The Miller Chill

Take me out to the ball game...

2011-06-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

1, 2, 3 strikes you're out! Both of my boys are officially done with baseball season. I'm always sad to see this sport end because we are certainly a baseball family.

Sammy's team didn't have the best season, but he is a natural and never ceases to amaze me with his raw talent (when he isn't stuffing sunflower seeds into his mouth of course).

Sam & his Coach

Sam's team

Sam hiding his sunflower seeds

Sam chomping on more seeds

I loved watching Sean's team play! They had a great season and Sean has turned into an all-star catcher (just like his Dad & Grandpa). His team lost in the semi-finals by 1 run. It was a heart breaker for the kids and parents, and even though he was super disappointed, he didn't let it show because 2 of his best buddies were on the team that beat him. At 10, friendship is stronger than winning, and his buddies on the other team, stayed after the game to congratulate him.

All-Star Pitcher/Catcher Duo

Coach Dad

Sean & Benji

Three Amigos

Bungee Basketball

2011-05-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

Sean turns 10 this week. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home in that tiny little pumpkin seat. Now, if he stands on his tippy toes, he is as tall as me! And no, we do not keep him in a cage! We are at the baseball fields so much right now, it sort of feels like we live there. He often helps shag the balls for his brother's baseball team and took a brief second to smile for me.

Sean invited a few of his best buddies over to celebrate with him. They had an ice cream sundae bar, a water balloon fight, and a giant bungee basketball court. Of course the Indiana weather struck again and turned the basketball court into a giant slip-n-slide. The boys practiced their MLB slides in the rain and had a great time.

Happy Birthday Sean!

Basketball Stats

2011-02-14T17:10:00.000-08:00

Sam is 6 and in 1st grade this year. He is playing in the school basketball league and is having a great time. My parents regularly attend both boys’ games on Saturdays and my mom has been keeping Sean's stats during his 4th grade games because they play full basketball rules. Sean loves it and runs over after every game to get his stat sheet from grandma.

A few weeks ago, Sam says to me and grandma, "Umm why don't I get a sheet with marks on it after my games?" Mom and I looked at each other and we said to Sam, "ok we will keep your stats too." Well we had a really hard time coming up with categories for Sam's game because in his league the kids are matched up with a colored wristband with a similar level of player. They can't steal the ball. The refs rarely call travel or double dribble and usually whichever kid dribbles the ball up the court is the one to shoot. So what do we keep for stats? Here is what mom and I came up with for Sam's game:

Sam's Stats for 2/12/2011:

Rebounds 7
Assists 0
Shots 2/4
Injuries 4
Fell Down 8
Cheers 6
Water Breaks 1
Jump Balls 2
Guarding (body blocking picks) 11

Sam was thrilled with his stats after the game!

Here he is in all his glory. Notice how he looks at me like "Did you get that mom?" after his shot.

Polar Opposites

2011-02-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

It still amazes me just how different my two boys are. Case in point, how the two boys handle the frozen tundra that is our yard. Notice how Sean takes a skilled approach to his air guitar solo, while sliding backwards, carefully avoiding the road.

Example #1: Sean's air guitar solo

Then there is Sam. Who looks like Godzilla stomping on a frozen Tokyo! He cracks me up. We often call him Captain Destructo.

Example #2: Sam "Godzilla" on ice

Regardless of their differences, we love them both dearly!

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade

2011-02-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

What a week! It’s Thursday and the sun is out and the temp climbed up to a frosty 25°. So of course my kids wanted to go outside. Indiana was pummeled all week with a terrible ice storm and everything has a 3” layer of ice. So my boys decided to have fun and ice skate in the driveway. After 3 days of sleet, freezing rain, (and yes there is a difference) ice, snow, and power outages, it was good to be outside even for a little while.

I'm toothless!

2011-01-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

Sammy has been losing teeth at a record pace lately. He has lost 3 in the last 2 weeks. He cracks me up when he talks right now. I especially love how he tries to fit all kind of food through the missing tooth spot. It's great fun!

Ahhhh vacays are good for the soul.

2010-12-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

Wally and I just returned from a much needed weekend of R&R. We enjoyed a short cruise to the Bahamas to celebrate our 14th anniversary and Wally's 40th birthday a little early. We had a wonderful time because the sun was hot, the breezes were tropical, the ocean was fairly calm, and let me tell you, the drinks were delish.

Back in the day, BW (Before Wally), I used to have very active vacations, however on this trip, we did as little as possible. I read a book, enjoyed napping on the sunny pool deck, and woke up just in time to make my massage appointment in the spa. I really did feel like a Queen.

However, I got a strong dose of reality on the last evening of our cruise. I have told a few people about this, but I am finding very few people believe me, so I wanted to add this clip I found on youtube.

Here's the story: Our giant cruise ship came across a tiny raft of refugees from Cuba right smack in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The 6 people on the raft had been a float at sea for 15 days trying to make it to the United States and escape Cuba. 2 of the 6 looked like they were close to death. The other 4 weren't far behind. Even after being at sea for 15 days, the refugee's initially refused to board our ship. Apparently, they had no chance of being granted asylum by the US if they boarded a ship in International waters. They had to step onto dry land to have a better shot at freedom. I think as Americans we tend to take our rights and freedoms for granted most of the time. Now I am no policy expert and I certainly don't have all the answers to our country's border problems. I also realize I could not fathom the suffering those 6 people must have endured to make the choice they did to leave their country on that tiny raft and venture out to sea. As I watched those people bob up and down on the waves in that little raft, I felt such a sense of relief, pride, and love for my country. I have known for years how fortunate I am to be a citizen of United States of America. I love all the freedoms and opportunities my country allows. I love our constitution. I love American history. I love the founding fathers, and I love the U.S.A because it is the greatest country in the world! I guess from time to time, it's always good to have a reminder that no matter what the world thinks of the United States, people are still willing to die to have the opportunity to live here. And to me, think that says it all!

Here is a short video of the refugee raft: (There is no sound. But the soundtrack that was playing in my head as I watched was Lee Greenwood's God Bless The U.S.A.)

School started

2010-08-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

Summer vacay is over and my boys started school this week. I know I probably don't notice it because I am their mother and see them everyday, but they look so big and so much older than last year in this picture. Sean is in 4th grade and seems so mature and in control of things this year. He is confident and ready to go. Sammy is in 1st grade and is in school all day this year for the first time. I was a little worried about him the first couple of days, but he seems to really like it and is adapting very well.

I have a lot of photos to post about our summer activities. I will get on them and get them posted very soon when I get the last of my home remodel projects done.

The Perfect Day Curse

2010-04-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, you know that I very rarely take a whole day to do something for just me, myself, and I. Seriously... I can't even remember the last time I did something on the spur of the moment and actually enjoyed it. (I know! I have issues.) However, yesterday the stars aligned and the universe smiled upon me for a brief moment. Every person in my house had some place to be the entire day that did not involve me taking them or picking them up. Even the dog was out for the day at the groomer!

I decided to seize the moment and have a spa day for myself. I had a gift card for a massage and pedicure that I got last year for my birthday. I got everything scheduled and even planned a little shopping trip after the spa treatments. Let me tell you, I was really proud of myself and I was looking forward to the ME time! So much so, that I had to brag about how my "Perfect Day" was shaping up in a text to my BFF J-Girl. As soon as I hit the send button, I instantly got a chill up the back of my neck.

Well the chill was my warning sign. My perfect day started off with Sam waking up at 6 am throwing up and having a nasty case of diarrhea. I sort of lost track of time dealing with Sam, and Sean over slept and missed the bus. I had to rush him to school just barely getting him in the door in time. I also decided to multitask and take the dog to the groomer after dropping Sean off at school. Now I was really running late so I just threw a long coat on over my PJs (Trust me... never a good idea). When I got to the groomer, I was relieved that no other cars were there and I could slip in and out without anyone seeing me in my PJs. As soon as I opened the door, Manny the wonder dog, shot out and took off across the yard at the groomer. He must have thought we were playing some kind of game because I could not catch that dog for anything. It got so bad that 2 of the groomers had to come out and help me catch him. As I turned around to get back into my car, there was a whole line of cars with people watching me. I am sure I must be on youtube by now. But wait! It's not over yet. When I got back in the car, Sam hands me a plastic bag that he had thrown up in while I was chasing the dog. And this was all before 9:30.

