The Sorenson Saga

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T17:57:00.009-04:00

Halloween crept up on us this year. It is all going too fast. We were pretty low key this year since I was battling pink eye in both eyes and allergies but we still managed a great night.

Dressing the children up is so much fun. I have to say my favorite part though is watching the excitement on their faces as they run from door to door.

Our sweet werewolf

Our little "50's Girl"

poodle skirt and all

Our very cool neighbor

Cowboy Chris

I continued the tradition of assembling special allergen free treats for Dane. This year, I even put a few different colored bows to not make it as obvious that I did it. I don't know why. This boy has no clue what I am up to and I hope that at least lasts for a few more years.

I adore the fact that he actually believes that neighbors just happen to be handing out food that he can eat. The best part is that I handed off the responsibility to Ben this year to run ahead and ask the neighbors to give the chosen treat to the little werewolf. He thought walking ahead was sufficient. With Dane and Neve's excitement, it wasn't. So after Dane noticed that three or so allergy free treats were given to him by neighbors, I slipped the remaining in his bag when he wasn't looking. Why did I not think of this earlier? Probably because this last week with the visitors of seasonal allergies and the mean Sir Pink Eye, Lady Lazy has become my new best friend.

Anyone there?

The children certainly didn't know the meaning of lazy as they ran from door to door. In between houses Neve kept exclaiming "I LOVE Halloween!" That is until the end when her bag was so full and heavy, she quickly changed her tune to "I HATE halloween!" No fickleness here.... Once Ben emptied some candy into his jacket pockets and handed her the lightened load the "I LOVE Halloween" exclamation continued.

The joyful faces at the end of the night as they count their candy. I feel sort of like a wicked witch in that we let them keep a few pieces and pay them for the rest. Ben then takes the stash into work the next day. Is that horrible? It works and they don't complain, but I remember eating my Halloween candy for months. What they don't know can't hurt them? What do you do?

Sad that it is over so quickly but I am already craving Ben's Thanksgiving Turkey, Sinterklaas for the children, and Christmas carols playing throughout the house.

Neve's Reaction to her loot

Excitement

Awe

Where to start?!

Chocolate of course!

The Evolution of Motherhood

2011-10-03T21:05:00.005-04:00

When it comes to motherhood, I am constantly laughing at myself, my unrealized expectations and how I am constantly realigning my standards. By realigning I mean lowering.

Motherhood is definitely a process. One I have realized I am not in complete control of, kind of like my children. Do you remember this post from Dane's first day of school last year? When I went completely crazy Mom with her boy starting kindergarten. I wanted everything to be perfect, picturesque, memorable. It was definitely memorable.

So this year I evolved in my motherhood and changed my expectations drastically. I treated day one of school as if it was day 152. Just another random day of school. We would say goodbye at the front door. He would walked to the bus alone, no parent escort, no following him to school or walking him into class. No paparazzi scene with me yelling "Dane, look here, over here!"

No expectations, well that is except for the obligatory "stand in front of the door, first day of school" picture. I gave up everything but that one picture. One shot with a simple smile. I don't think that is too much to ask. Apparently Dane disagreed. This kept me laughing all day.

Here's your picture, are we done yet Mom?

I can't take this woman anymore!

Ugh the things I have to deal with!

As for Neve's first day of preschool, we kept it simple too. Dad went to work, Dane was already to school. I almost forgot to take the picture. So glad I didn't, because of course Neve didn't disappoint. She went to the other extreme of Dane. All I asked her to do was hold still and simply smile. Instead she did it Neve style. Over the top all the way!

Neve working her shirt's wiped down toothpaste spill

Work it

Really? I don't know what look she was going for here.

Sexy Blue Steel maybe?

via ok magazine

Anything but boring first day of school pictures.

Dane and Neve always keep it interesting, to say the least.

Neve's Babushka Party

2011-09-23T07:55:00.006-04:00

Our little doll turned 4, so we decided to celebrate by throwing a small Russian nesting doll party for her and her friends.

I saw this line of Babushka stationary last year and scooped it up, inspired to do a Babushka themed birthday party. I realized we have a long future of pink girly birthday parties in store for the next few years. So I decided not to relinquish control yet and squeeze in one more birthday party of my theme choice before she started to have an opinion on the matter. Is this when I cackle?

This post isn't about witches though but the iconic sweet Russian nesting doll, the Babushka and this Babushka party was a blast. Just like Neve's personality.

Once I showed her the doll Neve was on board and for months kept talking about her "Russian doll party." Once the day finally arrived she was beyond excited to welcome all her friends and start the party!

It doesn't take much to be inspired by these dolls.

The party started at

The Babushka Transformation Station

Homemade aprons and head scarfs for the gals

& homemade vests and caps(bought) for the boys

The Sweet Babushka Dolls and Russian Boys

The classic game

of Musical Chairs

and

of course

Duck, Duck Goose

Their Duck, Duck Goose running circle

spontaneously became a run around house game.

"Pin the Bow on the Babushka"

(Vinyl decor available here)

Next we had story time to settle everyone down.

LOVED this book.

It ended with the Russian girl rescuing the Prince.

I loved that the girl was the heroine.

The adorable Russian boys

Make a wish!

(Thank you www.babalisme.blogspot.com for the

free cupcake toppers printables and more!)

Adore the village of women on the internet

who unknowingly helped me create this party.

They shared and I copied, thus all the links I am sharing.

Babushka like shaped bottles
(their day job is to store Starbucks iced coffee)
Take off the label and lid and wah la.
Much cheaper than vintage milk bottles.

The Party Favor Bag

included

Thank you card by Suze Ultman

(part of the invitation stationary)

homemade bag &doll,

M&Ms,

a babushka necklace for the gals

a wooden train for the guys

& of course their fun Russian outfits.

One fun party, & one happy doll. We love you Neve!

As for next year, control relinquished, per Neve's choice,
a ballerina party-bring on the pink!

Sound Ration

2011-09-21T17:02:00.005-04:00

I am so in love with this song. Love struck at the beginning of summer when I first discovered this catchy tune. As I quickly realized my deep feelings, I decided I needed to ration my tune time so as I wouldn't grow tired of it. I wanted to take this romance slow so that the tune would grow into true love and not just a summer fling. I mustn't have rationed enough though since Dane and Neve know most of the words and sing right along whenever it is on. Fall is here and I am still in love. Take a listen, you might fall too. Now to decide which version is better.

Ingrid Michaelson Version

Cheryl Cole Version

Cheryl Cole "Parachute" from AlexandLiane on Vimeo.

After that video maybe I should ration my dessert intake instead of my tune time.

The Sky is Falling

2011-09-12T11:45:00.004-04:00

Earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding oh my! Call me Chicken Little but I think the sky here in the DC area might be falling.

A little over two weeks ago I was in Ikea when it's sky started to violently shake. My first thought was "earthquake." If you are ever going to be in an earthquake try NOT to be in Ikea on the second level. The big box that it is was swaying back and forth with all the open ceiling ornament swaying in rhythm. I immediately crawled under a $69 desk. Not feeling much safer at this point. Let's just say Ikea is not known for their quality. 20 seconds in I start to tear up as I realize that Dane and Neve were in the Smaland, on the main level. I kept thinking this isn't an earthquake. I am in Virginia. Virginia doesn't have earthquakes, we have terrorist attacks. As soon as I evacuated the building I was looking for smoke from some sort of bomb or terrorist attack on DC. Unfortunately that felt more plausible.

Outside, I ran to the front of the building to find Dane and Neve. They were fine and didn't even realize that there was an earthquake. Probably due to the fact that they are both little movers and shakers themselves. Dane did comment that he was in the ball pit and that it was REALLY fun! It was fabulous to have them in my arms and we raced home in case after shocks were headed our way. All was fine at home and now it is a crazy memory.

Fast forward a week ahead and I am in Target buying last minute preparations for Hurricane Irene. All went well, It was hard to sleep as the winds and rain hit us. The power flickered on and off and a tree fell blocking our street. Clean up was minimal with the neighbors(great way to get to know your neighbors) and it looked as if no one had permanent damage. We honestly faired well and felt blessed.

Fast forward a week ahead and I am at my storm door watching rain fall furiously while the river underneath the car rises as the water rushes by. Waiting for it to come into the house. Oddly enough the police car in front of the house blocking/closing our road due to the flash flooding brought me comfort.

Ben ended up arriving home early at 4:30pm with a man cold and headed straight to bed. Later that evening we had our own disaster. Neve wouldn't eat her vegetables of course, so I sent her to her room until she was willing to finish her dinner.

A few minutes later Neve descends the stairs and all I hear is a rumble of plunk, boom, crash and finally a loud SPLAT followed by screaming. I pick her up and try to comfort her but when the crying doesn't stop I put her down to assess the situation. There is blood everywhere all over her face dripping to the floor. I go into nurse mode. Check her mouth-fine. Her teeth-fine. No abrasions on her face-check. That is when I see it. The large one inch long open by half an inch gash beneath her chin.

I turn to Dane "Go wake Dad, I need to take Neve to the ED." Dane aka Chicken Little proceeds to run up the stairs as if they sky is falling while screaming. "DAD, NEVE IS BLEEEEEEEEDDING!!! NEVE IS BLEEEEEEDING!!!! NEVE. IS. BLEEDING!!!!!" Clearly subtly doesn't come naturally to our kids.

Sweet Ben comes down in his man cold haze. I am in my crazy running around the house like a chicken with my head cut off state. All the while Neve is standing like a statue holding a paper towel to her chin while it is being soaked with blood. Dane at this point is asking for the fifth insistent time if he can watch TV since he finished his dinner and his vegetables. Really kid? Really!? I scream back "Not right now!" as I run around. Ben heads to the bathroom to try to not pass out from the sight of Neve combined with his head-cold lightheaded existence.

After a few minutes that felt like hours I am packed and swimming to the car with Neve. Okay a little of an overstatement, but the water was up to my calves and we were soaked by the time we walked out the front door and the fifteen feet to the car.

All the while I am trying to decide which ED to head to since we live in the middle of two. When what runs though my head. "Oh we'll go to option A ED since they know Neve and I, and have her records on file from her previous visits." After that mental statement I realize that is not somewhere where you want customer recognition. Then I hit my forehead as I realize our honest explanation for this is falling down the stairs. Yeah right, classic false excuse #1 for child abuse cases. I started to laugh because if not I was going to start crying, and I did not need to add more water to the situation.

We ended up driving 1-10 miles an hour and taking detours as police we're blocking multiple flooded roads. It was surreal. All the while Neve was so sweet just holding more paper towels under her chin and kept falling asleep while I screamed at her to stay awake in case she had a concussion.

Stopped at a road block waiting for access to a detour route

So what do I do while driving through all this crazy flooding and rain storming. Like any responsible driver I pick up my cell phone and call my Dad. My sanity level was running out and I needed a quick recharge to keep my sane battery going. As I explained to him everything and complained that maybe I wasn't strong enough because I was feeling so stressed out and about to loose it because of a minor ED visit for stitches in flash flooding.

His response, "Uh, Brynn you been in an earthquake, hurricane, and now flooding on the way to the ED all in the last two weeks. I think your reserve for handling stress might be low, that's all." Point taken. What a great dad. I felt buoyed up, so I hung up and tried to keep the car from becoming a boat.

We finally arrived to the ED. Our first question was from an elderly man, who saw Neve and said, "Oh no, what happened to your poor little girl?" I reluctantly replied. "Umm she fell down the stairs." I don't don't think he bought it. I should have used my time driving to come up with a better excuse. Spontaneous Jujitsu with her older brother, maybe?

After that everything went incredibly well. Neve turned on her charm. We looked at her doll magazine while medication numbed her chin, while listening to and singing Taylor Swift. She bandaged up her blood stained teddy bear with leftover medical supplies and helped him get stitches.

Who knew the ED could be so fun?!

She sweetly explained to the doctor and Nurse that "I was going down the stairs and putting my necklace on...(naturally the best time to accessorize for a klutz. At least she was a cute klutz) and then I fall." I added that we have wood flooring on our stairs and they shook their heads understandingly, as the nurse hung the phone up on child protective services.

Neve actually giggled as the doctor used the "silly string" to stitch her up, saying it tickled. She held perfectly still as she squeezed her bandaged Teddy Bear. I was so impressed and shocked by her behavior. She was a complete doll and all the staff commented on her good behavior.
I just smiled and acted like this was the status quo. "No surprise here, my daughter is an angel. Excuse me while I pull my jaw off the ground and check this little girls patient ID label to make sure she is my little Neve. Oh look it is, did you happen to give her drugs when I turned around? Morphine, maybe Ativan, a cocktails of sorts?"

As we were checking out, she actually turned to the nurse and said "Thank you for letting me come here today." They didn't even give her a toy for pete's sake! Just stitches. The dumbfounded nurse and I just stared at her, when the nurse finally said, "Uh, your welcome?"

One tired stitched up girl on the way home from the ED

Overall it couldn't have gone better. Neve and I had some fun alone girl time and were in and out in about two hours. I think we've had it with disasters though. During all this mayhem Dane did start school and we we're lucky Neve's birthday party was the day before the flash flooding, but that's a whole other post. For now I am going to go refill my reserves and enjoy the sunshine today.

Neve filling up her reserves that night in a disaster free zone.

Neve's Music Stylings

2011-09-01T16:02:00.006-04:00

Neve and one of her fans Antoine (apparently being held hostage.)

Neve is constantly singing at the pool, at the playground, in the grocery store. Her random lyrics and unashamed loud singing voice draw attention and giggles from surrounding strangers. It is cute for the first few seconds but after that I am constantly shushing her. Beating down her creative spirit. Giving her issues for the psychiatrist couch later on in life. Until today when I discovered her creative genius.

As I was working around the house I tuned in to her "on the fly" lyrics and this is what she came up with:

I love the holy scriptures
I love the holy scriptures

When you're watching TV
and somebody kills you
Jesus will come to you

I love the holy scriptures
I love the holy scriptures

But after that the holy scriptures
can't help you.

Maybe she can go into the Christian music genre? Heavy metal maybe with the death lyrics. So many options available for this little star of ours!!!! Grammy's here we come!

Schleck Withdrawal

2011-08-03T18:17:00.005-04:00

I am realizing that when it comes to being a sports spectator, I am an island. At least when it comes to all my friends. My favorite sports to watch, I'm realizing are probably the least popular amongst Americans.

They are in no particular order, Wimbledon, the World Cup, and last but not least, the Tour de France.

