Lorenzen Family

Posted By julianna on June 5, 2011

So this was our 7th annual trip to Yosemite. We camp at the Upper Pines campground every year and LOVE it! Out of the first 6 years, half had rain and half didn’t. Last year the rain was so bad that we had to pack up early. This year we decided to play it safe and rent a travel trailer, just in case. Our 25 foot Fleetwood/Prowler was such a change from our usual tent experience.

I have to admit that I have been known to mock those who engage in “wussy camping.” I had to eat a bit of humble pie when we booked our RV, but the kids were so excited it completely made up for it. And I must say, while there were so things I missed, there were some things I really DIDN’T miss.

Missed:
-Looking up through the open top of the tent and smelling the forest and seeing the stars.
-
Didn’t Miss:
-Getting up in the middle of the night to hurry and put on shoes and pray that you can run in the cold to the campground bathroom before your child pees their pants.
-Having to wall to the campground bathroom every night to brush my teeth
-The battle with myself every morning…what is the greater need: to stay warm in my sleeping bag or to go to the bathroom in the cold morning.
-Only being able to wash my hands in cold water after I use the bathroom.

We also changed up some of our activities while we were there. Instead of the usual Vernal Falls/Mirror Lake/Happy Camp adventures, we went of a hunt for a trail to the more obscure “Staircase Falls,” we explored Hetch Hetchy, and found an alternate, little used path to Yosemite Falls. Our campsite backed up to a creek. Between the creek and the Merced river was a fun adventure land for the kids to explore. Within the first hour of our arrival the kids and their cousins found a treasure spot. It was even marked with an X. They were disappointed when there was no treasure when they dug under the X, so they buried some pine cones so they’ll have something to come uncover next year. The boys went fishing and caught a sacramento sucker. They thought it was a carp so they threw it back.

Seth led the Fearless Squirrel Hunters. He designed a trap using his “Yosemite Treasures Box.” I am a witness to the claim that he had a squirrel in the box several times. It just got out before he could stop it.

(I have more photos to post, but it seems that some “internal server errors” are occurring and I am supposed to try again later. So I will).

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Posted By julianna on May 31, 2011

A long time ago now, I was asked a pointed question by a man I loved and respected upon first meeting him. He was the leader of the mission I was assigned to serve. He asked me, “Sister Starling (that is what I went by as a missionary in Sydney Australia), why are you here? Why are you here?”

I had only recently arrived in Australia as missionary. I was so excited to share with the world the message that Christ was our Savior. I was so excited to teach and see people accept Christ and be baptized. I left the love of my life (at that time…) to serve a mission because I knew that that was what I was meant to do at that time in my life. As much as I would have loved to have stayed home and married Mike Banks, we both knew that I was supposed to go. We’d looked at rings. I’d found one I loved. We were finally loving being together 8 years after having plastered my school folders with “I Love Mike Banks.” But we both knew in our hearts that getting married right then wasn’t what the Lord had in store for us. I knew I was supposed to be a missionary at that time. I thought I knew why. I thought I was going out into the big wide world to bring my brothers and sisters unto Christ through baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

I learned that there was more to my reason for being there than I knew. This amazing man sitting across from me leaned forward and looked me in the eyes. He said to me (something along the lines of…), “No, Sister Starling, you are here to learn faith. To develop the faith you’ll need so that one day when your child has a question you will have the faith necessary to kneel with them and KNOW that they will receive an answer to their prayer.”

I saw people come to Christ. I saw people baptized. But tonight I knelt with my eight year old son and helped him pray to receive an answer to his prayer about an important life decision. And I had the faith necessary to assure him that the Lord would indeed answer his prayer. I am so grateful for that insightful man who fifteen years ago broadened my perspective so that I would be prepared for this day. For this night. For this experience with my sweet boy. I am so grateful for a living God that hears and answers my prayers and those of my little boy.

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Posted By julianna on December 7, 2010

I looked in my rearview mirror today on the way home from taking Seth to school. Ryan had his hand in his mouth. It looked like he was trying to get something out of it. This is how the conversation went from there (as well as I can remember off hand. I wish I had a video camera on the kids constantly. Especially little crazy man):

Mom: Is there was something in your mouth?
Ryan: That thing.
Mom: What are you doing?
Ryan: I am trying to get the thing.
Mom: What are you going to do with it?
Ryan: Take it out.
Mom: You need that. It is your uvula. You really don’t want to take that out.
Ryan: Oh. Okay.

