One of Heber Valley's Best Gyms

I was more than a little nervous when I contacted Colton Kynaston to ask if I could come to his MMA gym in Heber City, Tooth and Claw MMA, and check it out.  I first heard of Tooth and Claw some time in the summer and was immediately interested. I've always loved boxing and MMA fights appeal to me very much. I think its the amount of training, skill, endurance, strength, speed, agility and amazing quick thinking that makes me appreciate and admire MMA athletes.

When I walked in, Colton was smiling and friendly and had me fill out some paperwork of course. Then it was time to get busy. Jump ropes to warm up.  Ugh. I have to say that was the ONLY bad part about my experience. I jump like an ox and have the foot work of one too. But it was eventually over, my heart was pumping and I was definitely warm. A few more warm up moves with burpees, swinging a kettlebell, jumping jacks, and some med ball slamming got me ready to go. 

Colton handed me some gloves and helped me get into them. The next hour flew by with Colton sharing basic punching and kicking moves that were REALLY fun. Colton has a great sense of body awareness and what needed to be tweaked a little with the movements I made in order to do it more correctly, smoothly, dynamically, and precisely. I am far from a real MMA student but Colton was extremely patient with my questions and my inabilities to follow his instructions perfectly. He commended me on my positive improvements when I got the hang of a few moves. He always let me know when I was starting to get it right.

Colton has been involved with mixed martial arts for most of his life. With this experience and knowledge, paired with his friendly, likeable, and patient personality, he makes a really great coach. 

The gym itself has a nice, clean feel, appearance, and SMELL! Colton has enough equipment to run his gym perfectly yet not so much that it feels cluttered and cramped. Natural light comes through windows and the artificial lighting was great. 

After the hour of instruction on the bags and kick shield working some kicks and punching, I was pretty worked. I asked Colton if I could get a video for this blog post of him showing some moves and he suggested I do it. So, here it is. I had not practiced this before with Colton and I will repeat myself, I am not an MMA student. There is so much involved with MMA instruction and I just skimmed the wide surface in my one hour session. But here it is:

See?  Anyone can do it. Especially with Colton's help. If you are looking for something new and incredibly enjoyable and fulfulling, give Tooth and Claw MMA a go. But be warned, my calves were a little sore the next day. (Blasted jump rope!) A good sore though.

You can find Tooth and Claw MMA on Facebook where you will find Colton's contact number and the gym's information. Thanks for reading and watching!  - Rachel Harvey

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

Heber Valley's most recent listings

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Have a peek at these homes for sale that have been newly listed in the last month.


$205,000 in the Hamlet in Midway

$339,000 in Timp Meadows in Heber City

$224,900 in the Hamlet in Midway

$365,000 in the Lodges at Snake Creek in Midway

$357,500 in Timp Meadows in Heber City

$325,417 in Valley Station in Heber City


I can help you enjoy the New Year in a new home. Give me a call 801 631-3430
Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

Interest Rates: Not as discouraging as you might think

Mortgage rates. Just the sound of the two words put together sort of makes some of us get a little nervous, anxious, or intimidated. Possibly you've already heard gloomy 2017 projected reports, but don't worry or feel alarmed.

Interest rates are constantly changing, dynamic numbers that most of us don't understand. They are altered by presidential elections, employment and labor markets, energy prices, tax cuts and other political policies, and much more. But here is the simple version of what you need to know in one sentence:

Interest rates are going to go up as this year progresses. 

As of today, the folks at Bankrate tell us a 30 year fixed mortgage rate in Utah is 4.03%. By the end of 2017 Kiplinger expects the average to be in the 4.6% range. Today a 15 year fixed mortgage rate is 3.16% and Kiplinger expects it to raise to 3.8%.

See, that was easy. No big deal. There has been a big hype in the media about soaring interest rates this year as the Federal Reserve board members predicted rates to dramatically increase this year. But they have recently realized that we really won't see much of a hike in 2017, just a gradual increase.

What does this mean for you and your neighbors? It's a great time to buy a home or refinance to take advantage of the current rates. It's wonderful news.

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

You can try snow shoeing or cross country skiing free of charge!

The 2nd annual Winter Festival will be on Saturday, January 21st at Wasatch Mountain State Park Visitor Center.

You can call ahead and reserve cross country skis or snow shoes and there is no charge to rent equipment for one hour on January 21.

Pre-registration for equipment is required at 654-1791.

There is a day use fee of $7/car up to 8 people, and $4/car for Seniors.

If you are not interested in skiing or snow shoeing, there are plenty of demonstrations and presentations to interest you. And don't forget the great food by Dottie's Kolaches and Fillerup Coffee Station.

Call and reserve your spot so you can get out and enjoy this snow and our incredible valley!

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

2017 predictions for Wasatch County real estate

The US Census Bureau recently released the news that Utah is the fastest growing state in the Union. We hit the 3 million mark in 2016. This growth is not just because we are the nation's baby making state, but also because it is an amazing place to live and Utah is experiencing a net inward migration.

The demographic director at the U of U says Utah's growth is not a rip roaring growth but a sustainable controlled growth as we emerge from a recession. James Wood, a senior fellow at the U of U, says there is a housing shortage in the state as we experience this growth. What does that mean for the real estate market in Utah and in Wasatch County?

James Wood states, "The number of new listings of “for sale” homes have been disappointing. Listings have lagged well below demand, limiting home buyer choices."

Experts that predict real estate market conditions expect 2017 to be very similar to 2016. If you are selling your home in 2017, you can expect to benefit from the housing market with quick sale times and many potential buyers interested in your home. If you plan on purchasing a home this year, you can expect to have quite a bit of competition with other buyers for homes you are interested in buying.

The Heath Harvey 2017 Outlook for Wasatch County shows a low inventory of homes for sale with a high demand of buyers. Home prices in the Wasatch Back will increase slightly along with interest rates. The market is still good overall for both buyers and sellers. Sellers will see a good return on their investment and buyers can still take advantage of low interest rates.

As the demographics of Utah and Wasatch County change and shape the real estate market and home buying experience, questions may arise. Please feel free to call me and talk about your real estate investment. 801 631-3430

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com.

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Honey Garlic Chicken

This is Heath's new favorite recipe. It's an easy, throw in the crock pot, leave it alone, and enjoy a delicious yet simple dinner recipe that is perfect for the business of December.

3 pounds of chicken thighs
1 cup ketchup
1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup honey
6 cloves of garlic, diced
2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp onion powder
fresh vegetables
prepared rice

Put the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. In a separate bowl, combine and mix the ketchup, soy sauce, honey, garlic, basil, and onion powder. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for about 6 hours. Then add about 5 cups of your favorite chopped fresh vegetables. Heath used broccoli, cauliflower, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, and onion. Let it cook for 2 more hours. Serve it over prepared rice. 
Heath really prefers chicken thighs for this recipe because the dark meat of the thighs are more moist than chicken breasts or tenderloins. Thighs are perfect for this delicious recipe and fall apart when cooked.

Happy Holidays and best wishes for an enjoyable December.

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

Raise your hand if the sight of Timp takes your breath away.

Whether you are wanting to build a home or not, these 5 building lots are worth taking a look at right now. The views from these Heber Valley properties are killer.

MLS #1222906

MLS # 1364621

MLS # 1390442

MLS# 1416428

MLS# 1300263

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com