Some Perfect Day huh? I think I need a back up plan or something.

The Middle

2010-03-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, I should start by saying that I love the ABC show The Middle. It is my favorite new show! I laugh so hard every time I watch this show that yes... a little pee comes out!

Anyway, if you live in Indiana you understand that the winter season can be extremely long and brutal on your sanity and physical well being. At the first sign of warmth, you send the kids outside and tell them to do something, anything that doesn't involve you in any way. I mean parents need a break too! My kids usually spend a total of 3 minutes outside before one of them is crying, bleeding, or running back in to tell on the other one. I always wonder if I can just lock the door, but my better judgment wins out and I end up going outside with them. Which means I end up organizing some activity they can do without killing each other.

Last week, I was refereeing a basketball game between my two boys and slipped on the one little piece of ice still not melted in my driveway and fell right on my butt. After I got up and wiped myself off, one of the boys shot the basketball and it ricocheted off the rim and nailed me right in the nose. So this time, I was the one running in the house crying and there may have been just a little blood too.

I found this video clip today and then went outside to see if I could see the ABC satellite that must be hovering above my house, filming my family for show ideas. The scary thing is, I was wearing my red IU sweatshirt when I was outside with my boys! Just like the clip!

Lordy, Lordy Heather turned 40!

2010-03-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

The dreaded day has come and gone folks! I survived and I think I might be embracing the whole "40" thing now. What choice do I have? I heard several 40 year old jokes and got lots of advice, but I think my favorite were some of the quotes people wrote in my cards:

"At 20 years of age the will reigns; at 30 the wit; at 40 the judgement"
By Benjamin Franklin

"At the age of 20, we don't care what the world thinks of us; at 30, we worry about what it is thinking of us; at 40, we discover that it wasn't thinking of us at all."

By anonymous

"Women deserve to have more than twelve years between the ages of twenty eight and forty"
By James Thurber

"The lovely thing about being forty is that you can appreciate twenty-five-year-old men"
By Colleen McCullough

I had a great birthday and thanks to all for the great cards!

Voodoo Mamma JuJu!

2010-02-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

The Colts got creamed last night! I really think the Saints used some kind of Voodoo Mamma JuJu on Reggie Wayne in that game. I have not seen him ever play like that before! I kept thinking, "What the what Reggie? Snap out of it! " Unfortunately he didn't and we handed the Super Bowl trophy to the Saints. Even though I would love for Indy to be celebrating a Super Bowl win today, I am really happy for the city of New Orleans.

GO COLTS!!!!

2010-02-07T06:45:00.001-08:00

The boys and I are heading out to make our Peyton Manning snowman for the big game tonight. I can not wait till 6:30! I have been saying from the beginning of the season that this is the Colt's year to win another Superbowl. The Saints are a great team but Peyton is going to be so good that it won't matter what they do. (I hope so anyway!) Is it just me or is Indiana a sea of blue right now? It doesn't matter where I go, everyone has a Colts jersey on. Last night I saw someone walking their dog and yes, the man had a Colts sweatshirt on, but his dog was wearing a doggie size Manning jersey. Ha! I love it! GO COLTS!!!

The snowman is complete. Wow is it cold out today! I hope Peyton looks better than this snowman in the game!

Feels like old times

2010-02-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

Team Miller spent last night watching the IU Hoosiers play basketball against Purdue. I have to admit that I have been a life long Hoosier fan, but over the last few years, it has not been fun to watch IU basketball for many reasons! I was ecstatic when IU hired Tom Crean and I think he is a tremendous coach. He has already turned this year's team of young players into strong competitors and even smarter players. I even find myself looking at the TV guide to find when IU plays now and college basketball just feels "right" again. However, last night our whole evening centered on the IU/Purdue game. As I looked around the room watching my two young boys cheer for IU while stuffing popcorn into their mouths, I thought to myself, "this is how it should be in Indiana!" Just like it was when I was a kid.

Basketball Fever

2010-02-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

The Miller boys have been hard at it lately on the basketball court. Sean's 3rd grade team is playing their last game this week and will move into the 3rd grade tournament next weekend. Sean is doing so well and has improved so much this year, despite his over excited mother in the stands. Some how I have turned into Sharon Johnson! (Only you fellow Hope people will understand that one.) I am extremely proud of him! I am usually to busy at the games coaching from the stands to take a good picture or video of him in action, but at a recent game, my BFF was there and volunteered to do it for me. Thanks J! (Warning: You may want to turn your volume down on Sean's clip!) Sean is #4 on the white team.

Okay Sean... here is your ESPN Highlight Video:

I have to give equal time here... Sam is in the Upward 5 year old league this year and loves it! His team is so much fun to watch. They are just kids having fun. This video doesn't show Sam making a basket because, Julie was just learning to use the camera and well... dang those kids move fast! So maybe next time! Sam is #2 in the orange.

Sammy's ESPN Highlight:

13 years

2009-11-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

Wally and I celebrated our 13th anniversary over the Thanksgiving weekend. I have to admit that I was a little concerned when I woke up on Tuesday morning because I found a heartfelt "Happy Anniversary" on a index card shoved in the keyboard of my Mac.

He did redeem himself a little later on. He sent me 13 peach roses. They are really beautiful and smell great. We also went out to dinner and a movie over the weekend. Happy Anniversary W!

My day with Sarah

2009-11-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

I had a truly unique experience just a few days ago. I went to try and get my copy of Going Rogue signed by Sarah Palin. I enlisted the company of my BFF Julie and off we went, oh so early in the morning to get a wristband, to then get in line in the evening to get our book signed. We had to wait 3 hours in the cold, wet Indiana weather, but we did get a wristband. I was so excited! I think Julie was just glad we actually got a wristband and got to go into a heated area after waiting so long in the miserable weather. We had a few hours to kill until Sarah arrived so we did a little shopping to try and beef up our outerwear a little, we got some lunch, and then took in a movie.

The line when we arrived! You can see Borders way, way up there!

Finally we got our wristbands!

Then it was time. Around 6:00 PM, a huge blue bus pulled up in front of Borders Bookstore and out came Sarah Palin in 4 inch heels holding her baby boy Trig. I am telling you it was like a rock star had just arrived! The crowd went crazy with cheers and yells. Sarah said a few words to the crowd and then got down to business signing books.

Sarah's Bus

I sincerely wish this story had a happy ending but I am sorry to say it does not. Julie and I waited another 3 long hours in the now dark, cold, wet Indiana weather and didn't get in to get our books signed. I think the bookstore over estimated how long it might take to sign 1,000 copies because they barely got through half of the wristbands. Let me tell you, it was a very tiring, chilly day, and I think I had a little tear rolling down my cheek when we left Noblesville. However, I did get to spend the day with my BFF and I really enjoyed talking to all the people there. I can honestly say... I would do it all over again! Not so sure I could talk Julie into it again but I know I would. Thanks J for going! You are the best!

GO COLTS!!!!

2009-11-16T10:59:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a game last night! I think Wally and I jumped around as much as we did when IU won the NCAA Championship way back in 1987. I really think this might be another Championship year for the Colts. And to think... Wally and I turned down tickets to last nights game because it was the late Sunday night game. What were we thinking?

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

We carved our pumpkins a little early this week since Wally is traveling. I just love Halloween! The boys think their pumpkins are sooo scary.

Whatcha doing with the world kid?

2009-10-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Sean finished his pumpkin globe and I don't know who was happier... me or him? I swear every time Wally or I touched that pumpkin, something fell off of it. It was stressful man!

Here is his finished project for all you people that kept asking me what a pumpkin globe was.

Dum, Dum, Da Dum...

