The Milams Blog

Baby it's Cold Outside!!

2011-12-24T07:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas Already?!?!
I really need more time in my day! Well, to catch up quickly, the boys love kindergarten, Nick is graduating in June, and I completed my Associates this month!

MERRY Christmas!!!

Back from New Hampshire

2011-06-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

We had a great time! The boys didn't want to leave the ocean! It was a chilling 58 degrees in the water, but the weather was perfect! It never got warmer than mid-80's and the breeze made it beautiful. We visited every beach we could find, looked for seashells, climbed rocks, watched seagulls, visited lighthouses, and SO MUCH! I LOVE that place. It is the perfect vacation spot!!!!

It's been a busy year....

2011-04-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Landen

Coleby

My sweet boys <3

Seems SO long ago!!!

I can't believe the boys are almost 5!
We went out this morning and took some pictures in a field of bluebonnets that we used when the boys were not quite a year. It's amazing when I look at two, how much they have really grown!!
They are loving their school and look forward to the 3 days a week they get to spend there. Kindergarten in the fall...kindergarten round-up is coming up at the end of this month. We were excited to find out that one of the teachers at their school was just names Teacher of the Year. So, fingers crossed that this trasition is a smooth one for all of us!
Here are some pics...Hope you enjoy!!

Happy 2011!

2011-02-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

I actually have 2 days off because of the ice storm, so for the first time since October I have a second to post!!
What's been up? Well, in a nutshell....kids, jobs, school, and life :)
Nick is one year away from Graduation! YAY!
I am SO much closer to my goal!
The boys are reading, writing and staying somewhat healthy!
Aside from some minor bumps in the road this year, (the car accident (me alone), Nick's knee surgery, and illness here and there, we had a decent 2010!
We plan on making the best of 2011 and looking forward to what our future holds!!! We couldn't be happier with our little brilliant boys and are just so thankful for all that our lives hold!

All Boy!

2010-10-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Their little friend :)

Coleby's flower

Landen's flower

Racin' down the Bike Trail
Our Morning at Inspiration Park~
This is our local park & the boys love it!! We took their bikes this morning & they played and rode on the bike trails. Here are a few pics of our adventures ;)

Hello again :)

2010-10-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

We're still here!! Just busy!

We adore our Chera Pictures Every Season....Here's Fall 2010 :)

2010-08-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

If you can't drive to the ocean.....

2010-08-10T14:25:00.001-07:00

Make the Lake the next best thing :)

And that's just what we did!

Moi

2010-08-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

My first time "modeling" again since 1999! It was fun!!
My sister (Bonnie) had her first Premier Runway show and I was model number 1. I was "shopping day with the girls", so I wore a sundress (which really is a staple in my summer attire) with flip flops (a staple year round for those of you who really know me-haha!). Mary Kay was on hand to do make up, and Miche Bags was there to match our outfits with interchangable purses!
Here are a few pics from the day!
Thera and I before the show!
Hollie (business casual), Me (casual/shopping), and Thera (Going Out)
and Moi!

In all of my free time ;)

2010-08-03T14:22:00.001-07:00

I have picked up a new hobby. I will be updating my "Brooke's Creations" blog. I will post an update soon!

VBS

2010-07-29T13:01:00.001-07:00

Picture collage personalized with Smilebox

Birthday Party Pics

2010-07-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

Cake Time!!

Happy Birthday!!!

Our Little Fam :)

Their Batman Capes

BFF's

Landen, Brady, and Coleby

Our Summer....So far!

2010-07-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Oops again! It's been a busy summer! The boys are busy doing their 365 days of Homeschool Kindergarten Curriculum and getting ready for Kindergarten in Fall 2011. Landen is reading his BOB books. Coleby is not so much interested in reading just yet, but likes learning in more of a creative way. They are loving their field trips, with our Membership to the Nature and Science Museum at Fair Park, we see the dinosaurs often!! Numerous trips to the park and pool are keeping us somewhat cool this summer. Nick just started back to school this week! I start back next month for my last full-time semester at Collin College :) Life is good!!

Science Museum

Science Museum

Allen Station

Save the Date!

2010-04-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

Boys Birthday is coming up!
Saturday June 19 at 11:00 am at our casa!
Super Hero themed party...invites to come shortly, so be on the lookout :)

The 3 Amigos

2010-04-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

Landon, Landen, and Coleby
April 2010
He's a year & 3 months younger & he's as tall as my boys...he's got some good genes!! And the hair helped a little ;) These 3 were SO cute together!!
Miss my fam already! Can't wait to see them all again soon!

Hoppy Easter!!

2010-04-05T11:41:00.001-07:00

It was a fun, candy-filled weekend! My cousin Jessica and her family arrived on Friday for the week, we spent the day on Saturday at "Sam's Farm" as the boys call it! They had a blast! There is nothing better than letting boys run wild! Sam's house is gorgeous & with endless acerage, it's perfect for getting the family together. Especially our family with lots of little ones! Landon, Jess's little one is hilarious!! Finally someone to give my Landen a run for his money!

On Sunday morning, we were at it again! My Mom, Step-dad & sisters and their families were here at the house for lunch & another egg-hunt! As you can see there are now 7 grandkids! Baby Jack is Yummy!!! We all took turns cuddling with him :) It was a little drizzly when we decided to get photo happy, but here are a few shots!!
Happy Spring to Everyone!

The Daddy's and Kids

The Mommy's and Kids

Our Kids: Baby Jack, Emma, Trinity, Coleby & Landen, Luke, and Avery

The Boys at "Sam's Farm"

Landon (my cousin Jessica's little boy) and my boys playing football with Daddy!

MUD BUGS!!!!

2010-03-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

The Milams had their annual Crawfish Boil last weekend & it was a blast as usual! Here are pics!!

Smoochie!!

Me & my Monster in Law!! Hahahaha!!!

They look SO big!

And I look SO short!

Not sure what Nana is saying to me?!

It's Snowing in March in Texas AGAIN :)

2010-03-21T17:46:00.001-07:00

What's with the blizzard in the middle of March? Flip flops one day to snow boots the next...gotta love TX!!

