Last Picture

Jorja had her first student government activity with the new officers. The results for the election were posted yesterday. There are two girls in each category this year. Two girl sbos, two girl senior class officers, two girl senators, two girl junior class officers and two girl sophomore class officers. Weird. Jorja is excited to not be the only girl anymore. She told me today that it is weird that she is the only senior girl that has been in student government before. Six senior girls, thirteen boys. Wish it was a bit more even. Anyway, she went down there for an hour this morning to work on putting together signs for the seniors. She had to hurry back because her AP English text was today. It's weird having them take their AP tests at home. Instead of a three hour test, it is a 45 minute free response test. We kicked everyone out of the computer room so Jorja would have no distractions. I'm glad I let her drop AP US History at the beginning of the year. This year is so weird. After the test Jorja and I helped Preston learn a dance for Chinese. Jorja filmed Preston and I dancing. Sending that video in was a difference between an A and a B in Chinese. Crazy that it was worth so much. After the dancing Jorja went out with Layla for yogurt. Layla is the other girl sbo. They wanted to talk about initiation. Jorja told me this morning that she texted Aysha and told her she didn't want to kiss anyone. She said that even though Riley said it wouldn't bother him, she didn't want to risk it. She didn't want another Conner/Traven situation. She has felt guilty about kissing Traven for so long. She met up with Layla and said they had a great time. Layla didn't want to kiss any of them either, even though she is kind of dating one of them. She didn't want to kiss Marshall in front of anyone. So, at least they are agreed on that. They are both looking forward to tonight. Should be super fun.

Switching gears... my mom died 24 years ago today. I posted this picture with this caption: Best person in the world died 24 years ago today. This was our last family picture. My brother Brett was leaving on a mission. My mom knew she would die while he was gone, but sent him anyway. Her faith was unmatched. Oh how I miss her.

Mike, Mom, Stephanie, Brett, John, Dad, Matt, Bubs

Mike commented that Matt was wearing a 6T jacket. Haha. My cousin Jeff mentioned something like he was having a tender moment remembering mom when Mike made him laugh. After I said, "See what I have to put up with?" Mike said, "At least I didn't mention how you are wearing a size 2X!" Hahahaha. I love my family. When Jorja was helping me go through some filing cabinets she found some twenty question things. I sent this to my brothers today. This is what my mom answered when I was 17 I think.

I brought my blanket and puzzle book and hung out at my mom's grave. It was such a nice day! Right as I was leaving Matt and Sam and their family showed up. They brought dinner to eat at the grave. They brought my mom's peanut butter cups in bar form. Why have I never thought of making them that way? Tons easier. It was delicious too.

Stephanie

 Sam & Kaylee, Matt

 Anne, Jeff, Greg and Amy in the distance

 Random picture of Preston

My family played rummy with me. I grew up playing that and canasta with my mom. Soon it was time for Jorja to head out. The outgoing sbos picked her up at 10:30. She is so excited. I hope she has the best time!

Jorja

 Ellie, Jorja with red eyes, Kate, Aysha

 I tried to edit Jorja's red eyes. Not sure how good I did so I'm leaving both pictures in.

Johnathan Firetruck

The saddest thing about Jorja going to school early is I don't get to walk Preston to the bus stop. She hasn't made it to the bus once. I have driven her to the stop and we have been on time according to the website, but we have yet to see the bus. I wonder how early it comes. Anyway, today was late start, so I got to walk with Preston. I love doing this. I love that he lets me do this. Sometimes he holds my hand, usually he talks to me the entire time. I'm trying to soak up every second with him before he won't want me around anymore. Jorja went to breakfast with Aysha. She is a big fan of late start days.

