A Tribute to Sheri

Sheri Rasmussen, our fish for many, many months you passed away today. I guess your expiration date was January 15, 20010, and pronounced dead at 1:45 p.m. My heart felt anguish when I came upstairs this morning, only to find her in a bowl, laying on her side. I wanted to cry as I saw you take your last breath and wag your fins one more time. Sheri, you were always there for us. I loved watching you and Teddy swim around together in your tank. You were there for me for my first semester of college. I loved coming home to see you on weekends. Your fins grew so much since we brought you home from Walmart on that President's Day weekend. You helped Mason out with a project for scouts. Sheri, you will be missed by dad, mom, Emily, Camille, Mariah , Mason, and Teddy you swimming mate, and all those who met you. Thanks for all of the good times of feeding you and watching you swim and the memories you gave us. You were our first official pet and you outlived all of the other fish we have ever had. WE LOVE YOU SHERI!!!!! sniff, sniff....:(

*Snowboarding/ Chaperoning Adventure*

YesterdayI had the opportunity to chaperone Mariah's 6th grade class while they went skiing up to Pomerelle. Oh how I love being 18 and being considered an adult. I also get free things such as, snowboarding all day!!! That saved me $30!!!! I was very excited when Mariah told me I didn't have to pay a thing. I'm kinda cheap... We left around 8:45 a.m. and headed up to Pomerelle. We got unloaded and dressed. The other bus hadn't gotten there yet. We soon found out the bus broke down at the bottom of the mountain. Our bus driver was soon to the rescue to retrieve the students from the broken down bus. I helped get all of the students boots strapped on and laced on.

Mariah went to her skiing lesson while I finished up in the lodge. I got dressed and watched her go on the ski lift for the first time. I then went out and did a run by myself. I met up with Mariah, and her and I went up on the lift and down Milk. While on the lift she was telling me about her class and said, "Em, can you not go to fast for me. Kinda go slower." I said no problem sis. We got of the lift and she did fantastic. It wasn't as scary as she thought. I strapped in and we headed down the mountain. Well, off goes Mariah speeding down the hill. So much for me going slow for her, when she was a zooming down the mountain. I could hear here screaming as I was carving down, laughing. We finially caught up to each other as she lost a ski. We laughed for quite a while, and she said she got going to fast. Well, obviously I noticed! We got back down to the bottom and went inside for some lunch. Then her friends (Laken, Cassie, Dixie, Cheyenne, Josiah, Brennan, and Garrett) and I, went up and did many runs. We went on yahoo, milk, spud, ponderossa, and colt.

Mariah and I had a blast bonding with each other. I love how she trusted me to help her and teach her. She was very nervous and having me there to help her, and made her more confident. There were many fallings (me included), putting skis back on, and much enjoyment!! The weather was perfect, the snow was great, and the company was the Best!!

Happy Birthday Mason!!

WOW!!! Man how time has flown by. It seems just like yesterday when my baby brother was born. I remember the day when my parents told us we were having another baby. Dad, mom, Camille, Mariah, and I were eating breakfast and dad asked us how we felt about having another baby. We were SOOO EXCITED!!! We jumped up from our seats, screaming, and ran to our room and jumped on our beds and ran around the house saying, "we get a baby brother, we get a baby brother." Our family LOVES babies!!! I can remember the night before my mother was having him. I cried and begged her to let me stay with her. We were at the funeral home and grandma Blaine was getting ready to take us home. I promised I would be a very good girl and would wait in the waiting room for 3 hours. I finally ended up going home with grandma's after being bribed. The next morning we were getting ready to eat breakfast. Grandma Blaine always makes the best breakfast's; pancakes, eggs, and bacon. It was about 10 after 8 a.m. when we got a phone call from my dad saying that Mason had been born!!! I was so excited and wanted to go to the hospital immediately. Grandma said we had to finish eating breakfast and get ready. It seemed like forever before we got to go to the hospital. I was so happy to see him for the first time. I was very upset when I found out my grandma Gwen and aunt CeLes had seen him before me. I didn't want anyone besides my parents to see him before me. We all got to hold him and I asked my mother if I could pick out a bow for his head. When Mariah was born my mom promised I would be able to pick out a bow for her hair. When I got their the dumb nurse had already put one on her and I was very upset. Mom told me no since he was a boy. When we were done seeing him, my granparents, Camille and Mariah went home and I got to stay with Mason all by myself!! I held him for hours in the rocking chair and we watched Johnny Tsunami on the Disney Channel. Mom was sleeping for quite a while. Some days I still love to hold Mason the way I first did in the hospital. Nine years has gone by way WAY to fast!!! Mason is such a wonderful brother. He is so kind to everyone he sees, he is such a gentleman, opening doors for people and enforcing the ladies first rule. He loves giving hugs and kisses. He will come home from school, run downstairs, and give me a giant hug and a huge smile!! "Em, I missed you." Those words make me so happy. He is so cheerful all the time. He wakes up so early and will come down and pounce on my bed giving me hugs and waking me up. Mason, I LOVE you so much and thanks for all of these great years and memories so far. You a growing up so fast!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!!

