I'm ENGAGED!!!

Surprise! Surprise! I'm engaged! Hyrum and I are getting married on July 30th at 7:40 AM in the Salt Lake Temple (Meagan Mitchell...it has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?). Here's my prince charming and I on our way to Arizona to meet the family! He's such a brave man!

Hyrum made an appointment with my Dad's executive secretary and had a nice chat with Bishop Cluff before Dad was released...he passed (with flying colors)! Hyrum had never REALLY visited Arizona and he loved the desert, especially the cactus.

We did so many fun things in Arizona! Hyrum has lots of great ideas! We went tubing on the Salt River with Matt and Kaylee, challenged Sarah to a volleyball game, ate lunch with Allie (aka: Al Gal) at Chili's, "played" tennis (he's the athletic one...I'm learning), visited Mom and Paige at Girls' Camp, went swimming with Kaylee, ate a delicious (masheesoyo) Korean meal thanks to Hyrum with our Korean neighbors and the Rays, braved the family at extended family home evening, visited all the grandparents...Wow! We were busy!

We also went shooting with a lot of the family! Hyrum is super patient and a great teacher! Isn't he a cute cowboy?





We went to the Grand Canyon on our drive back to Utah. Here's a picture of us BEFORE the hike...

and here's a picture of us AFTER the hike. We hiked Bright Angel Trail and it was beautiful!

How romantic!

On Friday, June 11, 2010 Hyrum asked me to marry him. He had told me that we would go ring shopping next week and so I was totally surprised! He did a great job! He had felt prompted earlier on Friday to pick up a ring but he still wasn't planning on proposing until the weekend or next week. I had written him a letter on Friday morning and partway through reading it he decided he wanted to propose right then. He told me we should finish reading the letter at Provo Canyon...now that is totally like Hyrum, he loves being outdoors so I didn't think anything of it. We drove up to the top of Squaw Peak and hiked up a little ways. Hyrum picked me a bouquet of wildflowers along the way-again, characteristic of Hyrum, I still had no idea! We found a perfect spot, sat down on a log, and he finished reading the letter.

At the end I had a card for him of the Salt Lake Temple that said "The Temple: I'm going there someday!" and I wrote on it "and I'm praying it's with you Hyrum Mitchell!" Perfect intro for him, right? Then he gave me a kiss and asked if it could get any better than this. I said "No, I don't think it could" :) ... and then what does he do? Drop to one knee! He says my eyes got bigger than he's ever seen them before. Then he said "Meagan Cluff, will you be my queen for all eternity?" I said "Definitely yes, as long as you'll be my king."

On our drive back to the apartment complex he sang the Josh Groban song "You Are Loved" to me...it was the icing on the cake! Aren't I such a lucky girl!?!

Girl's Camp And 1st Monday FHE

Here is Paige and her best friend Kaitlyn at girl's camp this year. It was the first year of girl's camp for both of them.

They had so much fun! Here they are participating in the wheelbarrow race.

Here is Paige and me. Why do I look like I have no hair? Because it is braided! What do you expect at girl's camp? I have been to girl's camp for Bishop's night for the past several years, but this is the first year that I got to go and stay for the whole week. Girl's camp sure is a lot of fun and I am so glad that I got to go with Paige for her first year at girl's camp.

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Here is Richard singing at girl's camp with the Cluff family pink guitar. We just can't get enough of that pink guitar that Kaylee got for her birthday last year. He was a good sport to perform in front of so many people. He was silly and the girls in the Stake loved it!

When we got back from girl's camp it was time to host the first Monday of the month Cluff extended family home evening. We went to Richard's sister's house and pigged out on pizza, fruit and candy and had lots of fun swimming.

Kaylee and Paige had tons of fun with their cousins.

This is Richard's sister Debbie. No, she doesn't need a wheelchair she is just being goofy. She calls this her rolling patio furniture. Thanks for letting us come to your house, Deb!

Here is Grandpa Bill, Uncle Robert and Richard sitting on the back patio and solving most of the world's problems. They have so much fun when they get together and what one doesn't think of the other ones do. I am glad they are family and such good friends.

May Mayhem!

