HOLLYWOOD!!

 Hollywood here we come!! Thought it would be more glamorous....less trash (garbage and much cleaner atmosphere) than Vegas. Definitely an experience I wouldn't have missed out on. Everything is more fun with family and super creepy people dressed up as creepy famous people wanting money for pictures or up-and-coming music stars selling their 'next big hit' for $2 to anyone who will buy one.....(my dad).  

Some of my favorite STARS!

 Steven and Magic

 Cap'n Jack Sparrow

 Shrek giving Ryan a beating....

 

 As Ryan put it on facebook: my mom and 2 ogres. Fist bump???

 This is how we take pictures with 'all' the siblings, Kristin's not here, dad replies: she can be the ogre......ironic since she's only 5 foot. :) Oh well then her and Caryn can be the ogre since she's not here either. haha!

 I mentioned the super creepy dressed up super creepy famous people right??! This was definitely one of them. Along with a 30 year old Batman in a 12 year old body, 60 year old Marilyn Monroe, Cat Woman who kept meow-ing and whipping Jeff while he was taking a picture for some group of strangers..... You couldn't take their picture unless you paid, thus the back of Michael....totally fine with that.

 For you Becker.

 For me :) Jeff snuck a picture of SuperMan taking our group picture in front of Kodak Theater. SuperMan was the only NOT creepy one.

 Also for me: I love me some 'Timmy' as Jeff calls him.

 Who doesn't love Harrison Ford aka Jack Ryan??

 

This was across the street

 The super ridiculous shopping center that I could barely afford to stand next too. Up to the walkway where all those people are you can see the 'Hollywood' sign.

 and you can play 'Stalk'-erazzi. That'd be my brother Kraig and Stephanie.

 Can you see it - we made it!

 

Jeff and Chuck Norris

 Apparently the picture was all about perspective and patriotic heels....seriously?? ow.

While we waited around for everyone to gather - we were about 30 feet apart.....communication at it's finest, we shopped for t-shirts for the kids, us, and our fabulous baby-sitters. 

One great memory: my dad used to buy me and Steven t-shirts whenever he went out of town to DC which was quite a bit. He'd stop at the street vendors selling shirts and get 3 for $$ or however many and bring them home for us. I loved that!

Ryan remembered my dad bringing him the peanut packages from the plane. He handed one to my dad when they arrived and said 'here for all the times you brought me them.'

INTERRUPTIONS

When you are exasperated by interruptions, try to remember that their very
frequency may indicate the value of your life. Only people who are full
of help and strength are burdened by other persons' needs. The
interruptions which we chafe at are the credentials of our
indispensability. The greatest condemnation that anybody could incur -
and it is a danger to guard against - is to be so independent, so
unhelpful, that nobody ever interrupts us, and we are left comfortably alone.

-Anonymous
from The Anglican Digest

(I need to remember this more often......)

Sorensen 7 - part 1

 Someone way back a long time ago last year, I think it was Jim (my sister Caryn's husband), made a suggestion that we as siblings/spouses and parents going on a trip together. Sounds great! (in theory) Original idea: Alaskan cruise! Time marches on and noone takes charge...I have a lot of free time, so I opted to take this one. The price was high! (for the cruise, not my time, that was free) At my parents 50th, the discussion came up several times that money was an issue - the cruise was going to cost upwards of $5000 per couple!! As fun as that sounded some didn't want to pay that, others were willing to but in the end, I made the final decision and said we weren't going to do it. Talk about sticking your head on a chopping block.......so the question was 'now what?' 

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Fast forward several months and several hundred emails and we landed ourselves in sunny Los Angeles, California. A few annoyed moments in the planning, but you can please some of the people some of the time, not all of the people all the time. By the time the trip came, I was just happy if everyone left the 'reunion' still liking each other. ;)

My lovely nieces, Shayla and Marissa, so kindly and lovingly came to our rescue to watch our children for 5 days!! They came when Ammon was born and I think Shayla came another time to visit a friend of hers that lives close by us in Phoenix. Needless to say we owe them big time and when they have babies in 10 years, I'll come take care of them. :)

I put together an schedule for them, set up play dates and parties, maps of where/how to get places and emergency info in case they needed help from our 'ward family'.

 Jeff and I packed our suitcases, a cooler full of Pepsi and DP - off we went! And we even took the Honda - little worried as Jeff has never driven it more than to and from work, but it worked better in cooler weather - apparently the heat bothers the car alarm (another story).

Oh and the Wednesday before we left (we left on Thursday!), Jeff drove to a nice hotel to purchase a new Nikon D3100 from a guy on craigslist!!!!!! I was so excited to have it and take fun pictures of our trip.

  Lunch!? I'm always a little wary to eat from these place in gas stations - no reason, just seems a little odd, but convenient and I love Quiznos.

 Awww, the beach - paradise.

This place was perfect for us - can rent as 2 units or 1 - we rented the whole thing and had a blast!

 Dinner at Walt's Wharf - best clam chowder I've ever had!!! Loved it!

L-R: Mom, Dad, Stephanie, Kraig, Ryan, Caryn, Rustin, Jeff (me behind the camera). Seriously, I love my family. (Kristin and Steven were on their way)

We took a chilly walk on Seal Beach Pier - Rustin (Florida resident) made it to the beginning and stayed put - Jeff and I huddled together as we walked half way down the pier - as far as my mom wanted to walk. Too cold for us warm weather people.

wind surfer

 these guys were having a blast and they were fun to watch - water was not too cold for them

parents

 I get all emotional when I see things like this - makes me proud to live in the U.S. of A.

Beautiful scenery as we waited for my dad and Jeff to come back with the cars.

 Back at the beach house: we enjoyed breathtaking sunsets, games, s'mores and good ole fashion quality time together.

 As we were watching a game of pool, the brother in the next picture (ryan) came up to me, tapped me on the arm and said 'get your camera, follow me.' Off we ran to take pictures of the sun melting in the sky.

 That was my marshmallow Jeff was 'toasting' for me.....tastes great with chocolate and graham crackers - not so great with the hair that kept blowing in my face. :)

Super Moon

 When you shoot the Super Moon, it sends little minions to shoot you.....this little guy was inside walked up to Jeff and aimed! They then came outside to shoot the mom.....nice. At least it's better than getting hit with the 'Noodle Saber'. Strange things happen when there's a full moon!

He looks a little worse for the wear: banged up head, unwashed face....it was a rough week. Love ya Mo!

Short-cuts!

 It's that time of year again when Lea wants to get her hair cut short for summer! Abbey gets to tag along because this is the only time either of them get it cut. :)

 BEFORE: it grew a lot from the last short-cut

 Lea wanted the A-line cut.....I wasn't so sure, but I love it!

 Abbey was less-than thrilled and uncooperative the entire time it was her turn. She was totally fine until it was her turn to sit on the chair - it's very cute and we went for the straight cut. Kim is convinced it's not straight......Abbey wants her hair to grow back.

Do you like/love the green wall - that's the color of my kitchen!!

You know it's time for bed when....

 You know you're tired when you throw a fit at bed-time, so you sit in the corner......then fall asleep.

 You know you should be sleeping, but the dang phone has so many cool and addicting games - must.go.to.sleep......