Aysha

I fasted today. Well, I started after I exercised yesterday and ended around lunch time. We have our ward Christmas dinner on Saturday and I hate fasting from dinner to dinner. I also hate fasting less than 24 hours. I know it's weird, I just have a hard time with not going the full 24. I had something specific I was fasting for for each of my kids. The simple version is...Maysen to have a good experience with friends, Stockton to get his 4.0 that he desperately wants and has been working so hard for, Jorja to find peace and Preston to get better (he has a nasty cough) and make friends. (Of course I also included Guy, Marie, Mallory and Emery.) Anyway, I had specific promptings regarding Jorja. They were unexpected and almost at odds with what I thought was best for her. I was really confused. I don't recognize promptings very often, but this seemed oddly specific. I woke up feeling I needed to tell Jorja something. I got down on my knees and prayed. I asked if I was really supposed to tell Jorja this. Immediately I felt that it was what she needed to hear in order to have peace. I don't want to write what it was, but I'm a little confused as to why she needed to hear that. Because I'm writing this post on Wednesday I will spend just a second to write about today. I started to doubt my prompting. I thought I must have been imagining it. This morning I knelt down to pray and asked if I was really prompted to tell Jorja what I did. Immediately I felt I was. I also felt instructed to tell Jorja about my experience. Yesterday I didn't tell her I had been fasting for her, or that what I said was a prompting. That made me nervous, because what if I was misinterpreting everything? I asked again, is this in my mind, or am I really suppose to have this conversation with Jorja? I felt strongly I was supposed to talk to her about it. I tried to talk to her on the way to school, but she was grumpy. She had gotten up early, hurried and tried to make the bus. The bus didn't come. We aren't sure how early it gets there. Anyway, despite Jorja's grumpiness I told her what I was prompted that she needed to hear. I'm so confused and started doubting myself again. When I got home I prayed and asked if I did the right thing. Once again I immediately felt I did what I was asked to do. Still, I hope I did right. I always get scared thinking I don't understand what Heavenly Father is asking of me. I second guess myself all the time, but as I type this I feel it was what I was supposed to do. I have no idea how it will help Jorja find peace, but I hope she can find it.

Jorja drove to work today. She called me when she got there. When I saw her name come up on my phone I was immediately worried she had been in an accident. No, but she accidentally set off the panic alarm and couldn't get it to stop. I had no idea how to turn it off. She was so embarrassed. Soon I hear a boy come out to help her. I heard something like, "Don't worry, I got you." She is doing great driving her car though. I am so proud of her! I dropped off Preston at piano and then headed down to Sam's house. She had picked up the new Hank Smith collection for me. The Bonus talk: 10 Tips for a Successful Teenage Social Life was the talk we were at when it was recorded. We have all the others. Luckily Sam gets a huge discount and was able to get it for us for ten dollars.

Preston went to the combined activity tonight. Too bad Jorja couldn't be there. She asked for it off, but was scheduled anyway. The kids went to Target to do a Sub for Santa for some refugees. Preston came home close to 9:00 and seemed to have a lot of fun. Yay! I know he was in a group with Matthew and Aidan. He was happy, and had a McFlurry.

 Kiki & Quacky Chan

 Christmas Ducks

Jorja got back pretty late but was excited to play with Kiki. It is funny how much she loves that duck. Mike gave the ducks a bath, but they were still pretty smelly. I don't like the smell of animals. Jorja lost her Chick-Fil-A tag. I'm sure we will run across it sometime. The last time she wore it was on Saturday, but she changed out of her clothes and went and helped Drew ask Hailey to the Christmas dance. Anyway, her friend Johnathan has several different tags. He let Jorja wear one. Her tag says Johnathan Firetruck. Jorja loved it.

Jorja & Kiki

 Jorja's favorite things

 Jorja & Kiki

Jorja asked if I would sleep in the guest room with her and we could fall asleep listening to the Hank Smith CD together. Too bad her CD player she got for her birthday last year wouldn't work. Mike found an old laptop that had a CD drive and we were still able to listen to it. I think both of us fell asleep within the first five minutes though. I woke up right as it was ending. I slid the laptop onto the floor and snuck back to my bedroom. I couldn't find my phone though. Jorja will hear my alarm bright and early tomorrow morning!

Thumbs Up

I found these pictures of Aysha on Jorja's phone. The first one is from when they weren't somewhere on Saturday. I think Noodles and Company. The second one is from when they went to Kneaders for breakfast today. I think it is funny how Aysha is going the same pose in both pictures.

Aysha

Today was crazy busy once again. Jorja texted me after school and said she was going to stay and watch the soccer game. She has to be at the school at 6:30 to be taught how to teach the homecoming royalty what they need to do for the halftime royalty presentation. She even switched her work schedule to go to this. She said she was just going to stay at Alta until that was over. Preston and I hurried down to Indian Hills for his parent teacher conference. We went and talked to all of his teachers except pe. I asked his math teacher if he was doing okay in the regular class and if he was still on track to do the accelerated summer math program. She said yes, most of the time he does his own thing, but that doesn't bother her at all. I guess he doesn't really listen to her teaching, he just does the work because he already understands it. I told her how we tried to switch him to get into Honors, but he has Chinese 2nd period and if he switched to 7th period he would have to change his entire schedule. She looked at me funny and said that she had honors math 5th period. W-H-A-T. The counselor told me the wrong teacher's honor schedule. I could not believe it. He would have been able to change into honors, he would just have had to switch math and English. At this point Preston does not want to switch at all. So annoying that they gave me the wrong information multiple times.