What a great way to end such a great year: with FAMILY & FRIENDS!!! The most important thing to me. I have learned and grown so much over this past year, and I am grateful for all of my many blessings!

An overview of the year 2009:

• Graduation from Burley High School and Seminary


• 1st semester of college and BYU-Idaho


• 1st blind date


• 1st church calling on my own- ward pianist: 56th ward


• 1st trip to the E.R. (twice, and on my own, in a new hospital, with new doctors). I know what hives are and how to treat them...from personal experience.


• Concerts and Famous people I've met: Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, The Maine, David Archuelta, Benton Paul, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Kirby Heyborne


• Met people around the world: Colorado, South and North Carolina, Vermont, Spain, Brazil, Fiji, California, Washington, Illinois


• 1st dance competition and showcase: performed the cha cha with Todd Cook


• All-nighters: college and 4-H


• Ironing


• Cooking


• Living on my own


• Boys


• Running errands on my own


• Technology: facebook, skype, texting, wireless router


• New study skills: all day, study groups, recording lectures


• New skills: social dance, opening up and meeting new people


• Rexburg Temple close by. I love looking at it everyday and having that constant reminder to strive to do good everyday. I participated in temple baptisms


• Stadium Singing


• Tons of new friends

A Typical College Week:

• Monday: Classes: 7:45 Anatomy and Physiology, 10:15 Family history, and 11:15 Fitness for Fun. Come home for lunch. then go to University Orchestra. Would go to my Anatomy study group with Alisa, Christine, and Clerissa at 3:15. Come home and study some more and get ready for FHE, or we would go grocery shopping. Had FHE every Monday night and always had a blast and fun activities. Would stay up late talking with my roomates since I didn't have class early the next morning.


• Tuesday: Sleep in to about 8:30. Get ready and study all day. I would aslo update my blog on Tuesdays and iron. At 12:30 I would have lunch in the crossroads with Kinzi. Then Kyle would meet up with us and we would go to devoitonal at 2:00. Would sit in the red chairs with Jared and Mitchel and Logan and his sisters. Then at 3:15 I had child development and at 5:30 I had social dance, one of my favorite classes. Would go home, eat dinner and change into my workout clothes. Then Kinzi, Kenzie, Katie and I would go to hip hop at the Hart at 8:00. At 9:00 was yoga, and 10:00 abs that rock.


• Wednesday: Classes: 7:45 Anatomy and Physiology, 10:15 Family History, and 11:15 Fitness for Fun. Come home for lunch. Then go to University Orchestra. Would go to my 3:15 study group for Anatomy. Come home and study or take a nap, or go grocery shopping. Every other Wednesday we would have cleaning checks. We won every time but two, and I think thats because we won every time. Would relax a little after cleaning checks.


• Thursday: 7:45-9:45 Anatomy and Physiology labs. I really liked being able to see the cadavers every week. Come home and take a nap. Get ready, study. Sometimes I would have lunch in the crossroads with Kinzi, and then go to the bookstore after. Had class at 3:15: child development, and at 5:30 I had social dance. Come home and eat dinner and change. 8:00 hip hop, 9:00 yoga, and 10:00 abs that rock.


