Who were your aunts and uncles? Do you have any aunts or uncles who really stand out in your mind? Write something about them (names, personalities, events that you remember doing with them, and so on).
I'll start off by listing them all, because there's a million. I'll put my parents siblings and then their spouses in parentheses.
SMITH SIDE: Lezlie (Jim), Clint (Diane), Cal (Christy), Dawn (Lane), Clair, Jodi (Dan), Amber (Dan), Chet (Shonnie), Paige (Derek)
MATHER SIDE: Darrell (Heidi), Jason (Kim), Ryan (Heather), Sarah Ann, Shawn (Maren), Cheryl (Dave), David (Colleen), Rachel (Daniel), Andrea (Weston), Evelyn (Richard)
Step-Aunts and Uncles: Kelly (Christy), Marty (Emily), Greg (Nickelle), Krisanne (Ryan)
SMITH SIDE: Lezlie (Jim), Clint (Diane), Cal (Christy), Dawn (Lane), Clair, Jodi (Dan), Amber (Dan), Chet (Shonnie), Paige (Derek)
MATHER SIDE: Darrell (Heidi), Jason (Kim), Ryan (Heather), Sarah Ann, Shawn (Maren), Cheryl (Dave), David (Colleen), Rachel (Daniel), Andrea (Weston), Evelyn (Richard)
Step-Aunts and Uncles: Kelly (Christy), Marty (Emily), Greg (Nickelle), Krisanne (Ryan)
As you can see, my parents both came from large families, and then got even larger when Grandma and Grandpa Johnson got married. Family reunions were always crazy, but so much fun. The awesome thing is I can sit here and type all those names from memory, which means my parents have told us a bunch of stories about their families and we've stayed connected.
The aunts and uncles that stand out in my mind on my Dad's side are Lezlie, Cal and Dawn. Lezlie and Cal both live in the Spokane area, so we do stuff with them a few times a year. We usually go out in the summer and go boating with them, since they live so close to the lake. We've also done Thanksgiving with them quite a few times. There was one year that Cal tried to cook the turkey with a infra-red heat cooker, and it was completely raw after like 6 hours. We stuck it in the oven and ate it the next day as leftovers. Dawn used to live in Pasco, but they move every few years for Lane's work. Dawn was always the easiest to talk to for me; she and Amber and the most laid back out of all the sisters, which is my style too. Every time we visit the Hansen's we have fun :)
It's hard to choose out of my mom's side because I feel pretty close to most of them. If I have to choose three, I'd say Ryan, Cheryl and Andrea. Ryan has always been around for all the big events in my life: he came to my baptism, graduation, our wedding, Jasmine's baby blessing, a bunch of our marching band performances... I could go on and on. We also spend most Memorial Day Weekends with them, and sometimes Thanksgiving too. Ryan is always generous and kind, not to mention funny. I love listening to he and my mom talk because you can tell they're such good friends. Cheryl is the same way; she is so easy to talk to, and hilarious. I always gravitate to her when we have family get togethers. I remember once we were all driving somewhere and I got to ride with her alone for about an hour. We talked about school and friends, and how I felt like I was kind of floating between not being popular but also not unpopular, just kind of a wallflower. I've always felt like of all my mom's siblings, I'm probably the most like Cheryl. For the past few years, however, I've talked to Andrea a lot. We've both gotten married and had babies within the last 3 years, and I feel like right now we're going through similar challenges with finances and careers. As a kid, though, every time we'd visit Utah, Andrea would take at least me and Cameron on "Aunt Dates". She'd take us out for ice cream, or to the park, or to a waterpark, or out to lunch, and one time she took us to see her work. One very special day I remember she made us all CD'S with new music. She is very generous and I always knew she cared about what I had to say and how I felt.
The aunts and uncles that stand out in my mind on my Dad's side are Lezlie, Cal and Dawn. Lezlie and Cal both live in the Spokane area, so we do stuff with them a few times a year. We usually go out in the summer and go boating with them, since they live so close to the lake. We've also done Thanksgiving with them quite a few times. There was one year that Cal tried to cook the turkey with a infra-red heat cooker, and it was completely raw after like 6 hours. We stuck it in the oven and ate it the next day as leftovers. Dawn used to live in Pasco, but they move every few years for Lane's work. Dawn was always the easiest to talk to for me; she and Amber and the most laid back out of all the sisters, which is my style too. Every time we visit the Hansen's we have fun :)
It's hard to choose out of my mom's side because I feel pretty close to most of them. If I have to choose three, I'd say Ryan, Cheryl and Andrea. Ryan has always been around for all the big events in my life: he came to my baptism, graduation, our wedding, Jasmine's baby blessing, a bunch of our marching band performances... I could go on and on. We also spend most Memorial Day Weekends with them, and sometimes Thanksgiving too. Ryan is always generous and kind, not to mention funny. I love listening to he and my mom talk because you can tell they're such good friends. Cheryl is the same way; she is so easy to talk to, and hilarious. I always gravitate to her when we have family get togethers. I remember once we were all driving somewhere and I got to ride with her alone for about an hour. We talked about school and friends, and how I felt like I was kind of floating between not being popular but also not unpopular, just kind of a wallflower. I've always felt like of all my mom's siblings, I'm probably the most like Cheryl. For the past few years, however, I've talked to Andrea a lot. We've both gotten married and had babies within the last 3 years, and I feel like right now we're going through similar challenges with finances and careers. As a kid, though, every time we'd visit Utah, Andrea would take at least me and Cameron on "Aunt Dates". She'd take us out for ice cream, or to the park, or to a waterpark, or out to lunch, and one time she took us to see her work. One very special day I remember she made us all CD'S with new music. She is very generous and I always knew she cared about what I had to say and how I felt.
