No Longer Private

Ok, since I haven't been updating as much I've decided to unprivatize (is that a word?) the blog. So everyone can update their links for the blog so they can see when I post! Just some FYI.

Trying to Keep Busy

I have been such a horrible blogger lately. We are just not very interesting I guess. We haven't been doing much around here. Last week, Dirk was gone all week, to Reno, for a business trip. In our almost 10 years of marriage Dirk and I have hardly ever been apart for more than a day except for when I went to Girl's Camp a few years. This was my first experience with him gone from home. I have to admit, I didn't like it.
I wasn't overwhelmed by extra work and the kids were as good as they always are but I just didn't like having cold feet all night!!!! All of us are really glad to have him home now! While he was gone I got together with my MIL and did some crafts. Here are some pics of what kept me occupied without Dirk.

It was quite fun getting together for the day and I think the blocks turned out rather good. I had a lot of fun designing the music one. It looks perfect on the piano. I have another project that I am working on that isn't quite finished. It is a sewing project and I haven't sewed for a few years so I am hoping it will turn out alright.

The Newest Addition

Here he is! Lexi's pride and joy! Almost 2 weeks ago we acquired a new pet, a rat named Jojo. Lexi is in love with him. She had asked her dad if she could get a guinea pig and he struck a deal with her. He would take her to the pet store to price out a guinea pig and all it's trappings and then she would do chores to earn the money to buy one. Well we all went to the store and 2 1/2 hours later we came out with Jojo. Lexi couldn't be happier and I have to admit that he is a great pet. He's almost like a miniature dog with a really long tail. Lexi is really good about taking him out of his cage everyday and playing with him. She has almost gotten him potty trained (yes, this is possible) and he comes out of hiding whenever he hears her voice. It is really kind of sweet. Lexi has all sorts of plans for training him tricks and such. I guess we will just have to see how it goes.

January Song

Here is a video of the song that I am going to start teaching to the Primary kids this month. I really love it. I only have one problem, I cry every time I listen to it. I haven't even been able to even try and sing it yet. What am I going to do?

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year '09

We had such a wonderful Christmas full of family and friends and lots of fun! I wish I had pictures of the kids with Santa but we forgot our camera and I still need to get them from my sister-in-law. Santa visited the Sorensen Family Christmas Party this year. He was one of the best Santas I have ever seen. He was full of all sorts of Santa lore. He told the kids all sorts of fun stories and histories about himself. He even sang songs with them and had a present for each of them. Lexi and Ray were eager to tell him what they wanted but Simon cried until he got his candy cane and then he just wanted Daddy. Oh well, maybe next year he will be more willing to sit with the big guy!

Christmas Eve was so much fun for the kids! We spent the evening at Gma and Gpa Sorensen's, playing games and watching movies. Of course there was lots of yummy food. I love Christmas snacking! We got our annual Christmas Eve pj's. I will have to get a pic of the kids in theirs...they loved them so much that they didn't want to change until halfway through the 26th. That's what holidays are all about right? Staying in our pj's and being cozy! They were excited to go home and sleep in Mom and Dad's bed as they do every Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning started bright and early at 5:30am. The kids were excited to see if Santa delivered and he did! They got just what they wanted. Alexia got her Moxie girl with a car and she got a Gameboy Advanced, not quite the DSi she asked for but she hasn't figured the difference yet! Rayden got a train just like Pop's. In fact, he was worried that Santa might have taken Pop's to give to him. He was very nervous about it until he saw Pop's train again. Simon got a remote control airplane that was hooked to the ceiling with fishing line. He spent the next 45min. flying it and doing nothing else. He wouldn't even look in his stocking!

We spent a wonderful afternoon at Oma and Pop Dixon's house with all of my family. The kids were spoiled rotten and filled extremely full of good food and goodies. Christmas night they had some of their cousins to spend the night. I was a little stressed that they wouldn't want to settle down when it was bed time but all it took was a movie and lots of blankets and they were all out within minutes of each other. What a great way to end the holiday than to spend it with their cousins. I'm so sad that it is all over. Why does it have to go by so fast? Now it is time to start planning for next year!

Winter Recital

Monday night Lexi had her dance recital. She was sooo excited to get to perform both of her dances for all of us. She did great! She was super excited to find out that one of her cute little friends from school was there dancing in a different class. These two are so cute together! I have to admit though that I think the real highlight of Lexi's night was the flowers. She felt so special to get them!

After the recital Rayden was dying to go to my parents' house. Every Christmas season my father puts up his village and trains. Rayden looks forward to it all year. This year my father had a train up that he has never had running before. It is running this year with all 17 cars! Ray was in heaven, especially when Pop let him control the speed. He didn't want to leave and threw a little tantrum. I recorded the trains for him with my camera and he left begrudgingly. He did watch the video over and over and over.....

Thankful Thursdays Moved

Hey everyone! I decided to move my Thankful Thursdays to their own blog. Here is a link.
hannesthankfulthursdays.blogspot.com. I hope you all keep enjoying the small things in life!

