Our Millie Millers!!!

Millie is the funnest and smartest little Millie I know! She is very observant and very selective with whom she shares her smarts and smiles with. I am blessed to be one of those selected few (not necessarily the camera though). These pictures are just some fun random ones I have captured recently (on a camera that needs to be replaced, I might add). I sure love you, Millie, and all the smiles you bring us!

The Fix-up House

My Dad & Mom have always got a million things going on. One of those million things right now is a home they bought on Osmond Lane to fix up and sell. Seth has been helping with the demolition, clean up, grunt man work there. The kids have all had a turn to go and help and it has been a fun project. Here are some fun pictures with more to come!

Crazy and GOOD all at the same time!

Yes. We had a good, crazy day! It started out with me taking Tylan to Curves this morning at 6:00 A.M.. Aleta (the person who works there) didn't like it at all, but everyone else did. And Tylan was a perfect angel and just showed Aleta a thing or two or three!!!! Family scripture study was a fun discussion on how every choice has a consequence. And how knowledge allows us to make better choices. When we are ignorant, we have less ability to choose.

Kortney
Practiced piano, still waiting for a harp string to come in the mail(it broke!), made cornbread, read " ? ", rollerskated with Nathan outside in the 50 degree weather, helped Aunt Tricia organize the Haiti orphan donated clothing, spent time with Kahlan and Jerin, played basketball with the boys, watched "Anne of Green Gables" movie with Nathan.

Nathan
Practiced piano and accordion, went with Dad to fix-up house (my parents' investment house in Provo on Osmond Lane) to help work and paint his pinewood derby car, went to accordion lessons, read Black Stallion Returns, rollerskated outside with Kortney, went to scouts and made a wooden airplane, played basketball with Jerin & Kortney, watched "Anne of Green Gables" with Kortney, made dinner.

Cameron, Tylan & Millie
Played horses, read books, went for stroller ride/bike ride, played at Marr's house, played outside in the warmer weather, had a rough evening/night, went to bed EARLY!

I am still here!!!

So much going on! I guess that is just life. And I do like to have things going on and being busy, so...life is GOOD!

We have plans to move into my parents' basement in their home in the Berkshire neighborhood, John & Tricia are getting sealed in the Provo Temple this Saturday, Grandma Ethel Orton Higginson died last night, Seth will be working with Ian Penick doing new windows for the Atlanta Temple from 11:30 P.M. to 2:30 A.M. for the next few weeks, I found a neighbor around the corner that homeschools and is using the TJed principles, and the weather has been fabulous this past few days!!!

Kids
Practicing instruments, attending instrument lessons, getting ready for piano and harp recitals, visiting Bean Museum at BYU, being creative outside, spending more time with Bailey cousins, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited to move in with Grandpa and Grandma Higginson.

Time Flies!!!

Wow! Where did the time go? We had a great weekend and we have been happily busy with the beginning of this week. I guess I will start with Sunday.

Sunday

Grandpa Blatter planned a meeting with all of the family to teach us about genealogy and show us all of the hard work he has been doing on his Gottlieb Blatter side. He is a wonderful example of consistency with genealogy. He also asked the grandKIDS to make a pitluck dish and bring to the get-together. The kids decided to make deviled eggs, which are now called "chicken cookies with egg frosting". It was a fun project and they turned out really well. The genealogy meeting just made me want to do better with my genealogy. It was a good reminder of what really is important. We also had some good talks on the way home about what is a respectful way to be in someone else's home.


Monday

I can't really remember much about Monday. I know that Seth took the kids to their piano lessons in Payson. Then they all stayed in Payson to let Nathan work with Grandpa on his pinewood derby car while Grandma Blatter took Kortney to her harp lessons. And while they were gone, I got to go to the Temple and it was wonderful!!! I needed to go and had someone helping me get there before the Temple closed. I left the house at 9:51 A.M., made every green light, found a parking spot quickly and RAN all the way up the hill and made it just in time. It was fun. And I got to do an endowment session which was a real treat. After everyone got home, we went over to Tricia's house to help her organize the clothing and things that have been gathered for the orphans coming from Haiti. Then Kortney got to go with Grandma Higginson and spend the evening and night with her. I know they had a good time together. That is the first sleepover any of our children have had. I am still trying to decide how I feel about it.


Tuesday

Today Seth had a day off of school AND took the day off from work so that he could go to Nathan's scout Blue & Gold Banquet. So, we did our usual morning things, then took Nathan to accordion lessons. Then we went as a family to an expo at UVU that Lance had tickets for. It was fun just to do something a bit different. We watched some Olympics and the kids played outside. Then we had a meeting with the Stake President, Pres. Olson. Seth was called to be in the Elders' Quorum Presidency as a counselor. Then we went to the Blue & Gold banquet. It was...fine. Pizza, root beer, cake, ice cream,...YUCK!


Wednesday

This morning we did some grocery shopping together. Then Seth took Cameron and Tylan on a date to go get Cameron shoes at Deseret Industries. Tylan CUT Cameron's other shoes and has been earning money to buy him new ones. Kortney had a tummy ache. Nathan re-learned how to make capsules and has been sneezing because of all the herb powder he is breathing in.

Happy 55th Birthday, Grandpa Higginson!!!

Friday

Today was Grandpa's birthday. We made cards for him and then met everyone at his office to surprise him. We waited for him to get there for 45 min. in his little office (14 kids and 7 adults). It was great fun! One of the pictures is of the kids under his desk. We had a big mishap in the evening. We had some scuffles between Kortney and Nathan, so they had to go to the cold room (the laundry room) together. Nathan didn't want to be in there with her and got angry and hit the window in the door between the kitchen and the laundry roon and broke it. It really was a miracle that we walked away with as little injuries as we did. I was right on the other side of the door and got a little cut on my forehead and one on my thumb. Nathan got two bigger cuts on his forearm and one on his pinky finger. And Kortney didn't get any. All the other kids were in the other room. It was a humbling evening for Nathan and he took it very well. He did a lot of sweeping, mopping and vacuuming, then he wrote a paper of consequences he felt he should have, drew a picture of the event, and went to bed.

Kids
They did music practicing, made cards for Grandpa, read their free reading books, watched Olympics, and learned some good lessons. Kortney also did a Life Skill of making muffins.


Saturday

We got up early, had scriptures, and got ready to go to Grandpa's Birthday Party at Classic Skating. We had a LOT of fun! And no one got any major injuries, just a few good bruises. Cameron & Tylan really enjoyed being able to ride scooters around. Part of Nathan's consequence was no skating, but the last hour we let him ride a scooter.

Thursday

This morning Seth & I decided to implement my Mom's old "pick ups" routine. Seth really likes to have NO CLUTTER (or a spotless place) and we have started picking up and putting away a lot of the kids' things. We are now turning that responsibility back to the kids. We have a basket that we will put items that have not been put back in the right place. The child who is responsible for it will pay us for picking it up. They also have an opportunity to earn money (we are talking CHANGE here) for having NO pick ups. We will see how the system works.

Kids
They did their music practicing (Nathan twice on the accordion), they played prince/princess/servant/messenger with their horses and capes, etc. We took a trip to the library and got many books and one movie: Pippi Longstocking. I have read some of the book out loud and Nathan & Kortney have read them all. They are watching it right now and it is...interesting. We are going to watch more Olympics tonight.

Mom/Dad
Seth watched kids while I went to Curves (5:40 AM). Then we worked on organizing our papers, books, piles, etc. It feels so nice!