First day of 1st grade

This was back on Aug 3rd and it has been a roller coaster ever since. I thought I would love it, and I do and Lea does, but it's an adjustment...again. After being gone for a month and having barely any structure, we got home the night before school started and structure began with a vengeance. Anywho, here's some pictures of my big first grader! :) Her teacher is Mrs. Noyes and has a few of the same kids from last year. Max and Charity are from our ward and Sarah Lish from Capitol Ward.

Jeff was able to stay home a little later to send Lea off to her first big day. She starts at 9 am.

Not a great picture, but true to form of what quality photos I can get with 3 little ones. The other picture was worse..... :)Lea at her desk with Alyssa behind her - from Kindergarten. Awwww, so precious and even has a "school" bow for the first day. Her hair is a lot of fun - we do lots of fun things to be a little different in the uniforms - which I LOVE!!!!

Ha ha! Lucas is hilarious!

Today I was putting Lucas down for a nap and he was wearing his new Superman shirt. (He loves this his super-hero clothes!).

I told him: "Lucas I love your superman shirt. Do you love it?"

"yeah! Do you have a superman shirt mama?"

"No I don't - I wish I did."

"You should get a bigger shirt and daddy should get a bigger, bigger, bigger, BIGGER one."

He was so proud of himself! :) The boy loves his daddy!

Feeling crafty?!?

So I caught the craft bug and thanks to Shawna, I found 2 of my favorite creative and useful craft blogs. One is Shawna's My Inner Martha - can be found on the list of fav blogs and the other is Make it and Love it- logo found on the right of the blog.

I wanted to make something that was simple and didn't cost a lot, so at Make it and Love it, I found this (a belt out of ribbon) and I made my own. 2 for Lea, 2 for her friend for her birthday and 2 for next week's party she's going too. Also going to make one for Lucas with football ribbon. One spool of ribbon made 1 - 36"belt and 1 of these - a sippy cup leash. We'll use it on the side of the stroller for walks and even discovered it will be good for the carseat since Abbey is a pro at dropping EVERYTHING on the far side of her carseat - out of easy reach for anyone.


Also saw an idea like this hair things, but not exactly - so simple and way cute! Cute button and one elastic. I cut some to see what it was like and then sewed the other ones on. Very quick!


This was not found on the crafty blogs, but I was inspired to make this for Lea, hoping that her meltdowns are a result of boredom and a need to do something good. While Jeff was taking her for a 2 1/2 mile walk, I sat down to get to work on this. To which she was happy to have and has taken it on - now Lucas wants to have a job and I'll be making him a chart when I can find my craft table after the above projects are finished! I found some cute posterboard at Walmart - some with a girlie pattern and a plain blue to match Lucas' room. Lea's is on a folder, but I'm going to transfer it to the cute posterboard - hopefully without ruining it!

I'm also in charge of a project for Super Saturday, not because I came up with the idea, but because my sister-in-law Rozann made one for me and a good friend of mine is on the enrichment committee and saw it. Now I get to make my own and help others too - should be interesting.... :) I would post a picture of the project, but it's currently at the church ready to display with all the other Super Saturday projects.

Lea's birthday - photos

A few snapshots of Lea's life here on earth. She's very photogenic and has always been adorable! Can't believe she's so grown up!

Daddy's baby girl - Jeff looks really young huh?

Blessing Day - Provo, UT

Christmas 2003, Richland Wa - cousin Paige Sorensen

Jeff's graduation from BYU. My parents had Lea and while they were waiting for us, some very nice lady gave Lea this lei because she was so cute and the lei matched her dress. Very sweet.

Mostly notice the date - this is actually in AZ the winter after we moved to Phoenix and Jeff went to the snow (that's what we AZ folk call snow and we "went" because well it doesn't snow where we live so we have to drive to it....if you can call it snow) with my sisters fam, brothers fam and parents. Lea is 1 1/2 and well it's good I wasn't there to see this.....