All three events are complete this summer and I am going through withdrawal. Particularly with the Tour de France. It is a 21 stage race that last for 3-5 hours a day. It is usually on around 8:00 AM-1:00PM on the east coast. Being the loyal, self-sacrificing wife I am, I painstakingly wait until the kids are in bed and Ben gets home to turn it on. We are like kids on Christmas morning every night to see what the tour held for us that day.

image via www.reuters.com

Since it is now finished and the man I have wanted to win for about three years didn't win, I can't stop thinking about it. I just want to talk about it, so I did. Uh, remember I know NO ONE who watches this. Not even my neighbor and good girlfriend "Frenchie" (my nickname for my gal pal that is from France) watches it.

So I am sitting in the car with another girlfriend. Before she knows it, she is being held hostage in the passenger seat, by this boring conversation brought up by me.

Me: I am going crazy that the tour is over and the guy (Andy Schleck) I wanted to win didn't.

Her: Hmmm (Translation- Is she really bringing this up? She knows I don't watch.)

Me: You see it is this 21 stage race and is it grueling and this guy Andy should have won last year, but this evil racer named Contador cheated him of the title.

She hears "Blah, blah, blah, blah blah."

Her: Uh-huh (Translation-Oh my gosh, she really thinks I care.)

Me: Yeah it is referred to as Chaingate and this year Andy was supposed to come back and win the tour, but he didn't he came in second. I am so sad about it. At least he beat Contador who didn't even place.

She hears "Blah, blah, blah, blahditty, ditty BLAHHHHHH."

Her: Huh. (Translation-MAKE. IT. STOP.)

ME: The redeeming part is that Andy and his brother Frank were #2 and #3 on the podium. Plus Frank brought his baby up on the podium with him. It was so sweet! I love it when athletes are family men.

Frank with adorable baby in matching Leopard Trek outfit.

image via www.sports.yahoo.com

She hears-nothing, now having tuned the torture out and dazing out the window.

Her: Oh...(Translation-Who cares? Do you think this car is going too fast to jump out of?)

I, sensing that three minutes of Tour talk is the max our relationship can handle I change the subject.

Me: Did you watch the Bachelorette yet? Who do you like better, Ben or JP? (Translation-Thanks for being a friend and listening to my Tour drama. On to common ground.)

Her: (She slowly removes her hand from the door handle, relieved not to have to jump.) Can you believe that picture of JP at his Bar Mitzvah? (Translation-You're welcome, don't ever put me through that again.)

Lesson learned. I really need to try to like American football (never going to happen) or maybe I can convince Frenchie to be more French.

The goofy Schleck brothers

Maybe I like these two brothers because they remind me of two goofy brothers of my own.

Cute Collin & Kevin-I couldn't miss them more.

As for the Tour, I will miss you until next July. Vive le Tour de France. See you next year Andy, Frank, Tyler, Thor, Christian, George and all my other favorites. Alberto, I hope your chain falls off.

Behind the Times

2011-07-27T14:49:00.007-04:00

School has been out for about a month here and I am already purchasing items for the upcoming school year. Does anyone else find it insane that the marketing for each calendar event starts earlier and earlier every year. By the end of August if I don't have the children's Halloween costumes, I break out in hives. P.S. Halloween costumes are already out in some stores. Really? It makes me feel constantly behind. I feel like I already need to start shopping for Christmas.

In the meantime I have to remind myself that it is only July and there are still six weeks until school starts. I am definitely enjoying summer and am not ready to give the children up. So I am really hating the reminders in every store that it will end before I know it.

www.sayplease.com

That being said when we were out and about I found this little gem and it did get me excited for the new school year, because it is so fantastic. I can't wait to put these in Dane's lunchbox in September. He is going to LOVE it! They even have holiday appropriate ones, so you can buy Christmas and even Valentines themed cards now before the stores market and stock them by next week!

image via potterybarnkids.com

It never ends.......

2011-07-09T20:43:00.002-04:00

Just when I think I am getting on top of things around here. My kids change their clothes. They have the audacity to wear a different outfit everyday. Come on guys conserve energy-how about a once a week outfit. You can be green and smell green all at the same time.

I'm overwhelmed with these daily (sometimes twice a day)outfit changes along with the common use of swimsuits and beach towels. Throw in an occasional nighttime bedwetting incident and I just can't keep up. The scene above is such a constant in our home, I'm afraid that people will start to think it is part of our decor.

I bet it was a fed up housewife sick of laundry that started the phenomenon of the nudist colony. It sure would cut down on laundry and the never ending cyclic nature of housework. Just one option to ponder.....

Option b would be a live in maid, once the money on the money tree blossoms, right? Where is Alice when I need her? Wouldn't you love to wake up to this face in your kitchen everyday?

image via tvacres.com

Just like my laundry pile is never going to end, I don't think I will ever see option b happen either. One can always dream.

I think I am going to go with option c- color coordinate all our clothes to match our home decor. Since clearly the revolving pile of laundry is going nowhere!

Wishin' and Hopin'

2011-06-20T23:07:00.005-04:00

photo from askactor.com

Since I married my Dermot Mulroney look-alike this song (#1 on the playlist) reminds me of him and the fabulous movie My Best Friends Wedding. We are coming up on a significant wedding anniversary and I am wishin' and hopin' and dreamin' that I win this Paris giveaway from one of my most favorite blogs.

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris

This incredible blog's author designed this gift and shared the idea for Father's day a few years back. After years of procrastinating I made it this Father's Day for the hero of our household. I had the most fun putting it together. Dane and Neve LOVED giving it to him and Dane later asked on Sunday afternoon if he could be Dad's sidekick. My heart melted. I am so glad our little one still thinks we are cool- for now at least.

images from ohhappyday.com

Hope you had a great Father's day celebrating the superhero in your life.

Whirlwind

2011-06-09T09:43:00.007-04:00

Pause, to hear my new favorite song-for this week at least, click on play on the playlist for the song "Hello". Loving it and constantly dancing to it. Okay now rewind back to April.

April was a complete whirlwind. It was filled with a visit from family and a visit to family.

Dad and Tammy came into town to see us and Uncle Cardin. We were in 7th heaven. The kids especially to be on their own turf and show Grandpa and Grandma their world. Neve was so comfortable in fact she kept walking in on our guests while they were in the bathroom. This was her house after all. After a serious talk with her she decreased, not stopped her intrusions. Yep, still working on that one.

Introduced Dad and Tammy to Potbelly's a must when you visit DC

Downtown DC

While the in-laws were in town Ben was "working" in NYC. Real convenient huh? He came home in time to see Grandpa and Uncle Cardin before reality hit for his wife and everyone left.

After everyone left, the sanity train stayed on track since there was an upcoming trip planned to go see Nana and Papa in a week, keeping everyone's spirits up.

I ended up traveling to Arizona for the first leg of the trip by myself with the two children, while Ben stayed behind to work for the week. To say I was nervous is an understatement.

With all the flying we have done in the past six years I swear it has made me insane. I walk into an airport and my heart starts racing. The disapproving looks, the disgust when you sit next to people with your children. I long for a drive where my kids can cry and scream and I can yell back at them that we only have 10 hours left. All in the privacy of our own car. Instead I plaster on a fake smile as my newly potty trained child tells me she needs to use the lavatory for the tenth time in an hour. I sweetly reply "Are you sure Honey? You just went 45 seconds ago. Here have your tenth lollipop instead. "

What I don't do is recognize that they aren't wailing babies anymore and have grown accustomed to flying.

As we walked up to the security checkpoint I started to put my monster huge carry on mom purse in the gray bin as I told the children to start taking off their shoes. As I turned around they had both taken off their sandals and loaded their individual bins with their blankies, backpacks and sandals. They stood their looking up at me, waiting and ready to go through the scanner. I was shocked. My first thought was "My kids are amazing." Followed by "Wow, they fly way too often," and then "We really need to move closer to family." My first clue was a few years ago when at the beginning of a flight, as a three and a half year old Dane independently lifted his arm and said "Excuse me, can I get a soda, please?" to the flight attendant walking by doing her pre-flight check. I was beyond embarrassed.

Needless to say the kids are used to their surroundings and did great on the two flights and pretty great on the following four hour drive, with no yelling involved and only two potty breaks. Promise a family visit to these two and their inner angels emerge. Anything to see grandparents and cousins. As for the flight home and the week worth of jet lag, that is a whole other post. Except I will say they seemed to have finally beaten the jet lag on Saturday morning at 6:30 AM, after a week worth of having to wake them up for school everyday. Of course, right?

While we were in Arizona and California, not much stopped Dane and Neve. The visit was filled with cousins, pool time, Easter and of course the wedding. Now we are just looking for an excuse to fly again as we go through withdrawal from family. I get my fix by checking airline sites three to four time a day. I quickly get my dose of reality as I see the prices. The dose lasts for a few hours until I pull up the internet looking for my next hit. So sad.

Neve and Dane in their natural habitat

San Diego Pool Time

Exhaustion finally set in after days of swimming

The Wedding at the San Diego Temple

The Reception

Neve spent the night happily devouring ice cream and cake.
Neve before the sugar high hit

Neve during the sugar high.

When she wasn't eating, she adored being the present runner with her fellow flower girls/cousins.

Dane hibernated to his man cave during

the festivities to play angry birds

Easter Egg Hunt

Bunny hopping race

Unfortunately we are on to a flight free June. April we loved you while we had you. May don't fret we'll catch up with you later.

A Simply Sweet Morning

2011-03-11T19:58:00.004-05:00

Today started off as an ordinary Friday. I wanted to stay in my warm home. Clean the house in my sweats with the gloomy overcast weather outside, after yesterday's rainstorm. I did need to run some errands though. After a half an hour battle in my brain, I told Neve to get dressed we were going out. Neve always ready for an adventure was dressed in minutes. Once we arrived in Old Town Alexandria, she turned on her charm and made what was supposed to be an ordinary Friday a memorable one.

photo from www.examiner.com

We parked near the river sparking Neve's interest in going to see the boats on the Potomac. Seeing as the river continued over the board walk and up and onto Union street making Starbucks the new board walk, we went to see Starbucks instead. Neve of course wanted to jump in the puddle called the intersection of King and Union. Since it would have been considered swimming instead of puddle jumping I sadly said no.

Instead we jumped into Paper Source and we browsed to our hearts contents. Meanwhile Neve had a tea party with the stuffed animals at a nearby table.

image from www.paper-source.com

Next we jumped over to the Lavendar Cupcakery for some gluten free cupcakes. Chocolate on chocolate. So yummy. I should have taken the time to sit and eat them in their adorable shop, because now I have chocolate frosting all over my back seat. Let's just say it wasn't me.

Our next jump was over to a clothing store to browse for swimming suits. There was a puddle pool down the street after all. While I ran around looking, Neve made small talk with the little girl mannequins. She kindly said "Hello" and started to dish over what they were all wearing as she modeled her outfit for them. Wish I would have had my camera to video the conversation. Neve's so charming she warmed the hearts of the mannequins who waved goodbye as we rushed out to the car to avoid a ticket as the parking meter ran out.

Overall it was a impromptu simple sweet morning with a simply sweet little girl that I had to record. So one day when she prefers to shop with her girlfriends over me, I can remember that she was once all mine and it was fabulous!

Rethinking Valentines

2011-03-02T20:33:00.003-05:00

When it came to Valentine's Day I gave it my all. The cute valentine's, little gifts for the children, Valentine's outfits etc. What does my 5 year old say at 5:00 PM as we are delivering homemade treats to friends? In a whiny voice-"I just want to play."

Angrily I felt like going down the list of all the hours I had put into this holiday for him, then I realized that was my problem not his and his request really wasn't out of line.

Thankfully the next friend we dropped treats off to was wonderfully outside with her kids as we pulled up. We shared some treats and she graciously shared her kids with mine so they could play. Sometimes they are so easy to make happy. Note to self-enjoy this before they hit the teenage years.

They sure know how to realign your thinking and remind you what is important. I'll try not to forget next year to not just try to make it look beautiful(which is my fun) but to make it more of their fun. The evolution of my journey in motherhood. I sincerely have so much to learn.....

My valentine's heart breakfast for dinner date

Dane's dinosaur valentines. It is everything dinosaurs

in Dane's world right now.

Neve's valentines. It is currently everything pink in Neve's world.

My Mom usually had a little treat for us on Valentine's morning.

Constantly trying to be the mother she was.

The 200 cake truffles I made. I do my Christmas neighbor treats at Valentines trying to decrease the stress around Christmas.

I am realizing I am just delaying the stress to February.

My second attempt at cake truffles and I am still learning

all the tricks of the trade. Including I should have never started this baking insanity because now I am hooked.

My goal for next year, start earlier so that I can enjoy the day with Dane and Neve (and Ben if busy season permits), focus on making it fun for them and maybe reconsider making cake truffles. I guess we'll see if I am as stupid next year as I was this year.

Best Commerical Ever

2011-02-07T10:24:00.002-05:00

My favorite of the night is going to be a new classic. We watched it about three times, then I re-watched it on Facebook. Ahh the magic of children and the joy of parenthood. I LOVE that part of it!

Dane's favorite part would probably be that the silly Dad thinks HE started the car...... This coming from the boy that believes in his heart that he is going to grow up to be a real super hero.

Hello January

2011-01-12T13:04:00.000-05:00

I've said goodbye to December now. I took down the decorations as the three year old rehung them when I turned my back, loudly declaring "Christmas is not over!" She'll get there.

Once I started hanging these and these in celebration of January she was on board. She must take after her mother. I hate taking down Christmas, so this year I decided to start collecting and decorating for January to feel the void. It might take a few years to collect enough but I am loving this idea.

Overall I'm feeling pretty good. I am ahead of schedule compared to last year. In the Sorenson household January can be a pretty great month. With a wedding anniversary to celebrate and the bittersweet birthday rememberance/celebration of my Mom. Plus a few ambitious resolutions thrown in there.

For now I am going to enjoy a cup of mulled spice apple cider, while listening to my new winter playlist and excitedly anticipate what the year 2011 will bring to the Sorensons. Welcome January, come in and stay for a few weeks.

Back to December

2011-01-01T22:38:00.002-05:00

This last month has been a whirlwind. The first half was filled with baking, assembling Christmas cards, neighbor gifts, and teacher gifts, Neve being sick twice and preparing for our cross country trip to see family. The second half was filled with hosting our family's Christmas Eve party at my Dad's home, Christmas morning and then illness the rest of the trip.

We arrived home on the last day of December at 2 AM. That afternoon we enjoyed a visit to the Botanical Gardens at the Smithsonian in DC. That evening we threw together a quick small New Year's Eve party for Dane and Neve, just in time to roll in the New Year with London at 7 PM. Now here it is January. My house looks like December. I finally have the time to enjoy it. So I am not going to let the calendar hold me hostage. The next few days I will be going back to December.

Our 4:00 AM drive to the airport.

