Mt. Dutton

This past weekend most of my family was able to go camping on Mt. Dutton where I have my once-in-a-lifetime bull elk permit this fall. We have never camped there before but it turned out to be a great area and we had a lot of fun. I thought I would share what we spent our time doing.


We took a 4-wheeler ride..

....enjoyed the scenery....

....layed in the hammock....

....did some target shooting....

....played croquet....

....caught some reptiles....

....played in the creek....

....took a 6 mile hike and saw beavers....

....and elk....

....played horseshoes....

....hunted jack rabbits and gophers....

....took another 6 mile (...oops! turned out to be 12 miles) hike....

....rested on a log....

....soaked our feet in the stream.

Thank you family for a wonderful weekend! We love you all!

Wasatch Back 2009

This past weekend a group of friends and I ran the Wasatch Back. It is a 188 mile relay from Logan to Park City, Utah using 12 person teams taking 3 legs each. The team has two vehicles with half the team in each leap frogging past each other to complete the course. Our half of the team consisted of me, my sister Lorraine (Rainy), Amy Matthews and her sister-in-law Debbie, Tiffany Clyde and Diana Johnson.

We started our weekend by having a carb loading party at the neighborhood park and decorating our vehicle with stick figure likenesses of ourselves.

In the beginning we were all pumped and ready for the adventure. We met up with the other half of our team in Liberty where our first set of runs started. It was the hottest day we've had in about 3 weeks topping out at 80 degrees. I had a pretty easy first run of 3.4 miles which I did at an 8:48 pace, which is fast for me.

We made it to our next exchange with the other van at Morgan High School where dinner, showers and sleeping were waiting. The dinner was spaghetti (pass, especially after all the pasta the night before), the showers were communal and the sleeping was on a hard gym floor. We braved the showers but opted for Subway for dinner and the local park to try to sleep.

At 10:30 that night we were off for our next leg. My knight in shining armour (my husband, Dallan) met us at the park to drive us through the night. I am sure grateful because I don't think any of us were in any shape to drive. My next leg was 7.0 miles downhill except the last half mile, which I ran at a 9:13 pace. Although the head lamp was annoying, it was really quite exhilarating running at one 0'clock in the morning with all the stars in the night sky. About 20 minutes after my run the adrenaline had worn off and I was beat. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open and being an enthusiastic cheerleader for the rest of the team. After a couple of hours of dozing on and off I was back in the game, running water to the runner that was out and offering encouragement. We made it to our next exchange at the Oakley Rodeo Grounds and moved on to Summit High School to try to catch a little sleep before our next leg. Once again, the sleeping was on the hard gym floor with a gazillion other people moving in and out, which basically meant no sleeping.

After a couple of hours we moved on to South Field Park in Heber to meet up with the other van. About this time the rain started off and on. By the time my run came around it was raining pretty hard. After a few minutes the rain turned to a sprinkle so it wasn't so bad. My last leg was 6.1 miles, all uphill, which I miraculously ran at a 9:33 pace. When I turned the last corner to finish my run I saw before me a very steep, daunting hill. I decided to just look down at the ground so I wouldn't know how much further I had to go. When I got to the top and saw Diana waiting to take over I was so excited! I had done it! I completed my goal! All that was left to do was cheer on the rest of the team.

Everyone was so tough and did an awesome job. They were very inspiring, especially to Dallan. He thought everyone would have been in rougher shape by the end. He is almost ready to try this himself! I am so grateful that I had this experience and for the closer friendships that we all share through doing this together. I am also grateful for all my behind the scenes support. It took quite a few people to pull off watching the kids and all their exchanges! Thank you Mom & Dad, Sheralyn and Karen for taking such good care of my most precious possessions. It means so much to me. Thank you Dallan for always supporting all of my crazy hobbies and a great big thank you to all of my new sisters (Tiffany, Amy, Diana & Debbie) and my old one (Rainy) for all the support and encouragement and making this a wonderful experience for me.

To the Fathers' in my life

I've been a very lucky girl. I was blessed with an amazing father and husband and I want to brag about them today.

Dad.....

My Dad is quiet and shy until you get to know him. He is pretty old-fashioned but he taught us strong moral values and a great work ethic. He is also very giving with whatever means he has available. He is always there to help me out with whatever I need. He helped us build our home and pretty much takes care of the farming. He is also one fabulous babysitter! When I started running a couple of years ago he decided he wanted to join in. (He can be very competetive, but he also loves to see his kids succeed.) I think that he has either won or placed in every race that he has entered in his age division. He has won the Payson Onion Days 5k the last two years and he is 69 years old. His goal this year is to have all of us win the gold in our age divisions since all of us girls that run are in a different bracket!

Even though my Dad is retired, he still loves to work. He has started a new business this year called Robbin's Tree Farm. Since March we have helped him plant over 2000 new trees. One day I drove out to my parents house and saw someone out in the field with a bonnet. As I drove back down the lane my Dad came over to talk to me and he had one of my Mom's dish towels tied over his head because he didn't have a hat that would keep the sun off his ears. I reminded him that they have something called sunscreen now, but the incident still makes me smile.

