Francom Family

Nicole & Lendel

2011-12-30T22:07:00.006-07:00

My niece, Nicole, married Lendel on December 17th in the Logan temple. She looked beautiful! I am proud to be her aunt. It was chilly in Logan in December, but there wasn't much snow. This has been a crazy winter!

Daddy & Rylee

Ashlee, Natalie & Ryan
Some of the nieces & nephews
Me & my adorable Dad
Lendel & Nicole cutting the cake
I love my Rylee!
Francom Family 2011
Just married!
Nikki with the little kids. Natalie was so excited to be in the picture!
They don't look related, but Rylee adores her cousin, Nicole!

Congratulations Nicole & Lendel!

Holiday Video

2011-12-13T22:17:00.001-07:00

Chris made a video on his iphone. I think it's cute, so I'll share. http://fb.flixlab.com/watch/03xtbtc0oaowp1ebiy5ecvys4h?p=0hx5hu1utexq71xse7sn0j2d41&s=e

11/11/11

2011-11-19T21:42:00.004-07:00

Rylee's 1st birthday has come and gone. It was so fun! I had a blast decorating and preparing everything for her day. She refused to take her afternoon nap and got a little grumpy for her presents and cake, but only one temper tantrum, so not bad. Once everyone was gone she got a 2nd wind and stayed up till 10:00 playing, laughing, and having a great time! Maybe she was just overwhelmed by all the people.

Thanks to friends and family for making it such a fun day!

Rylee's Almost 1!

2011-10-26T15:54:00.004-06:00

11/11/11 is quickly approaching. I am excited to plan Ry's birthday party. We got a new camera in preparation of her birthday and all the holidays. Chris has had fun learning all of its tricks.

Chris's Injury

2011-09-28T12:33:00.015-06:00

Chris was playing flag football and tore his AC ligament in his right shoulder. A 3rd degree tear. He's been in lots of pain. We're hoping they can help him through physical therapy and rehab, without surgery. Only time will tell.

Rylee continues to grow like a weed! She's our little roller. She rolls and sits up, looks around to see where she needs to go, then continues to roll, repeating until she has arrived at her desired destination. It's all very quick and entertaining. I hope I can catch it on video. In the meantime, you can see how ticklish she is!

We went to Palisade Lake with Chris's family for a Harding Reunion in August. It was fun!

She loves to wear her dad's hat.

Rylee fell asleep in her Daddy's arms while we were playing a game. But, she wouldn't let go of her spoon!

She played in the pool with her cousin Lyla.

Rylee will eat ANYTHING you give her. She's loving the new finger foods she can feed herself.

She liked playing with the puppies her grandparent's neighbor had. She might have wanted to take one home!

She wears shoes sometimes. She often kicks them off and uses them as a toy.

She loves all the toys she's inherited from her cousins. Aunt Lisa and Aunt Lori have been VERY generous! Our living room can't store all of the toys!

Rylee's cousin, Ashlee, turned 2. They enjoyed playing in the box her bean bag chair came in.

Hiking with Daddy at Snowbird.

We got to watch the neighbors a couple of times while their mom was out of town and their dad had to work. Ry had fun playing with Kaiden, Maci, Makayla, & Keagan Pitcher. Rylee adores her neighbors!!

Summer Fun

2011-07-24T14:43:00.012-06:00

July 4th in Provo. The balloons were filled and then quickly taken down when a gust of wind went through. Kind of disappointing, since we got up at 5:30!
Aunt JoAnn and Blair came to visit for the 24th.
Our 1st time camping.
Mastering the art of sitting up.
In her Sunday best.
LOVES her jumper. Used to get her arms stuck in the leg holes and jump on one foot. It was very entertaining. She's gotten much better and is about to rocket jump out of it now.

Nike's and sun glasses make for a nice Sunday walk.

She thinks she should be driving already!

Summer time!

2011-06-09T20:21:00.011-06:00

We're anxious for it to be warm. Rylee got a pair of sunglasses, now she looks even more like her daddy! We looked at getting her the baby glasses with the elastic in the back to keep them in place, but we were pleasantly surprised when she left the glasses on without the elastic band. She thinks she's pretty cool.

She had fun trying on different glasses. We should've gotten this pair, she loved them!

Every once in a while, she'll wear shoes for a few minutes.She LOVES her daddy!

She's an Aggie through and through. She has a onesie, a t-shirt, and of course a bib.

She loves her baby food. She's not a fan of turkey yet, but she can't get enough of the squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes. I can not shovel it into her mouth fast enough! She lets out a quick cry between each spoonful, it's entertaining.She wishes she could skip baby food and go straight for the Cafe Rio salad.
Chris did a very tricky balancing act with Rylee a month or so ago...

6 Months Old

2011-05-11T13:14:00.004-06:00

Rylee is 6 months old. Seems like just yesterday she was too small for newborn clothes. Now she's sitting, eating baby food, and jumping in the jumper. She's such a joy to be with.

I have a recording of Chris playing with her feet and Rylee's cackling and laughing. It's adorable! I can't figure out how to put it on this post though. Suggestions? I have it in mp3 and mp4 format, but it's not a video.

I can hardly wait for the sun to come out so we can dress her in her adorable summer clothes! We had a hint of warmth last week and put her in sleeveless as quick as we could. We stocked up on sunscreen and bought her a sun hat. She's 100% her daddy, so we're fairly sure she'll turn into a strawberry once she sees sunlight.

Chris turns 32!

2011-04-20T13:40:00.011-06:00

Happy birthday to Chris! Of course he got his ice cream cake. And the NEW TaylorMade R11 3 Wood! My husband is truly loved. His brother, Danny, helped me get it and keep it a secret. Chris gets to take it out tomorrow, with Danny, and try it out in Heber. I'm sure they'll have fun.

Rylee continues to grow like weed. Her smile is contagious! And her laugh is our favorite thing. She always seems to laugh when we change her diaper. She thinks it's hilarious when her daddy calls her "stinky!" One of these days I'll have to get a video of it happening. Every time she does something cute, I run to grab the camcorder or camera...then she's distracted and it's all over.

She's very easily distracted. She eats so much better when it's completely silent, otherwise she's looking around to see what's going on. Maybe that's why she seems to eat so much better at night. I gotta tell ya, that needs to start changing though! I've looked into some sleep books, nothing seems to be the perfect answer. Her naps have gotten much better! But the night feedings? I don't have a problem with letting her cry it out...IF I thought that would work. She just works herself up even more, she makes herself sick. It's not worth it. I either lose an hour+ sleep listening to her scream (which is a rare occasion, and pretty much only at night when she's hungry) or I feed her and lose 15 minutes. We are lucky parents! She is a content, happy baby.

Rylee with Aunt Lori and Ryan at Natalie's 3rd Birthday Party.

Rylee in her beautiful dress from Mykin.

Rylee's 5 months!

Our "Big Girl"

2011-03-25T09:50:00.006-06:00

Chris calls Rylee "Big Girl" and she kicks, smiles, and laughs. She loves it!

Rylee is also starting to enjoy sitting up and grabbing for toys.

