Turkey lurkey doo and turkey lurkey dap...

... I eat that turkey then I take a nap!


Just wanted to clarify my Thanksgiving plans so everyone knows what's going on:

Thursday, November 22nd: It's Turkey Day! I leave Phoenix at 1:20pm, arrive in Denver at 3:05pm. Matthew has agreed to carve the turkey, serve it to me, and bring me pumpkin pie (which he baked with love) with 1½ scoops of ice cream while I watch football from the recliner. He will then do the dishes, so no worries mom!

Thursday, November 29th: I leave Denver at 9:10am, arrive in Salt Lake at 10:55am. I probably won't need to be picked up at the airport (by Natch or Tiff anyway), but I will let you guys know later for sure!

Saturday, December 1st: I will be expecting gifts of myrrh and silver for my half birthday.

Sunday, December 2nd: I leave Salt Lake at 5:25pm, arrive in Phoenix at 7:05pm, and cry because my vacation is over, until I realize it's 68 degrees outside with no snow, and then I'm okay again. :D

I'm hoping, Natch, that you'll want to drive up to Logan sometime that weekend. You know you want to! Also, I already told grandma we were gonna go see her. You don't wanna disappoint grandma now, do you?

One big happy

It looks like most of us are here now. I also just sent an invitation to dad's email so he can join in and add his very own posts! With the stipulation, however, that he not post countless pictures of scenery, as mom was telling me last weekend about the numerous pictures of leaves he took while in Maine. Of course we wouldn't mind seeing just one or two of them, but pictures of the two of you instead would be nice...

If anyone else wants to write please just give me email addresses so I can send an invitation - Christy? Tiffany? Dallin? Hee hee...

Keep up the good blogging!

I'm Finally Here

Well, I finally got the invitation to participate here. Any way, Life is great as it should be, although busy and crazy at times. I just finished another six day week at work where I had to deal with crazy "Goat People" occupying the premises. Well, they were people who lived for goats, raising them, herding them, and breeding them. Oh the fun that happens at the good old Fort Collins Marriott.
School is alright, only three classes this semester since at the beginning of the semester Aims dropped two of my classes. In fact I probably should be working on my homework. Oh well. So far all A's so all is going well there.
Christy is taking a Lit class at Aims and is trying to get ready for spring semester by taking a math class with her mom now so she can finish college next semester. If all goes well we'll both be done with our AA's next semester. It'll be nice to finish that up.
She's in the process of make her website, which can be seen at http://www.ckmillerhome.com/ however it is still under construction so it will be fully operational at a later time. Of coarse this is being done in preperation for her book that should be published and released next year. But we are in the waiting period of publishing a book. The contract is signed by both parties so it will be published, no worries there. She continues to draw and write her stories, I think she has 5 different stories she's doing right now. In the her spare time she is working at Lenscrafters and once or twice a week at sunglass hut.
Well That's the up date on the Young CO Millers. It's great to see what you all are up to, talk to ya all later!
Matt

P.S. The pics are from our backpacking trip earlier this year with Dad and his hiking budies

AA says "Admit it"

Ok, ok. There is this famous twelve step program. Its first step starts out by simply admitting you are wrong. That something is amiss. That you simply just, well, suck at life. Well, at least something in life. We all hide it. We all want to look better than we are. It is as though all people go around with the hope that everybody else will think they are perfect. Whatever!! We all have our faults, but all of us have a hard time admitting it. It happened to me once. Ok, many times, but finally, about the age of 19 and a half, it hit me. I could change. I did. Then I didn't. But now, it is time to admit it once more.

Starting in November I am asking for a little bit of help from family. As the holiday season begins, I wish to keep of any unwanted poundage and take off some that I have gained. Ok, a lot that I have gained. So this is how I am going to do it, with your help.

I will have an additional blog, one that will be my weight loss blog so as not to add a personal mess to this blog. I will expect some of those that return again and again to this blog to check it out occasionally and help motivate, inspire, and assist in my losing 100 pounds. This will not be an easy task, but I am asking family to keep on me to ensure that I am working on it. It seems like no matter how hard I seem to try, I can't do it. But if others know of my goal and what I am trying to accomplish, they will be to me. (Just as an FYI, Tiffany has tried to motivate me, but she fears she will be a nag, and no wife wants to be a nag!)

With that said, come November 1st, I expect to hear somebody tell me that I need to work harder, eat less, and exercise more and ask reports back.

Thank you for your help.

Fred

Wishes!

Hard to believe Dallin is 7! Hope he had a great birthday!
Natch, you're in charge of posting pics of the celebration!

