WORDS OF WISDOM

MY LIFE

My life has been hell since the beginning of summer!

I've had to have four injections in my knee.

Then, a trip to the ER and stitches in my thumb.

This has been my life since the middle of August!

I am being treated for an ulcer on the side of my right foot.

I went to the foot dr 2 days a week to be treated.

It was all cleared up, and I had a 3 week break in November.

During that time, I had something else to deal with,

that I won't go into.

Then, the ulcer came back!

I think my brace was rubbing on my foot!

Back to visiting the foot dr twice a week!

(I can't believe I wasn't invited to their 

office Christmas party!  I'm there almost as much

as they are!!!)

FIGHTING THE GOVERNMENT FOR CHILDREN

Former student, Sonja Gray Reynolds,

is fighting for the CHIP program.

An insurance program for children.

She actually went to

Washington D.C. to do something!

Senator Hatch helped to start the CHIP program

With her 2 oldest children and
Senator Orrin Hatch.

This photo appeared in the

NY Times, along with an article.

And, there was a piece on the NBC networks
where they had Sonja on, but I couldn't
get the video on here.  

Two of Sonja's children have
"Chrohn's Disease"
They are on the CHIP program to
help pay for the treatment.
They have to have remicade every month.
My mom has a remicade treatment every other month.
She said it is on her bill as chemo.
It is $3,000 each time.
But, with Medicare as her primary insurance
and Blue Cross Blue Shield as her secondary,
she doesn't pay a dime!

SOME THINGS ARE JUST TOO TRUE

ONLY THING MISSING IS A

NEW STUDENT IN THE CLASSROOM

CRISTINA

Cristina Moreno was a great student!

Sooo smart and sooo sweet!

She just returned from a mission in Chile.

Moreno Family

TWO MITCHELL ROOKIES

The Utah Jazz lost Gordon Hayward.

He chose to ruin my 4th of July.

Spent the day glued to the radio to hear his decision.

He wanted to be just like LeBron James.

A few years ago, LeBron was deciding to whether to stay in

Cleveland (close to where he grew up), or leave.

They televised a show on ESPN called

"The Decision."

It was 1 hour an 50 minutes before we heard,

"I'm going to take my talents to South Beach."

Bleh.

After a couple of championships, and a few finals

appearances, he decided to go back home.

Hayward's wasn't that extreme, but, the radio hosts

had to come in to work on a holiday.

Thousands of Jazz fans put their barbecue's on hold,

waiting to hear, "The Decision."

Hayward said he had "unfinished business" with

his college coach, who is the coach of the Celtics.

Unfinished business???

It started coming out from former teammates

that every time he stepped on the court,

he thought in his mind, he was facing Duke. 

He lost the championship on a last second

throw to the basket.
Butler vs. Duke.
(Carter's dad and I were at the 
Sweet 16 and Elite 8 in Salt Lake City.
So sweeeeet!")

Now, 7 years later, he has to win a championship

for his Butler Coach.

Can you say therapy???

Well, we ended up getting the better deal!

Hayward is out for the year in Boston, and we have

rookie Donovan Mitchell.

We immediately became better,

because we added a Mitchell!

And...he loves playing, loves his teammates,

and he acts like he wants to be here!!!

Enter another Mitchell rookie.

Second grader, Carter Mitchell, age 8 (he's on his 3rd day

of being 8 years old.)
My great nephew!
(His dad is my nephew.  His grandpa is my brother.)

Jr. Jazz.

It's a right of passage for Utah children.

(One of my former 5th graders, Ceri Wilson,

her dad started Jr. Jazz and ran it for years!)

Today was Carter's last day of the season.

Check out his number . . . 45.

The same as Donovan Mitchell!

Can you tell Carter's ball is going in the basket???

Carter might one day be like his Uncle CJ.

In the NBA.

2 years with LA Clippers

1 year with Orlando

Now with Portland, but recovering from surgery.

This was definitely a 

#ProudAuntieAnnMoment

CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

Nothing says “Christmas Surprise”

 like a drop in visit to my classroom from my very own

 5th grade teacher Miss Ann Mitchell. ❤️

After the Christmas Sing at Sage Hills Elementary,

I decided to visit a former student of mine.

Jodi Evans Smith.