She sings, talks, or chants, herself to sleep. It's fun to listen to her talk.

4 Months

2011-03-17T12:56:00.006-06:00

Rylee is 4 months already! She had another set of immunizations. I hate immunizations! She sleeps horribly for the next few nights.

We're working really hard to get a sleep schedule and routine going for her. She does not take very good naps during the day. When she woke up last night, we let her cry herself back to sleep twice. It's a hard thing to do. But she woke up very happy this morning. We'll keep trying to encourage longer sleep periods at night and more consistent daytime napping. Chris & I need it!

She drools a lot, but doesn't seem to be getting teeth yet. I'm glad!

She sure loves her daddy! She falls asleep in his arms whenever she can.

She wants to sit up. She tries on her own. It's pretty entertaining. She enjoys sitting in her chair for a few minutes, but then she gets bored and wants to do something else. She gets bored very quickly!

She's such a happy baby, it's easy to love her.

She's been watching college basketball with her dad and Grandpa Mortensen. We love when he comes to visit! Grandma Francom came to visit, but of course we didn't get any pictures. Dang it! Hopefully she'll come visit again soon and I'll remember to pull out the camera.

Teething?

2011-02-08T21:25:00.005-07:00

Can my baby possibly be teething already!?! She's a few days shy of 3 months, but she's starting to drool, chew on everything she can, and last night woke-up every hour to eat about 1/2 oz (NOT typical of her). I don't want her to grow up so quickly!

Check out these chunky cheeks!

Growing up

2011-01-25T19:37:00.006-07:00

Rylee is sure getting big! She's so much fun. She's started to play with and pull my hair when I'm feeding her. She loves her swing, given to her by her Aunt Jenny. She hates tummy time and wants to roll over. I'll be so proud when she does!

I absolutely hate leaving her to go to work. Luckily, she stays with my sister. Rylee loves her Aunt Lori. When she can't stay with Lori, it's off to Aunt Lisa's. When she can't stay with Lisa, it's off to Grandma & Grandpa Mortensen's. I'm glad to have family nearby to help.

We love the photos taken by our friend Haylie. To see more of her work go to: http://www.haylielyn.com/?page_id=30. Rylee's FAR from this little now, but I'm a little late posting the pictures. It's almost time for her 3 month photos to be taken!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T19:50:00.015-07:00

It was a good Christmas! Rylee had fun wearing our bows. She also wore her cousin Blair's Christmas pajamas.

We did our annual tradition of The Night Under the Christmas Tree. We stayed at Lisa's and had a good time. We each got to open one present. Chris got the Cabela's Dangerous Hunt 2011 Wii Game. He's already killed a grizzly, elk, crocs, cougars, and lions. He's quite the hunter.

We had tons of fun with Rylee for her 1st Christmas. We're looking forward to next year when she will open her own gifts.

Chubby Cheeks

2010-12-20T18:25:00.016-07:00

Our baby is getting bigger! She's gained 2 lbs now. Her cheeks are getting chubby, and we LOVE it! Chris carries her like she's his little football.

Merry Christmas to our little elf.

Don't worry...I'll lose the baby weight. :)

1st Pictures

2010-12-02T12:38:00.004-07:00

Rylee's 1st picture. Thanks Haylie!
The Francom Family

Pictures of Rylee

2010-11-19T12:04:00.003-07:00

Rylee's personal tanning bed. We hated having her in the bili bed, it was torture not being able to hold her.

A VERY proud daddy.

Our welcome home. Thanks family!

Leaving the hospital. Figuring out how to fit her in this BIG car seat was a chore all by itself!

1st picture with daddy. Immediate love!

Rylee Jolynn Francom

2010-11-14T18:52:00.007-07:00

Baby Rylee Jolynn Francom was born Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 5:11 pm. She weighed 6 lbs. 2 oz. and was 18 inches long.

I thought my water broke during the night and woke Chris up at 3:45 am. We called the hospital to see if there was some way to know for sure. They suggested I come in and get checked out. We went in at 5:45 am. They checked me and said my water hadn't broken and I would probably be going home. I was sad! Then my doctor came in and asked if we wanted "spinach or ice cream". We asked for further clarification...he said I was dilated to a 4 and had an induction scheduled for 5 days out. He then asked if I wanted to keep the scheduled induction date or stay and be induced. We chose to stay.

I was started on Potocin at 8:00 am. Started having back labor. NOT fun! I ended up getting an epidural, which, ironically didn't help with the back pain. The doctor came to check me at about 12:45 pm and accidentally broke my water. By 2:00 pm I was dilated to a 7. At 3:00 pm I was dilated to a 9 1/2. The doctor decided to have me wait a while, fully dilated, to let the baby come down on it's own. I think that was a great idea! 4 sets of pushes and our baby girl was born at 5:11 pm. She had the cord wrapped around her neck twice and refused to breathe or cry. She was rushed to the corner to have 15 different nurses and doctors work on her. We were terrified. She finally took her 1st breath and was brought over to us. She has lots of blonde hair! We were very surprised, we expected our baby to be bald until the age of 3. I think she looks like her Daddy, she even has a dimple on each cheek.

She's been a great baby! She struggles with eating, but is starting to get the hang of it now. We're excited to have her home as part of our family!

Now if only we could get some sleep...

http://www.utahportraits.com/hospital/index.php?action=view&BabyID=111110rjf

39 Weeks

2010-11-10T21:54:00.003-07:00

I get less and less cute each day. I feel like I'm going to explode! I've gained over 30 lbs. If I don't have this baby before next Tuesday (my due date), I'll be induced. Counting down the days...

37 Weeks

2010-10-27T12:13:00.003-06:00

75% effaced dilated to almost 3. Hooray for progress!

It's not too late for guesses. Guess the gender, date of birth, and weight.

On an unrelated note, if you're in the Eagle Mountain North Utah Stake, check out the sports blog: www.EMNUStake.blogspot.com

Guesses?

2010-10-20T11:22:00.002-06:00

Taking guesses on the baby's gender, weight, and the day he/she will be born. My due date is November 16th. I weighed 5 lbs. 3 oz. and Chris weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. I'll give a candy bar to whoever is the closest. Leave a comment with your guesses.

Guess away!

Baby Francom's Shower

2010-10-17T10:00:00.016-06:00

The baby shower was fun. I was surprised to see some of the people, such distances traveled! It's great to know me and my little one are so loved.

Lori, me, my mom, & Lisa

Ashlee

Zach, Terie, & Becky (Winners for longest distance traveled, coming from Idaho Falls)

Aliese, Ethan, & Grandma Harding

Sarah, Brittainy, & Audra

Me & Katie

Ashley & Lisa

Chris stopped by to change clothes for his golf tourney. Too bad Colby was a bit late capturing the kiss.

Makayla was such a good helper, taking pictures, handing me gifts, etc.

The baby got some adorable gifts...

So many good friends and family. It was fun. Thank you Ashley & Colby!

