Greetings from Vernal.

The 2nd house deal in a month fell thru yesterday.  We found and offered our money and heart for this tiny, little, bank-owned house a couple weeks ago. (For those of you following this saga, and I know there are so many: the 1st big, bank-owned house did not come with water shares- so we walked.)  What was even cuter than the front corner window was the price.  The bank selling this house called yesterday to let us know that their Quality Control Division would need 1 to 4 weeks to "assign an underwriter and review the offer."  We replied it would take our Quality Control Division approximately 1 to 4 minutes to respond with "you can take your house and shove it."  Like the bank who has no sympathy for us, the family trying to live together in the same state, under the same roof, who needs a quick closing date and who would gladly rid them of the bad debt they had acquired.....we are having a hard time mustering up any sympathy for them, their divisions, procedures, and protocols.

Moving on.

Ezra has been puking since last Friday.

Jace has been on the same job for 2 days.

The temperature has not risen above 20 degrees.  It was something like -14 degrees when we arrived.  8 inches of snow cover the ground.  My "fashion" boots from Arizona are quickly going to be replaced with water proof boots.  Any suggestions?

Moving on.

Macy has discovered she does enjoy living with dogs (Porcha and Chang)and would like our Girl to move into the house with us, so that she can take her on "walks" every 4 hours.  Sounds fun to me. 

Cam Mosley is Noah's new found best friend.

Cramped as the living quarters may be, it is nice to have the Mosleys from Taylor here with us.

The Kelly's from our Snowflake ward arrived on Saturday.  It will be so fun to see them and have their girls over to babysit just like at home.

Moving on.

I am so glad to be with Jace.  Even if it is only when I sleep by him at night.

Jace likes his new job.  I am grateful.  We can almost see the light.  We are almost done chasing checks and jobs.

Mike Mosley set me up with Skype.  Family and friends, what is your Skype name?  And don't give me email addresses (that didn't work, Kirsten).  I need your Skype account name.

Now if you'll all excuse me, I have another appointment with my realtor.  Maybe today will be the day someone in Utah will get serious about selling their house.  The one with a For Sale sign in front of it.

I'll be seeing you. Some of you thru my web cam and some of you back in lovely Arizona.

7 Years Ago (yesterday)

Jace left to work like any other regular day. I stayed home and mopped the kitchen floor of our tiny 2 bedroom apartment in Gilbert. Jessica came in the afternoon. She rode me to hospital. Jace came to my hospital room after work. Pitocin IV was administered. Epidural given shortly thereafter. Lindsay and Jace fell asleep. It was 3 in the morning when the nurse gently woke me up to let me know it was time to push.

"Jace, wake up. Wake up. It's time."

20 minutes later we had 8 lbs. 10 oz. of this:

She never made a peep. Not one cry. They washed her up and handed her back to me. The new family of 3 went back to sleep. Our newest member laying in my arms, in the bed with me. It was the kind of labor and delivery you would watch on any daytime soap popera. A dream.

Life resumed. Jeans slipped back on. Jace and I never skipped a beat. Baylor Macy Baum just rode along with us. Everywhere we went. Just content to be there. I'd place a bet you've never met a happier, nicer baby. Unnumberable fat rolls, her father's big lips, her mother's blue eyes, and curls on top. We fell hard. We had no idea what other parents were talking about. This was not only easy but very enjoyable. We were definately going to do this again. 11 times.

We did do it again. 2 years later. And 3 years after that. Life was soon teaching the overconfident Baum parents that most epidurals don't work, babies sometimes cry, jeans don't zip up for months, and not all babies enjoy going to Wal-mart or to the movies.

With the addition of two brothers, Macy learned quick how to be a mama and a best friend. She is still one of the happiest girls I know. Although, learning how to make her content is proving to be more difficult with each passing year.

We feel so blessed to have her in our family. She and I can't figure out who the boss is with Jace gone but she is the best help and loves to bring a smile to my face every chance she gets. I got two presents from her on her birthday. She taught Noah how to hula-hoop yesterday. She requested roast beef sandwiches for lunch. She got the lead role in Grandma Mickey's navtivity play:

Besides the cupcake walk, gingerbread houses, the pink iPod, the new Christmas dress, parties and phone calls with cousins, her favorite birthday moment was this :

Thanks Addie. Her dream of trading her curly locks for Mattie Claire's long, blond locks came true, if only for an afternoon. I can't believe my baby is 7. She still makes my job easy and enjoyable. I will tell her one day how she filled a hole in my heart and how she teaches me everyday how to be a more loving and fun mother. I have still yet to wake up from that dream 7 years ago..................I love you Macy Baum Baum.

So you didn't make the list?

Well, we didn't have your address.

And we ran out of stamps.

And they only came in packages of 12.

And, ..... there's always next year.

