FIVE WEEK OLD RUBI

Our little Rubi is growing up so fast. She is a very content little girl as long as her tummy is full. She is also an eating machine. By the way, she is finally starting to sleep longer periods of time during the night. I still feel like a zombie during the day though. I guess that is part of being a mom. We love her so dearly!!

METRO ATOCHA, MADRID

This is the metro station where the terrorist attack happened. They have a monument in the Retiro Park. This is a notorious park very close from here.

METRO ATOCHA

METRO ATOCHA, MADRID

CELEBRATING ONE YEAR OF CITIZENSHIP!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

I became a US citizen last year on September 28th; and as a small gift, York made this video for me. I liked so much that I decided to post it on our blog. I love the United States and am very excited to be able to cast my vote this coming election. It feels great to be able to have a say on who should lead this great country.

RUBI HAS ARRIVED!!! CONT.

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RUBI HAS ARRIVED !!!!

We are so excited to announced that Rubi Abigail Rasmusson was born to us on August 15th. She was 3 kilos and 470 and 52 cm. long. She came with no complications. Her brothers already adore her and can't stop hugging and kissing her.


It was definitely an adventure to have a baby in another country. They do many things diferently in Spain, but overall it was a great experience.
Rubi loves to eat, and sometimes overeat (for which she spits up sometimes). She sleeps great during the day, but the nights, they are a different story. We are working on a sleeping pattern for her. I know she is still too young, but waking up every three hours is a killer. It is amazing how easy one forgets about those never-ending nights.


Well, being the mom of three is definitely a bit more challenging, especially when you live in a little apartment and you don't have the commodity of a car to move around. Needless to say I haven't left the house yet. I don't know how I am going to move around with my three kids in the Metro. SCARY THOUGHT!!! I had a friend who made it look so easy, but I don't think so. Oh well, one day at a time. I have to say, I am grateful for a wonderful husband who goes out of his way to help out.

Rasmusson Family April 2007. Phoenix, AZ

FEELING PRETTY PREGNANT!!!!

Well, we have nine weeks to go before our little girl is born. We are very excited for her to come to us. Xan and Tiago love to talk to her and cannot wait to meet her. We haven't though figured out a name for her. Well, York and I cannot agree, so if anyone have any suggestions send them. Also, I figure it would be a good idea to take pictures now before I get any bigger.

SEMANA SANTA'S TRIP TO SEGOVIA

For Semana Santa, we had the opportunity to do a bit of traveling and sightseeing. We decided to visit Segovia, and we really loved it. I know this was in March, and we are now in May, but I am doing a bit of catch up. Here are some pics of the family.

TRIP TO SEGOVIA

El Acueducto



Our trip to Segovia was wonderful. We had lots of fun. We have not done much traveling since we are living on a student budget. So far, Segovia is one of our favorite places in Spain. 'El Acueducto' (water reservoir) was built 2,000 years ago. That's right 2,000 years ago and it's still standing!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIAGUITO

It has been a while since our last post. I will try to do better at it. On May 4th, we celebrated Tiaguito's birthday. He turned three. It was very low key, just the four and half of us. We had a great time though. We had a delicious dark chocolate cake that daddy made from scratch. We loved it. Tiaguito is such a blessing in our lives. He is so silly and funny. He is always making us laugh. He is talking a lot, he loves to play with his brother, he loves Superman, Buzz Light Year, and Lighting McQueen. He is also such a good helper. He always wants to help mommy and daddy when we are cooking, cleaning or fixing something.

Tiaguito loved his double chocolate birthday cake.

Ate every bit of it.

And was very satisfied.

Toledo,Spain trip

In January 2008, we went to Toledo, Spain. It is a beautiful city with many historical places to visit. It is located around 50 miles from Madrid. We had a good day there. We took the fast train, and walk all over the place. Xan was fascinated by all the swords and shields he saw at most of the stores there. At the end of the day, we were able to enjoy a delicious PAELLA, which is a tipical food in Spain.

MOMMY IN TIME-OUT

We had to post this video. Tiago is such a character, and by the way, he never stays in time-out when we ask him to. But he knows how to put mommy and daddy in time-out. He has definitely learned the drill very well.

TIAGO'S RED HOUSE

Xan and Tiago love, and I mean LOVE, building houses with our leased red couch. Our small living room is always a mess, full of toys and cushions all over the floor. Oh well!!! This one day I was working on the computer, and saw Tiago getting into his 'just-built-cushion house and didn't hear of him again. I had to go and check on him and this is what I found...

OUR FIRST VISIT TO PORTO, PORTUGAL 2008

Well, this is my first time blogging and I think I figured out how to post pictures. This weekend we had the opportunity to take a trip to Porto and visit York's mission grounds. We had lots of fun. York showed us many areas where he served and places where he lived. We went to the beach and enjoyed a wonderful sunny day in the middle of winter. We were also very blessed to go to Portugal on a Stake Conference weeked, so York was able to see many families he served with in one visit. Even though it has been almost 10 years since his mission, they remembered who he was. Needless to say, it was a great trip!!!!!

PORTO, PORTUGAL 2008

PORTO, PORTUGAL 2008

PORTO, PORTUGAL 2008

Here are some pictures from our trip to Porto. It is such a beautiful city ,and the people are very kind and loveable. We had a blast and are hoping to go back again. The kids loved the beach with all the shells and moving creatures. The pictures were taken in a place called Foz (where the beach is) and the Ribera (where the big bridge is).

First update

HI frieds and family:

We finally decide to join the club of bloggers and create one. Life is OK. Our family is healthy (finally after a month of scarlet fever and flu) and getting adapted to our new surroundings. We have lived in Spain for three months now. We are getting used to the new culture and the rapid lifestyle of a metropolitan city. It has taken me a while to get used to moving around with the kids without a car, jumping in and out of busses and metro lines (including going up and down the stairs inside the metro stations while carrying a stroller without any help). Hey, I am building a tough shell :). Xan started school , and he is loving it. He has a little friend from church (Isaac) in his class who speaks English. I think it is helping him inmensely. He is at school from 9 to 2 pm every day. Here in Spain, kids start school at age three and usually attend from 9 to 4 pm . This is harder for me than it is for him. He loves school and it is helping him to learn Spanish a lot faster than staying at home with me. Sadly, I have been a lousy Spanish teacher for my kids. I should repent and try harder. Oh, well I try to remind myself that we are only living here for a year and that this is a great experience for all of us. Tiaguito misses his brother during the day, and he is so excited to be with him in the afternoons. They are playing so much nicer. Tiago has grown so much and is so much fun to be with. I love spending time with him. He has a very determine mind and loves doing things his way, loves to sing, loves Mr. Incredible and loves to imitate Xan.

York is doing great at school. He is in his second period of classes and is working very hard to get good grades and find an intership. We don't see him much during the week since he is so busy. So I love weekend when we can spend time together and I can get a break. He is loving his experience at IE mingling with amazing people from all over the world. It has definitely been a great exposure for all of us!!!

Toledo Video

This video is a compilation of photos/video from a trip we took to Toledo in January, 2008. To give a better flavor of what awaits Grandpar & Nana when they visit in December! Enjoy. (Warning: First attempt at making a movie of photos. Very amature. [About as professional as the Blair Witch project, so we hear!])