All I want for Christmas is some straight front teeth...

Here's a photo of Ethan as we left the orthodontist's office yesterday. And so begins a new phase of our lives (one that will continue for quite a few years as all four of our darling children are going to need braces!). Oh, if only Grandpa from North Dakota (dentist and orthodontist extraordinaire) lived closer!

I was so proud of Ethan yesterday. He absolutely hates having anything in his mouth. His gag reflex is .. well... very active. He has tried to have impressions taken before and just couldn't do it. Well, yesterday, he was such a trooper! He did great! He has to go back after Christmas to also get an expander put in, which will also not be removable and will help to correct his bite. Fun times ahead :-)

a little bit of sad among alot of happy...

after church today we went to dinner at our favorite hangout with our friends the fears... after that we headed to the state capital building to see the CHRISTmas tree...

we trekked up to the third floor to watch the olympia christian high school hand bell choir... didnt know they were going to be there... very nice surprise... the tree was very beautiful...

as we spent some time looking around we were able to see the controversial 'atheist' sign which read..." At this season of THE WINTER SOLSTICE may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."... and the new rebuff sign in green stating the rebuttal... " At this season of CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS may reason and hope prevail. There is a GOD, a devil, angels, a Heaven and hell. There is much more than the natural world. Atheism is but a myth and deception that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

there were also a couple of handmade signs quoting various scriptures...

the nativity scene was the scene that started this whole thing... it was donated a couple of years ago... and this year the others came to be seen here...

the snow fell and we left the capital... i felt sad... not mad like many others that have gone to see this before me... i am saddened by the realization that these people have hardened themselves to the spirits still quiet voice... they believe in something much like we believe in God... but... only one of us can be right...

Merry CHRISTmas...

Storytime

Cole and I were having storytime together yesterday and he was sharing a story with me that he had written. It began, "Once upon a time there was a little boy named Cole, and he had a mom named Mom ..." The story then had us go to the beach and do all kinds of fun things together.

Now, being a stay-at-home mom, and a teach-at-home teacher, and a work-at-home employee, there are days when a small feeling starts creeping into my mind, and I long to be called something other that "Mom." Something crazy ... like ... Gwen or something ...

But, I really am so very thankful that I get to be called Mom. It's the name that I've wanted to be called since I was a little girl. I am amazingly blessed. I love being a mom named Mom.

i think we are hooked...

ok... that was a blast... razor clamming at the coast on a beautiful sunny day... dec.11... it was awesome... we filled our permits quickly and had a blast doing it... me, noah, ethan and my friends miles, mike and chris headed for the coast at about noon... only stopping in aberdeen for "good times" at starbucks...

noah, ethan and me posing by the ocean...

noah and ethan having fun...

noah and ethan watch as miles digs deep so that the clam would not get away... slippery little guys...

ethans first clam...

noahs first clam...

ethan and noah walk towards the van after the dig was completed... the goods in hand...

the weather was perfect... 49 and sunny... we had such a great time and we hope we are invited back soon...

something new...

noah ethan and i are going clamming tomorrow with a couple of my good buddies from work... we are heading to Mocrocks beach on the washington coast...this is something i have never done before...

this whole adventure started a couple of months ago when i was talking to mike, a friend of mine at costco... he was telling me how good these particular little guys are and how you limit at 15... by the end on the conversation he had convinced me that i and my two oldest boys needed to go with him... that would mean 45 more clams for him...( im gonna keep a few, but he'll end up with more than the limit of 15 he would have gotten if he had gone alone)... and we will have had a great experience... clamming for the first time...

so... after we, (mike and i) persuaded a couple of more guys to come with us... we hope to limit all of us and bring home a bundle...miles, chris, and mark hopefully will join us and i will definitely post tomorrow night about this experience...

if you have any clamming advice... get it to us soon... we leave right after work for the beach...

makin' the most of my mixer...

my new birthday/Christmas gift sat on the counter for over a week before gwen made some snicker doodle cookies this last saturday... i was jealous of her time spent with my machine so today i made up for it in a big way... but like any new relationship we had some bumps in the road...

the first thing i did was whip up some sugar cookie dough... got it wrapped and put into the fridge...

next i whipped up some generic dough to try and do a drop cookie (ones with reeses peanut butter cups and some with hersheys peppermint twist drops)...


as the first batch was in the oven i unwrapped the kisses and cups...

then as soon as they came out... i put the candy on... but...failure was lurking in the wings... both the kisses and the cups melted... in a big way... these cookies a failure only to be eaten by family...




the next batch i put in mini-muffin pans like my big sis holly told me to... and that worked alot better...

and lastly... abby and i worked the sugar cookie dough into some delicious to be frosted later cookies... stockings, bells, stars, mickey mouse, trees, reindeer, etc...

overall a big success... i look forward to many more opportunities to spend time with my new mixer...

holiday memories...

gwen and i attended the costco company Christmas party on sunday night... the food was good and my wife looked HOT!!! i love spending time with her...

during the time we were there my mom and dad babysat the kiddos and took them to the nutcracker... all four really enjoyed it and it has added to their holiday experience... my brothers family was also there and that gave abby a chance to sit with and hang out with lila, her cousin...

all in all it was a great weekend...

CHRISTmas caroling...

our good friend karla decided to put together a quick caroling party... kinda last minute, but it turned out to be just what we all needed... my buddy david led the singing while my other buddy jeremy led security... while my other buddy neil provided us the hot chocolate...(it was de-lish)

ethan was able to show his willingness to be a servant by ministering to an elderly lady even though it made him a little uncomfortable... she stood really close to him while we sang and yet he didnt want to hurt her feelings so he stayed put... we were so proud of him... cole also was adorable...

13 kids... 8 adults... 15 CHRISTmas chorus books... 1 great night...

my wife looked so beautiful... and sounded like an angel...

Merry Christmas from the Miller Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

chips off the ol' blocks...

school pictures... 2008...

noah 11, ethan 9,

abby 7, cole 5,

there they are...