2009-08-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

I let Sam have his little friend Whitney over after school today and I laughed so hard at those two that my stomach hurt. They are both in kindergarten together and both have very strong personalities. After they devoured their lunch, they decided to go on an adventure and only talk to each other with walkie-talkies for the rest of their playtime. They spent two hours talking at the exact same time and standing within a foot of each other. They did stick to the plan and only talked to each other through the walkie-talkies. Of course Sam had to spice up the conversations by burping and I think he even tooted into the walkie-talkie several times. This got a great response from Whitney! When Whitney's mom showed up to retrieve her, Whitney asked, "Sam can I take one walkie-talkie home with me so we can talk at night before we go to sleep?" (Whitney lives in our neighborhood) Sam said, "Okay sure! But does this mean we are married now?" Whitney replies, "Well of course we are!" Sam says, "Okay, I guess I will marry you, but I am not kissing you."

Let me tell you, from what I heard this afternoon, all the orders, demands, talking at the exact same time, miscommunication, bodily sounds, laughter, etc. they sure sounded exactly like an old married couple!

The Potty

2009-08-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

I got this as an email today and had to share it. I have seriously laughed so hard at this, that I think just a little pee pee came out! Okay... maybe you just have to have two boys to appreciate the bathroom humor. You decide.

The Potty:

A LITTLE THREE YEAR OLD BOY IS SITTING ON THE TOILET. HIS MOTHER THINKS HE HAS BEEN IN THERE TOO LONG, SO SHE GOES IN TO SEE WHAT'S UP. THE LITTLE BOY IS SITTING ON THE TOILET READING A BOOK. BUT ABOUT EVERY 10 SECONDS OR SO HE PUTS THE BOOK DOWN, GRIPS ONTO TO THE TOILET SEAT WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND HITS HIMSELF ON TOP OF THE HEAD WITH HIS RIGHT HAND.

HIS MOTHER SAYS: "BILLY, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? YOU'VE BEEN IN HERE FOR A WHILE. BILLY SAYS: "I'M FINE, MOMMY.. I JUST HAVEN'T GONE 'DOODY' YET." MOTHER SAYS: "OK, YOU CAN STAY HERE A FEW MORE MINUTES. BUT, BILLY, WHY ARE YOU HITTING YOURSELF ON THE HEAD?" BILLY SAYS: "WORKS FOR KETCHUP."

A collective SIGH

2009-08-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

Summer is over and the boys started back to school today. Sean started 3rd grade and seems to have a wonderful teacher this year. She refers to her class as a "Team" which I love! I also use this terminology to describe my family... Team Miller. I think Sean is going to have a great year.

Sammy started Kindergarten and charged onto that bus with sheer excitement and determination! I cried just a little and then followed that bus to school to be sure my little ninja didn't somehow get lost in the shuffle of the first day. (Seriously! The kid can disappear into thin air right before your eyes!) He marched into school with the rest of the kindergartners with a big smile on his face.

Then... there was a collective sigh of relief from all the mothers that had secretly gathered to be sure their kids made it to school.

Team Miller travels South

2009-07-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Wally had to go to Stone Mountain, GA. last week for business and the kids and I tagged along to for a little R&R. I wish I could tell you I relaxed, but I don't think we stopped for 10 minutes the whole 5 days! We had a great time at Stone Mountain. That place was the perfect spot for my boys: hiking trails, rock climbing, duck boats, and sky hikes. Trust me I am exhausted from it all. Now I remember visiting the Georgia Herron's as a kid and walking up Stone Mountain, but I am fairly sure when I climbed the mountain, it was not in July and it wasn't 95 degrees out! So the kids and I took the trolley to the top. However, there were a few enthusiasts that dared hike the 1+ mile uphill trek and let me tell you, they were sprawled out in a sweaty heap all over the top of that mountain.

We spent our last night in Georgia in downtown Atlanta at the Peachtree Westin on the 62nd floor. Yes, you read that right, the 62nd floor! We were way up there. Our hotel was a block or so from Centennial Park where the Olympics were held in '96. It was a super busy place and we were lucky to get into the Coca Cola Museum later in the afternoon. We really enjoyed the museum and the kids were mesmerized by everything. At the end of the tour you get to go to the tasting area and sample over 60 different coke products from around the world. Let me tell you, some countries drink some nasty stuff! My favorite new drink is Pineapple Fanta.

My favorite part of the trip was getting to visit my Uncle Dave, Aunt Judy, Cousin Sydney, and her baby boy Langdon. They took my family out to eat at very nice restaurant that primarily is known for Bison. It was actually very good and much leaner than cow beef.

Anyway, we made it back home and I only need to hang on another week or so and school will start. My patience is wearing very thin at this point in the summer, so I am literally counting the days.

We made it to the top!

The boys got to drive the duck boats

(BTW the captain was Ruben Studdard's cousin. Ruben from American Idol.)

The sky hike (I was freaking out!) This was only the first level.

Rock Climbing (That is Sean and I am still freaking out!)

Having a ball at the park

The view from the 62d floor

My 4th of July Preface:

2009-07-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

My family was very lucky to spend the 4th of July Holiday with the "Texas Girls" and their parents, Jeff and Jenny. Wally and I had this grand plan to take the Texas Millers and our own Team Miller to the Indians game on the 4th. There was supposed to be fireworks at the baseball stadium right after the game and an even bigger fireworks display after that in downtown Indy. What could be better? Baseball, hot dogs, beer, fireworks, and family. The perfect 4th of July right?

Well not so much. The weather was awful and it rained all day. We went to the game hoping the clouds would part, but no luck. The 8 of us stood around in $1 store rain slickers (that looked like body condoms) for 3 hours. The game was postponed. The kids filled up on junk food and I think we probably spent $100 on hot dogs and popcorn.

When we got home, everyone was wet, cold, and tired. The kids watched a few fireworks from our back porch and the adults enjoyed a nice beverage. At some point we were all having so much fun that our “wonder dog” Manny got into our guest’s luggage and came out with underwear on his head. He then proceeded to eat most of it! We all had a good time. Then everyone went to bed.

Sometime after midnight, all hell broke loose. My sweet little niece Mollianne, got a terrible stomach ache and well... sort of exploded! I mean she really let loose and I think everything she ate at the ballgame came out.

Top 10 Things I heard on the 4th of July...

2009-07-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

Wally: Come quick! Mollianne exploded all over the guest bedroom!
Jeff: Uh... I think you guys are gonna have to repaint this room.
Me: Bowls! Bowls! Holy Crap! We need more bowls!
Jeff: Don't even go in the bathroom. It might be worse than the bedroom!
Wally: Where is this kid's mother? What in the world did she eat that was green?
Me: Mollianne it's okay. Can I get you anything?
Jeff: NO! Don't put anything else in her. Her head just stopped spinning around!
Wally: Jeff, get Mollianne and go sit down in the recliner and take care of her. Heather and I will clean this up. (However what came out sounded more like this: Jeff, get Mollianne and get your ass in your van, and get back over to Mom's in Greensburg! I will bring your wife and daughter there tomorrow!)
Wally: I think I am going to need a putty knife to get this off! And I'm sorry my dog ate your underpants!
Jenny: After waking up, Yawn... (with a big stretch) that was the best I have slept since we left Texas! Why do you guys look so tired?

What can you say?

Rain slickers for 8 from the $1store: $2.00
8 tickets to the Indians game: $70.00
Hot dogs and popcorn for the kids: $100.00
Spending quality time with family: PRICELESS

The Training Wheels are off!

2009-07-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

Sam was determined that this was the summer to get rid of those training wheels. He told us that he is 5 and big boys don't have training wheels on their bikes. So off they came and off he went. I am very proud of him and this is the perfect week for him to master a new skill.

Yesterday his best friends in the world moved (only a mile away, but he is 5, so it might as well have been on the other side of the world!). He has been looking out his window at their house with the saddest little face. Today he had to go to the doctor for his Kindergarten check-up and he got 3 shots to update his vaccinations. He wasn't real happy about that! He told me that this has been the worst week ever.

