Christmas Update

2011 Johnson Family Christmas Letter

South Dakota Trip Fall 2011

If I could recommend one road trip to ya'll, it would be to the Black Hills South Dakota.  We had a fabulous fall trip and would love to share some details with you!  Sorry for the overload, but it was a great trip!

Our adventure began at Noon on Tuesday, October 18th.  The girls got out of school at Noon for Fall Break and we headed over beautiful Logan Canyon to pick up Grandma Barb in WY.  We threw her stuff in the trunk, buckled her in our six seatbelt Ford Taurus and headed down the highway toward Kemmerer, Wyoming.  I didn't think to start taking pictures of all the population signs until into the second day of our trip, so I lost track of all the small towns we travelled through on our way. 

So the first night was in Thermopolis, Wy.  Home of the World's Largest Mineral Hot Spring.  We had a lot of fun and hung out until about 11 a.m. just touring around. 

Second day we continued our trek to the Black hills stopping only for fuel and potties and photo opportunities in the beautiful Big Horn Pass!!  Right before the WY/SD state line we ventured off the oil pump scattered, desolate part of the interstate to Devil's Tower National Monument (Jordan:  I don't want to see the Devil!  Dad to Jordan:  I promise the Devil won't be there. Jordan:  Isn't it the Devil's Tower?)

We reached Rapid City, South Dakota at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19th.  We checked into the beautiful AmericInn Lodge and Suites.  It was decked out with a pool area and indoor waterslide (which was a life saver....due to one of our indoor water park plans falling through last minute).

Accomodations were bliss and we were excited to have a hot breakfast every morning before our following adventures...Thursday, October 20th, was filled with Monument visiting.  We started with Mt. Rushmore in Keystone and then headed to Rushmore Cave for a cave tour and Zipline!!  The Zipline at Rushmore Cave was actually designed by Stan Checketts in Logan Utah!!  We had a blast.  All six of us buddied up and ziplined the length of two football fields twice!  After Rushmore Cave we headed to Crazy Horse Monument in Custer, SD. (Jordan: I don't want to see a Crazy Horse!! haha) The Black Hills were simply gorgeous this day and we took a lot of fantastic pictures in hopes to capture the fall beauty.

Friday, October 21st started earlier that the other days because of the full-agenda.  We headed to Bear Country, USA and thoroughly enjoyed our time there.  Then onto the Reptile Gardens for the snake show and let me tell you....the rattler in the show was NOT happy.  I was close to becoming a wall-climbing mammal...I am NOT a reptile person, but I put on a pretty good front for the kiddos.  Kysa and Jordan enjoyed this so much.  They even pet the big yellow snake....ewwww.  After the gardens, we headed back in to go to Rapid City's largest year round indoor waterslide park to find it CLOSED.  With kids in tears, we quickly gathered our wits, grabbed a McDonalds Happy Meal (heals all sorrows) and headed to the theatre for an afternoon flick.  We saw 3 Musketeers and loved it! 

We sadly left Rapid City with much, much more on the agenda to-do but didn't get the time. We left Saturday, October 22nd at 9 a.m. and headed to Sheridan, Wyoming to stay with some awesome cousins on my mom's side.  It was a fabulous visit with them, their darling newborn, and my other cute college cousin.

We again regrettably started our homeward decent at 7 a.m. Sunday, October 23rd.  We ventured to Yellowstone National Park East Entrance through Cody, WY at Noon.  Hit Old Faithful by 2:30 to discover it had just went off.  We stayed for 90 minutes give or take to have some lunch and watch the amazing Old Faithful.  The only animals we saw in the park was a porcupine, some ravens and squirrels!  But we were not disappointed when we got just out of Yellowstone and saw all kinds of deer and buffalo!  Stopped to admire the Tetons and continued home.  We safely delivered mom at 9:05 p.m. and headed back to Logan.  We had an amazing, relationship building time!  I would highly recommend it.  Here is a slideshow with some samplings of the things we experienced and saw.  I wish I could have taken you all with us.  It was a simply exciting trip!  Well worth the miles travelled!

Enjoy the show (video included, might be loud so adjust your sound).

Create your own free picture slideshow

Birthdays and Parties, Oh MY!

Gabby & Jordan: 5th BIRTHDAY PARTY August 25, 2011

From Grandma Toomer

From Grandma Barb



From Grandma Barb & Grandma Toomer



Friday, August 26th Party Sleepover (Mom's ?? Birthday!)

