Hometown Pride

Guess what made the list of the 100 best places (small town category) to live in the U.S.?

Our beloved Farmington is #12!

Yep, our secret is out, thanks to this CNNMoney report. (and now my blog post, too!) :)

Some of the reasons we were ranked so high by CNN is because Farmington is safe, quiet, has low taxes, our city is financially sound, Lagoon amusement part, close to Salt Lake City (jobs), mix of high end homes with more affordable ones, etc.

I agree with all those reasons, too, but let me add a few (or more) of the things I LOVE about Farmington....

1. Our Schools. They are high quality - I can honestly say that there is only ONE teacher in our elementary school that I (and a lot of other people) don't want their kids to get. I have no worries about all the others. We have excellent test scores - at Kyle's 6th Grade graduation a few months ago, I was amazed at how many students received the Presidential award for academic achievement (the one signed by President Obama) and then the Citizenship award given by the teachers - they just kept calling name after name after name. I thought to myself, Is there anyone who didn't get it? (There was, it's just that there are so many bright, motivated, good kids!) Our schools also have a good percentage of parent/community involvement. I like that our schools have a manageable number of students. My children are able to know (& be friendly with) almost everyone in their own grades. It is also great that our elementary school is just a little over a mile from our home. I (and some other moms) walk my kids to school every day until from the 1st day of school until Thanksgiving and then again after Spring Break. We wait around & hang out on the school grounds until the tardy bell rings for school. It is a fun time to socialize with the fellow students, parents, crossing guard, and school staff. It is safe for them to walk or bike home afterwards, as well.
2. Our athletic programs. Namely, F.A.B.L. (Farmington Area Baseball League) and Farmington Eagles Football. With three children in baseball (4 next year) and Ryan umpiring, that can make for 2-3 games/week/team, so we "live" at the ball park April - June. Not nearly as much as our league's directors, who are AMAZING btw (named Citizens of the Year 2010 by the Rotary club of Farmington), and is another reason we love being a part of FABL - the PEOPLE! We get to know so many friends through this - including other people in our town who are not at our school. Whenever we run into some of our baseball friends in public, we part ways by saying, I'll see you at the ball park! Then we get to do the same thing, with a slightly new group of people, but some are the same, August - October during football season. Even though we only have one child in football, because it is SO INTENSE (in time, attitude, commitment, etc.) it feels as if we are "living football" during these months. It requires so many volunteers and our citizens come through! I love the camaraderie we have through, not only practices and games, but our potluck dinners, parties, "Football with Dads", ceremonies, banquets, team (which parents/families are considered a part of) cheers & huddles, etc. We also have something unique, where our city has a soccer program with the option to sign up for just Fall or Spring season (or both if you want) so that it doesn't conflict with our kids' baseball or football schedule. AND our practice and playing fields are close enough for the kids to walk or ride bikes to, if the chauffeur is unavailable at any time.
   
3. Farmington Festival Days. The 2nd Saturday of July every year is always blocked out on our calendar for this event. When we first moved here 10+ years ago, it was only a Saturday event. More recently, it has expanded to include the whole week, Monday - Saturday. The parade. IMHO, it is the best around! They pass out REAL candy (READ: not just taffy, taffy, and more taffy). And those who know me, know I am motivated by candy! :) There are Jolly Ranchers, Airheads, Gobstoppers, cinnamon bears, root beer barrel candy, pixie sticks, starburst, fruit snacks, otter pops, and even stuffed animals, "Marti Gras" necklaces, and DVDs. The races. With the exception of one year when I was 6 months pregnant, and another year when I had a 6 week old newborn baby, I have run in the 5K or 10K (depending on my level of physical fitness that particular year) all of the years we have lived here. It is exhilerating to be among my "running friends." The races have now grown to include a Half Marathon and a "10K Flag Rock" (Mountain climb/run) as well. The breakfast. You get in free if you run the race! And it's not just your average breakfast. It is French Toast, big ol' sausages, bacon, cut up fresh fruit, hash browns, juice, milk, AND chocolate milk - all very Brenchley kid-approved! (and that's saying A LOT!) :) Other parts of this we don't want to miss are the Outdoor Family Movie night on the mega blowup screen, the free ice cream, outdoor concerts/bands, youth dance (not me, the teenagers!) and the Fireworks Show. And we enjoy it all amongst the familiar faces of our fellow Farmingtonites.
4. The Farmington Pool. This is an outdoor pool! (I don't like the muggy, loud, unable-to-suntan features of the indoor pools much at all) It's got a zero entry for the babes, slides for the kids, basketball standards for the hoopsters, a low dive and a high dive for.....well, I've seen ages 3 to 73 go off those, a water playground area, morning water aerobics, and lap swimming [life guards provided] for the crazies like me who attempt triathlons even though we're terrified of swimming. And I can always find an open lounge chair. (PLUS!) We can get a Family Pass for $150! And the best part? No matter when we go there, we ALWAYS see people we know! You don't have to take a friend with you - it's a sure bet the kids (& me) will have someone to play with already there.
   
