Da Boys

As fun as it is to have a little girl, I am so grateful for my 4 boys. I think I don't give them enough credit. It used to drive me crazy when moms of only one girl and multiple boys would have tons of pics of the girl, and very few of the boys. I always felt sorry for the boys. So now that I have a little girl, I try to give equal attention to the boys, be it time, pictures, etc. I'm not always successful, obviously, with the pics. Let's face it, there are more opportunities to take pics of little girls, all dressed up and adorable-looking, than there are of all-boy boys, who, more often than not, are dirty, mismatched, and playing with something creepy like a snake or a frog . :) Having said that, I would never want to give the impression that my girl takes precedence over any of my boys! I would be lost without them. So I thought I would take this post and dedicate it to 4 of the loves of my life.

We spent a very nice, relaxing summer evening at my mom's last week, hanging out on her deck, and just watching the kids play. They were all showing their little tricks- namely handstands. Here are Grey, Garrett, and Gage. Greyson's actually pretty good at it. Thanks to my expert timing with the camera, they all looked pretty good at it! ;)


Tammy, one of our neighbors, and Dylan, her son, went fishing the other day and invited Garrett and Gage to go with them. Here's a picture of Gage with his big catch. He actually caught 3 that morning.

Garrett caught a few, as well. Not sure why Garrett's not in this picture, but here's one of his catches:

And here's a final pic of the 4 musketeers, clockwise from top right: Grey, Gage, Garrett, Grant


I am definitely blessed beyond measure!

Thankful Thursday

I'm gonna cut it short tonight. Not because I'm any less thankful, but because it's way past my bedtime, and this is post #2 for me today! :) I've had a really fun day today, and it's times like that that remind a person how blessed she really is. So I'm thankful:

1) that I got to spend some fun, "girlie" time with my precious gift of a daughter.

2) that I have 4 amazing boys that add so much joy to my life.

3) that my 12 yr. old fixed dinner for us tonight, and did an amazing job! I started the meat for the fajitas, and he finished cooking it, got all the fixings together, and made some fantastic quesadillas for us all! Rob and the other kids were working in the garden, and I had taken Grey to swim practice. When we got back, dinner was on the table! It was a huge help to me!

4) that I got my run/walk in while Grey was at swim practice. I dropped him off and went to the high school track. Week 3 of my Couch to 5K, and going strong (well, going anyway)! Tonight was a huge challenge, but I was proud of myself-- I didn't give up, and I completed the requirements and then some!

5) that I've had about 7 orders come in this week for my business! I had about a 2 day break- Must've been the calm before the storm! ;) Definitely not complaining! I love what I do, and am grateful that God is blessing it!

Goodnight, all! Thanks for reading my blog- It's always nice when I get comments, too (hint, hint)-- It tells me there really are people reading what I write. :)

Jillian's Birthday Party, aka Mac's First "Big Girl" Party

McKenna was invited to a friend's birthday party this week. Jillian is a precious 5 yr. old who attended Mac's preschool (Mother's Day Out). Her mom and I are friends, and first met while volunteering at The Primary School, just after Jillian was born.
So this was to be the first "big girl" party that McKenna has ever attended. It was a precious, princess-themed party, girlie to the max, complete with sashes and crowns and even a mini manicure (After all, what's a princess without sparkly fingernails?)
Anne was sweet to include McKenna, considering she's a little younger than most of the other girls. And Jillian was the perfect host, making sure all the girls were included in all the activities. At one point, she looked down at McKenna, and said, "Do you want to come play in my room with us?" Of course, Mac did, so Jillian took her by the hand, and walked her down the hall. Precious!
It was so sweet to watch my little girl interacting with other little girls. I'm so used to seeing her interacting with 4 older boys!

Here's a pic of her modeling her tutu for her dad the night before:

This girlie thing never gets old.

My Girlie Girl?

It's no secret that McKenna is a girlie girl. Of course, I'm pretty happy about that. After having 4 boys, it's fun to see the contrast. She loves to dance and twirl and play with dolls. Her favorite color is pink. She's your typical little princess. She's been invited to the birthday party of a friend of hers tomorrow. It's a princess-themed party, and there will be someone there to do the girls' nails, they will make wands, and bring home a tiara. Needless to say, McKenna is soooo excited! I made the above tutu for her to wear to the party. I'm sure I'll have plenty of pics to post after the party. Stay tuned...

On the other hand, she is the baby sister to 4 boys, who are indeed, all boy! Note the onlooker in the following picture:

Garrett found this in our yard the day I had been working in our much-neglected flower bed. I guess I disturbed his home! Glad he didn't disturb my work! Anyone who knows me, knows I am terrified of snakes! So much so, that I didn't even know this picture existed! I happened upon it on my hubby's site. I think I would've freaked out had I known my little princess was this close to that! So much for my girlie girl! :)

Catching Up

I totally missed Thankful Thursday this week, so I thought I'd just give everyone an update to catch up, and share some thankfulness in the process.

