21

21 YEARS!

A BIG BIRTHDAY MILESTONE!!!

THAT'S RIGHT!

AT 21, THERE ARE HUGE CELEBRATIONS!!!

WELL...IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, MY SHIRT BECAME

21 YEARS OLD!!!

PRETTY AMAZING, RIGHT???!!!

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TEE SHIRTS!

IT HAS HELD UP SO WELL, AND I WEAR IT ABOUT

10 TIMES A YEAR!
(TEAL AND PURPLE WERE THE COLORS IN THE EARLY 90'S!)

THIS ALL-STAR WEEKEND WAS AMAZING!

I WAS AT MY JAZZ 'N' GEOGRAPHY TEACHER WORKSHOP
IN JANUARY AT THE DELTA CENTER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT WE LEARNED...BUT, I DO REMEMBER THAT WE...

GOT TO SIT THROUGH A GAME DAY SHOOT AROUND 

ASK COACH SLOAN QUESTIONS

HAVE LUNCH IN THE BIG DINING ROOM

LISTEN TO THE FEATURED SPEAKER AT LUNCH, FRANK LAYDEN.

AT THE SHOOT AROUND, JOHN STOCKTON WAS THE FIRST PLAYER

ON THE COURT, FOLLOWED BY KARL MALONE AND MARK EATON.

(I WENT TO THIS CLASS 3 YEARS IN A ROW...SAME RESULTS.)

DURING THE LUNCH, I DECIDED TO WALK OUT NEXT DOOR

TO THE DINING ROOM, AND SEE WHAT TICKETS WERE AVAILABLE.

THEY HAD FREE TICKETS TO THE 

NBA ALL-STAR PRACTICE SESSIONS!!!

WELL, SIGN ME UP!!!

I TOOK REID AND CHRIS.  CHRIS WAS 13 YEARS OLD...PERFECT AGE!

WE WERE ON THE FRONT ROW OF THE UPPER SECTION OF THE

OLD SALT PALACE!!!

ONLY NBA FOLKS, REPORTERS, AND CELEBS WERE ON THE MAIN FLOOR.

BUT, WE COULD SEE BETTER.
TY DETMER, WHO HAD RECENTLY WON THE 
HEISMAN TROPHY,
WAS SITTING CLOSE TO US!

WE SAW THE EAST FIRST.  EVERYONE BOOED MICHAEL JORDAN,

BECAUSE JORDAN SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO SALT LAKE CITY...HE'D

RATHER BE GOLFING IN VEGAS!

IT WAS SHAQUIELLE O'NEAL'S ROOKIE YEAR.

IT WAS ALSO MICHAEL JORDAN AND CHARLES BARKLEY'S BIRTHDAYS!

THEY BROUGHT OUT HUGE BIRTHDAY CAKES, AND GAVE THEM

EACH A PRESENT OF A GIANT COMB!!!

AFTER THE EAST PRACTICED, IT WAS Q & A TIME WITH THE MEDIA.

THEY BROUGHT THE WEST TEAM OUT, SO ALL QUESTIONS TOOK 

PLACE AT THE SAME TIME.

THEN, WE WATCHED THE WEST PRACTICE.

AFTER THE PRACTICE, THEY HAD ALL KINDS OF EXHIBITS

SET UP IN THE EXHIBITION HALL.

IT WAS SOOOOO FUN!!!

CHRIS & I GOT OUR PICTURES TAKEN WITH

SHAQ'S SHOE, AND A CARDBOARD JAZZ TEAM!

THE WEST WON THE ALL-STAR GAME, AND

JOHN & KARL WERE NAMED CO-MVP'S.

IT WAS DEFINITELY A DAY TO REMEMBER!!!   

  

WICKED

LAST SPRING, I GOT AN E-MAIL FROM MY JAZZ REP.

THEY WERE OFFERING SEASON TICKET HOLDERS 

$25 OFF ON "WICKED" TICKETS.

I WANTED TO TAKE COURTNEY FOR HER BIRTHDAY.

IT REMINDED ME OF TAKING CAMILLE & ASHLEY TO "GREASE",

HEIDI & KATIE TO "GREASE 2", AND ALL OF THEM

TO "THE MUSIC MAN."

