25 Random Things....

Over the last week or so I have been "tagged" on facebook and I even went as far as sitting down, typing the above mentioned 25 things and then....I lost it all due to my lack of facebook skills. I just couldn't figure out how to tag other people and in the process of figuring it out I erased my list. Therefore, I will forgo facebook and just stick to what I know....my blog. So here it goes.....

P.S. - Heather this is what it would look like....I think!

25 RANDOM THINGS

1. I like going to the movies by myself, especially when I think it is a movie that will make me cry. I like to be in the moment and not have to worry whether or not the person sitting next to me thinks I am silly for getting emotional.

2. I was voted Senior Class President. I think I represented my constituents well at the time, but I refuse to plan any class reunions, which in the end makes me a lousy class president. But let me clarify that I did not know planning post graduation parties was part of my presidential duties, if I had known I would have conceded.

3. Like Emily I too have conversations with people in my head and like Emily I would like to clarify that these conversations don't include actual "voices".

4. I had three imaginary friends while growing up. Their names were boyfriend, girlfriend, and George. And no I don't think boyfriend and girlfriend were actually you know boyfriend and girlfriend.

5. I HATE scary movies. They give me nightmares. I even made Dallan walk out of the 6th Sense...TWICE.

6. I love to read, especially historical fiction.

7. I was suspended from school in the 9th grade. We decided it would be fun to try No-Doze and when my friend JT was caught with it he squealed like a little girl of course blaming the whole thing on me. So they called my dad who worked over an hour away and explained that I had been caught with "drugs" and that I would be held at school until he came to get me. I was suspended for one week, had to attend 6 weeks of an after school drug counseling program and attend at least one session with a psychiatrist. My dad called me "speedy" for the remainder of the year.

8. I am afraid of heights and large bodies of water.

9. I love the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven.

10. I am not afraid to embarrass myself every now and again as long as it is PLANNED! However, it is literally PAINFUL for me when it happens accidentally. And I am not exaggerating! I can remember EVERY single experience when I have been publicly humiliated, even going back to the 2nd grade (I am sure there were plenty before that time but lucky for me I can't recall them).

11. I prefer cake over pie. (yellow with chocolate frosting)

12. I would love to take an interior design class.

13. I love to take naps, but only if I know I have at least 2 hours. None of this 20 minute power nap stuff.

14. I was late to my own wedding.

15. I would love to possess enough talent to write a book.

16. I don't really like my first name.

17. My maiden name is Warner.

18. I truly believe I am the mother to the two most ADORABLE red headed children in the entire world.

19. I hope to someday serve a mission with Dallan.

20. I would love to see the pyramids before I die.

21. I can't drink a fountain pop unless the whole cup is full of ice. I understand that means less pop, but I don't care...the cup has to be FULL.

22. I am not very patient.

23. I love going out to eat.

24. I love listening to Heather James tell stories. Seriously, there are some that make me laugh EVERY time I think about them.

25. I love to vacuum but hate folding laundry.

UPDATE...Warning.....It is LONG!

First, let me say that I HATE the fact I can't post pictures! A good blog needs photos in my opinion. But I don't have my own computer and the computer I do have is a MAC and I have NO idea how to download and post pictures. Hopefully, that will soon change. Until then....please don't go away!

Update #1 Our house in Idaho....As far as we know things are progressing as they should. I guess you can never get too comfortable in these economic times especially when it comes to someone purchasing a home. The couple was pre-approved for the loan amount but I don't think I will celebrate just yet. We are however going to Idaho this weekend to go and pack up the house. Dallan and I will fly up Saturday morning. Dallan will fly home Monday night and I will follow on Thursday. That means three whole days by myself!!

