5 {Wonderful} Years!

I love celebrating our marriage.  The week around July 15th, brings back all kinds of fun memories.  Each year I get to reminisce of our courtship, our engagement, and starting our life together.  It was the best of times...  And ya know what?  It's gotten even better with each passing year!  I sometimes think about what it would be like if I hadn't married Matt or if he were to die suddenly and my heart plummets deep into my stomach and I start to have a panic attack.  He's my everything, and I hope he knows that.

We celebrated by doing sealings at the temple, going to Cafe Rio, and then ending the day at Hale Centre Theatre's "Big River."

And just to reminisce a little bit more...

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The Loose Tooth

4 years old and already lost a tooth... 

Gavin's tooth had been wiggly for about a month and in the 2nd week of July, it finally fell out.  (We figured he busted the root somehow, so there's not another tooth pushing up yet to replace it.  He'll have to wait 'til he's about 6 for that to happen.)

The Tooth Fairy left him a whole dollar bill.  He was pleased as punch.

18 Months Old

 Alayna Marie

18 months Old

Length:  31 inches (33 %tile)

Weight:  24 pounds (47 %tile)

Head Circumference:  18.3 inches (50 %tile)

Our Laynie-bug is growing up!  Her vocabulary is expanding.  The other day, I was holding her and trying to do 3 things at the same time.  She put her hands on my cheek and said, "Mom.  Look at me."  Then continued to show me what she wanted. 

She's not the best eater there is.  She's more of a snacker, and I struggle to find things she'll actually swallow, but she loves to eat salsa ('alsa as she calls it) by the handful.  I just pour it into the cup holder of her high chair tray and the next thing I know she's downed it and is asking for more.

She definitely has a sweet tooth though.  She will lead me by the hand to the candy cupboard and say, "candy" or "gum."  Then I'll say, "You want some candy?"  And she'll respond, "Ok" and nod her head vigorously.  Ice cream is also another food she'd consume all the time if I let her.

Laynie loves doggies.  When she sees one (often in the far distance) she'll start barking with excitement, "Woo, woo, woo, woo!"

Every morning when Laynie wakes up, she insists on watching the Minions Movie.

She loves to sing.  She will sing the ABC song and gets about 1/2 the letters in the song each time.  It's really cute.  We will often catch her singing to herself or laughing at herself after she has said or done something.  I wonder who she gets that from...

She loves her soft, pink blanky with white polka dots and her stuffed giraffe, and her favorite bedtime story is "Moo, Baa, La La La" by Sandra Boynton.  She pretty much knows it by heat.

She has 5 teeth with 2 top molars coming in right now.

I love everything about this little girl - her sweetness, her beautiful smile, her wispy hair, and her tender little heart!

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"The Land of the Free and the Brave..."

While in Gunnison on the 4th, we visited the Veterans War Memorial.  My heart was filled with gratitude for all of the young men listed on the memorial walls - 2 of which, are my relatives.  Freedom isn't free.

My Great grandfather, Mortimer Peter Sorensen, served in WWI.

And my grandfather, Bernard Mortimer Sorensen, served in WWII.

Grandpa wouldn't talk much about his war experiences.  The only time I remember him talking about them was when I was around 10 years old.  My oldest cousin, Sharon, interviewed our Grandpa for a report she had to do on WWII.  I sat on the couch in his living room and listened to his responses to her questions.  I remember how it seemed painful for him to talk about and how once during the interview tears were in his eyes.  Below are some articles I found on the internet.

Transcript of Grandpa Sorensen's audio tape about WWII
Japan bombed pearl harbor and a year later I was drafted.  I came home in  six months for a short furlough.  This I remember well with my father having been in World War I he told me what I could expect to encounter and how I should conduct myself through these times.  I encountered what he told me I would.  Today I am grateful for the council and advice.  The morning I was to catch the Trailway bus in Gunnison he walked with me up town to meet the bus and bid me farewell.  I remember as I shook his hand farewell.  I sat on the side of the bus near the sidewalk by the Gunnison Drug store where it always stopped, so I could wave to him as it moved out.  I saw tears running down my father's cheeks and then he wiped them and turned from me at the same time.  This was the last time I saw my father.  He died when I was leaving New Guinea.  He had a stroke and mother nursed him for a month or so before he died.  It was hard on her.

It was not long after I graduated from high school until Japan invaded and put me high on the list to be drafted in the service.  I tried to join the Marines, but was too late.  I was drafted in the army and was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas to train in the 224-artillery as a 177-radio operator.  Then was sent to Florida for jungle training.  Six months later I was shipped by training to Sacramento, California and boarded the USS Mount Vernon to New Guinea and landed in Miline Bay.

