LORDY, LORDY. LOOK WHO'S 40!

On May 24, 1980, my very first nephew was born.
Christopher Reid Mitchell was born on a
kind of snow Saturday.

My best friend had been an aunt since she was
in 2nd grade!!!  My other good friends had been aunts
for awhile, too.

This picture was taken the day after Chris
came home from the hospital.
He was at Grandma Nammy and Grandpa Shyrlan's
home so they could help Laurel.

I know, check out my Farrah Fawsett hair.
It feathered back nicely that day.

The oldest of them all, is 40 today! My nephew, Chris, was born at my

 ripe old age of 21! Three months later, I began my teaching career. 

He was my sidekick at many events...especially BYU football and 

Utah Jazz games!

 He was born first, followed by: 1 nephew, 4 nieces, 6 spouses, 

18 1/2 great nieces and nephews. 

The second photo was taken last year at his daughter’s high school graduation.

 She, like her dad, is the oldest of her generation.

IN THE BEGINNING . . . THERE WAS CHRIS

Oh, my goodness! I got this picture today! This was May of 1980.

 My oldest nephew, Christopher Reid Mitchell, was a day or two old. 

Three months later, I began my 33 year teaching career! 

Chris was always my sidekick at the BYU football games and Jazz games, 

especially the Jazz playoffs and NBA Finals!!!

 His oldest child, Courtney, will graduate from high school in May. 

Chris is the first of the "Auntie Ann kiddos." 

Who knew there would be 6 nieces and nephews, 

17 great nieces and nephews...with maybe 2 or 3 in the future!

OH, THAT ONE WAGON WHEEL GAME

What's a "Wagon Wheel?"

It's the prize for the winner of the

BYU-Utah State game each year.

It represents the Pioneers crossing the

plains between 1847 and the 1880's.

This game is always played the Friday

before LDS General Conference.

It was a HORRIBLE game!

We couldn't even win the coin toss!

Here are all the highlight of the game:

I love the location of LaVell Edwards Stadium!

The "Y" on the mountain was lit up.

Cosmo danced with the Cougarettes, and didn't
lose his head like the last game:

https://www.facebook.com/BYUCOSMO/videos/310001513128753/

I took my oldest great niece, Courtney, to the game.

She turned 18 last week, and is a Senior at Westlake High,

the largest high school in the state!
(Looking forward to graduation, and the reading of the names! Bleh.)

Her dad, Chris, is my oldest nephew.  He was in

junior high when I first became a season ticket holder.

We went to TONS of games together!

He had gone hunting with his 8 year old boy.

His wife and 13 year old girl went to the Jazz game

with my tickets.

Also, another big highlight . . . Courtney and I got my mom's
"Trick or Treat" for her entire posterity . . . 32 people, completed.
Each person receives a baggie with a toothbrush, 
toothbrush holder, and toothpaste.
Courtney also wrote everyone's name on the baggie.

Camry at the Jazz game

My roommate from Dixie Jr College, her daughter, Tara,
found me.  Tara and her husband, Wayne, came up from St. George
for the game!  He is a football coach at Dixie High School.
They have 6 children, including twin boys.

It seems like yesterday that I went to St. George for
their wedding!
It was the day of a BYU-Utah football game at BYU.
I chose the wedding and trip.
I can count on one hand the number of times
I have seen BYU beat Utah in Provo in the
last 26 years!!!
And . . . BYU lost.

This was the biggest highlight of the game!
David Barlow is in that wacky Utah State hoodie.
I taught him my second year of teaching!
1981-1982.
That was the year I had 20 boys and 8 girls in my class.
Most of the boys had the same first name as another
boy in the class!  
Jackson Barlow, David's son, is on the right.  
I also taught him!!!
2011-2012
He is now a senior at Lone Peak.
(I only had 2 more classes after Jackson)
Jackson has the distinction of being one of my
"grandstudents"  . . . the child of one
of my former students!
I had a lot of grandstudents, 
starting in the 2003-2004 school year!

I also taught David's daughter, Emily.
She is currently serving as a missionary for the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the
Texas San Antonio Spanish speaking mission.
She attended Utah State after graduating from Lone Peak.

David and his kids are GREAT!

And . . . that's all of the highlights!

But, we always can say,
"We had Wisconsin!"

THE "BEAR" NECESSITIES

So Felipe took this picture of my husband working today....um 

what is that in the background?

Chris could not "bearly" see this bear!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE 18 YEARS MAKES!

Chris & Katie are exactly 10 years apart.
Chris . . . 1980  (my 1st year teaching)
Katie . . . 1990

When Katie was baptized,
Chris actually got to baptize her.
Two months later, their family was
sealed in the temple.
The kids told me that Chris was
holding Katie's hand, and when
they walked through the
Marriage Waiting Room,
everyone said, "AWWWWWW."

The next year, Chris & Kim were married.
Kim inherited 4 sisters and 1 brother.