Update #2 Where we will move our things to....We put an offer an a home in West Phoenix a couple of weeks ago and it looks like that is going to go through. Now I am not an experienced home buyer but the last two homes we purchased were a piece of cake compared to how things are handled now. In the "good ol' days" you would go house hunting, you would find one you loved, you perhaps negotiated a little on the price, you then signed your life away, and wham the house was yours. This is NOT the way it is done now. At least here in Arizona...Foreclosure capital of the country. Unless you are buying a home directly from a builder (people aren't selling their houses right now so don't count on buying an owner occupied home) the process is EXTREMELY frustrating. You go and look, you make multiple offers because the chances of a bank coming back with an answer in a timely manner is near impossible. And then you wait....and you wait....and you wait some more. During this process I have become even more confused at the government bailout for these banks who are in trouble. I mean you would think if they were hurting for money they would respond a little more speedily to someones offer to purchase one of their properties! Sorry I will get off my soapbox. Anyway, we had the home inspected yesterday and everything looks good. It is a beautiful house. In fact Dallan keeps saying we don't deserve to live a house this nice. I am not sure what that means exactly but....I will take it whether I deserve it or not. It is a single story home (very nice for the summer heat and your electricity bill) and is a little over 3000 square feet. It was built in 2007 and has never been lived in. Yes, someone had it built, paid for every upgrade imaginable and then couldn't pay for it. We were very fortunate to have found it. Although there are good deals out there finding a house that hasn't been trashed by an angry home owner who is being foreclosed on is also near impossible. Again, nothing is set in stone as of yet but we are once again crossing our fingers that things will continue to go smoothly.

Update #3....the rest of the Lott's....Dallan is still loving his job especially since he heard Basic American Foods laid off a ton of people after Christmas. It looks like our decision to move was a good one. Madelyn is loving school and we love watching her little mind grow. She is reading now and tells me very matter of factly to "sound it out mom" when I tell her I don't know what something says. Good advice! She also thinks her beautiful curly hair is "ANNOYING". She asks me every morning if I will straighten it which I tell her no. It takes a long time and she won't get up early enough for me to do it. So she insists on wearing it in a ponytail on the weekdays and straight on the weekends. She is only 5! She shouldn't care YET! Jackson just continues to get bigger and cuter. He is a smart little guy. His favorite show is SuperWhy on PBS. Madelyn has taught him how to count and he is almost to twenty now. He loves going to class on Sundays and asks if he too can go to school when we drop Madelyn off in the morning. We can't wait to get into our own house so we can start the adoption paperwork. Madelyn keeps telling us she wants a baby sister and that our family needs 5 people not 4. I hope she is right. Well that leaves me....I am just trying to survive the final days of not being in my own house with my own things. I have learned many things during the last 6 months. I have learned that I only need a few simple things in order to feel happy and whole. They are....
1. My own space (I already knew that but I didn't know it would cause insanity if it were to be taken away from me).
2. A church calling. Neither of us have served in any capacity since leaving Idaho. I remember there were times when I thought it would be so nice NOT to have a calling. How wrong I was.
3. Friends. I have lots of friends. Friends who are irreplaceable. Friends who will be a part of my life forever. But I need friends who live close. Friends I can go hang out with. Friends I can go to a movie now and again with. Having our families close has been so nice but I miss having friends.
That's it! That's all I need. And with any luck all those things will be MINE!

I know this is already pretty lengthy (my fingers are telling me they are tired) but there is one last thing. My family is in need of some prayers. I hate writing this, hate what it means, hate that there is even a need but there is and I am thankful to have so many faithful friends who care about me and therefore care about my family. Growing up there were two people who were constants in my life. My nana and beba (those are the names they were given by some grandchild long before I came to be) have been more like a mother and father to me than grandparents. In my mind I knew they were getting older but for some reason I thought they would be around forever. I guess that is because I can't imagine this world without them. Anyway... after several weeks of thinking he had a sore throat he finally went to the doctor. He has a large mass in his throat which is cancerous and from what we were told yesterday is inoperable. He goes in for another biopsy this week which will tell us what stage the cancer is in and how fast the mass is growing. Just pray that he will be comforted. He is so worried that at some point his airway will be blocked. He is consumed by this thought. And more than anything hopes that he will somehow know that things will be okay.

Thanks for hanging in there the last several months and for reading my often times negative, boring and pictureless blog! It will soon get better...I promise.

We Are Crossing Our Fingers!

OUR HOUSE IS UNDER CONTRACT!!!! We will not be breathing until everything is final and our belongings are being shipped to Arizona! All it took was a little after Christmas vacation to Rexburg. We had been there for less than 24 hours when our realtor walked in and was very surprised to see us just hanging out watching TV. So we now wait and hope everything goes through! We will keep you posted!

So Thankful!

Ti's the season to be jolly....right? I mean look at those two! How could you NOT be jolly? But this is me attempting to remain positive in spite of the the minor challenges we are facing. I say minor because compared to what many in our country are facing right now our problems are indeed very small. I should have wrote this list at Thanksgiving but I wasn't feeling well very thankful (shame on me).

The Things I Am Most Thankful For.....

1. My faith. This above all else is what anchors me. I am so thankful to have a constant source of direction from Someone who loves and understands me better than anyone. What more could a person ask for?

