sometimes you gotta document the little things

Like when Great Grandpa Milne shows you how to water the lawn.

He had to squeeze the spray nozzle and everything.

Myer you're growing up.

Stop it.

Happy Friday everyone.

Hope it's a refreshing one!

let's not forget the dancing

It wouldn't be a Thacker get together if there wasn't some kind of performance or dance production.  So true to our form, we watched Oakley and Sierra dance in their End of Year Showcase for Center Stage.  At these kinds of places is where we really get our most current family pics.  It's in our blood.

Good job Sierra and Oak!  And so proud of Jessie for all her hard work as Senior Company Director for Center Stage.  What a talented family I have.  And good lookin.

yep, swimming

Told ya.  On Saturday we went to Seven Peaks and made good use of our Pass of all Passes.  (such a smokin deal BTW.)  Myer at first wanted nothing to do with the water, but after a good dunk (Jake) we couldn't get him out.  Navy and M were best pals and Myer always wanted Navy next to him.  I love that he has a cousin his age.  We gotta take advantage of these cute cousins while we can.  So we really did play all day in the water.  It's what we Thackers do best.

guess who's in town?

The New Mexico cousins! Well, actually, soon to be North Carolina cousins.  I know, I know, both sisters will be living in the East.  Rude right?  Mike's job transferred out there and they'll be living there by mid July.  Cray cray.  I guess we'll need to scope out some North Carolina beaches this summer...anything to see our cousins and my sis.

We've already had a fun weekend with Maddix and Navy, and we get them for another week! And you know what that means, swimming!

and Dad's day for Jakey

Amidst all the crazy moving in, we couldn't miss celebrating our own Jake.  And maybe it was the moving that brought me to such admiration because this guy made the move happen--he organized enough trailers and enough help.  Then once everything was safely delivered to our new place and moved in, he went around and put boxes where they should go until each box had a place.  He did that for me.  The only daunting thing about moving for me is the organization of it all.  What should go in this box?  What else?  How will I want this unpacked at the new house?  etc. etc.  So he knew that for me, in order to "move in" it had to have a little organization to it.  I am so lucky to be married to a man who know hows to work, how to fix things, who cares about his family, who loves his son, and still makes me weak in the knees.  Jake is the greatest of the greatest.  We love him so!

goodbye cottage

We did it.  We moved!  Good golly you would think living in a tiny cottage you wouldn't have that much stuff, but holy cow 3 trailers full is a lot of stuff!  I couldn't believe all the help that showed up to help us move.  We moved and cleaned that cottage all within 3 hours!  Amazing.  We were so touched at all the help we received. This neighborhood will be missed ever so much.

As we were pulling out, the landlords came out with the little red car.  Remember the little red car?  The one that Myer would never sit in but push around everywhere ever since he could walk?  They said that M earned that car with all the mileage he put on it.  Made me cry.  And it was perfect because when Myer came over to his new house, guess what was waiting for him in the garage?  A little piece of the house he grew up in.  Now he can push it around here.  Get some new miles in. 

We are sad to leave Alpine and our neighbors, but sometime you gotta grow up and leave the cozy security of your home town.  And really, we're only 10 minutes away from there so it's not devastating, just hard.  That cottage was a real home to us.  It came to us on what seemed like hard times when we couldn't get pregnant with Myer or find a house to buy, but it worked out for the better.  I eventually did get pregnant after I graduated college and started my career, and it was nice not owning something when Jake was unemployed for the past year.  So it was meant to be.  I met some amazing women who are great examples of mothers to me and Jake made some great friendships with the young men of the ward and their fathers.  I think this move was the hardest on Jake.  He hopes to find similar friendships in this new neighborhood.  Which, I think he will.

We will miss the quiet of Alpine but I am really excited to be so close to everything--stores, restaurants, and cafe rio so it's a little bit of give and take.  I hope Myer makes some friends here and I hope we can stay here for a while.  At least until we grow out of the place.  But I don't even want to think about moving again...

We are excited for this new adventure!  Hello American Fork!

we're moving!

Well what did you expect with another little one on the way?  The cottage just couldn't fit another one of us.  I loved living here-- in this neighborhood, in Alpine, and the cottage itself, but it's time to say goodbye.  But I think I'm crazy cause as soon as school finished which, come on, that was a daunting task!  I take another daunting task of packing up my house and then moving into another house.  Someone give this pregnant lady a medal!  Not to mention we have to be moved in by the middle of June...eep!  I can't complain because this means bigger and better things for us, which we wanted for so long this past year.  Now we have it, so now I need to be happy and grateful about it.  I'll just keep telling myself that packing up my kitchen next week...with a toddler at my feet....with a sore back and swollen ankles....so wish us luck. Nothing like a busy summer.

weekend run down

*got Jake's Father's Day present

*made cookies out of a box of cake mix

*had ourselves a BBQ inside since we ran out of propane

*attended Becky's beautiful reception

*redeemed my Mother's Day coupon for a pedicure

*took a family hike to see the poppies up Lambert Park

*Jake is already wearing his Father's Day present through great persuasion (and a great foot rub)

*and took a big pile of stuff to DI

Great weekend.  And a great way to start of summer.  What's your list?

an emotionally exhausting week

Well.

Said goodbye to my students.

Again.

How do I keep getting in these one year teaching positions?  Makes it hard on my heart. This past week was hard.  Hard mentally and emotionally.

I did all the "teacher stuff" gave out finals, corrected assignments and papers, finalized grades, and passed some seniors that I probably shouldn't have.  And then the fun stuff--signed yearbooks, end of year parties, opened baby presents, read sweet notes, shed tears, gave hugs, ate at the faculty year-end social, said goodbyes, and participated in graduation.

Lastly,

I packed up my room.

Like the final nail.

The final goodbye.  Sort of.  I love teaching and I love high school, and I loved this year. I want to do this again.  So I'm going back to school to get my educators license once kids are a little older and I am coming back.  So not goodbyes.  Not yet.  This year showed me this is something I can do, excel at, and frankly, enjoy.  I can teach (I think) and I like it.  Plus, it is so special being part of teen's lives.  You have to treat that role with respect and know that it is a privilege.  I am lucky to have been around these kids for a year.  They taught me more about endurance, hope, and friendship that I could have learned anywhere else.  They also have a lot against them, but they are strong.  And they can do it.  I was just their audience and cheerleader for a short time.  So I want to come back.

Congratulations to my seniors who graduated and good luck to my juniors and sophomores for next year.  Again, a great year.  Thanks to each of you.  You made it so special.

-Mrs. Morse