She had just gotten remarried, and I

took her wedding gift and her sister, Jessica's, wedding gift.

Jessica had been a single mother for 10 years.

She put herself through school, and is in her 3rd year

of teaching 2nd grade at Thunder Ridge Elementary 

in Saratoga Springs.

A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

THE UTAH JAZZ ARE ON A HORRENDOUS ROAD TRIP.

WE HAVE THE HARDEST SCHEDULE IN THE NBA!!!

THEY LOST THEIR FIRST GAME TO MILWAUKEE.

AFTER, THEY WENT BACK TO SALT LAKE CITY FOR 3 DAYS.

ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, THEY PLAYED THE

1ST PLACE TEAM IN THE EAST . . . BOSTON CELTICS.

NEXT UP?  LEBRON AND THE CAVS.

THEN, HOUSTON ROCKETS, THE #1 TEAM IN THE NBA.

OKLAHOMA SITY IS NEXT.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE HAVE THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS AND

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER.  THEN, ON THE ROAD

TO DENVER NUGGETS AND LAST YEAR'S CHAMPIONS,

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS.

BACK HOME FOR THE LAST GAME,

LEBORN JAMES AND HIS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS.

BOSTON IS THE TEAM THAT STOLE GORDON HAYWARD.

HE'S OUT FOR THE YEAR.

BEFORE 2 MINUTES IN THE GAME, A CELTIC

HIT INTO DERRICK FAVORS, WHO THEN FELL INTO

RUDY GORBERT.

RUDY, WHO MISSED 11 GAMES WITH AN INJURED

RIGHT KNEE, IS NOW OUT 4-6 WEEKS WITH AN

INJURED LEFT KNEE!

BEFORE THE QUARTER ENDED, A CELTIC

SLAMMED HIS ELBOW INTO DERRICK FAVORS FACE.

SIX STITCHES OVER HIS EYE.

DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS TO SIT OUT FOR

CONCUSSION PROTOCOL.

WE HAD BEEN BEHIND, BUT PULLED AHEAD.

WAAAAY AHEAD!

WE HAVEN'T WON IN BOSTON SINCE 2008!

107-95

A TRUE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

MT. TIMPANOGOS TEMPLE

The LDS Church has a Nativity at every temple.

This is the one at the

Mt. Timpanogos Temple

FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LAAAAA, PART 1

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

ALL OF THE "CHRISTMAS SING" STARS HAVE LINED

UP PERFECTLY!

THREE SCHOOLS TO ATTEND CHRISTMAS SINGS.

(SHAY'S SCHOOL DOESN'T CELEBRATE ANY HOLIDAYS.

SALT LAKE DISTRICT.  TOO MANY NON CHRISTIAN STUDENTS.)

I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN.

CHRISTMAS SINGS ON DECEMBER 15, 18, & 20.

WITH CAMRY'S "WORLD'S FAIR" ON THE 19TH.

I SURE HOPE THE DANCE FESTIVAL STARS ALL

LINE UP LIKE THIS!

(I MISSED LILY'S KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION LAST YEAR

BECAUSE I WAS AT THE SAGE HILLS DANCE FESTIVAL,

COVERING 5 KIDDOS.)

FIRST CHRISTMAS SING.

DEERFIELD ELEMENTARY.

OAKLEY.

1ST GRADE.

(I SAW ELINORE ROMRELL, LEILA GARDINER,

CONNIE GOECKERITZ, AND PAUL & JENNIFER RASBAND!)

IT'S HARD TO SEE.

OAKLEY IS ON THE FRONT ROW, CENTER.

PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY A TEACHER.

I WAS SOOO IMPRESSED BY THE 6TH GRADE.

I HAD NEVER HEARD THE SONG.

EACH ROW WAS DRESSED IN A DIFFERENT COLOR SHIRT.

RED, BLUE, GREEN.

THEY HAD FLASHLIGHTS TO MATCH THEIR SHIRT COLOR.

THE SCHOOL HAD "CHRISTMAS GRAMS" THAT YOU

COULD BUY AND SEND TO A STUDENT.

YOU COULD HAVE A CANDY CANE (25 CENTS), 

CHRISTMAS PENCIL (25 CENTS), 

OR A BENDABLE CHRISTMAS TOY ($1.00)

THE CARD SAID STUDENTS NAME, TEACHER'S NAME,

AND WHO SENT IT.