He is so funny. And so fun. Who thinks to feel their uvula. And to want to take it out? He is a hoot!

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Posted By julianna on December 6, 2010

We went on a wonderful camping trip at Refugio Beach with Elizabeth and Aaron Jones at the beginning of November. I just realized the other day that I never recorded some precious moments that happened while we were there.

The Joneses had a dining tent that was over the picnic table. It is designed to keep bugs out, but it ended up serving a very different function for Seth. Somehow creatures ended up inside the dining tent and it became prime friend gathering ground for Seth. He caught two butterflies and two birds. Yes, he caught two birds. But the big story is about the butterflies. The first one was named Mario (As in Super Mario Brothers, Mario). He loved this butterfly, Mario. He held it carefully by letting it sit on his hand. It didn’t try to fly away or anything. He watched everything it did and reported its activities to us. He judged that it liked him by the way it moved its tongue in and out. He LOVED Mario. Seth had been enjoying his friend for quite awhile before a gust of wind came up and blew Mario into the fire. Yes, into the fire where he had to sit and watch his dear butterfly friend suffer a fiery death.

He was devastated. I felt so helpless. I wanted to make it all better but there was nothing I could do. He cried. Sad tears. I think he felt a little guilty. I don’t know what all he felt, but there was so much emotion in his forlorn, tortured little face. He didn’t really want to talk about it for awhile. Eventually he did talk to me after I suggested he go and have a little rest in the tent. I told him it was okay to cry and be sad. (I think I did. I can’t remember it all as clearly as I would like, now that it is a month later).

He finally found a little peace about it and the next day (I think?) he found Luigi in the tent. He was extra careful to keep Luigi away from heat sources and Luigi flew safely away after a little quality time with Seth. He was no Mario, to be sure, be it was good to have a successful interaction with another butterfly that ended more happily. He is such a naturalist and such a sweetheart.

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Posted By julianna on December 5, 2010

Tonight was one of those nights that will go down in Ryan’s history, and in mine. I learned never to trust the assurances of a 2.97 year old little boy. He wanted to come up on the stage SO badly. He whimpered during the Primary’s song in the Christmas program, saying how he really wanted to be up there, why couldn’t he go up there, too. I tried to explain that he was in Nursery, and only the Primary children were singing, but that he’d be in Primary next year. But next year is like another millennium to a little 2.97 year old boy. Not too long later it was time for the Ward Choir to go sing their song. Our song. The song we’d been practicing for this night. It was a song that had take a lot of work for us to master. He really wanted to come up there with me. He cried when I left to walk up and ran after me. I asked if he would stand quietly beside me if I let him come. He assured me that he would. I told Danny that it was okay, Ryan could come with me. “He said he’d stand quietly next to me,” I assured him. I should have listened to my “mommy sense” that hollered “Really? You think so?” But all I could think of was my sweet little boy that just wanted to be a part of a group going up on stage to sing a song. And I really thought he would be this cute little buddy standing next to me.

We got up there and in place. He was standing next to me and seemed to love it. As the song started he began moving around. It wasn’t long before he started wiggling around and moving farther from me. Eventually he ended up everywhere from touching the lights at the edge of the stage, to crawling between people’s feet and through their legs on the bleachers. He sat down and adjusted the velcro straps on his tennis shoes into an “X’ partner, went behind me and pushed his little face into my bottom, and who knows what else! I was trying to decide what would be more disruptive, stop singing, grab him and leave the stage, or ignore the distraction entirely and hope that people didn’t notice to much? I tried to keep singing and do as little as possible to draw further attention to little Ryan’s antics. At one point, though, I thought I could trap him with my foot as he was crawling on the bleacher behind me. I tried to grab him with my foot as we crescendoed, but alas, my foot came down on empty space; he’d already passed too far down the row.

In the end, as I am sure you can imagine, I was quite embarrassed. This might even make it into my top ten most embarrassing moments list. I felt horrible, too, about ruining the performance of the choir. The choir director had put so much time and effort into making it a beautiful song and a moving experience for all listening. My poor parenting choice, trusting his sweet assurances over my experience with him and other 2.97 year old children, had no only affected me, but her too, and everyone else who was distracted, stepped on and otherwise run into.