So you can imagine how happy I am that he has found something to take his mind off his problems.

Go Sammy Go!

The patio I've always wanted

2009-06-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

I finally got the patio I have wanted since we moved into this house. It only took $1K, 10,000 lbs. of gravel and sand (Wally shoveled by hand), a week of forced vacation, a lot of foul language (from Wally about all the shoveling of rock and gravel), and voila... two beautiful paver patios!

Before

After

The Final Product

Good Job Wally!

Storms, old video tapes, and the season finale of Lost

2009-05-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

The boys and I had a very interesting night last night. Dad was traveling for work and I had this grand plan to get the kids in bed early. Wednesday was the season finale of Lost and I rarely get to watch it without Wally questioning every character and plot twist. So I spent most of the day planning and organizing exactly what to do to make the evening run like clockwork. Well, the universe had other plans and sent a horrible thunderstorm directly over my house, which interrupted my whole evening. We lost electricity (only to find that the boys had run the batteries down on every flashlight), had terrible lightning, torrential down pours, and hail. The boys and I spent a little time in the basement because it looked that bad out for awhile and the tornado sirens went off.

So to keep their minds off of the terrible storm, I decided to find a video they could watch. I dug through the stack of tapes and found an old Rescue Hero's box and pulled the tape out. To my surprise the video was not the Rescue Hero's but instead one of my High School basketball games. I was intrigued and of course the boys wanted to watch their mom play. So here is a little of the conversations that took place while watching the 20 year old video:

Sam: Sean did you know mom played basketball?
Sean: Yes. How do you think she knew how to coach your basketball team this year Sam?
Sam: Hmm... Which one is mom?
Me: I am #22 in the white uniform.
Sean: That can't be you! They keep calling you Heather Herron. Why do they keep calling you Heather Herron?
Me: Yes that is me!
Sean: Do they not know your name?
Me: That was my name back then. I had not married your dad yet. I was only 17.
Sean: What? Well what is that thing on your leg?
Me: It is a knee brace.
Sam: Dad broke her leg when he ran over mom with the car when she was little! Remember?
Me: No! I hurt my leg and had to have knee surgery and wear a special brace. And dad did not run over me in a car! It was someone else.
Me: Look... there is papaw Herron helping coach my team.
Sean: He had a lot of hair back then.
Sam: Papaw looks different.
Sean: Oh wait... I think I see Julie! Yes! That guy just said her name. See mom he knows her name! Julie McNamee!
Sam: Where is Julie?
Sean: Right there... the one who keeps making all the baskets!
Me: Yes that is mom's BFF Julie. We were on the same team.
Sean: Well, um... she is making all her baskets mom and you aren't. Was Julie better than you?
Sam: Yeah! Julie scored again!
Sean: Let's keep this video of Julie out so we can watch it again!
Sam: Yeah! Go Julie! She is good!

Well as you can imagine, I had to turn that video off and send those kids to bed. They were up several more times due to the thunderstorm, but I finally got everyone to sleep and luckily the electricity stayed on long enough to DVR Lost. Whew! I had to laugh at my kids not being too thrilled at watching me and completely in awe of Julie's basketball skills. Can they keep you humble or what?

The Graduate

2009-05-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Sam graduated from preschool this week! He was very proud of himself and did a great job this year.

Is this thing real?

Sam and Miss Katie

Sam's best buds

(they bumped heads posing for the pic)

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T16:30:00.000-07:00

I had to show off my two handsome boys! I very rarely get them out of jeans and a t-shirt, but today they really stepped it up. Sam thought he looked like the President. Sean thought he looked so nice he might get married today. Happy Easter!

Sammy turns 5

2009-03-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

My little baby turned 5 on Monday. It is hard for me to imagine that 5 years have gone by so fast. None the less, Sam is thrilled to be a year older! He got a new bike and a blue Nintendo DS for his birthday. He thinks he is the king of the world!

Watch out Troy Bolton!

2009-03-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Sean has had one of the busiest weeks ever. Last night he had Math Club, basketball awards night, and the 2nd grade Spring Musical. I played chauffeur and drove him to and picked him up from all events. I was exhausted. He was thrilled with all the activity and the fast pace of the evening! The funniest part was when he told me that he really is just like Troy Bolton rushing from basketball to the Spring Musical. A star is born!

The 2nd grade musical (Seussical the Musical) was so cute. The kids did a great job! I forgot to charge my camcorder battery yesterday so this was my first attempt to take a video on my camera. It took me a few seconds to get the auto focus right, so bare with me! The show was about 25 minutes but I thought I would share a minute or so.

Benjamin Franklin

2009-03-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

Sean had a project this semester to pick a famous American, write a report about this person, then give a 2-3 minute oral report about what he learned to his class. He chose Benjamin Franklin and did a great job on the project. Let me tell you, that Ben Franklin was a cutting edge colonist! Part of the assignment was to dress like the famous American while giving the oral report. So I guess we need to send a big Thanks to Aunt Barb for helping us so much with the costume. I think he turned out fairly authentic. I can't tell you how many times I used quotes from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure while he was researching for this project, but Sean just looked at me like I had 3 heads! I mean how many times in your life are you going to be able to quote that movie? "Bogus dude!" "Dude, be excellent to each other!"

Mission: Build A Bear

2009-02-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

Sam's preschool class went on a field trip to Build A Bear today. I volunteered to go, but riding the bus to the mall was much more exciting than riding with mom. So I drove by myself there and back. I think I have already lost him to his friends and the bus at the ripe old age of 4! I forgot to take my camera today so I had to use my cell phone. The pictures aren't that good. The kids had a great time and enjoyed all the "bear fun".

The kids had to wear their animals until it was time to stuff them.

Sam actually is patient at times! Who knew?

The whole class had to cheese it up after the mission was complete.

Happy Birthday

2009-02-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

My mother in law turned 70 last week and most of her sons, their wives, and even her granddaughter took her out for dinner to celebrate. We all met at the Key West Shrimp House in Madison and had a wonderful dinner and then drove to Belterra for a little gambling fun. A tradition at this restaurant is to make the birthday person wear the famous lobster hat. Like the trooper she is, Leveana wore it proudly and even added a little flair! Happy 70th Leveana!

Valentine's Day Miller Style

2009-02-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

Wally and I started Dave Ramsey's FPU program last week and decided to put some of his financial wisdom to work. So we actually cooked our own Valentine's Day dinner at home this year instead of going out. Wally made the dinner and the boys and I made dessert. On the menu at the famous Miller Eatery:

Appetizers: Shrimp Cocktail
Main Course: Prime Rib, Lobster, & Baked Potato
Dessert: Fruit kabobs drizzled with Ghirardelli chocolate
Flowers: Provided by Sean

I tried to make it a "romantic" candlelight dinner but it was hard to do with the kids trying to blow the candles out! Oh well! We had a delicious meal and I made the kids special drinks so they thought they were big time!

Our dessert creation was so easy and tasty! The white chocolate tasted the best with the fruit.

Weekly Funnies

2009-02-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

It is never dull around my house! We have been cooped up a lot with all the snow and bitterly cold weather. So I thought I would share a few funnies that have been heard at my house over the last week.

Sean-isms:

Sean has been learning about abbreviations in school and learned that etc. means etcetera. However, I think he may have heard it a little differently, because recently he was telling a story and got to the end and said, “you know, excelery, excelery, excelery."
Sean is also trying to learn the books of the New Testament in the Bible and so far it has gone a little something like this: Matthew, Mark, John Mc Cain, Axes, Romars, 1st Corinths, 2nd Corinths, Gallaga, and Epiphany. We have some work to do there.

Sam-isms

I was making Sam a sandwich for lunch and he ordered a pepperoni and sa-limeeee sandwich, because he really loves those sa-limeees!
I also caught Sam in the bathroom this week stirring the pot (that he had made a deposit in) with both his toothbrush and his brother's! Yes! I almost gagged! I can hardly stop wondering to myself how many times he had done that before! GROSS!

