B.U.S.Y.

So, here's the latest:

I got called to be the YW's advisor. I say "The" instead of "A" because in our ward there are not very many young women, so there is a presidency, and me...and that's it! But what's nice is that we all just rotate teaching, so I only have to teach once every 5 weeks. It's been really fun, and I love having a reason to prance out the door every Wednesday, leaving Samuel behind to put the kids to bed.
This week we have some extra visitors! My good friend Kat and her hubs are on a week-long vaycay to Hawaii (and Washington for a wedding) so we have these cute little faces to wake up to every day:

They are such good kids (AND THE GREATEST SLEEPERS EVER!) but still, I do not have enough hands to meet the needs of 4 little ones as fast as they need me too. It's a little tricky too because one is kind of a picky eater, and then Annie has all those allergies, so in essence I am coming up with 4 different meals for 4 different kids. Also, Annaliese is a little jealous of the baby, and Kalia is also a little crazy about wanting to hold her and entertain her (she's 9 months old, so it's not like she needs to be held) but anyway, it's been the busiest week I've had in years, and the bedtime hours have never been such a relief. It's been a great experience for me to realize that my life with 2 kids is really quite easy, compared to life with 4! My sweet visiting teacher just brought me dinner tonight, which was SO NEEDED, I'm sure Samuel hasn't eaten anything but frozen dinners for days, and I've been surviving off of oreos...(I've been comfort eating...big time) but anyway, thank you so much Kristi for the fabulous dinner!
My little brother Jonny went into the MTC yesterday. I wish I could have been there for a few more late-night games of Settlers, and to say one more goodbye. (I stole this off my sister's blog, this was taken right before he went to the MTC). We were able to see him 10 days ago when we drove up to St. George for his farewell. He's going to Argentina (Mendoza) and he's going to be an awesome Elder. I only have one more younger sibling, she just turned 16, so who knows if she'll go...this might be my last sibling in the mission field.

Last night Samuel and I watched the Michael Jackson movie This Is It. I don't know how I missed out on him when I was a kid, but I just never really listened to him or knew that much about him, so last night was really the first time I've ever SEEN Michael Jackson, and wow, I have to say, I was pretty blown away. It's sad that he's passed away. He was absolutely incredible, and so so so talented. Samuel and I decided that he's probably already accepted the gospel in the Spirit world. Weird or not...he seems like a great guy with a good heart. (And to those of you who have seen this, were you not totally blown away by his cool blond guitarist? I love her!)


I also just finished this book by Lynn Austin called Candle in the Darkness. It's a novel about the Civil war, and it really got me thinking...about what life would be like if (when) war breaks out in the U.S. again, and why food storage is so crucial, and how awful it would be to send all the men off to war. It was a GREAT book, it has a strong Christian theme, and I highly recommend it. (I had to wait quite a long time for it at the library, has anyone else read this?)
And that's all for now.

Random Pictures from November/December

Catching up on the last two months with tons of pictures!! Above is Annaliese turning one and enjoying her special wheat-free/corn-free/dairy-free cake. (And some have you have been asking, but GREAT news, we were able to get her special formula covered by insurance, so no more worries there! It's delivered right to our door, and we don't pay a penny. Thank goodness for that blessing!)
I love my parents! My mom's hair has grown back (post-chemotherapy) extremely curly. Still so beautiful though!
Ward Christmas party
I put Kalia to bed and I heard her sneak out for a second, and then sneak back in to bed. I went to give her a lecture about staying in bed, but I found this in the hallway, and I decided I better drop the lecture, especially since she was being so considerate of her stuffed penguin.


Eyes still not brown...just a few random streaks in each eye.

#1: We put a twin mattress on the stairs and the girls will climb and slide it for at least a half hour. That's a long time for them.
#2: We call Annie "Lloyd" because of the Dumb & Dumber haircut that I gave her on accident (just trying to trim those bangs!)
#3: Kalia has the best 6-pack in the whole family. Can you see it? I can't wait to get that girl in gymnastics. I consistently find her hanging and doing tricks on the bar in her closet.

Vids for the Grandmas

Well if any of you love Orson Scott Card as much as I do (and his books about Ender Wiggins) then you might recognize the term "vids". Anyway... these are a few videos for the relatives who like them:

This is only a few seconds long, (and this is literally the backyard of the house I grew up in) but the best part is at the end when Kalia does a little victory dance and shouts some sort of exclamation.


This video doesn't have any picture because I took it at night while I was laying by Kalia. We used to put her to sleep by scratching/tickling her back and singing her favorite songs over and over. Then she decided SHE wanted to do the singing and the back tickling. This little voice just melts my heart, especially the part when she stops right in the middle and says, "Mommy is so happy when I sing 'Families.' " :)

Deep Breath...Lots to Update on...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years! We have been traveling and I think I am officially partied-out and DONE traveling! At least for 2 more weeks when we have to go back to St. George for my brother's mission farewell. Anyway, it is so good to be home, and I'm finally staying up late to get some blogging done. Where to begin?

Life is good. December turned out to be the best month we've had all year. For real. I guess it was the first Christmas where we were on the "receiving end" of a lot of kindness and generosity and service. I couldn't believe how much of the Christmas Spirit I was feeling, since we weren't able to do much giving. I just felt so loved and humbled.

I turned 29 a few weeks ago...Samuel let me spend the entire day doing everything I wanted. It was one of the best birthdays I've ever had. And I got to eat at Cafe Rio AND Olive Garden within 24 hours. Does it get better than that? I was completely kid-free for 24 hours (maybe it was closer to 36...) and it was a much-needed break.