Here's a picture of the girls at 
at the Mount Timpanogos Temple.
The arrow is pointing to Katie.

And, 18 years later,
here's Chris & Kim's kiddos with
Katie & CJ at their wedding!
Carter (7 1/2), Camry (11 1/2), Courtney (16 1/2)
Katie (26 1/2), CJ (26 1/2)

OH BOY . . . OH BOY . . . OH BOY

CHRIS HAS HORSES.

LOTS OF THEM!

HE TAKES CARE AND TRAINS

LOTS OF THEM, TOO!

HE ALSO RACES THEM.

HOW DID HE GET INTO THIS?

BOTH OF HIS GRANDPAS RAISED AND RACED

RACE HORSES!

MY DAD WAS EVEN ON THE NATIONAL

APPALOOSA HORSE CLUB BOARD OF DIRECTORS!

BORN FEBRUARY 27 . . . COLT

BORN MARCH 2 . . . COLT

BORN MARCH 3 . . . COLT

CELEBRATING REID, CHRIS, KIM, & MIKE

On June 2, Reid's  birthday, 

we celebrated 4 birthdays!

Reid, 59 (*gasp*)

Chris, 36 . . . May 24

Kim, 36 . . . May 17

Mike, 30 . . . May 14

I didn't do well on pictures of the birthday people,

but, I got the kiddos, and that's the best part!!!

Cute little new moms, Camille & Heidi

Papa Reid got a pineapple upside down birthday cake

I gave everyone a gift card to Deseret Book to buy new garments.

NATIONAL SIBLING DAY

Yes, there's a "National Sibling Day" 

on April 10.

Here's me with my favorite siblings 4 years ago

But . . . check us out in 1989!!!

Pre-Katie days.

It's all about the hair!!!

THE GOOD OL' DAYS

 For my first 17 or 18 years, teachers had absolutely no help with supplies!

If you didn't order it from the district catalogue, as part of the money

for per pupil expenditures, it ALL came out of the teacher's pocket!

ALL OF IT!!!

 In the early 90's, WalMart started to help us poor teachers out!

Many school supplies were slashed DRASTICALLY!!!

I decided to provide each of my students with 2 of the "1 Subject notebooks."

One for math, and the other for language.

It was the BEST!

Kids couldn't say they "lost, or can't find their assignment."

They were always in the notebook!

And these notebooks were CHEAP . . . $.08!

There was one BIG exception.

You could only purchase 6.

Well, I figured a way around it.

I loaded up Chris, Camille, Ashley, McKay, Heidi, and Katie

into my little blue Cavalier.

Each was given exact change for two trips to buy notebooks

(but only one trip to WalMart)

AND, BOY...DID THEY HAVE THE PROCESS DOWN!!!

Each had to pick out 6 different colors, and go through a check out stand.

They went to my car, where they opened the trunk from inside the car,

and placed them in the trunk.

Then, back for round #2, but a check out stand at the opposite end.

6 kids x 6 notebooks . . .  x 2 trips = 72 notebooks!

Enough for each of my students to have 2, and my own kiddos to have 3 or 4.

After 3 or 4 years of this, WalMart changed their policy, and

I could get as many as I wanted.

We were also given a little "legislative money" and it didn't hurt

my wallet as much.

I took this picture at WalMart the other day.

Three years ago at the start of my last year

(I didn't know it then),

the cost was $.10 a notebook.

Now (bottom row), it's $.17!

When I saw all of the school supplies, I didn't miss it!
Not one bit!!!
 I was a little nostalgic about my notebook shopping, and

the great fun we had!!! 

Awwww...good times!!!

BIRTHDAYS . . . CELEBRATING REID, CHRIS, KIM, & MIKE

On Sunday, May 31,

(after my high council speaking assignment in my ward)

 we celebrated birthdays for 

Mike (May 14...29)

Kim (May 17...35)

Chris (May 24...35)

Reid (June 2...58)

I gave Chris and Mike gift cards to Home Depot.

Kim a gift card to H & M.

Reid got 2 books:

100 Anniversary of the Alpine Tabernacle and

100 Anniversary of Alpine School District.

We had a BBQ at Reid & Laurel's, with Chris as BBQer.

Reid's Reggie Jackson autograph when he was a rookie was framed.

Chocolate makes everything better!

KAOS

MEET KAOS.
NOT "CHAOS"...BUT "KAOS". WITH A "K".

NEWEST MEMBER OF CHRIS'S FAMILY.

THEY FIRST MET HIM AT THE "PUPPY BARN."

CARTER NAMED HIM.

HE LOVES AUNT ANN!!!

(I MISS ALL MY DOGS...PAL, JESSE, TUFFY, CHARLEY,

ROGER, PUP-PUP, KING)

HOPE GRANDMA DIXIE DOESN'T FIND OUT...ONLY BECAUSE

CHRIS HAS 2 DOGS AT THE SHOP)