Blood Work

2010-09-12T14:07:00.014-06:00

I threw up the glucose drink last week, so I had to redo the test a few days ago. I don't know the results yet. I have learned that my cholesterol is over 375! Ya, this baby seems to be killing me. I'm blessed with genetically high cholesterol, but can't take medication while pregnant or nursing. Fun stuff! 9 more weeks of pregnancy. I can do this, right?

The baby's room is pretty much done. We got the huge poster I ordered (thinking it was coming framed) framed, ordered a mobile, our changing table/combo dresser finally arrived. It's coming together and I love it! The wall over the changing table is empty and waiting until we know what we're having. I'll probably put pictures up. My sister is making me a bed skirt and table runners. The decorations are yet to be determined, I've just put a few things out because I have no where to store them.

Now if this baby would just get here. :)

Sad day

2010-08-28T09:14:00.003-06:00

I received a call from my doctor yesterday. My blood work was not so positive. My blood sugar and cholesterol were high. I have scheduled a 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test next week. I have to fast for 12 hours and then they take my blood 4 times! 4 times in a 3 hour time period. It's pretty much my worst fear! I know there are things that are worse, but it's the worst for me.

I've done some research about gestational diabetes and it scares the crap out of me. Many women with gestational diabetes have 12 pound babies! It can cause numerous complications during delivery. I'm hoping this horrible test comes back with some positive news. However, I'm planning on making major changes to my diet, regardless. I'm scared!

If you know anything about gestational diabetes, or how to survive the test I'm taking next week...I'd love your thoughts or suggestions!

Third Trimester - Finally!

2010-08-23T21:06:00.011-06:00

I'm 28 weeks...the 2nd trimester was as great as any pregnancy could be. But now, I've started the 3rd and NOT loving being pregnant. My stomach muscles hurt, my lower back aches, my pelvis is killing me, and I have enjoyed my first of many charley horses. I'm anxious for this to end.

I had my gestational diabetes doctor appointment and testing done yesterday. I HATE needles and despise giving blood. This is my least favorite part of pregnancy, the fact that I have to be poked with needles. I almost pass out every time! It's even worse now that I'm pregnant. How I'll do an epidural is beyond me!

Baby Francom seems to be growing and developing perfectly. We pray for this to continue. The doctor loves that there's lots of activity being felt every day.

We've finished the nursery. Chris did an amazing job on the paneling. The color scheme is orange, brown, and white. I've been given lots of hand-me-downs from my sisters and have had my work cut out for me as far as sorting, cleaning, and organizing all of the baby clothes they've given me. It might have been easier if I knew the gender of the baby, but the surprise is worth it!

Baby Francom

2010-07-01T21:43:00.018-06:00

Chris and I are expecting our first! We had our ultrasound this morning. Everything looks great! The due date is November 16th. We're very excited. Hopefully you can see the images clearly. It was fun to see baby moving around, kicking, and holding its hand up by its head. Already a fighter!I get a little bigger each day. It's been a chore trying to find maternity clothes that fit me. I'm sure it will get easier. It has to, right?

12 Weeks

16 Weeks

19 Weeks

Huish Family

2010-06-26T14:41:00.007-06:00

My sweet friend, Tiffany, and her husband, Zac, lost their sweet 6 year old, Sadie, June 25th last year. My sister's and I visited Tiffany and her 2 girls, Olivia & Sam, on the 23rd. We took them rainbow dresses and butterfly wings. Sadie loved rainbows and butterflies. We hoped to bring some comfort to the family as they approached a very tough date.

I wish the pictures were better quality, but I took them with my phone. It still demonstrates how cute these girls are and how Sadie's memory will live on forever! Sadie's info is available at: http://sadiehuish.blogspot.com/

Love you Huish family!

30

2010-05-02T15:23:00.011-06:00

Chris threw me a small birthday party for my 30th. It was fun. The best part about it...he got me a Magleby's Chocolate Cake! It was delicious!

He also took me to the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival. We had no idea there were so many beautiful flowers back there, a waterfall, some unique trees, and a pond. It's been a well kept secret, I guess. Next year we'll go when we have time to stay more than an hour. It's the perfect place to take a picnic. Lessons learned.

Chris is a great photographer. He had fun with the early showing moon and an artist painting the tulips. Too bad he was in shorts and we didn't have jackets, it started to get pretty chilly once the sun went down. We hit In-n-Out afterward, making it a perfect FHE!

Spring is in the air!

2010-04-14T12:52:00.003-06:00

I love spring! Our flowers are starting to bloom, our grass is turning green again, and I'M SMILING!

April seems to be the month of birthdays for our family. Brad turned 32 on April Fool's Day, Kaylynn turned 5 on the 8th, my mom turned the ripe old age of 65 on the 12th, Natalie turns 2 on the 16th, Jessie will be 22 on the 18th, Chris will be 31 on the 20th, and I'm going to be **30** on the 22nd! It also includes other nieces and nephews birthdays - Rachel, Justin, Karmindy, Lynnea, Brett, Clay...the list goes on and on! I can't afford the month of April! This is a picture of Chris last year on his 30th. He LOVES ice cream cakes. I'm hoping he's getting me a chocolate cake from Magleby's for my birthday. I could eat one of their cakes all by myself, in one sitting. YUM!

Chris has purchased my birthday present. He says I'm not allowed to tell people what it is yet. But...I don't care what he says! HA! He's taking me to the U2 concert in Salt Lake City on June 3rd. It will be an anniversary date too. Our 3rd anniversary! How time has flown. It's been a great 3 years. I love being married to this man!

Chris is famous!

2010-03-30T17:33:00.001-06:00

Chris was quoted on Novell's web site: http://www.novell.com/communities/node/4915/selling-tips-novell-workgroup-solutions

Strengthening Relationships

One of my clients had become jaded regarding her relationships with her Novell sales representatives. They had grown accustomed to having a Client Exec to support them, and were feeling the lack strongly. Even though they spent a quarter of a million dollars on Novell maintenance every year, this client felt that Novell was just not responsive to their needs. My contact was not the person in charge or the major decision maker; however, she had a lot of influence as she deals with the day-to-day operations of the client’s IT department. I knew gaining her trust would help gain the trust of the decision maker. I started gaining her confidence by responding quickly to all any requests she made. Then I proposed a renewal plan outlining everything that needed to be done to get their maintenance renewal plan on schedule. I proposed dates and action items to accomplish this goal. I asked if there were any other steps that needed to be taken, and asked if she agreed with this plan. She did agree—and execution was easy, since we both knew what was expected by the other, there was no pressure or time constraints, and everything was already planned out well ahead of time.

Result: Our renewal came in two weeks ahead of time, without any complications, with additional revenues accrued. Because of the relationship we had forged, I was able to defuse a potentially bad situation that rose from price increases in two of their four purchased Novell product groups. In fact, our relationship grew so strong that we held face-to-face meetings to discuss the possibilities of adding further Novell products to solve some of their other pain points. This opened up new potential revenue possibilities that could bring in well over $150,000 in upsell revenues. (Chris Francom, Novell Internal Sales)

Lyla's 1st Birthday

2010-03-24T12:34:00.005-06:00

Our niece, Lyla, turned 1 last week. I LOVE watching kids devour their cake!

