Merry Christmas from The Mills Family!

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!! Santa ate all the cookies and drank all the milk, but I don't think it will stop John from having a good Christmas Eve :)

Holiday Festivities, cont...

We had a fabulous-ly festive time last weekend, with some fabulous-ly funny and fun friends, who helped us all get in the holiday spirit with a dance-off for the boys, a gift exchange for the adults :) some fantastic food, and....





Many attempts at the perfect Christmas photo! Good times had by all :)

HELP!!!!

Time is running out. I need ideas quick on how to fix this mess.

Christmas Cookie Baking with Nana

Iowa Blizzard of 2009

Over 10 inches of snow on our deck last night and, to think, it wasn't until early this morning that the wind started and blew all of this into 4-5 foot drifts.

WHOA!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Firm Holiday Party

My firm hosted a Holiday Party in the Cedar Rapids' office for families last Saturday night. Jack was on-the-move the entire night. Bouncing between the Kids' Food Table (his favorite: a giant bowl of animal crackers), the Cedar Rapids' Downtown Holiday Parade (loved the horse drawn carriages with lights), and the DJ (who played an assortment of holiday favorites, including "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch, that his dad sang ala karaoke).

Our little elf slept in until 8 a.m. the following morning. Mission Accomplished :)

Jack's School Photo

It's blurry but you get the "picture."

Too funny!

Surprise Birthday Evening in Kansas City

John surprised me with an evening in Kansas City last Friday night. We arrived at our hotel in Crown Center just in time for the lighting of the Mayor's Tree, by Kansas City native "Cameron" from "Modern Family." I'm sure it would have been really fun to see Cam flip the switch to light the giant Christmas pine, but we were busy maneuvering our way through the hundred or so Bulldogs staying in our hotel for the American Bulldog Convention. After riding up 11 floors with 3 bulldogs sniffing my shoes, we quickly changed and drove to the Plaza to enjoy some fine Italian food, a carriage ride and the Plaza Lights.

Thanks, hubby, for a fun birthday date in our old stomping grounds!

Happy Happy Birthday

Please join me in wishing Lindsey a big happy 30th birthday!  We had a fun day putting up Christmas decorations with J-money.  You don't look a day over 29.5 babe!  We love you lots!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deceptively Delicious

We are trying something new (again!) and it involves pulling out the ol' food processor, which last made an appearance during homemade baby food days. Our little boy has become a picky eater and the whole "you'll go to bed hungry" routine is lost on our almost 2-year-old, so we have turned to sneaky measures for our growing lad to eat his recommended amounts of veggies. J-bomb willing scarfs down most fruits, grains, and proteins....and desserts, obviously! You don't reach the 95% percentile for weight without enjoying a chocolate chip cookie or two every now and again :)

We've turned to an innovative concept: hiding the veggies in some of Jack's favorite foods! Tonight was the beginning with round one including Banana Bread with banana puree (surprise!) and cauliflower puree and for tomorrow's breakfast: scrambled eggs with parmesan cheese and cauliflower puree! I just tasted the banana bread and it's delish!!!

Mills' Variation on the Deceptively Delicious' recipes: we'll serve all the dishes with a side of the veggies au naturel. We want Jack to continue to SEE veggies and encourage him to TRY the veggies. At least now when he says "no" (and sometimes throws the veggies on the floor) we can smile instead of sigh.

Enjoy that spinach brownie little man. Enjoy!

Let the deceiving begin :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We have LOTS to be thankful for, including our little ham :)

Blog Hiatus

We have been on an unannounced blog hiatus for over a week and we really have no excuses. Other than I spent all of last week in Chicago for a workers' compensation convention, which meant it was Dad's In-Charge Week at our hacienda. I was really hoping for one of those desperate phone calls from Mr. Mom begging for my help....my advice....needing me, but no.

Instead I received many pictures (like the 2 above) of a smiling, happy, almost 2 year old. It seems everything was hunky-dory while I was gone and I am very happy to report I came home to a very tidy home.

Guess I've trained him well. KIDDING :)

I love my boys :)

Sunday Night Popcorn

Definitely his Daddy's son. Popcorn dinners are the best :)

Sunny November Weekend

Indoor Waterpark

There is nothing better than watching a child play in a spout of water. Pure enjoyment.

One More from Halloween

More Halloween

Out on the Town

Bun in the Oven and The Drapers (Good Ol' Betty and Don. Gotta love "Mad Men").

How'd we do?

Monkey Jack

Happy Halloween!!!

OUR costumes for Halloween 2009. We were a Ghostbuster and a Flapper on Friday night and ..... on Saturday night!

Do you know who? Whom?

Hint: The show is in Season 3 on AMC

Beggars' Night

Our little monkey...