Tagged - Mommy Tag

Lindsey, thanks for a good idea to give my blog one last finishing touch before the new year. HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!! I hope you all get a big smooch from your cutie tonight.

1. How long have you been a Mom?
2 1/2 years. I feel like I've always had the mommy in me though. I think it goes for every Sorensen woman.
2. How many kids call you mommy?
One calls me mommy, but two will eventually and maybe even more down the road.
3. When you were pregnant did you know what you were having?
Yes, I like to open my presents early. Before the ultrasound, I thought they would both be boys so don't ask my instinct.
4. How old were you when you became a mom?
26
5. How long were you in labor?
First time 13 hours, second about the same maybe a little shorter but I pushed for a lot longer on my second. Go figure.
6. What’s your favorite thing about being a mom?
All the fun words and things that Haley says. I love having those little arms wrap around my neck.
7. What’s your least favorite thing?
My house is always a mess and my laundry is never done.
8. Do you want more kids?
Yes. Maybe 1 or 2 somewhere down the road.
9. Have you ever taken your kid(s) on a trip?
Yes. We just got back from a trip to see Grandma and Grandpa in California. There's nothing like a 11 hour trip with 2 hudlums.
10. How many times have you been peed on?
Peed? I can't remember. It usually happens to Matt.
11. How many times have you been barfed on?
Okay, now these questions are getting pretty silly.
12. Are your kids named after someone?
Haley Elena was a name I've always loved but Elena was my sister in-law that passed away about 9 years ago. She was such a fun sister in-law and I thought it would be neat to name Haley after her. Maya Claire is just another name I have always loved, but we had to move away from our old ward to be able to use it.
13. When is the last time you had a sitter?
Oh, if my mother in-law is a sitter, last Thursday, but before that a week from Friday the cute neighbor girl came over.
14. When your kid gets in trouble, who is the bad guy?
Matt and I are both equally bad guys.
15. What is the longest you have been away from your kid(s)?
2 full days maybe with Haley. Maya maybe 3 - 4 hours. The joy of breastfeeding babies.
16. Are your toes painted?
No...random
17. Last movie you saw in theater?
Oh good gracious, I can't even remember. I think it's been a year or so.
18. One thing you will not give up just because you’re a mom:
Shopping, eating out, having fun with my friends.
19. One thing you did give up now that you’re a mom?
lots of money
20. Favorite Cartoon:
Super Why. It's really cute and it's one cartoon Haley really watches.
21. Favorite Snack:
Chips and salsa, chocolate
22. When the kid(s) are napping, you are:
I try to nap if it's a day I worked. If not the normal laundry, vacuuming, cooking, reading other's blogs and making baby headbands and bows consumes a lot of my time.
23. Where is/are your kid(s) now?
Haley is taking care of her babies in her new doll house and Maya is in the "boucey heap" with her new book from Christmas in her mouth.
24. If I could do it over, I’d do this differently:
Not buy every single little thing for the baby before she was born. Wait and see if I really need it. After all, they have so much crap you can buy and waste tons of money on and most of it,, I hardly ever used or will never use.
25. What is a lesson you’ve learned as a parent?
I'm with Lindsey on this one. Touching every part of the toilet in the Barstow gas station bathroom isn't the end of the world. Doing blowfishes on the McDonalds playland slide, isn't going to kill them. It may be gross, but they will survive just fine. I have learned to close my eyes and just laugh in amazement that I lived through it all too.

I tag whoever want to give this a stab.

Dry Skin???

Lara got me thinking of the winter and how dry your skin can get.

I took Haley into the doctor last week to check out her hands because they were really sore and I thought it was a rash. It seemed like the ever so popular Bath and Body lotion wasn't doing the trick. The doctor suggested, Cetephil cream. Okay, has anyone used this? Am I the last to find out about it? It is the best stuff I have ever used. It's not greasy like all the others and it leaves your hands so soft.

The bad part is the expense and it doesn't have a fruity smell like the bath and body stuff. I think I paid $8 for a 3 oz bottle. Oh well, now the whole family is enjoying the doc's recommendation.

Save All Original Receipts

Well, here I thought I was being a good girl and getting gift receipts for all my holiday gifts but come to find out this week, a gift receipt is like having no receipt.

I bought a few things as Christmas gifts at Walmart but later decided to do something else instead. I had kept the gift receipt but put the real receipt in a drawer with many other receipts and instead of finding it really quick, I figured I would just use the gift receipt knowing I would just get a gift card in return for the returned items.