She loved the icing. She had so much fun opening her presents and playing with them.

Jen, Curtis, and Landon all have birthdays this week. March and April seem to be the months for birthdays. My 30th is quickly approaching. AGH!

JoAnn's Visit

2010-03-24T12:12:00.006-06:00

My sister, JoAnn brought her family out to see Nicole for Spring Break. Nikki is a freshman at USU. It's strange to have nieces and nephews so much taller than me!

Kyle, me, Nicole, Ashlee, Blair, and Chad.

We didn't get to see them as much as I would've liked, they spent most of their time in Logan with Nicole. But it is always fun to hear all the stories about the San Luis Valley and everyone we used to know. I sure miss living by them! I hope the boys will end up at USU too.

I love my widows!

2010-03-03T13:22:00.003-07:00

I have a small group of friends that are also young widows. We get together sometimes to support one another and have become such great friends. I'm lucky to have met them. I wish we didn't have to experience such horrible loss, but I'm glad we have one another to "get it". If you know of any young widows that may need support and understanding, feel free to send them our way!

SHRINK-A-Thon

2010-01-06T18:35:00.014-07:00

This is the Group for anyone wanting to lose, win, and give BIG in 2010.

Join and pass this invite along to anyone interested in losing weight in the New Year! This will be a fun and educational way to SHRINK & benefit a good cause!

My friend Nisha is running the program, but I'll be helping with an Orem group. This is how Chris lost his 37 pounds! My cholesterol has improved too. It's NOT a diet, it's a lifestyle change.

The introductory meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 12th at 7:00 pm. It will be held in Lindon at a place called Noah's. If you're interested, or know someone else that may be, contact me or Nisha.

An interview with Nisha was featured in the Daily Herald: http://heraldextra.com/news/local/article_42db0645-7f7b-5cdb-8e07-22fc85210c86.html

Bringin' in 2010

2010-01-02T18:01:00.011-07:00

Chris spent December 31st skiing with Danny in the amazing waist high powder at Snow Bird. I went sledding with my family on a hill near Lori & Brad's lot. There was a STEEP hill. I decided to take a chance. It was iced over, I was flying!

We brought in the New Year by having fondu with my family.Who doesn't love fresh fruit dipped in chocolate!?! We had delicious chicken to dip in Matt's famous Alfredo sauce too. It was a yummy night. The kids loved watching their show with Grandpa Mortensen.

We then went to Colby and Tommy Hoschouer's to play Ticket to Ride and watch The Proposal. Great movie, great friends, and very chill New Year's Eve. Perfect!

New Year's was similar to the previous night, we had a BIG breakfast with my family and then spent the rest of the day snowmobiling with the Hoschouer's. Fun times! We're going to have to save our $ to get a snowmobile. It's serious marital boosting when you have to hold on to one another for dear life. :)

Happy Holidays!

2010-01-02T17:33:00.013-07:00

Chris and I had a wonderful holiday. We had my family over for the annual "Night Under the Christmas Tree". We ate lots of junk, played games, and watched kid's movies until way late. Then all the kids slept in the living room. When I was growing up, everyone slept under the tree, but now we all have bad backs and end up going to our beds. HA! We each get to open one present, usually pajamas, a movie, or game. The kids all got new pajamas and had fun posing for pictures in their new PJs. Chris and I each got slippers and Chris got a robe.

I love having mom and dad love close!

For Christmas we went to Jenny's with all of Chris's family. It was fun. I'm not used to waking up at 7:00 in the morning on Christmas Day though. I would've loved to get a little more sleep. Emma and Landon could barely wait until 7:00 though, so I'm probably pretty lucky. Emma was in charge of passing out the presents. Landon focused on opening his gifts as fast as he could. Lyla wasn't sure about opening the presents, but she loved playing with the wrapping paper.

Chris got me skis (yet another sport for him to kick my butt in) and I got him a Golf GPS. I'm sure his golf game will improve, though I don't think it needs to.

The following day we got to go to the Draper LDS Temple to seal Chris's dad, Steve, to his parents. It was awesome. I was surprised to not see many tears around the room, but it was a spiritual experience for everyone there. I'm glad I got to be a part of it.

It's been a good year. We're very blessed!

Remembering...

2010-01-02T17:30:00.002-07:00

The holidays always seem to be hard.

Why do we have to lose loved ones around the holidays? I am having a difficult day. Steven Ellis passed away 9 years ago today. My life was forever changed 9 years ago. I continue to love and miss him, that hasn't changed at all.

My life is great and I'm happy, that makes me feel somehow guilty and confused. It doesn't make any sense to me! I wish there was a book that explained it all, or at least made it make sense. I worry about hurting Chris, while grieving for Steven. It just doesn't seem fair to either one of them. I don't know how to act or how to feel on days like this...

Leno!

2009-12-09T19:16:00.012-07:00

Chris and I went to California for a few days before my Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference in Anaheim. I got tickets to The Jay Leno Show. You can watch the episode we were in at http://www.thejaylenoshow.com/video/episodes/#vid=1183083/?__source=recent-eps-module. I'm wearing an orange sweater and Chris is in a military-green jacket. We got to stand up and shake his hand when he entered, then we sat on the 3rd row. If I wasn't so short, you could see me. It's easy to see Chris and his blond hair though. If only our tickets were for this Thursday, we could've seen Matt Damon!

We had such a good time. We went to the L.A. Auto Show, stopped by Disneyland, saw their Christmas parade and the fireworks. For my 1st time in California, it was a great time! I've never seen so many adults in Disney apparel. It was almost freaky. As you can tell by the Tower of Terror photo, I don't do well on free-fall rides! I was terrified!! Chris is lucky I didn't kill him for putting me on a ride like that.

Utah State!

2009-12-02T11:14:00.014-07:00

Go Aggies! We're headed to the USU vs BYU basketball game tonight. I hope BYU can handle playing in the Aggie Spectrum. This is our court!

Turkey Day

2009-11-29T18:16:00.003-07:00

For Thanksgiving we went to my brother, Rich's, house to have lunch with a small group, just his family and Chris and I. Then we went to Chris's Uncle Dave's house for a Harding Family Thanksgiving Dinner. It was fun to see everyone. We took Maverick to Dave's. His dog, Brody, didn't like Maverick much. He attacked him any chance he could. Mav held his own, until Brody got on top of him. No surprise since Brody is about 3 times bigger than Mav.

After all the dinners, we headed to Lisa's house to stay with the kids while Lisa, Matt, Brad, and Lori hit the Black Friday sales EARLY in the morning. I can't see myself getting up that early to save a few dollars. Sleep is WAY too important to me. :) We had a fun time with the kids Friday morning though. We watched "Up", played with Maverick, had pancakes, and looked through magazines for gifts they'd like from Santa.

I love the Christmas season! I've pretty much gotten all of Chris's gifts already. He's so hard to surprise, but I still try.

Jewelry Give Away

2009-11-05T17:56:00.001-07:00

Check this page out: http://littlevenicedesigns.blogspot.com/

You can register for free jewelry, made by a friend of mine.