And well, if you must know it was sabotage on behalf of Noah and Ezra.

(They held a secret meeting before Jessica starting snapping photos and decided they would each take a turn looking cross eyed, smiling like a Grinch that stole Christmas, watching the clouds, and such.)

(More fine print: The temperature was something freezing degrees. And the photos were taken when Jace made a mad dash home for a 36 hour period with one clean shirt. I'm glad it was a cream colored thermal and not a White Mountain Plumbing t-shirt or such. That would have proved a little more difficult to coordinate with. And for those of you keeping track, it's been almost two weeks since I have layed eyes on my friend. Life gets lonelier, sadder, and emptier with every passing day. Can we make it to Christmas Eve, babe?)

Please take a look now:

And the winner was..........

Did I pick the right one? I know Ezra's thumb is in his mouth but that is usually where it is. Just be glad the blue blanket didn't make the photo. Now just imagine it is personally addressed to you and imagine reading:

Merry Christmas from our Family to Yours!

If I could've taken out a full page ad.....

It would have said this:

My sister's house is for rent.

I currently reside in it and man am I lucky.

I fell in love on day 1. Remember?

I don't want to go. I want to stay.

Notice the sidewalks. The grass. The big blue door.

Does your current back porch boast of a bed swing?













And a dog named Girl? We would have to leave her. It just wouldn't be right to take her from her like 5th or 6th home she's had the Baums. Besides it's not her fault we are in a ressesion. There will be No extra cost for the dog.


I love the light in the morning.





Doesn't every child dream of a playroom with the words chicken and cacciatore painted on the wall?

Adorable painted walls in every room.






With the built in entertainment center in the master bed room, Jace and I have found other things to do at night when the kids are asleep.

Instead my ad in the newspaper reads something like this:

4bdrm/2bth, 2car garage, landscaped yds, quiet cul-de-sac,

steps away from Snflk Temple & golf course. no smoking.

no inside pets. $1000/mo. call Kirsten or Lindsay.

But you can leave a comment.

You can spread the word.

You can reunite a family and help a girl far away in Wisconsin.

You can rent the house.

Better yet, you can buy the dang thing then You would never have to leave it, like I do.

Long Distance Relationships: Lesson #1

Here we have Lorenzo Hill Hatch.  My Great, Great, Great Grandpa on my Mom's side.  What? He's your grandpa too?  GET OUT. 

Grandpa Hatch had 4 wives in his lifetime.  3 of them at the same time.  They would bear him 24 children (the reason why he is your grandpa too). He and his 3rd wife, Alice Hansen, helped found a settlement in Arizona that would later be called Taylor.  Grandma Alice hated the wind and wrote about how hard water was to locate. Grandma Alice was a saint. Her husband had 2 other families to care for in Utah and Idaho.  Therefore, making it difficult to spend time with Alice and the kids.  He would occasionally get back down to Arizona to visit and feed the family.

Not cool.  

Jace, lesson #1 is this:  The days of polygamy are gone and so should the days of long distance marriage and child rearing be as well.  I'm going to need to see you more than occasionally.  Please don't find a Utah family (or Idaho family for that matter).  We are going to need all of you.  TO OURSELVES.  Thank you.  

And one more thing, remember how I was yelling into my cell phone this evening because I couldn't the @#%$^# fire to start.  Well, I guess after 38 kindling sticks, a stack of paper, and 45 minutes with a blow torch.  Twice.  Something caught fire.  That's right.  I see flames where flames have refused to be all day: 

I admit.  I'm no Alice.  It's a lot like living with the hanicapped, pioneer cousin that had to be pulled in the hand cart the whole way, when living with me.  And I apologize.  For the cursing AND acting like a handicapped cousin.  I love you.

For those of you who don't know, the fine print reads:  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Saints, or a Mormon.  Mormons no longer practice polygamy.  Jace and Lindsay Baum practice complete fidelity.  We are not looking for substitute mates.  I completely love and honor all my ancestors.  My 3rd child is named after Lorenzo and Alice's son, Ezra Taft Hatch.  My sarcasm is meant to imply that I miss my husband and I'm not very good at being a single mother of 3.  capisce?    

Wait a second.....

Did it seem I was complaining (whining) in the last post?  Can I explain?  

My friend Jace Baum wants to feed me, clothe me, place a roof over my sorry head, love me, grope me, and most of all wants to see me HAPPY.  He tries.  Real hard.  When the tears were falling in Utah last week and I was begging him to "just get in the car with me and come home with me.....We tried it.  We saw it.  Can we just call it a wash?"  I could see it on his face and in his eyes.  He thought about it.  Long and hard.  It kills him to see me sad.  He would've got in the car.  He would have put a stop to the tears right there.  

Do you know what that tastes like?  Guilt.

