A beautiful spring swimming day

(Ashlyn in blue walking to her first event...)

I still remember Ashlyn's first day of swimming.

She was nervous and excited....

the only one to make the team that day.

She dove into the pool and never stopped.

She loves it.

She is a different person in the pool.

She has gained so much confidence in swimming and it has taught her a lot:

Hard work, commitment, effort, strength, and to always do her best.

I love watching her swim.

She has been asked 3 times to go up to the highest level.

She would train every single day.

She is now 3 days a week and with the move in mind,

she has decided to wait for CO to make the move up.

(more time for her friends)

But she loves it.

She loves to swim, her new friends, her coach's...

I am so happy she has found a talent she loves and excels at.

Saturday was a perfect spring day for a Championship meet.

Ashlyn's big day had arrived.

(she is waving hi to me)

All 9 teams gathered to C O M P E T E!

Ashlyn picked her 3 best events:

100 I.M, 50 yd butterfly, and 50 yd Freestyle




It was hot and crowded and so many swimmer bodies everywhere.

We camped outside the door in the cooler air

We knew it would be a 4 hour meet with 9 (not 7) teams competing.

She warmed up and was event # 3, #36, and #39.

Lucky us...the very beginning and the very end.

I had just come from Jake's game and had Mace's party in 2 hours. (stress)

I stayed as long as I could.

Austin came with me to watch his twin sis.

Ry was coming after Jakers game.

Her first event:

The 100 I.M.


Swimmers, take your marks..... GO!

Ashlyn dove in and her arms soared above the water with her butterfly stroke.

Her body was strong and she was pulling high above the water.

I was proud of her, she had come a long ways.

She was in the lead going into backstroke and pulled ahead.

Breastroke is third lap and her least favorite stroke.

She knew she had to be ahead enough to keep her lead.

At the end of lap 3, the other girl pulled ahead (about 2 seconds)

with just freestyle left.

Austin and I were yelling at Ashlyn at her turn..

"GO, go, go...KICK those legs. Go, go, go!"

Man her legs kicked up and Ashlyn caught up!

They were neck to neck with 10 feet left...

5 ft, 4, 3ft, 2ft, and DONE!
In swimming,

first and second can be within one one hundreth of a second.

I looked up at the electronic timing board:

Stott, A 1.31.15

Adams, S 1.31.05

Ashlyn got second with 10 hundreths of a second.

Oh good job girl! I was so proud of her!

She looked up at the board and then at me, and I gave her the biggest smile.

She smiled and she knew she did good.

Love those mama moments.

(my paycheck moment)

We went out to the cool air

and of course had to call Dad right after....

She did so good!

Ry was proud of his girl and

sooo sad to miss her event. Jake's game went to long, but his team won, still undefeated after 3 years. But as a parent, it is so hard to split time between kids. Ry and I go to every game...We love it.

I had a few minutes so we went and sat at the duck pond.

It was so pretty that day: warm and sunny.

Ash loves any moving animal so it was relaxing to go sit at the pond with her in the sunshine and watch all the ducks.

I felt so bad that I had to go...

Grandma and Grandpa were coming to replace me so I could go on to

Mace's big birthday party.

I had 12 kids coming...I had it all ready in the morning but I had

20 minutes

to get from Sugarhouse to Sandy.
Ashlyn went on and swam her butterfly and freestyle.

She placed first in both events.

I can't say as a parent how proud we are.

Really if she got 6th or 1st. Just so proud of her to put herself out there and work towards a goal. Like I said, Ashlyn loves to swim. She is a fish..

I am glad she loves it too.

I already found her a new team in Co.
Love you girl!

Overall Dimple Dell took 2nd out of 9 teams!

way to go girl! love you.

Song: "We the Kings, "We'll Be a Dream."
(oh yeah.)

6.new.things.

New thing #1: (mace)

Mace's big day...he started SPORTS!
Mace was so so so excited to be a big boy like his brothers..

He couldn't wait for his soccer game!