Bella had fun in the snow!!

Landen rolled in it...and froze :}

Coleby threw snowballs at Mommy (Mommy won...bwahahahah!!!)

And Landen couldn't wait to get inside and have hot chocolate!!

Me & my boys :)

Pics

2010-03-07T17:54:00.000-08:00

Here's the link to the gallery....

http://chera25.com/galleries/22810Brooke/

I will have the CD in a few days, so if you would like copies emailed, let me know ;)

New Pics...More to come!

2010-03-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

We just had family pics done by Chera again! We have waited a l-o-n-g time for Deep Ellum shots! Here's a sneak peek! The one at the top of the blog is currently my fave, but that could change when we get the rest ;) There's another one on the right side of just Nick and I.

Their 4-year B-day Pic :(

Beautiful Day at the Park :)

2010-01-13T09:45:00.000-08:00

All 4 going down the slide!

These 2 are BESTIES!!!

Love this face!!

Sweetie!!

3 Little Monkeys!

Yesterday was SUCH a beautiful day, we went to "Aunt Manda & Bwady's" to play. They have a huge park in Celina that we played at until it got too crowded with after-school kids & then we went to their neighborhood park. The kids had a blast with their BFF's.

It's 2010!!

2010-01-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

Yay for another year! And a fresh start! This year is going to be amazing. We are so blessed! Merry Christmas (a little late) and a VERY happy New Year to EVERYONE!

STARS Game with Amanda & Tom :)

2009-11-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks to George giving up his season tickets for a night, Amanda & I along with her Dad, Tom & his friend got to enjoy a FABULOUS night at the STARS game on Friday! Amanda & I got Platinum seating...which was great, but we thought we'd join the boys and view the game from the players perspective. So, we moseyed our way down to the 3rd row behind the players bench and sat right behind the players (great view, btw!!), and had a good time. Tom got some good shots of the players. And, of course, a pic of me & the sneaky Amanda in our "new seats" ;)!

It was Brrr...chilly in there!!!

The boys WON!! 5-3

Modano & Ott!!

Getting Ready to MOVE!!

2009-11-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

It's almost time!!

Here's a pic of the house...

We are ALL so excited!!! The boys can't wait to get to spend every day with GG & DG!
McKinney, here we come...again ;) Woo HOO!!!!

Halloween

2009-11-03T07:23:00.001-08:00

Landen the Lion & Coleby the Tiger!! Grrr!!!

Following Nana....

And smiling for a picture :)

They had fun!! We did a quick t or t at Nana's before heading to Aunt Jen & Uncle Ben's house for the night! We have already been informed that next year they would like to be characters from Transformers. So, I will be on the search for costumes on sale ;)

First Soccer Game!

2009-10-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

Team Cheering after the game!

Landen running after the ball...

Coleby waiting for the ball...

The teams doing the "Pledge" before the game.

Coleby scored his first GOAL for our team!! And Landen scored his first GOAL for the other team!! lol And of course, I was too busy jumping up and down to get a picture, so just imagine how cute they were, because, I have no picture to share :( But, here are a few pics of the game. They played so well! They are naturals!!!

Wondering "What's up with the Milam Boys?"

2009-09-18T21:19:00.001-07:00

Well....if you haven't heard from me lately, don't be offended!
Coleby is getting over a pretty awful week of sickness, but seems to be improving. (a little weight gain would be nice) He is going to get a flu shot next week. He is allergic to egg, which means that the flu shot is dangerous, but from what the doctor says...it is far more risky to go without is than it is to get it this year.
Landen is a trooper...couging a little here & there, but overall, he is doing quite well. He had his flu shot already.
So...no birthday parties in their near future...but bring on their soccer game next week....because if they are feeling 100%, I have a feeling that they are going to do GREAT!

The Much Needed Girls Weekend

2009-09-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in posting this...but wanted to share about our O-SO-FUN & Fabulous Girls Weekend!!!!! Lindsy's Mom, Pam was a wonderful host and so kindly opened up her Lake/Weekend home to us (which is absolutley beautiful!!) and we had THE BEST TIME!!!
We got rained in...but that actually made it more fun. We played Wii, had a few drinks, and just good ole' girl chat. It was a great time to catch up with the girls. There was an interesting golf cart ride that involved 4 girls & a dog....you would have to see it to believe it ;) We also watched a scary movie & I am still disturbed!! lol
We are looking forward to doing this again this winter and cannot wait till next summer when we can take the boat out and soak up some sun.

Here's a pic of us girls....I will dig through the other pics and see if I can come up with (giggle) another appropriate pic to post.

Love my girls!!!!

Lindsy, Kristina, Leanna, & Me

Soccer Practice

2009-09-08T19:08:00.001-07:00

Noah, Coleby, Anthony, Jaden, Cameron, Landen, Kramer, Diego, and Andrew :)

Coleby

Landen cheering for the team :)

Our Park Adventure...and some Fam Pics :)

2009-09-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

Nick and I took the boys for a picnic at Bob Woodruff Park last weekend....here are a few pics of the "boys" feeding the ducks :)

Awwww :)

The duckies...

This way Daddy.....

Here are some pics of my hero....Aunt Hazel!

The boys and their Great, great Aunt Hazel

Hugs!!!

I absolutley adore this woman!!! She is a true hero!

Best Friends

2009-09-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

Steven M. Bird May 28,1983-July 23, 2003

I wanted to share a story.

Nick obviously had a hard time dealing with Steven's death. It wasn't until this year that he actually came to terms with the situation. It was the "anniversary" date and I decided to get out pictures of Steven to show the boys. I don't really know why....but it felt like time. They immediately understood that he was Daddy's best friend and they can't see him because he is in Heaven.
Coleby asked what happened to him...and immediately answered his own question with "Mommy, did he get a boo-boo on his nose?" Even though I was sad...I had to laugh a little at his question. (His brother got a boo-boo on his nose and had to go to the hospital once and it was scary to him!) I simply told him that he was in an accident and that he went to Heaven...which is as much as a 3 year old can really understand.
Coleby especially LOVED sitting at the desk and looking through pictures of "Uncle Steven". Landen was a little more reserved. He spends a little more time thinking about things and it wasn't until later that night that he asked..."Why?" That question is a little tougher to answer...but just as my Mom always told me "God had other plans...".

