My Birthday

August 30, 2018: My 39th Birthday!

Josh's brother Jordan, Jamie and their son Kameron flew into town from Colorado to visit us.  So naturally we needed to take them out exploring in Portland.

Our first stop: A tour of the Pittock Mansion 

Next we hit Mod Pizza from lunch, a little shopping in downtown's Nordstrom Rack and took a ride on Portland's Aerial Tram.

 Then we went to my favorite dessert shop, Pix Patisserie, for my absolute favorite dessert: The Concord! 

...And as I found out the year before, if you eat it there, they will gift you a free dessert for your birthday!

 After Pix, we drove home to a delicious dinner made by our friends the Higgins.  Erica made me street tacos by special request!  Thanks so much Erica and Sean!

It was a great day filled with love and adventure!

Versii's Testimony

I missed posting this in May.

May 6th 2018

The day Versii first bore his testimony in church.

It was such a special moment that we will cherish always.

Here is what Josh wrote about it:

In light of Mother’s day weekend, a story; On Sunday Versii, 10, got up in church, walking to the pulpit. Anyone that knows Versii would know this to be completely out of character. He is the shyest and most timid person I know. Joy and I looked at one another, wide eyed, in utter surprise. He pulled the mic level and spoke from his heart, for the first time, of how he loves Jesus Christ. That he is grateful for the resurrection and expressed his love for his family. Truly genuine. I teared up. We do not push our children to be. We are free to do as we choose and we respect that. We do however take them to church and are biased toward Christianity. To witness his strength of overcoming himself, and seeing his genuine nature, and knowing he chooses to see grace, have faith...I will never forget that moment. It filled me. We were given a glance into the truly tremendous person that he is. He resembles Joy and she is who I chose to be the mother to my children. And she is, without doubt, the best decision I have ever made. Happy Mothers Day weekend Joy. I am so grateful for her non-faltering, consistent sacrifice, and the benevolent mother that she is to our boys. They will be good men because of you.

August 2018 Highlights

 August 4, 2018: Kids Club Fun & Fitness

 August 6,  2018: Paxton at Cub Scout Camp.

 Our Cats.

 August 15, 2018: Our Relief Society Presidency was released and we all met up for lunch to commemorate our time spent serving together.

 August 22: Josh and Paxton picked loads of fresh blackberries from our backyard.

 August 24th: Our new couch was delivered. 

The boys were so excited, we let them have a sleepover in the living room.

 Date night with Josh and some of our co-workers and wives.

Helium Comedy Club: Watching TJ Miller.  So much fun!

August 27, 2018: Homemade blackberry pie!

Thatcher Family Reunion 2018

 July 27, 2018: Spending time with family, enjoying Neskowin Beach and Uncle Karl's cabin in Otis.

 July 28th

 Mom, Dad, my sister Julie and Brielle.  

It was so much fun having them in town.

 The boys had such a great time playing with their cousins! Versii couldn't wait to get over to Uncle Karl's every day to see them.

 Our new daughter, Kylie.  She's my cousin Katrina's daughter, but she kept joking that we were her new Mom and Dad and she was going to come live with us.

 July 29th: Playing on the beach with cousins.

 A quick stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory, on our way home.