This is HILLARIOUS!!!

So I saw this on Lexi's blog, how I EVER missed this picture is BEYOND me! Madelyn was standing by me when we opened up the picture....YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN AND HEARD HER REACTION.....





First thing said.....That's NOT me!


Second thing said.....I don't EVER want to see that picture again!


Third thing said.....I think I am allergic to that picture mom!

And then she asked if she could go to Bessie's house and play with Ricardo (Carter). Not sure where the name Ricardo came from but I quickly corrected her! She has a habit of re-naming people. There is Bessie (which is really Lexie), then there is Hannah (which is really Nana), and now Ricardo. Bessie and Hannah REFUSE to let me correct her but I think "Ricardo" would DEFINATELY want her to know his REAL name.

The cutest Annie I have ever seen!

Finally....Some Pictures!!

Here are some of the house before we moved in. I will have to take some "after" shots. We had most of the interior painted and so it looks a lot different now.
Front of the house (obviously!)

Entry

Family Room

Kitchen (well at least part of it)

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom (do you see that doorway off to the side? That is another entire...we are using it as storage/excercise room for the moment).

Master Bathroom Shower

Inside of the master bath shower

I will take some "after" photos and post them as soon as possible!

I Am Not Political But....

I am not someone who is overtly political. Like most of you I have my views, my values, my frustrations, my likes, and of course my dislikes. I admit that most times I feel like our government in general is a little like a roller coaster....there are ups and downs, sideway turns and yes, moments of fear that everything you just ate for lunch is about to be thrown up on the person next to you. And just when you think it can't get any worse....the ride is over and all is calm. That has been me for as long as I can remember. There has never been a time when I have felt fear or uneasiness regarding the overall state of our country....until now. Each time I turn on the television or listen to the radio (talk radio that is) I am overwhelmed with what is happening in our world. I can remember during this last election when proposition 8 was being proposed. One of the General Authority's from my church said that we as church members can no longer be silent bystanders when it comes to what is right and wrong. I agree. I guess my apathetic tendencies toward all things government no longer works, especially if I want to feel as though I have a say in what happens to this country I love so much. So please forgive me for getting on yet another soapbox! Surely you must be thinking that there are better things for me to blog about other than the infamous octomom and radio/tv host Glenn Beck...and you would be right but for today this is what has been on my mind.....

I am not a huge Glenn Beck fan or at least until recently I haven't much listened to what he has to say but this caught my attention and I thought I would pass it along. It is called the 912 PROJECT. To me this is what AMERICA is.....and if more Americans took this approach to life we would all be a lot better off!

THE NINE PRINCIPLES
1. America is good.
2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

THE TWELVE VALUES
1. Honesty
2. Reverence
3. Hope
4. Thrift
5. Humility
6. Charity
7. Sincerity
8. Moderation
9. Hard Work
10. Courage
11. Personal Responsibility
12. Gratitude

If you want to know more about the 912 PROJECT. You can visit Glenn Beck's website!

On the Road...Heading Toward a Little Place Called...HAPPINESS!

As we drive through life we, at times, come across roadblocks, pitfalls, detours and even an occasional accident. And when we allow it these things even impede our happiness. Lucky for me the light at the end of the tunnel inevitably comes, and I am happy to report that the darkness is rapidly being replaced by light...GLORIOUS...light!

1. House in Rexburg....SOLD
2. House in Buckeye....BOUGHT (but not paid for!)
3. Painters...scheduled to start TOMORROW
4. New ward....SUNDAY!
5. Movers....MONDAY!
6. Satellite...DVR....TUESDAY!!!
7. New furniture....4 to 6 WEEKS (a long wait but DEFINITELY worth it, actually remind me to tell you all about my furniture find).
8. New School for Madelyn...MONDAY (she is a TROOPER...this is the 3rd school for the adorable little red head).
9. Commute time dropped from 3 HOURS to less than ONE....(Dallan is one HAPPY guy).
10. Free gym membership....okay not exactly free since it is included in our HOA fees, but it is a really nice gym and it provides FREE childcare!
11. MY VERY OWN COMPUTER....DOWNLOADING AND POSTING NEW PICTURES.....FAST INTERNET...Do I need to say MORE???

I think I should stop now in fear of getting TOO HAPPY! I think I am actually GIDDY in spite of the PILE of laundry that is staring at me and the sink full of dishes that never seems to disappear. LIFE IS GOOOD!

This is Me...On my Soapbox

I wasn't going to write about it, but after several days of non-stop interviews, and seeing countless pictures, I decided I just couldn't let it go! Yes, I am referring to the lovely single, unemployed woman in California, who after much thought decided it would be wise to give her SIX children EIGHT more siblings. Now, I can believe her claim that she didn't intend to have eight more BUT to even have ONE more when you already have SIX is just beyond me. Here is what I have a problem with....

1. She is an unemployed college student who used student loans to help pay for her fertility treatments that cost upwards of $100,000.

2. She receives $490 a month in food stamps and $2,379 a month in social security payments for 3 of her 6 children. One has autism, one has ADHD, and the other has a mild speech problem with small signs of autistic behavior.

3. She has no private health insurance and therefore uses free state insurance. The hospital bill is rumored to be over ONE million dollars. The taxpayers of California will be forced to pay her dream of having a large family.

4. 3 of her children have disabilities and yet she wants to add MORE children? When I think of this alone it INFURIATES me. I think of Lexie and how challenging her life can be at times. I think of how much of her time and energy is spent on helping Casey get better. I can't imagine the stress she sometimes feels when she has to split up her time between Casey and her other two boys. I can recall MANY conversations I've had with her about treatment options, new studies, speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, the cost of getting Casey the best treatment possible, the frustration of knowing their options are limited because of where they live or because of financial restraints. Here is a mother that is devoted to helping her son get better and it IS HARD on HER and yet she does it. She puts her own needs and wants aside and she does what has to be done. How much time do you think this mother of 14 can give to her autistic son? Is he getting the treatment he needs? Is he getting the attention he deserves? THIS MAKES ME SICK!

5. When this woman was asked why she wanted so many children she explained that she grew up an only child and wanted to compensate for that by having lots of children around her that would love her unconditionally. She talked about having a void in her life and wanting to fill it by having lots of children. IT WAS ALL ABOUT HER.

I am not one of those people who believe what she did was medically unethical. She had a choice, I understand that, and that is what is so frustrating. There are thousands of couples like me and Dallan who would give anything to have children. We are made to jump through countless hoops, have our personal lives dissected and analyzed, show proof that we have private health insurance, have minimal debt and an above average yearly salary, all of which is to ensure that we are suitable parent material. And when the government has decided that yes, we are acceptable people we are then forced to pay OBSCENE amounts of money to finally have the privilege of raising a child. Hearing stories like this literally hurts my heart and I am ashamed to say makes me questions why people like her are able to have FOURTEEN children when there are other couples in the world like Emily's sister who would give their right arm to have JUST ONE.

The frustration is that there is no way to solve this problem. There will always be selfish people in this world that put their own needs above those of their children. My heart aches for her children. I hope I am wrong about this woman. I hope she has the strength of character to give her children all that they need in order to be happy and successful in this life. And along with the majority of the population I too hope she has achieved her dream of having a large family and is finally done procreating.

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.