• Friday: 7:45 Anatomy and Physiology and then come home a take a nap. 12:30 Family History Lab and University orchestra at 2:00. Go home and study. Then would get together with a bunch of friends and my roomates. We would go to dance parties, sand dunes, have movie/milk shake/smoothie nights, make fries. Curfew was 1:00 a.m. on Friday nights. Would have a blast hanging with friends. Sometimes me and my roomates would have sleepovers in our living room. One time we also pulled out our mattresses and set them up in the living room. Occasional weekend trips to Burley.


• Saturday: Sleep in. Do laundry and practice piano for church on Sunday. Would run the 11/2 mile every other saturday in the workout room in the lounge. Towards the end of the semester I would go with Kinzi and Kenzie to their aunt Laney's house to do laundry. We would always eat and play with the kids. They were so much fun!!! Would work on homework. At night we would also have movie/milk shake/smoothie nights, dance parties, play games, and just hang out with friends. Curfew was midnight on Saturday nights.


• Sunday: Sleep in, and get ready for church. Church was at 12:15. Sacrament was first then sunday school and relief society. We had 3 relief societys in our ward. Janae Beazer was our Relief Society President! She was amazing! Very warm, welcoming, and would come over to visit. She is going on a mission to Japan and we are way excited for her. After church we would have roomate dinners, usually roast, steaks, or casseroles! Mandie would make no bake cookies on Sunday. I didn't like no bake cookies until she made them. They are super good!! We would relax and watch movies, talk, or work on religion homework. We didn't like to do homework on Sundays unless it was religion and we were reading our scriptures. Friends would come over and we would have cookies or brownies. Then at 9:30 we had stadium singing underneath the bleachers at the football stadium.
  

Christmas Eve was spent with my family, grandma and grandpa Blaine, Nik, Kandice, Kaelan, Jackson, Henley, Dave, Sheri, Tanner, Dallas, and Hayden. We had chinese food that is becoming a tradition on Christmas Eve. We played spoons and I won!!! We sat in our living room and talked forever, and then the kids and I went downstairs and watched the new Harry Potter movie. Then next morning Santa came and visited us!! I got a new coat, pj's, versage perfume, a CTR Ring, and our family got a wii!! My dad also gave my mom a painting of the Twin Falls Temple that Marylyn Miller Painted. It is beautiful! On New Years Eve, we went to Ben and Nikki's as tradition! We had tons of great food and tons of family over. Every half hour we would pop poppers and we did the traditional Firework show. After I went to Becca's house. Kristy, Jessie, Adam, and Tyler were all there. We had fun just talking and catching up and celebrating the new year together!

Common meals I would eat:

• lots of tomatoe and cheese sandwiches


• hot pockets


• smoothies


• frozen casseroles, chicken broccili, and lasagna


• sandwiches; toasted tuna fish and meat sandwiches with pickles and tomatoes
• Reese's Ice Cream
• Blueberry Pop Tarts
• A reese's everyday
• Chips and salsa
  

T.V Shows:

• Reba: 9:00-10:00


• Friends 10:00-11:00


• Criminal Minds at 11:00


• What I Like About You: 12:00-1:00


• NCIS, CSI:Miami, and Criminal Minds after that


• Americas Funniest Home Videos at 8:00-10:00

FHE Brothers:

• Would come over for brownies or movies


• Went on a date with Nathan to the Haunted Mill


• Went on a date with Riley to the movies


• Nathan made me cookies our last Sunday and brought them over to me

Random:

• Would go on walks with Kyle to the temple
• Skype with my Burley friends
• Went to the Sand Dunes after FHE, the Monday before Thanksgiving break, to watch an amazing meteor shower!! There were tons of us there! It was super cold.

Thanksgiving Break

What a great break it was to come home for a week to spend with my family! We had a ton of fun together. Thanksgiving day was great, spent with family and relaxation. The day after Thanksgiving was time to put up the Christmas tree and decorations. That weekend we continued the tradition of seeing santa light up the christmas lights on Rupert Square and walk around the Festival of Trees! And it wouldn't be complete without an eggnog shaker afterwards.