Manny Manners-isms (the family dog)

I took Manny to the groomers and there were several other dogs arriving at the same time. The groomer told me to put Manny in the corral with the other dogs and she would get to him when it was his turn. About 3 hours later I got the call that he was done and ready to be picked up. When I got there all the other dogs were out in the dog corral playing but Manny was in a crate. I must have had a funny look on my face seeing that my dog was the only dog in a crate, because the groomer said to me, "I had to put Manny in a crate because he REALLY liked all the other girl dogs so much that we thought he was going to hurt himself!" LOL!
Manny has also become obsessed with attacking and viciously barking at the snowman the boys made in the backyard this weekend. It is getting really embarrassing, but I guess we are lucky he doesn't think the snowman is a girl after the grooming incident!

Snow Man

2009-02-01T12:26:00.001-08:00

I promised the boys they could make a snow man as soon as it warmed up to at least freezing! And wouldn't you know it... today it did! It wasn't easy getting this snow man made. There was a lot of tackling and a few snow balls to the face, but the finished product was worth it!

Snow Day

2009-01-28T09:48:00.001-08:00

We got snow. Yes we do!

We got snow. How bout you?

Sean still wanted to hoop it up even with a foot of snow!

Sam gave up on the shoveling.

Manny is no snow dog!

The LOST count down begins...

2009-01-19T06:47:00.000-08:00

Well LOST fans, the day we have been waiting for is almost here! Wednesday cannot come fast enough for me! Just in case you have "LOST" (ha get it!) that lovin feeling for Sawyer, I added a short youtube clip for your viewing enjoyment. I know it is not the best choice of words (language warning) but I couldn't help but laugh when I saw it. Does he have any other lines? Seriously? Is it just me or does Sawyer's acting of this particular line get better as his hair gets longer? Does anyone else see a drinking game here?

And Jeff if you check my blog, this is your official warning... Do not call us with 5 minutes left in the season opener of LOST and tell us what happened! We are not falling for it this time. We won't answer! You got us on the Survivor finals and the AFC Championships. No more Mister! We are on to you!

Burrrrr

2009-01-16T06:05:00.000-08:00

It is another glorious day in Indiana with the high temp expected to be 9°. But with the wind-chill factored in, it feels as cold - 30! So this morning I had a little talk with our family dog Manny, trying to get him psyched up to do his business quick. I was fairly sure we were both on the same page, however immediately upon letting my dog out the door, a flock of birds flew overhead and his concentration was “poof gone”! He barked and ran around in circles for a few minutes and then you could see that the extreme cold hit him. He stopped suddenly like he was stuck in super glue. He looked down at the ground and I swear, if he had a little doggie bubble over his head, you could tell exactly what he was thinking... (What the *&#!) Then one little frozen paw at a time came up into the air. At this point I knew what was ahead of me. I bundled up with every spare piece of clothing I had and ventured out to rescue my pup. Let me tell you, I felt exactly like the picture above after my 10 second rescue mission. It's COLD people!!!

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

Team Miller brought in 2009 with Team Shaw. John, you are one my oldest and dearest guy friends and BONUS, you have a super cool wife that is my good friend too! And did I mention she is a Wii All Star? You guys rock and we were so glad to spend the evening with the whole fam!

Sammy, Sean, Victoria, Mackenzie, & Lucas @ midnight!

Wally & Heather after too many brandy slushes!

GAME ON

2008-12-30T06:29:00.000-08:00

Our favorite Texans were here visiting over Christmas and the boys invited their cousins to Rascal's Fun Zone for some racing... Indy style! It was so funny to watch the kids drive so cautiously at first, but after a few times around the track, it was GAME ON! As we like to say at our house, "There can't be 2 #1's because that would be 11!" We decided to give the kids racing nicknames based on their driving.

Shake & Bake Malee

The Magic Man Miller

Sammy "You aren't gonna pass me" Stewart

No Mercy Mollianne

Our Favorite Gifts

2008-12-29T16:49:00.001-08:00

Sean's favorite gift, the Razor Powerwing scooter.

Sam's favorite gift, a full gum-ball machine.

Is it just me or does this years Power Ranger Megazord tower over last years favorite gift, Billy Blazes?

Christmas at the Millers

2008-12-27T06:31:00.000-08:00

Here is our living room right before the kids get up to see what Santa has delivered.

Here is the Christmas carnage 5 minutes later! We still can't find Manny the wonder dog!

My Grown Up Christmas List:

2008-12-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

Get my car back just like new!
Get my XM satellite radio back.
A new toilet paper holder for the main level bathroom (Seriously Wally it has been like 3 months now! Do you want me to attempt to put it up myself?)
New golf clubs
Friday Night Lights to return to NBC instead of exclusively on Direct TV
Inner Grace perfume (not "In Your Face" Wally)
Baby Mama movie
Oprah Winfrey to say my name: Heath-er MIL-LER!! Like she does all her favorite guests!
Sean to have one fun day in 2nd grade without having to miss his recess!
To beat Wally in one game of ping pong.

We finally caught up with Santa!

2008-12-15T10:12:00.000-08:00

The boys have been on me every day to go see Santa. I guess with thefts, car accidents, shopping, and the usual Christmas craziness, I forgot all about it. So this weekend we took the boys to the Hartsville Fire Station to see Santa in person. Sean knew exactly what he wanted and coached Sam on what to say and on getting his list in order. Those 2 crack me up! Sean asked for a Wii, games for the Wii, and a power wing scooter. Sam wanted Power Rangers and gum balls.

Cookie Bake 08

2008-12-15T09:44:00.001-08:00

The Thayer women gathered again and baked, iced, and ate way to many Christmas cookies. I really love our annual cookie bake. I get to see my aunts, cousins, and mother for the whole day. This year my Aunt Susan hosted the cookie bake at her new house in Columbus, since her house at the lake was flooded early in the summer. We all share our favorite cookies, exchange gifts, go out for dinner, and catch a movie. Then we return to the host's house and divvy up the hundreds of cookies to take home to our families. Notice all the "Big Swigs" in the picture? That's how we make it through the day! And yes... we all have one of the Christmas aprons that my mother insists we wear the whole day.

Politics with a 2nd grader

2008-12-11T05:27:00.000-08:00

We were at dinner the other night and Sean asked me, "Mom, what's the big deal about Barack Obama?"

I looked up surprised, because there had been zero political talk in our house since November 4th. I replied, "He is going to be our next President."

Then Sean says, "Yeah I know that! But we have a President now and we have had lots of other Presidents. Why is Barack Obama such a big deal?"

I said, "Barack Obama is also our country's first African-American President. Which is a really BIG deal with our country's history."

Sean says, "WHAT? He's from Africa? How can he be our President if he is from Africa?"

I say, "He is African-American. Which is the correct way to refer to a black person's heritage in this country."

Then Sean replies with the kicker, "Barack Obama is black?"

I had to laugh, but that comment did make me hopeful, that by the time Sean is old enough to vote, race will no longer be an issue in politics.

And the hits keep on coming...

2008-12-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Well just when you think it's safe and lady luck is back on your side... the cruel ugly world smacks you in the face with an icy cold snowball!

Monday afternoon I had to pick Sean up early from school to take him to an ENT appointment on the west side of Indy. We are on schedule and moving along fine. We are about a mile from the doctor's office and traveling through an intersection and B-A-M a car comes out of nowhere and crosses right in front of my lane! I hit the brakes (with both feet I think!) and do my best to avoid hitting the car, but we still collide. The seat belts tighten and the air bag deploys. Then everything is quiet. Just quiet.

Luckily no one from either car was injured. We all got out and walked away and I made my second phone call to the police department for assistance in 3 days! I am not completely sure, but you might see me on an episode of COPS in the very near future!

OH Kelly Clarkson!!!!

2008-12-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

Normally I would never share such a personal story with the world, but after the roller coaster ride of emotions I have been on lately, I feel sharing this story will be therapeutic for me.