But I want to thank a few of you (you know who you are!) who wanted to help us out this year...we wouldn't have had much of a Christmas (or a birthday) without you. It means a lot to us! We were able to stretch the "generosity" and get some necessities...and more!

So, in no order at all, here's a few bright spots from the month:

1. For the first time in our married life we said good-bye to mismatched sheets and random blankets and got a "Comforter Set." If you haven't checked out KINGLINEN.COM then you're missing out!! Amazing prices and machine washable stuff. Ignore the "SALE ENDS TODAY" line...it says that every day. Anyway, this is what our bed looks like now and I love it...it feels so elegant now in our room.
We spent Christmas in St. George with my family this year. It was SOOOOOOO much fun. This is my youngest sister Kimberlee with Annaliese.

And here I am, happy because I'm playing my NEW ADDICTION: Settlers of Catan. All the married couples would stay up til 2 or 3 a.m. playing this game. I even won once, which is probably why I'm happy in this picture, but anyway, I am still trying to figure out ways to play that game every weekend.
Annaliese and Grandma Karen (some of you might notice that my mom's kitchen is completely remodeled. It's like three times bigger. It was so nice, since it was SERIOUSLY overcrowded in that house on Christmas.) We celebrated three nights in a row with all the extended family. We were lucky to have a bed.

The little cousins sang their musical numbers.
And the other big exciting gift? A steam mop! LOVE IT!
Christmas morning on the stairs (before getting to see what Santa brought.) This picture is an Esplin family tradition.

So, I totally did not put up any pictures of what the kids got for Christmas, but don't worry, they got some fun little gems too.

Results

HE PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you all so much for your prayers.

Prayer Request

You know I believe in prayer, especially the cumulative power of many prayers...soooo...

If any of you read this Monday night or Tuesday (for most of the day) I'd just like to ask for your prayers for Samuel...he is taking the state and national real estate exam Tuesday and it would be a great blessing to us if he could pass it his first time. We've heard that a lot of people have to take it several times, but you have to pay $90 each time so...we need some faith and prayers! Once he has this license he can start training with Tanner in the corporate real estate world. He passed the school exam by half a percent, so if he would have missed ONE more question, he would have had to take it again. Our families fasted for him the Sunday before, so I am sure it was that extra help that made it possible for him to move ahead onto this final exam tomorrow. Please send positive thoughts his way...he'll be in Tucson if you'd like to direct them to the exact location (just kidding.) Thank you guys for your love and support!

Latest News around here

Wow. I don't even know where to begin. This is going to be long.

First, my new baby niece is here! Tara had her baby last night, Jayda Karen Alofipo, and she is healthy and strong, and Tara's labor went so fast that she didn't need an epidural. She is superwoman! She should have pictures up soon on facebook, or check back onto her blog later
http://tara-wayne.blogspot.com.

I totally missed posting anything about Annaliese's 1st Birthday (Nov. 6th). We were in St. George and we had a little party where she got to have her first taste of cake- and it was dairy-free, corn-free, and gluten-free. It tasted like burnt brownies. She loved it. We're taking her back to an allergy doctor in two weeks. I don't know how that's going to help, but we may test her for Celiac's disease, since we've found that wheat has been causing the stomachaches, the diarrhea, and the itching.

(sigh)

The good news is that there are a lot of gluten-free foods for her (like brown rice pasta) and she absolutely adores it.

The bad news is that WIC will no longer give her the corn-free Similac formula that she's been on for a 10 months, so we're trying to get the insurance to approve it with a doctors prescription. It's been two weeks now and I haven't heard. Praying for a miracle on this one. She cannot have goats milk, soy milk, almond milk, cows milk, or any formula that has corn syrup solids (that's all of them except the one she's been on.) So what kind of milk can she have? Yes, there is rice milk, but that's basically just rice water, there's not enough good nutrition in it. We need that formula.

Let's see, our house is not in foreclosure yet. The auction was postponed for 30 days, and I'm betting it will be postponed again. So we are still paying our very-cheap rent in the meantime.

Samuel's legal case is almost over- the district attorney could tell that Judy's case was a bunch of BS (WOOOHOOO!!) and he motioned for dismissal. Now it just has to be approved by a judge. It is so nice to know that his good name will not be tarnished through all this. We are so grateful.

At the same time it's kind of crazy how one wild accusation could lead to such a dramatic change in our lives. Not only did it force us to leave the state, it also ended up costing him his income and employment.

That wasn't really a problem until now. We ran out of money this month. Have you ever watched your bank account and savings go down to $20.00? Yeah. It's freaky. We've been able to live for 2 months on all the money we had left in the world. And now it's gone. It's put an unbelievable amount of stress on us.

So I didn't even know how to write on my blog. I didn't want to burden my friends with our stress. I didn't want you to feel sorry for us. And yet I couldn't just pretend that all is perfect and happy in our life, even though through all of this we have felt very blessed. The last few weeks have been really hard though, with the money situation.

Stress. Bills. Pressure. Finances. Christmas.

The Relief Society President got wind of what was going on. Samuel has been out of work for 60 days now. Our bills were paid through the end of November. All I can say is that my conversation with her was one of the sweetest, most cherished experiences of my life, and I have truly seen why this organization exists in the first place. It was changed my heart.

And it was like someone had cut open the growing pressure of a world that felt like it was going to explode, and the pressure eased, and Samuel and I stopped fighting and figured out why we were working against each other, and not together. That same RS President gave us gift cards to Outback Steakhouse, Coldstone, and then she came over one Saturday night to watch the kids so that we could enjoy each other and just TALK. I just love that lady. Her son-in-law is Max Hall, by the way, BYU's quarterback.