Hours after landing, we joined Nana and Aunt Becca

(Who happened to be in town for one day-we missed you Papa)

at the fun house for what else-fun.

Dane surrendered at dinner at 9:45 DC time.

Only to awake and resist sleep at the hotel with Nana and Aunt Becca.

Christmas Morning at Grandpa's

Dane's favorite gift-his new journal

Uncle Kev put Neve to work

and let her unwrap all his presents

The fun house again, this time with Grandpa

Headed Home

12:30 AM New Year's Eve Morn

Grumpy Grumpy

US Botanical Gardens in DC

My favorite part of the gardens(besides the obvious beauty),

the warm humidity especially compared to the cold humid air outside.

The US Capitol Christmas Tree

The US Capitol

Our London 7 PM New Year's Eve Countdown.

Mama's No Fool....

2010-12-18T23:21:00.007-05:00

but apparently she is raising two. Did they really think that this would work? Check out the once intact and full gummy bear package.

I am sure it went down something like this.

"Neve, we'll just open the bag, eat them all and put back the empty package, she'll never guess!" Dane probably schemed.
I am sure he had Neve at the "Eat them all" part, without her having one pretty thought about concealing their mischief.

They think they are so clever and so aren't. They must get that from me.

Did you notice all the other weird items in my pantry. My brother Brandon and sister-in-law Andrea saw my pantry last year when they visited and we all just laughed at how different and weird it was. My laugh might have shared it's moment with an exasperated sigh. This going to SEVEN different grocery stores sometimes in one week to stock the pantry and fridge is getting old. When at a friends house last week, she opened her fridge and pantry. I longingly looked at all the brands I once knew and loved. I also realized she probably bought all those items in one fell swoop at the bulk heaven of Costco. I miss Costco and it's bulkiness.

The best part is how I come across to everyone. Having a child with food allergies can certainly turn you into a control freak. Since I already was one I just now come across as a full blown freak. Not to mention the full blown "Granola Yuppie" image I now exude.

Let me explain. Just the other day-perfect example, Dane's teacher emails me to let me know that they are going to decorate gingerbread houses. As I read this mixed emotions come. I am so excited to share in this fun moment, but crap how am I going to find a gluten free, corn free, dairy free, everything free gingerbread house. I am not, but I pray I will be able to find a recipe to make one. I do and I am elated. I can do this I tell myself as I see the ingredients of twenty that include a mix of five different alternative flours(rice, tapioca, potato, etc.) Okay I think I can do this. This gingerbread house is going to cost me $40 and five hours of swearing in the kitchen. But I am determined. Dane will have a gingerbread house like every other child.

Dane's teacher sends another email letting me know the ingredients they are using. The first being a large orange juice cardboard carton for the house. HALLELUJAH! Cardboard has never looked so tasty. The second and third ingredients were frosting and candy. Okay I've got this. No big deal now.

Here comes the granola yuppie part. So I walk into Dane's classroom with my Whole Foods bag-naturally since they actually carry the majority of the food that Dane and I can eat. In my bag is Dane's special made from scratch frosting and all his special candy. Now this isn't just any candy. When you have to buy a corn free dye free candy you often get the bonus of it being organic. Thankfully it is organic, because when Dane is eating his fifth pound of candy I want everyone to calm down because what really matters is that the sugar is organic. Priorities people!

So can you imagine what the other mothers are thinking when I walk in with my Whole Foods bag and start unpacking my homemade frosting and largely labeled ORGANIC I AM BETTER THAN YOU candy. Even better is as we are each helping our child frost the carton the teacher comes up to Dane and I and sweetly and loudly exclaims, "Oh look homemade frosting!" If was as if she said, "Oh look you love your child more!" Because that is I am sure what these women heard. I winch as I literally see the other mothers at the table tense. Their eyes send daggers my way as they scoop from their now shame filled store bought frosting containers. Pause-Can you imagine if I had needed to bring in the homemade gingerbread house pieces.

In this moment I am sure in their minds they are labeling me as a Granola Yuppie. The irony is they feel inferior while I am just longing to be like them and for my child the opportunity to reach out and eat from the group candy/treat decorating tray full of dyes, gluten, corn syrup and such. Just for a moment for him to be like everyone else.

Redemption came a few minutes later when the same teacher came over and offered every one a sugar cone to be placed upside down as a evergreen tree with green frosting. When she got to us, she asked if Dane was allergic to this or not. I replied that indeed he was and thanks anyway. After this exchange, I swear you could see the other mothers shoulders drop by at least two inches, as their shoulders exclaimed, "Oh she isn't an elitist, it's food allergies."

One mother spoke up and said "Oh, so he has food allergies," in a 'that explains it' tone. I replied "Yes so when I am shooing your little girl's glutenized hand away from touching Dane's allergy free space and food. I am not trying to be uptight and rude. I am just trying to keep from causing Dane injury and pain." No I didn't say that-I wanted to but no I refrained and simply replied, "Yes he has >20 food allergies including gluten and dairy."

We all continued on in peace and joy as the balance had been restored. No I wasn't a granola yuppie, just a mom with a family with food allergies.

So with that long winded story what I guess what I am trying to say is, don't judge my pantry because (especially when it comes to the grocery bill) I am longing for yours.

Dane's pesticide free sugar full gingerbread house

Sinterklaas

2010-12-15T10:56:00.003-05:00

Sinterklaas officially starts the Christmas season for our family. This year Sinterklaas was a lot of fun. We started by making vanilla GFCF Cupcakes for our "S" (for Sorenson) letterbanket. I am still looking for a "S" cake pan. If anyone sees one anywhere let me know. For know it is cupcakes.

They start licking before I can even get the attachment off!

The finished letterbanket

Neve with the water, carrots and hay for Sinterklaas' horse,

as well as cupcakes for Sinterklaas.

The treats that Sinterklass put in the clogs SECONDS before

the children came down the stairs. Someone accidentally fell asleep on the couch.....

Now the kids know that Sinterklaas is in town and doing reconnasiance before Christmas to see if the have been naughty or nice.

Nothing like candy at 6:30 in the morning.

Dane's sugar smile

I think this year has been the best in regards to Sinterklaas. As the kids are getting older we are enjoying the holidays more and more. They even sang the Sinterklaas song in Dutch this year. Neve walks around the house singing "Sinterklaas Kapoentje, Gooi wat in mijn schoentje.... It is hilarious! We are so blessed to have these two little squirts in our life.

Fall Review

2010-12-09T08:50:00.002-05:00

I have been busy trying to prepare for Christmas. It is currently FREEZING here in the DC area and I am longing for the warm fall we enjoyed these last few months. Here are a few activities I am longing to relive, where only jackets were required.

The local pumpkin patch. For Dane, apparently another day at the office.

You can't tell by this picture but the seat was stationary. It was Neve's personality that was swinging loudly.

My classy child Dane checking out his big ol' booty.

Oh Crazy Neve in front of the skinny mirror. My legs look hungry.

Pumpkin Carving

Can you feel the excitement?

and then the wonder and disgust.

One of the final creations

Pumpkin Pancakes for dinner

Daddy working long hours, Mom caving and letting Neve sleep by the couch while Mom relaxes.

A farm fall festival

Dane and Neve in their natural habitat.

This little city slicker was not so sure about the goats.

The corn maze

My children of the corn.

The hayride

Hard Labor- Neve earning her price of admission.

Finally a fabulous Thanksgiving with family and friends.

We miss you Fall 2010! We loved you while we had you.

A Piece of Whimsy

2010-11-16T20:31:00.004-05:00

I have been thinking a lot about the importance of creating whimsy in life. When I saw this music video it screamed WHIMSY. The ocean, sparklers, and moonlight with the sounds of a tambourine, guitar and maracas are the perfect recipe for a whimsical moment. A cute blondie serenading you doesn't hurt either. Enjoy, hope the tune makes your shoulders bounce like it does mine, and paints a smile on your face. Cue..... Whimsy!

Magical Halloween

2010-11-01T11:10:00.007-04:00

Halloween is becoming more and more fun and magical as the children get older. This is the first year that Neve really understood the concept of trick or treating. Saturday night at our church's "Trunk or Treat" there was a parade before the candy collecting began. During the parade of the costumed children, all Neve did was look straight ahead at the ground repeatedly practicing the phrase "tick or teat, tick or teat, tick or teat." I kept telling her to look up and wave, but no, "tick or teat, tick or teat, tick or teat."

Obi Wan Kenobi and our little Miss Ladybug

As we walked up to the first trunk Neve loudly said her perfectly practiced phrase, "TICK OR TEAT!" Once she received the candy, she quietly turned around and with a fist pump and an excited whisper she exclaimed, "Yes!" This exclamation continued for the next three cars or so, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. That these fools would so readily part with such valuable candy and all for a perfectly said, "Trick or Treat." It was adorable!

Dane didn't feel the need to practice his "Fick or Feat." He knew full well that his way of saying it had served him well the last few years. These fool were handing out candy for free, no matter what you said! When Ben tried to correct Dane, he asked, "Dane are you saying fick or feat or TRick or TReat?" Dane's response, "[I'm saying] the right one." Oh well. We'll have to start practicing for next year.

Dane's excitement came later when he came home and wanted to "Sort" his candy/treats. I repeated my actions of last year of running ahead and handing the candy giver "Dane allergen free treats." without Dane being the wiser. He was excited at the end of the night when his "can eat pile" was larger than his "can't eat" pile.

At the end we ended up counting the candy and do an exchange program for Dane. Ten cents per piece of candy. With the earned candy they can buy a toy. We added Neve to the exchange this year because she would eat her 150 pieces of candy in about, oh...... a day. We let her have about ten pieces to keep and they were all gone by about 9:30 this morning. Instead Ben's wonderful coworkers were gifted with 300 pieces of candy today!!!! To which, with a fist pump, I say "Yes!"

Striped tights four years in a row.

I just can't get enough of the striped tights!

Trick or Treat!

This child takes himself very seriously.

This child does not.

Happy with all the loot she collected!

Dane's "can eat" treats. He hasn't caught on to me yet

but I realized that maybe the MATCHING ribbon

and bags were a BIG clue as to where the treats came from.

I'll have to step up my game next year with different packaging.

Thank goodness he hasn't figured it out yet.

It is so cute that he thinks people give out food he can eat.

I think it makes him think he isn't so abnormal on the food front!

It's coming!

2010-10-27T08:34:00.006-04:00

Just doing the last minute preparations for Halloween, when these beauties came in the mail! Loving the magic of the holiday season that has arrived and looking forward to more of the magic to come. We're already looking forward to Thanksgiving and as you can see starting the preparation for Sinterklaas. I really need to start working on my ebelskiver skills now for Christmas morning. Any tips?

Secret #3

2010-10-20T22:28:00.002-04:00

I am so behind on my "Dirty Little Secret" New Years resolution. So I might have to bust out a few secrets in one post. Not today though. This one stands all on it's own.

So before I spill the beans, let me give some perspective. I came from a family of intellectuals or at least they think they are. When we get together as a family on my Dad's side, we debate issues, politics.

Great was the day when as a kid you made a comment at a family discussion amongst all the Uncles and it was validated. Let me explain. You questioned yourself before you said anything if your comment was important enough and would add to the debate. You don't just say it because it is on your mind. You must assert your intellectualism with a thought provoking comment or argument.

If you made a comment of mere common sense you would know immediately. How would you know? First the uncles would acknowledge your presence if you were brave enough to speak up by looking at you while you uttered your comment/argument. If it wasn't a good enough comment and should never have been spoken, the uncles would remain looking at you for a moment of silence, then look away and continue the discussion as if you had said nothing at all. They would ignore your ignorance.

If it was a good comment they would validate you by saying something like "That's interesting" and then use your argument to spur the debate along. At that point you would beam inside knowing you added to the debate and then try not to screw it up by staying silent for the rest of the debate. You see it was probably a minus five points for a worthless comment and one point for a valid comment.

Now I look back as an adult and think why didn't I just go play with my cousins. I have fifty or so to choose from! Now I know why at dinner parties I gravitate to the men's political conversation in the living room over the women's conversation in the kitchen. It is what I know.

Seeing as that is my upbringing you will understand why it is with hesitation that I admit this. I gain the courage from the women in the family-the brave women who married these serious brothers and my aunt who had to live with them as a little girl. These women are incredibly intelligent but usually didn't add to the conversation (even though they could stand their ground) because they knew the real purpose, for the men to come together and relate as brothers. Instead these women check in on each other and get to know their nieces and nephews while the men bonded away. These women are not only incredibly smart but can be silly and fun at the same time. Don't confuse the ability to be silly as the absence of intelligence. In the right setting it can be completely the opposite.

I have gone too deep into my explanation of my background. Clearly it is my upbringing's fault as I learned early on to strongly defend every comment. Once you know the secret you will understand how it would be viewed by such a family. When I attended CPAC two years ago, they applauded me and were proud. This is a family who watches 60 minutes together as a family(including the teenagers of the family) for fun. Reads National Review. Marks the political debates on the family calendar, count the days and then watches the whole entire debate like it is the Super Bowl, all as a family including the children. We were taught young.

So with a little hesitation, here it is....

I WATCH THE CW.

Yes it's true. Life Unexpected and even worse The Vampire Diaries. A network aimed at drama loving Teenagers and young twenty somethings. It's my dirty little secret and I love it. I would blame my drama seeking on my Grandmother who loved the theatre arts, but calling the CW art might be disrespectful of my Grandmother. Although it might not be art, it is pure fun, drama and imagination. In my defense the words of Albert Einstein, "The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."

So clearly I am merely working on my intelligence for one hour on Tuesdays and Thursday nights and wisely so according to good ol' Albert. Just don't tell my Uncles....

Potty Wars with MC Hammer

2010-10-14T20:37:00.008-04:00

Let me just start with AUUGGGHHH!!!!!!! Okay, here's the history. When I potty trained Dane it was done in a matter of days and completed in two weeks, day and nighttime. For anyone who knows Dane, they know he is all about the rules. I didn't realize at the time how much this benefitted me.

So clearly I thought I would repeat the experience with Child #2. Two months later and we are still battling with the potty training. Oh Neve gets the whole process, the expectation, she's capable, she just doesn't care. Why get up from the beautiful clean rug while watching Dora, when you can choose to just continue on in a wet puddle without missing a minute of the fun. The worst part is dropping her off at preschool. We talk, she promises, I leave and she pees. Her pants that is. We have reverted back to pull ups. Especially since she waits until preschool to poop. Her pants that is.

The moment of truth is when I pick up Neve. I grab her backpack before going to the door and quickly look in to see if the spare outfit is gone or if a pull up has been used. Today the whole outfit she wore was packed tightly in a plastic grocery bag. Oh the shame.

