Second Interview

I took Stockton to the temple early this morning. We had family names, so I was able to be baptized too. We finished without incident. Yay! I got back just in time to take Jorja and Olivia to school. Stockton took a quick nap while I did that. He was up late working on things for his interview today. I woke him up and we drove down to the SLCC bookstore in Taylorsville. We were looking for an Engineering notebook. Stockton lost his and he was having notebook checks today. We looked everywhere for that thing. He thinks he might have left it on the computer when he was in class. Stockton thanked me for driving him everywhere. I told him that his is the reason I love not working. I love being for them when they need me. We are all so lucky Mike has been successful in his career. I got Stockton back a few minutes late to advisory again. It turned out not to matter because the 4.0 banquet was happening. Stockton sat with a bunch of the other sterling scholar candidates. Stockton and Nate were wearing suits, the girls were in dresses. The spent time bonding over their nerves. Jorja didn't go to the 4.0 breakfast. She didn't have a great experience at the last one, so she had no desire to do that again. Jorja looked so pretty today. She curled her hair and it looked great. She had her ballroom Foxtrot test today. One of her friends must have snapped pictures because I found this on her phone.

Jorja and her partner

Stockton came home and worked until it was time to leave for his interview. He has been making an app to study his academic decathlon stuff. He wanted to show it at the interview. When he moved it to the laptop he was planning on bringing all of the font disappeared. AHHHH! Finally he just took a video of him playing it on his computer and called it good. He was also brushing his teeth why he was doing this. Somehow he got toothpaste all over his suit! AHHHHH again! I tried to get it off. It disappeared, but I told Stockton I wasn't convinced it worked. I asked him to check once he got there to make sure it was gone for good. When Stockton walked in Heffner, his sterling scholar advisor, stared at him and said, "What happened!" Well, turns out Heffner was prepared for anything. She had these eye glass rags, or something like that, and was able to get the toothpaste off. She also didn't like this tag he had on his suit coat. Not a price tag, just a normal tag of the designer. Heffner was getting the toothpaste off of him while someone else was using a sewing kit to get the tag off. Stockton thought that was pretty funny and it put him at ease. Stockton was a bit nervous, because he had no idea what math question would be asked and he hasn't had calculus for a few years. Mrs. Waters talked to him for awhile yesterday. She told him that at this point the judges don't expect you to get the answer right, they are more interested in your thought process. Anyway, Stockton did great on the interview. They only asked him one question and he got it right. Everything went much better than expected. Yay! Yay! Yay! No matter what happens at least he will be able to look back on this experience with no regrets.

I took Preston to diving today. Stockton had his interview while we were at the pool. I was so nervous for him! Once we got home we decided to try and get the organ. I called Matt and he agreed to help. Thank goodness! Hopefully we can fix it. It sure does bring back a lot of memories. Stockton then stayed up until midnight tonight working on the Utah State honors application. He got that turned in a few minutes before it was due. Oh man! That kid sure works hard!

Sacrament Tray

Today my family was in church, just like we have been for a million Sundays. We were sitting behind the Valentines and in front of the Spencers. Stockton was by the wall, then Preston, Mike, me and then Jorja. We always sit in the front left side of the chapel if you were looking at the podium. Just like where we always sat in Georgia. Anyway, Ben Johnson gave us the sacrament bread. I tried to barely touch anything. I have had a nasty cold and still have a horrible cough. My cow cough that my brothers always teased me about is back and I hate it. The water tray was then passed down the isle. The problem came on the way back. Mike was holding the tray. I was waiting for Jorja to take it, like she did the bread. I didn't want to touch the handle because I was paranoid about leaving germs. Jorja didn't notice the tray, I guess. I started to put my hand under the tray and pass it that way, but I wasn't able to get it stable enough. I decided I would have to grab it by the handle anyway. This all happened in seconds. I went to grab the handle right as Mike LET GO of the tray! He thought I was holding the bottom! The entire water tray dumped ALL OVER JORJA! Oh my gosh! It was so funny! I could not stop laughing. Jorja was so wet. I was trying to be quiet, but I was crying from trying not to laugh. I was not reverent. I tried so hard though! It was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time! I thought it was infinitely more funny than Jorja. I'm laughing as I type this. Jorja kept saying, "Mom! It's not funny! It looks like I dropped the tray!" That would only make me laugh harder and I choked out, "I know!"

Mike, Preston and I played another game of Pandemic and lost. AHHHHH! Our one goal was to not lose three games in a row, and we did! Boo! Mike and I went to my Grandma's old house to look at the organ. It definitely has seen better days. I wonder if we will be able to fix it? We measured the organ and took the bench home with us. It looks like we will be able to fit it in the van, so that is great. 

Super Bowl Sunday

Stockton and Jorja didn't appreciate me trying to take a picture of them before church. I have not been able to get a good picture of Stockton since he cut his hair!

Stockton

 Jorja is in the process of saying, "Stoooooooop". Ha, that looks like stoop when I put too many os.

Stockton came to my gospel essentials class for the first time. I asked him to explain what he knew about the pre-existence. Oh. My. Gosh. He had the entire class laughing. That kid is a story teller. Brother Henderson asked if he was in drama. My favorite was when he was talking about Heavenly Father and Jesus talking about their plan when Lucifer yells from the middle of the crowd, "You suck!" Unlike my children, I am a horrible writer and can't explain this very well, but it was so funny. Also a Goldbergs reference. Anyway, the lesson went well. I was thrilled because I got Ian to come to my class. He always skips out after sacrament meeting. I was begging him to come to my class. He was walking with me on the way out. Little did he know that it was also the way to my classroom. I then started the class by saying, "Today's lesson is on Freedom to Choose." Ian started laughing and called me a hypocrite. It was funny. Stockton also went to Elders Quorum with Mike today. I think he liked it. I know Mike did. I can't believe he is eighteen!

My family came over for the Super Bowl today. My dad brought chili and I made cornbread. Luckily Sam texted me last night to ask if it was dairy free. I almost forgot about that! I just needed to use almond milk to make it work for Anne. It was yummy. I hope she liked it. Gayle came over too. Jorja was playing the piano, which led us to talk about Grandma's organ. Gayle wanted to give it away awhile ago. She still has it and said we can have it. I have no idea where to put it, but Jorja is thrilled with the idea.

This year's Super Bowl was awesome! It was a great game from start to finish. I didn't really have a preference, so I cheered for both teams. I did cheer extra hard for Van Noy. Mike and Stockton came in to watch the last two minutes. Mike says that is enough football for him. Luckily I have my brothers, dad, and Gayle who watched it with me.

Before Matt and Sam left I tried to get a picture of Greg. He reminds me so much of John's Brandon. I couldn't get a great picture, but he looks and moves just like him.

Greg

 Greg did not like me taking his binky out to get this picture.

Gayle started feeling really dizzy as she was leaving. My dad drove her home. I followed him so I could bring my dad back. Gayle gave me the key to the storage unit where the organ is. Hopefully it isn't too hard to get it here. Even more hopefully, I hope Gayle is okay and starts feeling better.