I had to laugh, though, when one of the choir ladies said to me, “You should get the video that someone surely got of that and submit it to “America’s Funniest Videos.” It would totally win!!” The choir director graciously assured me that while she was resentful about it at first she decided that it was a family event and while she wondered where Danny was and why he didn’t come get him (he was in the wings trying to get Ryan’s attention so he’d come to him) she wasn’t going to be upset by it. I am grateful for loving people who are slow to anger and full of love for little boys who yearn for a moment in the spotlight. (Danny and Robin and Dave said that when he first got up there he put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest).

I tell you, Ryan is one crazy little buster. And as much as I love him, and as much as I want him to be able to live out his dreams, he will NOT be invited to come perform with the choir again for at least another 10 years!

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Posted By julianna on October 11, 2010

http://gaymormonguy.blogspot.com/

While many are questioning an apostle of the Lord and words he shared with us at General Conference, a brave man, “gay mormon guy,” takes the time to share his perspective. It is an amazing one.

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Posted By julianna on July 25, 2010

At the beginning of the summer we made a “summer to do list.” we’ve been working our way through it and loving it! Here’s a highlight from this past week. My sister in law is better about posting photos so click in this to see the photos.

Discovery Science Center: It was so much fun! The wind chamber was my favorite part. It felt like I was on the freefall part of a skydive. So invigoraing. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have one of those at home for whenever you need a little more get-up-and-go?

I am LOVING our fun adventures this summer. The other night Seth said to me, “Mom, what adventures do you have planned for us for tomorrow?” That innocent little comment was a hge payday for me. I have accomplished all that I’d hoped to this summer, and there are still more adventures to come.

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Posted By julianna on June 27, 2010

Today Seth came up to us after church and excitedly announced. “Me and AJ are going to be geologists and that’s how we’re going to get rich. Because geologists are the ones who find all the diamonds. We can just find all the diamonds!”

Danny tried to explain a little about land rights and all that (the lawyer in him popped out), but man, was Seth excited! He thought he was really on to something big!

This past week we went to the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. For the first time, he really liked the Gems and Minerals room.

After the museum we went to Jeanne’s house to play some more with our practically cousins, Warren and Maddie. Seth and Warren formed “The Scientist’s Club.” Here is the weekly schedule they came up with for the club.

***Upload failure*** For cool picture of their Scientist’s Club schedule please click here.

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Posted By julianna on June 21, 2010

“Put it back on it.” This is what little RyRy said to me after I popped off a Lego guys arm to illustrate the story of Ammon in the Family Home Evening lesson we were having tonight. He is too little to be using so many words in succession. At least I think so. He is growing up so fast. He is so full of energy and loves his shoes. He thinks it is the END of the world when I make him take off his shoes in the house. Often I have to physically remove them from his feet myself and hide them so he won’t put them back on (we try for a no shoes in the house policy). I think I need to just go buy him a pair of shoes that will be his “house shoes” since he loves his shoes so much. Maybe that would be an acceptable compromise. He won’t accept his house slippers as a replacement. Only his pirate shoes and sometimes his sandals and flipflops. “Pipate Shoes…Pipate shoes!!!”

I had on a CD told of Mickey Mouse and friends singing so good old fashioned American kids songs. The kiddos were all dancing around and singing and LOVING it! I went in the kitchen to get lunch ready and Seth comes in to tell me that he has thought of the one other thing he wants to be when he grows up. He spells out for me, “S..T..A..R…,” “R..O..C..K.. .” He tells me he wants to be a rock star. That he has really good dance moves and all so he think that will work out. And he’s learning to play some instruments now and that will help, too (Violin and piano lessons). So cute! My scientist wants to be a rock star. He continued to ponder the idea and explained that the two really shouldn’t get in the way of each other because most shows are at night and he’ll do his scientist work in the daytime. And doing creative stuff helps your analytical side of your brain work better, too. Rock on, Seth!