Distraught I stopped at the parents book shelf at preschool today on the way out. The director directed me to a few choice books. Yep, got that one. We have that one too. Oh the DVD, you betcha. All we need now is a three year old that cares. With Neve I might be asking too much.

I think I need to give her preschool teachers a potty payment. A nice gift card for all the clean up they do. Or maybe a daily potty tip. Thanks for your great service Ms. Preschool Teacher, here's your 20% tip! I am embarrassed beyond words. I am so not the "I have everything under control parent" with this little one.

Best part besides all the loads of laundry is the outfit that she came home with today. I usually send a spare outfit but didn't today since she was in a pull-up, I thought we were covered. Apparently it wasn't ENOUGH coverage. I was so upset with her, but couldn't get mad because I just kept laughing at her look. See for yourself.

Before she ripped her hair out

and well... you know.

I picked up MC Hammer in purple cords

at preschool today.

Neve's chillin' pose of the back side

Finally

2010-09-21T13:47:00.000-04:00

Neve has been waiting for this day since the first day we dropped Dane off on his first day of preschool.

Sincerely I am not exaggerating. As a one year old she would strip off her coat, promptly drop it on the floor and get to work. Play that is. I would often get Dane settled first. Only to then pick up the mess that Neve had made in the minute I was distracted, put on her coat and whisk the broken hearted baby away.

So as you can see it was no surprise that she independently walked into her new preschool class without a look back. It was finally her turn!

What I am wondering is why my children have such an easy time leaving their mother. Maybe I am looking at this wrong. Maybe I have just done such a stellar and incredible job as a mother raising self assured, independent strong children. That's probably it. Or maybe they are just trying to get away from me. I can't decide.

When we dropped Neve off, it was as it had been for the last two years at Dane's preschool. She walked right in and went straight to play, without a care in the world. Oh to be three again.

Umm, apparently I didn't get the memo on this one. Whoops! Thank goodness this is only preschool and not Jr. high! I'm sure Jr. high will be the subject of my next post, since clearly this project called parenting is going way too fast.

Neve's Party

2010-09-16T09:32:00.002-04:00

This last weekend we celebrated Neve's birthday. We were vacationing

on Neve's birthday, so her official party was late. Late but not lame, the children made it a blast. It was so much fun having Neve's cute little friends over for a few hours on Saturday. I hope they had as much fun as we did.

Happy Birthday little girl! You are our sunshine!

The spread. Two of my favorite things were the lemonade glass bottles

and the jars we used for glasses. I had so much fun planning this party!

The party favors

Neve's gluten full cupcakes

The Crew

Neve reading a love note from her boyfriend.

Which one though I don't know. Trevor or Antoine?

Dane was so excited to give her this

cell phone he picked out.

Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

Neve checking out her tail's status.

Musical Chairs was hilarious.

The children caught on quickly and were so fun to watch.

all the pictures are a blur though, because they were so into the game!

Time for cupcakes!

What a cute crew!

The after party.

Dane and Neve in a sugar coma.

I almost forgot. Neve's invitations were so crazy and so Neve. I stumbled across them on date night while perusing Anthropologie. They are plain notecards, so I was able to use them as invites and thank you notes.

The Nerve

2010-09-13T21:03:00.005-04:00

My miracle picture

It was a big day. My oldest child's first day of kindergarten. The backpack was ready. The lunch packed. The camera waiting. The plan was in place. The pictures were taken in front of the front door, wearing the new school outfit, the combed hair, the anticipation in his smile that is until he found out Mom had an agenda.

Apparently Mom doesn't get to have an agenda on a five year old's big first day. Maybe Dane and I should have discussed our individual plans with each other.

Mom's plan: Take a few billion pictures. Hover. Smother child with kisses and hugs. Try not to cry. Cry. Drive adorable child to school. Repeat teh first five steps. Walk child to classroom. Repeat first five steps. Try not to cry still, hold it in until you get to the car. Get to the car, cry and then cry some more. Tell yourself not to call the school and check in or email the teacher, she is busy after all. Count down the minutes until you can go pick up your baby. Wait anxiously for half an hour at the bus stop. Greet child. Repeat first five steps. Listen to endless stories of what a great day child had filled with details and his new friends names. Smile while holding your child's hand as you walk home, while bursting with pride, you both not only survived such a hard day but thrived.

Dane's Plan: Allow Mom to take one picture in front of the door. Smile optional. Get on Bus by myself. Go to school by myself. Find my classroom by myself. Have fun. Get on bus by myself. Arrive home. Shrug a hello to Mom. Ask for snack. Eat and watch Cartoons.

Reality: Pictures in front of the door with Mom pleading for a smile instead of a scowl.

Dane walks ahead of Mom and Dad to bus stop. Dane annoyingly says "Mom!" as Mom tries to pat down Dane's already combed hair. Dane begrudgingly gives Mom a hug. Dane gets in line for the bus. Mom takes a dozen pictures of Dane with Dane scowling and wagging finger at Mom to stop taking pictures.

"Stop taking pictures Mom!"

Dane gets on the bus. Mom gets all teary. Mom and Dad race to cars to get in front of the bus. Driving to the school, Neve sees Mom's silent tears and joins in dramatically loudly sobbing, "I miss DANE!!!" Mom pulls it together, and reassures three year old everything is okay. Dad in his car moving slowly in front of bus, so that he makes it through the yellow light and the bus does not, in order to beat the bus to school. Ahhhhh, so sweet-Mom's hero! Mom and Dad race to the school, park and run to the entrance. Mom and Dad anxiously await the arrival of the bus, camera in hand at the ready of course.

Dane gets off bus! YAY!!!! Dane scowls at the sight of parents. Dane walks in front of parents avoiding contact at all costs. Dane like a 13 year old teenage pro ignores Mom's verbal attempt to get his attention. Mom starts to look pathetic.

Dane enters the school without a look back. Parents hurriedly follow in Dane's tracks. Dane weaves in and out of student traffic like a CIA operative trying to loose his tail. Mom follows Dane like a lovesick teenager in Jr. high following her crush hoping he won't notice, yet still he notices. Dad rolls his eyes.

"Did I loose them yet?"

Dad pulls Mom and Dane aside. Dane independently tell parents he can do this on his own. He looks down to his information card and confidently tell parents that he knows where he is going. His classroom is room 1. Mom triumphantly tells Dane that he is BUS 1 and his classroom is ROOM 2, while thinking, 'See you do need me.' Dane gives a humble "Oh," followed by a defiant "Well I KNOW where my classroom is."

Dad stops Dane and Mom and makes Dane give Mom a hug goodbye. Dane gives a "Bad first date awkward hug." The kind of hug that you really don't want to give but feel that you should. It is brief with minimal contact and maximum awkwardness is felt in place of any warmth.

Dane walks on. Mom hovers on. Dane enters his classroom. Mom enters his classroom. Dad rolls his eyes. Mom feels justified as she sees one other mom at the BACK of the classroom. She not only crossed the holy threshold but has entered the inner sanctum AND is taking MULTIPLE pictures. Mom tries to do the same. All knowing Kindergarten teacher stops Mom for a picture at the Front of the classroom with Dane and the teacher. That's Moms cue. Mom ignores it. Dane acts bugged until he can't hang up his backpack. Mom helps. Dane's nice for the moment that he needs help.

Dad still in the hallway with Neve. They are now both rolling their eyes. Dane sits down at his desk. Mom takes pictures of Dane at his desk. Dad summons Mom that it is time to cut the cord. Mom reluctantly walks out but not without a last look back. Mom holds the tears in. Mom gets to the car and is filled with sadness and anger. "Doesn't he know how hard this is." Mom says. "No dear, he is five," Dad replies. But still......

Dane returns home. Mom at bus stop without camera as a peace offering. Mom asks how his day was. Dane replies "Good, can I have a snack?" Letting go of her agenda, resignedly Mom says "Okay," and gives her boy a snack while he watches cartoons.

The Dog Days are Over...

2010-09-08T20:46:00.004-04:00

Sadly the dog days are over. As the last leg of our vacation came to an end we were ready to sleep in our own beds and be home. We were not however ready for the summer to end. We got the most out of it that we could while we had it.

Relaxing at the water park while the children played in the water spray

Cowgirl Neve in Great Grandpa's Boots

Cowboy Dane loves visiting His Great Grandpa and feeding the horses

Neve loved being with her 6 girl cousins

Dane with his best buddy Harris

Day 12 of 17 of the trip, the exhaustion had set in. Can you tell?

We are now home and rested and summer has left us whether we

were ready for it or not.

Goodbye summer 2010-you were a great one!

Can't wait to meet you Summer 2011 in 9 months and counting!!!

The Wedding

2010-09-06T22:28:00.004-04:00

It was a beautiful wedding and just so much fun being with family, especially our two little ones. Dane and Neve were so great, I felt truly lucky. We drove three hours to the wedding and I loved having the time to talk to Ben while the babes slept in the back.

The wedding was beautiful and I of course cried like I always do and squeezed the hubby's hand as I felt gratitude for our eternal marriage.

As for the wedding day, it was as Neve would say "Mommy, it's a HOT day."
After wearing my new shoes for only an hour I had five full blown blisters or places were the skin just melted and tore off from the heat and friction of the shoes. Beauty is pain? Worth it in the end. The blisters and sores are healed and the shoes are still as hot as ever.

The reception was beautiful. Dane and Neve loved the wedding celebration and were up a few times dancing together. They were so sweet together. I am LOVING watching these two become best friends and really look out for each other. I couldn't ask for more.

It was also Neve's birthday. Her favorite part of the day was probably wearing her new dress and dancing with Dane at the reception. This was a day I would rewind and love to live over again. Congratulations Matt and Kamber! Glad we were there to celebrate your eternal commitment to each other.

Goofy Dane

My birthday beauty

Beauty is pain

My baby is 3

Two Dancing Fools

Last but not least

Dane trying to spin and uncooperative Neve,

while they dance with no music.

Neve's inhibition at the end is the best part.

I'll have to rethink wrap dresses with this 3 year old.

I heart San Diego

2010-09-02T22:22:00.008-04:00

We started off the family vacation in San Diego with Nana and Papa, Sea World and of course Pacific Beach. I LOVE San Diego! My family vacationed in La Jolla a few times growing up, so it feels like a piece of home to me. I am trying to convince Ben that we should make it our home in the future, but he is not convinced.

Our time there was short but awesome. The kids loved Sea World, playing in the waves, and building sand castles(Piles). San Diego was all perfection except for it's UV rays. Like the expert parents we are, we forgot the sunscreen. Ben (My pale office warrior) and the rest of us burnt to a crisp. Unfortunately I also UV burned my eyes which led to a beautiful week of no makeup and glasses. I was one hot mama wearing glasses over my sunglasses (they wouldn't fit the other way)when we went out and about. I wish I had a picture!!!

It's okay though San Diego, I still love you, my eyes might feel differently but they will come around, as will Ben someday... I hope.

Neve stretching to be tall enough for the ride.

Oscar, Nana, Dane & Neve

Dane feeding the seals with anchovies.

Papa finishing the dirty job himself. The city boy was disgusted by

the slimey anchovy. Yet he loves eating raw fish-go figure.

Nothing better than the sun on your face,

the ocean breeze, and Papa's hugs.

A focused Neve perfecting her sand pile.

Dad and Dane resting in between wave jumping sessions. Notice Ben's newly acquired Sea World farmer's tan.

The end result-Burnt, exhausted and extremely happy children

dreaming dreams of magical San Diego.

still unpacking

2010-08-30T14:12:00.003-04:00

We just returned home from a 17 day trip of fun and exhaustion. DC life didn't stop without us and we have already jumped right back in. Lots and lots of posts and pictures to come of our West Coast trip. I miss Pacific Beach already.......

Just head bobbing over here....

2010-08-22T12:37:00.002-04:00

I fell in love with this video the minute I saw it. Love the design, love the lyrics-seriously a hard issue to overcome for me-caring too much what others think. Plus even better she head bobs when she dances! See minute 1:55, I thought I was the only one who did that, making me super dorky. Well according to Sara Bareilles I must be super cool, because she head bobs AND she has a music video. So go on, get your head bob on, cause you know I am!

Go Nats!

2010-07-31T12:28:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it is the end of July and summer is two thirds over. We started out July right with a Nats vs. Mets game over the 4th of July weekend. Dane was confused over who to cheer for because he thinks we live in NYC. It is a mystery to me why.

Back to DC, the new park is amazing! It even has a playground on site! One concession stand Noah's Pretzels even offered gluten free casein free pretzels. I became teary eyed when I saw their booth! We definitely need to do this again before the season is over. Go Nats!!!

The Nationals stadium on the Anacostia River waterfront.

By all means Dane, make yourself comfortable.

Dane trying to contain his excitement.

Our crazy animal Neve as she should be.....caged.

A great day!

Do you have SWAGGER?

2010-07-27T13:51:00.001-04:00

The Parenthood Competition

2010-07-27T13:50:00.006-04:00

These people just get me. I feel like my kids are the luckiest in the world because we feed them daily too!!! Sometimes even three times a day! If parenthood was a competition I think we would be right up there with these two, receding hair line and mama pouch and all!

Ms. Phillipa

2010-07-12T19:31:00.005-04:00

We love Ms. Phillipa

Ms. Phillipa came into our lives almost two years ago. Dane needed some extra help with his speech and adapting socially to preschool. She started seeing Dane at Preschool and home twice a week. It was so great! I felt like I had a my own private spy at his preschool and I got semi-weekly reports on Dane's progress. What was even better was the relationship we developed over the last two years.

Having lived across the country from our family since Dane was a newborn our exposure to the grandparents is limited. Not only was Ms. Phillipa Dane's Speech Therapist, she became of sorts a step in Grandma for Dane and Neve. She weekly brought magic and whimsy into our home with art projects, books, games and most importantly love. The kids counted down to the days Ms. Phillipa came over, as did I. They would jump up and down when she pulled up and run all over the house as if Santa Claus himself just arrived.

About a month before the school year was over, I was trying to prepare Dane for the change of Ms. Phillipa no longer being a part of our lives. As I looked back in the rear view mirror of the car, tears welled up in Dane's eyes and quietly spilled over. "Why Mom?" He questioned. I then explained to him that sometimes people come and go and that although we loved Ms. Phillipa, she was a preschool friend and it was time for him to make new friends in Kindergarten. Who was I kidding? The words didn't really console him or me, so we just sat in silence accepting the reality.

On her last visit, I thought Dane would be emotional, but I don't think he understood. I did though. As we said goodbye I teared up and there was so much I wanted to say but didn't know how.

So if I had had the courage this is what I would have said...