It brought me to tears when Nick came home and the first thing that the boys said was "Daddy, we saw pictures of you and your best friend..." He was surprised, but he actually smiled. I think it makes him feel better that the boys know about it all.
Oh, and Coleby thinks it's so cool that he's named after him.

Kids are such a blessing. They always know just what to say to make you smile and make the worst situations bearable.
We were SO blessed to have Steven in our lives.
We are blessed to have so many good memories of him....and so many great stories to tell our kids.

An Early B-Day Present for GG, DG & Nana :)

2009-08-25T03:34:00.001-07:00

We had to take these a little early because that's when Chera was available & we LOVE her....so after we got home from Houston...the 2nd time, we scurried off to Quorum Park in Addison for our photo shoot and here ya go!
We hope you guys enjoy!
Happy Early B-days!
Prints to come :)

http://chera25.com/galleries/81609Brooke/

Anyone else that would like prints, let me know, we have the cd ;)

Mine & Nicks Fancy Schmancy Dinner & then A Night Out ;)

2009-08-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

Nana & Papa got Nick & I a gift card to Truluck's (Awesome seafood/steak place in Addison!!), so we went out for a Date Night!! Woo hoo! And we had a blast! The food was YUM!! Nick ordered Free Range chicken & Potatos & I had Spicy Bass with shrimp & dirty rice...it was FABULOUS!

And then afterwards, Thera met us and we went just down the street to Addison Circle and met friends at Zen and had more fun!!! It is SO nice to take a break sometimes and spend time together! Nick and I don't get to go out together much...we had a GREAT time!

Many thanks to Brad and Debbie for the Gift Card and for taking the boys to see G-Force! They have been saying "Poop in his hand..." all morning! Too cute!

Moi and Nicholas :)

He wasn't being very cooperative...

Moi...again.

Me & my lil' sis...Can you believe people actually thought we were twins when we were little?!?

The girls at Zen...Deanna, Jen, Me, and Thera.

Handsome Lil' Devil :)

Nick, Me, and Benny

Friends for Life

Loralei, Brooke & Thera...New friends!

Us again!

Back from Vacation

2009-07-27T10:25:00.001-07:00

Mommy, Frog, and Coleby :)

Lan, Double G, and Coleby watching t.v.

"Bucket Head"

Double G & Landen...He would only swim with him!!

Shark Boy!!

Around 11:45 pm...all piled in 1 bed being goofy :)

Family Pic in the Pool

Million Dollar Smile :)

Landen floatin around.

We had SO much fun in Spring, TX with GG & Double G!! The kids got to swim & play and we weren't ready to come home! It was a little bit of a crazy drive home. We left late in the afternoon. We wanted to stay and help with a few things around the house which turned out to be a blessing!!

As we hit Madisonville, about 2 hours from home, we were in bumper to bumper traffic. At first, we couldn't figure out what was going on. There was debris everywhere, power lines snapped in two, trees snapped and all over the southbound side of I-45...and then it hit us, we had just missed a really bad storm, possibly a tornadoe...by MINUTES! There were cars in ditches, on access roads, it was a mess! I have yet to find information on it, but I talked to a family friend who's son was on his way back to A&M and was in it and said that it was in fact a tornado and that his car was lifted off the ground!! UGH...glad he's ok!! Anyways, crazy end to a very happy weekend! We hope to visit again before they sell the house :)

Our day at Celebration Park

2009-07-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

Nick had the day off , so we took the kids along with Amanda, Lainey & Brady to Celebration Park in Allen. They have a fun splash area that the kids LOVED!

We were smart & brought tents & went early!! People were envious of our smart planning :) lol!

Here are a few pics from our morning!

Daddy & Boys enjoying some shade!

Aunt Amanda and the 3 little Bff's!

Aunt Brooke & Lainey Faith

Daddy & Coleby getting water dumped on their heads...Coleby loved this!!!

Lainey is the only one who likes to pose for picture time!

The boys are SO excited about this year...they have never REALLY seen fireworks before...they have always been too small.

Our first July 4th with them was in the NICU at Presby when they were first born. We had a corner room on the 3rd floor and we had perfect view of 2 really great fireworks shows surrounding Plano. Awww...love those memories! We really want this year to be special, too!!!!

I'm sure we will have many more pics from this weekend!! We LOVE the 4th!!

Fireworks, family & friends! Fun stuff!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

Playin' Catch up...Again :)

2009-06-23T06:13:00.001-07:00

Landen & Coleby at Uncle Cody's Graduation!

Coleby, Double G, and Landen at Cody's Graduation!

Alexa...A Future Mrs. Milam!!!!

Blowing out the B-Day Candles!

Landen & BFF Brady...sippin on Snow Cones...it was over 100 degrees that day!!!

Aunt Krissy informed me that I needed to update the boys page....so here I am! lol

I have been a little preoccupied! The boys b-day party was HOT, but it was a hit!! We were so glad that everyone could make it! And the boys have really enjoyed their gifts. They are still working slowly on their thank you cards!

Coleby has gotten his results back from his genetic testing! We are finally on track with figuring out what is going on in his little body! Just continue to pray that with this next battery of blood work that we get the final answers & that he is no longer a pin cushion!!

Nick has the next 3 weeks off of school, so were are really making an effort to spend time together with the kids.

More summer pics to come!!!

Landen's Room

2009-05-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

Debbie and I took Landen to Lowe's today and picked out paint for his room. We painted for close to 2 hours and this is the end result!

After Lowe's, while the boys napped, we ran to Macy's and hit the Jackpot!!! We got a great deal on bedding and decided to go ahead and get it (from Nana & Papa as an early b-day present) and we are going to have their names embroidered on the shams & have FC Dallas Patches sewn to the comforters. We are going to spend the day tomorrow spray painting the lockers & getting his room done.

This has been FUN!

We still have a few items at Pottery Barn that we are hoping to get them for their birthday, but this saved us so much money on bedding. And they LOVE it! Thanks Nana & Papa!