Wally and I made the decision years ago to only pay cash for the Christmas gifts we buy. We make a budget and stick to it very well by not using our credit cards. So like every year, we go to the bank and get out our estimated Christmas budget in cash. We spend Thanksgiving with our families and usually come away with a good list of gift ideas for the kids, parents, and other family members. I scour the sale ads and plan my attack Thanksgiving night and get up early to hit all the sales on Black Friday. This plan has worked seamlessly in the past, but this year, I had a major curve ball thrown at me right from the get go.

I started out at Target and quickly found the toys I planned to purchase and made my way to the checkout. Of course, one of the items that was supposed to be on sale did not ring up with the correct discount. The cashier instructed me to go the service desk to get the price adjustment. So I walk 15 feet over to the service desk and then realize, I cannot find my money envelope full of all my Christmas cash. I PANIC! I spent the next 25 minutes on my hands and knees searching every crevice of checkout lane 8. But no envelope and no money! At this point, I am practically in tears and enlist the help of the security guard from Target.

I have no idea how that wonderful man understood a single word I said through my tears and the stream of snot running out of my nose. But bless his heart, he did, and offered to go pull the security tape for the last 30 minutes.

After what seemed like an eternity, the security guard comes back and tells me that the person in line behind me took my envelope full of money. It was very clear on the tape. This person also checked out using their credit card, so they could easily find a name and possibly an address but I had to file a police report and get a "real" officer involved. So I file a police report because it was a substantial amount of money. But honestly, I had already accepted the fact that our Christmas cash was - - poof gone!

I spent most of the day Friday in a state of shock and guilt. Saturday rolls in and I hear nothing at all from the police officer. Then just after I put the kids to bed, the phone rings. It is the Greenwood Police and they are calling to tell me that they have found the person that took my money and they are at their home residence. The person admitted to stealing my envelope full of cash and has all of my money but $40.

The officer was at my house about an hour later and handed me the same money envelope that was stolen the previous morning with every penny of my money! I don't know exactly why all this came about, but at that point, I thought I must be the luckiest person ever! Christmas was back on for Team Miller!

Thanksgiving at Preschool

2008-11-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

Sammy's preschool had their annual Thanksgiving Dinner today. Sammy invited his Grandma Johnson to join us. We all enjoyed a nice lunch together.

I don't know if the kids were scared in front of all the parents and guests, but they turned into little robots reciting their finger plays and singing their songs.

Whew... that's all over! Now let's have fun with our friends!

The 3 Amigos

Sorry girls... I have to go!

The Campers

2008-10-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Team Miller (minus me) went camping over fall break at Camp Henry. The boys asked their buddies the Howard's to go with them and join in the fun. The kids fished, hiked, rode 4-wheelers, and ate literally everything in sight. They all had a great time and the men (despite their hesitations) lived to tell about it!

Dear Old Dad...

2008-10-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my dear old dad's 64th birthday this week. He put on a brave front, but I don't think he was to happy about turning another year older. We celebrated by taking him out to dinner and getting him a Turtle Cake from Culver's. He really liked that and so did we. Happy Birthday dad! The kids sang Happy Birthday complete with the cha, cha, chas!

And if you couldn't tell in all the pictures... Sean has a new favorite shirt! He loves the guitars on that shirt and wears it as often as possible!

It's pumpkin time

2008-10-24T06:24:00.000-07:00

Team Miller hit the pumpkin patch for some fall fun. I love fall in Indiana. The beautiful colors of all the leaves. The delicious fall foods. The apples are ripe and that means yummy apple pies! Here are a few pictures of the boys that stopped just long enough for me to snap a picture.

Beware of the Bears

2008-10-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

Sean finally got his graded diorama back and he got an A+! I was so proud of him. Not only did he make the bear habitat himself, but he had to give a 3 minute presentation to his 2nd grade class and had to ask questions at the end to see if any of his classmates were listening. I think he was nervous but must have done a great job to get such a good grade. Way to go Sean!

For you Julie...

2008-09-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

You know we are Best Friends just like Tom & Jerry! And I am sooo going to use as many quotes from Baby Mama as humanly possible at my reunion and see if anyone is cool like us!

HA!!!!!! HA!!!!! HA!!!!!!

You know I had to include your exact opinion of marriage! That really is us!

Where has the time gone?

2008-09-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

The day has finally come... my 20 year High School Reunion is this weekend. So I decided to actually dig out my senior book and go through it the other day. It was so much fun going through all the old pictures, what I was doing 20 years ago, and what my hopes and dreams were as an 18 year old. But I came across one piece of myself that really grabbed my attention the most. The 10 things I want to do before I die list. Now I made this list at 18 while bored to tears one night, but surprisingly, most of the things I had on that list are still the same things I still want to do! I guess it really hit home that I am not getting any younger and I really need to get started on this list. So I decided to actually motivate myself by posting my Top 10 List instead of just shoving it back into my senior book.

Heather (Herron) Miller's

Top 10 things to do before I die:

Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef
Play a game of tennis at Wimbledon
Celebrate New Year's Eve in Las Vegas at least once
Swim with a Great White Shark (I would be in a cage of course)
Sing at least one song in public on stage
Spend a whole day at a really, really expensive Hollywood spa
Take a summer off and spend it traveling through Europe photographing all the sites and soaking up the culture and food
Sky Dive (Have promised to do with both boys when they graduate college. I figure it won't matter if I break a hip by the time the are out of college!)
Meet Steve Alford and play a game of horse with him (still love him!)
Write a children's book

Leader of the Pack -- OH YEAH!!!

2008-09-03T13:51:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy, but I am totally hooked on the show "The Dog Whisperer" starring the guru himself, Cesar Millan. I don't know if it is his spicy accent or his impeccably groomed appearance, but I am telling you... he has me tuning in! I only wish I had known about this show a year ago when we added our canine addition, Manny. Now I have started using some of his ingenious techniques on our pup and they do work! But the best part is, I have found that you can easily incorporate his techniques onto other unsuspecting (human) family members with outstanding results as well. Seriously people... they work! So all you mothers/wives out there, proclaim yourself as the "leader of your pack" and check out his show. He will change your life!

Mr. Mom takes over!

2008-09-03T06:02:00.001-07:00

Sammy is off tackling the wild world of Pre-K this morning. Of course Sean got sick yesterday and is not feeling much better today and is home in bed. So I had to enlist the help of Mr. Mom to get Sam to school on his first day. Wally reluctantly agreed fearing the worst! However, I am happy to report that Wally got Sammy into his school, found his cubby, got his name tag on, got a big hug and kiss, and then got told to, "GO Dad! I am going to have fun!" So kudos to you Wally Miller! I knew you could do more than just program those computers, or program the world, or whatever it is you do at work all day!

My Love Affair with Whitt's Pizza

2008-08-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

I happened to be in Hope today and was able to stick around till 5 when Whitt's opened. So of course, I brought home a large pizza for my family to devour! As I was driving home munching on those delicious little corner pieces, I started pondering... When did my love affair with Whitt's start? I decided to share my personal Whitt's story with you, my loyal readers. Can you remember when you fell in love with Whitt's pizza?

My love affair with Whitt's started way back in 1982...

It was summertime in Hope and my best friend Mika was celebrating her 12th birthday. So she invited 10 of her closest friends to a slumber party complete with scary movies and Whitt's pizza. After spending an hour and a half covering our eyes and screaming our heads off from watching Friday the 13th, we were all starving and wanted fed. So Mika's mom ordered Whitt's pizza. Just as the pizza arrived and we took our places to eat (in the middle of the living room floor), Mika's next door neighbor decided it would be great fun to dress up in a hockey mask, carrying an axe, and barge through their front door, hissing and growling at 1o little unsuspecting 12 year old girls! Well you can imagine what happened next... 9 little 12 year old girls ran through the kitchen door and tackled Mika's mom to the ground. 1 little 12 year old girl (me) was too scared to run away. I simply ran in place, screaming my head off, in the middle of my first Whitt's pepperoni pizza! I survived the minor burns on my feet and luckily, we were able to salvage some of the pizza. That legendary night is still one of my fondest memories. Honestly, to this day, I don't know if the adrenaline made the pizza taste so good, but it is still my favorite!

