Flashback Friday: Newlyweds 1998

When this photo was taken we were still very much newlyweds. We had been married since January. We were in our third apartment. Yep, third. Our first apartment was a one bedroom basement apartment that was $150.oo a month. Why move you ask? Free rent was even better.

We moved into one of the upstairs apartments at Leavitts Mortuary. It had two bedrooms, a nasty little bathroom and a ginormous kitchen. We only lived there a few months when the downstairs apartment opened up. It had three bedrooms and two bathrooms and still a huge kitchen. We lived there for about a year. We brought Ethan home to that apartment.

We were both going to Weber State University. We started off the year, and our marriage, with both of us working at Garcia's Mexican Restaurant in Layton. By the end of the year I had also worked at Yu's Maple Garden and started working at Living Scriptures in their call center. Nate also worked for Living Scriptures but he was one of their door to door salesmen. Good times.

We drove a 1985 Chevy Cavalier that had no shocks whatsoever.

No A/C really either. Did I mention that the windows didn't roll down?

We named her Mahana. I have never missed that car. This photo was

taken on the day we turned her in to buy our

1997 Ford Escort two days before having Ethan. Our other car was a 1985 Honda Accord Hatchback.

It was the first car that I actually bought on

my own after I graduated from High School. We had this car until we bought our

current minivan back in 2003.

Flashback Friday: 503 Leona Ave

I thought it would be fun to dedicate today's Flashback Friday to mine and Nate's first newlywed apartment. Thirteen years ago we were just home from our weekend honeymoon. We were trying to set up our little home and decide how badly we really wanted to leave it, (or rather each other!) and go to school and work!

503 Leona Ave

We lived in the basement of this little home for the first 3 months of our marriage. It was quite an experience. We didn't have our own entrance to the basement so we went through this door and then went immediately down the stairs. Our door at the bottom of the stairs didn't lock since the communal laundry room was downstairs. Our "roommate" was this sweet little old lady named Jenny. She would knock lightly as a "warning" and then proceed into our apartment. It always kept us on our toes. The one and only time I ever convinced my husband to go running with me. Since we only lived there a short time we don't have many photos of this place. I found a few odds and ends to show you. It was NOT a large place so the tour won't last very long!

We bought those couches, the coffee, end tables, lamps were from La Quinta Inn in Layton when they were remodeling. They were our couches for about a year when we received my Grandma Sargent's navy blue and maroon couches as an upgrade. :) The Lazyboy was given to us from my Aunt LaRue I believe. It stayed with us for around 5 years.

I remember taking this photo. We were setting up house, we had just gotten home from waiting tables at Garcia's in Layton, where we both worked the first 3 months we were married.

I remember being terrified of our furnace. It was gas and really old. I was completely unused to it and lived in fear that it would blow up on us whenever Nate touched it.
This photo is looking from the Living Room into the kitchen. I guess I don't have any other photos of the kitchen. Didn't spend a lot of time there, I guess. Although I think Nate remembers, quite vividly, eating quite a few of my "homemade bean burritos" in there. I'd like to think my cooking has improved dramatically since those early days.

Unfortunately this photo of the shower doesn't show the bare light bulb hanging dangerously low inside the shower. I thought for sure we were gonna be electrocuted every time we used it!

We had a lot of good times in this place, even though we didn't live there all that long. For $175.00 a month it was AWESOME! Of course our next place was FREE! Can't beat that! Keep your eye on an upcoming Flashback Friday to get a looksie at that sweet Home Sweet Home!

Twelve Years and Counting

Nathaniel and Ronda Mills

January 9th, 1998

Bountiful Utah Temple

Halloween Memories

To get into the spirit of Halloween I thought it would be fun to share some of our previous Halloween memories. Hope you enjoy!

1998

Ten months after we were married, while living at Leavitt's Mortuary. I was about 8 weeks pregnant with Tiny Man. This was the night we had our Halloween Party. Nate had a great time scaring our friends while taking them on a tour of the cemetary and mausoleum! Good Times!

2000

Tiny Man's (16 months old) second Halloween with us. Wasn't he just the cutest tiger ever!

2002

Tiny Man (3) and Ladybug (14 months) on our front porch of our Ogden house.

Nate and I at his WFG work Halloween party. We did a costume contest and did a scavenger hunt among other things. It was a lot of fun.

2003

This year we had a Peter Pan themed Halloween. Ethan Pan, Captain Daddy and Allybell. I was a very pregnant Mommy Darling....sorry no photos....Chub was born less than two weeks later.

2005

This was taken at our Ogden Stake Trunk or Treat. Tiny Man (6) was Dash, Ladybug (4) was again Tinkerbell and Chub (almost 2) was Nemo.

The weeks leading up to Halloween Tiny Man became distressed that he wasn't fast enough to be Dash. So he got the idea to write a letter to Disney to ask for some magic so that on Halloween night he could be as fast as Dash. He was SUPER excited to receive in the mail in time for Trunk or Treating a letter with a little pouch of magic dust to use for the night. After sprinkling some on him he was by far and away the fastest kid around. We sprinkled some on Ladybug but we figured since she didn't know how to actually use her wings she wouldn't be able to fly. All through Trunk or Treating he showed off his letter and his dust covered head. It was a great Halloween!

2006

Nate and Tiny Man at the Marketstar Halloween Party.

At Uncle Travis and Aunt Sarah's house post Trick or Treating. Ladybug (5) as The Twelve Dancing Princesses Princess, Chub (almost 3) as a Crocodile, Tiny Man (7) as Superman.

Grandma Hale (nine months prior to becoming Grandma Hale) as a 60's Hippie. Too Fun!

2007

Julia (almost 2) as a BYU cheerleader, Shaylen (9) as a Witch, Ladybug (6) as a the Island Princess, Garrett (almost 8) as a BYU football player, Sawyer (6) as a cowgirl, Ridge (3) as Spiderman, Chub (almost 4) as a Clone or Storm Trooper (I don't know these things!), Tyler (almost 6) as a BYU football player, Tiny Man (8) as a ninja, Cincess (4 mos) as a Flower Fairy

2008

In front of our current home, Cincess (16 months) as Tinkerbell, Chub (almost 5) as Spiderman, Ladybug (7) as Ariel the Little Mermaid, Tiny Man (9) as Luke Skywalker.

Here's to another Great Halloween!