Isn't it cute?!?!

Keep watching for more pics of progress!

Updates~!~! It's been a while :)

2009-05-22T12:38:00.001-07:00

Popcorn & Movie Night!

Coleby waiting for his surgery. He was such a trooper!!!

Cheesy Faces ! Our Little HAMS!

Landen is doing good. He is on antibiotics for the next year as we try to build up his immune system. We ruled out CF, but he was SO close to the cut-off that they are really going to be cautious. For now, we are going to keep seeing the Pulmonologist regularly, but no more testing for him unless he starts to have more problems. (fingers crossed) If you haven't seen Landen's latest drawings, I will try to get a picture posted here in a few days. I showed him how to draw a smiley face & he is drawing them everywhere now! He is definately artistic like his Dad.

Coleby is seeing the Pulmonologist regularly. He is also seeing the Gastro as we try to see what is going on with his weight issues. He is NOT gaining weight and basically not growing to his full potential. Poor little guy. On top of food allergies, we are testing to see if there is something wrong with his espohagus (which is why we did the surgery), and continuing to monitor his immune system and asthma. Right now the biggest concern is getting him to gain weight!!! Coleby likes to watch brother draw & is REALLY into puzzles right now.

Debbie and I are painting Landen's room on Sunday!!! FINALLY...lol.

He has wanted us to paint his room ORANGE (UGH!), so I have avoided it. But, he finally agreed to a tan color, so we are going to tackle it and start the re-decorating. They are "big" boys now, so we are making the switch to "big boy rooms"! For their birthdays (I can't believe they are going to be 3 next month!!!) ....they are getting new bedding from Pottery Barn Teen (only place I could find soccer bedding). It's very fabulous (here are the links so you can see! )http://www.pbteen.com/products/p3102/?pkey=x%7C4%7C1%7C%7C6%7Cfcdallas%7C%7C0&cm_src=SCH This is the one we picked for Coleby's room!

http://www.pbteen.com/products/p3106/?pkey=x%7C4%7C1%7C%7C6%7CLA%20Galaxy%7C%7C0&cm_src=SCH This is the one we picked for Landen's room!

Brad & Deb have lockers that were in Cody's room that will replace dressers. And we have some autographed Landon Donovan & David Beckham Photographs to hang up. Their rooms will be SO grown up!!!

I will be sending out party invites soon. Mark your calendars. It will be Sat June 13 sometime in the morning to avoid the heat.

TTYS~Hugs. B

Our Much Deserved Day Out

2009-04-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Even though the kids are still sick, we got the ok to get them out of the house for the Raytheon Open House today. They had a "circus" theme.

Daddy & kiddos got to ride a camel

The boys got their faces painted for the first time! So, they chose to be pirates and I have to say--they were the cutest stinking pirates EVER! Here's the evidence!

They had a GREAT time! I haven't seen them jump around and laugh as much as they did today in SO long! We seem to be paying for it now that we are home again & catching up on breathing treatments, but I think we can all agree that it was worth it to see those smiles and just to get some fresh air.

We have some bloodwork on Monday, so within the next week we should be getting some results back. With all of the new medication the new Doc put them on, they should really start showing improvement. I think we made a good decision! I am hopeful. ;) B

An Update on the Boys

2009-04-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

So, about 2 weeks ago the boys got a virus that turned into a nasty cough. It has since progressed into bronchitis and now pneumonia. As some (most) of you know, their compromised immune systems make it difficult to fight infection, so we have them on "prophylactic antibiotic" twice weekly as a "immune booster" of sorts. Basically, they take antibiotics on the weekends and spend the weekdays off.
Long story short, they aren't getting better. SO....they Specialists that we have been working with for almost 3 years have decided that we have done all of the tests that we can do and at this point, we are down to just a few alternatives. One of which was a test that was a little difficult to think about.
Thursday morning Nick and I took the boys to PHOP and did what was called a sweat chloride test for both boys. It was not at all painful. They hooked their right arms up to a machine that send a little (very little) shock (less than a few seconds) into their arms and caused them to sweat and then measured the levels. This test was to tell us if the boys had cystic fibrosis. Talk about anxiety. Thank God in Heaven, both boys tests came back the same day with NEGATIVE results!
AMEN!!!!
However, we still have no answer.
So, we are now going to see yet another Specialist (which will be a good thing!) and hopefully this will lead us down the right path. These poor little boys have had a rough start. I am so thankful every day of their lives that we are not dealing with SO much more than this, but even this is hard. We are so blessed to have an amazing support group of family and friends.
Here's a little mini diary from our day...we weren't able to get pictures of the actual test, but here's before and after pics!

Brotherly Love before their Tests Started!

Coleby being Camera Shy.

Finally smiling...not Mommy's finest hour, but the best shot of the boys!

Landen playing while we waited for Coleby to finish!

We will continue to keep everyone updated after today's visit!
Hugs! Then Milams :)

Just for you Kristina!

2009-04-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Landen went Pee Pee in the Potty and this is what he sings after~!~!

HAHA!

And the finale to the previous video....

2009-03-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

Landen & Coleby singing along with Choo Choo Soul Take 2

Future American Idols ;)

Landen & Coleby singing along with Choo Choo Soul!

2009-03-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

TURN THE VOLUME UP! THIS IS SO CUTE!

Choo Choo Soul is one of their fave Music Videos!

They often request that I sing this song at night before bed. I happened to have a second to catch it on video today & had to share. Enjoy!

Sharkarosa Mar 19

2009-03-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

Sharkarosa Wildlife Park Pilot Point, TX
Spring Break Family Trip
We went with Sam, Ryan, Haley, Kaden, Bonnie, Avery, Luke, Amanda, George, Lainey, and Brady.
They had a cool train that took us around to see all of the animals. The kids were up close & personal with camels. They were a little too close for my comfort. Amanda & were not enjoying the fact that we were spit on-EW! They saw the "worlds largest rat" named Princess. They saw zebras, horses, zonkeys (no not misspelled-donkey/zebras), and monkeys. George loved the monkeys...lol! And, most importantly, the kids had a great time!

