Super Preston

Matt sent me pictures that he and Alisha took while they were visiting. The ones of Preston were my favorite. He looks like he is having so much joy! Oh to be four years old . . . and to think bellyflops are the coolest trick around. I love that little boy! Thanks so much for the pictures!

Preston

I was also quite impressed with myself because Matt sent the pictures through Dropbox. While Mike helped me open them the first time, I figured out how to get them on the blog all by myself. Doesn't sound too impressive I know, but believe me - it is. I rely on Mike too much. Now I need him to get pictures of the cabin on there so Brett & John can have them. They've only waited a year and a half, I'm sure they are not anxious at all!

Stockton had his last regular season dive meet today. He did really well, but I'm not sure of the scores yet. The meet was up at Salt Lake Country Club. Jorja also had a swim meet. Can't wait to see the results. Jorja did get first in her heat on the backstroke. I can't really remember much else because my head is throbbing! And now I go to bed.

Preston's Psychotic!

Tracey and Janet Lott stopped by today! They were in Idaho for Tracey's high school reunion and dropped by for a few minutes before they flew back to California. How awesome that they would take the time to see us. It was really wonderful to see Janet. Janet took a picture of our family that I just love. Especially Preston. He sure does look up to Stockton. He wants to be just like him, if Stockton liked dogs.

Preston, Stockton, Mike, Steph & Jorja, Maysen

Janet & Tracey

Stephanie, Janet, Tracey

When I first moved to Georgia, Janet was my visiting teacher. She is amazing and took such good care of me. I found out that Janet and Teresa were no longer my visiting teachers at a party, right at the same time Alisha was moving. I just cried. I couldn't help it. Andrea Davies, the Relief Society president, saw me and gave them right back to me. I was so happy. It only lasted for a few months before Janet & Teresa were split up. I got to keep Janet for awhile though. The last few years I lived in Georgia, Teresa and I were visiting teaching companions and we taught Janet. Pretty great. I loved being with the two of them. Now we live in three different states. Crazy.

Mike, Stephanie, Janet, Tracey

Tonight we decided to let Jorja and Preston drive the little jeeps up to the park by the swimming pool. Mike, Maysen, Stockton and I walked. Well, I basically jogged to keep an eye on Preston. We played at the park before heading home. Maysen and Stockton hitched a ride on the way home. Maysen chose to ride with Preston and kept saying things like, "Preston's psychotic!" Preston would get distracted with the scenery and wouldn't look where he was going. She also said, "Now I know why four year olds don't have drivers licenses." She was a lot braver then I would have been driving with him. I would be quite terrified.

When we finally made it back on our street, the jeeps were about out of batteries. I was pushing Preston. Maysen was out of it by this time. As I was pushing I was at the perfect angle to see a yellow Easter egg that had Maysen's name on it! Maysen found a kit-kat inside. It was melted . . . imagine that!

Just Another Day in Paradise

We had another jam-packed, awesome day. We had so much fun with Mike's family on the 4th of July that we decided to do it again. Today was the day. Good food. Yummy treats. Great company. Have I mentioned that we love being in Utah!

Tage

Michael

Jacob & Taylor

Connor & Taylor

Michael & Mike

I am so happy these girls have had such a good time playing together. They are both in the same grade at school, it is good to see them getting to know each other.

Miah & Jorja who has a mischievous look in her eye

Uh-oh

Crazy Porge!

Connor

Miah & Jorja ~ love this one!

Shannon

That's concentration!

Nathan & Lisa

Tage & Lisa

Taylor

Stockton & Brandon

Erica & Maysen's version of "socializing"

Preston, Miah, Jorja

Stockton

Jacob

Nathan & Shannon

Jorja & Weston

Bubs and Ange and their family came over at the end of the day. It was really fun to have them here. Steve & Shannon and their family were the only ones left when they got here. We were pretty waterlogged by the end of the day, but it was worth it!

Lincoln

Ange & Abigail

Bubs was throwing the kids so high in the air. They LOVED it! His arms got quite a workout today.

Bubs & Abbs

Bubs & Jorja

Bubs & Preston

Preston had so much fun. He kept wanting to go again and again. I kept trying to take a picture. The underwater camera is hard because you can't see what you are taking a picture of very well and it seems to have a delay reaction. I wanted a picture of how high the kids were actually going. This next one is the closest I got . . . too bad he landed on Porge this time. Oops.

Fully recovered Preston laughing it up with Lincoln

Ella & Preston

Lincoln

That's all folks! Another wonderful day here in paradise!

Fantastic Fabulous Day!