Family Photos

2009-11-01T20:50:00.009-07:00

We took family photos. Chris and I haven't changed much, but we still take yearly photos. HA!

Oh wait, we had to take a 2nd photo, cause Chris thinks he's so funny!

Here's the whole lot of us. The Mortensen Family is getting bigger every year. Thanks Lisa & Lori!

Happy Trick-or-Treating

2009-11-01T20:06:00.009-07:00

Chris and I had his mother's family over for the annual Harding Halloween Party. It's always fun with the Harding's. We ate pizza and laughed most of the night. The picture of Pat in a penguin suit says it all!

Dave, Trevor, & Brett

Emma & Landon

Erica, Shawn, Wendy, & Alexis

Danielle & Pat

Lyla was dressed as a cow earlier, but now she's just showing off her sitting all by herself.

I didn't get to see Ryan, Blake, Ashlee, Kaylynn, & Natalie for Halloween, but I got a picture.

Changes

2009-10-04T11:04:00.006-06:00

We got a new puppy. His name is Maverick. Yes, from Top Gun. Chris and I love that movie! He's pretty cute and not afraid of anything. He's curious and love kids. His home is in the backyard, but he'll sleep in the garage through the cold winter months. It's fun to see Chris so happy.

My sister, Lori, had her baby last week. They named her Ashlee Ann. She was 7 lb. 1 oz. and 19 in. She's so little! I hope my babies are as perfect as Ashlee. She doesn't cry, she sleeps through most of the night, and loves when her big brothers and cousins hold her. It's fun to visit them.

I continue to get new clients. I'm getting 2 or 3 each week. I'm getting busier all the time. Keep the referrals coming!

Kaua'i Hawai'i

2009-06-19T10:14:00.016-06:00

Chris & I took a trip to Kaua'i Hawaii for our 2nd anniversary and to celebrate my auto settlement and starting my new company. The 1st thing they said to us when we arrived on the island was "Romance is MANDATORY". And it was! It was romantic, beautiful, peaceful, relaxing, and all-around amazing.

We hiked 8 miles round trip to the most amazing 300 foot waterfall, sailed around the Napali Coast, snorkled, attended a luau, and flew over the island in a door-less helicopter. We didn't hang out on the beach as much as I thought we would, so my tan is lacking...but everything we did do was perfect! We found rare sea shells to make me a necklace or bracelet.

I've tried to attach a video of the fire dancer at the luau, but it doesn't seem to want to upload. Sorry. The video wouldn't do it justice anyway. We had a front row seat. I was sitting there minding my own business when one of the dancers pulled me out to hula with him. After a few minutes of embarrassment he let me sit down. Not 15 seconds later, another dancer came and pulled me out to hula with him. Seriously! Twice in one night. Someone else should've had a turn, don't you think!?

I suggested we stay and live on the island, forget the real world! Chris thought I was crazy. Too bad!

I'd attach a video of the helicopter ride, but our video camara froze up on us just as we boarded. Ya, you guessed it, we didn't get a single video of the helicopter flight! Just pictures. Sad!

I hope we get to go again!

It's A Girl!

2009-06-15T15:38:00.004-06:00

No, I am not having a baby. But my sister, Lori, FINALLY found out what she is having! She will have 2 boys and a girl to complete her family. They are going to name her Ashlee Ann (if Brad agrees on the middle name). She is going to inherit all of Lisa's girls' clothes. LUCKY!

LSC

2009-05-20T12:28:00.007-06:00

Life's Solutions is having it's GRAND OPENING on Monday, June 29th!

309 North State Street

Orem, Utah 84057

Phone: 801-404-3069

Fax: 801-434-8333

LifesSolutionsCounseling@gmail.com

www.LifesSolutionsCounseling.com

Ending & Beginning

2009-05-06T21:17:00.004-06:00

Mediation is over! We settled! It was a very hard day, but I got enough to pay off my student loan. 8 1/2 years I've been battling this auto insurance crap. Whew, I feel like I've gotten a new start on life. Now Chris & I can think about having a baby...

I'm planning on renting an office space from my chiropractor, in Orem, for my private practice. I'm hoping to start in early June, if everything goes as planned. 309 N. State St. I'm excited! I still have to order business cards, get a phone line, follow-up on an Orem business license, get billing software, finish my website, and a few other things. There's so much to do to prepare for the start of a new business. I might need a vacation!

I'm excited Chris and I can finally rely on one income, allowing me to try this new business adventure. I'm happy to be closing a rough chapter of my life, but a strange part of me hates to see it close. I feel guilty. No, that's not the right word. Scared? I want to move on, but at the same time hate to let go. Does that make ANY sense? I don't think so either! Maybe I fear losing part of my identity? I just don't want to ever forget Steven and I don't want others to either. As nice as it is to not have to worry quite so much about my medical expenses, it doesn't really make it all go away, or even make it better. You know, I'd give up millions of dollars to be the person I was before my car accident. I'd love to get my brain, my memory, my back, my shoulder, my ribs, and my life back. I miss me. Sorry to have rambled for so long, I've just got a lot on my mind. Very few people get it. I'm hoping the computer does. ;)

Maybe Chris and I will take a little vacation for our 2 year anniversary, coming up on June 2nd.

Chris is 30!

2009-04-21T18:39:00.005-06:00

Chris celebrated his 30th birthday yesterday. We had a birthday party last Saturday with a few close friends and family. I got him 2 new wedges for his golf game. He played with them several days before his birthday. Such a cheater! He did amazing work with them though. I'm lucky to have such a talented, patient golf coach.

Looks like I'm back to the drawing board for my private practice. I'm hoping to have it fully functioning by the end of May. Beacon didn't work out quite like I had hoped. Oh well. I've already had the private practice plans in my head for a year now. Once I'm an LPC, on May 23, 2009, I'll get this thing up and running. Chris has been very supportive throughout this whole thing. Who wants to help their wife clean out her office on their 30th birthday? No one! But, my husband did it anyway. There are SO many reasons I love this man. I swear, I love him more everyday.

Here's my logo, in case you hadn't seen it a few months ago. I'm ordering business cards & I'm just waiting to go! I'm hoping to be able to continue seeing the clients I started seeing while at Beacon. My phone number for my future business is: 801-616-3097. People can call with questions now.

I've also been asked to speak to Chris's aunt's stake. I'm presenting on Pornography and the Specific Issues Related to Women, such as romance novels, soap operas, etc. I'll be presenting to them with one of the counselors in the General Relief Society Presidency, on May 9th. What an honor!

I was also invited to present classes to my ward enrichment on Destressing Your Marriage, specifically improving communication skills. This meeting will be held on June 10th. This is a great opportunity to share my ideas, regarding the book I'm planning on writing, with others.

I hope everything works out! I'll be fairly unemployed for the next month or so getting licensed and the foundational work to open this practice going. But, hopefully after that I'll be able to make a dent in this lovely student loan of mine. :)

Mediation is scheduled for May 1st for my auto accident! I can hardly wait to get all of this behind me. I'm excited to finally have closure and to be able to make sense of it all. I pray my insurance company will offer some financial support for my ongoing physical injuries. Time will tell...