Brady, Coleby, Lainey, and Landen in front of the Lemur cages

Daddy & boys with a camel in the background!

Landen petting the baby Kangaroo!

The crazy little train ride--Lainey is right behind them!

Love this pic!

Brady, Kaden, Lainey, and Landen

TFL!

"Hallman" Family Easter April 5

2009-03-27T12:00:00.001-07:00

Evites were sent, so check your inbox!
It will be at my house this year. And we are doing a little egg hunt for the little ones!
Hope to see the whole family there. Hazel, Wayne, Jess, Jacob, & everyone WAY up there, we are SO sad that you guys can't make it, but we CAN'T wait to see you very soon!

And GG& DG, we will see you guys the following weekend for Easter!
Yay, we are so lucky to be getting to see our almost our WHOLE family within 2 weeks!

SO CUTE~!

2009-03-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

Avery and Luke's Pictures....
here's the link http://www.nathanoverman.com/photo/averylucas09/index.html
Nathan is a family friend and a FABULOUS photographer!

Anyone else ready for Summer?

2009-03-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

Landen informed me the other day that he is ready to go swimming in the "big, big pool" already!
I guess this weather is messing with all of our heads~!

Updates for everyone--
Krystal and Jack have decided to postpone the wedding until next April, so that they have a full year to save and plan.
Nick is enjoying school. He's almost at mid-terms (already!) and about to start a new semester at the beginning of April.
The boys and I are spending lots of time outside, biking, learning, and hopefully this summer we can take more trips to the Arboretum and hopefully the Zoo.
Luke is growing SO fast. He is starting to grab things. He starting pulling his pacifier out of his mouth & he gets frustrated because he can't get it back in when he wants it. He's going to be slightly spoiled by all of his Aunts.
Thera & Trinity are doing great. Thera is studying hard to take her Series 7. Pray for her. This test is tough~! But, she's smart, she'll get through it.
GG & DG are getting lots of showings on the house~! Cross your fingers, toes, arms, legs, WHATEVER you can & send up lots of prayers....We are all ready for them to make the move to Dallas! Pray that they get a great offer and that they are able to get here before it gets too hot this summer.
Cody is getting ready for Graduation and College in just a few short months!
Well, that's about it for now...just wanted to update everyone on what they've maybe missed.
Hugs~!

Chera Pics are in....

2009-03-02T18:29:00.001-08:00

Here's the link.....
http://chera25.com/galleries/22809Brooke/

Sneak Peek

2009-03-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peek at our Chera Pics.....

http://flickr.com/gp/33511885@N00/MFGm5A

Celestial Park in Addison

2009-02-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

Today we had our Photo shoot with Chera at Celestial Park in Addison. It's a cute, quiet little park off of Spring Valley in Addison. It was a chilly 51 degrees, so the cute little plaid shorts & polos that we had picked out were a no-go, but I think we really had some good shots. Check back later for more pics!
Here are a few that I snapped before she got started...

I will post the link as soon as I have the pictures!

Dalllas Arboretum

2009-02-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

We had a great day at the Dallas Arboretum today! The boys and I went with Krystal & Emma, Bonnie & Luke, and Amanda & Brady.
Here are a few pics from our day!

This little area was cool. Real "pioneer-like"!

Luke--cute as a button.

Mommy & boys. We were So hot...um isn't it February?!?!?!

They all made a run for the fountain.

What would have been a cool picture was us (Krystal, Amanda & I) running like crazy people after them to make sure that no one actually went into the fountain!

SO CUTE! The only pic all day with all 4 smiling!

Cody's Senior Pics

2009-02-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

Here's the link...http://tinarogers.blogspot.com/2009/02/blog090207a.html
Those are GREAT pics~!

Happy February!

2009-02-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

We just had a great visit from GG & Double G!
We had a fabulous & fun-filled dinner at Jalapenos (still laughing about it)!
We also got to house shop for them since they are coming to DALLAS FINALLY!
YAY! Landen has a new fave dessert--apple pie! For some strange reason, he decided at dinner that he wanted apple pie & he didn't stop talking about it for 2 days. So, on their way out of town, GG & DG stopped by with a nice big pie for the boys & he's been munching on it since!

Nick has been riding his bike to work. No, he's not crazy! We just live that close to his office! He has orientation & a placement test this Sat. and he will start in just a few short weeks. How exciting! It's been so nice having him at home, it will be an adjustment having him away again, but as long as he is doing this for HIM, we support him 150%!!

So, that's all for now! TTFN

Our Little Friend...

2009-01-28T19:40:00.000-08:00

We have a little squirrel living in our big tree in the back yard. Nick caught him on camera the other day.
See if you can find him....

Just a few Pics to Share!

2009-01-28T19:33:00.000-08:00

Crazy Landen with a toy on his head...Coleby lookin on like his brother has lost his mind !

Landen in the hospital Jan 2-4 with Pneumonia...this is obviously after the meds kicked in!

Landen in hospital....Before meds kicked in :(

I told him to put his boxers on, so he did.....Smarty Pants!~!!!!

My handsome little guys ready to go to Uncle Cody's Football Banquet.

The "under the tree" pics, too cute~!

2008-12-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

Yum~!~!~!

Landen is LOVING this...lol!

Sweet Faces.

Loving on Bella!

MeRrY ChRiStMaS !!! Love the Milam Boys...and Bella~!

Lucas James Pickel

2008-12-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

Luke(nightvision because his eyes are too sensitive)

Bonnie had an emergency c-section yesterday at 5:48 pm & Lucas James Pickel(a.k.a. Luke) is now here~! He weighed in at a whopping 3 lbs 13 oz & was only 15" long!

Oh, he's precious. He's a tough little guy. He was having help breathing last night, but early this morning the Dr. took him off of the machines and he is breathing on his own~!!!!!!

Please send up lots of prayers for Bonnie as she begins the long healing process and prayers for Baby Luke as he works towards leaving the NICU.