Crazy fun day! I woke up extra early to make yummy things to eat. I then took Jorja to her swim meet. She only had 2 events today! Hooray! I was worried I would be at the swimming pool all morning, and I had a lot I wanted to get done. Jorja swam the mixed freestyle. Mixed means boys and girls . . . obviously. Jorja placed 2nd out of 15 with a time of 24.86. She also swam in the mixed backstroke event and placed 5th out of 25 with a time of 32.89. Nice job Porgie!

The most exciting thing of the day happened next. Wait, most exciting thing of the month . . . maybe most exciting event of the year. Alisha came over! Can you believe it? Let me say that again. ALISHA was here! In person.

Because I didn't have a blog during my Alisha days, I'm going to take just a second to catch my blog up. I met Alisha a couple of times real quick in Utah when I was first married. Mike (my husband) and Matt (Alisha's husband) were working for the same start up company. We both moved to Washington. One night when the guys were working late, Alisha showed up on my doorstep. I was pregnant with Maysen at this time. We had a great time that night and just clicked. I remember how excited she was waiting for Maysen to be born. She kept telling me to hurry and get her here, but Maysen wanted to come on her due date and would not be rushed. I have a picture of Alisha holding Maysen the day she was born. I would put it on here, but I'm not going to look for it now, and I have a ton of pictures from today.

Anyway, I loved hanging out with Alisha when we lived in Washington, but we really became good friends when we both moved to Georgia. We lived in the same apartment complex for about six months while our houses were being built. We built our houses in the same subdivision. Alisha and I did everything together. We watched each others kids constantly. It made Georgia not lonely. Alisha watched Maysen and Stockton for every doctor appointment I had when I was pregnant with Jorja. Then when does Jorja decide to be born? On Cameron's 3rd birthday! Alisha and Matt were great about it. They just added Maysen and Stockton to all their plans like they were members of their own family. Thank goodness, because I don't know what I would have done without them.

When Jorja was about five months old, Alisha and her family moved back to Washington. I was so sad when I found out they were moving. It was heartbreaking. Then what day did they move? May 20th. The same day my mom died. I remember thinking, "Of course, this day stinks." Maysen and I have been lucky enough to visit them twice after they moved, but we haven't seen them for FIVE years! How did that happen? Oh right, we lived across the country from each other. Anyway, they are now moving to Arizona. On their way down they were able to stop by and play with us. I was so, so happy to see Alisha! Hopefully it won't be another five years until we can see each other again.

Just a few weird things I wanted to mention. Cameron is taller than me. That's not right. Maysen remembers Cassidy with blond hair and was quite surprised that it is brown now. Alisha still doesn't eat meat, and I forgot the pasta salad I was so excited to have for her. Matt is still a goofball.

Alisha & Matt

Cameron, Kennedy, Cassidy

Cameron

Matt

Jorja & Cassidy

Kennedy

Cassidy

Cameron

Preston . . . trying to get the camera from Maysen

Maysen

Stockton & Maysen

Preston was so funny today. He did about a billion bellyflops in a row. On purpose! Okay, maybe not a billion, but at least ten. Then he would swim to me and ask if it was a good one. So funny! I'll need to get Mike to take a video of that, because it was nuts!

Matt is an amazing photographer. You can see a lot of his pictures at blog.molen.net. Seriously beautiful. Mike and Matt took pictures of Alisha and I before they left. Proof she was actually here!

Matt

Too bad I look like some old shriveled wrinkled woman that has been smoking for thirty years. Tan does not look good on me. Although in my defense, I am standing next to Alisha. I have a ton of pictures of us . . . okay five, but I just love them all!

Stephanie & Alisha

Wow . . . three shades of tan. Quite impressive.

Good-bye! I hope Arizona is good to you. Can't wait to see you again! Sorry about your floating head Kennedy.

Alisha & Matt

Cameron, Kennedy, Cassidy

Our fun wasn't over for the day. A few days ago we ordered curtains and curtain tracks to be used as a divider in the girls' room. The tracks came today. The curtains won't come for another three weeks, but the temporary curtains we have there are working great on them. So far we are very happy with the tracks. Hopefully we will like the curtains as well.

ceiling track

temporary curtain

This evening we dropped the three youngest kids off at Steve & Shannon's house. Mike, Maysen and I went to see Harry Potter. Bubs and Ange got us free tickets! Thank you! Ange's mom works for a doctor's office that rented out a theater. We got free tickets, parking voucher and even concession treats. We also got to sit in the handicapped seating. Thanks Dustin! All in all, we were pretty spoiled today. You gotta love days like that!