Lea - age 2 1/2

Halloween 2005 - Hunt family bunny costume

Hannah Webb and Lea - Easter in Vegas 2006

Lea and her bud Ethan - Fall 2006

Her first hair cut - so cute and all the curls are gone. I loved her curly hair, but it's so cute without them too. 2007 (yes she was 4!)

Lea and Brisa - sweet friends even though they don't see each other very much. 2009

Lea's Rock Star party with her ROCK STAR friends: Brisa, Brynn, Sara, Lea, Halle, Laura and Rachael - rockin' out to Hannah Montana movie soundtrack. Fun party!

Our "short" hike (thought it was 3 and it was actually 5 1/2 miles!!!) at the Oregon Coast. This is the view from the turn around point - yikes! Lea, G-ma Judy, Anna, Nathan (Jeff's older brother), Jase.

Sorensen family reunion - Logan, UT 2009. The birthday kids! Brendan turned 18 on Aug 1st and Lea's birthday is July 29th. Brendan is off to his first year at BYU-I and Lea to first grade.

I love to see the Temple

This is for my benefit - maybe yours, but mostly a journal entry and something I need to remember.


Satudary morning our ward Relief Society went on a Temple Trip to the Mesa, AZ Temple. We met at our church building at 5:30 am and drove 45 minutes to the temple. My friend Erin emailed me early in the week and suggested I go with her. Knowing full well I am NOT a morning person - she went out on a limb and said I needed to go along. I agreed and decided 5:30 am would be the best time as it wouldn't be too much time away from the family.


Friday night we hosted our babysitting co-op (15 kids for about 4 hours - until 10 pm) after which I stayed up to clean up and went to bed at 12:30 am. Usually when I have to get up early for something, I don't get much sleep - too nervous I'm going to miss it. Up at 4:30 am and I was actually ready to go when Erin came to get me.


So I was pretty tired, but suprisingly awake for me at that time of morning. I (shhhhh!) slept through most of the session, but was alert enough to know what was going on around me. It was a wonderful experience being there with sisters from my ward and to know what a great "family" I have away from my family. I'd never been to the Temple during daylight hours - we usually go at night and the Celestial room was very bright at this early time.


Many of you know, we've had a few melt downs with Lea this past week, Erin has struggled with her boy the same age and our friend Sharree is in the same boat - something about the start of school, end of free time, and completely exhausted - our kids have all revolted to any sort of parenting - in which case, there is much yelling, screaming, crying and tears. Not always by the child - at least in our house. All in all, a bad mom week for me.

As I stood in the Celestial room, taking in all the architectual detail, I decided to just let my mind go - to stop looking for inspiration on how to deal with Lea when she's melting and just listen. I thought of my parents all the way in Norway - so far from us, unable to visit AZ for 18 months. I thought of our past months travel to see family. My family means more to me than anything in the world. We are very close - even at the extended family level - we are bonded together and I love it! Then my mind cleared and I had a distinct impression of three things to do with Lea: Patience, talk with her calmly and listen. What? and the same impression was there again. My shoulders felt lighter and I relaxed as I was able to fully appreciate the guidance I had just received. I've never had one of those "Ah-ha" moments before - at least not like that. It was truly amazing and I wished so badly for my parents sisters or brothers to be there with me, but I knew I had friends to help out and a loving Heavnly Father who would help me along the way as I try to be a good mom. Yes it's not easy being a parent and He already knows that - how often have I been the difficult child for Him and my own parents..... don't answer that. :)

One more thing I remember is the overwhelming feeling that I was doing a good job, I'm a good mom, but I can do more. I can be better and to be patient. It was a tender mercy for me and I am so grateful.

The rest of the day was pretty fantastic as well. I usually wait for everything to fall apart after visiting the Temple and being on a spiritual high, but today was just about perfect for me. Jeff was home for once on a Saturday with no work obligations hanging over his head. Free from a work laptop and a cell phone that was constantly buzzing with new emails, texts and phone calls. For once in a very, VERY, VERY long time, our Saturday was a family day and I loved every minute of it.

Where in the world are the Risenmays....