Tax Day

2009-04-16T10:15:00.004-06:00

Tax day sucked for me this year, but it had nothing to do with taxes. Our basement flooded and work SUCKED!

It was a good day for others though. My sister sold her condo. Yay Lori! And Steven's sister, Becky, her her baby boy. She named him Zachery Steven.

New Niece

2009-03-19T21:38:00.005-06:00

Here's our new little niece.

Jenny & Curtis named her Lyla Grace
She was born on 3/18/09 at 2:16 pm
She weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and was 20 inches long

I'm excited to finally meet her tomorrow!

Check Me Out!

2009-03-02T21:43:00.008-07:00

The Company webpage shows this:

Aimee Francom

LPC

Aimee is one of just a few counselors qualified and fluent in American Sign Language. She can work with individuals and families that need assistance in Deaf and hard-of-hearing situations.

She has also taught seminars on stress management, emergency preparedness, communication skills, grief and loss, dealing with trauma, and getting the most of your current employment.

Aimee is a National Certified Counselor and a Licenseded Professional Counselor. She has a Master of Arts Degree in Mental Health Counseling, and a Master of Science Degree in Administration and Supervision from Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. Aimee also has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, with a Minor in Family and Human Development.

Her background is impressive, having worked at Valley Mental Health, Beneficial Life, Child and Family Services, Blomquist Hale Consulting and the Family Service Foundation, Inc.

GOOD news

2009-02-19T17:37:00.012-07:00

I did it! I finally got my scores for the NCMHCE back. I passed! I also passed the Utah Professional Counselor Laws, Rules, and Ethics Exam last week. I'm mailing my application to become an LPC tomorrow! Not that anyone cares about my "official" scores, but I'm attaching them because I'm THAT proud!

Here's my scores on the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (I needed a 104 & 130 to pass, I got a 130 & 156, respectively)

Here's my scores on the National Clinical Exam (I needed a 97 to pass, I got a 131)
Here's my scores on the UT Professional Counselor Laws, Rules & Ethics Exam (I needed 75% to pass, I got 85%)

I'm SO close I can taste it! I start working at Beacon FMH on March 2nd, but will be attending the Open House on Feb. 27th & 28th. Hopefully you've received an invitation to the open house?

On another happy note, I heard from my lawyer regarding my lawsuit today for my auto accident in Jan. 2001. The coroner in Idaho stated the police had done a "piss poor investigation" and he was positive I could not have been driving. This is great news and hopefully encourages my insurance company to help me out a bit. I'm getting tired of hurting. Only time will tell...

It's been a GOOD day!

Chris & Aimee

2009-02-07T21:10:00.004-07:00

Updates

2009-01-28T11:53:00.006-07:00

My niece, Natalie, won the cutest baby contest! Thanks for your votes. And I'm truly sorry if you continue to get emails from UtahBaby. There's an email address, at the end of their emails, you can reply and request they take you off their list. :)

I took the NCMHCE last week. I have NO idea how I did and won't get my score for 6-8 weeks. AGH! The highlighters they gave us to use for the test didn't work. It was a frustrating day! But, at least it's over. Whew.

I start my new job on March 1st. I'm depending on referrals, so if you'd like to send people my way, I'd love it! We're having an open house the end of Feb. I'll post more information when I have it. I've mailed several of you the following:

Aimee Francom, CPCI
Beacon Family Mental Health
8915 South 700 East, Suite 203
Sandy, Utah 84070
801-938-5151

Dear Family and Friends,

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Beacon Family Mental Health, which is now my new place of employment! Beacon Family Mental Health is a new counseling agency, located in Sandy. I am excited about this current transition in my life and hope to be able to serve more clients, including Deaf clients.

After meeting with the founders of Beacon Family Mental Health, I was drawn in by their commitment to clients and vision of better care.

I’d also like you to know of the Beacon FMH Education Center. Many classes and workshops are available to individuals, couples and families for a nominal fee, with some classes being totally free of charge! Please see the enclosed class and workshop schedule. More classes may be offered in the near future. We assist all individuals, as we have clinicians fluent in American Sign Language, Spanish, and Portuguese. Lindsay Brand specializes in child therapy, and does an excellent job in working with children.

Also enclosed is a pamphlet outlining The Safe Harbor Treatment Program, which is designed to assist those with sexually addictive behavior. Sexually addictive behaviors can cause personal conflict, marital and family discord, depression, anxiety, anger and resentment. Please take a few moments to review these pamphlets. We treat all individuals and families with a variety of emotional struggles. My specific areas of expertise include Sexual Addiction, Pre-marital and Marital Counseling, and Grief and Loss.

Our fee schedule is identical to LDS Family Services. The fees are as follows: $70.00 per session, $105.00 for an initial assessment and $20.00 per session for participation in therapeutic groups. We accept most insurances.

I invite you to utilize Beacon Family Mental Health either for the needs of your loved ones or someone else you may know that might need assistance. We’d be delighted to meet with members of your family! Once you engage with the clinicians in our agency, you will also feel the hope and enthusiasm I experienced when learning of Beacon Family Mental Health. We hope to assist and empower others to make positive changes in their lives that are lasting.

We strive for excellence in serving you and are committed to providing the highest quality of treatment. We long to assist those who are in emotional pain and help empower them to create positive forward movement in their lives.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely,

Aimee Francom, CPCI

NEW Employment

2009-01-07T13:08:00.005-07:00

OK, I was planning on opening a private practice...and I still may. I'm open to seeing people ANY time. I'm registered with the state and everything. And you saw my logo, it's amazing! But, with Chris and I planning to start a family in the near future, and the crappy economy, I'm nervous about taking out a small business loan. So, I decided to interview with a few places for a possible change in employment.

And...

Drum roll...

I've been offered a position with Beacon Family Mental Health in Sandy, UT. It's a new business. I'll participate in the establishment of a business, making opening a successful private practice later MUCH easier. I'll use both of my degrees as well. I'll do individual, couple, family, and group therapy. I'll also have the opportunity to give presentations, teach classes, and offer seminars. In addition, I'll help with marketing, organization development, and design. They even encouraged me to write the book I've been planning for some time now! And my personal favorite, I'd finally be able to see Deaf clients when I want.

The company's mission statement is "Emotional healing, for individuals and families, centered on Christ". I'll post the website when I've helped get it up and running. ;) It's similar to LDS Family Services, but I'll probably make more $. HA! I was quite impressed by this company. They seem to care about their employees, which is something I haven't felt in a LONG time. When explaining their business model to me, it sounds very much like a "private practice" feel, but without having to do the billing, scheduling, etc. I'm very excited!

Now, I have to get back to studying for the NCMHCE I'm taking on Jan. 17th. If I pass, I'm on my way to licensure as an LPC! I've completed my required hours, I've passed the NCE...I'm almost there!

