Merry Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas from the Sorensen's

This year has gone so quickly.  The kids are busy and I guess so are we.  We have been blessed throughout this year and pray the Lord continues to guide and direct us in our daily lives.

Last year I think I started with the youngest, so this year I'll start with the oldest.  Oh, that is me!  Yikes!  Well, my life has been good this year.  Health is a great thing and I am very grateful for it.  I am still staying busy with the kids activities as well as my own. :)

I work at least 16 hours a month to keep up my nursing license.  I love my job! 

I am also staying busy with the typical household jobs and activities that I enjoy (scrapbooking, bunco, etc), and also church callings.  I was called to be Primary President in May.  I am still adjusting and trying to do a good job.

Justin is doing well.  He's stayed healthy as well this year despite a little back issue last month.  He twisted a vertebrae in his back that required some PT.  He keeps busy with work and is doing a great job supporting us and making sure we have all that we need.  He is now working with the 11 year old scouts.  I wonder if he'll still be there when Tyler is 11. 

Tyler is now 9 and a half.  He enjoys reading, math and all sports.  He is very active and keeps us on our toes!  He played football, soccer and baseball this year.  He continues to do well in school and enjoys the EY (Excellence in Youth) program at school.  It challenges him a little more than the classroom.  He gets to do more difficult activities.  This past week he had the opportunity to participate in a spelling bee.  He was so excited.  This year was only practice, so hopefully he will be as excited next time.

Jenna is 7 and our "little hopper".  She is always moving...for those who have seen her when she is excited, she  jumps repeatedly and/or shakes her hands.  It's her way to show you that she is happy!  She loves animals and wants to be a vet.  She is also doing well in school and has finally figured out how to read quietly by herself.  I love when they discover that reading is fun!

Megan is the ruler of our home, even at 4 and a half.  She is a lot of fun and has the cutest personality.  She is always making us smile/laugh.  She loves her cousins and her friends and is constantly asking where we are going.  Preschool is fun too!  She loves to go.  Her favorite activity has been doing Perler Beads (We call them "melt-a-beads").  She does them daily and loves to take them to her teachers and friends. We have done so many this year that I decided to decorate our tree with them.  

With all that, I'll close this Christmas letter and hope you and yours is happy and healthy. 

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

With love, The Sorensen's

Broken...really?

Well, it all happened one evening.  Megan was at the neighbors playing with her friends RJ and Autumn.  She'd been gone about 30 minutes and there is a knock at the door.  It's my neighbor, Rod, holding Megan who is crying.  He says, "She and RJ were jumping off his bunk bed.  She says her leg and arm hurt.  She won't squeeze my hand, but I don't think it's broken."

I carried her to the kitchen (where I was in the middle of dinner) and put her on the counter.  She sat there crying and cradling her arm.  I gave her Motrin and an ice pack.  She sat there for about 15-20 minutes while I finished making dinner.  She seemed ok, but still moved around very carefully.  By the time Justin got home and we ate dinner (total of an hour), she was almost all better.  I was convinced we were going to go to the Urgent Care and have an X-ray.

Justin thought I was crazy.

We went and I started to doubt my decision, as she was acting normal with some guarding of her wrist.   We got to the office and had the X-ray done.  I knew the tech and she let me look.  I should have been a radiologist because I pointed out the fracture.  Hee hee!!

Distal Radial Fracture or Buckle Fracture

So sad...my baby has a broken arm.  I was so relieved when they brought in a splint.  No hard cast for us.  Although Megan threw the biggest fit that lasted about 10 minutes!!

"I AM NOT WEARING THAT!!"

My nurse friends tried to bring in stickers and special tape to help to decorate this ugly black splint.  Still...she was NOT going to have it.  She thought she would look "weird".  How does a 4 year old know that? I finally said, "If you don't wear that, we'll go to another doctor and he'll put one on that you won't be able to take off.  This one we can take off when you have an itch and to wash."  That did it.  She complied and now that the 3 weeks are up, she doesn't want to take it off.  It smells and I am ready for it to be done.  She needs to find her independence again and begin to WIPE herself!!!

Here we are at Skateland PlayDaze the day after.  She stuck around me for the first hour.  Doing the mellow stuff. Then she ventured off and went on the jumping toy and down the slides.  Thanks MOTRIN!!

I never thought she'd actually do this!  She's nuts!

Halloween 2009

Happy Halloween!

This year we all dressed up.  I think that is a first for us. 

 The kids Trick or Treating at Grandma Sorensen's.  Jenna looks a little possessed, but really she is a happy witch.

 

Justin was "Static Cling".  Kari was "A basket of Laundry".

Tyler as a baseball player.

I love when they chose things that don't take any thought or money!!

Jenna as The Wicked Witch of the West.

Her eyes even say that.  She really got in to her part for pictures this year.

Megan as the good witch.

She was so excited to be out of the house because she had been sick for 3 days and missed 2 Halloween parties.

Kitchen

The tile is done!!

This is after the grout.

 Just don't notice the yellow floor...I hope that goes soon! :)
 

Here is the before....

Here is the after...

Here is the new (almost done) back splash! We still need to grout, but have been busy and Justin hasn't felt well the past few days. I have had several requests to post this, so here is where we stand.

I love it! I am so glad I was able to talk Justin into turning the squares to the diagonal. It took A LOT of work. No wonder "Tile workers" charge an extra $1/tile to do this.

Doesn't it look amazing!?!

The grout will be dark like the tile. I can't wait for the complete project!
Next...demo the wall in to a bar and then replace the floor!!

Cottage Cheese Happens!

This is what happens when the cottage cheese container is dropped with the lid off!

It's even up to the ceiling.

Megan loves cottage cheese and will eat it most days.

Megan took this picture herself!

Sleeping buddy!

Megan was upset that my mom (Nanie) had gone to the store without her. Although she was asked many times if she wanted to go with her. Papa was there to console her. She snuggled right up to him like she always does and managed to fall asleep. He claims that he was not asleep, but this picture is proof that he was. I am not sure how she stayed asleep in this position, let alone with the snoring in her ear... hee hee!!

We love our Papa!!

Jenna's 7

It is hard to believe that Jenna is seven. She is growing up too fast. She is a perfect addition to our family. We adore her...even her "Drama" moments. Justin tells her we will enroll her in Drama and how she will be able to support us with all the money she makes with the "drama". Jenna loves to draw and read. She is growing up to be a beautiful young lady who is aware of other and kind to everyone. We love you Jenna!!

For her birthday she wanted a party with several of her friends. This party started at school as we gathered up the crew and walked home. What fun!!

Here they are decorating their cupcakes!

Every birthday we make them special pancakes. It's such a fun tradition.

For the family party we did a pinata. It was a beautiful ice cream cone. It took lots of hit, but when it finally broke Uncle Daniel showed us how they do it in Mexico.