Ok. So back to the story. Samuel's internship will start in January. He has to have his real estate license, which he is actually getting as we speak (he will hopefully have his license by Dec 10th). He isn't home during the day, so my whole "work from home " thing is not going to bring in much this month. It's a struggle to fit in even 10 hours a week; it's not work that I can do while kids are awake. I'm sure you guys know what it's like. I don't know what I was thinking trying to take on extra things. Life is already crazy enough as it is.

Well, I don't want this to be depressing. I'm not depressed. So....yeah, we're living at a subsistence level. It's stressful. We're going to be living below the poverty line for awhile. But guess what, we are the most blessed family in poverty that I know of. We get to live in the most beautiful neighborhood in Arizona (I think). We have all the food and medical care we could need. (Thanks government assistance. You're the best. ) We have possibilities for the future, and though I don't know how it will all work out, I just know that someday money will not be a problem for us. I can feel that this experience is teaching us some important things, and that one day we can hand someone a big wad of cash and hug them and cry with them, because we've been there.I really look forward to that day.

And one final note-- Pay your tithing everybody. Pay your tithing. I heard the stories, growing up, about money just showing up when you need it, and you know it's because the Lord is keeping his promise when he said, "Prove me now herewith..."

Just when our bank account hit that $20 range, and we knew we would not have anything coming in for December, the windows of heaven opened. We got a $1500 check in the mail. Where, you're wondering? From a car accident. Remember the day we moved from Las Vegas, we got in a tiny side-swipe accident? And it caused our movers to cancel on us? And everything just seemed to be going wrong? (Read about it HERE if you've forgotten). Well, that car accident was the other girl's fault, but there were no witnesses, and so she lied and told the cops that I had run the red light; the cop had to write the accident without faulting either of us. We were SO mad. Samuel filed a claim anyway, but I knew it was useless without the police report faulting that girl. I was WRONG. I don't know what inspired Lesley at Lincoln General Motor Insurance, but it had to have been the Spirit of the Lord, because she somehow discerned the truth of it all, and settled in our favor. We took our car in to get an estimate (you can barely see ANYTHING on the outside of our car. Seriously.) And somehow the guy writing the estimate decided there was $1537.00 worth of repairs including repainting, a new tire, an alignment, etc. And that check came to us in OUR name, which means the money is ours to do whatever we want with it.

I call that a miracle, wouldn't you? It came at exactly the right time.
Pay your tithing.

So, I just want to tell you all that I love you and appreciate your support and love. I know that everyone has their trials, and many of them are hidden. Not everyone is an open book like I am. ;0)-- and that is okay. I know of other people who are experiencing trials right now. I know of a couple who's two children have kidney problems, and their little baby has to be on dialysis THREE hours EVERY day. I know of the girl in Vegas who lost her 14 month old in a drowning accident. I know of people who's husbands are entangled in pornography. I know of people who are battling cancer, even though they are my age and have young families. I know of so many couples who cannot get pregnant, no matter what they do. I know of several young girls that have lost their husbands in sudden and sometimes strange freak accidents. Life can be so hard. I am so grateful that this is our trial right now, because at least we have our health and we have each other. But I know the Lord will support us through our trials no matter what they are, and as hard as they will be, they are never more than we can bear- we won't be able to bear them alone though.

Well, pictures for sure next time around!

Sickened

Let's back up about 5 years. The movie RENT came out. I didn't know a whole lot about it, just that it was a big broadway play, and I knew that my favorite broadway actress (Idina Menzel, the original Elphaba from Wicked) was one of the main characters in the broadway play and also in the movie-adaptation of Rent. So I begged Samuel to take me to see the movie. Even though it was a PG-13 movie, I sat there in SHOCK, sick to my stomach. This was my first introduction to gay couples in the entertainment industry. There was a gay couple and a lesbian couple. And my favorite Idina Menzel was one of those lesbians (or she was a bi-sexual or something...) There was butt grabbing and boob grabbing and I think some kissing, and I guess it's fair to say that I was caught off-guard. I vowed NEVER, EVER to see Rent again. I was so disturbed.

Next I fell in love with two shows on ABC- Grey's Anatomy and Brothers and Sisters. Brothers and Sisters was the first to have a gay character, and that was probably the first time I ever saw two men kissing. I almost threw up. I couldn't believe that this was allowed on primetime TV. I mean, COME ON, at least save it for cable! So I stopped watching the show for awhile, but later slowly went back to it, making sure I would always fast forward any scenes that involved gay people.

Then, Grey's Anatomy hit me with a hard blow. And you know the one I'm talking about. The totally unnecessary transation of Callie from a married heterosexual to a woman experiementing (and enjoying) lesbianism. Grey's Anatomy was one of my very favorite shows. When they showed a lesbian kiss on that final episode of the season a year or two ago, I vowed that I was DONE with the show. Then they surprised me and kicked one of the lesbians off the show. There is still a lesbian relationship going on, but as far as I've seen, no more lesbian kissy/huggy behavior.

I'm sure it's just a matter of time. And I know I have to draw the line somewhere. And it's going to have to be soon, because my kids will be old enough to see some of the shows that I'm watching, and I will do anything to protect them from this filth.

I can't help but marvel at how QUICKLY the floodgates of sin have opened, and how within a matter of years things that were never shown, EVER, on TV, to things that are now so common and mainstream that they are being accepted as commonplace. And if things have gotten so bad in SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, can you even IMAGINE what will be on TV in 5 years, when Kalia is all of 7 years old? I don't even want to think about it.

And then there's the music problem.