2. My family. I am so lucky to have a good husband. I know if he had his choice of any woman in the world he would in no doubt still choose me. My children. I mean just look at them. They are beautiful and they are our miracles. The love I feel for them and the women who brought them into this life knows no bounds. I am also thankful to be living so close to all our extended family. It has been about 8 years since we lived close to them and we are loving it....REALLY!

3. Friendships. I have the best friends a girl could ever ask for. The women who I call friends are some of the most talented, beautiful, funny, generous, kind, and thoughtful people I have ever meet. I consider myself lucky to know so many remarkable women and even more lucky to call them friends. They have taught me how to be a better wife, a better mother and a better friend. My life would just not be the same without them.

4. A job! Not my job, although I am thankful to be a stay at home mom. But lets face it that type of work doesn't pay the bills! I am so grateful Dallan has such a great job. It allows me to stay at home with our children. It allows us to pay all our bills and still have enough left over to have some fun with. I am thankful for Dallan who worked hard to get such a great education. There are so many people who don't have jobs right now. I can't imagine that kind of stress. So thank you Palo Verde for such a good job!

5. Sunsets. If you have never witnessed an Arizona sunset...you are truly missing out. They are breathtaking.

6. A roof over our heads. No, it isn't my own roof, but it is a roof nonetheless. It keeps us safe and provides all the comforts we could ever need or want. Not everyone can say that.

7. Christmas. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I love everything about this holiday. I love what is represents, I love the added measure of kindness and generosity people exhibit and I love the magic that happens during this time of year.

I am often guilty of overlooking all the things in my life that bring me such great happiness. Life isn't always easy....we all know that. But one thing I can say for certain is that each challenge I have ever endured in my life has ALWAYS resulted in me being blessed or compensated in an even bigger and better way. And that is DEFINITELY something to be THANKFUL for.

I do have Christmas cards to mail out. As usual you probably won't get them by Christmas but one day when you are least expecting it you will open up your mail box and there it will be!

It Was Over Before it Began

A HOUSING UPDATE

The buyers backed out. I guess they want to keep looking for a house that has a three car garage. Happy Hunting is what I say!

They Came....They Saw....They Offered....And....

We laughed! After months of waiting for an official offer to come our way we finally had some serious lookers. We got a call from our realtor a few days before Thanksgiving. There was a family who was interested in our house and they had already been by to see it several times. He warned me...don't get your hopes up but how can you keep from doing that? So we waited by the phone and we waited and we waited. Finally....an official offer!

1. $5,000 below the listed price (that is after we dropped the price $30,000 from the time we initially listed it)
2. $7,000 in closing costs
3. Dining Room Table
4. Kitchen Barstools
5. Kitchen Rugs (4 total)
6. Living Room Curtains
7. 2 Living Room Decorative Wall Hangings
8. Entry Table along with the matching End Table

It never hurts to ask right????

UPDATE: We made a counter offer and are now waiting to hear back from them. They want to close by December 17th so that should make the waiting process a little less painful. We will keep you updated.

Tales of Woe and Injured Toes

Halloween 2008 looked promising. Costumes were found, pumpkins were purchased, the children were excited. Everything was planned and in order. Thursday morning came and I woke up to a bit of an upset stomach...I just must be hungry....so I ate. It didn't help. By mid afternoon I thought I was going to die. This was no little stomach bug this was the dreaded flu. Getting the children all dolled up for Halloween was going to be impossible. So I called Dallan. He went in and told his boss he wouldn't be in on Friday and after completing work that evening he drove the 2 hours to my grandparents house. The next morning the plan was to get things cleaned up, pack our things and head down to Dallan's parents house. He would drop me off, and then take the kids to the apartment to clean and pack up all his stuff (it was a corporate apartment we had for thirty days courtesy of Palo Verde). After that was finished he would load up the kids again and drive to his sister's house where they would go trick or treating. It wasn't ideal but at least the kids would get to go and have fun and I could get some rest. Friday morning came....Dallan was packing....I was sleeping....the kids were playing. All of a sudden my bedroom door flew open and Madelyn was screaming that I needed to get up and go look at Jackson. I have to admit I was thinking to myself "this better be good or she is in serious trouble". It was bad...VERY BAD. Jackson had been trying to get some crayons out of a storage box bench at my grandparents house. The lid is solid oak and very heavy. In the process of looking he dropped the lid on his big toe. There was Jackson crying because he had just about chopped off the tip of his toe and then there was Dallan crying because he felt bad for little buddy. So we loaded up in the car and headed for the nearest urgent care (an hour's drive). One x-ray, 4 stitches, and one lost toenail later we headed back to Kearny. Once we got there Dallan packed up the clothes, costumes, and kids and headed to Mesa by himself (I stayed at my grandma's). Madelyn went trick or treating with her cousins and Jackson got to be pulled around in the wagon. After the festivities were over Dallan and his brother made the hour drive to the apartment and cleared out Dallan's things. I think they got home after midnight.

