Monthly Archives: October 2008

Happy Birthday Dear Olivia,

We started celebrating last week with a little birthday party for my girl. On Sunday we had a family party at Grandma Christensen’s house. Today when I woke Olivia up and told her today was her real birthday, I don’t think she believed me.

To celebrate we took Olivia and Calvin to the zoo (per O’s request). After an exciting afternoon there, we came home and had just enough time to relax for a few minutes and then all of Olivia’s neighbor friends came over to wish her Happy Birthday and eat ice cream and cake.

Mmmm. Olivia. You are my happy thought.

Olivia having cake (and sharing with Cal) at Grandma’s House

At the Zoo

Cal is such a cutie.

Blowing out the candles on her 3rd Cake

We love those Sorensen Girls

Rick and Lena

Three year olds jumping off the chest.

Four Year Olds jumping off the chest.

Happy Birthday Dear Olivia,

We started celebrating last week with a little birthday party for my girl. On Sunday we had a family party at Grandma Christensen’s house. Today when I woke Olivia up and told her today was her real birthday, I don’t think she believed me. 

To celebrate we took Olivia and Calvin to the zoo (per O’s request). After an exciting afternoon there, we came home and had just enough time to relax for a few minutes and then all of Olivia’s neighbor friends came over to wish her Happy Birthday and eat ice cream and cake.

Mmmm. Olivia. You are my happy thought.

Today I was looking for my Quran, and came across my Tao Te Ching, in which I found a love note from Wyatt circa 2002, and in my Analects of Confucious I found a picture of my darling room-mate, Amanda Sue, whom I haven’t seen since circa 2003. I put things in my books. And I love finding them later. Once I found a $50 in my Complete Works of Shakespeare (I have multiple copies, thus I hadn’t opened that particular copy in several years).

I didn’t find my Quran (at least not the one in English). But when I do I intend to write an entire treatise on the mistreatment of the Islamic religion in American politics. Am I a nerd?

So, I had a dream . . . to have my family pictures taken in an apple orchard. I did research. It seemed all the apple orchards in Utah lived in either Logan (way up north) or southern Utah county (way down south). Finally I asked my brother-in-law where an orchard closer by was. He said there was one right behind his house (awesome!); still in Utah county, but not nearly as far down as Payson (where the other orchards I found were).

So I conned my super-photo-hero neighbor Rick into meeting us in Pleasant Grove for a semi-criminal photo session.

Here are the results. E-mail Rick and you too can have fabulous family photos.

I know these two are the same. Which do you like better and why?

Today we went to Gardiner Village to take pictures of my so stinkin’ cute babies. They are the cutest. I know. Here are some of my favorites.

Now I know you’re wondering how you can get such fabulous pictures. The key is having darling children. In such cases, I am blessed.

Last night was my ten year high school reunion. I graduated from Waterford in 1998. In general I feel like high school was a very very long time ago. But as I was among my classmates (I graduated from a class of 40, and since we went through middle school and high school together, we knew each other very well) last night it seemed as if no time had passed at all.

We had dinner at La Caille, in Salt Lake. I’ll admit, my main motivation in going was to go to dinner at La Caille. When else do I have an excuse for such an extravagance. It was great to catch up with kids, most of whom I haven’t seen in ten years! It was a wonderful evening. Thanks to Aaron for organizing it.

Olivia and Calvin got to go to Grandma’s today to pick their pumpkin. It was a doosey! It was a beautiful autumn day, perfect for picking a pumpkin.

We watched “Prince of Egypt” for movie night with the kids. At first Olivia wasn’t so sure, but she loved it in the end. And I was reminded how much I love it! It has such a good message.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gur8ccqrQ9c&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]

Here we go:

Last Saturday was the ward Turkey Barbeque. We ran out of food – salad and rolls. Not everyone brought the things they signed up for, and so . . . I’ve heard some grumbling in the ward, but hey, you get what you bring! I spent the entire day getting ready for the party. Rick barbequed the turkey. It was soooo good! And I don’t even like turkey! Thanks to Rick, Marsha, Jeff and Wyatt for all their help. It was a great party, and a new old ward tradition!

Olivia has said the funniest things the past few days:

Olivia was crying, so I asked her what was wrong. She rubbed her forehead and said:

“My head, it’s broken. See mommy, see, it’s broken. My head is broken.”

“Oh, Olivia, your head is broken? I’m sorry.”

“My head is broken mommy, I need a new head.”

Then yesterday:

“My eyeball, my eyeball!” She’s holding her hand over her eye.

“What about your eyeball Olivia?”

“I left it out in the car!”

I’m still patiently waiting for the arrival of Calvin’s costume. But if it doesn’t come by tomorrow, I might seriously freak out!

My ten year high school reunion is this weekend. I have mixed feelings about this. I was one of those few people probably who actually really enjoyed high school. I felt well liked, and liked my classmates. I have fond memories. But, I am not one who lives in the glory days. I see a few of my closest friends once every couple years or so, and email others even less. I didn’t room with my high school buddies down at BYU, I just wasn’t like that. So now my ten year reunion is here, and I haven’t seen most of my classmates in years (I graduated from a class of 40, so I knew everyone well). Dilema: It’s dinner at La Caille, what should I wear? Jeans and a (nice) t-shirt and tennys or nicer button up shirt and slacks or a skirt/blouse or dress? I’m leaning towards jeans and a t-shirt or maybe jeans and a nicer shirt. I’ve never been a fashonista (I know, you’re shocked) so anything too nice will just look like I’m trying too hard. What do you think? (This is NOT a rhetorical question. Email me and let me know what you think!)

I don’t like to watch sports. I hate football. I can barely get through basketball. I also don’t like eBay. I just bought Cal’s halloween costume on eBay. It’s probably the eighth or ninth thing I’ve bought off eBay EVER. The reason?

Someone has to lose! Someone has to not get what they want. And that knowledge fills my body with such extreme levels of anxiety that my stomach starts to flip and my heart starts to pound, and my arms literally start to hurt with the adrenaline of the stress. As I type this my body is shaking from experience. And I won.

But Cal will be the cutest little Gorilla you ever did see! Give me about a week and then look for pictures!

Now to figure out a costume for Olivia . . .

Cal is a cutie. You can do so many cool thinks with Photoshop!

Olivia: “Auntie Carrie, auntie Carrie, auntie CAAAARie!”
Carrie: “What-ie-uh?”
Olivia, mad and indignant: “No, I not what-ie-uh, I O-iggy-uh!”

Me and Olivia at bedtime:
Me: “Olivia, did you talk to Jesus today?” (referring to a conversation earlier in the day)

Olivia emerges from her room, and informs me her babies are sleeping. She then spends the next half hour shushing Cal and I at every sound above a whisper.

When Wesley came to play this morning:
Olivia: “Wessey has a wunny nose”
Me: “Okay, I’ll get a tissue.”
Olivia: “No, I get it. I help baby Wessy.”

More to come . . . I’m sure.