You know whose music is fun and catchy and great to dance or workout to? Britney Spears. Remember "Oops I Did it Again" or "Hit Me Baby One More Time"? Or more recently "Womanizer" and "Circus"? Seriously, some of the best songs to work out to EVER. (Well, I don't really work out right now, but if I did, those would definitely be my songs of choice.)

Did you hear about her latest hit single? It's called '3'. And you know what it's about? Having a threesome. You know. A Menage a trois. Also what you might have seen on Gossip Girl the other night. Do you know what made me sick about the song? It was this news headline:
"Britney Spears becomes the first artist in over three years to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, to be released tomorrow (Oct. 15), as "3" opens at the pinnacle of the chart." Yeah, I listened to it. I'm worried about all the people who listen and bop along to it's catchy tune and beat, not knowing what she's really saying, or not really listening to the lyrics. How about this line?

Are - you in
Livin' in sin is the new thing (yeah)
Are - you in
I am countin'

Yeah. Sickened. Livin' in sin is the new thing. SATAN'S LIES!! It's NOT the new thing for me and my house.(Joshua 24:15) Then one month later, the Gossip Girl episode that not-so-subtley teachs viewers that having a threesome is just part of college life and experimentation.

Satan's lies. Satan's lies. Satan's lies. Pounding us from the media. From sources that used to be harmless. Once upon a time, and long, long ago, when Britney was only 18 and still singing about being a heartbreaker.

The whole "dividing the wheat from the tares" is happening now. I know we can't straddle both sides forever. So if you're not ready to make your choice now, GEAR UP. We will have to choose soon. We have to. Our spiritual lives are going to depend on it. And if we don't, well, things that once felt so awful and so wrong will slowly become acceptable. It's going to be hard. I will admit, sadly, that I am still watching all three aforementioned shows. And I know that I have to just quit. Give them up. What is it going to take for me to do it? I'm not sure. But you can bet that there will be some prayer and fasting going into this decision, because I am just feeling so strongly that it's time for the floodgates to close.

One of my most favorite quotes of all time is this:
"At first we abhor, and then we ignore, and then we embrace."

And a favorite quote from C.S. Lewis:
“You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. … It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. … Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

I've heard it said that Satan's power diminshes every time a temple is built on the earth. That definitely gives me hope. I am going to start right there by trying to find a way to get to the temple every week, in hopes that it will help strengthen me against this wicked world. I have so many things that need to be worked on, so to me this is the simplest place to start.

I'm vowing today to fight back. The Media will not take me. It will not take my family. It can take itself and the world and go to hell. And I mean that literally in the non-swearing, "I'm talking about the place" way.

And that's what I think about that.
If you are in the mood for an amazing talk about the temple and the power it will have in our lives, see Elder Bednar's talk HERE

Ideas?

We have spent the last 5 days in St. George, and we're having a blast. I got to go to Time Out For Women with my mom and sisters, and it was wonderful. I have really been feeling like I've been in a scripture study rut for awhile now. I am reading a little each day but I'm not getting anything out of it. I need a new routine or study guide or SOMETHING. Any ideas?

Fabulous Finds

Time for a few more reviews on some of my favorite products:
1. Organix Coconut Milk Anti Breakage Serum

I am not sure if you can find this at Wal-mart or Target, but you will definitely find it at a drugstore. If you look at the other Organix products (shampoos and conditioners) you can probably find a "Try it free" tab on the bottle, so you can buy any organix product, and mail in the receipt for a full rebate. That's what I did. I tried both the coconut milk conditioner and this serum. I was NOT impressed with the conditioner, but I LOVE this serum. It made my hair so silky. (TOO silky, if you want your hair to hold a perfect style, FYI). I love the smell too. Well worth $4.99 if if you don't get a rebate.

2. Lancome Teint Idole Foundation

This is my favorite department store foundation (in other words, expensive), but it gives me the perfect amount of coverage, doesn't rub off too much, the coverage lasts all day, and lots of color options for all skin tones. The color I found blends in with my skin flawlessly. I love this stuff.

3. Neosporin Lip Health Daily Hydration Therapy SPF 20

This is THE BEST LIP MOISTURIZER THAT I HAVE EVER FOUND. Not only does it have sunscreen, you can't tell it's in there (a lot of Chapstick products with SPF feel really waxy, but this one is perfectly smooth.) Another great thing about this is that it's not in a jar, so you don't have to dip dirty fingers into the jar to get the product out. This white cream-like stuff moisturizes my lips for HOURS.

4. Suave Advanced Therapy

One time I was on my way into a temple session, and I stopped in the bathroom right beforehand. I washed my hands, and on my way out the door I saw this lotion that one of the workers had left for everyone to use it. I pumped a bit into my hand and rushed off, but the entire time I kept thinking about how soft my hands were. I bought a bottle after that, and I still love it. It's a really good moisturizer.

5. Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in Coconut Lime
I bought this one day at Walmart. IT SMELLS SOOOOOOOOO GOOD. Not very coconuty or limey, at least not in the "Bath and Body Works" way, but it just smells amazing. It scrubs my skin WAY smooth. I have had little bumps on the hamstring area of my legs for the longest time, but this will scrub them right off. I think this cost around $5 and it's a pretty good size. The only downside is that the sugar grains will stay on the bottom of your shower/tub if you don't rinse really well.

Happy Halloween!

Random Happenings:

1. House Update: The owner finally responded to our certified letter. He was so confused about why we sent it (but lets face it, we aren't even sure why we did it, just following legal advice.) He firmly believes his short sale is going to go through and that the bank is just using a "scare tactic" on him. He says it takes an hour and a half on hold on the phone to get a live person to talk to, so he really doesn't know the status on the offers. He has been pretty nice about everything and I feel sorry that I called him a greedy jerk on a previous post. We will give him the benefit of the doubt. We'll see what happens when Nov. 12th gets closer.