LORI WAS DYING TO GO, TOO.

I DECIDED TO ADD LAUREL...AND THIS WOULD BE

THEIR BIRTHDAY AND CHRISTMAS.

SERIOUSLY?  IS COURTNEY TALLER THAN ME?

OUR TICKETS SAID ROW "2G." OF THE MEZZANINE.

  IN MY MIND,  ANYTHING WITH A "ROW 2" IN IT 

WOULD BE THE 2ND ROW!

IT WAS ABOUT 8 ROWS UP!!!

ON THE WAY UP, I HEARD SOMEONE SAYING

MY NAME.  IT WAS KAREN'S KIDS!!!

WAYNE & TARA AND JONNY & KENZIE!

COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!!!

GREAT PICTURE OF TARA & WAYNE.
CAMERA TURNED WRONG WAY...SO JONNY & KENZIE CUT OFF.
I'LL ADD THEIR FACEBOOK PICS.

WAYNE, TARA, KENZIE, JONNY

 YUP! TOTALLY NEWLYWEDS!!!

I SAW "WICKED" ON BROADWAY IN NEW YORK CITY

9 YEARS AGO.  THE WEEK AFTER

CAMILLE & MARK WERE MARRIED.
IT IS THE STORY OF HOW THE
WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST IN THE "WIZARD OF OZ"
CAME TO BE. 

A HIGHLIGHT OF MY CHILDHOOD . . . THE ANNUAL 
"WIZARD OF OZ" BEING SHOWN ON TV!
ANOTHER FLASHBACK . . .
WHEN I WAS IN 2ND GRADE, REID HAD CHICKEN POX DURING
CHRISTMAS BREAK.
I HAD THEM THE FIRST WEEK BACK FROM THE BREAK.
I WENT AND STAYED IN NEPHI WITH GRANDMA AND GRANDPA.
THEY HAD (DRUMROLL)
COLOR TV!!!
THE MOVIE IS IN BLACK AND WHITE, UNTIL THE TORNADO
DROPS THE HOUSE IN OZ.  WHEN DOROTHY OPENS THE DOOR,
IT BECOMES COLOR!
WE DID NOT HAVE COLOR TV IN OUR HOUSE FOR THREE
MORE YEARS...WHEN I WAS IN 5TH GRADE!!!
(PRETTY RANDOM, I KNOW...BUT THIS MEMORY JUST
POPPED INTO MY BRAIN.  IT WAS A BIG DEAL!!!)
 
I SAW THE ORIGINAL CAST.
KRISTEN CHENOWETH AS GLINDA.
IDINA MENZEL AS ELFABA.
(VOICE IN "FROZEN" . . . "LET IT GO")

WELL, WHEN I SAT DOWN, MY KNEES DID NOT

FIT IN THE TINY SPACE!

IT ALSO MADE MY FOOT HURT!  I COULD EVEN

FEEL IT SWELLING!!!

I KEPT SHIFTING IN MY SEAT, TRYING TO

GET COMFORTABLE.

I WOULD HAVE LOVED THE SEAT ON THE END OF THE ROW.

THERE WAS NO SEAT IN FRONT OF THEM!

I COULDN'T TAKE IT!!!

AT INTERMISSION, I TOLD THE USHER MY PROBLEM.

HE CHECKED WITH A HEAD GUY.

I HAD SEEN EMPTY CHAIRS RIGHT NEXT TO STAGE

IN THE SPOT WITH FANCY CHAIRS.

I HAD TO GO DOWN TO MAIN FLOOR AND CHECK WITH THE

TICKET OFFICE. THEY SAID THEY WERE SOLD OUT, BUT ONE

SEAT WAS AVAILABLE ON THE CHAIRS. 

THEN I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK UP.

SOMEONE ELSE HAD TAKEN THE ONE AVAILABLE SEAT.

THEY FINALLY PUT ME IN THE EMPTY

CLOSE BOX THINGY.

 RELIEF!!!

IT'S NOT AS ENJOYABLE THAT CLOSE, BUT

MY FOOT AND KNEES 

LOVED IT!!!