Thank you for loving my children like they were your family. We felt like you were a part of ours. Thank you for being there for us during such a difficult time of our lives as we adapted. Thank you for your support, advice and love. We will always remember the happiness, fun, magic and special spirit you brought into our home. You have an incredible gift with children. Thank you for sharing it with us. We love you and will miss you incredibly! We have been so blessed to have had you as a part of our life.

I wish everyone could have a "Ms. Phillipa" in there lives. We are better because of it.

Prozac Suggested

2010-07-01T01:19:00.006-04:00

One of our favorite shows is So You Think You Can Dance. Last night's show was incredible. I wish you all could come over and re-watch it with me on my DVR. Found a new love song to LOVE, and even better another fave-Kathryn and her partner Billy danced to this emotionally raw song Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri.

Be sure to take your Prozac before you watch this one though.

If you need a pick me up or a prescription for the Prozac be sure to follow with Twitch and Alex's Hip Hop routine. I knew I went into high school cheerleading for some reason.....
Don't forget Alex (long sleeve red shirt) has never done Hip Hop and is a Professional Ballet Dancer. Seriously? Amazing....

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

2010-06-01T12:31:00.004-04:00

A while ago Dane offered me this piece of wisdom.

(Said with the Dane Accent)
Mobing awound wen you r cuhnin is somebing tat is way much easier.

"Moving around when you are cutting is something that is way much easier."

I know, profound right?

3/30/10

Dane: OUCH!

Mom: Dane, are you okay, what happened?

Dane: My teeth bit my lips.

Mom: Are you okay?

DANE: (Screaming) NO, I DON'T LIKE YOU ANYMORE TEETH!

Mom: Why, don't you like your teeth anymore?

Dane: My teeth always bite my lips!

I think he is on to something.

2/8/10

Dane:"Mom, why did the chicken cross the road?"

Mom: "To get to the other side?"

Dane: (all said with speed and a smile)

"To get on a truck and ride fast to the other side to swing over someone's head and kick someone in the eye!"

Genius and funny. What mom could ask for more?
Move over Dane Cook, Dane Sorenson is in the house!

12/10/09

Did You Hear?

2010-05-25T12:50:00.002-04:00

Nordstrom just started to carry Mini Boden's line of clothing! It is a London based company and I love their style. I have been following them for a while but anxious to buy anything and worry about the hassle of returning the item via mail. Now they are local! They had me from hello with this infant set. I am almost tempted to have a baby just so she can wear this

or this

and this

I've been drooling over this dress for Neve.

To check out the full line go here.

Loose at the Zoo

2010-05-25T12:10:00.003-04:00

Ben's company had a party at the DC National Zoo on Saturday evening. We decided to take our two little animals and let them loose. We had such a great time. We had the zoo to ourselves from 6:00 PM on.
Most of our excursions to the zoo include only myself and the two little animals. Usually accompanied by a pack of other animals of the same age, along with their mothers, packed lunches and the heat and humidity of DC during the day.
This time we enjoyed the night weather and a ratio of one parent per animal. It was so relaxing and it was awesome to enjoy some time as a pack!

Notice Dane's visual gift to you above. Like I said a complete animal.

Postponed....

2010-05-19T10:36:00.006-04:00

We are a little bummed out over here in the Sorenson household. We were excitedly counting down to our June West Coast extravaganza trip. A 2 1/2 week trip spanning three states and seeing all of, as my Dad would say, the whole famn damily. Plus Ben was going to join us this time too!!! Does it get any better?

Apparently it does but we have to wait for it. A wedding! Ben's brother Matthew is getting married and so we postponed the whole trip. So happy for Matthew. So sad we have to wait, but so worth it.

We can't wait to see these cute faces!!!!

Grandpa's house

Nana and Papa's house

Carnival Chaos

2010-05-09T20:59:00.008-04:00

We celebrated sweet Dane's birthday in a carnival theme party and I dare say it was the most fun I have had planning a birthday party. Overall it was a blast! Happy Birthday Dane we love and adore you.

Hot Dog Days

2010-04-20T15:47:00.005-04:00

(image via freerepublic.com)

So for years come summer time we have in vain looked for a hot dog that Dane can eat. Come Memorial Day and July 4th you will find Ben standing in front of the hot dog section at the grocery store checking every package even though he checked the same packages a few months earlier. As many of you know Dane has > 20 food allergies. There are so many I haven't even counted. He also can't process nitrates-shocker right? Anyway inevitably finding a hot dog that doesn't contain one of his lovely food allergens or nitrates has been impossible... until now.

Dane had a Carnival birthday party (pictures to come soon, Nana & Papa) and how can you not serve hot dogs?
I google searched again and had the brilliant idea to check Applegate Farms brand-why had I not thought of this before? Applegate Farms is pretty much the only brand of meat that he can eat, but I had never seen them carry hot dogs. Turns out they do and Dane can eat it AND our local Whole Foods Market carries it-so I don't have to drive more than 30 minutes to go get it! Yeah! What more can a Mom ask for! Memorial Day and 4th of July here we come! Dane will be in Applegate Farms Hot Dog Heaven.

Dirty Little Secret #2

2010-04-12T13:44:00.005-04:00

Crazy Neve at 14 months old.

Raising kids in the DC area can be hard. It feels as though the attitude is that children should not only not be heard, but not to be seen either. Sometimes I feel like walking up to people when they stare at our children as though they are some rare species and say with a sweet sugary smile, "Yes this is a miniature human. We are having an excellent results with cloning the little humans. Anyway we technically call them children. If you keep your eyes open you will start seeing more and more of them all around. It is an incredible breakthrough in the world of science" Stuffy DC not being kid friendly is not the secret though. My dirty little secret is that when my miniature humans misbehave in public and the glares and comments from the intellectual city types start, I act totally shocked, dismayed and in disbelief of what has gotten into my "normally well mannered, sweet, always completely obedient child."

For example, Neve is Houdini reincarnate. She can climb out of her car seat. One time she quietly wiggled her way out of the top of the car seat straps, put the window down and was hoisting her self out of the bottom straps when I turned around to look at her. In the same moment she opened the back door as she leaned outside. I screamed in horror, pulled over and then rebuckled her and then screamed some more AT HER. Neve could not have cared less and has continued on with her Houdini ways. Just to give you an idea of what we are dealing with. Besides being afraid for my child's safety I was secretly relieved that I was anonymous in my car. I did quickly call my friend and relive the events to her as I nominated myself for the worst mother of the year award.

So now imagine the grocery store, with this child. She climbs out of the cart about 20 times a trip. To my credit I do tightly belt her in which gives me about 3 seconds of extra time. To her credit she is stealthly quiet and speedy quick! I will turn around to grab something on the shelf and she will be halfway down the cart. I know it is happening because as I turn back to my cart I at first see some women with a crazed look of horror on her face RUNNING down the aisle hands out towards my daughter to help secure her safety. At this point what am I supposed to do, tell the woman that Neve is a certified rock climber and we believe in letting her be one with her environment and to please let the process be? No I of course I join the crowd of disbelief and horror and with a mock surprised note to my voice sweetly say "Oh, Neve! What has gotten into you? That is not okay. We do not climb out of the cart. This is so not like you! You could get hurt, honey!" I then put Neve back in the cart turn to the woman, graciously say thank you and continue onto the next aisle. When out of site, I threaten Neve with her life with a stern note to my voice, threaten time out or put her on it depending on the situation, and or bargain with a lollipop to keep her in her seat. I proceed to the next aisle and we repeat the whole process except insert new horrified fellow customer. Disclaimer: Keep in mind if you truly knew Neve you would be shaking your head at her and not my parenting skills. I have brought my ninja parenting skills to the table and Neve chops them right down! Even my sister-one of THOSE Moms that has it all together with adorable children, just laughs, throws her arms up in the air and says good luck. I now go shopping after 8:00pm when Ben gets home.

So there you go Dirty Little Secret #2. My children are perfect in public and should they ever misbehave in front of judgmental bystanders it is total out of character for them. Just don't ever come to my house and then you will know my little white lie.

Easter and Easter Past

2010-04-09T18:15:00.005-04:00

We started our Easter celebration with an Easter Egg Hunt at a plantation in the area. So fun! We will definitely make this a DC tradition.

My favorite part of the weekend was watching Neve and Dane start to become friends with each other.

Easter Day

We were lucky to have Uncle Cardin come into town for the celebration.

Dane's way of showing jubilee.

Easter 2009-One of my all time most favorite pictures.

Easter 2008-Oh my I didn't realize what a chub-a-lub baby Neve was! i remember my baldy baby but not the extra love handles. She could have passed for a miniature 60 year old. A cute 60 year old nonetheless.

She still two years later puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. Freud would have had a field day with our Neve. By the way, where is the pause and rewind button in life?

and last but not least Dumb and Dumber at the White House.
Hope you had a great Easter weekend and enjoy the upcoming one!

San Francisco Treat

2010-03-31T10:08:00.005-04:00

(image per google images)

This last weekend I was able to head to Shaky town for my family's annual Women's Conference with my wonderful aunts and cousins. Flying the red eye back with a layover at JFK was brutal, but it was well worth it.
Four days of women I respect and love, packed with food, sightseeing, the beach, stories around the campfire, shopping and of course late night conversing into the early hours of the morn-every night. What more can a girl ask for? Besides world peace and of course and a nap.
I am thankful for my sweet husband who so wonderfully took care of the children. I returned exhausted but inspired to be a better woman, wife and mother. Thanks gals! It is good be to home, but I am already counting down until next year!

Good News or Bad News First

2010-03-24T08:10:00.005-04:00

When I was 9 months pregnant with Neve after a grueling morning I sent this email to Ben...

The bad news-I am about to strangle the 2 year old.
The good news-A replacement is coming any time now.

This is the email I felt like sending to Ben yesterday.

The bad news-Trying not to strangle the 2 year old.
The good news-There is NOT a replacement coming anytime soon.

Rest assured though. Once they were in bed I smothered them with kisses and all the bad was forgotten. The good news is that no one was strangled, myself included.

Headed to San Francisco for a much needed girls weekend!!! So excited to take off the "Mom" hat and put on the "I am a person, I really am" hat.

Dollar Store vs. Pottery Barn

2010-02-15T08:52:00.017-05:00

So about a month ago I was perusing the internet for ideas for Valentines decorations I came across this at Pottery Barn Kids.

I thought that it was adorable but once I priced it all out not THAT adorable. I had just recently discovered the dollar store for stocking stuffers for Christmas for the children (why did I not think of that idea earlier). Dane and Neve loved the cheap $1 toys better than the nice wooden dollhouse and rescue set. Go figure. Santa should have just given them big cardboard boxes.
So I went to the dollar store, the Target dollar section, etc , spent about $6-8 on the fabric at Joanns, and used what we already had at home. This is what I came up with. $183 for PBK or $18 Dollar Store style. I think it can be improved upon, but for $18 it's a start.

I also missed the opportunity to give treats to the neighbors during the holiday season. I didn't know who was Christian, Muslim, Jewish etc and didn't want to offend anyone. So instead this year we gave Valentine cookies to the neighbors. Who doesn't love sugar cookies on Valentine's Day?

The Rest of our Valentine's Day

This is the best picture I had of breakfast- I have no clue what Dane is doing other than signaling for the mothership to return him to his previous home.
Gluten free casein free heart pancakes-even Uncle Cardin enjoyed them, then again he is a single and poor anethesiology resident-so I'm guessing any sort of food that is warm tastes good to him.

I got these two items at the Dollar Store too. Now if I could only find the receipt to return them after they wined all day! Maybe they would take an exchange....

Dane's party is later on this week (delayed due to the snow closures). Last year I did paper hearts for Dane's class valentines. In the middle of putting them together last year I felt really bad as I realized my 3 year old boy was handing out girly valentines. So this year I found some valentines from Eeboo (I love all things Eeboo). Dane loved them too.

2009 Girly Valentines

2010 Baseball Valentines

Is it Odd?

2010-02-12T08:25:00.004-05:00

Is it odd that when I hear the word swipe; for instance at the grocery store, when the cashier referring to your debit card says "Swipe it again," that I have to fight the urge to sing "Swiper no swiping, Swiper no swiping!?"

or

That when I (one that only speaks English) am getting the kids in the car and we are in a hurry randomly "Vamonos," comes out of my mouth.

I think I know who is to blame....

Jokes.com

Brian Regan - Dora the Explorer

comedians.comedycentral.com

Joke of the Day

Stand-Up Comedy

Free Online Games

Hospital Sweet Hospital

2010-02-07T15:10:00.007-05:00

You don't think much about natural disasters when you are making the decision to become a nurse. They definitely do affect you in your career though. This weekend I was scheduled to work two 12 hour shifts at the hospital. Wednesday when I heard about the severity of the upcoming storm I knew it would be trouble. By Friday day I was packing a bag so that I could make it to the hospital before the roads/snow were too difficult to drive on. I had to be stranded at the hospital for the weekend instead of home. Sounds backwards right?

I didn't want to leave my sweet young children and sick husband but was happy to help the patients at the hospital. I was able to float the NICU and take care of sweet tiny premies. It was so sad to get the phone calls from the parents who so wanted to be with their children but couldn't. I remembered a story from a friend when she had to leave her firstborn in the NICU and head home without her baby. She cried that night and wondered if he would feel loved. I thought of that story as I loved these babies that were my patients for the day.

Trust me there is nothing glamourous about being a nurse. Staying over night for two nights in a sleeper chair and sharing a community bathroom definitely was not glamourous. But the privilege of taking care of people most treasured possessions while mine were at home safe and healthy was an honor and a blessing.

One of the neatest thing about this weekend was seeing the community of the DC area come together as a family. We had a multitude of volunteer drivers that were random members of the community that called a number on the news to help. These volunteer drivers had trucks, jeeps, SUVs etc and spent their weekend driving nurses from home to the hospital(sometimes a three hour trip roundtrip).

Being a nurse can be a very difficult job especially emotionally and often times it feels like a thankless one. The fact that these men came out and would wait hours for the chance to drive a nurse home or to the hospital rendered me speechless and really made an impact on me and the community appreciation for nurses.

Last but not least I was impressed by my fellow coworkers. The self sacrifice and the work they went to, to get to the hospital amidst a blizzard to take care of their patients was impressive. Not only I am impressed by them but blessed to enjoy their company, especially the needed giggling after one exhausting shift and before the next. If I had to be away from my family, I am glad that I was able to work with such wonderful women.

So overall a weekend I don't think I will forget nor will the rest of the DC area. For me I won't forget it just because it was my first Blizzard on the east coast, but because I will never forget the weekend we weren't just neighbors and members of a community but for a short time a family.

