Hear from the Stockdales

MIDDLETON -- A year after the big reveal, the Stockdale family open up about living in their dream home.

At this time last year Ty Pennington with “Extreme Home Makeover” revealed the Stockdales new home in Middleton.

They describe the last 12 months as a mixture of emotions -- with gratitude at the top of the list.

Ryan and Karia Stockdale vividly remember their very first look at their dream home, not to mention the sea of people who were waiting to welcome them home.

"You could have spent 15 minutes admiring the crowd, and it was OK, we got to move this bus.  And it was like being at a rock concert," said Ryan and Karia Stockdale.

Karia describes the whole experience as surreal - like they're still living a dream come true.

"It feels like we've lived in this house forever and it feels so comfortable.  And you wake up every day and just think, this is where we live," said Karia.

Ryan says over the last year his perception of human kindness has changed.

"It's instilled more that love in the community and makes it feel as though you're not alone in a lot of things," said Ryan.

The Stockdales say their gratitude to the thousands of volunteers who helped build their dream home is immeasurable, but they say living in the public eye has been a double-edged sword.

"We live in a fish bowl a little bit and that's been hard I think," said Karia.

The couple says in the beginning, it wasn't uncommon for random people to drop by for a visit or to even peek through their windows.

They've heard the rumors that they're losing the house or are planning on moving.

"We cleaned out our garage three weeks ago.  People were stopping on the side of the road and asking if we're moving.  Nope just cleaning out our garage, but thanks for asking!" said Karia.

But Karia and Ryan, who both call Middleton home, are officially putting those rumors to rest.

"This is home. It's our home. It's our dream home. Why would you leave that?" said Ryan.

The Stockdales say they have also heard rumors that the house has needed major repairs.  They say it's actually quite the opposite.  Except for general maintenance, the craftsmanship is outstanding. 

For now they plan on enjoying the rest of the summer before Ryan heads back to school at Boise State University.

The Stockdales say features in the dream home like filtered air and water have made a huge difference in the lives of their four children who are coping with a rare blood disorder.