Here is a picture of his poor little toe once it had been cleaned up. The toe nail is just sitting on the nail bed. The doctors wanted it to stay on there as long as possible. The stitches came out on Tuesday and the nail finally fell off yesterday morning. Madelyn was so impressed with it that she insisted on taking it for show and tell today. Believe me I tried talking her out of it but she was adamant about showing it to her class. My grandma told her that all the kids were going to say "OOOOHHH GROSS" and she said no Hannah (she calls my grandma Hannah) they will all say "OOOHHH COOL". I am sure her teacher will love it!

Hanging in There....

Mostly anyway! I will try VERY hard to post pictures soon. Especially Halloween. Madelyn decided she wanted to be Dorothy which means buddy is being forced to dress up as the scarecrow (he makes a terrible scarecrow...he is too cute to scare anyone). We had a dress rehersal and they looked adorable. Thanks everyone for checking up on me....I love you for it.

Two Words I Have Come to Loath

"WHAT IF".....here are just a few....

1. What if we can't sell our home in Idaho
2. What if we can't rent our home in Idaho
3. What if we run out of money and we can't pay both mortgages then what??
4. What if the housing prices increase and we missed an opportunity to buy a great house at a great price.
5. What if we never see a 5.5% interest rate again
6. What if we wait too long and then we can't afford to move into the neighborhood we want
7. What if the whole world goes to heck and no one can afford a home
8. What if the house in Idaho NEVER sells or no one EVER wants to rent it
9. What if we rent and waste all our money and then can't buy a house
10. What if we (me and the kids) just move back to Rexburg by ourselves
11. What if I go crazy because we can't make a decision...who will then raise our children?
12. What if we don't go and get our furniture now but end up needing it in a couple months? How will the movers get our stuff packed in all that snow?
13. What if a pipe breaks in the Rexburg house and no one is there to notice it


You think I am kidding but I AM NOT! That is just a sampling of the questions that have been asked OVER and OVER during the last few WEEKS. Same questions...same replies....I DON'T KNOW!!! So after ALL that drama and $3000 in earnest money we have decided NOT to buy the house on Evergreen. So Evergreen...so long....so long to your...garden tub and gas range and lastly (with a tear creeping down my face) I have to say farewell to the carpet that feels like clouds. I think we could have been happy together but the bottom line is...There were just too many WHAT IF'S!

It's Almost Official....

That we are soon to be crazy in debt! I know... sounds smart given the current economic conditions we are facing but I don't think I ever said we were all that smart...so don't be too hard on us. Here is a quick update...the house in Idaho is still on the market and currently listed for less than what we bought it for, so if you know anyone who is moving to Rexburg and is in need of a great looking house, send them our way please. According to our realtor there have been several people who absolutely LOVE it but who unfortunately can't sell their current home...FYI....QUIT LOOKIN IF YOU AINT REALLY BUYING! I mean don't they realize all they are accomplishing by coming to see our lovely home is getting my hopes up? So now we are in the market for some quality renters. Well that is and isn't true depending on the day. There are days when Dallan will say yeah let's rent it out and as soon as I get a property manager on the phone he changes his mind. Perhaps when we are shelling out money for TWO mortgages he will quickly make up his mind. Which leads me to my next piece of news....we are THIS close to purchasing another home in the lovely city of Buckeye, Arizona. I know Buckeye...sounds great right? But I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the housing community we found. Since moving here we have really prayed we would find the right house and therefore the ward we were meant to be a part of. And this feels right. I will soon have pictures for you so keep checking. I love that it doesn't look like a typical Arizona house. I love that it is a ranch (no stairs!!). I LOVE that it has a gas range and granite counter tops. I LOVE that the carpet feels like clouds under my feet and even though it isn't the color I would have chosen, it is one I can live with until I can afford to change it. I LOVE that my bathroom has a garden tub and his and her sinks. I LOVE that I can see Madelyn's school from the corner of our road. And I LOVE that when I walked into it I can picture our furniture in each of the rooms. I LOVE that it isn't too big and that it isn't too small. Like Goldilocks...this one is JUST right. So barring anything popping up during the inspection it looks like our next address will be something, something Evergreen Street, Buckeye, Arizona. Anyone up for a visit?

