The Great Cup Adventure

We had some fun this basketball season... :) The Sophomore boys basketball team plays the game before us in the smaller gym, and they always practice in the gym we practice in right after us. With that in mind... they started the season and would always open the doors, peek their heads in, and see if we were done with practice. It was quite distracting. I may have yelled a few times, needless to say, they didn't come in our gym and distract us any longer. Continually after games, they would leave their cups all over the ground and who would get to pick them up? You guessed it, our team! I didn't appreciate it, so I told the boys that were on the team and in my English class to relay the message to PICK UP THEIR CUPS to the rest of their team. The next game... we came into the gym with all of the cups cleaned up... however, they were turned upside down along the bench where we all sit. HAHA funny joke! Wish I would have taken a picture. It was clever... but little did they know the war they started! :) We decided we had to come up with a plan for revenge! We decided we would buy 500 cups and spread them all over the gym after one of our practices, so they would have to clean them up and feel our pain! :) Supplies were purchased, however, we did not know when we would be able to execute the plan. The bleachers in the main gym were broken, the varsity girls had to practice in our gym, so we decided we would just watch game film. We figured the varsity boys would be in the G-wing and so we had to hang on to our fun little plan.

In the middle of watching film, one of the boys varsity coaches called to tell me they had stayed in the main gym, that the sophomore boys team would be in about 5:00 to practice in the G wing. We immediately began working on our plan. How perfectly everything was falling into place! :)

We rushed into the gym... locked the doors... and began to get to work! 

 Putting signs on the backboards...

 And cups in the nets...

 A nice cup pyramid...

We felt so proud of ourselves! And then... a sophomore boy poked his head in the door. Holli ran after him... and we held him hostage until the rest of his team got there. We couldn't let him ruin the surprise. Of course their coach was late to practice that day and so we had to wait a little longer... the girls booked it out another door, and we nonchalantly left practice (feeling quite pleased with ourselves might I add). We took the broom with us, so they couldn't just "sweep" them up!

The next morning I arrived to school, my window was covered with paper (which it never is!) and one lonely cup was placed on the handle of my door... I knew it couldn't be good! 

 I opened the door... and this is what I found...

 Cups EVERYWHERE!

 Apparently they had kept our 500... and went and bought 500 more...

 Along with some saran wrap... and went to town on destroying my classroom!

 Thankfully detention is held across the hall, and Binks sent some student's over to help clean it up!

 Random sophomore basketball boys kept popping their heads in my classroom to see my reaction and then running off. I would yell at them to get back here, and even chased after one of them to get some information! They had just rekeyed my classroom, and I couldn't understand HOW they got in! Apparently they had called the principal, and he was more than happy to let them in! He sold me out!

 So many cups!

I, of course, saved the two 20 gallon garbage bags full of cups for a later date. This meant WAR!!! We decided that we would wait until the very last day of the season to get them back! In the mean time, we saved as many cups as possible. Girls brought cups (used and new) into my classroom and we kept them in my closet. We had built up a collection come the last day of the season! :)

Our last game of the season was a girl's only game. The varsity played last. I came upon the sophomore teams locker combinations... my sources can't be revealed! After the game we headed down and began our revenge...

 All those cups... in all their lockers...

 The best part... was they had a game the next day! So we knew they would be in the locker room!

 The picture we sent to the coach wishing them good luck for the day! It's lucky that he and the principal don't have lockers... :)

A great way to end the season! So much fun with these girls! They came such a long way during the season! It was a privilege to be able to coach them!

President's Day Weekend

Mitchell came down for President's Day! Aunt Patty, Mitch, Tracy, and I went to Tandy's game on Friday. They played CNCC and killed them. It was fun to see her play. Sadly, we didn't take any pictures. We went out to eat afterwards!

Saturday, Mitchell headed to the RV show with the Kidd family. Tandy, Genna, and I went to the BYU Women's basketball game. Tracy made us dinner that night and we hung out at my apartment.

Sunday, we went to church with Tracy. Then Rosemary had us over for dinner. We were welcoming Laura to the family. It was a delicious dinner, and we had a great time. Tandy even played 5 Crowns, which was a feat in and of itself.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a great weekend! Fun when all of us older siblings can get together away from home.

Valentine's Dinner

Rosemary had all the "single sistas" of the family over for dinner one Sunday to celebrate Valentine's Day. She truly is the best. She makes us delicious food and we're able to play fun games! We ALWAYS have a great time! This time did not disappoint!

The lovely dinner setup.

 Deliciously divine dessert!

Jessica being a saint and giving me a massage! She is seriously the best!

Our own version of the "Three-Finger Smile"

 

 

 Ignore our side-ways T's. :)

It was a great evening! Thanks everyone! :)

Tandy's Game

We made it a little girl's weekend and decided to go and watch one of Tandy's games in Price. Aunt Patty, Aunt Janene, Katy, Tracy, and I drove over to watch her play Snow College. She got to play for a little bit. So that was fun to see!