His buddy Blake (cousin) and Mace were ready for the 9:00 game on Sat!

They walked in and looked for their team!

They ran out to their team and started to run around....

Brookie and I were on the sidelines cheering on our boys.

But Mace was so upset when he found out it was just a practice!

he wanted to kick the ball over and over....

He had to line up and share..but nope,

he wanted to play. a. game. period.

Ry finally convinced him to go back out on the court and just practice.

We promised him a pin- ya- colada slurpee (mace's words) if he finished!

(and yes BRIBERY totally works.)

After Mace's game we had Ashlyn's swim meet!

She has one a month.

I am combining pics from January and Feb meets.

Ash has come to love her team mates.

It took a few months to feel comfortable but she has quickly

moved up to the top lane and made some cute friends...

She gets so nervous for her meets but also so excited. She is lining up....

up on the block.

Her events in January:

50 free, 25 backstroke, and 25 fly

Her events in February:

(NEW thing #2) : 100 Individual Medley (one of the hardest events!), 50 freestyle, 25 butterfly

Ashlyn was nervous all weekend for her new event..the 100 I.M.

I have been encouraging her to swim this event....she is great at it.

She agreed and surprised me and signed up herself in the February meet! way to go girl!

(Ashlyn's backstroke in January meet)

Out of the 6 girls that swam the 100 I.M,

Ash got 2nd place...with a ONE second difference for first.

We are so proud of her!

Here we all are cheering her on.

she was on her last lap going from breaststroke to freestyle..go! go! go!


Good job Ashlyn!

January and February meets:
Four first places and two second. Fab job!

New thing #3: (for Ry)

A new job= new suits, suits and more suits.

I have become an expert on suits.

For Ry's position we have to buy 6-10 new suits, 10 shirts, 10 ties, new shoes, etc....

oh my, it took us hours and hours to get it down to a perfect science.

We skipped our friday date and went a shopping...(bummer)

we shopped inbetween swim meets and soccer games,

we went and went to all the department stores:

Ending up buying at Maceys, Nordstrom's, JOS Banks,

tailored fit, traveler pants, cuffed bottom, french cuff,

you name it, I know it.

Glad it's over.

He is ALMOST officially ready....(well at least the clothes!)

He bought some nice blue and black suits.

We still need 10 ties and 5 shirts and more black shiny shoes.

New thing #4 (ashlyn)

I put highlights in Ashlyn's hair. I was getting antsy and had to do something...

I picked her hair....

Oh boy. I know I know, take her to a salon for her first official color BUT

I got bored for a few minutes and sat her down...

(Plus my friend Nat did it to her girls and it seemed to work out!)
I went super subtle and bought a really soft blonde hightlight package.

I think I did good. Take a look....

See?! Soft and easy.

You can't even really tell that I did anything...that is what I was going for...

yay I think I found a new profession! ha ha

New thing #5 (me)

I cooked a new recipe (that is big for me because I am not a great cook!)

Thai rice noodles with seasoned chicken and steamed veggies.

After church on Sunday I decided to cook up a new meal.

It took 4 pans ( I hate cleaning all those pans), lots of prep time, and cooking.

I thought the kids were NOT going to like this but....

They LOVED it!

I was so surprised because Thai has a whole different flavor!

They all cleaned thier plates and asked for seconds...even Mace.

My hard work payed off. sweeeeet.

Now on to my last new thing

....and I saved the prettiest for last

New thing #6:

Yup, my new skyline.

soon enough, yes soon enough.

The best part: It still has SOME of the Rockies in it.

No it's not my Rockies, the one's I hold dear to my heart (always),

BUT it is close...And close works for me.

*more to come!

~and by the way,

THANKS for all the calls, emails, texts from ALL of you! It means a lot to Ry and I. WE feel all your love and support and we need that in this new adventure. Oh the tears and prayers for weeks and weeks....but Ry and I finally decided. NOW we have so much to figure out, plan, and do... But thank you thank you for all of your LOVE to us.

WE feel so lucky to have such good family and friends! xo