Happy Anniversary

June 30th is our 7th wedding anniversary. I know everyone thinks their husband is the best, but mine really is. Thanks for all the little things you do that make me happy, thanks for being such a great dad to our boys and especially thanks for being my best friend! Enjoy these few pictures of us through the years...

You know you live in Arizona when...

So I went to check the thermometer today, it said 96 degrees, not bad for June in Arizona right? Too bad to was my POOL thermometer!!! Only in AZ can you not feel refreshed by jumping into a pool in the summer time. It was something like 112 degrees here on my patio today. HOT HOT HOT! Braden was in the pool 4 times before the day was through. We had fun day here at Grand Central Station. Our pool is open to our friends anytime and on every other Wednesday my friend Meghan and her daughter Alli come swimming while their house is cleaned. Today our Bunco friend Paralee came too. After we were done my great friend Jess brought us some lunch on her lunch hour (thanks Jess)I tried to talk her into a quick dip, but she didn't want to swim in her scrubs, lame I know. My Mom's pool is being remodeled and so later she came over with some of my sister's kids. Then she traded and the other one came and we all swam again. I am actually pretty tan for me, in big part thanks to Powell, but man oh man, I got fried today. Totally a swimming pool burn because it is just my shoulders, chest and face. Love it, ha. So I am counting down the days till we head to our condo in Utah, some actual cold pool water will feel soooooo nice! Braden's swimming lessons are nearing their end for the summer. This is his 4th season with Courtney and he is getting the breast stroke pretty good, He still struggles with backstroke, he can't float on his back to save his life-- yeah, I know-- and today they worked on butterfly. His diving is amazing and I hope that next summer we can get him on a dive team. Hopefully tomorrow I will remember to wear sunscreen in the pool, because if it is another hot day again, and it will be, then you know we will be in it at least once.

One of Those Days...

Today was an unusually busy Friday for me. Berk has decided that the way to help me get more done in my day is by getting up at 6am each morning, which would be okay, if I weren't totally not a 'MORNING person'. (Careful what you pray for, huh?) So today, instead of looking for every opportunity to get back to my favorite Earthly possession, my pillow, I decided to get some of the many things on my to do list done.

First, I had orders for some of my burp rags, so I pinned and sewed those (plus some for a baby shower I have tomorrow). Then, I worked on the July calendar (and Aug -Oct) that I handout to the YW of our ward each month.

Moving on, I showered, which was pretty useless considering that next I took Braden & Berks along with two nephews and my niece to Tempe Beach Park for 'Friday Field trip Day.' We had fun there even tho it was about a million degrees outside, (yep I checked, the thermometer said '1,000,000*'). Burkinshaws and Schilds joined us there, thanks Janae & Hailey for coming out to my play date... (I think we will go again next week for all those of you "friends" who failed to show up JK)

After getting the kids some lunch at Sonic, I realized (after about 30 missed calls and messages from various family members) I had taken my sister's kids while she was working and failed to make sure they left her a note. OOPS! Sorry, Chel. A quick trip to my parents to drop all the kids off but Berk and I finally headed home. Thankfully, all that fun meant he took a 3 hour nap allowing me to get some more orders filled from my jewelry boutique and put the finishing touches on the burpies.

Rusty and I went to see the last matinee of 'Evan Almighty' while my parents watched my boys (THANK YOU THANK YOU). It was really funny and we both liked it a lot. I love Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls and she is in it, so that made me even happier. Rusty got annoyed that I kept saying 'Lorelei doesn't drive a mini van!' We came home (and I am just realizing we missed dinner, unless popcorn counts...) put both boys to bed and I sat down once again to work on YW stuff and update Becknews.com

So now I am realizing that all I can think is why am I not sleeping NOW? Oh, that's right because blogging is addicting! My goal for the rest of the summer is to get to bed before the next day's tomorrow comes, cause I am exhausted! Clearly I missed that goal tonite. Pictures of our fun are on becknews.com mostly cause I hate loading them to both places!

PS. My SIL Kelcie headed to BYU today and we are gonna miss her running over to watch Lost and Prison Break, but I promise to TiVO them so we can watch them each time you come home! And for being such a great preschool picker upper for me. Behave! Love you "Kel-ice" can't wait to see yours and Sarah's blogs...hint hint

Oh and BIG ThAnK yOu to Ami for making our blog cute!

Hot sun, cold water- What is better...

Sun + Wakeboarding +New Friends + Family + Babies + Tubing + Tireless + Otterpops + COLD Dr. Pepper + Fishing + Nertz + JetSkiing + Crazy Raven Bird + Naps + Sink Baths & Lake Showers + Big Banana + Cliff Jumping + Boat/Plane + Playin Presidents + Rainbow Bridge + Dangling Rope Ice Cream + Floating Watermelons + Muddy Beaches + Green Chile Burros +Wipeouts = One great week!

Lake Powell 2007 was too much fun! This is a video of some of our adventures (look close, it's Rusty & Braden, then K's Boyfriends & finally B tubing) but for the rest of the pictures you will have to click here or go to becknews.com (new ones were added on 6/21 too)

One BIG thank you to Kelcie,'Shunk', 'Snake' and 'Manda' for being such big helps with my boys! They miss you all already...P.S. Happy Late Father's Day to all the Dad's in our lives!!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

He's so cute he looks just like...

