Harper's First Photo Shoot

Here are some pictures from Harper's first photoshoot. They were taken last Friday when she was just two weeks old. She didn't really want to cooperate so I had to work really fast. I didn't get some of the shots I wanted because she got tired and so did I!

Harper is doing so well. She is a wonderful baby and hardly ever cries. She is sleeping long stretches at night and is just so pleasant during the day. I think it was Heavenly Father's way of balancing things out for me after having such a difficult labor and delivery.

As for me I am doing soooo much better! My neck is close to pain free and I have almost all of my range of motion back. Just a couple more physical therapy visits and I should be good as new! Who knew you could get a neck injury during delivery?

Monday was a day of firsts at the Sorensen home. Shawn went back to work and started his new position at Boeing as a manager, and I was at home on my own with the four for the first time. Shawn is enjoying his new job and I'm trying not to pull my hair out at home :) No really it hasn't been too crazy. Juggling four kiddos isn't really much different from three. It's just managing Rylin around the baby that's the challenge especially because my body isn't back to 100% yet. The kids are doing well and simply adore Harper (perhaps a little too much). All in all we're adjusting fine to all the new changes and looking forward to watching Harper and the rest of the kids grow.

Harper Elizabeth Sorensen

Harper Elizabeth Sorensen was born on July 15, 2011 at 11:30am. A big "thank you" to all who have helped out and reached out in watching our kids and assisting us as we celebrate this wondrous occasion.

Grant's 4th Birthday Party

Grant's 4th birthday party was phenomenal! The weather was the best it had been all year long; the super-hero theme was a hit; the cup cake tower turned out; the games were fun; the kids enjoyed themselves and the parents survived.
Below you can see Grant showing off his superhero "Dash" costume from the Incredibles.

From Grant's 4th Birthday Party

Andrea worked hard to create this cup cake cake...made up of a cake and cup cakes. She attempted to color the frosting on the bottom cupcakes a bold red, like Dash's costume...unfortunately, they turned out more pink (oh well, the boys didn't mind it-it tasted just as sugary!)

From Grant's 4th Birthday Party

Here we were playing a spin-off of duck, duck, duck, goose. This game was called astronaut, astronaut, astronaut, alien (thanks Buzz Lightyear for your inspiration).

From Grant's 4th Birthday Party

From Grant's 4th Birthday Party

Rylin enjoyed her cupcake and the opportunity to say cheese for the camera.

From Grant's 4th Birthday Party

Thanks for checking out our blog and feel free to look at the rest of the pictures from the party (click on the object below):

Grant's 4th Birthday Party

Hawaii 2011

We just got back from Hawai'i (and then took care of a kid with the stomach flu for a week, selected 5 different colors to paint the interior rooms of our home, compiled our taxes for 2010 and submitted them to the IRS, paid bills, saw the movie "I am Number 4" and put together bunk beds for the girls room [since at some time in the future there will need to be room for girl #3--name TBD--])
So here is what we looked like at the beginning of our trip:

From Hawaii 2011

These trees were amazing:

From Hawaii 2011

Of course we stopped by the temple and Mark Eubank was serving as a missionary at the visitor's center:

From Hawaii 2011

It was warm and tropical with beautiful plants and flowers like this:

From Hawaii 2011

Andrea spent so much time at the beach that this is what she looked like at the end of the trip:

From Hawaii 2011

We had a ton of fun. Click here to see the rest of the photos from our trip:

Hawaii 2011

Kinsley's Comedic Debut

Kinsley helped us out in January for our Stake Youth Talent Show by filling some time with her favorite jokes. She was a hit! Kinsley couldn't wait to get out there and tell her "awesome jokes". She wasn't scared at all. I offered to walk her out onto the stage and she said no way mom I can do this myself. She had the crowd in the palm of her hands and I think she figured that out by about joke three. Kinsley bring so much joy to our lives!