My Dad still comes to all of my orchestra concerts as well as supporting the grandkids at their piano recitals, ball games, school plays, etc. He is such a great example to me of selflessness and I love him so much and I am so glad he is my Dad.

Dallan.....

When I was sixteen, a group of friends and I went to McDonalds to get something to eat. As we were pulling through the drive-thru we saw a group of guys come out and get in their car. My nutty friends whistled at them and they pulled around and got our number. A few days later they called and asked us on a date. We've been together ever since. I often think how lucky I was to meet Dallan, for if we had been a minute later I would never have known him.

Like my Dad, Dallan has also taught me a lot of great qualities. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met and has taught me not judge people, to just love them for who they are. I am very high strung and impatient whereas he is very laid back and almost never loses his temper. He has taught me to be more patient and flexible.

I knew when I was dating him that he would be a great dad because of the way he treated his neices and nephews. Some of his favorite dad things are taking the boys and sharing his love of the outdoors with them, and taking the girls to get their nails painted while he is getting his hair cut. He loves to watch animated movies with the kids (which I don't) and he can also play video games with them (which I can't, except RockBand). He is awesome at making Ramen Noodles, combing the girls hair after they shower and vacuuming. He is a very encouraging father who is always so proud of his kids. He loves his family more than anything. The most important thing that he does is he is teaching the kids to grow up and be good, responsible, hardworking individuals. He is an amazing dad and I feel so honored to have him be the father of my children.

Touching the Temple

On Saturday June 13, 2009, the primary in our ward had an activity where they took the children to see and touch the temple. This activity was inspired by Elder Gary E. Stevenson's talk during the April 2009 General Conference titled Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples. He says "Even our young children have been encouraged to visit the temple grounds and touch the temple. President Thomas S. Monson once counseled, 'As we touch the temple, the temple will touch us."

Ever since we were sealed in the Manti Temple the kids have been asking when they can go back. They are a little disappointed that they have to wait until they go on missions or are married in the temple to go back inside, but they can still feel the spirit even if it is just visiting the temple grounds or touching the outside walls.

Youth Missionary Hike

On Wednesday June 10th, 2009 the youth in our ward went on a hike up Santaquin Canyon to roast hot dogs and marshmellows and to listen to a couple of speakers talk about missions.

Elder Con Newman, who returned from Argentina almost a year ago, spoke about how serving a mission changed his life. He read a list of promised blessings for serving a full time mission from a talk given by President Gordon B. Hinckley. He says, "I promise that if you will do so [serve a mission], you will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make." President Hinckley also says "If you serve a mission faithfully and well, you will be a better husband, you will be a better father, you will be a better student, a better worker in your chosen vocation." Brother Newman told us that in high school he wasn't able to learn very well and only pulled a C average. After his mission he enrolled in college and he has never gotten below and A- in any of his classes. In high school he struggled with math and now he is majoring in chemistry in preparation to be a pharmacist. I was really impressed with his talk.

Next, Sister Boggs, who will soon be leaving for a mission in Russia, spoke about how preparing to serve affected her life. She gave some great advice to live worthy so you don't have to change anything you are doing to be able to serve a mission. Both of the speakers were very inspirational.

Brother Fratto whittling a roasting stick with a hatchet. I was impressed he didn't lose a finger!

Enjoying the s'mores!

What a great night!!

Last night we went with a group of friends to the Provo Temple to do sealings. It was so amazing to kneel across the altar from Dallan again and to hear the words of the covenants we made to each other less than nine months ago. I felt a strong spirit in the room the entire time and it was so neat to watch our friends act as proxies as well. I am so grateful that we are surrounded by such wonderful people who set a great example to us and continually help us to have experiences that are so amazing.

The Best Day

On Tuesday September 16th 2008, thirteen years after being civilly married, we were sealed for time and all eternity in the Manti, Utah Temple. What a wonderful day! Everything was perfect. Perfect weather, perfect family and perfect friends to help us enjoy this wonderful event. We arrived at the temple and escorted the children to the youth center where some wonderful temple workers looked after them and helped them change into their white clothes. Then we were shown to our dressing rooms. I got the bride's room all to myself. It was fabulous! The temple was more beautiful then I ever dreamed of. After we were dressed, we were shown to the sealing room where my Grandpa Francom was waiting for us. He gave us some instructions about what would happen and then they brought in my Dad and Dallan's Dad to serve as witnesses. A short time later they brought the rest of our group in.
After Dallan and I were sealed they brought the children in. That was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. All dressed in white, holding hands, looking like perfect little angels. We all knelt around the alter holding hands as they were sealed to us. I haven't felt so much love since I gave birth to my beautiful babies, and now they are mine forever as long as I live worthily.
I want to first thank Heavenly Father for trusting me to raise his spirit children and giving me an amazing husband to do it with. Dallan, I love you more than you will ever know. Thank you for sticking with me, being a positive example and becoming a worthy priesthood holder so we could have this experience. I want my kids to know how much I love them. Grandpa said that the biggest act of love would be to die for someone as Jesus did for us, and I would gladly give my life for any of my children.
To all of our friends and family, thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping us to get where we are today. We love you all.