is back in school. Stewart's load will be heavy and well, it already is. I think he is glad to be back but a little overwhelmed at the same time. The looming Board exam seems to make everything more stressful. He is also starting an ambitious gym regiment with his buddies and that should help him break up the "longness" of school and study. On the side ;O) he is a wonderful husband, part time Timeless Treasures employee (he is my glaze assistant. he is so dang good at it he really is better then me.), doing all his church duties (giving a talk this Sunday even), champ home maintenance man (it seems like everyday I have something broken for him to fix - today it was the blinds) and of course a terrific father.

I am busy growing a baby, raising two kids, planning and going to play groups, running my business (tomorrow is my first day this week without a client, it will be a nice break), doing my calling, trying to be a good neighbor to my sickly neighbor across the street (she fell again yesterday and she was too embarrassed to call me because she was in the bathroom not fully dressed, thus the entire 911 response team was there to help! I wish I could do more.), starting a pre-school with some gal pals, trying to exercise so I am not obese by the time I have this baby, getting my children to their doctors (Bridger is going to have to get some dental work done and they have to sort of put him under for it...it adds up to a lot of hoop jumping for insurance), getting myself to the doctor, re-applying for welfare (so fun!), trying to keep up with my family members who are as busy as me and twice as hard to get a hold of, and getting Bridger to his speech stuff. Oh, and on the side I try to keep us fed, clothed, and my house clean enough for my clients to see. Yup, that is what we are up to. Life is busy, at times quite stressful, but all of it is very happy worthwhile stuff. Wish us luck, it is going to be one crazy semester!!!

Happy Day for Bridger

We have been battling the bureaucratic under funded system called "Nevada Early Intervention Services" for months to try and get Bridger some speech therapy. Today I felt like we finally had some meager success. We had another at home meeting today. Oh, heaven bless the speech therapist who came who actually seemed like she wanted to help my son. It went wonderfully. We now have a plan, we have goals, and we have some home therapy for our little man. It's not enough, but we will take it. It was all very positive and Bridger couldn't have been more behaved, charming, and an all around cutie. We are so grateful for all the state and government services that are making it possible for us to survive. From government subsidized school loans to the NEIS we are so grateful to our country and the help it offers people like us who need it while they struggle through school.

Just wanted to share my relief!

It's a Wonderful Life

That is my favorite movie of all time, It's a Wonderful Life. It's the story of a man who lives a life very unglamorous and yet so very important and blessed. He realizes in the end that he really has lived the life he really wants after all. He finds that he is living a Wonderful Life.

Those are my feelings about my life these days. I really am living such a wonderful life. I have everything I really want despite all the things I don't have. :) It's a happy place to be. Why am I writing this? The other day I was at Tahoe with some friends and as we watched our children playing on the beach one lady introduced me to her sister who's husband had just finished his long haul of med school, residency, and fellowship. I told her we were just starting out in med school and she looked at me with the most tired look on her face and said, "I never would want to be where you are at again. Good Luck." And then turned away looking even more tired and board then before. I am sure she is a great lady...this is not a slam on her, but it got me thinking.

What a depressing sentiment. I silently promised to never say that to anyone when we are done. It may very well be true but I hope I can at least appreciate the journey and joys along the way. As I sat there deciding what to make of her feelings I took inventory on how I really felt about my life and I decided I was pretty darn happy no matter what other's might think of my state. I like to think I am not one of those annoying people that gush all the time about how great their lives are... no, I rather like to think I am more like the man in It's a Wonderful Life. Grateful for the humble things. Lets face it, I am a extremely worn out pregnant mother of two very hyper toddlers, with almost constant ailments like terrible aching legs, a sore hip so every step is painful, nausea, heartburn,.... facing a budget of $100 a month to spend on my family's needs, trying to run my pathetic home business, trying to serve in my calling and feeling a little lame at it, and facing the looming threat of my husband starting a very challenging second year of med school and board exams! BUT, darn it, I am very happy! ;) I could be sad and live with my challenges or I could be happy and live with my challenges. I think it's evident which side I have chosen. Ultimately I believe in having dreams set in our "somedays", but I also believe in today.

And with that little tirade here are some 20 week pictures of me and my belly. I am getting excited to meet this little man growing inside me. I think he is going to be a beautiful little fatty. :() ) I thought his legs looked really chubby on the ultrasound, or maybe that really is just my hoping he is sharing more of my weight gain! ;) Anyways, there I be.

My Review..Breaking Dawn

If you have not finished Breaking Dawn you might want to skip this as well as if you don't care what I think. :O) But here is my review after a couple hours to process it.