Cody Milam--Future Pro Football Player

2008-12-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

OK, so Allen won...again! Nick and the boys went to the game with Nana, Papa, Granny Great, Aunt Alicia & Great Aunt Karen and had so much fun~! They got to watch Uncle Cody play & stay out late...they had a blast!
Here's an article that quotes Cody(highlighted in blue)...we all thought this was pretty cool.
Nick and I are SO proud...and the boys are proud of their Uncle!

Allen shocks No. 1 Euless Trinity
09:27 PM CST on Saturday, December 6, 2008

IRVING – No turnovers on offense, big plays on defense and a touchdown scored on special teams. Then, to finish it off, a long scoring drive that drains the clock and breaks the opponent's back.
All the ingredients Euless Trinity used in its 27 straight wins were on display Saturday at Texas Stadium. But it was Allen that used them to cook up an upset in the Class 5A Division I Region I final.
Yes, Allen's 34-21 victory will be considered an upset. Trinity was No. 1 in the state and in some national rankings, so the question will be asked, "What went wrong?"
But it wasn't what went wrong with Trinity. It was what went right for Allen, which dominated a team that has dominated the state for most of the last two seasons.
"We've been underdogs all year, and we just stepped up and beat Trinity," said senior defensive back Jeremy Reeves. "We beat the No. 1 team in the nation. It feels great."
Allen (13-1), which will play Round Rock Stony Point in the state semifinals, avenged a 24-14 defeat earlier this season to Trinity (13-1). In that game, Allen turned the ball over three times and made other mistakes on its home field.
But Saturday was close to mistake-free for Allen, which didn't have a turnover and picked off two passes and recovered a Trinity fumble. Allen outgained Trinity and scored on all five of its drives – three touchdowns and two field goals – before punting for the first time with three minutes left.
Allen quarterback Tucker Carter was remarkably efficient, completing 16 of 18 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Jeremiah Williams rushed 26 times for 180 yards, getting nearly 7 yards per carry against a tough, proud and overpowered Trinity defense.
That's right, overpowered. The bully got bullied. Starting with Allen's opening drive, an 11-play, 74-yard touchdown march, Allen won the battles up front.
"We weren't intimidated by them," said senior Cody Milam, the 6-4, 300-pound anchor to Allen's offensive line. "We've done too many squats, too many sleds, too much of everything to let them push us around."
Down 24-7 to open the third quarter, Trinity tried to push back. But although its typical ground attack showed some passing potency this season, the Allen secondary was more talented than any Trinity had faced. And despite a pair of touchdown passes by Denarius McGhee, Allen prevented big plays by Trinity and made its own big plays: interceptions by Reeves and linebacker Cheyenne Urban.
"It's hard for a running team to come back, so we knew they were going to have to throw the ball," said senior defensive back Steven Terrell. "We geared up for it."
Now Allen is geared up for the state semifinals, the round where it lost to Southlake Carroll in 2003 and '06. This year, the players say, will be different.
"This is the biggest win in Allen history, easily," Terrell said. "But we're not done yet. We're not going to let this be our Super Bowl."

GO EAGLES!

December

2008-12-05T06:45:00.001-08:00

I can't believe how quickly this year has gone by.
They boys are almost 2 1/2~! Crazy how quickly it all goes by.
We are moving....again. We have decided to move closer to Nick's job and school, so we have found a home in Plano. We are moving at the beginning of January. It's a cute house & it's 5 minutes from Nick's office & close to the Dart Station so that he won't have to drive to school. The boys love this new house. It has huge trees & a great backyard. It's just walking distance from 2 great parks & the neighborhood is located at the Outdoor learning Center. Nick starts at the Art Institute in February--YAY! He is so excited. I am registered to take my Real Estate Exam Test Prep courses on Dec 27 & 28, and I will have to be signed up to take my test pretty quickly after that. We have had to put that off a little for financial reasons, but we are eager to get this done now.
Well, I don't think that I have missed anything! Merry Christmas Y'all~! I will post cute Holiday Pics soon~!

Good Morning~!

2008-11-10T07:53:00.001-08:00

Geeze, we are getting up early these days. 6:45 am is WAY too early for me~!
Well, what's new?
Nick is hoping to start school at the new year~!
He is SO excited about going to the Art Institute of Dallas. I can't wait to see what comes of all of this! And we (the obys and I) couldn't be more proud.

Coleby & Landen are slowly getting their own rooms. We separated them into their own beds at naptime and for bed. They seem to be playing better together during the day! YAY!

And that's about all the new stuff....Sandy and I are going to Houston this weekend for a fun Scrapbooking Day! Can't wait.

Here's the link to my blogspot & some pics of my newest stuff. brookescreations-love.blogspot.com

BoO~!

2008-11-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

TrIcK-oR-tReAtInG...
Was fun~!
Coleby had a run-in with the doorway of the playroom a couple of hours before we went, so he was pretty quiet all night.
They were Pirates.
Nana, Bonnie, Danny, Avery, ME & the Boys roamed the streets of our neighborhood. After it was all over, and we took all of the chocolate out of their buckets, they had a few pieces and went to bed~! They slept in their own rooms last night with the help of Daddy putting together a make-shift bed at the last minute for Coleby.
It was TONS of fun & we have TONS of candy :)

Coleby, Lan, & Avery

Landen checkin' out a pumpkin

Too bad Coleby can't have those Whoppers....

Little Ham & Boo Boo Baby

ARGH.......~!

The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm

2008-10-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

Today I took the boys to the Big Orange Pumpkin Farm in Celina.
Aunt Bonnie & Avery, Aunt Thera and Trinity went with us.
The boys got to feed animals, go on a hay ride, look at the pumpkins & eat hot dogs~!
They had a blast.
Here are some pics from our fun Day~!

Sittin in the Pumpkins!

Mommy & the boys~!

Landen, Avery, Trinity & Coleby

Feeding the goats.

Hey Y'all~!

2008-10-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

Sandy and I found a new website that allows us to add cute stuff to our blog. So, now that this is more fun, you will see lots more updates from me.
I am going to add a few elements & them update more.

I'm having too much fun with this.
Oh, and check out my crafts at brookescreations-love.blogspot.com
It's a work in progress, but let me know what you think. All of the items on the site are available. Great Christmas gifts~!