Do you know what the best find in Vernal, UT is that I forgot to mention?   That I continually forget about?  The paycheck.  The one that will be deposited into my personal checking account tonight around 12:01 am.  For heaven sakes.  I think I'm going to survive my little transfer.  Jace Baum has yet to drive my life into a ditch.  I have had to reach over and grab the wheel a time or two (or three, or 37) but all in all we have been abundantly blessed.  Hello, have you seen our kids?  Oh, you forgot how sweet they are?  

They don't come sweeter than this.

Well OK, maybe this one does.

Seriously?  I know I will love Vernal.  I will love Utah.  I will love the people.  I'm sure I'll even grow to love Jace in camo and the pink dinosaur greeting me on Main street.  I will come to find why Heavenly Father opened this door, at this time, for us.  The tears are not out of fear, anger, or desperation.  The tears are for what I'm leaving behind.  Life here was good.  We have had a hell of a run here the White Mountains.  We made some really good friends, memories, and choices.  And I'm not planning on changing that......just location.

By the way, our new realtor called today.  The homeowners accepted our offer.  The offer is now on it's way to the bank.  We hear banks are wanting to get rid of houses and bad debt lately.  We shall see.  We are one step closer to homeownership again.  In Utah.  My heart has been racing and my palms sweaty with excitement.  My brain refuses to stop building porches, tearing down walls, picking out wall colors, adding trim, and planting grass.  

What I'm getting at is....I'm really moving and I'm going to do with a smile on my face.  Husbands and wives should live in the same state.  Just know I'm going to miss you.  Sisters.  Parents.  Wards.  Taylor Elementary.  Eva's.  Blossom.  Sonic.  Friends.  Mrs. Larson's Preschool.  Bashas cub house.  Aerobics.  Pioneer Park.  Neighbors.  You know who you are. 

Good Finds of Late. Utah style.

As I drove and drove as far north as my vehicle as ever ventured last Tuesday night, the temps outside hovered around below freezing, my three kids slept spread out in the back, and I cried. I know Jace told me Vernal was a good 9 hour drive from Snowflake but do you know how far that really is? It is miles and miles and hours and hours far. When I was finally able to crawl into bed with my friend Jace Baum at 1 that morning here:

Jace's new townhome he shares with the Mosley family. Boy am I glad to have them along for the ride.

I was still crying. I didn't like my first middle of the night viewing of main street and the valley where my husband now resides. He said, "It's OK, everything will look and be better in the morning." I wish I could tell you that it did. But it didn't.  Not the 1st couples of days anyway.

Vernal is a lot Arizona (except for that whole recession bit).  Arid desert with irrigated parts. Beautiful homes with a double wide trailer next door that does not look like its going anywhere, anytime soon. Lots of mormons (You know I love a good mormon. It was just bizarre not knowing a single one). The local streets are filled with camouflage jacket wearing, jacked up truck driving individuals. And I swear the female population all had the same hair do. Spiky.

It looks like Arizona, with the exception of the mountains surrounding the entire valley.

Good finds you wonder? OK, I tried. I really did (I don't think I cried the last two days I was there, right Jace? Just when I had to kiss you farewell?). By the end of the week, I was imagining my life there. We looked at hundreds of houses. Put an offer in on one. Loved another (not the house so much as the lovely tree lined street it sat on).  Jace feels good about his new employment and I found a perfectly lovely clothing boutique, a dinosaur museum, a brand new rec center, a beautiful temple, beautiful parks, 4 new brick elementary schools, and a restaurant opened on Thanksgiving day:

Senior citizens ate for free Thanksgiving day. Lucky for the senior citizens, the party room was vacant and way in the back for the young, rowdy, and eat with their hands -Baum party of 5.

Noah told me he prayed to Heavenly Father the 1st day we were there to "make it night time, so I could go to sleep and wake up and walk to the dinosaur museum." He has talked of nothing else since.

Ezra and Manny from Ice Age meet.

Who needs a plastic dinosaur or a bouncing dino egg, when the gift shop offered these fine and rare stones?

The sun showed its self the 3rd day we were there and did wonders for our outlook and attitudes.

The bank owned, newly constructed, not finished, funky house, in need of my tender guidance and Jace's willing and capable hands. We still have yet to hear what they thought of our generous offer. Of course, Jace and I managed to find the house at the end of the only dirt road in Unitah county (do you know they pave their roads in other parts of the world? Me either.) The 2.42 acres hasn't been irrigated in years and grows mountains of stickers. It's sure to feel like home.

Here is what the above mentioned house COULD look like. Are you catching the vision now?

I am thrilled to be home and back at my life that I love. Minus Jace. I was missing him the first exit I missed at Green river, the second time Noah needed a potty break at the side of the road, and every moment since. That empty spot in my bed, the empty chair at meal times, and the fireplace without a fire may very well be my biggest motivation to start packing my boxes again. Heaven knows I need one.