Pictures of our little family

A very happy and possibly drugged Neve after spending a WHOLE weekend with her best friend Dora.
The hurricane that occurred inside while the blizzard whirled around outside.
Look at the sheer glee on his face!
"I am in heaven!"
Dane GQing it and Ben getting his revenge for my last post. Notice in the middle of the picture, the small tightly pack of pretty white snow being throw with fury at the photographer-me.

Man Cold

2010-02-04T10:12:00.005-05:00

Imagine a big bus coming down the street, now imagine me throwing my husband Ben under it, because that is what I am about to do.

Ben has come down with a cold. Before marriage I had not been introduced to the "Man Cold." I quickly learned. About a month after we tied the knot. Ben came down with a cold. By the way he was acting, I was terrified. I thought he had pneumonia or tuberculosis. Mind you I am a registered nurse, so it takes a bit to scare me. The first night of Ben's man cold I stayed awake wondering if I should take him into the ER. I even called my Mother-in-law for advice (also a nurse). I sensed her confusion over the matter as I could sense her wonder if Ben was really that sick or if I was being dramatic. When Ben miraculously recovered a few days later I realized the phenomenon of the man cold.

Fast forward years in advance to the present day. Ben is coming down with a cold. Being the strong brute he is he managed to go to work yesterday anyway despite his man cold. I called him in the evening to check in on him. When I sweetly ask him how he is doing he replied in complete seriousness with a suffering tone and deep groggy voice.

"Honey, I don't know if I am going to make it through the night."

Pause-What is a gal supposed to say to this. Umm, is the will current? Your life insurance still in place. Um, okay then I'll be sure to buck up and manage without you while you die from a man cold.

I instead respond. "Oh, Honey! I am so sorry is there anything I can do for you? When are you coming home?"

Again in a "I am barely alive" voice-"I am going to try to work and make it until 7:00 (which is an early time to leave this time of year) and then come home."

"Okay, we'll see you when you get home."

Pause-Let the record show that he really is sick and suffering not only from head congestion, nausea and vomiting AND he did stop at the grocery store on his way home for his own medication-what a warrior.

Thankfully he survived the night. When he does die I will sure to alert the press that the man cold does in fact exist and can be deadly despite the general belief amongst women.

Exhibit A-Proof that the man cold does exist...

Dirty Little Secret #1

2010-01-31T19:07:00.005-05:00

So I have been trying to come up with some juicy secret that would shock you all but my life isn't juicy, so her comes my little boring secret.....

It is January 31st and my Christmas tree is still up. Can you believe it? I should care but find that I don't.... that much. I LOVE the tradition of the Christmas tree and have a hard time taking it down every year. I am even considering making a few heart decorations and making it a Valentine's tree. Is it time for an intervention?

Really though I am not to blame, it is the Swedish people's fault. Back in December when I was researching Christmas traditions, I came upon one were the people of Sweden celebrate the Christmas season until January 13th (the 20 day of Christmas). On the 13th they have a dinner with family and enjoy the decor and festive feelings of Christmas before they say farewell to the season.

So clearly you can see why it is their fault. Before I found out about this tradition I felt the pressure after January 1st to take the Christmas tree down. My procrastination period would last about two weeks until mid-January when I would actually take down the tree. Now my procrastination period has been delayed by the Swedes and here we are January 31st with the pretty lights and snowflakes of my tree haunting me with their beautiful glow. Darn those Swedes!

So which way should I go? Embrace my dirty little secret and act like it is intentional by making it a "Valentines Tree," or is that obviously prolonging the inevitable and should I just take the tree down without further embarrassment to myself? What say ye?

Dirty Laundry

2010-01-27T12:44:00.006-05:00

One of my New Year's resolution is to be more authentic. I think we all try to put our best foot forward. Sometimes though as a result we can present ourselves in an inauthentic light.
Take blogs for example. I don't even think I need to explain my point but I will. It feels like a lot of family blogs only show the pretty pictures of their life accompanied with the pretty stories. I try not to be guilty of this but probably am.
So in an effort to be honest and authentic over the next year I am going to do a series of posts (goal at least one per month) that will air my trivial lighthearted "Dirty Laundry" full of my dirty little secrets. This is a G rated blog and I am definitely not a Desperate Housewife. Although I think Susan and I would get along fabulously. My secrets aren't all that juicy but hopefully they will be fun and reveal my ever so present and authentic non perfect life!

Evil or Genius?

2010-01-04T16:18:00.006-05:00

First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR! We brought in the new year with our little family and a small fun celebration. I really enjoyed keeping it simple and celebrating with the children.

Around 6:30 as we were finishing up our "finger food" feast, Dane asked if he could stay up to count down until the New Year like Max and Ruby. I was stunned. How did he know this? Had Nickelodeon really betrayed me as a parent of a 4 year old? Did Max and Ruby really get to stay up and what kind of parents do Max and Ruby have? Maybe I should be more mindful of the TV shows I use to do my job for me by entertaining my children. Goodness, it is so hard to find good help these days......

After I got over my betrayal of Nickelodeon, I was perplexed to find an answer that would satisfy both Dane and we his parents. I thought back on how when I was a child living in the western US, my parents would let my siblings and I stay up and watch the New Years Eve celebration as the ball dropped in Times Square in NYC. Then we would reluctantly traipse to bed, well before midnight but satisfied that we got to at least stay up past our bed time. I thought that this was a great compromise. One that I unfortunately wouldn't work for me since we live in the eastern standard time zone. Then the genius plan hit me.
LONDON, BABY LONDON!

It was 6:50 pm when it dawned on me. Are we five or six hours behind? With hope in my heart I raced to the computer. It was 11:50 PM in London! We pulled up a live stream of The Eye in London and told the kids to hurry and finish eating so that we could count down in a few minutes.

Fast forward to 6:59, and 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1-Happy New Year Dane and Neve! We screamed, we jumped, we cheered, and watched the fireworks explode over the River Thames for a minute or two and then we promptly put the kids in their pajamas ONE HOUR EARLIER than the usual 8:00 bedtime. Wah, Hah-HAA

In my evil genius ways as a mother I suggested to Dane that he be able to stay up for one hour later than Neve to celebrate with Mom and Dad. After Neve was in bed by 7:15, Dane brought in the New Year right by watching a kid movie and felt so special that he got to stay up "late" when he went to bed at his usual time of 8:00.

When I relayed the story to some friends I noticed that the friends that were parents thought we were genius and that the friends without children thought we were mean.

So which is it? Are we evil or genius?

Don't forget to check out Dane's resolutions. He really set his sights high! It might actually take a WHOLE day to achieve them all!

Autistic High School

2009-12-30T11:57:00.004-05:00

Here is a news article my Dad brought to my attention. We worry about Dane and his learning styles and what future education options will be necessary for Dane to optimally succeed. We debate whether he would continue to benefit from a smaller class size with two teachers in a private school or whether to challenge some of his issues by putting him in public school next year. Although we don't believe Dane will need this autistic high school in the future and we plan on using "mainstream" education (as he is already in mainstream preschool), it touched my heart that the option is available for those families that need it. Way to go Utah! I am impressed.

New help for autism
By Elizabeth Stuart
Deseret News
Published: Monday, Dec. 28, 2009 9:32 p.m. MST

Pretty soon, Dani Hartog won't have to worry.

She won't have to leave her car idling in the parking lot at Northridge High to drag her 15-year-old son, kicking and screaming, to his classroom. She won't get a tight feeling in her chest whenever the phone rings, wondering if the principal is calling to say the boy, who has autism, is missing again. She won't panic as she rushes from work to her home in South Weber, worried the teenager won't be safe in his usual hideout under the back porch.

Because, pretty soon, Utah will have a public high school specifically designed to address the educational and social needs of children with autism and Asperger syndrome.

"I was so elated when I heard the news, I literally jumped up and down," Hartog said. "The difference between specialized and mainstream education is night and day for my kid."

Spectrum Academy, a three-year-old charter school that serves autistic children grades kindergarten through 8th, recently broke ground on a 32,300-square-foot, $5.5 million high school in North Salt Lake. Ninth and 10th grades will be available starting next fall; 11th and 12th grades will follow in 2011 and 2012.

Although one in every 133 Utah children has autism, according to a 2007 report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Spectrum Academy is the only public school of its kind in the state. The high school will be the first in Utah — private or public — to cater to children with autism.

Such specialization runs counter to a federal and state push over the last decade to give children with learning disabilities equal access to a mainstream public education. All Utah public schools, in compliance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, offer special education courses but place autistic children in traditional classrooms as frequently as possible.

"Under the current legislation, the presumption is you are going to put a child in a general environment and only add restrictions when it's absolutely necessary," said Richard Robison, executive director of The Federation for Children with Special Needs, a national nonprofit that promotes parental advocacy. "We want our children treated like every other child. We want them to be able to participate in the life of the school. We want them to be safe. We want them to have the appropriate aids and supports in place to help them learn and progress."

Nonetheless, most experts agree that children with autism, who vary in their levels of social, communicative and behavioral impairment, need individualized instruction, whether it be at a traditional school or a specialized school.
Tom Higbee, a professor of special education at Utah State University and one of the nation's foremost autism researchers, called such intervention "critical" to a child's success.

"They just have different learning styles," Higbee said. "It is difficult for children with autism to learn by observation, which is a teaching method a lot of public schools are built around. There's no prototype of a person with autism, so, to be effective, teaching needs to be pretty customized."

With small class sizes and a full staff of teachers certified in special education, a custom education is exactly what Spectrum Academy hopes to provide for autistic teens. There's a teacher's aid in every classroom and full-time occupational and speech therapists, too.

To afford all the extra amenities, the school augments its allotment of state education dollars with some $250,000 a year in private donations,

"The truth is, a lot of children just don't thrive in a traditional school environment," said Jaime Christensen, principal of Spectrum Academy. "For some kids, 'different' is just what they need in order to learn."

Spectrum is, by public school standards, a bit unconventional. Christensen calls the anomalies "tools to help the children excel."

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The high school will offer vocational training as well as traditional and special education diplomas. Students on a college track can take concurrent enrollment classes.

Spectrum Academy's curriculum is tailored for the autistic mind and children are divided into grade levels, not by age, but by ability.

"We have high expectations for our kids, but we give them the help they need to rise to those expectations," Christensen said.

Toys are OK as long as students fiddle under their desks and keep their eyes on the teacher. Sitting up straight is optional; students kneel on chairs, slouch down, twist, twirl and kick. Some children trade traditional seats for big, bouncy exercise balls.

"I'm not worrying about that stuff, no way," Christensen said. "If they're doing their work, I'm happy. A lot of times being able to fiddle or wiggle is all these kids need to be able to concentrate."

The hallways are plastered with posters reminding children to "think about other's feelings" and adjust their behavior appropriately. Children, many of whom struggle to connect to peers, get a minimum of 30 minutes of social training a day.

The curriculum works for Kristofer Randall, 12, a seventh grader at Spectrum.

"I don't get stressed out as much at this school," he said. "If things seem loud to me and I get a headache, the teacher lets me take a short break so I can come back and pay attention better."

He's even involved in extracurricular activities. He's a class officer.

"I have lots of friends here and nobody makes fun of me," Randall said. "I'm excited to stay here for high school."

Hartog's son Kolby is pretty pumped about Spectrum, too.

"I hate this school," he tells his mother about Northridge, usually after an hourlong battle to get the boy dressed and on his way. "I hate that I can't do what the other kids do. I hate that everyone treats me different."

For her part, Hartog doesn't even care that she has to send Kolby through 10th grade twice in order to make the move.

"He just doesn't learn the same way everyone else does," she said. "I just want him to get an education and learn how to function in society."

Peace at Home

2009-12-25T18:46:00.009-05:00

Christmas Eve was a peaceful day in our home. My Mom would have been proud, we baked cookies,and had a full turkey dinner. Unwrapped the children's Christmas Eve pajamas. The children performed the nativity scene and then we enjoyed homemade apple pie with my family's traditional Christmas Eve wassail drink. The children cut of the second to last paper on the Christmas Countdown paper chain and called it a night. The children peacefully slept, while the adults conversed and prepared for Santa's arrival. I felt the Spirit of Christmas in our home and the spirit of my Mom's Christmas Eve as we celebrated Christmas Eve the way she always did for us. Merry Christmas everyone. We hope your holiday was as peaceful and joyful as ours!

Winter Dream

2009-12-20T11:22:00.007-05:00

This year I was wishing and hoping and praying for snow. Be careful what you wish for! I headed off to the hospital on Friday night and returned home the next morning to a winter wonderland. Driving home on Saturday morning I was singing loudly in the car going 20 miles per hour on the freeway so excited that there was snow for Christmas. That is until I found out my twin brother Brandon and his family's flight here to DC was canceled and that the airport was shut down for two days. Guess I can't have my cake and eat it too. We now can't wait to see Brandon, Andrea and Emmy on Tuesday instead. In the meanwhile while we are snowed in we will be enjoying warm soup, peppermint tea and of course snowflake shaped sugar cookies!

Neve excited about the snow storm, talking all about it with her friend, "Phoebe" on the "phone."

Snowstorm continues on, on Saturday night.

The view out our front door on Sunday morning.

About TWO AND A HALF feet of snow in under 36 hours!

Our Christmas Tree!

Dane's excitement on Sunday morning. The kids were ready to go outside in their pajamas, coats and hats.

Neve our snow princess.

Christmas Cards-Check!

2009-12-16T21:38:00.005-05:00

Every year I stress myself mad over getting my cards out and promise that the next year that I will have them finished by Thanksgiving and mailed on December 1st. This year I could have made it but just didn't feel like assembling them. So the goal date changed every few days from the 1st to the 5th to the 10th to the 15th. Oh well. The majority are now out and I am just satisfied that they will get there for Christmas. Maybe next year I will be on top of it.... I am tempted to book our session for next year with our photographer now. You say OCD, I say organized-okay maybe a little OCD!

Did you know that-

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first 'Penny Post' public postal deliveries began. Over a billion Christmas cards are now sent every year in the United Kingdom, many of them sold in aid of charities.
(Info from http://madeupinbritain.camio.co.uk/index.php?title=Christmas_Traditions)

Who knew! Well thanks Great Britain. Jolly good idear!

I will conquer you Ebelskiver!

2009-12-07T17:46:00.007-05:00

I will bring you down, I will bring you down to chinatown!

I have fond memories of my Mom making us Ebelskivers, the Danish pancake for breakfast when we were children. Last year when Dane's preschool had international lunch day, I thought to make Ebelskivers filled with the Swedish berry, Lingonberry inside. Considering the batter was gluten free and dairy free, I was proud of my end result.

I am starting a new tradition of making ebelskivers on Christmas morning for breakfast and want to master the art of making an ebelskiver. In preparation for Christmas morning breakfast, I figured I would try practicing my ebelskiver making skills.