2. I have been very busy studying for and taking an online exam. I just found out this morning that I passed and I am an official Leapforce Agent. I'm pretty excited-- I found a great opportunity working from home. It's a legit opportunity, you don't have to buy any "kits" to get started, but you have to send in a resume, and then study and take a two part test. I think that technically it's working for google, and I will be evaluating search engine results. Sounds boring, but since I just passed a 7 hour test of doing just that, I can say I quite like it. Let's just say it's right up my alley. I'll work 10-30 hours a week, depending on how that works with Samuel's schedule. You actually bill per minute, so I can do 15 minutes here and there, etc. If anyone else is interested you can check them out at leapforceathome.com. I signed a disclosure/privacy statement that they take very seriously, so I can't say too much about it, but I'll keep ya'll posted on how it's going.


3. I had to make another trip to the E.R. with Annaliese. She had cold symptoms and was burning up with a 105 degree fever. I was worried it was swine flu, but it turned out to be a small patch of pneumonia. She's doing great now.


4. I can't wait to go HOME to St. George! Next weekend (Nov 6th weekend) is Time Out for Women in St. George and my dad bought all the girls tickets. I think my mom is even getting us a hotel room so we can really have a girls weekend. And I don't have to drive alone (whew!) Samuel is coming along. Krystal and Jeff are coming down from Orem. I've been homesick for my fam and can't wait to see them.

5. Today Samuel got offered a sort of paid mentorship to work with a commercial broker. Samuel has always been very interested in commercial real estate, so it's a great opportunity for him to learn how to do the business. The pay is very low, but it might be enough to live off of for awhile, and there's big money in the future for this kind of job, so it might be worth it (especially if I can supplement the income from home, which now I can, woohoo!)
*Interestingly enough, the person who referred Samuel for the job is the owner of our house, the one I call J. Funny how things work out sometimes, eh?

Foreclosure!

So, in a surprising twist, we received a Notice of Trustee Sale last week on the door. In other words, we got a paper taped to our door saying that the house we are renting is going to be sold at a foreclosure auction on November 12th.


Yeah, we were shocked that the banks gave up on the short sale so fast....what happened to the three offers in on the house? Obviously they were too low. But wow, that was fast.


We contacted J, (owner of the house) and he has completely ignored us. So I called a real estate attorney who gave me a free consultation. He told me to #1- notify the bank that we are renting the house, since often the banks don't realize there are tenants in the home. #2 Send a letter to the landlord asking for a letter of Reasonable Assurance (key words there) that he will continue to honor the lease as long as he is the owner. He said both of these letters will help us immensly in the future should it get "MESSY."


So, the news of a foreclosure is actually GREAT news in our opinion. It is very likely that the auction will be postponed several months (apparently this happens a lot). Also, it definitely means we will be staying in the house a little longer. The real estate lawyer told us that not only does J have to give us 30 days notice to move out, it's not 30 days from the day he notifies us, it's 30 days from the beginning of the next month. So if he decides he wants us to move out and notifies us on Nov 2nd, it's not in effect until DECEMBER 1st and we can stay until Dec 30th. We were pretty excited to find that out, since we haven't heard a word from J for weeks.

Another AMAZING blessing coming from this is that if J lets us keep paying rent (which is kind of an ethical issue, because we know he's not paying his mortgage, but the lawyer told us to do it anyway if we want to avoid an eviction, keep our credit good, and qualify for the Cash for Keys. Cash for Keys is a program that involves the lender/bank paying people, whether it be the homeowner or the tenant, to move out of a house (leaving it in good condition) without destroying the house and stealing everything in it on their way out. Sometimes they will pay several thousand dollars (it's negotiable) to get you to leave quickly. Usually this happens AFTER the foreclosure auction (assuming the bank reclaims the home at auction) and then we can negotiate with them. So all of a sudden here we are with a good possibility of getting PAID to move out (and we knew we'd eventually be moving out anyway.) So we're hoping this all works out! There are a lot of details still involved but we definitely feel blessed. This turn of events is really working in our favor.

So, while things are still up in the air, at least we know we'll a decent amount of time to move out, and we may get some $$$ to go in our pockets as well.

Feeling grateful!

Annie- 11 Months

Well, I know ya'll are going to be all torn up over this, but this will be the last monthly update on Annaliese. They're going to go on her separate blog from here on out. So, for the last time, here's what's been happening in the last month:

She spent the majority of the month with a terrible teething rash. At first I thought it was allergy related but after eliminating all the culprits, she still had this rash. Kalia never had drool rash, and Annie didn't have it when she cut her bottom teeth, so I learned something new as a Mom... and that is that drool rash/teething rash can look like this, and go all over the face, even up to th eyes (even if drool doesn't actually migrate there.) Craziness.

Two different days:

Poor girl...it seems like every month it's a new challeng with her. I love her dearly but she is still a very needy, high-maintenance child.

The ONLY place she is truly happy is right here...Mommy's lap. Cute for pictures, but challenging when I'm trying to get stuff done around the house. She just follows me around and pulls on my pants (sometimes she pulls them right off...drawstring pants, you know.) She freaks out if I leave the room. I can't wait for her to grow out of this stage, because let's face it...it's draining! (I will add though that she is the cutest, happiest, silliest little thing if I just sit down and let her climb all over me. She also is really good if I take her out and about like the grocery store and stuff. So it's really just at home that she is high maintenance.)

