Small Talker

Time To Purge

More often than I’d like to admit, I get into these moods to throw things away.  It stems from the attitude of “the more you have ~ the more you have to take care of”.  {{giggle}}
It usually happens when I’m feeling overwhelmed or majorly stressed out.  It just feels good to get rid of all the things we are no longer using in my home.  This time I tackled one of the attics:  The Toy Attic.

Now that my baby is no longer a baby {and refuses to play with anything that’s not Batman} I felt like the time had come to donate all the toys we don’t plan on keeping for the grandkids.

{{um yes, I’m praying for grandkids already!}}
That means that almost everything got donated to Goodwill.  We had to stuff both of our cars to the ceiling in order to make it in one trip.
It was a milestone in our lives for sure; getting rid of 12 years of birthdays, christmases, and behavior chart rewards.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I adore toys and am bit of a collector.
I guess you could say that we’re entering into a new era of our lives.  It’s exciting and a little sad at the same time.  I’m going to miss the playtime and how simple life once was when a new matchbox car would light up a face of a little boy.
Now things are much more complicated {and expensive}.  It’s true what they say, time goes by so fast when they’re young.
Mother of Boys · Small Talker

The Things That Make Me Giggle

I just love October. It’s right after a month full of birthday fun and I’m still giddy and happy from all the celebrations and excuses to see dear people in my life and to show them how much I adore them.

It’s also the only month my boys will wear matching shirts! {{evil laugh}}

I love easy and fun gift ideas. Amy gave me this fun Halloween gift for hosting the Dallas GNO party. I believe she’s hooked you up with a free download for this label from her blog. She gave me extras to use for friends. Seriously, so thoughtful.


Main Attic Before

October is also when I clean out my attics. The weather is usually cooler which makes it bearable to get in a get my hands dirty. I’m an attic-aholic. I’m in my attics at least 2-3 times a month swapping out toys, decor, etc.

I took everything out of the attic and organized it the way I like it, in a semi-circle. Which gives access to everything I need when I need it.

The boys had a blast rummaging through all their old toys and fun things I stash away for the winter months. You know, when they’re completely bored and want something new to play with.


Main Attic After

I know, I’m a crazy person with OCD tendencies. I’m totally OK with that. I can’t tell you how good it feels to be healthy enough to lug these heavy bins all on my own and to organize this space. I love to organize it makes me giggle.

Small Talker

Lisa Moves Into The Garage

Boy, do I have a lot to catch you up on. The past three weeks have been crazy busy. Lisa sold her house in College Station but didn’t close on her house here until a week later. So she moved all of her material possessions into my garage.

The boys have had to wait a LONG time but they finally got to live with Aunt Lisa. The house is so happy and all a buzz.

It turned out to be a perfect fit as all of her stuff fit into one of our garages. (No this picture isn’t the final look.) Lisa’s a master at Tetris as her things were packed perfectly into the tight spot.

YAY! We finally have Lisa and Billy in our home. Reinforcements – Life is good.

Small Talker

Good Bye College Station

It has finally happened, Lisa sold her house! Her last weekend in College Station was a big one as my youngest brother gave a talk and sang at church, and it was my middle brother’s birthday. So we all gathered as a family to do some bonding “Mills-style”. {{loud & rowdy}}

Lisa had already packed her house, so all that was left was just some minor hole plugging and painting.

After wrapping one of Lisa’s friends house, we decided to reek havoc at our youngest brother, Scott’s house. The dude didn’t have one tree in him yard. {{lame}} So when he happened to be jogging by – we attacked him. Poor guy, was scared half to death! {{evil laugh}}

I had so much fun at Lisa’s church. During Sacrament meeting the toddler in front of us was playing with this laminated quiet book. Oh yes I did!

I asked her if I could take pictures of it for my Executive Homemaker blog. She said yes. {{squeal in delight}}

Lisa and I ended up going to Young Women’s (because they had food) and who did I run into? Yep, Rochelle’s mini me!! I swear this is what RO would look like if she was 16 right now. Isn’t she adorable. I asked her to do a fun pose and she was all over it. {{fabulous}}

I was very impressed with my brother Scott’s talk and his voice is absolutely beautiful. He did an amazing job. I was glad I was able to be there and meet his girlfriend. It was weird being in a Singles Ward again. Talk about a meat market and some serious good people watching. {{snicker}}

Dinner with the family was great. Scott brought his girl friend for us to meet and she broke up with him a couple days later. I think she was just too straight laced to be a Mills. I’m quite sure we scared her off. Poor Scott.

