Summer is Finally here

This is how I feel during the summer. 

Here is how Nick is spending summer.  Working at Lagoon

Here's how I spent the first day of Summer Vacation.  Wearing my new slickers too

I Love Fathers Day

A few weeks ago our Bishop said his favorite holiday was Father's day.  I didn't think anything of it other than that was so sweet.  He does have some of my favorite primary children at his house...

Then Father's Day rolls around. I was thinking this would be a great holiday.  I don't know where my children's Dad is, so off the hook there.  Asked them if they wanted to get a card and mail it.  No they said.  (Nick did say that Jack could put in his card to Chili Willi..."FU dad" which is what he said to Chili when he gave him a pink basketball for Christmas...)

My own dad died last summer so I'm off the hook for needing a gift or card or doing his yard work.  I did have to practice the Piano so the Primary kids could sing in Sacrament meeting.

Then I get all these messages.

Brooke sent me this

Andrew tells me he tells everyone he has the best mother ever.  Not like all the time he says but he tells them that. (I have NEVER said that about my mother)

I have wondered if anyone notices that I do have the roll of both parents and almost always have.  I can't say all the time, but mostly.  I did pass on the Father's day treats at Church.  I thought that would be a bit much...:)

 I'm with our Bishop.  Father's Day is my favorite holiday too! 

Andrew is here visiting and he decided he would go with me to the Concerts in Layton on Sunday evening.  We picked up Nick from Lagoon and went.  It was Blue Grass music.  Went home to Salsa chicken that had been cooking all day.  I never knew Father's day would be so great.

My Book Club

Friday Night I went out to Red Lobster with some of my buds.  We have been friends for a LONG LONG time.  We actually had one more friend, but she died two years ago that use to come.  It was our friend Linda.  We missed her.

Anyway, they are the best.

I also got to use  gift card that Brooke and her friend Ty gave me for Mother's day.  LOVE it when I get to use those.  So grateful for good friends that we can laugh at.  Jenn, the girl sitting next to me, is also single and ready to mingle.  She is getting a profile online soon.  If she does it, I might too.  She wants to go on a Single cruise.  I'm all for that too.

It was my friend Lynne's birthday on June 5 so we were celebrating.  We love flamingos and Janet found these flamingo cake decorations to put in the bisquits in place of candles.

This is my new favorite show.  It is about these 4 women and they get together for book club.  They are reading 50 shades of Gray which is kindof a nasty book.  But the story is all about the friendship these women share.  I feel like I am book club with my lady friends because we have been friends for so long.  I think we will rename lobstering to Book Club.

Hike up Dueul Creek

My friend Lynne and I decided to go on a hike.  Our first hike was up Holbrook Canyon up by the Bountiful Temple. We hiked up this mountain and then sat on these benches and looked over the slc valley.   I forgot my phone but it was fab.  I felt just like I shop at REI I was so outdoorsy.

Then the next Sunday, we decided to go up Dueul Creek in Centerville.  I found the hike but didn't know it was Moderate.  It was a bit challenging for me.  We hiked and had to climb over ricks and bridges that spanned the creek.  But the trail followed the creek and it was in the shade.  It was absolutely Beautiful. 

This is the one mile marker.  I'm a bit sweaty by this point.  It took us about 3 hours....

I was super tired when we got finished but we are going to go again.  It was such a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Memorial Day

We had our yearly Jaunt to the Spanish Fork Cemetary on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.  Mark and his Family came with us. 

One thing that was different this year was that my dad was there. Well, he has always come with us, and this time we were visiting him already there.  I think he is glad to finally be there.

Here is Mark.  We don't usually get pics of him at the cemetary.  

This is the new headstone.  We were wondering if after the SLC temple is renovated that it would be way different than the one on this headstone. 

Here is Melanie.  We are not sure why the stone is all orange.

We went to the Cafe Rio after the cemetary.  Cafe Rio is always a good time.

I am a Biologist

Ha Brooke tagged me in this.

So true since I'm a Biology teacher.

Saturday After school

Yay our first Saturday of Summer Vacation.  Nick had to work at 9:00 so I dropped him off and then went to the temple.  Yep, I have been two weeks in a row on Saturday.  I avoided the crowded session.  Which I like because it is less people.  I didn't see anyone I knew this week. 

Parking lot pic of the temple again.  Not sure why I think of taking a pic here. 

Then I picked up Nick's medicine at CVS in West Valley.  We are having trouble getting it at our Target store so we have to go all the way to West Valley.  I had to pick Brooke's meds up there too.  They are on the same meds.  I hope it doesn't become a problem to get it.