And the boys are out!!

Aquatic Center August 27th Party

Kysa braving the "fast" slide!

Mom & Hailey on the "twirly" slide.

The pizza party after the pool...Kysa, Jordan, Andy, Jaxton, Gabby, Kirina, Hailey & Mia

We always let Kysa celebrate her birthday early so we can do a pool party!

Jordan getting lost in his gift from Jared and I!

More of the party!

The cake...not the BEST, but they LOVED it!

Blowing out the candles...Jordan 5 - Kysa 9 (Hailey helping)

On her 9th birthday, September 14th!

"Hurry up Mom"

At Texas Roadhouse...Kysa's dinner of choice!  (Jordan chose Pizza Pie Cafe, but I failed to get pictures in August)

Philip's GOLDEN Birthday - August 30th, 2011 - Happy Heavenly Birthday!

Today was my baby brother's GOLDEN birthday...sure wish he was here to spend it with!  I know he has more important things to do in Heaven right now than to be on Earth celebrating his birthday with me, but I hope he knows I am thinking of him today!  Here are 30 things I love, miss, hated while he was here or just plain adore about my brother:

1.   He was my one and only sibling and I loved to pick on him!

2.   I miss his corny laugh.

3.   I love that he loved his job.

4.   I miss the Hawaii trips.

5.   I love that I enjoyed two Hawaii trips with him.

 6.   I love that he is with my family in Heaven, i.e, Dad, Grandpa Toomer, Grandpa Ed,  Aunts/Uncles/Cousins and many others!

7.   I hated when he licked his finger and stuck it in my ear!

8.   I loved the late night phone calls just to chat.

9.   I miss his contagious smile.





 10. I adore his two children with all my heart.

11. I love how he cared so much about everyone.

12. I miss camping trips with him.

13. I miss holidays with him.
14. I hate remembering the times we fought.

15. I love the way he made his life right and worthy.
16. I love the example he left for me and my house.

17. I miss all the goofy things he did and said.

18. I loved it when he would pop in at my work for no reason.


 
19. I love that my husband and my brother were the best of friends.
20. I miss having his family at my house or us at their's at least twice a week.
21. I miss watching our "shows" together.
22. I loved his Drama Queen streak ..."I'm gonna DIE...I just got stung!" Nope Phil, you didn't die that day!


23. I adore his sweet wife...love her like a sister.

24. I miss the days at the lake.






25. I loved going on vacation with him every summer growing up.

26. He is the Best Little Big Brother a girl could have!

27. I hate that he is not here to enjoy his children's accomplishments and milestones.

28. I miss him teasing my kids and seeing them interact with their Uncle.

29. I love how much he loved his mother (you can always tell how much one will love their family by the way they treat their mother)

30. I miss seeing him on Mom's Annual Sorensen Christmas cards.

These are 30 small things I miss, love(d), hate and adore about Philip Andrew Sorensen!  Happy Birthday Phillus George...I hope you are smiling down today, because we are sure smilin' up towards you!  One eternal year older and wiser too...Happy 30th Birthday...to you!

24th of July Weekend Recapture

I just realized I have 24th Celebration pictures on my camera and that I didn't do a post!  I guess today is a blog catch up day! 
Here is a glimpse of our Pioneer Day Celebrations!

While we were celebrating...Jared was working hard!

"Somewhere a deputy is being yelled at for taking too long to get there; trying to save the life of a total stranger; holding his bladder because he was dispatched to another emergency call; starving because he missed a meal; having to keep a stone face at an accident scene where there's 2 dead kids; and now its 4 am, and he's missing HIS family while taking care of YOURS. "
I appreciate all the time you are away from us, Jared.  You are doing a great service for the public and providing for us! 



Cousin Fun!



Waitin' for the Parade....

Cool Float!

Cokeville Parade!

After the parade, we headed to Idaho for Johnson Family fun.  Jordan & Ean riding the "horse"!

Kayly & Breyvon enjoyin' the shade of the tree!

Kirina with Uncle Marshall and Aunt Missy's dog!

Kayly & Kirina

Ean and his big brother Breyvon.

 We had a great time at all our family functions.  Jared's dad's birthday and his parent's anniversary is July 23rd so it is always a great celebration with camping and/or cookouts!