All I have to say is that the name must have been lost in translation and should be called EVILskiver. I have a basically beautiful brand new pan, the wooden skewers that the cute grandma at Williams-Sonoma (that I wanted to bring home with me and adopt) suggested and I have even watched an instructional video last year. What could go wrong? How hard could it be? Well these EVILskivers are definitely not idiot proof.

Round 1

The Evil Ebelskiver takes it hands down.
1 point to Evil. 0 points to Brynn.

Even Neve who does not discriminate in any manner when it comes to food (she eats dirt for heaven's sake), when asked if they were good looked up, put down the evilskiver after one bite and manner of factly replied. "No."

I will conquer you Ebelskiver! I will see you in the next round!

St. Nicholas Day

2009-12-06T23:00:00.007-05:00

Neve's clogs awaiting treats!

This history was given to us in a beautiful compilation book by Nana Sorenson called Christmas Treasury. It is a favorite at our house in December. The kids love being read a different story from it each night as they go to bed. Thanks Nana!

Christmas in Holland
written by Sarah Toast

Dutch children in Holland, or the Netherlands, anxiously look forward to St Nicholas Day on December 6. While they eagerly await the arrival of Sinterklaas, the people around them shop for gifts, write a little poem to accompany each one, and carefully wrap each gift to keep the contents a surprise to the receiver.
Sinterklaas is a kindly bishop. He wears red robes and a tall, pointed mitre on his head. Sinterklaas travels by ship from Spain to Amsterdam's harbor every winter. With him he brings his white horse and a huge sack full of gifts for the children. The mayor and all the people of Amsterdam flock to the harbor to greet Sinterklaas as he arrives [the Saturday after Thanksgiving]. Bells ring out, the people cheer, and a brass band leads a parade through the streets. The parade stops at the royal palace, where the Queen welcomes Sinterklaas.
Families celebrate St. Nicholas Eve at home with lots of good food, hot chocolate, and a letterbanket. This is a "letter cake" made in the same shape of the letter of the family's last name. In some families, each person gets a little letterbanket with their first initial.
Then out come the carefully chosen and wrapped "surprises." Every gift is accompanied by a personal verse written by the giver about the recipient. And even though the gifts are from family and friends they all are signed "Sinterklaas." No one is supposed to know who really gave the gift. The way they are wrapped adds to the surprise. A small gift might be hidden in a potato. A big gift might be kept a surprise by being hidden in the attic. The recipient opens a smaller gift that contains a note telling the recipient where to find the real package.
Finally, at the end of the evening, the children set their [clogs] by the fireplace. The [clogs] are filled with hay and carrots for the horse Sinterklaas rides through the streets on St. Nicholas Eve. The children sing a song about how much they hope the cold, wet, foggy weather will not keep Sinterklaas away that night. Then they tell their parents how well, or how badly, they have behaved though out the past year. When well-behaved children awake in the morning, their [clogs] are filled with nuts, candy and other surprises.
In the eastern part of Holland, farm families announce the coming of Christmas from the first Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas, until Christmas Eve by blowing a horn made from hollow elder-tree branches. The horns make an eerie noise as they are blown at every farm in the neighborhood. Later in December, Dutch families decorate a Christmas tree and trim the house with candles, evergreens, and holly. Some children hang a stocking from the fireplace mantel on Christmas Eve, but there are no more presents after St. Nicholas Day for most Dutch children.
Families go to church together on Christmas Eve and then again on Christmas morning. They gather together for a family dinner of roast hare, venison, goose, or turkey. Eggnog and a milled drink are specially made for this celebration.
December 26 is called Second Christmas Day. Often the family goes out to a restaurant to eat on that day. Many concerts, recital and other musical performances make this Christmas Day special.

I can't wait to incorporate the letterbanket into our family's traditions and St. Nicholas Day. Now on my bucket list is to be in Holland one year in early December to hear the the horns representing the coming of Christ's birth. What a beautiful tradition!

It begins...

2009-12-01T20:31:00.006-05:00

I have been awaiting the arrival of this Christmas season for a while. I absolutely can't wait to enjoy every minute of it. At least when I am not stressing out over making it perfect. The best thing about having children is that some of the magic you lost from childhood to adulthood not only returns but returns ten fold. For the most part it falls on the parents to create the magic but you feel like the recipient when you see the glimmer of joy in your child's eye.
This year I am going to do things I have wanted to do for years but because of other circumstances I have done the bare minimum. So here I am on December 1st trying to make up for it. For starters I have been researching our Christmas heritage and the traditions of our ancestors. I love it!! I am so excited to integrate them into our Christmas celebrations. Over the next few weeks I will share my favorites with you and are new old family traditions!

You definitely can't go without the paper chain countdown. 1 day down 23 days to go!

Oh I almost forgot one of my favorite things about Christmas is the music. Enjoy some of my faves on the blog playlist. My best Christmas music find yet...

I am thankful for....

2009-11-26T16:25:00.002-05:00

My greatest treasures Dane and Neve.
Our freedom and the noble men and women who keep it that way.
Our ancestors and their testimony of Jesus Christ.
and
Last but not least my chef extraordinaire husband who worked so hard preparing our full gluten free, casein/milk/dairy free, corn free, soy free but definitely not taste free Thanksgiving dinner.
Plus he did this all by himself while I was sleeping since I worked at the hospital on Thanksgiving Eve until Thanksgiving morning until 8 am. I woke up to a intoxicating aroma only present on Thanksgiving and a wonderful feast.
I am so blessed and thankful to call this sweet man mine.

A Magical Day

2009-11-23T19:42:00.012-05:00

What a goofball nerdy wizard!

Ever since becoming a parent Halloween has become more and more fun. This year we had a year of magic with Harry Potter and a Flower Fairy. The Halloween celebration started off at Dane's preschool with a Fall Harvest Parade.

Our little Flower Fairy

The wings and wand were her favorite part! Mine were the horizontal striped tights.

Neve is able to eat all of the candy put in front of her and strives valiantly to do so. She is definitely not slow to the punch. She picked up on trick or treating really quickly and filled her basket full as fast as a two year old can. In fact it was spilling over toward the end it was so full. She worked just as hard to pick up any lost candy. In Neve's world she believes in "no [candy] left behind." She would bend down to retrieve any dropped candy and end up spilling even more from her basket. This little girl was not deterred though, she would just start picking up the most recently dropped candy and then spill more. Her devotion to her candy was hilarious! She would have made any expert trick or treater proud. We are proud of our little Flower Fairy and hope she strives valiantly to exceed in all areas of life not just trick or treating because we think she is fabulous and sweet as her sweet tooth.

Our Harry Potter

The glasses wouldn't stay on! They were the best part!

As Dane has gotten older, food and his allergies/intolerances have become more of an issue. I was really worried this year as he wouldn't be able to eat the candy (as usual) but that emotionally it would be more difficult for him as with age he is realizing what he is missing out on.

As I have become a regular at many speciality grocery stores, I have discovered a gem. This new gem is the magazine Living Without. It helps me as a mother find new foods to offer to our family to eat that we can all eat. It also talks about the emotional ramifications that children with food allergies deal with and how to help them cope. One particular article/story was of a mother with the same problem that I face on Halloween. She made separate goodies and ran them ahead to the homes without him knowing before her son got there. So at the end of the night he had treats that he could actually eat. I was so excited and embarrassed that I hadn't thought of this myself.

So Halloween night I had about 20 treat bags ready to go. I was SWEATING as I ran back and forth from our trick or treating group and the doors about to be knocked on by Harry Potter. Having a food allergy/intolerance I have learned at time can be isolating, but as I knocked on these doors of fellow Halloween celebrators I felt nothing but camaraderie and support. As I asked "Can you give this treat to Harry Potter?" A look of confusion would come across their face as they stood there holding their storm door and taking the treat bag. I would then quickly follow it up with, "He has food allergies." The light would go on in their brain and in their face as it lit up with joy to be apart of the mission to make a little boy's Halloween special.

As I ran back and forth to pass out the treats and watch Dane and Neve trick or treat, I wondered if all this work was worth it, if Dane even cared. Three-fourths of the way through the route, Dane came upon three witches sitting in their lawn chairs-naturally. The handed him a "Crispy treat" (his specially made rice crispy treat), Dane yelled to me 20 feet behind in sheer joy, "Mom! Mom! They gave me a CRISPY TREAT!!!!" I enthusiastically replied, "Yeah Dane!' to which he happily replied, "I can eat this!" The witches were delighted and my heart filled with warmth and it made the worry, extra preparation and running completely worth it. At the end of the night after Neve was in bed and her candy was hidden(unsuccessfully) , we poured out Dane's candy and made two separate piles. The pile that he couldn't eat and the pile that he could. We counted the candy to calculate how much Halloween prize money he earned to go towards a toy. He ended up picking a big pale green ceramic spotted piggy bank to go in his room, and put the leftover money in it. Smart kid-takes after his Dad is this area, thank goodness!

So all in all I think that this Halloween ended up being the most magical I have ever had and worth all the work to make it so. I am already looking forward to next year and my plotting to trick Dane on his Halloween treats. I already have Neve's halloween costume picked out too! I have got to enjoy this before she actually wants a say on the matter, right? Enjoy what is left of the fall season!

Dane's 4th Day

2009-11-19T16:19:00.006-05:00

Here is Dane's 4th day of preschool. I am sure you are wondering why I don't have pictures of the first day. The reasons are as follows...

Day 1-Just plain forgot like the stellar mom that I am-keeping it consistent, like posting about his 4th day of preschool two months late! Don't you feel better about your mothering skills after this post!?!

Day 2- I actually took some pictures but I won't torture you with Dane's scowls.

Day 3-Simply no time and let's be honest his outfit wasn't cute enough. If you never take a picture of them in an ugly outfit did they really ever wear one?

Day 4- Voila! The long awaited pictures of Dane's 4th day of preschool. I know you all have been waiting anxiously for their debut, and that this must be a momentous post in your life, so I won't prolong the joy......

Dane's 4th day of preschool, wearing what Mom made him wear....

Dane sporting what he wanted to wear- a stylish pirate cowboy. You're only 4 once, right?

Run. Drive. Sleep? Repeat.

2009-10-01T09:55:00.006-04:00

This last weekend I along with 11 teammates ran the Ragnar Relay from Cumberland, MD to DC. As Ragnar puts it 12 people. 2 vans. 200 miles. 24 hours.-Okay really 24-36 hours.
As I put it... a total blast. I could go on and on but here are some pictures to illustrate the story. Thanks team Super Schnell for such an awesome time!!!!

Aliens? Maybe. Most likely Ragnar night runners-definitely just as crazy as aliens!
Refueling on marshmellows at Exchange 12! MMMMmmmm
1 leg down, 2 to go.
The exchange- Robert & Kiersten -Our van's 2nd leg.
Exchange 24 Starting racing at 8:00 am, now 21 hours later at 5:00 am and still smiling!
Ahh finally a few hours of sleep. Few meaning two.
Running the streets of DC for our 3rd leg!!!
The last and FINAL exhange before the finish line! Go Karilyn!!
Kiersten being her loopy sleep deprived alien self. I think we scared the locals, awaiting Karilyn's arrival to cheer her on at halfpoint and then try to beat her to the finish line at RFK Stadium.
Van #2 (Genevieve, Karilyn, Robert, Gina, Kiersten and Brynn)started as strangers, got personal really fast (Thanks Kiersten), and had the time of our life, as if we had known each other all our life. It was an absolute blast and I can't wait for next year!!!!! Thanks Super Schnell- see you in 360 days and counting!

Trouble is a Friend

2009-09-13T12:22:00.006-04:00

Trouble is a good friend of Neve's. They are new acquaintances but they have quickly become fast and steady friends. She happens to really like Trouble's company and doesn't seem to mind the amount of time she spends being scolded in order to be his friend. It doesn't even phase her. She just giggles knowing that as soon as her punishment is over, that her friend Trouble is ready and waiting for her to play. Trouble is such a bad influence. He has taught her such things like how destroy everything in the house in a quiet stealth like manner when Mom isn't looking. How to tease her brother until he screams or how to get out of bed twenty times a night just to giggle and communicate who really has the power. What is really frustrating is that he has also taught her to enjoy it and they find delight in such activities. I am left speechless and in a quiet despair. What happened to my sweet Neve?

What's even worse is that I think Trouble introduced her to Stubborn. Her two new BFF's as a combination is enough to drive me insane. If she is not engaged with Trouble, Stubborn comes out to play. Stubborn has taught her to not even care what I say to her and to do whatever she pleases-in fact usually the opposite of what I ask her to do. I hate Trouble and Stubborn, but apparently she doesn't care what I think.

I am trying to reintroduce Neve to old friends like Sweet and Obedient, but she is just not interested. Did they have a fight? Did one of them comment on Neve's weight? Her fashion sense? Was there a falling out? Ultimately, I don't know but I don't think they have enough flair for her new grown Trouble and Stubborn enhanced personality. Sigh...

Maybe with time she will outgrow her friendship with these terrible two and Sweet and Obedient will become more appealing. Until then I have a feeling she and her new friend Time Out are really going to get to know each other very, very well! Maybe she can talk some reason into this girl!

Missing the Glee in your life?

2009-09-10T02:08:00.009-04:00

Loving this show! So absolutely hilarious! Why didn't we get to sing these kind of songs in high school? Because you know we all sung to these songs in front of our bedroom mirrors with hairbrushes as microphones whether we admit it or not! I think I am going to turn on some Journey and rock out in front of the, uh um I mean quietly enjoy the band's vocal and guitar cords.... Even better I am going to go act like a fool and sing and dance around with my kids! No closed bedroom doors for me, just pure utter confidence in my gleekness!

SUPER Dane!

2009-09-08T13:39:00.006-04:00

The other day I was in the car with the kids headed to pick up some dinner at Chipotle. As we passed a Chipotle the conversation started with Dane saying,
"Mom wait you are passing Choc-chipolt-lake (he thinks that name is so much more cool- okay whatever dude!).

"Yeah, Dane that one doesn't have very good customer service, so we are going to go to another Chipotle."

"Which one Mom?"

"The one by Brandon's house"

"Wait Mom are we going to the one by the toy store?"

"Yes, the one over by the toy store."

With total glee, sheer joy, total belief and full sincerity, Dane replied,

"I knew it!! I knew we were going to go to the one by the toy store! I knew it before you even told me! Because I knew it, that means I do have super powers! I knew I had super powers! I have super powers so that means I am a super hero! I just knew that I was a super hero! I knew we were going to the Chipotle by the toy store. I am a super hero, I do have
super powers! I just knew it, Mom. I knew it! I knew I was a super hero!!!!"