It was such a fun weekend. I haven’t laughed and played that hard in a while. I packed up some of Lisa’s valuables and drove back home to reality.

Good Bye College Station!

Small Talker

A Day in the Life

Life is completely crazy busy these days. I’m at the point where I have no idea how the months are passing by so quickly. So I thought it would be fun to take one day and document my activities. I need something to prove that I’m actually being productive. {{wink}}

This is what I did on Monday:

4:30 am – Woke up to giggles and screams of delight. I walked upstairs to find Drake in Dylan’s bed! I guess Drake woke up and wanted Dylan to read him some books. Dylan was kindly obliging this order and even reading using different voices.

5:30 am – Woke up to give the boys their medication

8:15 am – Apparently I slept like a log while Jason took the boys to school.

8:20 am – Post for Tip Junkie

9:00 am – Pilates (no time for the treadmill today)

9:50 am – Took Drake to Emily’s house for a play date and chatted with Wendy.

10:15 am – Shower and got ready for the day

11:00 am – Tried to tackle the mountain of e-mail.

12:20 pm – Lunch with Chanda, Rochelle, and Leslie. Leslie and I were interviewed for a piece on LDS bloggers and so I arranged for us to meet in real life. Since Rochelle and Chanda have been long time readers of Leslie’s, I thought “the more the merrier” and invited them as well.

It was such a wonderful lunch. We chatted and ate like we’d all been friends for years. Leslie is so kind and lovely and fit right in. I love meeting women who share my same passion for inspiring other women. Leslie’s blog, A Room Somewhere, is about fashion and home decor and features eye candy twice daily. It’s beautiful!

2:30 pm – Late to pick up Drake. Sorry Wendy! I was completely engulfed in the girl time that I completely lost track of time.

2:35 pm – Signed the boys up for Vacation Bible School and Drake on the wait list for a Friday pre-school. We toured the classroom and finally convinced Drake “school is cool”. We are first on the list, so my fingers are crossed that he’ll get in and I’ll have 3 days free next fall. {{evil laugh}}

3:15 pm – Boys came home, hugs, snacks, and affirmations.

3:30 pm – Back to replying to e-mail, making plans, researching calling for church, finishing up “to-do’s” that always comes via e-mail.

5:20 pm – Went to school for PTA meeting where they force you to go so your kiddo can receive their Student of the Month award. Got to the school to find out that Drake didn’t have shoes on.

5:21 pm – Went back home to get Drake’s shoes and then back to the school to get a good seat for the PTA meeting.

6:30 pm Left PTA meeting to book it to Swim Team try outs which started at 6:00.

* We walked up to the pool as Drake is taking off his shirt, I turn back put on his shirt, for him to take it off again and quickly sitting down and taking off his shoes.

* I’m trying to navigate through the crowd to figure out where we’re supposed to be, realize Drake is about to jump in, run over and grab him before he sinks to the bottom of the pool.

* Put Drake’s shoes and shirt back on him.

* Get the boys in their lane to swim one lap.

* Get their placement, wave to friends, and then head on up to the clubhouse to fill out the 3 pages of paperwork with information I already filled out online.

* Dylan started to cry as we were leaving saying he didn’t want to be on the swim team. I told him that I know it’s hard to try new things, he did such a great job, he’s not expected to already know how to compete, yada yada yada. {{buck up kid}}

7:00 pm – For FHE – Sonic. Family time and reward for the crazy day with $1 sundae from Sonic. Dylan started to cry again because he wanted a slush instead when he said “M&M candy sundae”. When I jump in with my Love & Logic, “no problem I’ll eat it!” He decides that he wants it anyway. {{Dude. Take what you get and don’t throw a fit.}}

Lesson: On the way home I related to the boys my swim team experience and how I lost every single race. In fact, I was so bad that they gave me my own lane where I could swim at any pace I wanted and didn’t have to feel rushed. {{true story}} The point is to learn how to push yourself, learn how to have fun when loosing, and that I would like them both to be on the swim team in High School so they need to gain experience.