Cutest Baby Contest

2008-11-21T15:27:00.003-07:00

My niece, Natalie, has made the top 10 cutest babies in Utah. I'd love it if you'd take a look & vote. The link is http://www.utahbabyguide.com/cutest_baby_contest.html if you'd like to look at all your options. Then, all you have to do is send a quick email to cutestbaby@utahbabygu ide.com with the subject heading Entry #4. Quick, easy, painless.

Thanks!

Friend's Post

2008-11-07T14:19:00.004-07:00

A friend of mine recently had this posted on her blog. I support this & like it so much I thought I'd post it on my blog as well. Love ya Camille!

"As you know in California recently voted on Proposition 8, an initiative to establish that marriage be recognized only between a man and a woman. I am obviously for equal rights of all people. Discrimination of homosexuals is unacceptable. Their right to equality does not, however, neccessitate nor justify the redefinition of marriage. Recent litigation siding with homosexual couples has infringed on religious rights resulting in the termination of Catholic adoption services in Massachussetts (because the Catholic church would not grand adoptions to homosexual couples), have challenged the tax exempt status of religous organizations, and sided against fertility doctors who referred homosexual patients to other doctors because their beliefs and conscience would not let them offer fertility services to homosexual couples. These rulings are significant and will only be the tip of the iceberg if judges go unchecked. These cases make it clear that in order to preserve the religious freedom that was paramount in the founding of the United States of America, there is a need to assert the definition of marriage as the union of one woman and one man. Other civil unions and rights may be granted homosexual couples, but marriage is not one of those rights.

Here are some links to great articles and commentaries on the subject. I encourage you to review these articles and take action as your own conscience demands.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91486191
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-blankenhorn19-2008sep19,0,2093869.story
http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage
http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/homosexuality/ho0079.html
http://www.protectmarriage.org/ (click here to find ways to volunteer)

Please take the time to be informed regarding this manner and to take action."

Life's Logo

2008-11-04T21:59:00.003-07:00

Here's my logo. Let me know what you think...

Cuteness!

2008-10-21T14:43:00.003-06:00

Check out my sister's cute family. Her friend Tanelle took these pictures. She's starting her own photography business, looks like she'll be getting tons of clients soon!
http://ryanandtanelle.blogspot.com/
It probably doesn't hurt that Brad & Lori have ADORABLE kids though!

Uncle Larry's Funeral

2008-10-16T13:07:00.010-06:00

I recently attended my Uncle Larry's funeral in Grand Junction, CO.

While funerals are a horrible reason to get together...it was nice to see all of my extended family, most of which I haven't seen in years. I was excited to introduce Chris to them. They are anxious to get Chris to the golf course.

There was a pretty embarassing incident. I was taking Chris to my cousins table, to show him off. He began pulling the chair out. I thought he was pulling it out for me. I thought, "Wow, that's sweet of him, he usually doesn't do this." Turns out, he was taking the chair for himself, so I could sit by my cousins. Boom! I landed flat on the floor! Everyone there laughed. I even got applause. I ended up with a couple of bruises. It was a serious fall. I'm at least glad everyone got a laugh out of it. I don't even think Chris feels bad about it, "I should've seen it coming." Haha!

My sister, JoAnn, and my cousin, Curtis, have been long time friends. It makes me laugh now, but when I was a kid, I had the BIGGEST crush on Curtis! I guess stuff like that only happens in Wyoming!?

I was sad JoAnn didn't get to bring her kids. They're busy with school, sports, and the school choir show or something. Doesn't it suck living so far away? I hate missing everything they're in.

My mom & dad recently visited as well. It's always nice to see them, though I usually take a backseat to the grandkids. It's understandable, I do have cute nieces & nephews! My mom & dad are getting old. I hate it. I remember my grandma playing a huge role in my life growing up, I worry my children won't get to have the same experiences, either because we don't live close to my parents, or because I'm waiting too long to have kids. Either way, it worries me. I love my parents! Aren't they just the cutest couple?

Private Practice

2008-09-22T12:11:00.005-06:00

I'm doing it! I'm opening a private practice! It's a lot more work than I realized, but it will be worth it, I'm sure. My company's name is
Life's Solutions Counseling.
I have a web page & everything. But don't look yet, it's still being built. Also, more work than I realized. HA!

Chris is being very supportive. I've turned into the most boring wife. I'm always working on marketing, reading, or my financial business plan. I'm learning lots. Chris's grandfather has been teaching me the accounting, tax, legal aspect of setting up a business. Wow. He's an intelligent man! I'm lucky to get to pick apart his brain before he & his wife take off on a mission in 2 weeks.

For a while I'll be seeing private clients at my office in Orem, and a select few private clients at home. After a few months, when I have more of a clientele, I'll open an office in the Orem area. I'm excited to be doing this. I hope I can set it up to be successful, profiting, and helpful to all those who come see me. I'm planning on specializing in grief & loss (cause of personal experience), marriage counseling (cause I LOVE it), and work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (cause I sign). If I need to add specialties, I can do that, but I've learned focus is power. Listen to me...I'm a small business owner! :)

New SUV

2008-09-03T16:58:00.004-06:00

Chris & I found a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder in Colorado. Chris's dad was able to get it for us & Chris flew home to drive it back. It's great! I love this automobile. It's too bad I have to get in an accident to get a vehicle I like this much, but I guess I'll take it any way I can get it. I feel so spoiled. I can hardly wait to get something to pull behind it!

Accidents

2008-08-12T11:54:00.008-06:00

I swear, I'm cursed. I was on my way home from work last night & the big pick-up truck in front of me had to slam on their brakes. I then had to slam on my brakes. But, you know it, I rear-ended them. Their truck received a scratch and maybe a slight adjustment of their rear bumper. My car, on the other hand, was BEAT UP! It doesn't look too bad in this picture at the towing facility, but it was worse before they moved it. Both airbags were deployed, the front of the car & hood smashed, the tires smoking, windshield broken, and something under the hood wouldn't stop smoking. The fireman had to cut the battery to prevent a fire. Why does this happen, just as I was celebrating the moderate amount still owed on my auto loan?

I was pretty shaken up by the accident. The smells freaked me out. I'm sure everyone at the scene thought I was a bit dramatic. Oh well, they don't understand. I'm grateful it wasn't any worse than it was and I only received scrapes, burns, & bruises. But, I HATE accidents!

It's the worst feeling having to call your husband to say "I've been in an accident." It's not fair to him. That's got to be the most terrifying thing to hear on the other end of the phone. Chris raced to be by my side and drive me home. I've got to be the most irritating wife on the planet!

No more accidents for me...I promise! I won't even use my cell phone unless I have my bluetooth headset. No mistakes for me. I have WAY to much to live for!

Vacation

2008-07-30T14:02:00.013-06:00

Chris & I recently returned from a fun filled week with family. First we went to Victor, ID with Chris's family to camp, hike, relax, and of course...play golf. The weather was perfect and the camping spot was in a great location. Chris & I went 4-wheeling on amazing back country trails. We also played a long, competitive game of Hand & Foot with Chris's family. To tell you the truth, I'm surprised they still like me! The last day there, Chris, Danny, Kelsey, & I hiked to Inspiration Point in Jackson, WY. We obviously had fun with the fruit roll-up tongue tattoos!