Then I picked up Nick from Lagoon

and practiced this piano song for the Primary program.

 

This is the song I have to learn for the Primary Program.  I hope I'm up to it.  Our ward is into these songs that are not in the Children's songbook.  Not sure how I feel about it, but I do like to learn then because it helps me with my piano skills. 

This part is killing me because it is so weird. I will have to get Abi to help me. 

I went to Planet (I love saying that I went...)

These are my new slicks Abi gave me that I love

Then Nick and I went to Gma's house to mow her back lawn.  I weed whipped and he mowed.  I am a terrible weed whipper.  But Gma paid him 20.00 and Nick paid for Cafe Rio.  Wow.  That was a win.  He said it was because I helped him.  I didn't expect that.  It was an exausting week and now I'm in bed. 

Jack went to Lagoon with his Friend Gunner and now he is sleeping over at his house.  Win for all of us. 

The End 26 Times

School ended for the year.  It marks 26 years of teaching for me.  I can hardly believe that I have been teaching that long.  You just show up every day, and then next thing you know it is 26 years later.  It was a pretty good year when I look back.  I got to teach Biology which I love and it means that I got the better kids which was such a switch and a welcome change.  I had a bunch of Dr's kids and an Eyring kid that is a grandson to the Apostle.  We also had a new administration.  That was good and bad, but as I reflect it was mostly good.

This is me driving home after the last day.  I have on that new shirt that didn't fit a while ago.  Now it does.  That makes me smile too.  My hair looks terrible...

I got my very best teacher gift.  My favorite student, Sam Tyson, (a son of Dr. Tyson the orthopedic surgeon) was not in class.  I knew he was at school because I saw him in the am.  Then after about 10 minutes, he walks in with a 44 oz drink of Diet Coke from Maverik AND a 20.00 gift card.  Serious.  I couldn't believe it.  I said that was awfully nice of your mom to take you right now.  It even had the straw on the top unwrapped.

I sent a picture to Mark and he said 'oh your student got you a printer'  He is so dumb...

Thats why I love these kids.  Not because they bring me stuff but they are clever and funny.  He was the same one that said my heart was Abiotic and He didn't think Monk's were suppose to pollinate flowers when Gregor Mendel did that.  Hilarious.

I also had some girls make me a quote book of things that I say.  It was hilarious too.  The one girl, Tori was my TA for half of the year.   She was very good as a TA and super cute.  Jacie is cute too.  Love them. I didn't take pics of it but I will post some when I do.  I can't believe I said that many dumb things.

Here is Nick on his last day.  He is horrible at letting me take a pic.  He finished one day earlier than I did.

This last week, we had a student die.  He was in the 9th grade and I taught him in 7th grade.  He was in a biking accident.  He was jumping off a dock of a store and fell and hit his head.  His sister who is a junior found him.  I also taught her in 9th grade.  From talking to the school policeman, he said he thought his brain was on the outside of his head.

I got a call late the night it happened so we would all be to faculty meeting at 7:30.  We had the crisis team at our school which is about 20 counselors in the district that are just there to talk to or help kids when they feel like they need it.  They also gave us a statement to read to our first class.  I teach 7th graders so they didn't even know the kid.  I had to read this 3 paragraph thing about him passing away and if any of you need grief support it was available in the library.  I cried as I read it to the class.  I couldn't even read it.  It was so sad.  I have never cried at school before.  But I did it and we carried on with school.

Every time I went in the hallway there were kids out there sitting on the ground crying.  There were counselors just hanging around waiting to help.  I had students email me that they just couldn't come today and what did they miss.  I had one kid email me about his missing work because he was home. I told him to not worry about it because it was the frog packet and he did fine on his frog test.  His mom emailed me and said how nice that was to do that because he was having a really hard time because they were friends.

I can't remember a harder day to teach.  This was 3 days before school ended.  It was rough.  Emotionally watching all these kids process this death of their friend.  We were all doing the best that we could possibly do.

Joey Eyring told me that Riley was having a hard time today.  I asked him if I should be nicer and he said that would be good.  I was just trying to keep things normal and be my usual crusty self.  He is another of my favorites.  :)

The next day they all dressed up in honor of him  So not only did we have an emotional day the day before, now we had to look at all these 9th graders in their best dress.  Then the last day of school at the talent assembly his best friend dedicated his song to him and sang Country Road take Me home, by John Denver.  What a fabulous song and emotional too.

All of that ended in an emotionally exaustive week.  The last week of school is extra stressful due to grades, spring fever and getting out for the summer.  But add the death of our student and it was magnified a million times.