BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!

Today is my cousin Heather's birthday. She called me and we talked for over an hour. She was telling me everything that had happened the last week, and boy was it A LOT! They have had a lot of HARD things, a lot of scary things and a lot of amazing things. The veil has been very thin for them. I don't want to write down everything she told me because I don't know what she wants to keep personal. After being told that her dad had no chance, it now looks like he might make it. Right before we got off the phone Heather got a text that made her cry. She was sobbing as she read it to me. I had her copy paste so I could send it to my brothers. It looks like Glade is going to be okay. Wow! What a ride.

Spotted when Jorja and I were at Pirate Os

Ducks, Jorja and Bear's behind

Bear & Mike adding the Anderson's trout to our pond

Moving In

Jorja had a long fun day. She was at school for a few hours doing whatever Packer needed her to do. On her way home she called me in a panic. She wanted fake pumpkins and couldn't find them at Michael's. She didn't have time to look at any other store. I was in the middle of exercising and super sweaty, but went to Hobby Lobby anyway. I was embarrassed about how I looked, and that is really saying something! I did find Jorja some pumpkins she could use for her date. The girls threw a Halloween dance tonight. The day date was at Ella's. They did a carnival. They bobbed for apples, had a face painting station, painted pumpkins and lots of other things. Jorja had a great time.

Jorja

Jorja & Jake

Jake and Jorja

Today was moving day for the ducks! Mike got his duck pond to a spot where the ducks can finally enjoy it! Mike was so happy. He grabbed Cream, the duck who has a severe limp, and brought her to the pond. I tried to get Angel, but she would not come to me. I cornered her toward the pond and she eventually flew in. The ducks loved it. Mike is happy.

Mike & Cream

Angel

Angel and Cream

Bear watching the ducks splash like crazy

Jorja getting ready for the dance

Layla ~ old lady, Ella ~ Isabella (Phineas and Ferb), Jorja ~ Margo (Despicable Me 3)

They took pictures at a pumpkin patch, had dinner at Pizza Limone, had a dance in someone's backyard.

Jorja & Jake

Layla & Bode

Jake & Jorja

Margo and Antonio

Jake & Jorja

Jorja & Ella trying to recreate a picture from their Halloween dance sophomore year

Sophomore Ella & Jorja ~ they got it pretty close!

Layla & Jorja

Filling the Pond

Seriously? The pictures all went in backwards again! Noooo!!! Blogger stop messing with the way things are done! Oh well... I don't want to start over, so we will talk backwards. Jorja had girls night with a few people. Bode had invited a lot of people to the Salt Flats. I did not want Jorja to go. Luckily she decided she didn't want to go on her own, so that didn't become a thing. She got her PLT shirt. I think they got their jerseys too. This time it was a short sleeve hoodie. Jorja's says JORJIE on it. I'm kind of bugged that student government didn't get shirts this year. Usually they get two shirts. This year nothing. So many things got cancelled this year, why take that away too? Jorja doesn't seem bothered about it, so that's good. Her student government shirts were super cute her freshman year, but she hasn't really liked them since.

Jorja

Jorja told me that when she was a freshman, all the sbos had their office embroidered on their Alta blanket. I gave Jorja an Alta blanket when she was a freshman and had it embroidered with Jorja Class of 2021. I called Ellie's mom and asked her where she had the blankets embroidered. She gave me the lady's name. She was willing to add student body financial chair for me. I know Jorja has a lot of plans this weekend with the Halloween dance and everything. So, I gave this to her as an early birthday present.

My fancy wrapping of Jorja's blanket

Random picture of Gabby and Jorja in seminary

Mike started filling the duck pond today! What a project! He is so excited. I hope the ducks appreciate it!

Mike fishing out a rock that fell in

A guy came over to work on our ice machine. That sure cost a pretty penny to fix! While he was here he looked at our washing machine. It has been out on our front porch for a bit. I have literally been doing laundry out there. Classy. Hahaha. Anyway, he couldn't find anything wrong with the washing machine. Mike hooked it back up and decided to run it while the guy was still here. I was doing dishes and walked down the hall after it had been going about five minutes. The hallway was flooded again! It was pouring water down in the basement as well. Not fun. Turns out it wasn't the washing machine that was broken, something is wrong with our pipes. Now our wood floors are popping up. I'm so frustrated! Both times it flooded we saw it within a few minutes, but still the floor is warped. I hope once it is completely dry it will go back down. Looks like I will be doing laundry on the porch for a few more days.

Two more random things. First, Jorja was able to get Venmo approved for the fundraiser. She worked HARD on this! Other years haven't been allowed, so this is so happy for her! Second, Jorja has been asked to be in Dancing with the Hawks. She is soooo excited! She has always hoped she would be asked! The ballroom officers are the ones who participate in it, and there are only two boys this year. She is so excited to be asked! She found out today that they will be doing the jive. She is happy about that as well.