AND, I HAD SEEN IT BEFORE.

THE SEATS WERE LIKE RIGHT OVER THE ORCHESTRA PIT!

THE CONDUCTOR WAS AMAZING!!!

HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MUSIC!!!

HE WAS VERY YOUNG, TOO!

LOVED HIS RED TENNIS SHOES WITH THE BLACK.

    

 WHEN WE LEFT, I SAW

DEBBIE AMUNDSON!  

SHE WAS THE SPEECH TEACHER AT ALPINE A FEW YEARS AGO.

HER DREAM WAS TO TEACH SPEECH TO COLLEGE STUDENTS

WHO WANTED TO TEACH SPEECH.

SHE NOW TEACHES AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY!

AFTER, WE WENT TO DINNER.

I WAS THINKING "MIMI'S" OR "SWEET TOMATOES."

LORI KNEW WHERE A "CHEESECAKE FACTORY" WAS.

I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE.

I MIGHT NEVER GO BACK...SOOOO EXPENSIVE!

WHEN WALKING IN, I SAW BONNIE DALTON,

FORMER RS PRESIDENT AND VISITING TEACHER.

SHE HAD A GRANDSON WHO HAD JUST BEEN TO THE TEMPLE.

 INSIDE, I SAW 2 MORE FORMER STUDENTS.

SCOTT & TARYN OWEN!

SCOTT RETURNED FROM A MISSION IN THE PHILLIPINES

LAST DECEMBER.

TARYN WORKS FOR HER DAD AND ATTENDS BYU.

WHAT A DAY FOR SEEING SUCH RANDOM PEOPLE THAT I KNOW!!!

 LAUREL & COURTNEY
OLDEST GRANDCHILD

AUNTIE ANN & LORI


THESE BAD BOYS ARE "FRIED MACARONI & CHEESE."

TASTES LIKE MAC & CHEESE WITH A CRUST.
GREAT APPETIZER.

I HAD LEMON HERB CHICKEN, MASHED POTATOES, AND CARROTS.

IT WAS PRETTY GOOD.
(DIDN'T THINK TO TAKE A PICTURE...THIS PIC OFF OF THEIR WEBSITE)

 LORI'S S'MORE
LAUREL'S MANGO LIME
COURTNEY'S OREO
MY DULCE LECHE

THEN, WE ALL HAD CHEESECAKE.

HENCE, THE NAME "CHEESECAKE FACTORY."

HOLY CHESSECAKE!!!
 

A LETTER FROM MY MISSIONARY

I got quite an unexpected letter yesterday.

A letter from MY missionary!

Sister CaLea Bagley.

She is serving in Seoul, Korea.

I only gave her $200 last summer.  That's it.

I gave her parents $100-$200 a month for her 2 older brothers.

Then, I quit when I bought a new car.
I keep thinking I need to get some more money to her parents.
But, I've got $1,100 left on my Jazz tickets for this season,
 and a $2400 pre school bill coming up! 
($1200 for each kid...I'll save $210 by paying it all up front, instead of monthly)
Hallelujah for fixed incomes!!!

I have donated to several different missionaries these last 2-3 years.

So...it was a pleasant surprise to get a real letter,

not an email!

She told me she should make me a badge to wear that says, 

"CaLea's Most Favorite Human" 

on it!

She also said that some of her best childhood memories were with me!

CaLea then told about her mission.

About how much she is learning, growing, and that she is where the

Lord wants her to be!

Even though I am not her aunt, she calls me 

Auntie Ann

like sooooo many others!

This letter was a 

"Proud Auntie Ann Moment!"

She taught me how to do my blog!

LOVE IT!!!

I don't have to scrapbook, or journal!

This is it!!!

THE "PROUD MISS MITCHELL MOMENTS" KEEP COMING!

MED SCHOOL FOR

CLINT MOWER

LECOM

ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

CLINT WAS A FABULOUS STUDENT!

VERY SMART!!!

HE ALSO PLAYED FOOTBALL AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH.

HIS TEAM WENT TO THE SUGAR BOWL, AND WON!
HE PLAYED SEMI PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IN VIRGINIA.

I TAUGHT HIS BROTHER, MATT.