Okay, so it's the age old question, who do your kids look like most. I always think it depends on if the person knows the Mom better or the Dad better. I think it is a funny question since I am often confused for one of my three sisters- those stories I will save for another blog...Anyway,

When Braden was born I would say most people thought he looked like Rusty. I thought he looked like several of my nephews, surely there was some 'Rasmussen' in him. As he has gotten older I have several times caught him looking just like one of my nephews Camden esp. when he steals my glasses--(which Cam will quickly point out he now wears contacts!) and when he has a buzz cut. He had blue eyes, just like my family until about 3 months ago when one day, BOOM they were green, same color as Rusty and his sis Kelcie. His preschool teacher called him 'Ryan' for months after he started attending the same school where his teenage uncle went years ago. He definitely has the 'Beck' posture and walk.

Then along came Berkley. I think they look way different. Like siblings sure but not like twins. Everyone in my ward always say he is a 'mini Braden'. He too has blue eyes like me -for now. And I think both my boys have my nose (Janae concurs) but other than that there are so many pictures where I think they both boys really are just a good combo of each of us... I am super curious if his eye color will change too someday, time will tell. I think he looks like Rusty's dad and uncles, something about his somber expression, if you know Russ you know what I mean.

So I put it to you Blogging friends, most of you know us both, some of you since we were both little, or knew our siblings when they were young. I want to know if you think that my boys look more 'Rusty' or more 'Caryn'... I even included a photo of both of us and B-den around the same age that Berk is now. If you need more examples there are plenty in both boys galleries and the photos section at becknews.com I just thought this might be fun food for thought!

Berk lives here too...

Okay, so in fairness to my other child, who cannot participate in my weekly activities I thought I outta post something about him too. He is such a mellow baby Night and Day from how our experience with Braden was. Unfortuatly the last few days he has been thrown into major teething mode, and boy does it stink!!! He is up at all hours of the night and crying like crazy. I hate having him hurt and usually he only gets to sleep once he has a good motrin/tylenol combo going on. Two other things have helped me keep my sanity the last week. 1. the Jumperoo, this kid LOVES this thing. He will play for a good 30 minutes at a time allowing me to get a few things done around the house. 2. Hylands Teething Tablets. I have seen these at the store before but not until yesterday did I finally pick them up. OH MY, what a difference. Berk slept from 8 to 5 last night,miracle!!! So today he finally wanted to get on the floor and play with his animal train toys. These are great, they make all kinds of noise when you turn them. He loves it. So enjoy my cute Berkley, I know I sure do. And if anyone has tips on other coping methods for teething, I would Love to hear them!

Monday's Crafts...

"New Toys Field Trip"

Okay, So I totally had to cheat on a field trip today because Berk has been running a fever for 2 days and I don't have the energy to get out of the house. Luckily Pops called and asked Braden to run an errand with him to the Yamaha store. When they returned a very excited BDen told me all about the new "Blue" jet ski for Lake Powell as well as the new "Gray" quad. (Braden calls all the quads by their color, not brand or owner, silly...) We have been wanting a jet ski for our annual trips to Powell and are soooo excited to try it out in a few weeks. Thanks Pops, I am sure we will all have a blast with the new toys...

So, Saturday, Pops, Rusty, Kelcie, Bill & Braden all headed out to the lake to try out the new toy. Everyone said it is so fun and it goes really fast. Braden even got to drive it for a minute. So I guess, the lake counts as a real field trip and I am off the hook for this week!

Summer Time Blues

We aren't even a week into Summer and Braden is already bored! So I remembered this idea I heard from a friend of a friend, and decided to try it this summer to see if we can keep him from dying of boredom. Hopefully, I will remember to post pictures of our adventures on here! Here goes...

Monday- "Make Something day"- baking, crafts ect...

Tuesday- "Towel day"- Sprinklers, swimming at the gym, Tempe Beach Park ect.. (we swim twice a day already in our backyard, so this is extra)

Wednesday- "Work Day"- chore day...enough said.

Thursday- "Tutor Day"- work on his writing, letters and numbers and other school-ish things...

Friday- "Field Trip Day"- the Zoo, Museums, the Library, Riparian Preserve and other fun places...

Hopefully this will help me remember he is a kid with a short attention span who likes to do different things, and it will be a great way to have play dates... SO, if you want to tag along, let me know!

Caryn Needs...

Got this from Steph's blog. What you do is google "your name needs" and see what it comes up with. Have fun google-ing!

Caryn Needs-

1.Caryn needs to remember that it rains on the rich and poor alike. (heck, I am just happy when it rains at all, unless I just washed my car)

2.Caryn needs your help. ( I do, really. I need to learn how to add about 5 hours to my day so I can get everything done I want to)

3. Caryn needs to ship a box that is 14in high, 12 inches long, and 24 inches long. (I have no idea what is in that box, or where it is going, but it had better get there on time!)

4. Caryn needs her eyes tested she has obviously been watching a different show than us (I am a pretty easy critic, but generally people don't always agree with my views --esp on reality tv and who should win!)

5. Caryn needs relief from the registrar position and would like to start training a new person sometimes before Jan. 2008. ( I mean really, between raising 2 kids, running my boutique, my calling at church, I really do need some help at the registrars office--MY PLATE IS FULL!)

And finally..

6. Caryn needs a slap because she always thinks she is right (ouch, I mean I only think that because I AM always right! ha, hopefully no one wants to smack me!)

Enjoy google-ing what you need!