School has started

2008-08-12T14:00:00.001-07:00

Well today was the first full day of school for Sean. He is a big 2nd grader now and was very excited to get on the bus and claim a new seat for the year. 2nd graders get to sit wherever they want on the bus and they don't have any teachers walking them into school to get to their home room class. As you can imagine, he was very happy about it all! Sammy missed his big brother terribly today and tried to sneak on the bus after Sean. I was tempted to let him go and get the whole day to myself.

10 Things I learned about my BFF on Vacay...

2008-08-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

She doesn't think I should try out for American Idol after hearing me sing to my IPOD! (I was crushed!)
She is not afraid to tell my husband she has to pee even when he has told us a million times he is not stopping every hour! (We really just wanted to see how many times we could get him to stop. So we had several "Fake Pee" breaks.)
She has no fear of inner city urban neighborhoods! (Just like me and completely unlike Wally!)
She will squeeze her arm into any crevice in the car that my kids ask her to, to get something they have dropped. Seriously! Even if it means her arm will be stuck for many many miles (because Wally won't stop to help, as mentioned above).
Since she got her new stylish, groovy hairdo, a family of 4 can get ready faster than she can!
She will actually try seafood if someone else orders it for her and tells her it's okra.
She convinced everyone that being 37 and single is "NOT" an alternative lifestyle!
She is not afraid to float out in the Gulf of Mexico even when her BFF is yelling, "Julie! Julie! You are really far out there! Don't you watch shark week? And I don't even want to tell you what happened to Alex Kitner on Jaws!" She just laughs and floats out farther and farther into the deep blue sea.
She is not afraid to spend oodles of money to purchase any and all available bathing suits on the open market! (That was fun!)
She started off the vacation like an Olympic Triathlete, but after a week with my family... she collapsed and almost died like Aunt Edna on National Lampoon's Family Vacation! We seriously thought we were gonna have to strap her to the top of the car with her cell phone ducked taped to her body on the way home. It was touch and go people!!!!

Actually, I learned a lot more! But honestly, I had a great time with you BFF and I am really glad we didn't kill you on our vacation. Not everyone gets to spend a full week with the family and friends they love so dearly and I feel extremely lucky that you were willing to spend that time with us! It was a trip I will never forget. Thanks pal!

Gulf Shores, AL Vacation

2008-07-31T12:13:00.000-07:00

Team Miller hit the beach for a super week of surf, sand, and sun! It was a much needed vacation for all of us. A week seemed like a really long time when we booked this trip, but time sure does fly when you are having fun!

Priceless....

2008-07-30T15:13:00.000-07:00

One Beer... $8.50

T-Shirt.... $40.00

Seeing Jimmy Buffett on a warm Indiana summer night with our fellow Parrotheads... PRICELESS!!!!!!!

A big thanks to the Shaw's for chauffeuring the Miller's to the concert! Can't imagine seeing Buffett without you guys! Next year Lori, we are taking the short guy with the gay shorts out before the concert starts!

Since I just got back from vacay in Gulf Shores, AL, I thought I would add one of my favorite Buffett songs. I love the Bama Breeze!

Come On Dad... show us how!

2008-06-30T08:01:00.001-07:00

When Wally has been gone all week traveling for work, the kids can get him to do almost anything when he gets home! Who doesn't like a trip down the good old slip-n-slide anyway?

Come on Dad, show us how you slide!

Almost got to the end!

A little closer!

AHH! Finally made it!

The Jackson 2?

2008-06-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

Is there some kind of award for parents who have had to watch High School Musical thousands of times? I think I know every single word in the movie! I really thought I had hid the DVD in a really good spot this time, but I was awakened this morning to the glorious sounds of "Get' cha Head in the Game" for the 10,000 time! This is what I found when I came downstairs. Is this how the Jackson's got started?

This must have been Sam's big solo!

MOM Please!

2008-06-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

Sean got bumped up to the next league in baseball for the league tournament and I don't know who is more excited.... me or him? I have sort of turned into his paparazzi!

I hear you mom but I am trying to play ball here!

Yes! that's my mom guys! Don't look and maybe she will stop!

OK! OK! Take the picture MOM!

I put my camera away after that one! Really I did!

My Little Angels

2008-06-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

They look like the picture of brotherly love don't they? Well don't be fooled my friends! This has been our first full week of "togetherness" and Lord help me make it through the summer! I don't know if it is just boys, but these two act like they are in the ultimate cage death match over the silliest of things. Yesterday... the big argument was over who got their window up the fastest in the car. Today... the big scuffle was over who got the last brownie in the pan. (I have to admit, I was in on that one!) Tomorrow... I am going to try to channel this competitive spirit into good. But if I can't harness this monster... I am going to make them hold hands every where we go! Wish me luck!

I think we're gonna need a bigger boat!

2008-06-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

Is it ever gonna stop? It has been raining here since midnight and I think the official rain total is now about 9-10 inches and it is still raining! Almost all of our neighborhood is flooded, but our basement is bone dry. Thank goodness we had a good builder that designed the sump pump correctly. I think we are going to have to put a life jacket on Manny the next time we let him out to pee or he will never make it back to the house.

This is the back of our house!

This is the main road in front of our house!

GREAT... just found out that Johnson County has been declared a disaster area and they are calling in the Coast Guard to save stranded people.

You know you are in Indiana when...

2008-06-04T17:17:00.001-07:00

this is how you spend your evenings when the electricity is out from yet another horrible storm in the wonderful state of Indiana! There have been so many awful storms this week, that we seem to have a family vigil at least once every day looking for the "pa-nados" as Sam calls them. Seriously.... if I never hear a tornado siren again, it will be fine with me.

BTW... for those of you who know me best, I wanted to get the motorcycle helmets out and put them on the kids, but Wally won't let me!

Oh yes....they're listening!

2008-05-28T10:58:00.001-07:00

I guess I am gonna have to start living right! Since I got my new ride, the kids have been amazingly quiet. I am not completely sure if it is because they have an entertainment system at their fingertips or because I have threatened them with bodily harm if they junk up the back seat of my new car like they did in our last vehicle. Either way, our outings have been low stress, enjoyable, and (my favorite) no one is yelling "MOM" every 5 seconds! However, the boys and I had several errands to run over the weekend and we were in and out of the car several times, so they never turned the games or music on in the back. As we were sitting at a busy intersection waiting for the light to change I hear from the back, "Come on PEEPS...green means GO!" (That was Sean) Then almost on cue, I hear, "The gas is on the right PEEPS!" (That was Sam) Then, of course, there was a long period of hysterical laughing from both boys because they had imitated me and found it so funny! Isn't it ironic that when I talk to them directly, face to face they rarely even hear me, but if I mutter something under my breath while in the midst of some mild "road rage" they can recite it back to me in tandem! Maybe I need an entertainment system too!

My Little Man

2008-05-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Sean! Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday I was bringing you home from the hospital and now you have completed 1st grade and just turned 7! You have grown into such a handsome, intelligent, talented, and charismatic kid. I love you and I am very proud of you.

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T19:03:00.003-07:00

I got the best homemade gifts this year for Mother's Day. Sean surprised me with this beautiful plate (I was most excited that I have a body now in his drawings!) and I think he did a wonderful job.

Sammy made me this clay flower magnet and he was so proud of himself. He told everyone how he painted it all by himself. I think it turned out beautiful.

I still think the handmade gifts are the best and I will treasure both of them! Thanks for being such great kids and for making today a great Mother's Day.

Gone Fishin

2008-05-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

We had tickets to go to the track this Saturday, but the weather was so nice that we decided to skip the crowds, noise, and hassle and spend the afternoon fishing with the boys. What a beautiful day! We ate a picnic lunch and spent the afternoon fishing. Both of the boys caught fish, but Sean is the one you want to take with you if you need to catch your dinner. He caught 8 fish and he can now cast all by himself. Sam still enjoys throwing rocks in the ponds as much as fishing!