The other books left me feeling enthralled, excited, eager for more and this one left me feeling worn out. I didn't crave for more of Bella-ness, I felt done. Not that it was super negative, I didn't dislike Bella, but it was like I had my fill. So, basically I was disappointed. I wanted to finish with the same fulfillment I had with the seventh book of Harry Potter but I just didn't. Maybe it was too long....to much dragging on...I don't know. But more then anything else I was happy to have it read and over with because Stew and I were totally forgetting our parental duties for three days and it was getting bad! :) I vowed to Stewart that I wasn't picking up another book for a long time when we were done. The book wasn't that disappointing, it's just that I re-realized I am not, nor will I probably ever be an avid reader. No offense to you big time readers out there. I am sure that makes me less informed or intelligent or something but I will stick to running as my self rejuvenation method of choice. One thing I really liked though was reading with my sweet hubby. Stew is one that cries when things touch his heart. When the book talked about motherly things I was all crying and Stew would have to take over the reading but when there was some male bounding going on Stew would get choke up a bit. We thought it was pretty funny how predictable we became by the end. Speaking of predictable... I thought it was. Few things really shocked me. Once I realized the Stephanie Meyer was letting Bella have her way in everything the book held little fun and suspense for me. It felt like she had written this book thinking too hard about what readers wanted to have happen and less about what really would happen. Everything went too well and by the time her dad was all happy and apart of her Vampire world I was a little bugged. Yes, that was a happy thing you want for her, but come on! Anyways, it was a good book and I think it was finished in the only way that Bella could truly have her happily ever after, but I guess I was looking for more. I wanted a cause other then their love. (Maybe Romances aren't my fav book of choice then, eh?!?!?!) I really wanted that epic face off that I read a hundred pages of build up for to truly come to pass. I wanted the world to be a better place by their sacrifice and bravery. I wanted a earth shattering victory for good and not just a lingering sex scene!!! There you have it. Sorry that was a bit depressing. :O)

Let me know what you think. Maybe you can shine the light on the greatness I am not really seeing. :O)

Reading...Reading

All I can say is that I totally called it, at least the first 150 pages! :O) I am not sure what I think of it yet though. hmmmm... only more reading will tell.

18 Months and So Very Sweet

Ever since I was expecting Angeli I knew we were getting a very sweet spirit. A little angel if you will and that is why we felt that Angeli, an Italian form of Angel, was the perfect name for her. She truly is a sweet angel sent from above. She has been such a blessing to have in our home. I really don't know what we'd do without our little angel girl. One of my favorite times of the day is when we cuddle right before I put her down for the night. She really is a cuddle bug; always so loving. She is growing up though and soon wont be my littlest baby anymore! :( She is already 18 months old! It seems like yesterday she was just a tiny baby. Few things are as rewarding as watching my children delight in all their new abilities and the wonderful things around them. Angeli is learning to talk, how to stick up for herself when her brother is a bully :), and the application of INDEPENDENCE! :O) She loves mothering her baby dolls, trying to mother real babies, playing with her brother, going for walks, trying to dress herself, trying on shoes, going down slides, and playing with little doggies like Sammy. Angeli you truly are a sweet blessing from our Heavenly Father and we treasure having you as ours.

Here are the absolutely adorable pictures we had taken at the Vegas JC Penney's. Mom and Paul thank you for being up to going with me, you made it such a fun time!!!! I know they would not have turned out near as cute if you weren't there to help, thank you!

Drum Roll Please!

It's a boy! He looked healthy and cute and we cant wait to meet him in the flesh...well, sort of. I could use a couple months to get ready. :) I think we will name him Benjamin. That way I will finally get to use the baby boy name I wanted to use way back when Bridger was in utero. Yay, for number three! We are so excited to have you join our little family come December.

Vegas and Our Paul

During our "epic" vacation we were lucky enough to visit our Rasmussen family twice! We felt so lucky to not only be in Vegas with Mom and Dad Ras but it was also so great to be with our brother Paul before he left on his mission. We adore Paul, he sincerely befriends everyone and enjoys what life throws at him. He is in Brazil now, You go Paul!!! :() ) During our second trip to Vegas we were surprised when Whitney showed up from Ohio. Whit is Stew's youngest sister. She is so wonderful...there are few people that make me giggle like she dose. She makes me feel like a teenager again. We love you Whit. Mom and Dad, we appreciate your love so much. All the little thoughtful things you did on our behalf meant the world to Stew and I. It is priceless to know that when we need a moment to have a mommy and daddy to turn to that we have that in you. You always love and take care of us so well. It was the perfect trip to help us recover from our first year of med school and to gear up for our second!!!! Everyone we had a blast with you! Thank you for loving us so much!

Here are some pictures we took as Paul prepared to leave on his mission.

The post non-farewell farewell talk group. It was so great to see so many aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins!

The siblings :)

Seth and Brandi, it was so great to spend time with you and your precious Nicole too. It was the perfect way to end our trip! :) We love you guys!

And Angeli "helping" her Uncle pack. :) blurry but still so dang cute.