David Archuleta Concert Weekend!!!

What a fun weekend this was!!!! My whole family, parents and all, as well as two of my good friends, came down for the weekend!! The night before my dad and Mason came down for my University Orchestra Concert! My concert went really well and was really fun to do. We had a great semester rehearsing, and I met a lot of talented students. Joab was our concert master, who was graduating this semester. He was a fantastic leader and very talented. My stand partner was Cali Madsen, who just got married over the Christmas break. She's from Colorado and was really fun to get to know. Her husband actually has family in Oakley, what a small world. That night I was able to stay with Mason and Dad in the hotel. The next day they came back with the rest of my family. Stephanie and Becca also came to. That night my family, myself, Stephanie, Becca, my friend Kyle, and roomates Katie, Kenzie, and Vanessa all went to the concert together!!! We had a BLAST and the concert was amazing. Benton Paul was the opening show for David Archuelta. He did a really good job. After his performance we went out and got pictures by him. He also walked right next to me!!! Then it was finally time for David Archuelta to start! The crowd went WILD when he came onto the stage. Earlier that day he was seen at the Rexburg Temple, which was pretty impressive! The concert was Superb!!! He first did his pop section of the concert. My favorite song was 'zero gravity,' which I had never heard before, and of course 'Crush' in which the whole crowd was singing! After the pop part he went back stage, changed, and then came out in a suit for the Christmas Section. He did some really neat Christmas songs, my favorite, 'Melodies of Christmas.' David's birthday is on December 28, which is also Mason's birthday. It was so fun to have everyone there and a big group to enjoy the concert with-the bigger the better!

After the concert, my parents went to the hotel where they were staying, and Becca, Stephanie, Camille, Mariah, and Mason came to my apartment for a Huge SLEEPOVER!!! We had a blast making music videos, staying up late, talking, and just having a good time. The next morning I had a dance competition for my dance class. My partner was Todd Cook and we performed the Cha Cha. He is from Idaho Falls and we had a great time. I went back home and we made a fantastic breakfast and then took roomate pictures after. What a great weekend. I love being with my family and friends!!!!

~Roomates 2009~

What a FANTASTIC first semester of college I have had!!! I was blessed with the best roomates ever, great classes and teachers, a fun ward and FHE group, neat bishopric and family, a supportive family, many new friends, and a temple I can see every day!!!!

A couple weeks before christmas, my family came up for the David Archuelta Concert! The next day my roomates and me took roomate pictures. My mother took the pictures for us and did an Amazing job!!!

The next week we were having our roomate christmas party. I had been planning their Christmas presents since Thanksgiving break. I had bought 6 frames back at home, and had it all planned for mom to take pictures of us when they came up for the weekend. Mom edited the pictures back at home, and then had my friend Corry bring them to me. He also made a DVD of our pictures over the semester. He did a really neat job.

It was so fun sneaking around, tricking them that I didn't have a gift for them. I would sneak over to Corry's brothers apartment to work on wrapping the gifts. I put one of our pictures in a frame and decorated the frame with assorted ribbon. Mom also made some copies of the pictures we took and edited. And we also had the DVD and a CD with all of the pictures. When they opened up their gifts, their faces were priceless!!! They were so excited and very surprised with what I had given them.

We drew names for our secret sister gifts. I had Kinzi and Mandie and me. Mandie got me a book called, "The Five People you Meet in Heaven." It is really good. We had fun opening up each others gifts. After, we had a yummy dinner we made; pot roast, mashed potates, and cooked carrots!! Then we watched the DVD Corry made. I was almost in tears when I realized how much I am going to miss them. The DVD was amazing. After, we had some more friends over for sparkling cider.

Saying goodbye was really hard for me. We had all grown so very close as friends and as a family. I felt like I had known them forever. We had a great semester together and I couldn't have wished for it to go any better! I met so many new people and made long-lasting relationships!