 Yay us!

 We went out to eat after the game!

It was a much needed day! Fun to hang out with the fam!

Family Comes to Visit

Over MLK weekend, Mom, Aunt Linda, Uncle Don, and Melissa came into town to watch a couple of Tandy's games. It just so happened that we had that Friday off of school, so I was able to make a long weekend of it.

Thursday night they arrived in Utah. I was down at Aunt Patty's, beginning to grade papers. We had pizza and hung out at the house that night, catching up.

Friday we hung out during the morning and watched movies. I graded papers. We secretly had shirts made for Tandy for the weekend. So Stacey, Mom, Tandy, and I headed off to her game in Ephraim, while everyone else got ready for the game.

 The specially made t-shirts (front and back)

 Watching the game in Ephraim...

After the game at Snow, Karl, Karry, and Jami Seaver came over and we had a nice little dinner and everyone enjoyed catching up

Watching the game in Salt Lake...

 Tandy was especially excited we were all there... she even gave us a thumbs up!

 Post game pictures! All the Thackeray girls.

 Tandy and I...

 The best cheering section ever! :)

Saturday after the game in Salt Lake, we went out to Texas Roadhouse! Watched the 49ers win a great game! And ate entirely too much food!

We spent Sunday attending church, watching lots of football and movies (and grading papers... notice the recurring theme! I got them all graded however!), and playing cards. We also had a nice dinner with everyone.

Monday we did much of the same. It was fun to have everyone there and to get to hang out for the weekend! We had a great time! Needs to happen again, soon! :) Love you guys!

Christmas Break 2011

WARNING: Be prepared for the longest post in the history of posts! :)

I had a fabulous Christmas Break this year. Started out with a 6 am flight to Redding. Wouldn't recommend such an early flight! I survived. The family picked me up in Redding and we headed to Wade's tournament in Hamilton City. They lost in the Championship game, but it was fun to watch him play.

Home Sweet Home

Soon after we arrived home... the baking began! Pinterest will be the death of all of us... but we enjoyed making a few of the "Thackeray's favorite things" to give to people.

Troy and I with the "elf" hats... you can see all the craziness happening in the background! 

We got to see Troy's Christmas play at the school.

We also helped make treat bags for the Ward Christmas party.

Making the Popcorn Balls

After the popcorn balls were finished... we made graham cracker houses!

Getting ready to begin...

Decorating

My "Barn" (that Wade later used for an FFA project)

And during after the cake decorating...

 We crashed!

Cooking wears you out! :)

Next big event was... CIDER PONG!

Watching the action...

The supposed "champions"... apparently they talked a little too much trash prior to the event!

 

Game Faces!

 

Tracy and Tandy had it... and then we won't talk about the ending... Tracy claims to have not known the rules. It was a tragedy. 

Before you knew it... Christmas Eve was upon us! We pretty much had everything finished prior to that day, so that was nice to have a relaxing Christmas Eve!

The boys enjoyed a game of basketball!

 Getting ready to go to Grandpa Berry's

 Cozy in the back of the car

 Annual family picture

Christmas Eve Tree

 Entertaining ourselves

 Just Dance

 American Idol

 

It was a great evening at Grandpa's. The nightcap consisted of watching "The Grinch" and a rousing game of Phase Ten that went until all hours of the night... We determined three things that night....

 1. Phase 10 Hates Christopher (as Troy so kindly pointed out)

 2. (We already knew this... but it was just reaffirmed) Jill WINS Phase 10! :)

And last but not least... with no picture attached...
3. Santa does not visit houses unless everyone is asleep. Santa, I'm sorry if you had to circle the house a few times to wait for this game to be finished... I know you are a busy guy! Especially on Christmas Eve! But clearly you weren't too upset because you hooked us all up the next morning! :)

 Opening our stockings before Church.

 Mitch "Tebowing" before opening presents

 

 All the loot! Santa and the family never disappoint!

The grandparents and Aunt Janene and family came over for Christmas dinner. Normally we do "brunch" but we decided to do dinner. It was delicious.

 It wouldn't be a successful Christmas day without a little basketball... (and the Lakers getting beat!) :)

Finished the night with the extended Thackeray family! Ate good food, enjoyed good company, and had a wonderful time!

 Blair was fast asleep and this is how Jane was holding him... so sad! But yet... kind of funny! :)

 Jane and I

We spent the rest of the week lounging around, watching movies, playing games, and relaxing. One day Wade had a game. We were able to watch all four teams play. I miss the days of four games in a night! :)

 Staci and I at the games

 

New Years Eve they branded cows... love this picture of Wade. What a nerd...

We had another family get together... this time at Sam and Jenny's.

Fireworks to bring in the New Year!

 

Well... if you made it to the end of this novel of a post... Congratulations! It was a great end to 2011! Here's to an even better 2012! Happy New Year!