Angeli in the Street and Tender Mercies

As I left church still in the whirlwind of my calling overload and my arms full of folders and diaper bags, and manuals Stew spotted his home teaching family across the parking lot and quickly dashed after them to set up an appointment. I kept walking to the van arms full, in high heels, five-ish months prego, and keeping an attentive eye on my toddlers. My friend waved to me and rolled down her window and we talked trying to finalize our presidency meeting time. I then realized that my toddlers that were once right next to me were nowhere to be seen. There I am standing right next to the parking lot and a very busy street and I have no idea where my kids are. I start looking frantically and then I see them. Bridger is standing on the curb trying to hold Angeli back from running in the street. In an instant I drop all my stuff that was in my arms...and it was a ton of stuff... and start running. Though my efforts were gallant my heel catches on the straps of my diaper bag and I totally eat it. But with my daughter's life at stake I jump up with a slightly twisted ankle, two hurt knees, and a big belly and run to my babies. By the time I get there Bridger is screaming on the sidewalk pointing at Angeli saying, "Baby, Baby! NO! NO!". He really was scared for her and he should have been. There is Angeli going as fast as her legs will take her right in the middle of a busy four lane street. I knew I should have checked for cars before I entered the street but I couldn't bring myself to take my eyes off Angeli as if that was some sort of protection for her to have me staring at her. I reached her in what seemed like forever and sweep her up into my arms hugging her as close as I could to my chest. As I took in the situation and realized that we were all okay I came together enough to wave a thanks to the cars lined up stopped watching my daughter toddle across. They seemed to all wave back in relief.

As I made my way across the church building lawn I saw onlookers gathering my things up for me and calling Stew over. I was trying not to cry so I wouldn't make more of a scene but I could sense I was losing that battle. However as I got to Stew I realized they all seemed really calm and cheerful. This sweet newly-wed couple had a big grin on their faces. They asked if I was ok and said that it was pretty exciting to watch. As I tried to make sense of their response I then look down and Bridger has stuffed a handful of Tums in his mouth from out of my toppled diaper bag. The sweet sister goes on complimenting me and is very impressed with my dash to my baby. I tell her she shouldn't be impressed with me at all. For goodness sake, "One minute my daughter is walking into traffic and the next my son is scarfing down medicine from my purse"!!! They thought it was so great though and were all smiles and laughing. I eventually could not help from laughing too. What a mess we were, it was either going to make me cry or laugh and they helped me chose the less depressing option.

After Stew made Bridger spit out the Tums I gave Bridger a big hug and thanked him for trying to keep Angeli out of the Street and for not going into the street too. I then explained to Angeli that if she goes "in the street a car will squash you and being squashed by a car is very owie." This sent this little couple over the edge, : () ) they were so impressed with me and Stew. They told us they had just watched this movie on parenting and it showed how to be a good parent and they thought we were perfect. It was a silly thing that they thought we were doing so well but it seemed to dissipate so much of my anxiety to hear them tell me that. I hate moments when it is clear that I am not in control of my children...I always feel so very very overwhelmed, inept, and usually embarrassed that I am pregnant with another one. I mean, if I cant handle the kids I've got then why are we having MORE!?!?!?!? But bless this couple's hearts. They saved me from having a total break down because they saw in the midst of the chaos of my toddlers trying to get themselves killed that we were doing some things right. Their parting phrase was, "I think you guys are great." I am glad that there are people in the world that can see me in a traumatic parenting moment and come away with that as their lasting impression. I think the Lord placed them there just for me. What tender mercies! Not only did the Lord protect my little Angeli from being hit by a car but He even sent someone to cheer my heart!

Hello California .... I've Missed You!

After a few days in Vegas we headed out to L.A. We had such a good time with my family. Being back home is always so refreshing for me. It's all the little comforts of being at home and being with so many who are dear to my heart that makes me never want to leave. My mom pampered us with her divine food and veggies that are out of this world, my dad was as sweet as always and made us laugh with all his quirks, we watched movies, ate tons of fresh produce, spent time with my dear grandma, played with my sisters, stayed up late talking and joking around, watched our kids play with their adorable cousins and basically took in all the things that made my childhood lovely. It was totally therapeutic for me. Mom, Dad, Shay, and Anj thanks for a wonderful time! We love you!!!!

We didn't take tons of pictures but we did take some of our day trips we took to the L.A. Zoo and the beach. Here we are at the Zoo. We loved it!!! I had the best Zoo experience of my life. Their petting zoo was out of this world, Bridger came face to face with a giant chimp, the Sea Lion's training show was awesome, Angeli was right up close to a baby gorilla, the kids loved the misters, the bird show was really fun, and the awesome play ground they had for the little guys to run around on was so much fun too. We had a great time!




Later in the week we headed to the beach at Malibu with the Gunns. We had a great time playing on the beach and watching our little ones discovering so many new things. I wish we could take them all the time. Josh and Sherri it was so fun thanks to you, thanks for a great time!