We then drove to the San Luis Valley for a few days with my family. We hiked to my favorite waterfall with my sister, JoAnn, and 3 of her kids, Kyle, Chad, & Blair. It was beautiful! I got to teach my brother-in-law, Anthony, and Kyle how to play Settlers of Catan. I love that game! What am I saying, I love most games! Chris & I also enjoyed watching the Olympics with my mom and dad. Go Michael Phelps!!

After that, we went to the National Sand Dunes Park for my 10 year reunion. Can I really be that old!? There was a small turnout, but it was still fun to see a few old faces and catch up. Most of my classmates had cute little kids. Hard to believe they're all parents!
Chris & I also hiked to Zapata Falls. Talk about cold water! Our feet could only handle so much. It was fun to spend time with Chris. We seriously need to go on more vacations.

It was great missing that much work! Now back to reality...

Published

2008-07-10T08:39:00.004-06:00

One of my widow friends asked me, and some of the girls I know that have been through similar experiences, if we wanted to submit an essay for a new book, "Alone But Not Lonely." Her friend was the editor for the book and there is a chapter on loss. She wanted us to share our experiences, advice, etc. I decided to submit an essay with my story and they accepted it. It was hard to write something so short when I could have written hundreds of pages about my experience. But I did it. Whew!

The book is only at Deseret Book, but I'm still excited to say I have something published! I don't have a copy yet but they should be mailing me one soon and a small check. If you are interested in checking it out, it's available at: http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4959381

Holiday Month

2008-07-01T19:33:00.010-06:00

Isn't July great? I love all the holidays & visits from family. The fireworks are my favorite part! The fireworks on Independence Day in Washington, DC were absolutely amazing. I don't know that the fireworks I'll see this year will compare, but at least I'll be with Chris. Fireworks are that much better when you're with the one that you love. How's that for corny!? It's true though, cuddling under a blanket with fireworks going off above your head is one of the highlights of the year for me.

Family visits are lots of fun as well. I'm looking forward to my 10 year reunion. I'll get to spend time with my sister, JoAnn, and her family, as well as my parents. It's been a long time since I spent time in my good 'ole hometown. It should be fun. The Mormon Pioneer Days are always a good time down there.

My nieces & nephews sure love visits from Grandma & Grandpa, as you can see from the picture of Kaylynn, Grandpa, & Ryan. Blake sure loves the fireworks as well. It's amazing how quickly they grow. Sometimes I wish it could stay this time forever. But, every year I get a little older, and so do they. In fact, my niece, Nicole, visited for a week. She's going to be a senior. I can hardly believe it. She's beautiful, intelligent, and talented. I'm proud of her.

Kids are amazing. Every once & a while Chris & I talk about when we'll have kids & what we'll name them. You can only imagine the discussions (AKA arguments) that begin. I love the names Rylee, Jaycee, Jackson, and Carter. Chris once mentioned the name Dash, for a boy. I think we have a LONG way to go before we have kids, if those are the names he's thinking about using! :)

Actually, I recently learned that my LPC license is a little further off than I thought. I have more supervised hours than I realized, as well as Utah requires LPC's to take 2 tests, in addition to the NCE that I just passed. I'm looking at a lot more studying and a lot more $. Blah. Maybe I should've pursued my LCSW, or maybe I should use my 2nd degree instead? No, I love the work I do. I guess I just have to settle with VERY little money and working forever to get credit for the work I do. HA!

House warming

2008-06-16T13:16:00.010-06:00

Chris & I recently painted 6 different rooms in our house! It was quite a project. We've almost finished the edging in the last room. It will be great to have it all finished. We also painted our front door, as it was an ugly gray color. Now it blends nicely! Our house is starting to feel like "our home". You can see Chris does an amazing job on the yard.

A couple of months ago, Chris & I took a trip to Las Vegas, NV. We played golf, stopped by Shark Reef, visited In&Out Burger, and went by the Ferrari show. We also attended a temple session while we were there. We were lucky and got to participate as the witness couple. I doubt we get to do that again. It was quite an experience. It was a fun trip. It was supposed to be a free trip through Wyndham, but everything they gave us sucked. Our room, for instance, after a $150 upgrade had a beautiful view over the enclosed laundry facilities. It was lovely hearing all the trucks throughout the night. They've offered us another free trip, but we politely declined.

1st Year Down, On to #2

2008-06-11T17:16:00.017-06:00

Chris & I recently celebrated our 1 year anniversary. We went camping in Hyrum, UT on the 2nd and then stayed at the Anniversary Inn in Logan, UT the following night. We had a blast. The weather was perfect. Shortly after camping the rain started coming down. We're lucky we picked the night we did!

On the 1st of June my sister & her husband, Lisa & Matt, blessed their baby, Natalie. She also won a local city's 0-3 month old girl photo contest. I got to escort her through the parade. It was fun! I hope my babies are as cute.

Shortly after our anniversary we returned home to find my scores on the National Counselor's Exam (NCE), I took on April 12, 2008. I was terrified to open it, as the test & all the study materials had cost me a small fortune, in addition to the fact that the test just SUCKS! But, I am happy to announce I passed it. In fact, I did better than passing, I kicked this tests trash! I'm on my way to getting my Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensure! This test qualifies me to be a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) to add to my Certified Professional Counselor (CPC) license. A lot of stupid letters if you ask me, but hopefully they each come with pay raises.

Chris continues to do well in his work with Novell. He covers the state of Illinois. He flew out to Chicago for a week last month. He received very positive feedback from companies he visited while there. He's quite persuasive, intelligent, & competent in his field. I'm proud of him. He's also loving taking care of our lawn and garden. We have one of the best yards in the neighborhood. Our aspens are taking root and the landscaping looks very nice. He's also enjoying riding the bike he bought last year now that the weather has improved. He also gets out golfing whenever he can. He loves to head to Victor, Idaho with his brother and dad for a friendly game or two of golf.

I'm currently working for an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) called Blomquist Hale Consulting Group, Inc. For those of you that don't know what an EAP is (the vast majority, I'm sure) we provide short-term counseling services to the employees of companies that contract with us. I get to see kids, teens, adults, couples, etc. I love it. It is exhausting though. I work 4 10-hour days, seeing 7-8 clients per day. I'm hoping to get my LPC soon, enabling me to open a private practice. That way I can hopefully see some Deaf clients, work less grueling hours, and possibly even make more $. We'll see...

I graduated from Gallaudet University in May 2007. Chris & his parents went out to DC with me. It was great to see everyone & FINALLY be done with school! The DC sites were beautiful as ever. I sure wish Utah vegetation grew like it does out there!

Chris & I have each gotten running shoes and are starting to run together. Chris bought me a pair for my birthday in April. I'd like to start doing a few 5Ks. Hopefully we'll get a couple in together this summer. If only they weren't always at 7:00 in the morning! I'd prefer something around 9:00 or, even 10:00.

I'm sure that's about enough for my very 1st post on this our new Francom Fam Blog.