When I went to return it, they offered me the sale price in the store as opposed to the actual price I payed for the item. So I went and searched for the original receipt to find out that I paid the full price. When I tried to confront them concerning this and get the rest of my money back, they said I couldn't do that. I told them I would go buy the items again at the sale price now and return them with the original receipt. They proceeded to tell me I couldn't do that either. That's when all hell broke loose.

Anyway, to save any of you the long drawn out hassle of returns after or during the holiday, don't hassle with the gift receipt. Give the original receipt with the price blacked out. After all, these stores want every penny they can get and don't want you to know about it.

10 Hard Years

Well here it is, my offical 10 year anniversary working for Nabisco. I started 10 years ago yesterday. Just before the big Christmas holiday rush I was put out there to find out what the world of selling and stocking cookies and crackers was all about. Just like any job, I have had many ups and downs. I think the thing that has kept me going is the fact that I have been treated really well by the many people I have worked for. I have been able to have 12 weeks maternity leave each time I have had each of my children at full pay. I have been able to work early hours so I can be home early so I can still be a mother during the day. I have gotten oodles of free product. I have had many laughs as I have had the chance to work with various Nabisco employees.

It is hard to leave a company that has treated me so well and has allowed me to work around what life has brought my way.

At my 5 year anniversary I got a gold plated Kraft clock...I'm hoping for something a little better for the 10 year because the clock ended up at the last yard sale.

What is your favorite Nabisco product? And no Fudge Shoppe is not Nabisco.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Well I can't say how old my daddy turned today because I can't keep track of how old I am, but he is another year older and another year cuter. This is a picture of his new retirement toy he just got earlier this year. Dad, this posts for you.

10 Fun Memories About My Dad

1. My dad let us curl his hair with a curling iron when we were little.
2. My dad would take Mark and I to the church when he would do his clerk work and we would get a candy bar after. (I use this bribe with Haley)
3. Recently the tractor, the cowboy hat, the too short overalls. Enough said. Oh, he's so cute.
4. My dad took 5 kids without my mom camping and fishing. I wouldn't even want to attempt this one.
5. Fixing our big yellow Ford van on the way to Utah. We always had a couple jugs of water on board knowing the overheat was bound to happen.
6. Have you seen my cute console tables and armore in my house? My dad's amazing...he made them.
7. My dad would tell us to clean up and if we didn't, here came the rake and the big leather belt he wore to church.
8. My dad was my biggest fan on the bleachers during my high school basketball games.
9. Whenever we had a sliver in our skin or a tooth dangling ready to come out or we needed batteries, down to dad's office. Out came the pliers for the tooth and sliver and minimal surgery was given.
10. I remember any time there was a spider or the toilet needed plunging, dad was called.
Oh I forgot one...he is a proud owner of 1 if not 2 metal detectors.

Thanks for being the best dad ever. Happy Birthday.

5 Months Yesterday, The Flu and A Speeding Ticket

Yep all in a couple days. I usually like to post on the 10th to give an update on my kiddos but it's the 11th this month because mom called in sick yesterday. I had the flu. Then to top things off, today I got a speeding ticket for going 10 over. The cop tried to smooth it over by saying I could go to traffic school. Don't you just love what punks they are? Luckily traffic school in Utah is 3 hours instead of the 8 hours you spend at traffic school in California.

Well, here is my 5 month old feeding herself rice cereal.

Christmas Lists

Well, here we are again celebrating another year. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday for many reasons. Of course one of my favorite reasons is the giving and getting part. Every year my family picks names for Christmas amongst the sisters and brothers. Some years we have done two names, but most years just one.

Every year we all write a Christmas list, just as we did when we were little. This way we get others exactly what they want but with a list of many items, it is still a surprise. I want to share a few lists I get to buy for this year. This is why it can get kind of interesting around here.

I don't want to bore you, so skim through and you can still find some good wanted items.

