Photo Shoot Sunday: Running and Jumping

There are two reasons that today's Photo Shoot Sunday is chock full of pictures of my kids from the same Photo Shoot session as last week. #1 Because I LOVE my kids. #2 Because I LOVE my camera. It really is a deadly combination. It makes it extremely difficult to pick just one favorite, oh who am I kidding, it makes it nearly impossible to pick less than 25 favorites from the same shot! Unfortunately for you my gain is sometimes your loss. So, again another WARNING of a photo heavy post for your, or maybe just mine, enjoyment!

There's Been a Few Changes

I was looking through my photos the other day and realized that there had been some changes to this room since I last posted it. To be fair there have been changes throughout most of the house but this area is feeling more and more "finished" than the rest. Plus, it is one of my favorites, so I thought I would do an updated post on it. So let's check out more evolution of this space shall we?

The chair was here last time we visited this area. I still love it to pieces. I bought the little table for staging the Ogden house last year. I had intended on putting it on my downstairs landing but it just felt more right here, so that is where it has stayed. I absolutely love this room. It always feels warm and calm to me. It is one of my favorite places to sit when I feel hectic inside.I added the curtains last spring. At first they just hung on the ends, it wasn't long before I realized that they needed a little bit more. So I ran back to the store and luckily they still had them, and not only just on sale but on clearance! I grabbed the last one and did the dance of decorating joy all the way home. I had my super sewer friend Shawnee cut it in half and add them to each panel for a little more fullness. Then just this weekend Nate put up my tie-backs. Love it! Now they are perfect. Back in August I added the covering on the windows on Nate's office doors. He is a piler, so I start to get hives and a tick when it gets bad in there. Since we have that huge window into his office and I couldn't nag, er, persuade him to organize it, I did what any woman on the verge of a meltdown would do. I hid it.
Here is a close up of it, to give you a better idea. This area really hasn't changed much. I found those awesome blue urns a while ago and fell in love. I never really thought of myself as a blue person but I am definitely thinking about incorporating that hue into my house a bit more. It's an actual warm blue, in my naivete I honestly never thought that there could be a warm blue. I guess there is because that color melts me like butter!

Sorry for the crazy black circle around some of the photos. My wide angle lens adds those in, but now you can see the space better. For those of you who have never actually been here.

Another shot of the newly covered office doors. Luckily he wasn't offended, in fact he actually likes it a lot. Now whether that's because it is a pretty bamboo which hits his asian button or because it has gotten me off his back significantly I will never know. But, I can guess which one it is.

This shows the hallway that leads to the Cincesses room, a bathroom and my master bedroom suite.

Since the day we found this place and knew it would be ours I have dreamed about what to do with this space. I went back and forth on what to put here. Things that crossed my mind: a grandfather clock, some chairs and a small table, etc. Well, I finally landed on this table. It took me almost four years to find just the right piece. Not too big, not too small, plus the right color. I finally ended up with it around September I believe. I had a lot of people try to talk me out of putting anything here and keeping the walkway open. I am so glad I didn't listen. This area now feels so much more warm and cozy to me. More like a home. And we still have plenty of space to walk. In fact we have moved at least 3 pieces of fairly large furniture through here and we didn't even need to move it. We are currently playing another game of musical furniture around here. We have played this game before and I am sure it won't be the last.

I think it's funny I always seem to photograph this area when all of my fall decor is out. It's one of my absolute favorite times and since my home is mostly decorated in fall colors I guess it stands to reason.

I love this lampshade. Well, if I am being honest I love the whole lamp. I found it last spring at Target on clearance for like $15.oo. It hung out in a closet til about September when I finally got the table. This photo doesn't really do it justice. It has so many fun colors in it. Blue-ish grays, rusty maroon/reds, golds, etc. I love it! It looks so pretty all lit up too!

Well, thanks for going on another tour of this area. I promise there is more to my house than just this space, but I just love it! One of these days, hopefully soon, I will show you around a bit more. Since it's not the summer months and I am not all consumed with playing in the dirt. I am in over my head in room transformations and tweaking, although a bit behind schedule thanks to my Hysterectomy in October. I am working feverishly to get some things done inside before being lured back outside after the big thaw. Wish me luck!