I wanna move to Arizona

Hey, all. Just returned from very Sunny Arizona and am glad to report Darcey is doing very well there. She, of course, is free to add her own adjectives. She toodles around that HUGE place like she has lived there forever, and her new place is fabulous, and she has quite a knack for making it very nice. (Need a better adjective again :( ) We went out to lots of restaurants, went shopping - it's so fun having a girl to do girl shopping - and I learned more about Tori. She seems like a regular member of the family now.

Dad and I came back from a great trip to Maine. I think more is to follow. We're just a bit slow. Of course, Natch, our brains are A LOT older than thirty, so I hope we will be forgiven.

I love reading this. Keep it up. We just need Matt & Cam to get on the stick. Geezz, if I can do it, guys.......

Just Say No to the Drama Llama!

So you'd think that living in Paradise you'd have absolutely no worries, right? Well, as beautiful and wonderful as Kauai is, there have been some serious drama issues going on. Our store managers are incompetent, and I'm 99% convinced that our manager is stealing money from the drawer. Somehow, though, it got turned around on ME. I confronted her about the fact that it was not okay to question my integrity, and even threatened to go home early because I'm tired of dealing with these crazy flying accusations. And then of course, with a house full of four girls, there are bound to be issues. But I've vented that out to Mom, Dad, and Darcey already so enough is enough. Moving on....

I'm still enjoying my experience here, and I just figure that's what life is all about. It's not always smooth sailing on a catamaran at sunset in paradise. I just wish sometimes it was more like that than not. It has made me appreciate other things in life that I do have, because out here I'm more alone than I have ever been in my life. No family nearby and just a handful of friends....and like I said, when there's drama, your friends can be limited. I was feeling down and sorry for myself, but then remembered that I have such a great family and lots of friends who love and care about me and even though they are not here with me, they are just a phone call away when I need them.

I just want you all to know how much I love you and how much I miss you, and thanks for being my strength when sometimes I feel I've got nothing left in me.

Until next time...

The Old One Has Not Lost His Mind

Just to ensure that my siblings don't continue their silly diatribe against me, I do not forget what pictures were taken when (see comment under my first post). Yes, I may be older than 75% of them, but alas, I am not yet 30 and therefore still have my brain intact.

SO.... Here is a picture of Emma and the girls at Matthews Wedding. This is different than the picture of Emma and Carrie at Logan's Blessing day party.

Kudos my friends.

Fred

I've escaped the ghetto!

Well, Natch... not to BRAG or anything... but today was the last day I had to commute.

Granted, my commute was only 25 miles each way, but it took 40-50 minutes in the morning and 60-75 in the evening (longer in the evenings than mornings too, why is that?).

After a year and change of driving to Phoenix every day, things are finally turning out how I planned when I first moved here. It took me a job, another job, a move, and a job transfer, but I'm finally living and working in a nice area! Both home and work are in Chandler now as opposed to Mesa and Phoenix or Chandler and Phoenix. For those of you that might not have heard any of my horror stories, Phoenix is not a very nice city (and you can read about some of them here and here). And if you're in a nice part of Phoenix, a not-nice part is probably only a block or two away. They call it the "checkerboard effect" and it's very weird. I'm glad I've finally escaped, and I don't plan on going to Phoenix anymore without a very good reason!



Battling some of the construction traffic a block from my old office today

Tails of Freds Commute (no spelling error)

Ok, it didn't take long, but here is my next editorial. This is a blog ain't it.

So, I was sitting at work the other day, well, um, working. (Imagine that.) My boss comes to my little cubicle and says, "want an office?",

I wonder what he really thought I would say. "Umm. Nope. I really like my tiny three sided, five foot high cubie walls, with the onslaught of next door cube dwellers phone conversations attacking my concentration, most of which conversations have nothing to do with work. Please don't make me move!!"

But then came the catch: "I am thinking of moving to the Draper office and you would have your own office if we did."

It's only about 6 miles further from the current location.

Now, for someone who drives 44 miles each way to and from work, why not round that out to an even 50? A commute would now be one hour and 10 minutes rather than an hour and 5 (that would be a average commute home. Usually it only takes me 45 minutes to get to work). For many in the office, it doubles their "long" commute and they complain that their five minute commute might now be ten. But not I. The thought of having four enclosed walls, with a door that locks, means I could shut out the outside world, focus on my work, complete it faster than I could at the cubie (where interruptions are the norm), and be home before I would otherwise be. Yep, thanks to me, the boss is seriously considering moving our department.

Boy, wouldn't it stink for everybody if I start working at home full time?

Just a quick note from Fred.

As my first post, here is an update of the Utah Miller clan. I will have editorials later, no doubt.

Tiffany likes to be pregnant.
Dallin loves to make out with the girls.
Emma likes mom to be pregnant
Logan turned two (at the age of two and half). He is now known as Little
Tornado.