I hurried and dropped Preston off at his piano lesson, then went back to Alta to get the rest of Jorja's teachers. Right as I found a parking spot in the crazy crowded lot I got a text from Jorja. She wanted me to pick her up from Chick-Fil-A in thirty minutes. WHAT??? She was supposed to be at Alta. She left the soccer game and went to Chick-Fil-A. After they were there Aysha found out she was supposed to be at work, Jorja told her to just go straight there and she would find a ride. I was so mad at Jorja for multiple reasons. First, Mike and I spent forever trying to figure out how to do everything we needed to do. Driving to Chick-Fil-A was not on our agenda. Second, I have asked her multiple times to let me know if she goes somewhere I don't know. I hated it when she left Lagoon to go to Krispy Kreme and I hated it today when she left the soccer game. She does this all of the time. I texted Jorja and told her she would have to wait for me to finish and I would come when I can. I guess Jorja was able to convince one of her friends who was on a break to take her to Alta. I'm glad she figured it out, but she really needs to stop doing this.

Anyway, I got the rest of Jorja's teachers except for Theater who wasn't there. Jorja seems to be doing really well, especially in Science. Jorja would make the best pediatrician. I wish she would give that profession serious consideration. Mr. Leininger stopped me while I was talking to the new shop teacher. (He had stopped me because I was wearing a Utah State shirt.) Mr. Leininger told this teacher that Stockton was hands down the most brilliant student he had ever worked with. Man, I sure wish Stockton could have had him in physics!

Tucson Arkansas

Mike took these pictures yesterday before the kids had to split up again. It was taken at Alpine Market. I had already left to take the divers home. Mike had the older kids drive there so he could fill their car up with gas before they drove back home. I love how much my kids love each other. I hope they always feel this way. I hope they are always this close. I am so lucky.

My babies ~ Jorja, Stockton, Maysen, Preston

Aysha spent the night here and went with us to 9:00 church this morning. It was also Isaac Johnson's mission farewell. He did a great job. Audrey also came with us. She was in town for the weekend. We had two benches again!

Jorja & Aysha

The bishop had asked someone in our family to announce where Stockton would be going. Jorja is wanting as much experience in front of people as she can get, so we asked her. She keeps saying Stockton is going to Alabama. I asked her if she could remember Arizona. DON'T say Alabama. If you think you are going to say Alabama, we can ask Preston to do this. She said she would be fine. Mike sent her a text of what exactly to say. Brother Tanner called up Bob and Leann Perry, Kelsee and Jorja. Leann announced where they were going by singing a song. It had several verses. She is disappointed they are going to Oakland California and not Thailand. Kelsee announced she is going to Indiana, Indianapolis. Jorja then announced that Stockton would be going to Tuscon Arkansas. I immediately did a face palm while Dad yelled out ARIZONA! Jorja laughed and said, "Whoops, Arizona, he's going to Arizona. I knew it started with an A." Mike asked her why she didn't just read the text he had sent her. She said, "That would be embarrassing!" So, Jorja just created a new mission.... Mike and I went over to Isaac's house after church. They had lots and lots of yummy crepes. Isaac seems really excited. He said the last little bit has been boring waiting to go. I love the timing of Stockton's mission. I won't have to run up to Utah State to buy him suits. We can get through gingerbread season and the holidays before we start focusing on getting what he needs for him mission. We will have an entire month to do that! Plus, we get to spend his 19th birthday with him. I'm so excited!

Saturday at 11:00

It's official. Stockton is going to open his call at 11:00 on Saturday at the cabin. All of his diving friends are going to make the trek. Stockton got Madison to cover for Jorja at Chick-Fil-A. I think the plan is Mike and Preston will take Stockton's diving friends up. Gavin, Gage, Dani, Noelle and Connor. I am going to a play with my dad on Friday. Luckily it starts at 4:00. I will take Jorja up with me after the play. I don't know if my dad can go. Bubs and his family might be able to go. Matt and his family can't. Not easy when you are about to have a new baby! Hopefully we can figure out how to do an Instagram live or a Facebook live thing. That way my family can still see it! Mike sent a message to his family, I'm not sure if any of them will be able to come. Stockton's diving friends have to be back by 6:00 on Saturday, so this will be a super quick trip. For Stockton and Maysen the drive time home or to the cabin is about the same though.

