Great movie to check out

So if you are a procrastinator like myself, you may need to still get some Christmas gifts. Or maybe you are just looking for a cool flick for yourself. Either way, we would like to suggest that you check out the movie "Darius Goes West" (http://www.dariusgoeswest.org/). Donovan's research at the University of Florida involves children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) (see http://mpl.phhp.ufl.edu/muscular-dystrophy/), and a local Gainesville family put on a showing of the movie on campus where the entire cast/crew came and met the audience after the movie. This is a movie about a young man with DMD whose friends decide to take him across country so that MTV can "Pimp his Ride" (his wheelchair). The movie is not a "downer" movie full of doom and gloom, but it presents a wonderful message about how important life is and how much joy can be had through living.

Donovan enjoyed the movie so much, he purchased a dvd of it and watched it again with our kids last weekend. They also loved it and talked about all kinds of cool topics with us after it was over. So please check out the site and recommend the movie to others if you hear a showing is coming to their city! And you too will be laughing when you hear the word, "Glosabi!!"

Jyllian's 3rd Birthday

Thursday, December 11th was a very busy day. Jyllian and I sent the three older kids off to school. We did some Christmas shopping, birthday shopping, and grocery shopping. I still had to decorate Jyllian's birthday cake. She wanted a Barbie cake, and I knew it was going to take a while to decorate it. Usually, I decorate birthday cakes the night before the birthday. I was exhausted the night before, so I decided to wait until the actual day of her birthday. I don't think I'll do that again. It was a miracle the cake even was finished before we ate it. Jyllian kept wanting to help me. Of course she wanted to lick the frosting and put the food coloring in the different bowls. Decorating the cake took a lot longer than expected. But the important thing is she was so excited about her cake!

Of course she had to lick the candles as she removed them from her cake. She didn't want to blow the candles out. I think she was a little overwhelmed by her siblings telling her to blow them out.


Grandma Lott makes quilts for her grandchildren, when they turn three years old. Jyllian was so excited about her quilt. She immediately wanted to go show Mrs. Theanna (our next door neighbor) her quilt. All of my children love their quilts. Over the weekend they each had snuggled in their blankets that Grandma had made. Thanks Grandma. We love you.

We also attended Dominique's band concert that evening. This is not a very good picture due to the poor lighting. Since, Dominique is in the back it is difficult to see him. He plays the trombone in the symphonic and jazz band this year. He enjoys playing the trombone. After Jyllian's birthday activites and the concert, my pillow never felt better than when my head it at bedtime that night.

Our children do listen

We have tried several things to get our daughter Jasmine to stop sucking her thumb. I know she is too old to be having such a bad habit. We have put yucky thumb polish, but she sucks it off. Each night before she goes to bed we wrap her thumb with an ace bandage and place a thumb guard around her thumb. She has figured out how to get her thumb out. I will go check on her right before I go to bed, and she is asleep with her thumb in her mouth. Well, I told Jasmine that she will not be allowed to go to her friend's party if she doesn't stop sucking her thumb. I also told Jasmine she will not be playing with any friends after school until she stops. I guess she is finally starting to see the importance of not sucking her thumb, because last night she wrote a note to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father and Jesus,
Please help me . I need your guyses help. I need you guyses to help me to stop sucking my thumb and stop getting in fights with my friend Morgan Lynn Markle. I am thankful for you guyses and my home, clothes and my friends, also my family. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. P.S. I love you Jesus and Heavenly Father. Love, Jasmine Danika Lott

She can be a tough cookie and she tries my patience daily. But she can also be a sweet girl. She would be very embarassed if she knew I posted her written prayer, but I thought it was very impressive.

Thanksgiving Weekend

It was really nice to have my parents in town. Every other year my parents host the Thanksgiving dinner for my side of the family. This was their off year, and my brothers and sisters and their spouses ate with their in-laws. My mom and dad did most of the cooking at our home this year. It was very helpful to watch them make the stuffing and cook the turkey. No matter how many times I try to make certain foods that I grew up eating, I just can't make them taste the same as when my parents cook them. I did make a "to die for" cococut cream pie. I got the recipe from my sister Julie. After dinner, Grandpa took the kids to see Bolt (the new disney movie). Grandpa loves to take the kids to see movies.

Friday morning, we drove to Orlando to go to Disneyworld. We have season passes, and my parents bought a 10-day pass last year. Donovan was not able to go due to the fact that he is still recovering. He is back to work and doing fair to mostly sunny. He just has to take it easy for the next four more weeks. He said he will be snow skiing when we head to Utah. The doctor said he could do whatever he wanted after eight weeks. Dreyton is really looking forward to skiing for the first time. I sure hope it snows in the Rocky mountains by the time we get there.


This picture was taken at the entrance to Magic Kingdom. Jyllian does not like her picture taken. I remember Jasmine at this same age. She didn't either.This is Cinderella's castle at Magic Kingdom it is so pretty at night. It looks like icicles hanging from the castle. There were so many Christmas lights and decorations around the parks.