MIA....

Sorry there has been nothing new in a while. We are still here....still alive...and yes, we are still hot (as in temperature)! After crying every day for the first several days of school, Madelyn has finally adjusted (somewhat) to her new schedule and seems to be liking kindergarten a little better. Jackson is still Jackson and I think both my grandparents as well as me and Jackson will be glad when we have our own space to terrorize. There is nothing worse than watching your almost two year old demolish someone else's things. We have been an offer on another home here and will know soon whether or not it was accepted. In the meantime we will be checking out a few others, which means hopefully we will be in our new home shortly. No that doesn't mean we sold our house in Idaho, all it means is that we will be in debt up to our eyeballs until we can say goodbye to our Rexburg abode. For now we will just refer to it as our summer home. Other than that all is well. Dallan is starting to adapt to his new job and I am happy to report he is liking it better than he did the first week (YIPPEEE). Our new car is still in the shop and will be for at least another 3 weeks. The total damage was somewhere in the 10,000 range (thank goodness for insurance). I promise I will be better at posting and commenting in the future. But please know how much I love and miss all of you and do think about you all the time. Thanks for all your love and support.

To Laugh or to Cry...

That is definately the question of the day! Last night I was crying and today isn't looking much better. I wish I was one of those people who could just laugh off the disasters of life, but that doesn't seem to be the way I work. So here are the troubles since leaving Rexburg (who knew Rexburg would be looking so good right about now). Just an FYI this is a pity post and I wouldn't be offended if you didn't want to go any further!

1. On the way down to Arizona we were hit by another car. Not much damage but enough to have to shell out a $500 deductible to get the Sequoia fixed.

2. Not having our own space. We love staying at my grandparents and they could not be any more wonderful to us if they tried. But I miss my things...I miss seeing Dallan every day...I miss my DVR....I miss my own bed and pillows.

3. Dallan's new company and the scare they gave us just one day after arriving in Arizona. They in a round about sort of way told Dallan if they had known about certain health issues they would have been a little more thoughtful in hiring him (just so you know he is okay and perfectly capable of working) but that was nice to hear after quitting a company who LOVED him and moving your entire family to a new state. In the end they decided it wasn't that big of a deal and he was cleared to start work.

4. The sea of cubicles that meet Dallan on the third day of work. Why is that to bad you ask? Well let me just quote Dallan (something he said as we were looking for jobs after getting out of the Navy) I don't want to go to a company where I will just be one of many. I don't think the sea of cubicles did much to boost his confidence that this was the right career choice. We are crossing our fingers though that his outlook will improve...and SOON!

5. The Monsoon Season. August in Arizona is referred to as the "monsoon season". This is when we get the most rain (laughing even as I type that). But we do get beautiful lightning storms and strong winds. Well when Dallan was getting ready to go to his grandparents I told him please don't take the car out there (we just bought a brand new nissan Maxima...silver/charcoal gray in color...black leather seats....sun roof...bose stereo system....a very nice car....at a very nice price). Well he explained he didn't want me to take the car because that meant the kids riding in it and they could mess it up. I then reminded him that his grandparents lived on a farm where it was dirty and dusty and that they had no garage or safe place to park it. he insisted it would b okay. Well last night I got a call at about midnight. There was a storm out in Buckeye and the wind caused a branch to break loose from one of the trees. Simply said our new car is now smashed. It blew out the back window, dented both the top and back end of the car and completely scratched one side of it. I bet the option of allowing the kids to ride in the car are looking pretty resonable to him right now. So now I am sure we are looking at another deductable and who knows whether or not our car will ever be the same.

6. No one has bought our house and no one is even calling to look at it. Jessica...Emily....I now know how you felt. It is so frustrating. We have lowered the price and have now already lost $25,000. How much more are we going to have to lose? Not sure but it's not looking good.

So there you have it. Arizona hasn't been too kind to this Lott Family. We are hoping and praying that things turn around for us soon...and I mean VERY soon!

We Have Arrived...