Since it would seem that Matthew and Christy don't want to do their part in populating this earth ;), Tiffany and I figured we would pitch in, one more time. So, as an April fools joke-in-infancy, we are now expecting number four on April 1st of 2008. For those who may wish to say "oops" or "what are they thinking", let me put your fears to rest as this was planned. For better or for worse, we will have a category 4 hurricane in our home at all times. If you plan to visit, let us know way in advance so we can clean things up before you get here.

Dallin, as expected, has stolen the girls hearts at school. The teacher sent home a note the other day (for all students, not just Dallin), that asked parents to talk about proper signs of affection at school. Apparently some of the first graders have been kissing each other. Come to find out, one of the girls that Dallin has a crush on kissed him on the cheek. Or so the story goes. For as many girls that he is acquainted with, we start to wonder if it isn't him putting on the moves on them. I thought this wasn't supposed to start for a few more years, um, like ten more years at least!!

Emma is our little announcer. We opted to let the kids in on our secret that Tiffany was pregnant and asked them to not tell anybody. The next Sunday during primary, she shouts to her teacher, who was sitting on the other side of the room, "I am having a baby!! And it is a girl because Dallin says it will complete the pattern!" (Dallin says the family is a boy, girl, boy, girl, pattern and will continue that way. Ahhh, the bonus of having an obsessive compulsive boy in the home:) ). Well, I guess it allowed Tiffany to get through the awkward stage of telling people she is pregnant and not getting, well, you know. Next time we want to tell the world something, we will just tell Emma a little secret.

Logan decided to turn terrible halfway to the age of three. We were so hoping that we would pass it all together and that we would have the terrific three year old that we have learned to enjoy. But, as it always does, physiology wouldn't allow it and this sweet little tyke learned a simple little phrase and the attitude to go with it. Any question now comes with the simple response, "Nope". Usually there is no attitude with that response. He simply states it as fact and goes on with whatever he is doing. For proof that he knows what he is saying;

"Logan, are you cute?" "Nope" "Logan, does mommy love you?" "Nope." "Logan, Do you want to go to bed?" "Nope." "Logan, do you want some ice cream?" "Yeah, Ice Cream!!!!!!"

Of course, with the phrase "Nope." comes the adventure as well. All to often we have left him alone for a few minutes and before you know it, moms makeup is all gone, or a chair is out and his has the pantry doors open looking for morsels of food (like father, like son!!). We can't leave out the blood curling screams Dallin or Emma have had, running to Mom or Dad, yelling "MOM DAD, LOGAN HAS A KNIFE"

Ah, the fun of being a parent.

(Just a couple of Old pics for fun. Carrie and Emma at Logan's Blessing party. Little Logan, about 4 months old. Dallin and Papa at Carries first Marrathon. Emma in her blessing dress)

Adventures at Sky Harbor

Before Carrie went to Hawaii, she stopped in Phoenix for a visit! Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, to be exact. Good times are to be had in that place. We found all kinds of stuff you can pay too much money for! But more importantly, Carrie needed a special pillow for her long and arduous flight from Phoenix to Hawaii. The pillows were on special - what was it - 2/$20 or $13 each? Something like that. I modeled a pig pillow so Carrie could convince her friend Kim (waiting in the terminal) to get one with her.















We went to this Arizona souvenir store that had all sorts of things I would never really pay money for... little scorpion and rattlesnake figurines, crazy-looking jewelry, real (but dead) scorpions made into paperweights and keychains, etc.



















Then it was time to say goodbye! Until we meet again on the mainland!





P.S. Carrie took all these pics - thanks Carrie!

Mom's on, she thinks

Okay, I think I'm blogging. You'll have to let me know. I not sure I will even know how to get back here, so PLEASE hold my hand.

Who started"Miller*time anyway? Cool idea. Do all the Miller Kids know of this? (Am I the last techno-challenged person?) I am guessing Darcey sent me this link, cause I mentioned that we needed a way to communicate with everyone.

My only news is that Dad & I will be leaving for Maine on Monday, 24 Sept. and returning on late Thursday, 04 Oct. I'll have my cell, and hopefully we'll get some great pics, and I can TRY to put them up. But, I am truly techno-challenged, so don't hold your breath too long.
Bye for now.
Marti/mom

This blog needs PICTURES!

Admittedly I stole these pics from some of you... but I am graciously posting them so you don't have to:

Grandma and dad about to go jetski Ca-RaZy!

The youngest - and arguably most adorable - member of the clan

Yeah, we know how to partay!

The Natch Miller clan!

You guys think you're so tough, mang!


Christmas noshing at the Miller home!

Riding in Natch's funmobile!

Aloha!

