Austen is the Bass-masta!!

Whether it's jazz band or the orchestra, Austen puts his talents to good use. He loves playing his bass and and guitar. The only draw back is hauling the gigantic thing around, you almost have to rent a moving van...

Preference Dance 2011

Naomi decided to ask someone to Preference this year since she is now 16 and ready to start dating. She bought a bunch of banannas and strung them on curling ribbons. She hung a bunch of them in his locker and had some hanging out. Inside on a big bananna leaf she wrote: "I'd go banannas if you would go to Preference with me". Then she signed her name on one of the banannas.

He answered her back with a big bottle of cheese balls! "Hope this isn't cheesy, but I would have a ball at Preference with you"

They went repelling for their day date. It was Naomi's first time to repell and her dates as well. They had a fun time and only came home with a few scraps and scratches. Then they had a really nice dinner at one of her friends house and went off to the dance. She really had a great time and was excited that it went well.

Naomi's First Date!!

Naomi turned 16 this year. She is such a sweet, adorable and kind girl. Dad has a little tradition that he got to carry on with his last little girl... he gets to be their first date. He leaves the house and comes back in a while. He comes to the front door with a rose and tells me where they are going and what time to expect her home. Also, at some point during the evening he gives her a brand new CTR ring to remind her that in her dating times she needs to always choose the right and other little tidbits of advice. Such a fun tradition and marks the beginning of a great time in her life!

Austen's first love!!

Austen has really been busy improving his skills in basketball. He loves that he has grown to 6'2". He finished city league ball in January, played a little church ball in February, even helping them to a regional win! Now he begins his season with the border league where they play every weekend at different places around this area.

Presten's New York results!

Presten has returned from the Great West Conference Championships in New York. They were held in the National Armory Building which also houses the Hall of Fame. The track was on the third floor of the building. He placed in the Triple Jump!! Not bad for a freshman in his first collegiate indoor championship meet. He had a really great time sight seeing in New York.

Presten Goes to New York!

Presten is going to New York for the GWC Indoor Track and Field Championships! It will be bitter cold there this weekend so thank goodness it is all indoors.
He is competing in the Long Jump, Triple Jump and maybe High Jump!
Go Presten..... We love ya!

Start of a Great Year!

Tia was teasing me about not keeping up with my blog, .... I'll show her! :) I'll blog about the most exciting month EVER! (warning: this is lengthy... but soooo worth reading!)

A year ago I planned a girl friend getaway with my college buddy Loni. We set aside four days at a nice hotel in SLC to scrapbook and visit as late (or early) as we wanted. This was all going to begin on Thursday Feb. 3rd.

Everything was going fine until Wednesday morning we get a call from our friend at the Post Office. He said... "hey, I think there is something down here that you guys might be waiting for. Would you like to come get it?" I was shocked! I thought that Presten had his mission call sent to his college apt. So... Rick went to pick it up and there it sat on the shelf... waiting for Presten to find his way home to open it. Unfortunately a whole big mess was about to begin....

The plan was that I would miss my first day with Loni, go get Presten and bring him home to open his call on Thursday night, then I would take him back early Friday and join up with Loni. Then Rick called and said... " I thought I would be back from this trip to California by Thurs. night, but it's looking like it won't be until Friday. Just go ahead and open the call without me. Just call me." Then half an hour later Presten called and said... " Mom I can't come home on Thurs. cuz I have a lab early Fri. morning. Can you just get me Friday afternoon?" I tried to be positive and happy as I told him that I would be leaving my getaway, Naomi wouldn't be there, and Dad wouldn't be home til late. Needless to say... Presten was exasperated. He finally gave up trying to find a solution and hung up frustrated. I was so sad for him. I was trying to make it all work out so that the family could be together for him to open his call, but these were some big hoops to jump through. I called him back and told him not to worry about anything... I would be there to pick him up on Friday afternoon when he got out of class.

So here's the run down of my "four day getaway-missioncall opening-volleyball tourney-husband traveling-daughter turning 16-and a surprise on the end" weekend!


Left first thing Thursday... drove to north side of state... scrapbooked and visited until 2:30 a.m.... Friday...scrapbooked and visited until 1:00 p.m. drove to Presten's... then drove to south side of state... collapsed on the couch while everyone went to the basketball game... smiled big and hugged my son after he announced he was called to serve in the Paraguay, Asuncion mission... stayed up late talking with family... Saturday...got up at 4 a.m. and drove to north side of state...Presten back to school, and Naomi to her volleyball tourney... returned to my girlfriend getaway and scrapbooked and visited until 2:30 a.m... Sunday... got up took a long bath... packed up my ginormous suitcase of supplies... drove to the south side of the state... got home in time for the superbowl... at half time Tia and Ben announced that I was going to be a grandma!!!!!!... got the best night sleep in four days... Monday...took my youngest daughter at 7 a.m. to get her drivers license cuz she turned 16 that day!!! Whew... what a weekend... I can't stop smiling!!!!