Hello again!

2008-10-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well, to catch everyone up...
I am still working & getting ready to take my Exam next month. (really going to take it now!)
Nick is still working...a lot & hoping to get into school soon.
The boys are doing well. They are being 2~! They have been fighting an ongoing cold/upper respiratory infection for a few weeks now. Coleby is going to be having another surgery in a few weeks to replace his tubes in his ears because he is back to getting ear infections. They are really growing....we have had to completely replace their wardrobe because they are getting so tall.
We have a new member of the family... a little 10 week old lab mix puppy named Bella! She is SUCH a GOOD dog! Well behaved & SO SWEET~! Sassy seems to be adjusting well. She is definately cranky with a new puppy in the house, but this has really calmed her down.
Deitra and I are doing a craft show this weekend & we are really excited. We are showcasing her new Little Girls Clothing Line & I will be presenting some of my new clipboard, album, and frame designs. Cross your fingers that our business' do well~!

Studio One to One Session Today.

2008-08-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

We did pictures of the boys & I for Nick's b-day!
here's the link and the info you will need to go look...
www.s121.com
Click on "PORTRAITS ONLINE", click on Stonebriar, Enter our last name & the pw is "twins".

Orders can be placed online for your favorite pics!
These really turned out good!

Howdy~!

2008-08-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

We're back from "bacation"!

We had SO much fun in Houston. We stayed with GG & Double G and loved getting to spend so much time with them. The boys really had a chance to become more attached to them. It was nice to just sit around the kitchen table and talk.

Coleby learned to swim (somewhat) and Landen made it to the second step! Landen also overcame his vacuum fear and helped GG vacuum the living room.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures!
My boys

Family Picture

Ridin' the old car in Old Town Spring

Checkin' In~!

2008-07-09T16:34:00.001-07:00

CHEESE~!!!!!!!!!!!

We love Nana & Papa~!

Smilil' for Daddy~!

It has been a while since I posted last. For some reason, the blogger wasn't letting me post. I have been trying for a month :( !
Anyways, we have been great. Kids growing like weeds. For those of you that I don't talk to daily, here's what's new.....
Nick is healing from a dirtbike accident. He dislocated his right shoulder and tore the ligaments on his collar bone. Doing better, not riding!
Coleby is seeing a nurtitionist this Friday to decide what to do about his weight. He has not gained ANY weight in over 10 months & obviously for a 2 year old, this is a concern. Hopefully this meeting will go well and he will start packing on the pounds.
Landen is just Landen. We are still working on his little temper (we'll attribute that to Mommy). He is starting to really communicate well.
I have started WORKING! I am working with Triumph Homes in NW Frisco on Mondays & Tuesdays. I am hoping to take my RE test by summers end & hopefully move quickly within the company to accomplish my goal of being a Sales Manager! The job is going well so far, so cross your fingers that it continues!

Well, I think that's it. That's about a month's worth of Milam gossip. Love Y'all!
GG & Double G...Coleby & Landen say "HI!" and "Lub U!"

Trip to Tyler

2008-06-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

The boys & I went to visit my Mom in Tyler this week. It was nice to just relax & not HAVE to do anything. We spent a lot of time with Granma & Grandad. We visited the Children's Park near her house. This park is beautiful. It is a park built/donated by parents of children that have passed away in their memory. It has children's names engraved in the stone paths & memorial benches...very sad, but beautiful. There was even a little park bench that said... "In memory of our glory babies that passed before or shortly after birth." My Mom and I stood at that one for a minute and took a moment to think about Bonnie & all of our friends & family that have lost a baby. Here are just a few pictures from the week.

WE HAD A GREAT TIME!!!

More b-day fun~!

2008-06-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

Cheers...to 26 crazy years~!

Jen & Ben...amazing friends!

Deitra & Fritz...more amazing friends~!

Sweet Val & her invisi-date~!

Who's this crazy, goofy couple? haha

Oh, and for those who haven't seen me...btw, I cut my hair!
Summer is so much easier to deal with when you have shorter hair!

A Night of Fun...

2008-06-03T06:22:00.001-07:00

Out for my b-day! Had a BLAST~! Love hangin' out with good friends~!

Deitra, Me, Valerie, & Jen.

Me & MY D~! Goofy Jen & Me...In the Car close up~!

In Memory

2008-05-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

Steven Michael Bird

5-28-83 to 7-23-03

I made this charm for Kristina's bouquet so that Steven could be with her as she walked down the aisle. It looked beautiful with her flowers. It was a special touch to her special day.

New...

2008-05-26T15:44:00.001-07:00

Summer, Me, Heather, Brennen & Lindsy at Rehearsal Dinner.

Me & Nicholas

Getting my make-up done by Amy for the wedding.

The wedding....it was BEAUTIFUL!

And of course...Kristina looked amazing.

Splash~!

2008-05-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Nana bought the boys a new toy today!

I'm glad it was nice enough to let them play outside today! It was hot, but the sun wasn't blazin'!Their little swim diapers sorta just hang out of their swim shorts. So cute ! ! !

Round & Round we Go~!

2008-05-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

I took the boys & cousin Trinity to the Mall today to meet up with Detira & Katelyn...and somehow they suckered me into letting them ride the Carousel. Coleby couldn't have enjoyed anything more...Landen on the other hand cried "Hold You, Mommy!" the whole time!

It was fun, though. Here are some pics I managed to snap on the ride around with Landen clinging on for dear life. Enjoy!

Day 2 in Toddler Beds

2008-05-14T05:56:00.001-07:00

Last night wasn't as easy as the first. It was pouring rain, lightening & thunder and the boys were awake, playing at 2:30 a.m. I guess Coleby was exhausted because when I went in to get him this morning, this is how I found him.

Sound asleep on the floor on his big pillow. And Landen was cuddled in his bed.

Up to No Good

2008-05-13T08:14:00.001-07:00

Last night the boys slept in their

TODDLER BEDS...for the first time

& this is how I found them this morning...

Crazy little nuts~! They liked sleeping in their beds!