I finished my ice cream induced lecture, I mean lesson, by reminding them that it’s my job to make sure that they are balanced, responsible, and capable young men. It’s my job to expose them to situations where they’ll grow, they’ll learn from their mistakes, and ultimately become amazing Daddy’s and Husbands. You can’t have it all if you don’t work hard and try your best.

7:15 pm – Hair cuts, one of the ways I am cutting back on expenses and saving a little moolah.

7:30 pm – Baths for the boys and bedtime for Drake.

7:45 pm – Give Melatonin to the boys to help them sleep. Clean the house. Geeze it’s a mess. Davis unloads the dishwasher and Dylan cleans the media room. Both of which I hate to do so they get to do it. {{another evil laugh}}

8:30 pm – “It’s my favorite time of the day!” Bedtime! I prayed for Dylan this time and asked that the Lord help Dylan feel better about competing in the swim team, that he will be given physical strength to swim the full length of the lane, and mental strength to not be afraid to fail or loose, and that he will follow the direction of his coaches.

Afterwards I asked him if he felt better and he said, “a little”. However, he had such a huge grin on his face I knew otherwise. I reminded him as I do every night, what a special young man he is and that I’m the luckiest mom in the world.

8:40 pm – Finished up the dishes and headed on over to Christina’s to watch the Bachelorette. We’ve been watching the Bachelor together for a couple seasons now and it’s a highlight of my week. When I was recovering from back surgery she came over every week and kept me company.

Christina is an amazing and creative decorator. On her large wall in her living room she made this clock using numbers and picture frames. You’ll have to enlarge the image to really see how beautiful it is!

11:00 pm – Tip Junkie post and scheduled it to post in the morning.

12:00 am – Bed time. Even though it’s so late, I always have a hard time sleeping after I blog. My mind starts thinking about all the possibilities, all the fun projects I want to do, and the stresses and needs of my family.

12:20 ish – Exhaustion finally takes over and I’m fast asleep. A hurricane could blow through and I’d sleep through it. 😉

Small Talker

Girls Weekend

My dear friend Melissa moved from Utah to Houston at the end of last year but due to my back surgery and scheduling conflicts, we finally got to see each other over the weekend.

Lisa and Melissa drove up and we had the best time via pedi’s, Mexican food, and retail therapy!

Sam Moon finally opened up a week or so ago and it wouldn’t be a girls weekend without trendy purses and cheap accessories.

Next up, the Funky Monkey boutique where we all found several treasures.

We went to see Angels and Demons. However, Lisa was cold. No she’s not stealing that shirt but it totally looks like it! She bought it but put it on our way out. I really liked the movie, it doesn’t follow the story line of the book. Just a heads up.

{{I have no idea what that circle is on my shirt. No, I’m not br3ast feeding! Not a typo, I don’t want my post to come up in Google searches.}}

After the movie we headed back to the mall for more shopping. In Nordstrom I found these amazing pink flower sandals for $89. Way cute but so out of my price range.

Later that evening we made our way to Payless and I found pink flower sandals in the girls department for $8! {{squeal in delight}}

Apparently I can wear girls shoes – size 6. That little piece of info is going to save me a bundle on shoes from here on out! Teehee.

We played Sequence, ate, hung out, and laughed. A much needed diversion from the stresses of day to day life. Thanks girls for such a fun weekend!

Small Talker

Slacker

Dude. Apparently I have been a massive slacker when it comes to my yard. I was outside talking to my neighbor when I noticed a weed that was taller than my 3 year old!

Oops!

I guess I’ve really taken for granted how easy maintenance my yard can be. Needless to say, I’ve got a little yard work to do.

Small Talker

Oops!… He Did It Again

Oh yes he did! My dad got married this month to Peggy. The third time’s the charm with sweet Peggy. He’s not only in love with her, but her boys, and her power tools. Sounds like a good match to me.

Come on, you know I couldn’t let this event pass without poking fun at him a bit! {{bwaaah}}

Best wishes and happiness to them both.