Sam Graduates Preschool!

2008-05-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

My little Sammy graduated out of the 3's class this week in preschool. He had a wonderful year! He made a lot of new friends (he really likes his friend Roxy... see pic) and his teachers had glowing reports of his progress and behavior. We are very proud of him!

Am I a bad mom?

2008-05-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Am I a bad mom or just to competitive? Sean has a special event at school today called Race Chase. It is a fundraiser where the kids ask friends and family members to sponsor them in races to raise money for Riley Hospital. Great event and the kids seem to love it. However, this morning when Sean was getting ready, he had a minor "freak out". He says to me, "I really don't want to be the slowest runner today in my races!" I told him today was not really about winning or losing, but about helping Riley Hospital. Then he gave me one of those "I hear what your saying mom, but I really want to win today" looks. I was a little pressed for time and I did my best to come up with some positive, confidence building, motherly advice, but my competitive spirit won out! Now I have been waiting for a long time to use the lines from my all time favorite commercial and today I thought it was the most appropriate time of all. So this is what I told Sean to think to himself (see youtube video below) every time it is time for him to race today. Then run like the wind! To much????

Funny Of The Week: Politics

2008-05-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

I had to laugh this week when Sean asked me if I was voting and who I was voting for. After I explained to him that I wasn't 100% sure of who I was voting for in the upcoming primary. He says, "I hope you aren't voting for the girl, (Hillary), because my friend at school told me if she wins and becomes President, she will cancel all vacations!" I tried really hard not to laugh out loud, but I think Hillary should have made a quick stop on the campaign trail at Maple Grove Elementary School and explained her platform to the 1st graders.

Here is Sammy's opinion on the candidates and the election, "I only vote for boys and the one who likes "pus-ghetti" (that is how he pronounces spaghetti)." I am not sure if that makes him a Republican or Democrat!

The Miller Boys

2008-04-24T13:37:00.001-07:00

It's Spring Finally!

2008-04-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to do much landscaping when we moved into our new house last year in the late fall, so I was determined to get things looking more spring like this year. I think everything looks much better and I absolutely love the tulips! Believe it or not, the pink flowering trees are some type of a little peach tree! Last year they produced several peaches. Hopefully they will again this year.

Lunch at the Tea Room

2008-04-21T06:31:00.001-07:00

I had a wonderful lunch with my Grandma Pat at Auntie Amiee's Tea Room in Hope on Friday. My grandmother invited her sister, three of my aunts, and my mother and I to have lunch with her. We had a great time visiting and catching up on all of our busy lives. Thanks Grandma Pat! We should do that more often.

Also, if you get a chance to try the Tea Room....I highly recommend it! The food was excellent and T. Fugate (from our Elder-Beerman days) has the cutest shop I have ever seen. Way to go Tracy!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-04-21T06:13:00.000-07:00

My mother (the big L) turned 63 this week. We celebrated her birthday with a family dinner at Bynum's Steak House in Indy. Since mom is the dessert chef for cousin Al's wedding next month, she wanted to do another trial run of the wedding cake for the wedding, so she actually made her own birthday cake this year. We all agreed she has perfected the art of "cakery" now and we are looking forward to the desserts at the wedding. Happy Birthday Mom!

Still an A.I. wannabe!

2008-04-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

Okay...this could possibly be the most embarrassing week in my life. I am really loving driving my new SUV with the sun roof open. However I am having a hard time remembering that the rest of the world can hear me really well with that roof open. One of my favorite songs "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles was on the radio as I was pulling into the Target parking lot. I really love this song because it is in the perfect key for me (the key of Heather). So I of course pulled in singing, parked the car, and continued to sing the rest of the song. I was by myself so I was singing fairly loud. When the song was over, I checked myself in the mirror and got ready to go in to Target. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a car full of people right next to me giving me the thumbs up and clapping for my singing! As you can imagine I was a little embarrassed. If only it would have been Randy & Paula! I could do without Simon's critique this week for sure!

Smiles all around

2008-04-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I felt like super mom. The kids were back in school and for the first time in 2 weeks I had a little "me" time. I took a long hot shower, got my big hair just right, and enjoyed driving around in my new ride with the sun roof open. I thought I was sooo cool! I had several errands to run in the morning and then spent most of the afternoon working in the yard and playing with the kids when they got home. It was a blissfully happy day!

As I was getting ready for bed last night, I noticed something in the mirror on my pants. My coolness factor dropped by at least 50 at that moment! I realized I had been walking around with a yellow smiley face sticker on my butt all day long. Am I cool or what?

Back to normal....

2008-04-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

I feel like "Super Mom" today. The kids get back to their normal routines and school hours after being off for Spring Break, surgery, and broken fingers. So my life gets back to normal as well! I will actually be able to take a shower without a kid banging on the bathroom door. Plus it is going to be a beautiful sunny day in Indiana and all feels right with the world.

Just not my week!!!

2008-04-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

I guess if it weren't for bad luck, Sean would have no luck at all! If you read my blog at all, you already know that Sean had his tonsils and adenoids removed about 10 days ago. He was finally starting to feel a little better and decided he wanted to do something fun and get out of the house for a little while. So we went bowling. Seemed like a good choice! By the second frame, Sean tripped and fell, dropped the bowling ball on his hand, then landed on top of the ball with all his body weight! We were in the ER shortly there after for x-rays and sure enough, he broke his middle finger and dislocated his index finger. We are putting the brakes on his professional bowling career for now, but he should make a full recovery in 3 -5 weeks! Whew...what a crazy few weeks!

Super Sam turned 4!

2008-03-26T13:14:00.001-07:00

Sammy's birthday fell on Easter Day this year and we had a cowboy party to celebrate. Sam was most excited that he got to hunt eggs on his birthday and really, really just wanted to eat his cake!

Poof Gone!

2008-03-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sean had his tonsils and adenoids removed yesterday. His surgeon said his adenoids were huge and he should breathe and sleep much better now. The surgery went great and Sean was a real trooper! He is home now and is a little hoarse and very tired but still recovering well. He should be moving around better towards the end of the week. Little brother Sammy is doing his best to take care of big brother!

Before & After

2008-03-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

I have to send props out to my Husband Wally and Brother-In-Law Ben Miller, for the Extreme Home Makeover "Miller" Edition! Believe it or not, Ben and Wally made all these shelves and cabinets and installed them themselves to turn my family room into the showplace that I knew it could be! Wally got his LCD TV, I got my beautiful bookshelves and cabinets, and Ben got to go to ST. Elmo's and the Colts game. Thanks Guys! I love it!

This one's for you Amee!

2008-03-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog dedication and it goes out to you for inspiring me to put myself out there. You were the one who knew that if I were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring one thing with me, hair products would be it! This is probably about half of the hair care products I used in High School! Big Hair Rocks!

And then there is Sam...

2008-03-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

We have been attending a new church recently and Sam refuses to go to the kids service and insists on sitting with Wally and I in the sanctuary. We have reluctantly agreed but have demanded that he be absolutely quiet during the service (which for anyone who knows Sam is extremely hard for him). He has followed our rules to a tee until this week. As the pastor was ending the service and asked the congregation to bow their heads in prayer, Sam yells, "OH MY! I have been so quiet that everyone just fell asleep again!"

Funny of the week: Chopsticks vs. Pork Chops?

2008-03-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to the new Chinese restaurant Stir Crazy this weekend and actually got them to try some of the food. The boys were fascinated by the chopsticks and their many uses. After a lot of drumming, jabbing, and spearing of food, we replaced the sticks with forks and finished the meal. On the way home Sean says, "OH NO MOM! Sam stole a set of those Pork Chops and is getting ready to poke me with them again!" Wally and I laughed all the way home and we can never again look at chopsticks the same.

Snow Day

2008-03-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

We finally got enough snow to use those new sleds Santa brought this year. The kids had so much fun, but I think Wally and I had even more!