And this is the art work that they created a couple of weeks ago. They were so proud. I asked who did it & Landen told me "Coleby" and then that little stinker lifted his shirt to show me all of the crayons stuffed in his shorts! I have to admit...it was funny!

Kristina's Bachelorette Party in Austin

2008-05-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Bachelorette Party at the Restaurant our first Night in Austin.
The gals...on 6th St. with the Firefighters!

Austin was fun. We had a good time on Friday night staying out till dark-thirty dancin' & such! We were EXHAUSTED! We got up on Saturday & drove to Lake Austin & sat on a house boat for somewhere around 5 hours & soaked up too much sun.

On the boat (yes...there was a blow up doll involved!)

Then Sat. night we attempted to go out for a final Austin dinner & almost all fell asleep at Baby A's over yet another Mexican Meal~!

Needless to say...glad Kris is the last of our friends that is getting married...at least for a while...which is good 'cause I think we are all 'bachelorette partied OUT'!

CONGRATULATIONS KRISTINA & MARK-

GETTIN' MARRIED MAY 24, 2008!

F I N A L L Y ! ! !

Girls Night Out!

2008-04-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

We went out last night for Amanda's Birthday! It was just the girls & it was nice to get out of the house for a while after this hectic week. I saw the Orthopedic Doc & we are still doing some testing to figure out what's going on with me. I should know something by the end of this week, and then I will be in Austin for 3 days for a much needed BREAK! YAY! Here's some pics from last night & next week I wl post pics of the weekend!

Me and Deitra Amanda & I Me, Am & D

Mom's Wedding

2008-04-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

April 19, 2008 Teresa & Guy's Wedding Tyler, TX

Our Little Family

Catherine Hepburn...I mean, my MOM~! Coleby...so handsome.
Landen...little ham!
My Mom, Guy & my new step-brother, Nathan.
The wedding was beautiful!

My Mom looked amazing.

The boys were adorable.

Nick looked so handsome.

My dress was itchy.

Did I mention that the boys were adorable?

But, all in all...it was a fun day.

The Little Artists

2008-04-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

The Little Artists

Hi! WOW...we've been busy~! Life has been a little crazy around here. Nick is continuing to work- A LOT! The boys & I are missing him.

My Mom got married this past weekend. It was a beautiful wedding. (Pics to come). The boys were ADORABLE~! They did so well at rehearsal, but when it came time for the wedding, they freaked out and ended up walking down the aisle with Mommy!

They are really starting to talk. Coleby says "Whatsha doonin?" all the time & Landen likes to point his little finger at Mommy & Daddy & tell us "NO!"

We are getting some nasty weather tonight, so I am going to sign off and check on the kids again, but I will post more later! Love y'all!

Finally...

2008-04-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

It's been crazy around here, so I haven't had much time to update. I have been in school for 3 weeks, So now that I have a minute to update, this is what I got....

Coleby & Landen are doing great. With the exception of a little cold, they have been (knock on wood) WELL since surgery. Which is a huge blessing.

Nick is working A LOT, but he is making the best of it and trying to get our family out of a rut. He is such a strong person...this isn't easy on any of us, especially the boys, but he is handling it like a CHAMP! I can't wait to start working so that he can have a break!

I FINALLY finished my required classes for my Real Estate Exam. I am now just saving some money to go towards my application and Exam. Once I pass the exam, I can get a sponsoring broker and be working before the end of summer. YAY~!

My Mom is getting married this weekend in Tyler! So, we will be there for a few days spending time with them. The boys are going to be so cute in their little linen suits. Debbie and I had fun picking them out and the look ADORABLE. I will post pics once I get some.

Ok, I think we are caught up to current times. I will try to get better at posting. Hugs~!

Easter Sunday

2008-03-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT Easter. Nana, Papa, Uncle Cody, GG, and Double G came to visit. We had lunch & hunted Easter Eggs; ate lots of candy; drank lots of wine; and took LOTS of pictures~!

Hope your Easter was as Fun-filled as OURS.

Their worst fear~!

2008-03-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

This is histerical! The boys are deathly afraid of the vacuum! Haha...so of course we torture them with it. Every time we go to get it out...they RUN!

The boys & their girlfriend Kate

2008-03-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

Coleby & Landen have a girlfriend...Kate! They love her. She is our BF's daughter & they have so much fun together! We just love spending time with them!
Here are some cute pics....

Nick and the kids being goofy!

Kate planting a big one on Coleby!

Her first dirt bike ride!

Coleby taking a ride!

Daddy & Landen .

Life is good! Kids are amazing. And good friends are great!

ENT Update! & Snow Pics

2008-03-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

We got back from the ENT this morning & everything looks great! They are healing quickly~we are hoping this means no more sickness, but we'll just have to see!

Here are some pics we took in the snow today! Hope the weather's nice where you are!

They have a bright future ahead!

2008-03-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

Well, we were hanging out at home listening to 20 on 20 via satellite as our usual routine & they decided to bust out in dance! So, we made a little video to send to Daddy at work! They love the Flo Rida song! Landen actually sings it & Coleby just shakes his little booty! Just wanted to share this with everyone. Gosh...they sure are cute!

After surgery...

2008-02-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

The boys just had their surgery almost 2 weeks ago. They seem to be doing a lot better! They have not been sick (knock on wood)- and seem to be happier now that I am staying home with them! We have another week before we see the ENT again & will determine where we go from here! Pray for the best!
Much Love,
US

Life...and me in it...

2008-01-23T18:30:00.000-08:00

Life in the Fab Lane...hahaha...ok stole that from Kimora Lee Simmons, but I just think it's cute. What about Brooke? Well, I am a mother & a wife. I am married to my very best friend and he is such an amazing person. I love him more every day! And I have 2 amazing baby boys. We were blessed in June of 2006 with twin boys and they have been the light of my life since then. They are very handsome little men. Coleby is my oldest (by 2 minutes) and he is a sweetheart. Landen is the younger & boy is he a charmer. They were born at about 34 weeks, so spent some time in the NICU learning the ways of the world, but from the minute I brought them home, they have just been AMAZING~life is amazing and it could not get better than this. I consider myself a very blessed person & so lucky to have such a great family and friends. Life is FAB!