(WITH A CUTE CHRISTMAS DRAWING ON IT.)

OF COURSE, I HAD TO GET ALLY, BROOKY, AND JACOB ONE, TOO!

OAKLEY WITH HER TEACHER, MRS. HANSEN.

ALLY AND BROOKY HAD TO GET IN THE PICTURE, TOO.

THE WHOLE GANG.

FRONT:  ALLY, BROOKY, OAKLEY

BACK:  JACOB, HEIDI, AUNT ANN, GRANDMA LAUREL.

(MIKE HAD TO LEAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK)

UP NEXT.

SAGE HILLS ELEMENTARY FOR

ADDIE, CARTER, PRESTON, & CAMRY.

(LAST YEAR, JAYCIE MADE 5.  SHE'S IN MIDDLE SCHOOL NOW.)

UGLY SWEATERS

Meanwhile . . . at Goshen Elementary:

(Lily, 1st  Haley, 4th)

THE EVANS GIRLS . . . AND ONE EX

In the 80's I taught 3 Evans children.

Jessica, Jodi, and Johnny.

I loved them!

Then in the 2000's, I taught 3 of

Jessica's children.

Maddie, Elisabeth, and Thomas.

I loved seeing Jessica at school!

I knew that she had had problems

with her marriage.

I liked her husband.

But, it was awkward, like at her

children's weddings.

Jessica met Matt Kelsch.

I taught Matt's brother, Cody.
He teaches at Lone Peak High School.
She has 7 kids, he has 4.

They were married in October.

Combined family.

Here is their story:

Nov. 21, 2016 is the day my life took the turn for the better. After hours of texting backand forth we met at Hart’s gas station for the first time at 2:30 in the morning. We had hot cocoa and we ended up talking for couple of hours more until we had to get ready for work. From that day till now we have had the most amazing and beautiful time together. And we feel we want to have a lifetime of amazing life together!! Our love grew from the first day we met to overflowing of love and gratitude.

I am pleased to announce that Jessica Moffat and I are engaged!!! 💍

We are so grateful for all those who have loved and supported us. We are so excited to begin the next chapter of our lives with each other and our children. We love you all!!

Jessica's ex is engaged, too.
This will be his combined family.
I did not find their story on Facebook,
but she teaches 4th grade at Mountainville Academy.
He has 7 kids, she has 2.

Jodi was a single mother for a long time.

Then, she went back to college,

and is now a teacher at Thunder Ridge!

There was a couple in her ward, where the
wife passed away this last spring.
Jodi was married to him in November.
She has 3 kids.  He has 9 kids, and 5 grandchildren.

Here is her story:

Long post warning:
35 years ago today a most beautiful union took place. And up until most recently it,

 to me, might have been deemed just a great marriage. No, it was a miracle. My miracle.

Ben married Katie and he has testified to me of his knowledge of how much he must 

mean to God because he was allowed the privilege of marrying an elect daughter such 

as she was. She helped him become the man he is who honors his priesthood, dotes

 on his wife, and works tirelessly to provide for his family.

Together they created 9 beautiful humans. Life wasn’t easy, they both understood

 it wasn’t meant to be. They knew how to do hard things together. 5 of their blessings have 

married and multiplied. Their lasting legacy of love won’t be stopped now. It will forever

 give glory to this beautiful couple and the God who allowed them this opportunity. 

Growing up I was taught the value of a marriage by a mother and stepdad who are

 fiercely loyal to each other. I never thought another marriage would have a greater 

impact than that of my own parents. I was wrong. Ben and Katie’s marriage has 

afforded me opportunities I never even dreamed possible. To be married to Ben has

 been nothing short of my miracle. My greatest blessing came at such a cost for those

 that I am learning I love most. It is opposition at its hardest.

Gratitude for Katie and the role she played in the lives of her family is almost too much 

for me to feel. I owe everything I have to this great lady and her family who have welcomed

 myself and my three as their own.

I will forever thank my Heavenly Father for the tender way He leads me along. It might

 seem strange for this post to come from me and I understand why, but I don’t ever want to 

forget how much love I have for those people I have in my life right now in this moment and the source of that goodness. Happy Anniversary Ben and Katie!