Christmas 2015

Christmas morning at our house. This year the children got musical instruments.  Afton a cello, Khora a violin, Bonnie a flue, (a blue recorder) and Jacob a guitar.  Isaac got a compound bow (see a bow fits with string instruments.) They were all pretty excited. It was a fun morning together. They were excited to give their presents to each other.  Some of them put a lot of thought and work into them. Afton made a blanket for Isaac, (and one for Buddy). Jacob surprised Khora with a hamster habitat. Isaac worked on some furniture for Bonnie's doll house and Jacob got a guitar game for Xbox.  Afton received a new Beenie Boo from Bonnie.

We had our traditional dinner on Christmas instead of Christmas Eve this year which I really liked.  It was a wonderful meal.  We have been so blessed.

Celebration @ Markers

This years gathering before Christmas Eve started out with some sledding at the park. Buddy even had his turn.

There were a few minute to win it games.

Dinner was yummy.

And our three wise men are growing up.

We're ready for our Christmas Eve celebration.

Sorensen Family Jubilation

This Sunday was the Christmas program for sacrament meeting. DS#1 accompanied the YM for their number, "When Joseph went to Bethlehem." (DS#2 even sang with them.) The primary children had a couple songs.DD#1 asked me to look to see if she was the tallest in the whole primary . . . which she easily was.  Dennis and I played a duet accompaniment on the piano for "Angels We Have Heard on High" with the ward choir. The pianist played the hymn part on the organ. It sounded so pretty.  It was a very nice meeting to bring in the week before Christmas.

The Sorensen family got together at our house for our family Christmas party. Jarhead and his clan didn't make it, they were with the in-laws that same weekend. We chatted with my sister  while we were playing though. We borrowed some photo props and took photo booth pictures.  They turned out so cute.  The little girls had so much fun posing. We had our "Make or Bake" gift exchange with the grand-kids which was a lot of fun. DD #1 sang the song she performed at our ward Christmas party and DD#2 played her Christmas song on the piano. My little bro. entertained us with the guitar for a bit as well.  It was fun to visit and play together. I wish it lasted longer though.

Khora's Tumbling Showcase

We enjoyed watching Khora perform at her tumbling showcase on Wednesday. She was excited to show off her back tuck,front handspring, aerial and granny(an aerial but with your legs together). She also did some bar work and tricks on the small and large trampoline.  Her coach is really good to help her work at the level that she is at.  She's ahead of the rest of her class, but still gets to progress at her own pace. 

Ward Whoobilation

Our Ward Christmas Party was on Saturday. It was the culmination of a lot of work. There was a lovely dinner with a larger variety of pies for dessert. Dennis and I were in change of putting the program together. Afton got to sing "My Christmas Tree". She did a great job. Dennis played a song and accompanied a couple groups, one women's group I was involved in. I was also in a piano piece done by four women on two pianos. It was so fun! I was impressed with the talent I was able to see within our ward! A really lovely evening.

​I told the girls that I would take pictures of their face-paint so that they would take a bath.This was definitely another talent from a member of our ward. So much fun!

"The Snowman"

Our family took Grandma Rundell and Grandpa and Grandma Sorensen to the Utah Valley Symphony family night concert titled "The Snowman". 

The Snowman is a children's picture book without words by English author Raymond Briggs. The book was adapted into a 26-minute animated television special in 1982. The story is told through pictures, action and music, scored by Howard Blake. It is wordless like the book, except for the song "Walking in the Air".

It was a wonderful night! It was fun seeing all the instruments and feeling the music. . . something you don't really experience if you aren't there. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.  Afton told me said that she realized the importance of dynamics from the orchestra last night. That was something that she has been learning at piano lessons. That's why we go!

Florentine Pieta

I was finally able to give my presentation to my class about Michelangelo's unfinished sculptures. His non-finito.  I loved the research for this subject, but this  presentation was almost 1/3 of my grade so there was some pressure to perform well. I felt good about it. When I was done with my presentation one of my class members asked me what piece was my favorite.  It's this one.