I spent one rainy season in Maline Bay.  It rained 55 days straight through without let up and then off and on for 30 more days. This I remember well because the supply Sergeant crossed every day off on the calendar.  Then we kept moving up towards the Philippines.  After Yamashita surrendered we then went through training by Six Rangers for landing in Japan.  Then the first part of August 1945 the Atomic Bomb put an end to the war.  We later learned that we were to hit the beaches on November 2nd between China and Japan.  I felt like the Atomic bomb saved my life.

By Christmas I was on my way home to the good old USA, the greatest land of all.  "The land of the free and the brave."  The land I know is a blessed land to live in as the Book of Mormon said it would be.  I was proud to serve my country, just as my father was in World War I in France.  I hope and pray my boys and grandchildren do not have to taste the bitterness of war.

Story told by Grandpa to Tom Anderson
When he served in the Philippines he was young he had a couple of buddies who were returned missionaries.  During his time there he had found a rifle or a machine gun, I don't know which, that was Japanese make and brand new.  Still in the casing and oil and grease that preserved the gun.  He thought this was a real keepsake for him - something that he would take home and treasure the rest of his life.  So he put it in his pack and he hauled it around for a few days and then the orders came that they were going to move.  Well these two other LDS boys came to him and said,"Bernard, we've carved some sacrament trays out of wood.  You need to pack it for us in your pack."  But he says, "The thought went through my mind that I didn't want to pack those sacrament trays, I've got this rifle in my pack."  But he says, "It didn't last too long I took the rifle out, threw it away.  Someone else soon picked it up.  I put the sacrament trays in my pack and hauled them the rest of the time I was there with those boys."

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7*4*2016

July 4th was on a Monday this year, so we didn't go down for Gunnison's July 2nd festivities (concert, fireworks, etc), just those held on the 4th.  We even missed most of the parade because we decided sleeping in an extra hour was more important.  So we traveled down to G-Town and caught the tail end of the parade.  Gavin and Laynie got some candy then we headed over to the park for the carnival.

Tyler's GVAC parade entry (photo credit to The Gazette)

Pretty sure this Fish Pond has been around as long as I have.

Mother (strutting her stuff), Mary and Gavin doing the cupcake walk.

Duck Pond for Laynie

Train for Gavin

It was a hot day and I caught Laynie looking for something refreshing.

I played on this old army tank when I was young, often after a day at the swimming pool.

Had to let the kids try it out.

We had a BBQ at Tyler and Amber's house afterward with about 1/2 of our Sorensen family.  Then my brothers and their family went to mom and dad's house and we visited some more 'til it was time for us to go home.

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June Was a Good Month

One of my favorite months of the year is June.  We had lots of fun keeping busy and enjoying the nice weather.

Gavin's art skills have immensely improved.  His work used to consist of mostly scribbles, now he's drawing more details and he's been asking if he can draw, paint, etc.  (Usually I'm the one to suggest it.)  If you can't tell who that striking lady is in the picture, I'll give you a hint:  Her name starts and ends with an "M" and has an "O" in the middle.

Our strawberry patch has been getting bigger with each passing year.  We had fun picking lots of strawberries this month, and they are so, so yummy!

We've been on lots of walks (Laynie loves her dolly stroller)...

...and bike rides (Gavin is becoming quite the little cruiser on his two wheeler with training wheels.)

The only downside of June was this.  (Let's just say that along with being highly disgusted, I had to Clorox the entire bathroom - walls included, and it took me a good hour to get it all done.)

Gavin was enrolled in a "Balls of Fun" city recreation class.

Laynie and I would play on the playground while Gavin had his class.

Once his class got over, he'd come and join us.

I watched my friend's 2 kids for a couple of days and we took advantage of the "Kids Bowl Free" summer program.

Laynie wanted to dress up in one of Gavin's costumes.

At the treehouse museum, Gavin played the part of TREE #2 in one of their participlays.

We also went to North Salt Lake's splash pad and had a blast.

If you can't tell, Gavin's bum is getting sprayed, and he's lovin it.

And last but not least, I got to sit down at my sewing machine and make some pioneer bonnets.  I have no idea why I made them other than it was fun and relaxing.  It was also fun taking pictures of them (and myself) and texting them to Matt.  So... if you're in need of a pioneer bonnet, call me.  I've got some.

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