fun saturday!

Elle, Hailey, Lauren and Erin!

1) This morning we woke up early and headed for Petaluma high school for the JV Invitational meet. I was a little surprised when I got there, to see how small the pool area was, and to feel how cold the morning wind and lack of sun felt on my flip-flopped feet. I scouted out the best shelter I could find and started waiting the hour and a half while the swimmers warmed up before the meet began. Shortly after Jon arrived they started begging for people to volunteer as timers so the meet could begin on time. I looked at him, asked if he was in, and we moved from our safe shelter to be the official timers in lane 1. It was such a different experience timing with my husband. :) It was very fun! The things he noticed, the comments he would make to our swimmers to help them feel comfortable, and watching him cheer Hailey on...priceless!!!

There were 20 schools participating and Maria Carrillo was the big winner! UNDEFEATED, by quite a large margin! As Hailey told me which races she was in, which heats, and which lanes, early this morning, she informed me she was in the fastest heat for the 100 IM, so she figured she'd come in last of her heat. Not so!

Her first race was the 200 Medley relay. Hailey started her team off doing the backstroke. She clearly gave the team a strong lead and I think they ended up second in the race. Her next event was the 100 IM, heat 6, lane 5. She was a little worried about getting a false start, so she was a little slow on her dive in, but she quickly caught up and won her heat. She came in second overall to a boy (not swimming in her heat). I thought she was the outright winner, but the board told us differently later. Her father was going crazy! She has beautiful strokes, and she is strong, confident and fast. She is fun to watch! Her third event was the 100 Breast, heat 5, lane 3. A girl from Sonoma, lane 4, just out touched her on her heat. They were neck and neck. She was 7th overall. Her last event was the 400 Free Relay. The first swimmer was Lauren who gave the team a lead. Hailey was the second swimmer, and after her they were ahead by a full length. The third swimmer barely made it, she lost the lead, and the fourth swimmer did the best she could, I don't remember what place they finished. It was the last race of the day. It was 1:00 pm. Carrillo had won! We were happy!

Jon's comments on the morning: 1) Hailey is a kick a-- swimmer! 2) The boys have big packages! 3)You always want to be a timer at a swim meet!

2) Since we were already half way there, Hailey and I left the meet and headed south on the 101 to Corte Madera and the closest Nordstrom around. We were in search of some perfect shoes. Hailey got asked to speak in Sacrament meeting tomorrow (Mother's Day), and she immediately said to me, "I need a new dress." I thought, "What?", but since we hadn't shopped for an Easter dress and spring shoes, I felt like it was ok to splurge...especially if it made her feel better about speaking. I must say that I am very lucky that Hailey has a strong sense of what things cost, and no matter how much she might love something, if it is too much, she would never buy it. That takes a lot of pressure off of me! Thank you! Having said that, we quickly found some cute shoes, looked at brass plum for a second and headed north on the 101 towards home. Traffic was horrible, horrendous, painful and made our fun day and outing a little less enjoyable...but we survived it!

3) As we returned to Santa Rosa, Hailey wanted to be dropped off at the pool to read her book. She has been waiting for this book to arrive in the mail for at least a month...finally it is here...ARIANA. I told her I was going to a baptism that started at 6, so dad would probably have to pick her up. We made our plan. I started calling Jon to see if I could bring him home some dinner. My power bar had long since quit sustaining me, and I found myself at Baja Fresh ordering a salad (to be good) and some guacamole (because I needed some). When the manager asked me if I also wanted a drink, I looked over at the soda fountain, noticed they had diet coke, thought of their fresh limes and said, "YES! A small one!" Somedays I have no will power. That might have been the best drink I have had in a long while. Sometimes those things just hit the spot! PS- i didn't get home with the guacamole...mixed feelings about that!



4) By the time I was leaving for the baptism, Jon was still MIA. (he actually had written me a note on a little white board I have, but he has never written to me on it before, so I didn't think to look there.) I texted Hailey and told her if she couldn't get ahold of her dad, to text me and I would come and get her. This was a very special baptism. Louise McNeal. She has been being taught since August/September. I had even been to her home a few times with the Sisters, Keri Lords too. Her husband was already a member, so as they started attending church these past eight months, he has fully returned in activity, and was able to baptize her. They are prison guards at San Quentin. The man who spoke about the Holy Ghost was a fellow guard with them. His witness was powerful and sweet and sincere and emotional. These are big people who might scare you if you didn't see them standing before you all humble and in their church clothes. I really do love Frank and Louise McNeal. I stayed to hear the Sisters musical number and see her baptism. Then I left to pick up Hailey. She had started walking. When we got home Jon was getting ready to go to a baptism at 7:30. He had been at the gym where Hailey was sitting at the pool. How did they completely miss each other? It is a small place.


I don't know how I completely cut Sister Franklin's head off. What is wrong with me?

5) Jon came home with some "gramola" Sister Trythal had made a few weeks ago. I got her recipe and made some myself. This is good stuff! It must have something to do with being a Grandma and Granola. You can put anything healthy you want in it. Me and Hailey are loving it. I can't wait to share it with Lauren and Beau:).



Today was a fun Saturday!