Thursday Night

You will have to bear with me here as I am trying to blog for the last few days!!! We have had some fun times preparing for Christmas at our house. The boys decorated their very own trees this year....it was my idea in a way to compensate for not doing two trees this year. We have always had two trees in years past. Mom's tree and the kid tree!!! I am amazed that we even got one tree up this year so I thought that it would be fun to let them have their own. We picked up the trees from DI for a couple of bucks and I found the cute little decorations at Walmart. They loved every minute and they proudly display each of their trees on top of their dressers...it puts a little Christmas all over the house for them. After tucking them in that night, Isaac could not fall to sleep. He came up the stairs and had a drink of milk and then Charles grabbed him up and sat in the rocking chair in front of the tree. I couldn't let the moment pass and decided that if he was up he may as well work on some of his reading homework. Charles said that should make him want to stay in bed from now on(lol)! Really though, it was a precious moment and those I like to remember....

The Lights are FINALLY done...maybe...

So last night, at about midnight, we completed the lights on the tree. Now, I might actually be able to decorate it for Christmas....although, as a good friend and neighbor told me today......"It is so amazing by itself, you don't need decorations!" Well, I do have to agree that it is pretty awesome but I couldn't tell if she liked it or was overwhelmed by it...lol:) I think that we figured there at least 3400 lights....at least. The story continues you see!!! So thinking that we could decorate the tree tonight we turned them on and low and behold the fuses blew in the extension cord....but luckily my husband is an electrician and is all over that....no worries....really.....no worries!!! Maybe, just maybe, we will have our tree decorated for Christmas. Although I am not counting on anything at this point. It is driving me crazy not being all ready and able to enjoy the season...oh, well. I have decided to enjoy it regardless.......

For My Awesome Sister on her Birthday!!!

So today is December 7....not just the day of remembrance of that awful event that occured in Pearl Harbor....but a day of happy remembrance for the birth of my sister!!! And no she is not that old, they just happen to have occured on the same day in the month of December. One long before the other:)  My sister is a wonderful woman.....the service that she has rendered in years past is amazing and she is such an example to me. Maran,  I think that you are so smart, creative, nurturing and

 kind. I can always go to you when I need help with something or just need someone to talk to. I couldn't have asked for a better sister and I thank you for all of your prayers that allowed me to be a part of our family and have you for a sister. I realize that there is 6 yrs difference in our age and that was a challenge for you as we were growing up but through it all I am so grateful that I had you to be an example to me. Thanks for always playing with me as we were young....I realize you were probably much more into things that the "teeny boppers" were at the time but you still took time out for me and our dolls and stuffed animals!!! Once you left for college and then met Brian our relationship grew so strong and then as we have shared motherhood and adulthood I feel that our ties continue to strengthen with time. You are awesome and I hope that your birthday is happy and that you can share it with those you love!!! Happy Birthday, Sister.........I really missed not having much time with you as we were in your hometown but soon enough we will have to get together again and share some quality time one with another. 

For Nya!!!

This little blog is for Nya Lane Parry (my beautiful, sweet niece).....I just wanted to tell you that we had so much fun spending the weekend with you. We are so happy that we had the opportunity to be with you for the holiday and for your special day!!! You are an amazing girl and the boys truly love you, as do Charles and I. Swimming was so much fun and Isaac is already asking when we can see you again:) We feel a little sad that we didn't get to officially say good bye to you before we headed out of town and so we just wanted you to know that we love you and miss you and are so happy that we live at least a little closer now....hopefully that means we can see each other a little more often! We had to leave in the morning so that we could get home before it was dark and the weather was scheduled to be a bit windy and we weren't sure what to expect. It did take us a little bit longer due to some weather so it was good that we got out of town in the morning. Thanks for spending your time with us and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Have a wonderful Christmas and I am sure that we will be talking soon!!! Love you honey........

And it's December....already!!!

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone and now we are officially into the heart of the holiday season. Guess what??? we are not even close to being ready for Christmas. I usually have all of my decorating done long before now. We atleast have it done a week before Thanksgiving if not two and we have nothing. Well, i guess we technically have the tree up ( we just bought it last night). The tree however isn't even fluffed or with lights. It is a completely naked, sparse, sad little tree!!! We are working on that though. So, we officially bought our first Christmas tree together last night. It is a 9ft forest fir with pine cones and i love it so much....i also bought our first ever ornaments. we have had ornaments but they have been given to us and we make gingerbread men every year for the tree. After 7 yrs of marriage I think it was time......i will post some pictures when we get caught up! Hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season and hopefully i can gain some christmas spirit that is oh so lacking this year, Bah Humbug!!!!

Well, we survived the week with four extra children and belt testing and new carpet all rolled into one!!! We had new carpet put in last Tuesday in our upstairs bedrooms, hall, stairs and living room. Our plan is to put laminate into the family room but we will actually see when that project gets finished. We had mold in the baby's room from heavy use of the humidifier during his first two years of life but we got it all killed and new carpet put down.....ahhhhhh......that was a sigh of relief. Mold is definitely not something to mess with!!! (Kristen.....there is all your excuse to get your new carpet downstairs. What with all that flooding that has happened in your window well....unfortunately you will probably have to rip out the sheet rock and replace it too) Then for the rest of the week we had upwards of 4 extra children all week and over the weekend. Verlene had a healthy baby boy named Quentin Bonsall Johnson, 6lb 7oz, 19.5 inches born at 3:26 A.M.!!! He is the cutest little guy and they are all doing well. Amidst all of the craziness and fun, the boys had their first belt test. Each did a really great job and they received their yellow belts at a belt ceremony that was last night!!! They were so excited and we are so proud of them and the hard work that they have given to their new interest......Grandpa and Grandma Whitesides were able to attend and we were so happy that they could make it. So as it goes, life continues and all is well at the Mills household. I am just trying to recover from having seven children and keeping up with all that goes on in a family and household!!! I am thoroughly convinced that God gives us one at a time(for the most part) for a great reason......love you all and hope you are all doing well.

It's November....Happy Harvest to you All!!!

Well...we are back online and ready to try again at this whole blog thing. Halloween was a lot of fun but I have to admit that I am quite happy that we are done with it all. Now on to the next holiday!!!  This year I was voted to be the Head Class Mom in Isaac's first grade class...or whatever it is that they call it. So each holiday now has added business to it. It was fun though but I am getting excited for our trip to Grand Junction for Thanksgiving and for my favorite holiday of the year....CHRISTMAS! Can you believe it? I was grabbing some milk last night from Walmart because it was late and it is the closest, but they were playing all Christmas music!!! It was November First.....so it goes. Earlier and earlier each year. Luckily it is my favorite holiday or else I would die for all those who are a little annoyed at the commercial side of Christmas. We took the boys this year to the Dojo(japanese word for a place to practice Karate) for a Halloween party and they each got to take a friend. Gage took Tessa(our neighbor...his best friend) and Isaac took a friend from class(Gavin). Gage was a 50's gangster and he won first runner up for his costume and received a lighted pumpkin bucket! He was the coolest guy ever....Isaac was a ninja and loved every minute of it. They each got to break their first real boards and did a great job. Isaac hit it so hard it broke into three pieces....his Sensei was quite impressed.  I misses out on actual Halloween night because I had a bad case of that 24 hr flu.....and it stunk to miss out!!! Bridger was the cutest little clown around. I was worried that he wouldn't wear his hat but he loved it. We miss you all and we are going to try harder to keep this thing up to date!!! Happy Harvest.....