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.....

long time...no write!!!

well, here i am on a thursday afternoon trying to catch up with those that i love and miss. the last month has brought trying times and many things to adjust to. i had my shoulder replaced on the 13th of may and while the surgery went well there have been little hiccups in the road to recovery. I have dealt with thrush, strep, pneumonia and a severe bladder infection all within the last 4 weeks. Like recovery isn't hard enough!!! the boys are doing really well. Isaac finished kindergarten and will start 1st grade in August. mom isn't sure that she is ready to have him gone all say long:( Gage finished his first year of preschool and can't wait to get back!!! he is quickly closing in on his brother in height. they are only about two inches apart. They are looking forward to our yearly trip to Lagoon next friday and Isaac is now tall enough to be able to ride most of the rides. Bridger is a mover and a shaker and keeps us on our toes. He constantly has a bruise or a scrape on his forehead from all of his exploring adventures!!! Charles is doing well and still greatful for his job on base and that he can work so close to home. He is due for a raise and we are praying it will come soon ...what with all these new medical bills that are starting to flow in. we recieved our hospital bill for the surgery.....just the hospital,not including the doctors and the anesthesiologists. It was 42,665.00 and half of that cost was just the parts that were placed in my shoulder!!! Crazy,eh? good thing for insurance....well, until next time!!!
the mills fam

Bridger's first steps!!!

Bridger is 17 1/2 mos old and on tuesday afternoon he took his first four steps all by himself!!! He is in physical therapy and the therapist comes every other week to work with him on his gross motor skills. She asked us if he was walking yet and we told her no. He only had taken maybe a step from us to the bed or the couch or something similar. She picked him up, helped him balance, and he was so afraid of her that he bolted right to me!!! It was amazing...to see our little guy take those first steps. After all that he has been through in his short life I felt like it was a step to putting that all behind him!! Now he is working on perfecting that skill,which still needs a lot of work, but none the less, he has taken his first steps. He prefers the crawling, so it is just a matter of encouraging him a lot to continue on the walking. I know that before too long he will be running and wearing me out but it is such a good feeling to see him succeed!!!

once it starts...

it just doesn't stop for me!!! yes, today I cut my hair even shorter...is that possible you ask? Well, it is and i did it. I am having major shoulder surgery in May and i need something that requires the least amount of effort each day but yet will still look cute. My sister thinks this is the best look for me and so i will go with that:) I sure love ya maran!! Hope all is well in your lives and in the lives of your loved ones.

Bridger's Surgery

Well, we have survived yet another surgery at the mills house. Bridger went in to Primary Childrens an march 7th and had an inguinal hernia and hydrocele repaired and tubes placed in his ears. We spent a longer thatn normal recovery time at the hospital because he was extremely sensitive to the morphine they gave him for pain and it caused him to stop breathing.That brought us back to the good old days he spent in the NICU!!! Then we got him home and his incision opened...which eventually led to us bringing him back to Primary Childrens the following day to have it put back together. We thought we were in the clear and last tuesday he started on a high fever which led us to the ER at Mckay Dee where we spent six hours running tests and trying to bring his fever down when they decided to run an antibiotic in his IV and his fever finally broke two hours later. he is doing so well now at we only suffer from his lack of schedule and trying to put him back into a good sleeping routine...kids are so amazing and they can recover 10 times faster than we ever could. We are greatful for our blessings and pray that this is the last of the surgeries for Bridger!!!

our first away night from the kids...

Charles and i had the opportunity to go with his parents to the Manti temple on the weekend of valentines!!! it was our first night away without the kids barring the whole hospital things(and those don't count)...it was fun and we were able to go and do a session at the Manti temple. that is one beautiful temple!!! We stayed at a local bed and breakfast, the Manti Heritage House. Great deal for the money. Our goal is to one day be able to make it away for a little vacation on our own and hopefully someday that will happen. Seeing as this was our first trip together, outside of our honeymoon, nearly seven years of marriage, i am guessing it might be another seven.....hehehe!