Anyone Still Out There?

Alright, so I am back! I had to take a break after all of my computer problems! I just didn't even want to look at a computer screen for any reason! But enough is enough. I miss my blog! So here is what we have been up to for the last month.

October is pumpkin month! We don't see much of Dirk since he is out at the pumpkin field a lot. I didn't go out very often this year so I didn't get any fun pics of the kids. Simon did love it though. He loved carrying around the little "pumpuns." Lexi and Ray enjoyed finding perfect carving pumpkins for our house. They think that is the height of the season!

Lexi lost her first tooth! She has been waiting for this tooth to fall out for months! She was getting discouraged because all of her friends were losing teeth but she wasn't. One evening she showed me how loose her tooth was and I told her that Dad could probably pull it out for her. Next thing I know she had gone to the bathroom and pulled it out herself! She was so excited to put her tooth in the tooth fairy pillow.

Our family is now famous....ok not really but our faces are all over the country and Canada. We all got to pose for the Lazyone 2010 catalog. It has already been shipped out and I must admit that my kids are dang cute! I might have to scan in a few pictures from the catalog just to show them off!

October wouldn't be the same without Halloween and all of it's celebrations! I love this holiday! Last year, the day after Halloween, Lexi had a great idea for this year's costume. I didn't expect her to remember it but she couldn't wait! She wanted her, Rayden, and Simon to dress up as Alvin and the Chipmunks. I loved the idea! I thought it would be an easy costume to put together but I can't tell you how hard it was to find the turtlenecks in the right color! Insane, but I finally found them. I always dress up with my kids but we have never been able to get Dirk to dress up with us. The night of our Ward's Halloween carnival he surprised us and showed up with a cowboy! He looked great, but he almost got in trouble with the bishop for wearing real guns. Lucky for him he had taken the cylinders out. What a fun night!

 I wish I could say that Halloween was the same, but I was hit pretty hard with the swine flu and I missed the entire day! Dirk doesn't really care for trick or treating so Simon didn't get to go at all. I was disappointed since the kids looked so cute together but Simon didn't seem to mind. He helped Dirk pass out candy at our house instead and he had to get himself a piece each time he gave one out. He knows how to work the system!

I also have been working on a couple of Christmas presents. This year, for Lexi, I am getting her stuff to redo her room. She really wants a purple and blue room. I found this awesome lamp at a yard sale for $5. It had a pink velvet ribbon on it and some pink dangly things but they were falling off so I just took them off.

I went to the craft store and found some blue material on sale and some new trim. I recovered the lamp and now it looks like this! It is as girly as my little girl! I hope she loves it as much as I do. I can't wait to give it to her.

And last but certainly not least, Rayden turned 5 last week. We had to push his birthday party back a little bit since I was sick but last Saturday he had a blast with all of his friends. He had to have another train party this year. Have I ever mentioned how much he loves trains? Well if not, he is OBSESSED! That is all he ever wants. So I made him another train cake and he had all his friends over and we partied!

I think the highlight of the party was Rayden's train set up around his cake and presents. Dirk set it up with his train sound box and all. The kids enjoyed watching it go around and pressing the buttons to make the horn and clickety-clack sounds.

I can't believe my little man is getting so big!

Thankful Thursday

1. A Dash of Spice-As I sit here in my kitchen this evening I am enjoying the wonderful smell of baking apples that is permeating my home. I love spices of all kinds. They add so much flavor and fun. It is like my mouth gets to take a wonderful journey with every bite! To me spices are kind of like life, it wouldn't be any fun without a little spice. So here is to all the spice in life and food alike!

2. Hope-What a powerful 4 letter word!! When everything seems dismal and overbearing I am completely overwhelmed how hope sneeks in and has the power to change everything. I can't imagine living without hope. Hope in people, hope in family, hope in impossible situations, hope in faith, it all is inspiring and wonderful. I wish I could find the words to describe my thankfulness for hope and the part it has played in my life and those around me.

3. Dirk-Enough said. He hasn't done anything extraordinary or anything lately, but I am so grateful for him my life. I can't think of a better eternal partner, them him, for me. He has always put me and the kids first. He works so hard for us and I love him more and more everyday. I can't help but look at him and know that I am the luckiest woman alive!

Taylie's Hope

Awhile back a friend of mine posted a link on her blog about this adorable little girl, Taylie, who is fighting a battle against cancer. I wasn't too surprised to find this link on her blog since her own family is fighting this terrible disease. I clicked the link and had quite the shock. The website had a large picture of Taylie and my heart flipped over as I realized that she looked almost identical to one of my little nieces. An overwhelming desire to help this family overcame me. I am working on an idea but I'm not quite there yet. Another friend updated her blog today with her own way to help. Please click on this link and read about her efforts: ADashofSeason. It will only take a moment of your time and you are out nothing. Seriously, you will feel nothing but good. Here also is the link to Taylie's site: Tayliebug.com