Aloha Ohana!

Well, as of today I have officially lived in Kaua'i for a month! It's crazy how fast time has flown by and all the things that have happened - good and some not so good - but an adventure nonetheless and an experience I will hope to share with all of you as best as possible while I'm here, miles and miles from you.

Some of the things that I have done since I've been here:

Kipu Falls - This is one of my new favorite places because it's nearby the house and it's just such a cool little place that you can't NOT like it! Remember the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, when Harrison Ford swings on a vine or something across the water? Kipu is where they filmed that and I've swung from the rope myself! Danny Hale, a friend of ours we recently met here on the island (he's our age and moved here from Farmington, UT with his family ten years ago) goes to Kipu nearly every day, so last time I went with him and he had his own swing he'd tie up high in the tree. I wish I had had a video camera because this guy is seriously Tarzan, he'd swing and jump and do flips out of the TREE (even I thought that was crazy, and I'm the one who's jumped out of a plane...)

Secret Beach - This beach is located towards the northern end of the island (we live on the east side) and you have to hike down a very steep trail through some jungle and when you get to the bottom, there's just a beautiful stretch of light sand and blue waves. The problem with this beach, though, because it's a bit more secluded, is that people think it's cool to walk around sans clothing. As Kim and I were hiking down the trail, a man on his way back up told us to walk down to the freshwater springs, so when we got down there we saw them a short distance away and headed in that direction - until some guy, who was standing in one of the pools of water - decided to remove his shorts we were grateful his back was towards us, in the least). Both Kim and I spun back around on the spot and decided we weren't really interested in going to the the springs and found our own secluded spot on the beach to relax and avoid anymore unnecessary incidences similar to that.

Hanalei Bay - Kim and I didn't spend a lot of time here yet, because it's on the north shore, but we met up with our friend Chad there a few weeks ago and he showed us around. We saw the mountain that is famously known for being the origination of the song, "Puff the Magic Dragon," and we had stopped by the grocery store to get some stuff to have a bbq, and saw the girl who had had her arm bitten off by a shark just a few years earlier at Hanalei Bay. It was very beautiful up there, and when I go again I'll be sure to take more pictures.

Poipou Beach - Poipou is on the south shore, and this is my favorite place to go on days off and to catch some sun. A lot of surfers and boogie boarders frequent the area, so once I learn how to surf I'll try it there before the winter swells come in. It's fun to go out swimming there to, because there are pretty big breaks out in the water. I went with my roommate Sherry once and she didn't know you were supposed to swim UNDER the waves when they crashed over you...she tried to swim over it but ended up getting pummeled by the wave. She was okay, but she didn't try to do it that way again....lol.

Four-Wheeling - Kim and I make friends with the locals that work and live around here. It opens up more opportunities for us to have as many different experiences as possible. Our friend, Freddy, is the maintenance guy here at Anchor Cove (the mall where our store is located). He is very down to earth and told me a few years ago he used to be an alcoholic beach bum and all he did was drink all day. He decided one day he didn't want to live that life anymore and stopped cold turkey and hasn't looked back since. He works three different jobs, and probably sleeps less than an hour a day because of them. And what does he do on his days off instead of sleep? He takes his bikes out to go four wheeling! We went out to this place just for dirt bikes and the like (if any of you have seen the red dirt here...it stains and gets everywhere...) and rode around for a couple hours. It was a lot of fun, but man, were we dirty! The next day I was still cleaning dirt out of my ears!

I've done a few other things, but I wanted to at least share those things with you all for now. Even though I'm only working a typical full schedule, I feel like I have little time to do much because of running. I either run in the morning before work and try to cram in as many miles as I can, or I go right after work when I'm scheduled in the morning so I can finish running before the sun goes down. The sun begins to go down around 7pm, and it's dark here at night (not very many light poles around this area...) so I'm not too keen to be running in the jungle in the pitch black of night. But I enjoy having such beautiful scenery to keep things interesting, and some days it's hard to get up to run when I'd rather lay at the beach, but I know that Honolulu is going to be here sooner than I know it and I have to be ready for it!

I hope all is well with everyone....crazy that all of us are in so many different places. I think it's a great idea that Darcey started this, so I hope the rest of you join in cause it's hard for all of us to keep in touch as well as I think we all would like.

Love you all very much!!

Hello family!

Trying an experiment to see how it goes. All the cool people are blogging these days (that's why I have a blog and most of you don't, no offense but I'm pretty much the coolest). Anyway we can all log onto this blog and type up a little something-something about what we've been up to. Then, whenever we feel like it, we can just come here and see what's up! Good idea yeah? I thought you'd like it. Love ya'll (that's right I said ya'll, I live in the South now)!

Darcey