Some of our other favorite activities of the week were....
Walking barefoot in the sand at Newport Beach...

missing Matthew...

building sandcastles....

and just enjoying each others company.

We also watched "Monsters Inc." with our new monster jamas!!!

Wayne and I stayed for another week up the coast with my Dad.
So we went to Carmel beach....

and found Hermit crabs......

and lots of seagulls!!!

We also want to Disneyland and played fun games together and
had a great family vacation!!!

Time for a change!!!

Just an update on Elder Matthew.
He has been transferred to Mazatlan this week.
His companion is from Mexico and knows little English.
He is feeling the challenge of having all Spanish speaking Elders to talk to,
but he is excited and happy to be serving the Lord.

Do you just want to jump on a plane and go visit!!!

18 months!!! I am going to be there!!!

6 months in........18 to go!!!

Elder Sorensen has completed his first 6 months of his two year mission
for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
He is in the Culiacan, Mexico mission and loving every minute of it!!!
Well, he is not complaining anyway!!!
Here are a few pros and cons to serving a mission....

They didn't have any water at their apartment for a few days
so they had to shower with a bucket and a cup!!!

Watching out for dogs in the area is important since Matthew has
been nearly bitten a couple of times.

He and his companion walk everywhere they go but they were just given
cell phones to make life easier!!!

He is serving in a beautiful location in Los Cabos on the
Baja peninsula.

He is not a "greenie" any more, because he is serving with his
second companion who is from Canada.

Most important he is serving the Lord and teaching the
people of Mexico about the Savior and the restored gospel.

They have had two baptisms and many contacts.

We are very proud of him and happy that he has taken the
opportunity to serve a mission. Our whole family is blessed for the
service that he is giving to the people in Mexico.
Good job Elder Sorensen!!!!





The above picture is of the other Elders who he arrived with and
his Mission President, Pres. Johnston from Rexburg, Idaho.
Hopefully more pictures will come soon.

Last week we took a trip to Branson, Missouri.
It was fun to get away for awhile and rest and relax
in the Ozark mountains!!
Our first stop was Silver Dollar City!!

There is an amazing underground cave included in the amusement park.
We walked down into the cave thousands of feet as you can see from this picture
of us looking up at the hole of last remaining sunlight!!!!
AHHHHH!
This "room"in the cave was huge!!!
It is bigger than a football field and taller
than a 20 story building!!!
We also saw waterfalls and stalactites.
But we missed out on seeing any bats!!!

Our favorite ride was the flooded mine because...

...we could shoot targets and try to get the highest score.
I creamed Wayne once but he says that was because his gun was broken!!!
(sspphhhh!!!)
Don't we just sound like kids at heart!!!

One of the kids favorite rides (when we were in Branson 20 years ago)
was "Fire in the Hole".
We got wet so we were happy and cool.
--Chris was actually too small to ride and Matthew wasn't born yet--
So I guess it was Jen's favorite ride!!

We took about 10 of these pictures before we were able get a good one.
I am surprised we got the water wheel in the back ground!!!

Our last night we went to see "Broadway".
Great performers singing great songs from all of my favorite Broadway plays!!!
What more could you want?
(A trip to NY!!)

The morning we left we drove to Lake Taneycomo.
The fog had settled on the water and looked amazing.

We had a great time and can't wait to go back again!!

Nifty Fifty...

I thought I was going out to dinner last night with just my family
but was pleasantly surprised when we arrived at Olive Garden
to see a table full of some of our best friends to share my birthday with me!!!
Julie managed to get us all together and still have it be a surprise!!!

I don't feel like I am fifty
but if I have to be then sharing it with some of my best friends
(who have been my friends for the last 25 years and are still my friends)
and family makes it all worth while.

I saved the great candle but let the waitress and staff share the rest
of the huge, yummy, chocolate cake that Julie brought.
(I just didn't want to take it home and gain 50 pounds)
Thanks again to all of my great friends and family who we have shared
so much with me through out the years!!!
I am so blessed!!!
Thanks for making my day fun!!!
Love you all!!!
xoxo