What We Are Thankful For - 2010

Today is Thanksgiving. This year is an "off" year for both of our families. What this basically means is that every other year we are running around like turkeys with our heads cut off trying to spend time with both sides of our families, and every other year we are left to fend for ourselves. As Nate and I contemplated what that meant this year and weighed our options we decided that we VERY much liked the option of staying home and having a LOW-KEY Thanksgiving. It was perfect. We didn't end up with just our Little Mills Kingdom, my Dad and Fran joined us as well. We spent the day doing a lot things, cooking (lots and lots of cooking), eating (lots of that too!), playing in the snow, playing games, watching Christmas movies and of course, football. Although my day wasn't as low-key as the kids it still felt great to just hang out, in fact we were so low-key I even ate dinner in my stretchy yoga pants. Now, THAT is the way to do it! I took some notes while we went around the table expressing our gratitude for all that we have been given and I thought I would share some of my notes here, so we will always remember.

Nate: good health, each one of my kids, my wonderful wife, a supportive family and good work that helps me to take care of my family

Ronda: the Gospel, good health, our warm beautiful home and my family

Ethan: family, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and all that, food, a bed, clothes, and this wonderful world

Ally: family, friends, cousins, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, food, shelter, Heavenly Father, the wonderful things Heavenly Father does, tickles, Girl Scouts, and achievement days

Ryland: Star Wars. Mom and Dad and grandma and grandpa and Cub Scouts

Evelyn: a family

Grandpa Burke: (I promise I didn't make this up!) That he and my mom didn't stop with the twins and Travis. He is grateful that I pulled up the caboose. Grateful that I called him before the blizzard to make sure that he wouldn't be out in it. It really made him feel loved. Thankful that Nate came along and that he and I hooked up. :) Really grateful for the grandkids and how fun it is that he could swing them around in a 5 gal bucket (Ethan, back in the day). That Evie finally likes him. Grateful that Fran came along, couples scripture study, that the Moose didn't kill him, for his work, 45 years at one job is pretty special.

Grandma Frannie: for Heavenly Father sending her Grandpa, for this wonderful family that I've got, scriptures to read and for this meal.

Wordless Wednesday: Should I Still Claim Him?

Introductions: Dash

Not very long ago we introduced you to our two new kitties, Tom and Jerry. They were orange and white brothers from the same litter. We were all heartbroken to find out a week before Halloween that Jerry had passed away. Since Tom was still so young and only being tolerated by our elderly cat Nikki, we decided to see if any of the other kittens from his original litter were still available. We wanted him to have someone to play with, stay warm with, and to be able to stand next to when older, meaner cats approached. Luckily for us, they had Dash. Just days after Jerry's passing we brought him home. They seemed to remember each other just fine and almost acted as if the last few months apart hadn't even happened. Weeks later Dash has made himself at home and a part of this family.

This photo was taken the first few days he was at our house. At the time he was pretty camera shy, so I was lucky to have even gotten this shot. Since then he has gotten used to me taking photos of him. The next few photos were all taken on completely different days, but it shows where these two are most likely to be found.

This last set really cracks me up. I promise I found them this way, I did not pose them in any way. Plus have you ever tried to pose a cat? If you have then you know that there is no way they would EVER let me put them this way of their own free will and choice.

They are so fun and the kids just love having them around. Although we miss Jerry we are so grateful we brought Dash home as quickly as we did. Once he was here we could see how much Tom was missing having a buddy. We sure hope they are with us for many years. We would love to have a pair of tom cats as old and ornery as our Nikki Kitty is now. Well, I better quit rambling on and on about these two cuties before I get called a crazy cat lady!

Meet The Newest Tiger Cub

Photographing Ryland is quite the experience. To say the least. He sure is a bundle of energy. He has been dying slowly of impatience to become a cub scout as he has watched Ethan go through his cub scout years. We figured why make him wait another year, let's just get that ball rolling now and let him be a Tiger Cub. As you can see here by the myriad of faces he is making that we made the right choice. Stay tuned for some Tiger Cub Awesome-ness coming your way!

Photo Shoot Sunday: Family Pictures November 2010

WARNING: This Photo Shoot Sunday is a bit photo heavy. Just know that there were hundreds more that I didn't put in this post. A few weeks ago my awesome sister Heidi took some photos for us in an attempt to get one for our Christmas card this year. Here are some of the better photos for your viewing pleasure.

An additional WARNING: More to come later! :)