Jorja was gone all day today. She told me she was going to hang out with Aysha. Finally I had to call her and tell her it was time to come home. I thought it would just be a few hours, not all day! They made cookies to drop at different houses. She also brought soup to Connor (the kid that gives her a ride home from school) because he was sick. I love her heart. I love that she likes to make people happy. I just miss her and want her to make her school work a priority. Preston helped her for hours the other day making an app for the Homecoming pageant. She was funny and kept saying how Preston was so much smarter than she was. Well, the audio visual people only want her to use a flash drive and not the connector she has to make her phone work. She needs Preston to redo it. I was frustrated because if she wants him to redo it, she should work with him and not expect him to be able to do it last minute. I made her come home and talk to him about it.

Preston was supposed to go to diving today. He came home from school really stressed. I guess he has a giant project due tomorrow. Six parts to it. He has to do marketing for a place in Utah. A newspaper article, a slideshow, a pamphlet, a brochure and a poster. I can't remember what the other one was. This was a group project, but Preston was working alone. He still had the pamphlet and poster to do. He kept saying that it was worth 100 points and he didn't know how he would be able to finish. So, he stayed home from diving. He worked straight until 9:00 at night on it. He chose Bridger Lake to be his subject. Everything turned out great and he was much less stressed going to bed than when he came home from school.

Blue

Jorja left for Leadership Camp early this morning. She is pretty excited. The camp will be at Utah State. Kids in student government from different schools all along the valley will be there. She is worried that she won't get a roommate. She thinks there are an odd number of girls from Alta going, and Jorja is the only sophomore girl. I asked her if she could choose anyone, who is she hoping to get assigned to. She thought about it and then said Aysha. Turns out, she got Aysha! Yay! Anyway, early this morning we picked up Josh Bingham on the way. While driving to Alta, I asked Jorja to send me pictures throughout the week. That was met with grumbling. I asked Josh, will you send me pictures of Jorja? He agreed, and he did! I got a couple of pictures from him each day. I loved it!

Josh & Jorja

 Carter & Jorja

Stockton coached diving this morning. He was about to leave when all of a sudden it began hailing like crazy! It was so loud! It lasted for about ten minutes then it was a bright beautiful day. Scared some of the kids off. The first class only one kid showed up, twenty minutes late. The next class had a three kids. Stockton was excited to work with Aiden again. Yesterday, Aiden's mom sent me a text. This is what it said, "Hi Steph! Just wanted to let you know and pass on to Stockton that Aidan has really liked him coaching dive. He said he is really good at explaining what you have to do physically (like tightening specific muscles) when he's trying to learn a new dive and not just telling him to do it. He's super excited about the things he's been able to learn the last few days." Awesome!

 It's hard to get a picture to show rain.

Apparently Mike bought ducks. Preston is excited about this. I'm wondering why we need ducks. Mike did get Preston outside to help him build a duck house. Anything that gets that kid away from the computer for a bit is great.

Preston, Stockton, Mike

 Mike & Preston

 Preston & Mike

Every school is assigned a color for the Spirit Bowl. Alta was assigned blue this year. Alta isn't allowed to have a Spirit Bowl anymore. They were sued a couple of years ago. One of the Junior class officers made a giant banner. She was told they couldn't use it because the other grades didn't have a banner. She put it under the bleachers. Some kids found it and brought it out. They passed it up the bleachers and dropped it over the top. It landed on someone and cracked his skull. Now Alta isn't allowed to have this weeklong activity. The district won't let them. I guess this was the fourth time Alta was sued over something happening during the Spirit Bowl. One time the principal was fired. Right before Maysen got to Alta. Alta's school colors are black & silver with red accents. Each grade was assigned a color to dress in. Black, silver or white, and red. Someone dressed in white with a hood. Someone complained that it looked like the Klu-Klux-Klan. I don't think that was what was intended at all. The media found out about it and blew up the story. As a result, the principal was fired for letting this happen. It was crazy, and sad.

Anyway, Jorja seemed to have a great time. They planned a lot today. She texted me and said Sweethearts is on Evan's birthday this year. She has been planning on asking him to Sweethearts for almost a year now. She was hoping he would be 16 by then. She's excited that he barely makes it. She also told me that they aren't doing the Charity Bash this year. That is a girls' choice semi formal dance in November. Instead they are doing a girls' choice Halloween dance the day after Jorja's birthday. That sounds like a lot more fun. We had a Halloween dance my senior year. Mike and I were caveman. It was so fun!

Traven, Jorja, Carter

 Jorja

 Shafer, Marshall, Carson, ???, Abby, ???,???, ???, ???, Darby, ???, Josh, Traven, Carter

???, Bode, ???, ???, ???, Aysha, Baylor, Cade

Jorja, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???

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