She makes up for her whiny beavior by being an amazing sleeper. (I'm sure all the crying and clinging is exhausting!) She sleeps 14 hours at night and two naps during the days (and I put her to bed very early!) At least once a week she takes a four-hour nap in the afternoon, and then still goes sleeps all night. I thank my lucky stars for that Tender Mercy!

Her Daddy calls her "Chubbas." So naturally Kalia has picked it up and it makes me smile to hear her say, "Where's Chubbas?" or "Here you go Chubbas." I love these sweet round cheeks and the double chin. As you can imagine, I am kissing them nonstop.

She will do "Touchdown" on command, which is funny because we don't watch football in our house.

Allergies are STILL causing problems for us. Will I ever figure it all out? I've been letting her try to eat more foods and I thought it was going well (no face rash) but I got too lax...I'd let her snack on Ritz crackers (corn starch) or V8 Fusion juice (Ascorbic Acid/Citric Acid) and then I realized that she was scratching her back and legs and sides, sometimes scratching until she bled. I FEEL TERRIBLE!!! I remember having the impression (back when she was screaming all the time as a newborn) that she was ITCHING and I had that confirmed this week. I just have to be more careful with her. I've been using hydrocortisone cream, gold bond powder, and sometimes Benadryl to try to stop her itching.

She FINALLY added "Mama" to her vocabulary (about time!) She says about 6 or 7 words occasionally. She jabbers nonstop though, and she is VERY EXPRESSIVE. She is always gasping and oohing and ahhing at things. I'm curious to see what this will mean for her personality in the future.

She's in that cute stage of walking where she still holds her arms up to help her balance and wobbles a bit. I never get tired of watching it. No more crawling for this little one.

She will NOT go down the stairs. She will climb up them and then starts crying because she knows she's stuck. I've worked with her at least eight times, showing her how to go down backwards. It ain't happening. She's not a daredevil like her older sis.

I gave her Haircut #3 last month and I've decided to stop trying to tame the Fro. We'll just have to let it grow out!

Can't believe my baby's almost 1...that's not really a baby anymore to me. Boo.

"Oh Be Not Dismayed..."

It was during a a rest hymn that we sang "How Firm a Foundation." I know those words and have sung that song a million times, but this time it caused tears to stream down my face.

"In every condition, in sickness, in health, in poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth. At home or abroad, on the land or the sea, As thy days may demand...so thy succor shall be. "

"Fear not, I am with thee, oh be not dismayed. For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand. Upheld...by my righteous Omnipotent hand."

You guys, I have been trying to write this post for several days now but I haven't been able to do it. I just can't seem to find words for it. But I'll give it my best shot. Sorry, but some of the details are confusing.

The original plan when we moved into this house and this neighborhood was for Samuel to work 20 hours a week for the owner of the house so we could get free rent and utilities. Then, he'd spend his other 20 hours/week as the Property Manager of the apartment complex in Phoenix. After about 4 days we discovered this arrangement was not going to work. The property that Samuel was working at was a MESS. The owner (his name is Tony for future reference) told Samuel he had 60 days to get it all figured out, and then he had another property he wanted to add to his load. There was no way that Samuel could sort through the mess of that property in 20 hours a week. It needed 60 hours a week for about 5 months. So Samuel told the owner of the house (we'll call him J) that he would no longer be able to work for him in exchange for free rent. We started paying rent instead (at a discounted rate, since the house is for sale and we were showing it at the time.)

He started working CRAZY long hours at the property, and he worked his butt off. At first Tony treated him well. He wined him and dined him and promised all kinds of bonuses and future advancements. BUT, he kept paying Samuel for 20 hours a week (promising that would change once the 60 days were up). So to say we were living on a tight budget would be an understatement, but we were able to make it for those two months.

Within the last few weeks though, Tony became increasingly asinine and verbally abusive. Not only did he have the worst potty mouth of anyone I know (F-words nonstop all day, from what Samuel told me) but he started berating and belittling Samuel, calling him things like "stupid", "dumb" and "blind"...and for reasons that didn't even exist. He would come home dejected and depressed, partly because his boss was treating him so badly, and partly because he never got to see his family (kids always in bed when he got home) and because he was getting paid PENNIES to do it.

It's a long story how it all went down, but last week Samuel was replaced with a new manager. Tony tried to pull a fast one on him and lied to him, telling him he was bringing in some "temporary help" but it turned out to be Sam's replacement. It was so obvious what was going on, Samuel knew for a few weeks that he was probably getting replaced, but Tony would lie about it and so we hung on to a thread of hope that maybe that wasn't the case. But not only was that really the case, when it happened Tony made up some bogus story so that he could "Fire" Samuel "with cause" instead of laying him off (that means Samuel wouldn't qualify for unemployment.) He just basically screwed Samuel over in every way possible, after Samuel worked so hard for him. I just hope Samuel has some ego left after all this. (Come to find out, that Tony has gone through 5, no, Samuel is the 6th, manager in SEVEN MONTHS. Tony thinks somebody is going to work a miracle on his property but he's really just digging himself into a deeper hole by not letting anyone stay there long enough to make any progress. I hope Samuel feels good about lasting the longest...)

Well, we are going to file for unemployment anyway and hope the state will determine he is eligible. They must have a way of dealing with owners who try to get out of paying unemployment by "firing" without a good cause.