5. The Farmington Trails. One of Farmington’s greatest assets is the location next to beautiful mountains...and the best part - we have trails and open space areas right in our backyard, probably less than ten minutes away! I have been able to take advantage of these trails as I've clocked some running and biking miles in training for my various events. The Lagoon trail is paved and offers lots of shady trees, bridges crossing over creeks, and a pleasant breeze to give respite to an exhausting, sweaty run.....including one section that thrills youngsters in your stroller - a fenced off area with elk, buffalo, horses, and cattle to look at. Our family has also enjoyed hiking on some of the dirt trails that allow us to "go exploring" or take us up in the mountains for a great view of our town and the Great Salt Lake.....although we did hear (and see in the bushes) a rattlesnake on a trail once - and we just haven't quite made it back to that one again! :) And I love how I often see friends (those we know, some we don't) out exercising on the trails, too, so we offer a wave and holler a "hello" as we pass each other.
   
6. Our church congregations. I feel like my family and I have a lot of great examples from people of strong faith, service, and generosity where we live. I feel like there are so many good, good, good people - just "cream of the crop" "salt of the earth" type people surrounding us. I appreciate these "spiritual giants" around us to inspire and strengthen us, and to keep us going.
7. Talented teachers at our fingertips. We don't even have to go out of town to find piano, swimming, cheer leading, preschool, or dance teachers, tutors, scout leaders, etc. It's all right here, and again, the kids can walk or ride their bikes there!
8. I can leave the keys in the ignition of my car [on accident] for many hours, and it's still there when I come back! (based on a true experience)
   
9. The recent addition of Station Park. This has been quite the excitement for us to get a shopping center here in our town since we haven't had anything like it before. The Harmon's grocery store was bombarded it's first opening weeks with all us zealous citizens eager to support it and "experience" a piece of the gourmet market history. In addition to a big movie theater, other stores include: Ross, Sports Authority, Home Goods, Marshall's, Ulta....and there's rumor about a Panda Express coming (Katelyn has her fingers crossed!)
10. Our city service people. I saw our Mayor out while I was on a bike ride last week. He was cutting down overgrown vines & such that were protruding out into the path I was on. As I passed him, he smiled at me and said, I'm just trying to clean this up for YOU! Our previous (and musically talented) mayor participated in a special [singing] concert one Christmas season and donated all the proceeds to a Scholarship Fund that has been set up in my [deceased] cousin's name.
    
11. Hometown Pride. It's not just ME! I know of so many people who have had 2 or 3 different houses in Farmington through the years. When they outgrow their home, they just can't bear to leave the area, so they either find or build themselves a bigger one in our same town. My aunt and uncle love it so much that they have had multiple houses (I lost track after seven - seriously) in Farmington, most of the time never having to leave their school or church boundaries. They don't want to live anywhere else! I also know people who had made additions or remodels to their existing homes, so they can stay in Farmington. There are quite a few "life timers" who cherish living here - and I love how they are so proud of our Farmington. And after living here, we too, have become like them - yes, our home is for sale, but we plan on staying in town, just a different home. I guess it's a possibility that we could grow to love somewhere else, too, (maybe not?) so I just don't want to risk it! :)
    

Much of my list refers to OUR PEOPLE, our school friends, our sports friends, our community friends, our fitness friends, our church friends - my love of this place is very related to them and my privilege to be associated with them, of which I am always grateful.

I don't know....maybe a lot of people feel this way about where they live...but now we've got what not everyone does...we've got the Big Honchos (CNN) validating what I know & feel to be true!

Have I convinced y'all to move here now?!? ;)