TAUGHT SEVERAL COUSINS.

HIS GRANDMA WAS MY RS PRESIDENT, AND VISITING TEACHER.

HIS PARENTS WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH ME.

HIS MOM, JODY, WAS ON THE STATE FORENSICS TEAM WITH ME.

HIS GRANDPA MOWER WAS THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT

"DEAR OL' AF HIGH!"

HIS DAD IS

DR. MOWER.

GOOD LUCK, CLINT!

TOP 10 UTAH FOODS . . . PIONEER DAY

This is the Place!

Pioneer Day is almost here!  

Celebrating the arrival of Brigham Young and Company....July 24, 1847.

The Mormon Pioneers came to the Mountain West from many countries.  These diverse cultures brought with them their many traditions and foods.  Festivals celebrating these traditions can be found through out the state of Utah...Swiss Days in Midway and Scandinavian Days in Epraim are just two examples.  Spanish Fork celebrates their Icelandic ancestry. With our state being such a melting pot of culture...how do we explain Utah's signature foods?  It's a mystery only partly explained by the need to feed large families on a budget.  Here are some of Utah's Top 10 Foods as found in a May 17, 2011 article written by Kathy Stephenson for The Salt Lake Tribune. 

Top 10 Utah Foods!

#1

Fry Sauce...

Created by the founder of Arctic Circle.

If you've ever had trouble re-creating the taste...you probably forgot to add onion powder and pickle juice to the ketchup and mayonnaise.

#2

Utah Scones...

aka Navajo Fry Bread with honey butter.

#3

Jell-O...

My favorite is  any Green or Red Flavor with Coolwhip, Cottage Cheese and Pineapple.

#4

Bear Lake Raspberries...

Who wouldn't love a celebration around raspberry ice cream shakes?

#5

Pastrami Burgers...

Originated at Crown Burgers...now a Greek-American fast-food staple.

#6

Funeral Potatoes...

Large pans of deliciousness!

Made to feed large families at reunions and funerals...which are also reunions.

#7

Dutch Oven Cooking.

Utah is home to the International Dutch Oven Society.

The cast-iron pot is our official state cooking pot.

#8

Green River Watermelons....

#9

Utah Honey...

It wouldn't make sense to have a beehive for the state symbol and not make the best honey!

#10

Collegiate Ice Cream.

BYU and USU are among 15 colleges in the US that make their own ice cream.

Rise and Shout for LaVell Vanilla, Cougar Fans!

(Taken from the "Zetta's Apron")

THIS IS ONLY A TEST . . . SORT OF

IN THE NURSING PROGRAM, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A

HUMONGOUS

TEST AT THE END IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR NURSING
LICENSE TO PRACTICE IN UTAH.
  KATIE DID THIS WHEN SHE RECEIVED HER LPN.

IN APRIL, SHE "GRADUATED" FROM 

WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY.

ALL SHE HAD TO DO AT THE END IS TAKE THE RN TEST.

SHE DID WHAT HEIDI DID.

SHE DIDN'T TELL ANYONE WHEN SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE THE TEST.

I KNEW IT WAS GETTING CLOSE, CUZ SHE WAS REALLY STUDYING HARD!

WHEN TAKING THE TEST, YOU ARE GIVEN FOUR CORRECT ANSWERS.

YOU HAVE TO PICK THE ONE THAT IS THE MOST CORRECT.

IT ALSO COSTS $300 TO TAKE THE TEST.

THERE ARE BETWEEN 75-250 QUESTIONS.

WHEN KATIE FINISHED WITH #75, THE COMPUTER SCREEN

WENT BLACK.  NOTHING WRONG.

THEY JUST TOLD HER SHE HAD THEM ALL CORRECT,

AND DIDN'T NEED TO DO ANYMORE!!!  
NAILED IT THE 1ST TIME!!!
 
THIS IS HOW I FOUND OUT.
KATIE SENT THIS TO ME IN A TEXT . . .  

KATIE IS NOW GOING TO COMPLETE HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
IT WILL TAKE ONE YEAR.

ANOTHER
"PROUD AUNTIE ANN MOMENT!!!"