Only for a Second

I came back from my exercise class to find Mike in a drained duck pond. Those poor ducks were so confused. Once the kids were off to school I helped Mike. The pond lining is so dang heavy! Mike wasn't thrilled with how it turned out. It was too wrinkly for him in the end, but seriously it was so hard to move.

Mike

I picked Jorja up at school and dropped her at Chick-Fil-A. Mike came home in time to pick her up. I went to diving with Preston. I was so surprised when I saw his inward! He was nervous the first two times and ended up just jumping in the pool backwards. I wish I would have got his first one on video, it was so so so good! Here is his second one.

On the way home from diving I got a speeding ticket. When the cop pulled me over I thought, "Thank goodness I wasn't speeding. I wonder why he pulled me over." I was shocked when he said I was speeding. He pulled me over on Wasatch Blvd right after 9400 S. The speed limit changes from 50 mph to 35 mph without any warning. Then you go downhill. I'm usually super careful about this bit. I couldn't believe it. Then the police guy says, "If it makes you feel any better, you were only speeding for a second." Actually no, this did not make me feel any better. I was so sad because I have been trying to save up money for something. I finished reviewing a book today and was excited to have $100 to put towards what I'm saving up for. Now, just like that it is all wiped out. How do people get warnings anyway? I have never gotten a warning.

Jorja was gone when I got home. She went to Night of Shakespeare or something like that. Once that was over she stayed late and helped get things set up for the pep rally tomorrow.

I was sad when I went to bed. Just discouraged. I forgot to put my phone on silent and was woken up by a text. This day just keeps getting worse and worse. Let me back up..... I lost my jewelry. The ones I took on the cruise. The gold nugget bracelet I loved and the ruby and diamond jewelry from my Grandma Millburn. I also lost the necklace Mike gave me for our tenth anniversary. I can't find it anywhere. I'm worried I left it in our stateroom on the cruise. I remember packing up our stuff the night before. I don't think I put it out there because I was too worried it would get lost. I put my jewelry in two different places because we were having problems with our safe. I just don't remember if I put it in our bag when we left that morning. It's frustrating because I have no memory of what I did with it last. My memory used to be so good. I feel it closing in on myself and I get scared and frustrated. I am devastated to lose the only nice jewelry I have. Wait, I take that back. Thank goodness I was wearing my wedding rings. I must have had the jewelry box that morning because I had my rings on. I don't like to sleep with my rings. I would have only put them in the box. So, where did I put the box? I contacted the cruise line as soon as I realized they were missing and was hopeful they would turn up. The text that woke me up said they have not been able to locate my items. I'm now hoping that my box fell in some random place and I will come across it eventually. That has to be what happened because the thought of losing my Grandma's jewelry just makes me sick to my stomach. Not a good day.

New Pond

Preston was the only one who was with us for church today. That was so weird. During sacrament meeting he was looking at pictures of Princess Peep. He drew this heart around her, three days before Bowser abducted her. Jorja wasn't with us at church because she went with Travin to Mackie's mission farewell. I got a new calling today. I am now a Sunday school teacher with Sister Bennett. Our class is all boys. Stockton got a new calling today too. He is the Elders Quorum secretary. He was surprised by the calling because he isn't a return missionary and he is only going to be there until December. Mike taught Elders Quorum today. I wanted to sneak into his class and listen, but the Bishop was meeting with the Miamaids and Teachers answering their questions. Jorja didn't know if she would get back from Mackie's farewell in time, so she asked if I could go and voice record it on my phone. She got back for the last fifteen minutes of class. Dad said he would teach us his lesson for Family Home Evening when Stockton comes home to open his mission call.

Annie with Princess Peep, Jorja with Waddluigi and Aysha with Quackletta 

Mike got the duck pond finished enough that he wanted to move the two remaining ducks in. Not sure what Quackletta thought about it, but the picture below makes me laugh. One thing about only having two ducks is now it is super easy to tell them apart. Plus, Waddluigi is looking more boyish. He's turning gray and getting a green head. I think his gray feathers are beautiful.

Jorja and Waddluigi, Preston and Quackletta

 Jorja & Waddluigi

 You can see the green on his head now.

 Preston and Quackletta

 Jorja, Mike, Preston

Preston's head, Jorja, Mike ~ testing out the new pond

 Preston, Jorja, Mike

 Jorja, Preston, Mike

We played in the backyard for awhile. Jorja has started trying to learn lacrosse. She had Preston out throwing the ball to her. I did it too, but she didn't like how I would throw it. Apple season is almost here too. Oh boy. How are we going to keep up with everything?

Preston & Jorja

 Preston, Mike, Jorja