In other bad news, the job working for the owner of the house (J) is no longer available. To make that even worse, on Saturday we had 3 people knock on the door asking us if we were renting the house. We told them no, it's for sale, not for rent. But finally we realized something was wrong and we got on craigslist only to find THIS ad. Yes, that's right, our house was up for rent. The owner of the house (who knows Samuel lost his job) just decided to find a new renter AND J DIDN'T EVEN TELL US. He's trying to get $300 more than what we're paying him. I'm sorry, I can't hold this in, I THINK HE IS A GREEDY JERK and I wish I could use stronger language but I did just listen to conference yesterday. Seriously though, what kind of person does that? He's selling the house in a few months for crying out loud. He's not paying the mortgage, he's pocketing the money. And he's just kicking us out on our butts? We have enough money to pay rent for the last few months before it sells. He didn't even ASK us what our situation was. We absolutely cannot understand this behavior from an active member of the church. I seriously need to pray for charity for the guy, because if I see him anytime soon, I won't lie, I will want to rip his head off.

I don't think J knows that WE KNOW that he's looking for new tenants, but it will probably all come out today or tomorrow. The good news for us (and bad for him) is that we do have an actual rental contract that says that he (J) has to give us 30 days notice to move out. He obviously doesn't realize that contract is in force, or he wouldn't be trying to find a tenant BEFORE notifying us and giving us our 30 days. So that's my one little piece of retribution that makes me want to smirk and say "ha ha"...just like a little kid.

So, our world basically fell apart. Our two months of peaceful bliss in a beautiful neighborhood and house...well, soon it's all over.

I have had a hard time feeling peaceful and trusting...last time it was so easy, but this time I have been filled with fear and anxiety. Was this part of the plan all along? Or did we not learn what we were supposed to the first time?

So, if you're wondering what's next...well, we are too. We have no idea. Not much of a plan. But we are feeling more humble than ever. We heard someone in conference say that the question we should be asking is, "What wouldst thou have me do Lord?" and as obvious as it seems, we needed the reminder. Sometimes we feel like we have to figure out the solution on our own. But we need to know what the Lord would have us do, because obviously He is still trying to teach us something.

Elder Clayton's talk about carrying our burdens hit me really hard on Saturday morning, and one part of it in particular seemed to be just for me, and me alone. It's almost too personal to share but I am very very grateful that it happened to be one of the talks my kids were quiet (or absent? where were they?) during...cause I needed to hear it. Samuel said he got some answers in the Priesthood session.

So, if you're wondering if we're going to move in with Samuel's parents, well, we hope it can be avoided. We love them dearly, but frankly it would be hard on everyone. It's a small house and there's definitely no room to store any of our furniture. We do have the option if absolutely necessary though, and of course if it's the will of the Lord.

And so now you might understand why tears were streaming down my face as I was reminded that even in poverty's vale we should "fear not" because He is with us and will "still give us aid." And we are sure going to need it. We need him to "strengthen" us, "help" us, and "cause (us) to stand." And there will probably be times that he will have to hold us up entirely. And so I just remember the promise, "As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

Your prayers are appreciated (once again.)

Product Reviews

All right friends, it's that time again...I've been trying some new products, and I've also been going back to old favorites. I've also been using coupons to get things free from CVS (a little addiction going on there) Anyway, here are some of my new and old FAVORITE THINGS!! (And if you've tried any of these things and DON'T like them, feel free to let me know. I won't feel bad! I'm no expert. I'm open to trying new things too, so let me know what things you love as well.)
*Hard Anodized Cookware:
I can't tell you what brand I have, because I don't know. Last year I desperately needed some pots and pans, but I wanted stuff that was durable and safe. I have had some concerns about the coatings on non-stick pans these days so I looked in to other options. I almost got stainless steel until I stumbled upon an amazing deal on amazon.com. I LOVE HARD ANODIZED!!! First, you should know they are NOT dishwasher safe. I didn't know that, but I don't care. They are so easy to clean. They heat up faster than other cookware I've used, they cook things evenly, and they are so dang durable. I highly recommend you get some. I got a similar set for under $50, so be patient and find a good deal. You don't need to pay hundred of dollars.

* Tae Bo Advanced.
Billy Blanks is a good instructor, but the original Advanced workout is my all time favorite. It ruined me because every other workout video has just bored me to tears ever since.
I haven't been able to find it for years (except on VHS) so we are in LUCK! Some blessed soul just uploaded it to youtube in 6 segments. You've got to try it!! Go HERE to get started. It will make you DRIP SWEAT. You'll be burning the calories like crazy, and at the end (floor workout!) YOUR BUNS WILL BE BURNING!!! I LOVE IT!! Have a towel and water ready, you'll need it! Oh, and ignore his tight spandex crotch, ok? He's really motivational, if you can get past the pants.*Aveeno Shower & Bath Oil
I found it on clearance, had a coupon, and just bought it for no reason. But I and ended up LOVING it. I thought it was an in-shower moisturizer but I was wrong. You put it on right after you get out. It makes my skin super soft (does a better job than lotion) and with very little greasy residue.
*Carefree Ultra Protection Pantiliners:
I normally buy the cheapest little liners I can find, but when CVS had a coupon promo that made them free (actually a moneymaker for you coupon gurus) I stocked up. Like, somehow I have 17 packages in my closet. But they are AWESOME!! They are the softest things ever, and they have the sticky tape things in all the right places. Watch for coupons and get these for way cheap, or get a coupon or request a free sample HERE
*Avon Perfect Wear Eyewriter
I've tried a lot of Avon products because you can get them shipped to your house for free. This is the only product I order again and again. I love it. It's a liquid eyeliner, I think it's easy to use (I smudge with a wet q-tip after putting it on so the line isn't too severe) and it lasts forever, and then washes right off.*Revlon Color Stay Mineral Mousse
This was another CVS freebie. I buy almost all my makeup at drugstores, but not foundation. That's one thing I will spend more $$ on. So I was surprised when this mineral mousse foundation worked so great! (Normal price is around $9.99). The color blended perfectly with my skin and had awesome coverage, and didn't sit in the fine/dry lines on my face very much. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the scent, but it's not too strong. Try it out if you can get it for a good deal.
* Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara
I was so excited to try this mascara. I know Lancome makes a higher end version of it. It's the mascara with a vibrating wand. I was able to get it for $6, but I think it's normally around $12-15 (high for a drugstore mascara.) Pros: It definitely volumizes. It lengthens well too. I used it on Sunday and Samuel asked me if I had fake eyelashes on. And that was without the vibrator turned on. I can't see a big difference when it vibrates. Cons: It can get a little clumpy. And it doesn't last as long as I think it should. 10 hours post-application it was flaking. That's happened more than once. I'm a contact wearer so I don't like that. But I am still using it. I'm giving it a partial recommendation, especially if you can get a great deal on it. Don't pay full price for it.
*California Pizza Kitchen Five Cheese & Tomato Pizza
So, they sell these in the restaurant and I order it every time. It has basil sprinkled on it and is so cheesy and delicious. Here's the good news: They sell them in the frozen food aisle at your grocery store and THEY TASTE EXACTLY LIKE THE ONES IN THE RESTAURANT. I just picked a few up for $4 at the grocery store yesterday. Kalia loves it, Samuel loves it...and (secret confession) when I was pregnant with Annaliese I would eat a whole pizza (in one sitting) at least once a week. That's about 1000 calories and 45 grams of fat in one meal. And that's why I pack on the pounds during pregnancy my friends. TRY THIS PIZZA. Right after you do Tae Bo Advanced.

