Happy Birthday Aunt Mindy Marie!

I NEED A SCANNER BAD...now that that is out of the way

HaPPy Birthday to my Sis Mindy!

~Mindy Marie Hutchings (now Farley) Senior picture~

I had to pull this one out of the archives because I DID HER HAIR and was so proud of myself! wahoo! I know she is ecstatic now that I did it as well.

Mindy was born a short 17 months behind me, and because of that we literally Grew Up Together!

Here we are w/ bad perms and BANGS flying kites w/ our youngest bro!

With such a LARGE family (9 kids) we were kinda like the mafia-thick as blood!

When it really came down to it, we stuck together and always had each others back!Here is an infamous Friday night pizza night at our home growing up-Mindy and I are bottom center and right!

Mindy is one of the sisters I shared a room with the most growing up, AND got in my only fist fight with!

We were two years behind each other in high school BUT really began to share friends and interest when we went to BYU at the same time.

(here we are riding on Grandpa' snowmobile at BYU-her and I are sitting on it together)

Mindy is passionate. She LOVES fiercely and is devoted!

You always know where you stand and what she is thinking-there is nothing fake about her!

Her and I enjoyed many adventures and trips at BYU and at home!

Here we are (above) enjoying a summer lifeguard formal w/ our other sister and bro!
(Alicia left-Mindy Right)

We would skip classes one day a year and go skiing up at Sundance-this is where we taught ourselves to ski- ha ha ha On this particular ski trip with my bro IT was quite the experience. Since there are NO BUNNY HILLS like the back east mountains--stepping up a level can be a little scary when you try.

My brother convinced Mindy and I to try next to the highest level of ski run. BAD IDEA! On the way up there he was dangling his pole and it hit the ground and snapped in two...all the while Mindy and I are panicking at how high we were heading up the hill. My bro Chad tried to convince us to give one of our poles to him-yeah right!

It began to snow pretty good and the exit off the lift was icy. My brother and sister fell as they were getting off the lift and I was so interested in watching I forgot to get off, and as I went back up in the air and realized I was going to head back down I jumped in panic. The ski lift operator fell on the ice as he was running to see if I was OK-we were all laying there in a blizzard quite sore, NOT a good way to start a high mountain run. We were a sight for sore eyes.

Mindy began to cry and my brother took the one pole he had and started whacking her with it to get her to get up and go, since she was refusing too. I finally talked her into it, being petrified w/ a few tears myself as we began to walk down the hill. We finally got down it and skied a bit of it-- AFTER a good hour! I do not think we ever went skiing together again!

We have so many FUNny Memories like this together! I am glad she was not afraid to hang out with me and try new things!

Since BYU had no spring break we took one ourselves for a cousins wedding in LA and stopped by Disneyland!

(Mindy and I are on the right)

Mindy and I were able to serve missions together for 6 months. I went out on my mission while my older sister served, and then served WITH my younger brother (we left a week apart from each other), AND then served while Mindy served the last 6 months of my mission. It was an amazing experience to share a common bond on a spiritual level with my siblings. Mindy and I had NEVER really planned to serve missions, and how neat it was to see our 'stories' unfold as we realized that is where we needed to be. We were able to talk about things so freely that we normally did not!

New Years Eve Times Square~ NYC! 1997

Mindy left, Alicia right in above

Alicia left, and Mindy right below

Seeing these pictures brings back so many memories. It helped me realize how much we experienced and how we did allot together, in the short years we were together before growing our own little families. Treasured time! We learned and grew so much about ourselves and each other.

(Mindy posing at our motel room during the getaway weekend)

Mindy and I both were in very serious relationships at the same time at BYU. I was REALLY confused during my courtship to this person, and she so lovingly decided to 'get away' one weekend with me while it was all taking place, to Salt lake City--so we could shop, watch a movie, and NOT think about things for a bit.

Incidentally her love relationship ended... and mine went on hold? when I served a mission. I ended up getting 'dear janed' while serving my mission and was quite hurt. Like I said earlier-Mindy is passionate and loves dearly, so upon getting the news of this "break up" she wrote a 'not nice' letter to the guy, while serving her mission. I am not saying that is OK to write mean letters, but it did touch me that she was so protective of my feelings and was sorry at how it ended.

Both our hearts are very happy and content now....AND

We DO still enjoy getting out for girls weekends and shopping-it is still good therapy for us!

She is a good sister, and STILL to this day, would DROP EVERYTHING if there was an emergency and you really needed her. Expense, time, and money would not be an issue.

(cheering on the cougs at a good ol' BYU game~ alicia bottom left, mindy bottom right)

Mindy arrived at BYU at an awkward time for me. ALL the guys my age had left on missions and my close girlfriends were a good year older than me ( I started kindergarten young)- so they began to leave on missions as well. I found myself hanging at her apartments w/ our cousin and her roommates quite often!

(L to R: Mindy, Alicia, Cousins Christine and Tim @ a folkdance showcase)

Mindy is always a good supporter! She voluntarily attends functions that you perform, or play in! She attended quite a few of my intramural games and folkdance performances! I know she attends my younger brother and sisters concerts, games and performances as she lives close to my family at home!

(Mindy is the 3rd from the left in our wedding line)

IF you want to get something DONE than Mindy is your gal! She is unstoppable when she decides on something. She is a planner and a doer-her job as a recreation manager suits that fast paced lifestyle woman well. She is always on-the-go and always has something going on!

For my wedding she pretty much came and helped me RUN the BIG reception in Utah (as my mom lived out-of-state). She arranged all the food and help, and made the throwing bouquets...and I am sure ALLOT more-it was all such a blur at the time!

(My whole crazy family-Mindy is far right/leg up...good luck finding prego me!)

She does a little bit of everything. She is a jack of all trades! For my brothers wedding reception in California-to make it more affordable, she made ALL of our matching skirts, made the cake, took the pictures, housed out-of-town company, helped w/ the brides hair, did the bouquets? and decorated. Sometimes she seems so flustered, but it is because she IS doing it ALL, by her own choice!

(baby Ryland)

Mindy also came out when I was due with Ryland to help me with two other kids that were close together in age. She took two weeks off of work, and we were ready! We waited, and waited, and waited....AND HE DID NOT COME while she was here. I wanted her to be here so badly for his birth. I had felt like she needed to be at the birth, as she struggles with severe infertility issues. She bravely took it and enjoyed the time with my other boys. After Ryland arrived she has always 'taken him under her wing' and has always felt and treated him special. We are so spoiled by her, especially since she has no children of her own. I treasure this time because WHEN she becomes a mother she will throw as much passion, love, and her time towards that child ...and we will not have as much of her as we are used too!(I am front row 2nd in on right-Mindy is right above me ~Rockin' R Ranch Reunion)

I am grateful she came to our family when she did.

Happy Birthday to my dear sister, my friend!