Yes, we made it safe and relatively sound. There was one small accident right outside of Orem, but luckily no one was hurt and our car okay to keep driving. We finally pulled into the Valley of the Sun (and let me tell you there has never been a more appropriate name for a state than that one) on Thursday evening. Saturday morning Dallan's brother was married and on the way to the truck after taking pictures in the blazing sun Madelyn started crying explaining how she just couldn't make it any further...I felt exactly the same way but since I am not five years old, I thought crying would be just down right embarassing so I settled for a "It's not so bad Madelyn"...what a big fat lie that was! I am not kidding you it is M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E right now. Everyone keeps telling us we will get used to it again but I am really not buying into that notion right now. However, we have survived thus far! It was Dallan's first day of work today and Madelyn will start school tomorrow. We are now just praying our house sells quickly so we can all be together (Emily I am now feeling your pain and I echo your sentiments when I say...WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY HOUSE???). So any prayers on our behalf will certainly be appreciated. I would extend an invitation to come and visit us but there are a few problems with that....1. Even though I have never been to hell I am assuming that this is EXACTLY what it would feel like. and 2. We have no place for your to stay even if the extreme heat didn't scare you away. But when we finally do sale our home and the temperatures dip below three digits you are all welcome to come and see us! Until then I will just hole up here inside my grandparents house and wait until November to come out.

Five Already???

That was then....














.......This is now









Happy Birthday Madelyn!!! It doesn't seem like it was five years ago that your dad and I got a phone call that changed our lives forever. As your dad and I drove to Florida to meet you, I kept thinking how was it possible that my baby girl has entered this world and I don't even know what she looks like. I think the night before I meet you was perhaps the longest night of my life. Morning couldn't come fast enough and when it finally did your dad and I knelt down once again and pleaded with our Heavenly Father that perhaps this time our dream of becoming parents would come true. And then....there you were in all your cuteness. I couldn't take my eyes off of you and your dad....well your dad couldn't stop crying. We loved you from the moment we laid eyes on you. Then the question....what was your name going to be? Madelyn Elizabeth Lott. I am so thankful your birth mom got to share in that decision and I am thankful a part of your name is also a part of hers. Speaking of Stephanie...I can't talk about you without thinking about her. What an amazing "first mom" you had. Your dad and I love her so much and words could never adequately express the gratitude we feel for her and for the sacrifice she had to make.





Since that day you have filled our home with such incredible love and happiness. There are moments when I look into your face and feel just overwhelming joy that I was chosen to be your mother. So on your 5th birthday I thought I would share with you some of the reasons why I love you so much.....





1. You have a kind heart. You hate to see other people sad or upset andI love the way you come to other peoples defense when they are in trouble.


2. You tell good jokes! I love that you laugh at your own jokes!


3. You love to tease your dad. This is something he has taught you how to do and it is something you have learned VERY well.


4. You are smart. I love to read books and it makes me so happy that you love books as much as I do.


5. You are confident. Whether it is dancing or sharing your testimony in church, you aren't afraid to get up in front of people and I love that about you.


6. I love to hear you pray.


7. You are not afraid to try new things. When you wanted to take your training wheels off your bike you bugged and bugged dad until he did it. You practiced every day until you could do it. Even after falling once or twice you didn't give up. We just put a band-aid on your knee and you got right back on. I love that about you.


8. I love that you try very hard to always do what is right.


9. I love that you still like to cuddle with me.


10. You have the best imagination. I could listen to you pretend play all day long and I love that you get mad when I ask you who you are talking to. You always tell me in that frustrated tone...mom I am not talking to you!





So once again...Happy Birthday Madelyn, we love you baby girl.

Jackson....

One thing is for certain....he could NEVER be mistaken for a girl!





Always ready to eat....
even if it happens
to be his toes.

Caution Spoilers....

My Personal Book Review.....

I love to read. I love when you pick up a book and within pages you are transported to another place in time. I love the urgency I feel in getting to that final page so much so that I will forgo eating and sleeping, and when the end does come it saddens me to know that the characters I have come to know and love will no longer be there to entertain me. I anticipated the final book in this series. I was one of those slightly obsessed fans who stood in line at midnight waiting for my copy. I drove home, settled in my favorite chair and tore into the pages. All I can say is how completely disappointed I am. I just keep asking myself WHAT WAS SHE THINKING??? Why did everything have to be tied up so perfectly? Where was the angst? Here are just a few of the problems I had with Breaking Dawn....

1. In the end Bella didn't have to give up anything. She gets Edward, she gets Edward's baby, she gets to keep her family, she gets to keep Jacob around, she gets a sweet little cottage in the woods, blah, blah, blah. Was there anything that didn't come easily to her in this book?