The Florentine Pieta was not a commissioned piece but done by Michelangelo for his own funeral marker. (His self portrait is the male figure in the back.) He did this when he was 75 years old, having lived twice as long as most of his contemporaries. During his career he started some 42 marble sculptures but finished just 18 of them. In the case of this pieta (which indicates the sorrowful moment of taking Christ down off the cross.) Michelangelo attempted to create a huge four figure composition out of one piece of marble.  Something that was not attempted during the 16th century because of its technical difficulty.  This was one of the traits through out his life though.  It was said that his ideas would go beyond the ability of his hands to accomplish them. He was famous for this.  I haven't been able to verify it, but Michelangelo has been credited with saying, "The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." That is why this piece is one of my favorites.  It's not the end result that is the goal, but the process and attempt we make at reaching our potential.

Norman Rockwell

This week a new Normal Rockwell exhibit opened at BYU.  Dennis and I took the girls on a field-trip to see it Friday. The exhibit was very nice.  I enjoyed walking around it.  It will have to be a re-do though. There is just so much there and the girls are not quite patient enough for the time I would like to spend there. They enjoyed the outing though. We were also very impressed with the rainbow exhibit in the main entry.  It's hard to describe except to say that it is thousands of strands of colored thread making a ribbon like rainbow across the domed skylight. You will just have to see it for yourself.

One of his most popular works in the Rockwell exhibit is a series of Four Freedoms based on President Theodore Roosevelt's state of the union address given on January 6, 1941, almost a year before America entered WWII. In this address Roosevelt stated four freedoms worth fighting for; Freedom of speech and expression, Freedom to worship, Freedom from want, and Freedom from fear. 

With all that is going on in the world how wonderful it would be so wonderful if this was the goal for everyone. To know its OK to fight so that everyone has these freedoms. Maybe we take this for granted because we have never felt the absence of them. . . not really.  It makes me so grateful for the freedoms we have.

Have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Rock Climbing

Afton and Dennis went to a rock climbing facility at the Rock Quarry in Provo on Monday for their daddy/daughter date. Tuesday they were both pretty sore, but they had a great time. They also picked up some fleece for a project that Afton is doing.  She's been working all week on it.  I think she's a little excited!

  

Halloween 2015/Goblin Valley

This year our trip to Goblin Valley landed on Halloween Day.  It was actually very fun.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the park was not very busy at all.  

Quote of the day comes from Afton: Goblin Valley, "It's where a kid can be a kid."

 The park provided pumpkin carving in the afternoon.  It was so fun to do this with the backdrop of the Valley of the Goblins.

We even made it on the Goblin Valley Facebook page.

With one of the park rangers.

 Grandma provided some fun props for the day.

Park even provided the candy!  

While we were carving pumpkins Grandpa, Dennis and the boys were out exploring the 2nd Valley. 

They didn't quite make it to the 3rd valley this time.  Guess we will have to come again.

We enjoyed the day playing and enjoying the beautiful park together.  

Grandpa and Grandma with the grandkids

A couple pics on the ride home.  Good bye Valley of the Goblins!!

We made it home too late for trick-or-treating, (oh shoot ;0) but with the promise to watch Jurassic World the next day.  Since we enjoyed an extra hour Saturday night with the end of daylight savings, we didn't  lack for sleep the next day either. It was a wonderful end for a wonderful month.  

On to November!!

Girl Day @ the Red Barn

Afton earned some bounce back passes for babysitting so the girls invited a few of their friends to go play at the Red Barn Fall Festival.  It was a lot cooler than it was last time we were out there, but they ran around enough that they were warm enough until we left.

Afton brought her friend EmmaLee

Khora brought her friend Maleena

Bonnie brought her friend Sister Rundell

 The girls picked out pumpkins this time.

Finally got these two to sit down long enough for a picture. They had fun together.

Bonnie said she was freezing to death so we bundled her up for the ride back. The silly girl makes me laugh.

They were sold out of apple cider doughnuts so we came home and had hot cocoa instead. It had turned pretty chilly by that point.  It was such a nice afternoon together with the girls.