Here's a brief update on where we've been for the last month. or not so brief as we've been very busy! 4 states, 4100+ miles, 67 + hours in the car (almost 3 days worth!), visiting with 400+ family and friends, packing and unpacking the car at every location - about 10 times! I'm a pro at packing now...and very exhausted to just thinking about it.

We left July 2nd for Idaho Falls, stayed with the Webbs and enjoyed a great 4th as always with Jeff's family there and his friends from high school. Best Fireworks show West of the Mississippi.....not bad. :) The Webb kids and our kids are very close in age and always have fun together. They each have a friend - we always appreciate them putting up with us... I mean putting us up when we come to visit.

Left from there on the 5th to Boise, where Jeff hopped on a plane and head for home to work. Starting a new job and leaving the slave world of public accounting he no longer has a months worth of vacation....sad to see that go, but happy to be out of there! I drove 5 hours with 3 kids by myself!!! The car was extremely loud, but I'm actually grateful because then I wasn't bored and tired. Silver lining, I guess. We only stopped one time to find Abbey's bottle under my seat and I think we made record time.

Arrived in Richland, WA (I grew up here and was staying at my parents house). They decided to go to Nauvoo for the week and see my sister and her family in the Nauvoo Pageant. So my parents and both my sisters and families all left for the week were in town. I might be offended by that, but it was fine. :) The kids took swim lessons and I was able to hang out with my brothers and their families. Nice to know they still don't mind taking care of their little sister. :)

Left Richland, Monday July 13th taking my 14 year old nephew Dallin after he arrived home from Nauvoo the night before. I decided my trip would be more fun if I had a helper and I knew Dallin wouldn't mind hanging out - although I forgot to warn him about typical Risenmay behavior and there were a few shocker moments. :) We drove to the Oceanside, OR to spend a week with Jeff's family - no Jeff was still at home working. They were all very helpful with the kids and we had a great time. Abbey was still not liking anyone so anytime I walked by without picking her up, she screamed, if anyone else even dared look at her, she screamed, you get the idea. We enjoyed the beach, hiked and the Tillamook Cheese factory.

Back to Richland on Friday the 17th and to Twin Lakes the next day with immediate family. (Another 5 and 4 hour drive).

Twin Lakes is great! We stay in little cabins - not top of the line, 5-star cabins, but a one room, shack with a bed and a fridge. My kids sleep on the floor, Abbey in the port-a-crib and everyday we fold up their stuff to have room to move around. Fun huh!? :) We ski every day, have church on Sunday, family night, kids night and more fun! Aside from my family there were 4 other main families - grand total of 170+ people in our group. My family has been going for 35 years and the other families came along a few years later. It's hard to explain what a great vacation this is for our family every year. Lucas skied and Abbey skied with my dad (he's 71!).

Back to Richland on the 25th and ready for another trip to Logan, Utah on Thursday the 30th for my dad's family reunion on July 31st and Aug 1 - the Sorensens. Jeff flew into Salt Lake that night and my dad and I picked him up there to head back to Logan. We get together every 3 years and it's a great experience. Grandpa Sorensen was an only child and he passed away in '86 and my grandma passed away in '96. Their posterity totaled around 240 not all biological, but nonetheless we're all family!

My parents were leaving for the MTC after the reunion to Norway! We had a few tearful, but happy moments together as we said our good-byes. We're planning a trip there hopefully next year if we save up enough.....working on it.

Headed home on Sunday Aug 2nd. About 8:30 Sunday night as we were approaching Flagstaff, I looked at our phone, noticed the date and gasped. "uhhhhh, Happy Anniversary!" :) Not a big deal I forgot, because we're usually on our way home every year around our Anniversary. So 8 years - wahoo! At least we were together and the kids were sleeping and almost home to crash before Lea had to start school the next day. 1st grade - wow, I'm old. :)

Pictures to come, but now just imagine, a lot of time in the car, movies, McDonald's toys, Hannah Montana hoedown throwdown, gorgeous weather, singing in Norwegian, family skits, plenty of water to play in and LOTS of family (we consider our friends to be family) to be with - makes for a month of memories to last a lifetime! Can't wait for next year! :)