This is why they have separate rooms

Most of the time Kalia is finding a way to torture Annaliese (maybe tease is a better word) but she is usually screaming for me to come rescue her. She was fairly toleant in this video clip, but I'm afraid she's going to grow up and be a mean little thing, and scratch/bite/kick other kids in the nursery, like her mama supposedly did. Here, once again, Kalia woke Annaliese up from her nap.I think my favorite part is how Annie's face keeps getting smooshed into the mesh. Kalia woke her up from naps/bedtime so many times...I finally got smart and started start locking her in while she's sleeping. Kalia did figure out how to open the door with a key, but now the keys are hidden and Kalia is only torturing her little sis when she is already awake.

Haircut

Several of you saw this already on facebook, but this is my haircut. I'm wishing for a little more volume (like Stacy!) but she's got a professional doing her hair, and I don't even know how to use a round brush. Anyway, I still can't get over how dark my hair is growing in. The top 3-4 inches is my new natural color. When did I cease to be a blonde? Can we blame it on pregnancy hormones? I've had a lot of those in the last 2 years.

Me

1. I got a good haircut. Five inches off. I feel like a new woman. I would have gone for the full 8+ inches and donated to locks of love, but they don't take hair that has been bleached. It probably falls apart when they try to make wigs out of it. Oh well. I went to the closest, cheapest place (Cost Cutters) and I got lucky and left so happy (love it when that happens.) It looks kind of like Stacy London's hair, which I've always wanted.

2. I can't find time to make dinner. In an effort to change this, I am creating a dinner calendar with easy ideas, and I'm going to try to make them early in the day and refrigerate for later. The late afternoon is just a stressful time. I don't know how everybody does it.

3. I've started a new thing: I'm trying to eat a piece of fruit before every meal. I also take extra Omega oils as a supplement, and then some other great vitamins. I cannot BELIEVE the difference in my energy levels. For one thing, I no longer have to nap every day (I used to in Vegas, I couldn't make it through the morning, I'd have to go back to bed.) I had no idea that my junky, sugary diet was dragging me down so much. I still have bad days (or weeks) where I fall back into the junk, but then my body starts slowing down, and you know, it just might be worth the hassle to eat healthy. There's an amazing book I've been reading that has helped me make changes, I'll tell you about it later.

4. Does anyone know how to REALLY get your post-baby pooch to go away? I feel pretty good about the weight loss, but then I sit down and have all this mush on my stomach. Someone tell me your secret. Is pilates really the cure? I'm sure just exercising would be a good start.

5. The house that we're renting has 3 offers on it. That's good news because #1, the listing has been taken down so we don't have to show the house anymore. The last week before they pulled the listing, realtors came to show the house EIGHT times in one week. I was ready to move out into a tent after that week. It was so annoying. I'm glad that's over. #2, the more offers there are, the longer the process will take. Short sales can take forever. From what I've learned about them, chances are we'll be here another 3-6 months. I'm happy about that. If the offers fall through, which happens frequently, it will all start over again.

6. I started an ebay business. Not a huge one, but one day at Marshalls I found Robeez shoes, brand new, selling for $9.99. I went home, checked on ebay, and they were selling for $15-20. (Full retail is $34.95.) So I went back, bought all 23 pairs (on my credit card of course!) and started selling them. It's going well! It's a pretty easy way to make money! But I've already learned that the 3-6 month size are not in high demand. I will probably return about half of those. I went to a second Marshalls store today and bought 9 more pair of the bigger sizes. It will be nice to have a little extra spending money around here. But the shoes are so cute, I want to keep them for Annaliese. I must be strong! Course, her birthday is almost here...

8x10 Canvas *DEAL ALERT*

Artscow.com has a great deal right now. Get an 8 x 10 picture made onto a canvas...normally $24.99 each. Use promo code 8x10GPDAY and get TWO 8x10's for free, you just end up paying $8.99 shipping. They don't have to be the same. Did I confuse you? In a nutshell, $8.99 for two 8x10 canvas pics...nice! Ends 9/30/09.