Baby Steps.

I keep waiting until I have a big chunk of time to sit here and blog about the last few months.

Yet, I am slowly learning that every day I wait, I get further and further behind, making it an almost impossible task to catch up.  I have flirted with the idea of chalking the last 3 months off as lost, and starting fresh from today.  But as I look through my pictures, and think through those days and weeks, I feel the need to document the happenings in our lives.  After much deliberation, I have decided to punch the private button on this blog.  This will help me to write in a deeper sense, to try not to skim over heartfelt emotions, to be more candid about my children and to lay it all out for my future to learn from.  

So, starting now,  I will attempt to take a bunch of small 'bites'... hoping that will make this whole thing easier to swallow.  

In January we went on a little hike to Valley of Fire.  January in the desert is always a roller coaster...some days cold, some gloriously warm.  In January, I was still sick with my mystery cough and lingering fevers.  I was actually in a pretty sour mood, starting out on the hike. My chest was still tight and I was frustrated with the fact that I couldn't get better...or even figure out what was wrong with me...and after 2 months of it, I was feeling a bit depressed.  But, I was hoping that the worst was behind me and it did feel so good to get out in the fresh air and sunshine and attempt to fill my lungs with sweet desert goodness.  

The girls took off their shoes halfway through the hike so they could feel the cool sand on their feet.  

I admit, I was hesitant to let them go shoeless, as I always fret that the worst could happen, like:  'what about rusty Indian nails?'.   I am so grateful for Bryan and for the balance that we create together.

The boys picked up treasure after treasure, mulling it over and then throwing it back to nature.

The kids were happy and it made me feel happy that I had succumbed to Bryan's prodding of getting me out of the house for a while.  

As we drove home with the windows down and the warm winter air blowing through our hair, the familiar tune of Louis Armstrong's danced through my head, and I couldn't help but...think to myself,

what a wonderful world!

Olive Reunion 2016.

Our Olive Family Reunion was at the cabin in Panguitch Lake again.  It was anticipated all summer with great excitement, and did not disappoint.  

On the way up, I dropped Bryan and his bike off at the Walmart in Cedar City and he rode his bike to the cabin through chilly temperatures, raindrops and a bunch of roadkill.  He did great and even beat my folks up the mountain.  

A few new things on the agenda this year included:

Geocaching...which made a mixture of hiking and finding all sorts of treasures.

A huge box of boardgames brought by Spencer and Rene....lots of late night fun with those.

Target shooting with 'Bryan's' Red Rider BB gun.

Just Dancing with the Wii...burning off all of the Cinnabon calories. 

Bunches of kisses on our newest baby girl niece/cousin.

Playing Bean-Boozled...where Michael actually chewed up and swallowed the nasty ones.

And, of course, all of the oldies but goodies.

We had a beautiful time with cool rainy weather and jackets, tasty food, lots of laughing and perfect company!

My oldest sister's family had to leave early...so we are missing the 7 Sorensen's in this 

group shot.  

I sure did win the lottery with this wonderful family of mine!

Can't wait until next time!

April Showers...Bring May Flowers.

My great Aunt Josephine turned 100 years old...and we attended her birthday party.  

What a cutie, that Aunt Josie.  Her children paid tribute to her by telling stories and things they loved about their mother.  All of them agreed that she has lived her long life well, never lacking in her wonderful sense of humor.  When I am one hundred-ish...I hope that can be said of me!

Myra has been gathering flower and bloom petals and making pretty things from them.

These were bracelets for Maisy.

We finally, after nearly 7 years, changed all the locks/doorknobs on our house...so now we have keys to open them.  Handy!  The boys were very helpful in taking off all of the old hardware so Bryan could replace with new.

Myles is the early-bird in our home.  Always up at the crack and reading...school day or no.  On this morning he got creative with his reading material.

We said some hard goodbyes in April.  First to Grandma Mortensen who went so quickly after her cancer diagnoses.  Then 3 weeks later to Grandpa, who missing grandma so, died of a broken heart.

He had come to stay with Bryan's folks at the Castle...and we feel so grateful that we had the opportunity to visit and hug on him many times before his death.  The night before he died, he came over and visited, he joked with us in his fun loving way and gave us all big hugs and kisses.  

We made the trek to Emery again for his funeral.  This time the trip wasn't quite so rushed.  Bryan gave another beautiful eulogy and we all basked in the happy memories of that wonderful Grandpa of ours.

Afterwards, we visited and then had a good nights rest so we could help a little with clean up.

The men fixed a broken water line in Grandpas yard.

Bryan weed whacked and then he, and a bunch of the kids, raked and gathered lots and lots of sticks...

while Myles hopped on Grandpas mower and cut the entire yard.  I could just see the twinkle in Grandpa's eye as he watched Myles carry on the Mortensen tradition of meticulous lawn care.

Later we had a Bean Boozled challenge.  Yuck!  I got the nasty beans every time.  

*Quick little side note: When we got back home to Garden Cottage, late late that night...I had no more than stepped inside the door...when I came down with a nasty stomach bug (super grateful for the timing on that one).  It may or may not have had anything to do with chewing (and spitting out) barf, dog food and skunk spray flavored jelly beans.  Just sayin'.

Before we hit the road to journey home, we went on a little Emery hike.  

I probably worked up a sickness with nervousness about the Littles and edges of cliffs.  Bryan always says that I worry too much.  Yet,  when it comes to little people and cliffs...I really don't believe there is such a thing as too much worry.   Sheesh!

It was beautiful though.  And felt good to stretch our legs and breathe in the air of this little corner of the world that Grandpa loved so very much.

Got caught for just a minute in an Emery traffic jam...

then home again, home again.

Back at Garden Cottage the green beans were begging to be picked.  Our onions are about to start bending their greens...looks like we'll have plenty of those bad boys.

Myles, back on John Deere, got the field in order.

Maisy 'clean painted' the columns out front.

And McCoy, from the Department of...Love, had a nice swing.

So many twists and turns in this crazy life.  Just when I think things are going smoothly, something  pops up to remind me that I am not in charge.   The little agenda that I have written in my brain and titled: How My Life Should Pan Out...needs to be rightfully shelved in the fiction section.  That ol' cowboy that sang: 'Life is a dance, we learn as we go' was wise.  Truly we have no idea what tomorrow will bring.  Even so, with each new tomorrow we are undeservingly blessed with the freedom to choose.  Will I allow life to make me bitter...or make me better?  I'm going to take a page from my sweet Aunt Josephine's long book of life and try my hardest to find the good, to laugh, at least, as much as I cry and to spread joy wherever I go. 

Happy May, Dearies!!