At the entrance to Hollywood Studios, there was a very large Christmas tree. I couldn't get the full length of the tree with my camera. There is a new ride at Hollywood Studios called Toy Story. It is a fun ride and I recommend trying it, but it is very popular. My kids love this ride. We got fast passes at 9:45 am, but they weren't good until 5:45pm. Fast passes allow people to wait in the fast pass line and get on the rides quicker, but you have to get them early in the day. I don't ride any rides without fast passes. It just takes too long to stand in the stand-by lines.

At night, Hollywood studios has a street with millions of lights. The lights coordinate with music and it is an amazing light show. It is so pretty at night.
Jasmine was able to ride most of the rides with my sister Alicia. Jasmine really enjoyed Alicia's company. Jasmine told her friend Morgan that Alicia would paint their nails and toe nails for them. Alicia did paint their nails but not their toe nails.

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving weekend with lots of turkey (or tofu), family, and recreation and/or rest!

Preparing for Thanksgiving

My parents flew in town late last night. I convinced them to come spend Thanksgiving in Gainesville. I spent most of the day shopping with my mom. We went to Sam's Club, because they don't have a Costco here,(hopefully one day). I love Costco and I have been going through withdrawls. Our next stop was the grocery store. I absolutely hate the grocery store, but when your mom pays the cashier, I love it... We came home and emptied the car and then drove to Bed Bath and Beyond. My mom said I needed a roasting pan to cook the turkey and a turkey platter. Of course, I didn't argue with her. It's hard living so far away from family, but I do feel a little spoiled when my parents and in-laws come to visit. I am so blessed to have such wonderful caring parents and in-laws that are so helpful to me and my family.

Here's Johnny!!

While out of commission and recovering from surgery, Donovan realized the lack of talents he has developed over the last “29” years. So he decided he would work on “making more
of himself” with his time at home. Over the course of 3 weeks, he did his best to grow some facial hair. This tedious task required multiple facials involving combinations of Miracle Grow
and manure, but he was pleased with the end result. He tried his best to imitate Jack in Janae’s favorite movie of all time (ha ha ha, yeah right!), but the facial mixture just didn’t have the same result on the bangs and receding hairline as it did on the facial scruff. Maybe he should just stick to other more obtainable talents like casting shadows?



Today was his first day back at work at the University of Florida, so we thank all of you again for keeping Donovan in your thoughts and prayers during this time.

Tag...I'm it!!

7 weird things about me
1. I always manage to plug my nose with my hand before I hit the water when I am waterskiing.
2. Sometimes I laugh so hard I don’t make any noise but look like I am choking.
3. Legally I am short enough to receive government support as a dwarf. Ok, not THAT short, even for Uncle Sam.
4. I never wear hats because they mess up my hair I spend “so much” time on every morning.
5. I went to the airport when Donovan came home from his mission expecting to break up with him that evening as there was another guy who I had been dating for the last few months. Well, those plans ended up changing, now didn’t they?
6. I have lived in 12 different homes since graduating from High School (and 9 of those were after I was married).
7. I have a shoe fetish, but my current income limits my indulgence at this time. So I have to fill the void painting my toenails.

10 years ago
1. I had two children in diapers.
2. I was managing an apartment complex in St Louis and worked with my good friend, Shelly Pierson.
3. I worked part-time in the evenings for Northern Reflections to get some way cool discounts on clothing that I would not end up needing when I moved to Las Vegas in a couple of more months.
4. I was getting all excited for my husband to finally be done with school. Little did I know that he would have another 5 years of more graduate school in the future.
5. I was getting all excited to go to Utah for Christmas and do some skiing and see my family.

5 things on my to do list
1. Paint my kitchen.
2. Finalize the organization of my bedroom.
3. Continue to cheer on the Florida Gators football team to victory.
4. Go over all of the mail we have received from William (AKA the bills).
5. Take care of my recovering husband enough that he will owe me Big Time come the Holidays! ☺

5 snacks I enjoy
1. Fudge Brownie a la mode from Baskin Robbins with mint chocolate chip and world class chocolate ice cream with fudge topping and whip cream (but no nuts)
2. Mashed potatoes with gravy
3. My mother-in-law’s famous mint brownies
4. Mozzarella cheese sticks from Sonic
5. Milky Way

5 things I would do if I was a Millionaire
1. Pay off my husband’s remaining student loans…Ugh!!
2. Go on a shopping spree
3. Buy a Toyota Landcruiser to pull the waterski boat I would also purchase.
4. Pay off the mortgages for my siblings’ and inlaws’ homes.
5. Buy a houseboat and put it on glorious Lake Powell

5 places I have lived
1. Newberry, FL
2. St. Louis County (and city), MO
3. Las Vegas, NV
4. Provo, UT
5. Orem, UT

5 jobs I have had
1. Accounts Payable for Better Built Manufacturing (the family owned business for the Petersons in Orem, UT)
2. Travel agent for Morris Travel in SLC, UT
3. Retail for Mervyn’s (Vegas) and Northern Reflections (St. Louis)
4. Waitress for Lone Star Steakhouse (Vegas)
5. Day care from my home in Las Vegas

I tag Kristen, Angie, Julie Haskins, Julie Huntington, Amanda, Anne, Diana, and Karen.