Update & Some Photos!!!

I feel so bad that it has taken me so long to get on here and finally give my loyal bloggers an update. It has been a busy couple of weeks but I wanted you to know that we are still alive and kicking!
We left Idaho on July 2nd. It was a LONG drive to Las Vegas (it took us about 12 hours with kids and dog in tow) but we made it! The kids actually did amazingly well. We made a lot of stops and I had a ticket system where the kids could earn tickets for good behavior and could buy prizes, snacks and treats with their tickets. It really motivated them to hang in there and there was actually very little fighting.
We got to Avondale (our new hometown just west of Phoenix) on the 3rd. It was a whirlwind of emotions for me once we got here. There was definitely some relief to be out of the car and to finally be here but it was really hard to leave our home and everything familiar in Caldwell and come to a new place that is completely unfamiliar. Each day we are adjusting more and more though.
We discovered a couple of cool things about Arizona and few disgusting ones too. First of all, our kids can find and even catch lizards in our backyard. Passion especially was excited about this. She found two lizards on our second day here and caught one in her hand. They are super fast little creatures so I was impressed. Here's some photos of the lizards. This first one is the smaller one that Passion caught in her hand.

The second one was a lot bigger and Passion caught it in a net.

And the same bigger one in a box.

So on to the disgusting things about our backyard . . . there are lots of cockroaches and other bugs I have never seen before. You don't see many of them during the day but if you flip on the patio light at night you'll see about 15-20 little creatures scatter. This was a pretty big deterrent to playing in the backyard after the kids discovered all the bugs. Last week we had pest control come out and the problem has been much better. I have found 5 dead cockroaches in my house since they came and sprayed. I'm confident that they just came inside to get away from the poison but it doesn't make it any less disgusting!
We have also found two scorpions in our house (shhhh . . . don't tell our kids). We're keeping it a secret because the are already quite scared they will find one. These two little visitors are actually the main reason for the call to the pest control guy. Hopefully that will be the end to those type of visitors. So far, so good. Wish us luck!
Despite the bugs we are really enjoying our home. It is big, a lot bigger than what we're used to, which is nice but is also taking some adjustment. During the first few days here, with boxes all over the place, the kids would seriously get lost! They are adjusting now though and as we slowly get furniture in place and pictures on the walls, it is starting to feel like home.
The heat is something we are still getting used to. The first day we were here it was only 104 - not too bad (especially since we've heard it's been over 100 at home during the past couple of weeks). Then on the 4th it was only in 90's. We were told they hadn't had that cool of a 4th of July since 1912. Over that past week and a half the temperature has ranged from 102 - 113. We're hanging in there trying to stay cool by either swimming or just staying inside.

My parents gave us a 10 foot by 2 1/2 foot pool that the kids have really loved playing in. If I can just figure out a good balance with the pool chemicals it will be great. Any tips pool owners?

Our ward seems really great. Passion attended her first activity days and loved it! She is so social and has already made several friends. Kindly, on the other hand, will come home from church and say with a frown that she didn't make any friends. Then we'll ask her if she talked to anyone and she'll say, "well, no." Wisdom ran right into nursery the first Sunday and hasn't looked back since . . . very surprising to me since he won't let me hardly leave the room without him. I am so grateful to have our church that makes things feel so familiar even when we're in a new, unfamiliar place.
So far we've checked out two libraries, a few parks, a splash pad, ward members swimming pools and lots of stores that are all close to our house and air conditioned! We're learning that running all errands before 10 am is the way to go in order to avoid the heat. And that water does not come out of the tap cold, it's luke warm--not so fun to brush your teeth with. We're also learning that although we've left everything familiar and so many people that we love, our family is together here in Arizona and that's what really matters.

Thank you everyone for your love, support and prayers. For those of you that actually made it to the end of the humongous post . . . way to go!!! Keep checking in and I will seriously do better at keeping this blog up to date! Next up, find my camera and post some pics. Still need to post Passion's 8th birthday and baptism. Until next time!