Matt’s Christmas List
(From most expensive to least expensive) (Shirt size Large) (Waist size 36) (Shoe size 10 1/2 or 11)
1. A pair of Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones
2. Sony PS3
3. Nixon (The Banks) Watch
4. A 500GB External Hard Drive (preferably with Firewire 400/800 and USB 2.0)
5. Dynastar AUTODRIVE SPEED 63 SX 186cm Skis (These are olds skis from when I used to work at a ski resort but there is a seller on eBay selling a brand new pair for $100)
6. Merrell Oracle shoes (color: cherry wood)
7. Adobe Illustrator CS3 Classroom in a Book (Paperback)(Reference Book)
8. The Adobe Illustrator CS3 Wow! Book (Paperback)(Reference Book)
9. Adobe Illustrator CS3 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques (Paperback)(Reference Book)
10. Exploring Illustrator CS3 (Paperback)(Reference Book)
11. Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book (Paperback)(Reference Book)
12. Adobe Photoshop CS3 One-On-One (Paperback)(Reference Book)
13. Mastering Photoshop CS3 for Print Design and Production (Paperback)(Reference Book)
14. Photoshop CS3 Essential Skills (Paperback)(Reference Book)
15. A 32 oz. Nalgene big mouth water bottle
16. Any solid color polo type shirt (made by a surf or skate company) It’s cool of it has horizontal stripes
17. Wood boxes from Ikea for holding CD’s (they have two drawers side-by-side with a little notch at the top for your finger)
18. Transformers DVD (Widescreen)
19. An all white belt (leather or canvas)(no spikes or studs) with a chrome or silver metal buckle
20. An Apple Gift Card (Not necessarily for the iTunes Store or Music, but more for buying other Apple products)
21. Any of the following CD’s:
a. Tiësto - Parade of the Athletes
b. Tiësto - In Search of Sunrise, Vol. 4: Latin America
c. Tiësto - In Search of Sunrise, Vol. 3: Panama
d. Tiësto - In Search of Sunrise, Vol. 2
e. Tiësto - In Search of Sunrise
f. Tiësto - Magik, Vol. 7: Live in Los Angeles
g. Nada Surf – Let Go
h. Nada Surf – The Weight Is A Gift
i. Nada Surf – High/Low
j. Nada Surf – The Proximity Effect
k. Nada Surf – Karmic
l. Jack’s Mannequin – Everything In Transit (Import if it is not too expensive)

This is a list that was given by the wife of the person whose name I have with some suggestions...

Chris's Christmas List
As for my husband get him the dorkiest boxers you can find, j.k. I suggest gift cards, tennis shoes size 11, writeable DVD's, Guitar tablature (sp) music books

Then there's my mom's list which has everything it had on it last year and the year before that(average price $10)

brown flats for wearing with my work suits
one of the new big bag purses
DVD player
cardigan sweater
Salt City Candle
wallet
flowers for my outside pots
necklaces and/or earrings
gloves and goggles to wear when I ride my 4 wheeler
robe or mumu for wearing after I shower
plastic everyday drinking glasses

Then there's my dad's list which usually we get pictures but this year not. His list requires a bit of knowledge of Harbor Freight and Home Depot.

DAD’S CHRISTMAS LIST

1 each 29 pc. split point titanium nitride drill bit set Item
no. 32926-6yya 19.99 per set
4 each 4 pc. Tarp clips item no. 91858-1yya 1.99 per set
1 each Dovetail Machine item no. 34102-8yya 39.99
1 set Halogen driving lights item no. 37349-1yya 15.99
1 set Magnetic trailer alignment kit item no. 95684-0yya 14.99
Open/Box end wrenches in the following sizes:11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, and 1 inch.
I have the other smaller sizes
6 inch crecent wrench
12 inch crecent wrench
9" paint rollers.
18 inch pipe wrench, not Aluminum.
Book of Mormon on CD
Docterine and Covenants on CD
White Costco Tennis shoes (the $13 ones) Size 10
Music CDs
Oak Ridge Boys: Gold (2 CD)
20th Century Masters
Dino: The Essential Dean Martin
Jim Nabors: It is No Secret
16 Most Requested Songs
Sinatra Reprise: The Very Good Years
Charlie Daniels Band: Decade of Hits
Dolly Parton: 16 biggest Hits
Halos and Horns
Johnny Cash: Great Lost Performances
16 Biggest Hits
Kellie Pickler: Small Town Girl
White socks
Black plastic pots like they put the plants and trees in at the nursery. 4 gallon and 7 gallon.

I want to know how your family does Christmas gifts/exchanges. What kinds of things do you get to buy this year for others?

Saturday Snow, Just in time for Polar Express

Haley and Matt shoveling with Spencer's snow shovel Saturday morning

Maya got a little too much love on the train

Our seat was right next to where they were doing to hot chocolate and cookies

Haley decided to just run up to Santa. We can't understand why because usually Santa gets the stare down from her but we did a lot of prepping about Santa before we went

This is where she said she wanted a pink present for Christmas