Definitely the highlight of my day! Who can argue with that logic? Dane may your super powers serve you well and most importantly help you keep your room clean and be kind to all.

The best part is that I have him convinced that sugar is to his super powers as kryptonite is to Superman's powers. Who said I couldn't have fun with this!?

GFCF Pizza!

2009-08-10T16:09:00.006-04:00

So as many of you know Dane has many food allergies and intolerance's. As he has grown he is starting to notice that he is missing out on some fine cuisine that his friends enjoy. So I have finally stepped up to the plate and am trying to expand his limited food choices by cooking from scratch with alternative food sources. We found this gluten free, casein free (a derivative of milk) pizza flour made of rice flour, tapioca starch etc. We added GFCF pizza sauce and GFCF salami and wah la, GFCF Pizza.

The excited 4 and 1/2 year old, about to cook his first ever pizza.

The frustrated almost 2 year old who just wants Mom to stop documenting and cook the pizza already!

The gluten free casein free pizza masterpiece..... but will it be taste free also?

The verdict-Dane's first critique of the pizza, "This crust tastes funny!?!" My thoughts exactly. As for Neve she kept coming back for more, even when she was in the middle of her bath, she would take dinner breaks for more GFCF Pizza. I am glad someone liked it, the sad part is that she and Ben are actually the ones who can eat normal pizza-go figure!

Stayed tuned, we will be trying Gluten Free Pantry's brand of pizza crust next. I am sure you are all just dying to hear the results, right? I know, I know such exciting stuff going on at our house! Go order a Papa Johns Pizza for us and enjoy every last cheesy gooey wheat full bite!

Ice Love

2009-07-21T15:33:00.005-04:00

I am in love with this ice bag! Who knew ice could look so good (except when in labor of course). This bag will be a favorite in my home. I can't wait until the kids get hurt next so I can use it....kind of?!

Right now my Father-in-law is shaking his head in disbelief saying what is wrong with a plastic bag? Nothing at all but this is FABULOUS, don't you think?

Don't worry next time Dane tackles you, Richard and leaves a mark, I will let you use our stylish non leaky ice bag. You can shake your head then too, and I will be smiling at how cute our ice bag is..... check out the various styles at www.gal-pal.com

Addicted

2009-07-16T16:44:00.006-04:00

One of Ben and I's favorite shows to watch is So You Think You Can Dance. I just can't get over this piece performed last week. It gives me the chills every single time. Kupono is the addiction and Kayla is the victim. This show is definitely my addiction.

Fabulous Four

2009-07-07T07:52:00.007-04:00

This spring we celebrated Dane's 4th. It was really fun and I am really starting to enjoy this birthday party scene, when I am not stressed out to the max over the most minor detail, i.e. the right shade of green for the paper cups. Pathetic, I know. I am who I am am, insanity and all! I just tell myself over and over that I am doing this for Dane and someday he will see his birthday party pictures and know that his Mom really worked hard to make him happy. Well this year was the first year he really noticed and cared about the success of his birthday party. After it was all said and done he definitely felt like he SCORED!

We love you Dane! Muddy socks, stick sword collection, Legos under foot, favorite ratty sweat pants and all!

The Party Scene

The Loot

Half time fuel

The future faces of the Men's US Soccer Team. Don't they look like champions?

Team Effort

Training

These boys are going to make some girls very happy someday....?

Pure simple fun!

We love you Dane!

Funny Farm

2009-07-06T08:10:00.006-04:00

Our summer started off with a fun preschool field trip to the farm. It was a fun day and we definitely put this on the repeat list. Now if I can just get my children to behave as well as the farm animals....

"This woman already has the camera out !?! The things I endure!"

"Don't hate me because I am beautiful."

Dane's heaven, now if it would only move....

Exhibit A: Proof that they do have at times like each other.

"So many boys so little time!"

Neve's true love since birth, Trevor. Neve Blake-has a ring to it, don't you think?

Vogue called!

2009-06-27T17:14:00.006-04:00

So I realize that every mother thinks that her babies are the cutest babies ever, but seriously this time it is true. Neve just can't be any more beautiful. Every picture she takes could go on the cover of a magazine. I really think she has a future as a top model, so much so I have already put a portfolio together and sent it out to all the top fashion model agencies. Apparently they agree. Vogue has already called and can't wait to use her as a cover model. The don't really put children on their covers, but with Neve's beauty they just had to make an exception. The only problem is that they can't decide which money shot to use. Maybe you can help them decide.....

Here she is our vivacious, elegant, beautiful Neve

Isn't that smile just a money maker, it is so demure and refined.

She excels at actions shots. She even eats gracefully!

Who knew green teeth could be so becoming. I see a new trend in the future.

She is always so feminine and becoming. What a little lady!

Always alert and ready for any surprise shot. I don't know how she does it.

Never a bad shot!

Isn't she beautiful?

She even manages to look gorgeous while drooling chocolate candy.

Who knew babies could do 'sexy.' Leave it to Neve.

Blazing the way in the world of child modeling.

It is no wonder Vogue called.

I am sure you can all see why I think my baby is the prettiest of them all!

Giddy Up Cowboy!

2009-05-08T09:35:00.007-04:00

Dane had a Wild Wild West day at preschool the other day and I don't know who had more fun-Dane pretending to be Sheriff Dane or me dressing Dane up as a cowboy. This kids thing just keeps getting better and better....

Glam Neve admiring her handsome cowboy.
Our Glamourous Cowboy-Ben is so proud!

Hotel Sorenson

2009-05-06T20:09:00.006-04:00

March and April we were counting our lucky stars! My twin brother Brandon come out to visit us. It was such a blast and so fun to have him as my constant companion again, at least for a few days. Thanks for letting us borrow him Andrea and Emmy. We hope we get you two next time too.

The worst and only bad part of the visit is that I didn't take any pictures! Luckily he did, I just haven't received them yet. He was gathering research for his honor thesis and took photos of buildings and hopefully a few of us! We are after all a little more interesting than buildings. Brandon might beg to differ though. The trip was filled with a walk through Old Town Alexandria, visiting some of Brandon's stomping ground from the LDS mission he served here and of course both of our favorite monument-FDR, oh and of course good food! He just graduated on Saturday and we are so proud of you Brandon! Congrats!
After Brandon left, a few days later Ben's parents came into town for a few days also. We felt like the luckiest people in the world to have them all to ourselves. Dane and Neve were in seventh heaven. The visit started off with a walk around the tidal basin with the cherry blossoms and ended with Kids N Motion a indoor play area on Dane's rainy birthday. When Neve saw that they were packing up, she quickly put on her rain boots, and grabbed her blankie and binkie. Clearly the essentials and stood by the door ready to leave with Nana and Papa back to Arizona. I think we all wanted to get on the plane with them and didn't want to say goodbye.

As for Hotel Sorenson, it is currently vacant and open for visitors. Come one, come all. DC is beautiful in the spring! We would love to have you!

Easter Morn

2009-04-14T08:05:00.005-04:00

So every Easter I have tried to make it about Christ by giving the children church books about Christ, new activities to go in the church bag along with a new Sunday outfit with a bit of candy.

Ummm, note to self-Give them the Christ centered items in the family room and cherish them first and then let them see the rest of the basket. Seriously what was I thinking? I was trying to read the Easter book while the kids played with the new church toys. Ben just started laughing at me, because I was pushing it so hard and the kids were a lost cause. I can be stubborn, but there was no winning this one. Oh well, now I know! I guess there is always Family Home Evening to reiterate the real point of Easter. Dane did love the Ten Commandments cartoon DVD though and I agree it was awesome. Watch out Batman, here comes Super Moses!

As for the rest of it, they loved it, and we loved it. I loved it so much I feel like I should plan next year right now and add some more traditions (check out this book) to make it better. Pathetic I know but I am already anxious about getting their Halloween costumes for this year. Maybe I should work on buying them some summer clothes first. Being a mom can be so much fun.....

cloud 9

2009-03-04T17:22:00.007-05:00

Lately I have been thinking about what specifically makes me happy. So here is what heaven is to me.....

Running on the beach at 6:00 am in San Diego listening to a band like Jimmy Eat World (see song playlist below-their songs have a great beat)

Dancing to music in a ridiculous fashion in my family room with Dane and Neve-you have to see Neve's hip shake, Shakira has nothing on this baby girl!

A quiet, clean house with the kids in bed. Me tucked away on the couch watching some girly show like The Hills or The Bachelor, with a bowl of creamy fat free calorie free (this is heaven right?) Breyer's rocky road ice cream, while Ben is working late at work. (Not that I like the absence of my husband, it is his ridicule, over said show and others like it, that are a estrogen buzz kill-thus the reason we all went to see Twilight with our girlfriends. Most men can't truly appreciate it!)

Date night with Ben, particularly ones where we get to talk over a long dinner, or a long drive.

Driving in the car listening to a really good song or CD, something like All American Rejects or The Veronicas (see playlist).

When Dane and Neve giggle simultaneously. Does it get any better than that?

Cafe Rio creamy tomatillo dressing. I could drink it.

Mile 26 of a marathon. I am being serious.

A really depth filled, intellectual discussion in Sunday School or Relief Society. I love it when people are really serious about the topic and we delve into the depths of the gospel and how it affects us all. I truly feel like a piece of heaven is with me as my mind is open, and I am enlightened with knowledge religious or non-religious.

The very rare occasion when I feel my Mom's presence.

The last ten minutes/relaxation of yoga class. There is a sense of accomplishment, calm and essence of spirituality to it. I love it! That and the crane pose.

The City-I love the city, If I could I would choose to live in the city(as long as I could get a yard or the rooftop of a building)instead of the burbs. I love the electricity and excitement and architecture of cities with history. Walking the streets of San Francisco or SoHo and Greenwich village is pure nirvana to me.

Thai food takeout-merely so I don't have to cook and who can say no to thai?

Farms-pretty romantic farms with a red barn, and of course horses. Heaven is riding a horse.

So basically my heaven is living in the city with a red horse barn in my backyard on the beach with a yoga studio included. Giggling dancing kids in the backyard, while I look out my window drinking creamy tomatillo dressing and eating ice cream while running on a treadmill at mile 26 of my treadmill marathon. Of course my house is perfectly immaculate with many girly shows on the DVR and a husband that loves watching them. Oh and my fellow church goers in my living room discussing the depths of the gospel, while the All American Rejects music plays on the stereo, with plans for a great date with Ben that night. AAAaaahhHHHH, heaven!

On the Potomac

2009-02-23T17:00:00.007-05:00

   Feeding the birds on the Potomac
   Looking at Chippy the Chipmunk(not shown) to the left
   Bring it on, Chippy!
   Neve's pure delight that I am her mother!
Since the new year, our church service doesn't until on 3:00 PM and goes until 6:00 PM. Our tradition of lazy Sundays aren't going well. By the time we get out of church our day is gone. So to jump start our new tradition of Sunday appropriate activities during the morning hours we went to the Potomac river and fed the birds, met Chippy the Chipmunk and Neve waved at all the runners on the running path. Any ideas for more Sunday family activities?

My Valentines

2009-02-12T09:35:00.004-05:00

Can a gal get any luckier! My valentines are as sweet as you can get! Who is your valentine this year?

So Cool

2009-02-06T15:12:00.004-05:00

Today we got Dane's hair cut. As we were leaving I turned to Dane and said, "Wow Dane, you look so handsome!"

Without missing a beat he casually replied as if I stated the obvious, "Yeah."

"Dane don't you think you look handsome?"

"No, just cool."

Well this kid isn't lacking in confidence!

Oxygen

2009-02-04T19:08:00.006-05:00

Last Thursday I left my family and headed west for my family's women conference. As I walked away from Neve (Dane was at preschool) and entered the airport, I felt so anxious and guilty. I never thought I would be that Mom that had a hard time doing things here and there to take care of herself. Once I was on the plane the anxiety subsided as my body realized that I was taking this flight solo and any screaming children on the flight did not belong to me.

Once the anxiety left the guilt took over. As I was listening to the flight attendant give her schpeel about administering the oxygen to yourself first and then aiding other passengers such as your children, I understood. I then kept repeating this to myself. Put your oxygen on first, Brynn. Put your oxygen on first. It's okay Brynn, put your oxygen on first. This upcoming trip was my oxygen and I knew it. I knew I needed to take a breath of fresh air for myself so I could continue on and be a better mother by meeting some of my needs. Selfish? Maybe. Vital? Definitely.

As I landed in Salt Lake, it was good to be home. I rushed to the hospital to see my incredible sister who had just given birth that afternoon and had also just gotten out of surgery that evening after having her appendix removed. She is a complete warrior! She could seriously have her baby in a rice field and go back to picking rice- I am not kidding.

The next day I enjoyed spending more time with her and her husband Dave at the hospital as well as my twin brother. Brandon was so great to be with. We went to lunch and he even escorted me while I went shopping and lied and told me how great everything I wanted looked on me! Ahh brotherly love. I miss having him as my constant companion.

Friday night I enjoyed part of the women's conference at my Aunt Jolynn's home. The women I am related to are AMAZING. My aunts, cousins, cousins-in-laws-I truly love them all and they are examples to me of integrity, strength, beauty and graciousness. I wish these women were more of a constant in my life and help fill a definite void that was created after my Mom passed away. It was actually her birthday this weekend and the Bell Women's Conference was created in her honor.

The conference ended on Saturday afternoon after being awake all night Friday night until 5:00 am chatting. You are not really surprised are you? It was about 20 women, treats, chocolate and NO kids, except 1 day old baby girl Bevan who came with her mom, Mandolin-I told you she could have a baby and start picking rice right after. She begged to be discharged so she wouldn't miss the conference. That is how important it is to us. It is our oxygen.

My family attended the temple on Saturday evening to honor our Mom on her birthday. This is a tradition we actually did while she was alive. I loved it. The one thing our Mom wanted was for us to do a temple session as a family on her birthday. I love that it is a way that I can still give her a birthday present even though she is gone. I view my ability and worthiness to attend the temple yearly on her birthday as my gift to her. We have all made it but 18 year old Megan and I can't wait for the day for Meggie to join us in the Celestial Room, as we huddle together in a corner and whisper sing "Happy Birthday" to Mom. After we enjoyed dinner at the ever wonderful Mandarin and then I stayed up talking to my siblings until 2:00, which was great!

My Sunday started with a 7:00 drive to the airport with my sweet, sweet Dad, whom I didn't get to see enough of! There was time for breathing but definitely not sleep!

I returned home on Sunday evening to my DC family at a fun Super Bowl party. I am thankful for the WONDERFUL women here in my life in DC that watched my two children so Ben could continue on with "busy season" and my supportive husband, so I could step out to get some air. So good to catch my breath. Thank you everyone! See you next year in San Francisco!!!!