Where did you go to school? What was school like for you?
I went to 4 different elementary schools: Parker Elementary in Houston, Highland Elementary in Highland, Vista Elementary and Sunset View Elementary in Kennewick. In Parker I remember having an awesome year of kindergarten; Mrs. Cummins was the best teacher ever! We did all sorts of crafts and special holiday parties. In Highland Elementary I had Mrs. Bule, who I don't remember much of, but I know I liked her. I had Mrs Lyons and Mrs. Gerdes at Vista, and then Mrs Quesnell, Mrs Pappas, and Mrs. Herling & Mrs. O'Brien at Sunset View. Switching schools got a little rough as I got older, but I always had great teachers and learned to love where I was.
Middle school got a little more rough. My 6th grade year, I discovered passing notes, boys, cliques, mean girls, puberty, and a bunch of other pre-teen nightmares. Most of that year was pretty good. Seventh grade was awful. It started out fine, taking orchestra and all my other normal classes, which included P.E. (yuck). A little less than halfway into 7th grade, the girl who was assigned the locker across from mine started making comments about my body, both while we changed into and out of our uniforms. At first I was confused and thought she was talking to or about something else. Eventually though, I realized she was pointing and giggling at me. I tried not to think about it too much, just brush it off and try to forget what happened. One night, probably about 4-6 months into all this, I broke down and just sat on my floor bawling. I didn't know why I was so sad until my mom heard and came downstairs. When she asked what was wrong, I told her everything. She brought my dad in and told him, and I remember him asking her name and if he could go beat her up. I pleaded with them not to tell the teachers, because I was terrified it would make it worse if she knew that I had told someone. A few weeks later it stopped, so I'm sure my parents said something, or maybe she just got bored. But those months of being told I was fat and giggled at still come back sometimes.
Eighth grade was a million times better. I took Spanish instead of PE, and I found better friends. I almost failed my Math class, but I learned from that eventually.
High School was hard, but looking back it was pretty awesome. When I found Marching Band, I found home. I loved the comradery of so many other people loving music as much as I did, and it put a new intensity into something I already enjoyed. I'm someone who loves structure in my music, so marching band was perfect. I also loved seminary, made the best friends, and had awesome teachers. I honestly would not mind going back to high school for a year.
Middle school got a little more rough. My 6th grade year, I discovered passing notes, boys, cliques, mean girls, puberty, and a bunch of other pre-teen nightmares. Most of that year was pretty good. Seventh grade was awful. It started out fine, taking orchestra and all my other normal classes, which included P.E. (yuck). A little less than halfway into 7th grade, the girl who was assigned the locker across from mine started making comments about my body, both while we changed into and out of our uniforms. At first I was confused and thought she was talking to or about something else. Eventually though, I realized she was pointing and giggling at me. I tried not to think about it too much, just brush it off and try to forget what happened. One night, probably about 4-6 months into all this, I broke down and just sat on my floor bawling. I didn't know why I was so sad until my mom heard and came downstairs. When she asked what was wrong, I told her everything. She brought my dad in and told him, and I remember him asking her name and if he could go beat her up. I pleaded with them not to tell the teachers, because I was terrified it would make it worse if she knew that I had told someone. A few weeks later it stopped, so I'm sure my parents said something, or maybe she just got bored. But those months of being told I was fat and giggled at still come back sometimes.
Eighth grade was a million times better. I took Spanish instead of PE, and I found better friends. I almost failed my Math class, but I learned from that eventually.
High School was hard, but looking back it was pretty awesome. When I found Marching Band, I found home. I loved the comradery of so many other people loving music as much as I did, and it put a new intensity into something I already enjoyed. I'm someone who loves structure in my music, so marching band was perfect. I also loved seminary, made the best friends, and had awesome teachers. I honestly would not mind going back to high school for a year.
What were your favorite subjects in school? Why?
I LOVE English and Music. According to my journals I used to love Math and PE, but young me didn't know what she was thinking. I love the passion and expression that both English and music offered me. I'm not very good at expressing my thoughts or emotions by myself, especially when I'm upset or sad, but I could always find a passage of a novel or something in a piece of music that spoke to me. Then, in high school, I took an English class that we had to read a Shakespeare play for, probably Romeo and Juliet. Now that play is my least favorite of all of his writings, but it introduced me to all of his wonderful other writings. Now I have what I like to call my "Shakespeare Bible", a beautiful book I got as a gift, I think from my parents, that contains all of Shakespeare's plays, poems, and sonnets. I've read it so much the cover is starting to fall off.
I have been blessed to have somehow found incredible music teachers that lead me exactly where I love to be in Music. It started in elementary school with violin lessons, then Marimba Band with Mr. Hampton in Sunset View, Orchestra with Mrs. Orr and Mr. Russsell in middle and high school, Marching Band, Symphony, Solo & Ensemble, Salsa Orchestra and Shaka Steel at BYUH with Dr. D... I couldn't have had better teachers and classes that have built up my music career and passion for music.
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