I have to hurry and capture the events of May before it is over. I don't know if these events are necessarily in order, but here is what I remember. First off, Allie applied for and received her passport and she, Richard and Richard's father aka Grandpa Bill are planning on going to Ireland soon. I know, I am jealous too. Meg and I are planning on going to Mexico later this summer and we are both excited about that trip.

Speaking of Meg, she graduated a few weeks ago and planned to return to Arizona, but has since changed her mind and decided to stay in Provo, Utah. I can't say that I blame her. We are excited that she is coming to visit this week.

You can see that it would be hard to give all of this up. I think she slept on the top bunk all four years of college and a girl just can't walk away from memories like that and lets not forget six roommates sharing one bathroom. Just kidding Meg. We love you and are so happy that you are staying in Utah. We will be so jealous this summer when we are melting and you are not. We can't wait to visit you in July.

I went on a bike ride with Kaylee last week and she asked me if I was born in 1892? I said, "No, that would make me 118 years old, Kaylee." She then asked if my parents were born then? I don't know where that question came from but you can bet I went right out and bought more make-up.

Attention everyone! Matt got a summer job with City of Mesa and his driver's license this month. He passed the driving test in the suburban. How many people can say they did that?Way to go Matt!

Another one of our children who shall remain anonymous, lets just refer to her as Allie C., no A. Cluff, asked if we could get a turtle. Not just any turtle, but one that grows up to be HUGE. She reasoned that with a turtle that size we wouldn't have to mow the grass. I reasoned that with a turtle that size we wouldn't have any grass. I am happy to report that we do not own a turtle.

May was full of field trips for Kaylee and Paige. Here is Kaylee posing at the Phoenix Zoo. The 3rd graders finished their animal reports and got to go to the zoo. Can you guess which animal Kaylee did her report on?

Paige and I accompanied the 6th graders to a camp in Prescott called Sky Y. We did all kinds of fun things like climbing this tall tower, hiking, making a catapult and eating s'mores.

Here is Paige all suited up and ready to climb.

Look at her climb. It was really hard. I know because I tried to climb it myself. Paige climbed much higher than I did. Thank goodness there are no pictures of me climbing.

We had lots of fun this month. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be a Mom and to get to spend so much time with our children. (Even when they ask for more pets and think I could have been born in a different century.) I am especially thankful to be married to such a good man who is a hard worker and supports us in our silliness. Thanks, Richard!

Last, but certainly not least, we all attended Paige's fancy 6th grade promotion night. She is now officially a 7th grader headed to junior high in August. Way to go Paige!

Paige Turns 12!

This is our cute Paige. We can't believe she is already 12!

Paige has always been playful and full of fun and she is excited to be going to girl's camp for the first time this summer.

Here is Paige at about 2 years old. She loves being outside and spending time with her family.

When Paige was much smaller (about 6 months ago) she wanted to have her birthday party here. Where is here you ask? A house about a mile from where we live where a man lives that collects all kinds of stuff and proudly displays it in his yard. He usually has a sign out front letting children know that they may choose one thing to take home. Paige always thought it would be fun to go there with her friends so that each of them could choose one of these treasures for their very own. We are secretly jealous that Paige thought of this great idea before we did. Maybe one day she will get brave enough to stop by and choose something from this unique yard. All of you reading this that live in an HOA are jealous aren't you? Admit it!

This is what greeted Paige when she opened the door and walked down the sidewalk to school on her birthday. Her nice sister, Allie, used some chalk to wish Paige a happy birthday and brighten up her day. It worked! Paige and I had a fun day together. We ate at Wendys, shopped, went to a movie and best of all, Allie, Matt, and Sarah met us at the temple and we all did baptisms together. It was so fun to be in the temple together. We only have a little over 2 years and then all of the Cluffs can be in the temple together. We can't wait. Paige loved doing baptisms and said that she wants to go every day.

Here is Paige and Sarah the day after Paige's birthday all ready to go with the young women in our Ward to tour the Gila Valley temple. I know, we already went, but lucky Paige and Sarah got to go again. Paige turned 12 just in time to go and they had a great time. Paige we are so glad that you are 12 now and that you let us go with you to the temple on your birthday. We love you. You are always making us laugh and we are so glad that you are in our family.