Laura wore her new pink sun dress today. At the beginning of summer she decided that she really wanted a sun dress because when we started going to the beach for the summer she thought that she wouldn’t want to get wet. If she got wet than the sand would stick to her and feel yucky, so instead she just wanted a sun dress that she could wear and enjoy the beach without getting in the water. Knowing full well that see would end up in her swim suit at the beach did not diminish the cuteness of her well thought out plan. Needless to say, we have been on the lookout for the “perfect” beach sundress ever since. We thought we’d found in at Costco a while back. We even passed it up 3 or 4 times, until we’d looked around to make sure that there wasn’t any thing better out there. There was one she found a M. Fredric’s Kids one night (we popped in there before going to the movies when Tara was here) but is was far too pricey. We finally bought the Costco one and loved it. I still love it, but she decided too late that one of the prerequisites for being a perfect beach dress is that it can’t have buttons in the back. The Costco dress had buttons in the back. Oh no (This dress story is getting really long. Longer than I intended)! So we finally found the complete package, the ultimate in beach dress fashion at Target the other day and Laura was so excited to wear it today for the first time. It turned out to be a little big, but no worries…Laura found a white t-shirt that she put on under the dress. She told me it could “make an outfit,” with the dress until it wasn’t too big. I told her I’d sew up the straps so that she could wear it either way next time she put it on. This was just another experience where I was able to see just how “in charge” my little lady is. She has a plan. She executes her plan and solves problems as they come up (unless it is time to clean up and then she is just “TOO TIRED”). She is a very smart little lady.

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Posted By julianna on May 5, 2010

so you know those diagrams on the shopping charts showing how it is unsafe to let your children stand up in the cart? Well, in my defense I wasn’t “letting” him stand up in the cart. In fact, I had only just reminded him of his need to sit on his bottom. Unfortunately it wasn’t worded strongly enough, because right before my eyes, before I could get there to grab him he leaned forward to get a little closer to the budgey (parakeet) cage and toppled right out. It was in slow motion, of course, but so was I, I guess, because I couldn’t get to him fast enough. It wasn’t a simple fall out, either. He did a complete flip. Feet over head flip. All the way around until he was lying on the ground. I felt so horrible. I grabbed him up and loved him up and couldn’t help but look around to see if anyone thought I was as horrible as I felt in that moment. He had no concussion symptoms and quickly went back to wanting to see the pet store animals more than he wanted to be held so all is fine now. But man, there’s really something to that whole, “Don’t let you kid stand up in the cart thing.” They sure can flip ALL the WAY over and out before you get from one end of the cart to the other.

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Posted By julianna on April 8, 2010

it is spring break this week. today we went to carpenteria beach with jeanne, warren and maddie. it was absolutely gorgeous. we drove through the campsites, scouting out the best ones for future camping trips. then we went down to the tide pools looking for sea creatures. we ended up on the sand by a little concrete square in the sand that seemed to have a natural spring bubbling out the end of it. the kids loved it and played in it and on the rocks for a good long while.

in talking to seth about what a great trip to the beach i thought it had been he told me that he didn’t think it was that great. “there wasn’t very much there…” reallly? we’d seen a little crab, some legs from a big dead crab, a conch shell with the living thing still inside it, some sea anenomes, barnacles and mussels, marbled godwits (that we identified with the bird guide), a great blue heron, diving brown pelicans, and some dolphins to boot! i was stumped. there wasn’t very much there? in further conversation it came out that there wasn’t much there compared to what we saw at the beach in Costa Rica! Duh! Okay. I’ll give him that. But it was a FABULOUS day at the beach! Have we ruined him forever by taking him to a hotbed of wildlife in his young years. i guess nothing else will every really compare to the “most biologically intense (words of National Geographic)” area of Corcovado National Park. :0)

hopefully the rest of his life won’t be too disappointing.

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Posted By julianna on March 30, 2010

So it is not just my lack of time management that has kept me from posting lately. I’ve been really frustrated with the amount of spam comments that we get so i’ve been boycotting. i even went to blogger and was about to move our family blog there until i was reading about the spam comment issues someone else was having there. is there no escaping spam!??!! i escaped corned beef hash by growing up and planning my own dinner menus, but alas, spam seems to be inescapable.

i love reading comments that people leave and feel connected to friends and family through them, so it was sad when we decided to turn off the comments option. i have been silently protesting the loss of my connection to you all by my lack of posting activity. no more, though! i love having a running log of our fun together and being able to share it with whoever happens along this way.

So get ready! Here comes a new stage in my blogging life. To hell with SPAM! I will post anyway! I guess you can comment to me on facebook??

Here’s a photo to whet you appetite. This is from our trip to the Huntington Library and Gardens a little while ago. We love that place. Well, maybe not Seth, as much. He was REALLY disappointed that at a “Library” there were no books he could check out to read. He felt very misled. :0) Opps.

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