2. Jake imprinting on Bella's baby. That was just wrong on so many levels. But aside from the ick factor this means Bella never has to give up Jake and Jake doesn't have to give up Bella. So if he can't have her he will just take her daughter instead. Does anyone else have a problem with this???

3. The fear and repulsion she felt when she imaged being a newborn vampire was all for naught. She goes hunting...smells human blood...decides the best thing to do is to just to hold her nose and make a run for it.

4. Bella never wanted to become a mother because of her own dysfunctional family. Yet, when she finds out she is pregnant there is never a moment of panic or dread at the thought of impending motherhood. To me this was implausible when considering Bella's character.

5. There was no pain or even a little regret in giving up her old human life. Actually I take that back she didn't want to give up her human life right away...not because that meant giving up her own mother and father. Not because it meant giving up Jacob or her other friends. No, she didn't want to leave the human world because she enjoyed having sex. And even that turned out to be better as a vampire because well as a vampire you never have to stop having sex in order to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, or any of those other human annoyances.

6. I understand the sacrifces a woman makes in giving birth but who else had a hard time reading her reaction to drinking blood before she became a vampire? Was she sickened at the thought of drinking it...no. In fact after her first gulp she wanted more. It tasted good to her. Give me a break!!!

7. Even if I could get over all my other complaints one fact would still remain....the book was just poorly written. I can't count the number of times Edward "rolled" his eyes or "chuckled". Seriously there were so many repetitive words that by the end of the book I wanted desperately to send Miss Meyers a thesaurus. And 700 pages??? I think 200 or possibly 300 would have been more than sufficient.

I could go on and on about all the other things I hated about this book. Their baby's name being one of them! But I will stop. I will just wrap this post up by saying once again how dissapointed I am. This is one book I will never read again. Sad, sad, sad!

One final note and I promise I am done..."Did Edward really say "Goodbye, Jacob, my brother... my son."? " Again, what in the heck was Stephanie Meyers thinking???

I Have Been Tagged.....

Sorry folks not too interesting but here it is anyway.....

Ten years ago…

Let’s see that would make me 29….okay only in my dreams! That would have been when I was what 22?

Getting my life back in order. Believe it or not that is about all I was doing ten years ago. After many years of making poor choices and keeping a far distance from all things church, I had finally found (better yet, they found me) some wonderful people who helped me get back on my feet and back into a church building. A somewhat impossible task at the time. Little did I know several months later I would be preparing to go on a mission.

Five things on today’s “to do” list

I don’t make lists! But if I did make lists, today mine would have completely consisted of cleaning my house. Tomorrow is the day the realtors walk through our house and give feedback on what we need to do to sale it. Someone going through my house without me being there and getting critiqued on what my house should look like….two things that make me sick to my stomach.

Five snacks I enjoy

Brownies
Kettle Chips
Popcorn (preferable caramel, and not the hard stuff either…I love the gooey kind)
Chips and Salsa or Chips and guacamole (I’m talking about good homemade salsa)
Peanut M&M's
(I could list healthy stuff but what fun is that?)

Five things I would do if I was a millionaire…

Adopt lots of babies
Build my dream house and have it professionally decorated
Help out my family and friends
Plan and pay for the best girls week anyone has every seen. All of you would be invited of course
And then I would do some responsible things such as pay off our bills, put money away for retirement, college funds, etc, etc. But if I am going to dream…I just want to dream of the fun stuff and not about bills or long distance relatives who suddenly love me and want my money.

Five places I have lived…

Arizona
Maryland/Washington DC
South Carolina
Washington State
Idaho

The Girl Who Cried Wolf

We're moving...No, we aren't...yes, we are....now we're not....NO, NO really we are and we mean it this time. I feel like the girl who cried wolf. Perhaps you won't even believe us after so many false starts. But truly this is for real this time. Dallan gave his two/three week notice yesterday. There was no negotiating this time around, the deed is done so to speak. What changed our minds?? Last week Dallan called Palo Verde and explained we would be staying, they asked why, and he told them Basic had given him a raise in order to keep him here. They asked what we needed in order to make the move, Dallan gave them a number, Palo Verde thought it over and the next day they called and matched the offer Basic had given him. We took the weekend and seriously thought and prayed as to what decision would be best for our family and in the end we felt like we could take either job and be okay. Dallan has wanted to go into the nuclear industry since he got out of the Navy and now that he has been given a chance to try it out, we decided to throw caution or money to the wind and make the move. I say money because we are not sure how much we are going to have to lose in order to sell our home here. So please say a little prayer that it won't take years for us to get rid of this house! If anyone is interested in roasting yourself in the hot sun you are always welcome to come and visit. By the way the picture I posted makes me laugh because the day we decided to take the job I had run to the store for something and when I got back Dallan had changed everyone into their Arizona State attire.

