My Guitar Hero's

Memorial Day Weekend

Our weekend started in a hurry to wait. We left the house Friday at 1:30pm, headed for Green River to visit Grandpa Larry and Grandma Cheri. At 3:40 we decided to turn around, we had only made it to American Fork - car accident. We later learned we would have had to wait another 5 hours in Price Canyon for the same reason. We were relieved we turned around. So we tried again Saturday morning - success. The kids had a ball riding on a Polaris Ranger looking at cows, pigs, pheasants, horses and sheep. They also had fun jumping on a trampolene and making new friends. But the highlight of the weekend is documented below.


Paige and Brock were introduced to Guitar Hero. It was two tons of rock n' roll fun. Paige it turns out is a huge Pat Benatar fan - "hit me with your best shot". I am now considering the purchase of a PS2. If anyone has upgraded to a PS3 and wants to sell me their PS2, call me.


Sidney wanted to get in on the action too.
Grandpa Larry, not surprisingly, was an animal. Hopefully Brock will love to play real guitars as much as grandpa does.
After a day of fun and excitement the kids were worn out. But don't take my word for it. Sidney slept 13 hours Sunday night into Monday morning. She's growing.


No I cannot forget where it is that I come from.

I cannot forget the people who love me.

Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town.

And people let me be just what I want to be.

Piano Recital

Last night Paige had a piano recital. What you can't hear her say is, my name is Paige and I will be playing Fugetta by Zipoli. She did great!

Preston's Calling . . . Coach

I decided to coach Brock's coach pitch baseball team this spring. I didn't coach last year because I thought my travel would interfere. I will never not coach again. I learned how much I enjoy being around kids and how much I really enjoy teaching baseball. Brock without question was the star, and I am speaking as his coach not as his dad. Brock was the most consistent hitter, he was one of two kids who could hit the ball anywhere I pitched it. My favorite moment of the season was when pitching once to Brock I put the ball on the inner half of the plate - Brock pulled his hands in and did what is called inside outing the ball with his swing and put it into right field. It was a line drive over the first baseman's head. Successfully taking an inside pitch and hitting it the "other way" is the hardest thing to accomplish as a batter. We have been working on it at the house but to have him do it in a game was awesome! I have been stopped at the grocery store, the school carnival and church by people calling me COACH. I honestly never thought I would like that title, but having these kids run up to me screaming coach, coach, coach! I got my ears pierced, or look at the Caterpillar I found, or my birthday is tomorrow, or this is my dad, etc. really touched me. My favorite part though was explaining things to the kids like hand placement on the bat, arm angle before a throw, etc. have them listen and repeat what I told them and then see their faces when they hit it, caught it or threw it. And once they had success by listening there was nothing I could tell them that they wouldn't do. It was a blast.

Paige had her last soccer game of the spring Saturday. It comes with some relief - we get our Saturday's back and with some sorrow - it may have been the last soccer game of her career. She is trading in her shin guards and cleats for a tennis racket. I'm not a big soccer fan and don't understand the game that well but it was fun to watch Paige play. She finishes her career with one goal, one assist, three saves (goalie) and three almost goals. It was always a little frustrating for me watching her play because she was always one of the fastest kids on the field but being one of the smallest she was always a little intimidated. Some of the girls talked a lot of trash on the field and Paige didn't appreciate it. She would always say after a game, see that girl, she said this or she said that - she wasn't very nice. I just don't think the whole soccer thing clicked with her. I am excited to have her learn tennis because that will be something I can share with her - we will be able to play against each other and maybe she will even talk a little trash with me :)

Mother. . . Grandmother

We wanted to send you all a gift that would be universal but also very personal. These kids are so close to our hearts and we know they are very close to yours as well. What better way to say thank you to the women who have made us who we are than to put together a few pictures that document the strength of your examples. A brief history of your impact on our lives.

Happy Mother's Day! With Love, Preston-Charmayne-Paige-Brock-Sidney-and-Braden.

Sunday's

Every Sunday is pretty much the same - Great! We start by going to church from 9am - 12pm. The kids love church, it is a great thing for them. The principles they learn there will be the foundation for their lives. The remainder of the day we spend together. Now that it has warmed up we walk together every Sunday evening. You can see Brock wearing his Albert Pujols baseball jersey. Brock likes Pujols, probably only because his name is pronounced poo-holes. Every time we watch a game and Pujols' name is announced Brock laughs hysterically.
As we began our walk tonight Brock said he was too tired to ride his bike so he opted for his John Deere tractor. We tried to persuade him that his bike would be easier, do you think he listens to his parents? Surprisingly he only complained he was thirsty and that he needed to use the bathroom. He got a drink when he we got home, but he no longer needed the bathroom. The freedom of being 5!
Sidney is our champion tri-cyclist. Sidney's favorite activity is riding her tricycle to the church and them letting gravity take her down the hill on the front sidewalk. She is fearless and has only flipped her bike once. In this photo she is making her approach to the hill before her descent.
I couldn't resist. Sidney looked like she was having so much fun I had to get in on the action. I think Charmayne enjoyed watching as much as I enjoyed riding.
Braden likes the backpack. I think he could stay in there all day. He has never complained when riding on my back. As for the Notre Dame shirt - I have neighbors who claim BYU is the Lord's school, I respectfully disagree! Truthfully, I don't think God cares about football or even baseball. But I do think he cares about families being together on Sunday.