Let It Snow

It started snowing HUGE gorgeous snow flakes today!! Garrett was so excited!! He thought it was christmas again!

It started snowing right as we were leaving for the airport to take Gene and Jody to catch their flight. I guess everyone got scared and left work early so traffic are AWFUL!!! It took us about 2 hours to drive 15 miles. They got there on time and we left to come home....that was when the fun began. The rodes started getting icy and the snow kept coming! It took us FOUR hours to get home. A couple of times were pretty scary! There were wrecks EVERYWHERE, people walking, empty cars, cars sliding all over the place. I kept prayign for God and His angels to surround our car and protect us....AND HE DID!! We are home safe and sound. I enjoy the snow but I'll enjoy it from my living room window, next to my fire place!

Our street when we got home!!

New Camera

Right now me and the kids are in NW Arkansas visiting my parents (they are on leave for 2 weeks). We had Christmas with them and I got a NEW CAMERA!! A Canon Rebal XSi!! I LOVE it!! I'm still learning how to use it...I would like to take a Digital Photography class next semester...we'll see!! Here are a few pictures I've taken playing with it and just trying to learn how to use it!! My cousin, David (my mom's nephew) here in Arkansas is teaching me a few things and he helped me with the sunset pictures!!

AWESOME....huh?

Christmas Fun

On Friday our town had a Christmas Tree lighting!! It was a low of 23 degrees so we bundled up and went for it. I was babysitting two little girls from our church so their parents could have a date...so we had FOUR kids under the age of 4...A LOT OF FUN!! Their girls are really well behaved and sweet so it wasn't a big deal at all. We were also meeting some friends at the park so we had lots of help. Minus it being FREEZING outside, we had a great time. The kids (there were 7 total...Cassie-4, Grant-4, Garrett-3, Blake-2, Addy- 2, Serenity- 2, and Haylee- 9 months) just ran around and played while the adults got to talk.

Garrett is ready for our cold night on the town

This is the life....all bundled up in the stoller

mmmmmmm.....HOT CHOCOLATE

Getting a picture of 7 kids is IMPOSSIBLE

Suzanne, Julie, and me

Then on Saturday we had our church Christmas party. That was a lot of fun as well....it was INSIDE!!! The group of teens raising money for a mission's trip to Honduras served us a FABULOUS dinner and then we played a couple of games and socialized. The best part is they had a kids Christmas party AWAY from the adults!!!

One of the games we played...Who can wrap the present the fastest...we were connected!!

A Day in the Life of the SORENSON'S!!!

Erica-
Moving to Portland has been an exciting, scary, lonely, emotional rollercoaster!! I was very excited about moving somewhere new and experiencing new things, but I didn't realize that moving as an adult and moving as a kid are two totally DIFFERENT things!! I had responsibilities and I couldn't meet friends at school. I am now getting adjusted and really enjoying it up here. A typical day includes waking up between 6am-9am (depending on when the kids wake up), feeding the kids, and just hanging out with them. It is nice being able to be more of a stay at home mom (for the most part). I work at a HUGE children's hospital at OHSU (where Josh is going to school) called Doernbecher Children's Hospital. I work about one day a week from 11pm-7:30am. On the days I have to work I take a nap with the kids during the day, leave the house around 10:20pm for work, work all night, and then come home and take a nap with the kids during the day. Our babysitter has been watching the kids for a couple of hours in the morning so I can take a nap which has been a life saver. Occassionally we will get together with other mom's and kids and play which is really nice because I can have an adult conversation. We also go eat lunch with Josh occassionally. I am really enjoying the beautiful of God's earth up here. There are so many trees and everything is SO green!! The mountians are gorgeous and seem to be right there (there are really about 40 miles away). It has really been a wonderful move and God has really blessed us!!

Garrett-
I really like my new house. I miss my old house and my friends from my old church like Ryan. I miss seeing my Nana and Papa everyday but I have made new friends and I have my mommy, daddy, and baby sister so I'm doing good. I have preschool on Tuesday and Thursday's. I love going to church school. I also get to go to church school on 3 times on Sunday and on Wednesday night. I am learning so much and love to sing church songs. During the week I mainly just hang out with my mommy. We watch cartoons, play games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, and play with cars, trains, and balls. When my mommy has to go to work I wake up to Ms. Lara being here and she is so much fun. She plays with me and lets me play with all my toys. I love living in my new house.

Haylee-
This huge move across the country has not affected me very much....because I have my MOMMY!! I usually wake up around 6:30am and drink a bottle then go back to sleep. When I wake up around 9am I eat breakfast and then play on the floor. I usually try to eat Garrett's toys or fight with the dog for her bone!! I eat lunch and then take another nap. I wake up and play some more, eat, and sleep....oh yeah I do poop too!! I'm pretty laid back...I'll go with my mommy anywhere! So has long as my mommy's around I'm good!

Josh-
I haven't really had time to think about the move; between school, my family, church, and about 2 mins of me time I don't have time for anything else. I usually wake up around 5:30 and try to leave the house by 6am so I can get to school early and study. It is quiet there with no TV, 3 year olds singing Old McDonald, babies crying, or mommy's saying "not right now!" Everyone is still asleep so I don't have to feel bad about not spending time with my family, but I am guarnteed peace and quiet. After a long day of lectures, clinic, and teachings I usually get home anywhere from 3-6pm where we eat dinner and spend time as a family....usually watching Go Diego Go or playing Candy Land. Because I'm able to spend time studying in the morning I usually don't have to study very much in the evenings...I could though...there are kids who spend the night at school which is crazy!! I do need to make it out of school SANE!!