It's been a really good, very easy adjustment to school being out and everyone being home. I have thoroughly enjoyed the week. I even went 2 whole days without leaving my house! Can't remember the last time that happened! I've been doing some thinking, planning as to how our summer is going to play out. You see, this is the first summer in 4 years that at least one of my kids hasn't been involved in rehearsals and swim team practice/meets for the entire summer. No theater for us this summer for a couple of reasons. 1st of all, the theatre group is doing "Godspell", and we just weren't that comfortable with that show in order for our boys to audition. 2nd, we just really needed a break from all the busyness, and didn't wish to be a slave to schedules this time around. Budget cuts forced the Mullins family to downsize the efforts on the swim team, and since Grey was the only one who really wanted to compete this summer, we opted out for Grant and Garrett. So, in planning how the summer would go, not wanting us to drive each other crazy for the next 2+ months, I decided some routines were in order. We've developed a sort of reward/demerit system in order for the boys to gain certain privileges (ie TV, video games, etc.). Other than the obvious chores, or lack of the completion of said chores, I have added character-building issues to the mix. We're trying (sometimes even successfully) to teach the kids to think outside of themselves, and to think of others before they think of themselves. So treatment of their siblings is one of the ways they can earn positive or negative stars. So far, it's worked out great. There has been an overall atmosphere of peace, and my house is staying neat and in order. That makes for one happy mom, and accounts for all 10 items in a Thankful Thursday post! :)

I've been all caught up with my orders for the last few days (first time since February!), so it's been great to be able to spend some time exploring new creative ideas for some upcoming shows. I do love what I do, and am very blessed to have the opportunity to make some money in the process. I have some new hairbow and headband ideas I'm working on, and will post some pics soon to get some feedback (hint, hint). :)

Yesterday, I had some interaction on facebook with an old friend from high school. It started as an interesting debate, but ended what I think will be a very valued friendship. I spent about 2 hours reading her blog, and seeing what she's gone through for the past several years. I literally wept reading her experience. Without divulging too much, in case she should happen to come across this, she was married to a man who struggled with his sexuality. He finally gave up the stuggle, and decided he wanted a divorce- to be free to live as a gay man. The way she handled the entire experience was a testimony not only to her relationship with God, but also to the body of Christ, and how they helped her walk through such a tough transition. I gained a love and respect for her that runs deep, and I know God did that for both of us yesterday.

On a lighter note, a friend of mine participated in her neighborhood yard sale today, and invited me to put some of my things in her sale as well. I took her up on her offer, and spent the better part of last night helping her set up, and pricing my items. This morning, I returned to her house to help her with the sale. Of course, I decided I should check out the other sales in the neighborhood. :) When all was said and done, I ended up with a huge profit of, wait for it... $1! Yep, that's it. Crazy thing is, I sold several items! I guess that tells you how much I bought on Ridgewood Avenue today! I also came home with another unexpected item:


This is Mia. Garrett has been wanting a kitten for a long time. One of my friends came by the yard sale this morning, and informed me that she still had one kitten left- if anyone wanted her. Hmmmm. She is a doll. All 4 of her legs are white, so she's really cute when she's walking around. And I'm really not a cat person. So far, she's adjusting well, and Grizzly seems to be somewhat amused with her. I see that as a good sign.

My neighbor called this morning, and informed me that the pool is ready. So, of course that meant we had to go swim this afternoon! Didn't take long for them to realize it's still a bit early- the water was only 77degrees! I think the kids lasted for about 30 minutes tops. :) I guess if I was a better blogger, I would've thought to take some pics of the kids' shivering lips and goosebumps, but...

Rob's been in Claremore for the last couple of days, mixing business with pleasure. He should be getting home soon, and I couldn't be happier. We had a good time while he was gone, but he is definitely missed. Ready to see my man. There's just something to be said for the security I feel when he's home. My hat's off to single parents. While I manage to do okay with things while he's gone, it's definitely more fun to have someone to share it all with. I definitely don't take that for granted.

That should get you caught up since my last posting. I'm looking so forward to more carefree, fulfilling summer days. The garden is growing well, and we are anticipating lots of yummy goodness as a reward of my hubby's hard work. And my 5K training is going well so far. I'm feeling very good about my progress. More to follow...

Finishing Friday, aka Thankful Thursday, Part 2

Okay, here I am, a little more rested, ready to finish my 10 Truths from the Bible for which I am eternally grateful! (If you're just tuning in, be sure to read yesterday's "Thankful Thursday" post first, as this is a continuation of that thought, due to the fact that I couldn't keep my eyes open to finish last night!) :)

4) "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on until the day of Christ Jesus". Phil. 1:6

5) "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2

6) "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strenth. They will soar on wings like eagles: they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

7) "In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:3-5

8) "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

9) "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8

And last, and certainly the greatest thing I am thankful for is the birth of our Lord and Saviour, come to save His people from certain death:

10) "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

My hope is that these truths encouraged you today, as they have me. I need to rehearse these and more so much more often in my day to day life. It tends to put things back into proper perspective when I get so busy with all the daily activities that are my life. God has blessed me immensely in so many ways, but I would be nothing without the promises listed in these posts. May we always be mindful not just of who we are in Christ, but more importantly who He is in us!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday seems to be coming around very quickly each week! One thing that I've grown tired of in my weekly posts is the self-centeredness regarding the things for which I'm thankful. So I thought I'd try something a little different this week, and post truths from God's word that make me eternally grateful. Some of them may still seem to focus on myself, but they are things I'm mindful of nonetheless. Here goes:

1)"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3,4

2) "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

3) "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-" Ephesians 1:4-6


Okay, hold that thought, because I really want to list 10 truths, but to be perfectly honest, I'm falling asleep as I type! So I'm going to go get some much-needed rest, and I'll follow up on this tomorrow... Until then, chew on these first 3 truths, and see if you can come up with some that are special to you! I'd love to hear some...

Goodnight!