And the Award Goes to....

Me! That's right the award for worst mom in the neighborhood goes to yours truly! If you are wondering why I deserve such an award let me list all the many things I did or didn't do today that warrant such high praise from the other mothers on the block....

1. I was not aware this adorable boy pictured here knows how to operate door handles. There I was having a moment of peace in the basement when all of a sudden I hear a soft spoken voice calling my name. I wondered who could that be? As I bounded up the stairs it hit me.... the silence I had been enjoying wasn't due to this little boy playing quietly upstairs. No, the silence was due to the fact that he had let himself out the side door and was busy outside chatting up the neighbors. And not just any neighbor, no that would have made it too easy. It had to be none other than...the neighborhood's "Mother of the Year". Now, I don't say that sarcastically either. This neighbor's house is clean every time I go over, even when she isn't expecting company. She is the kind of mom that never gets angry and any time you hear her talking to her kids it is always in this calm and completely patient voice. So not only does she find my adorable boy outside alone, she gets to come into my house and into the one room I didn't want anyone to see today...the kitchen. Great work Mandee!

2. Madelyn....see my lack of parenting skills doesn't just apply to one child. No...I firmly believe in equality when it comes to my lack of parental involvment. First thing this morning Madelyn asks if she can go to Libby's house. Libby is a friend of mine that lives almost directly behind us. She has all boys and none of them are Madelyn's age. For whatever reason she loves going to Libby's house. Last night she asked Libby if she could come over today and Libby graciously said yes. So off Madelyn went to her friend (and mine) Libby's house. A few minutes later Libby called to chat and I said so what is Madelyn doing? Oh she is just laying on the couch watching TV. Why does she want to go to someone elses house to watch TV when she could do it here? Then I learn that not only is my daughter sprawled out on Libby's couch but that she has informed her she is hungry and that she would like a ham sandwich please (at least she said please). The girl just ate two eggs at home and now she is asking the neighbor for a ham sandwich as though she hasn't eaten in days? What is going on here? After having been served brunch and watching a little tv she decides she wants to go to Keagan's house. At least Keagan is her age. After swimming Madelyn decides it is time to go home. When she makes it back I ask her if she is ready for some lunch to which she tells me "No, I am not that hungry mom". I said well that must be because Libby made you a ham sandwich and she said no I am not hungry because I had some carrots and a peanut butter sandwich at Keagan's house. So let me get this straight Madelyn....you left here....went to the neighbors house....watched Elmo and had a ham sandwich....when you were done there you went to Keagan's.....upon your arrival you took a little dip in their pool, asked if Brenda (keagan's mom) could put some sunblock on you and thought it was okay to eat a few carrots and a peanut butter sandwich? Yes, mom that is right. Nice Mandee....REAL nice.

I could go on but I feel as though I have embarassed myself enough for one day. Now there is no need to thank me for making all of you feel extra good about the great jobs you are doing in raising your children. I am glad I could help you out. And remember when you are feeling insecure about how well you are doing as a mother....just come back and read this post and you will feel better instantly! Glad to be of service!

Everyone say POTATO!

Well it is official....we are now permenant residents of the great state of Idaho (at least for the time being). It was a tough decision but in the end the offer Basic American Foods gave Dallan was just too good to pass up. It is strange how things work. I wanted more than anything to move back closer to our families but for whatever reason it just didn't ever feel exactly right. I guess to me it is ironic that the one place I have been wanting so desperately to depart from over the last year turned out to be the place I ended up feeling the best about when the time finally came to make a decision. I am sad we are not going to be living near my family. I love them and I love the way they love, love, love our kids. That is the reason it makes me sad. My children adore their extended family and it would have been so much fun to raise them close to all the people who love them so much. But for some reason we are supposed to be here, at least for right now. And like my mom told me tonight....don't look back just be happy with the decision you guys made. So for what it's worth...Mom, Hannah, Beba, Aunt Jana, Aunt Susi and Uncle D(and the rest of the clan) we are really sorry!