Farmchick's Frantics

24 Hrs

2012-01-28T09:58:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, I turned around and was greeted by two small children, both with bags of frozen corn on their heads. Apparently, our wood stove had made things a little too warm and they needed to "cool off." Nevermind that the other reason they were warm had something to do with dumping all the sheets/blankets off a toddler mattress and propping it up into a slide position against the bedframe...slick side up. After chatting it up a bit, we were able to convince them that frozen corn is for owies but not necessarily to regulate body temperature. All was good again and I let the fire die out.

You haven't really lived until, on the way to the washer with a load of laundry and thinking about your work email, that you step on one of the many blankets lining the living room. Except this time, you get the feeling that you just stepped on something that was once the family goldfish and isn't anymore. Yes siree, corn thawed on the heads of small children really adapts a texture and temp of something once alive but now needing a rapid burial.

After I picked up all the dirty clothes, we continued on with our day. Eric was leaving for a predator hunt weekend (aka coyote calling competition) for the majority of Friday afternoon through Sunday and we needed something to keep ourselves busy and "out of trouble." So Gwen, Ari and myself got ourselves ready for a Family Fun Night at a local church offering the service to keep Moms that have stepped on "goldfish" in the last 24 sane.

We had an absolute blast with one exception. Many of the kids, including ours, play away hard in the basement with toys, bigger kids, littler kids, cartoons and fun couches and chairs. About the time I could hear an Ari crying like she split a lip coming around the corner, Gwen The Reporter was hot on the case. Surprisingly, there was no blood but all Ari could repeat was "VaKum" over and over. Reporter stated that Ari had had a little mishap that involved a normal cleaning implement. I kissed both children and explained to a disbelieving Ari that the vacuum wouldn't hurt her. Ten minutes later, the scene with still the same - Ari crying over the VaKum and Gwen desperately wanting me to go "check out the basement." So I went.

Framed at the bottom of the stairs against the far wall was Vacuum One, upright and in storage mode. But, by following the plugged in cord to the left, I also saw Vacuum Two. There was evidence of a whopper of a joy ride...with V2 used sideways as a horse and dragged as far as the cord would reach. That is, until her "stirrups" must have kicked the horse into full gear. The steed had been hastily abandoned nearly upside down and Reporter must have managed to shut it back off before skating back upstairs to tell us all about it. Needless to say we made our exit after both V1 and V2 were shoved into the back room. Ari wouldn't even look up and cried the entire time on the sofa about the episode, despite her sister loudly saying, "It's okay Ari. Mommy is putting it away."

So we left and drove home to a Daddy now home. Gwen usually decides she doesn't need to use the bathroom until we get exactly equal in distance from the Cenex gas station and the house. She LOVES the Cenex. The potty just her size, the cool sink and, you get the picture. Anyway, the Announcement was made just as we passed the Fairgrounds: "Mom, Mom, MOM...I have to go to the bathroom." I keep driving, ready for our usual banter. "I need to go to the gas station...can you go back?" I reply with," Gwen, we're almost home and the gas station is too far. Can you wait until home or do I need to pull over?" Reporter mulled over the question..."Go pee outside?" (Note to Anne's family: we apologize for the vocab but this word has stuck despite trying to use more catchy and polite terms like "Tinkle" and "Number One." For the sake of communication with a 3yr old, we're using what works but will politely sub wording in this post from here on out). "Why yes," I replied, "You can get out and tinkle on a rock." Her Highness was quite offended. Not only was she NOT interested in creating any kind of new micro-climate, the thought of not using an actual "facility" was more than she could fathom. Not happening. Not even kind of. (Preface-a-little-late to city dwellers: Garfield County does not suffer from an abundance of people and has many pullouts well known and used as potty stops for small children. ) So, Highness sat extremely cross legged in her seat while Mommy drove as fast as safety handled for home, whereupon Highness totally forgot the need to go when she saw her Daddy. Meanwhile Mommy stayed outside, trying to blow the flames out on the tires. (Note to Frank the Sheriff: We're sorry for breaking the law. We promise to always stop at Cenex first before attempting a trip home from town. For the record, we do obey all traffic signals and signs.)

And that my friends, is a partial sketch of the last day. Because if I told you everything, you'd wonder.

Turkey Day in Style

2011-12-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

Originally, I was going for a single picture that didn't have streaks from where she was moving (Ari is always moving. If you don't believe us, ask anyone that tries to video chat with us). Instead, Miss Vogue offered a multitude of poses, asking me to take more. Shall we worry now?

And so, Ari turned 2 (months ago on November 11 but nevermind)

2011-12-22T23:08:00.000-07:00

Hi. Remember us? The last time we talked, there was reference to a new business and breathing into a brown paper bag. Well, we're still here and thought we better catch up (FINALLY) on some major events around here. More major in fact than business decisions. Unless you are referring to the business of turning 2. Serious business indeed. Especially when your big sister helps guide you through the activities. We celebrated with close friends and cake. Did we mention candles? Oh yes....the CANDLES. The girls both blew them out, ask for a relight, and again, poof. One of Ari's favorite presents was a dolly stroller from her great grandmother (more pictures coming). These days it usually has a hapless, normally stark naked, dolly attached. Complete with the perfect application of lipgloss to her little face. Usually the dolly/stroller ensemble is immediately followed by a stark naked Ari with lipgloss of the same coloration delicately applied....

Here we go......

2011-11-02T23:56:00.000-06:00

So, those of you that know and love us will also understand that House of Miller is not known to sit idly. Morelike, we act like small animals on caffeine intake experiments (hint: NOT the placebo group). Therefore, we now are officially presenting our most recent project, after mostly finishing a house (and NO, we are NOT pregnant, although this would be a very funny way to let you know):

www.sageflatsshooter.com

Yep, its a project. A big one. We've officially gone into business with our good friends Steve & Nicole in gunsmithing. After much prayer and a few key nudges from family and friends (you know who you are), House of Miller decided to:

A) Buy a lathe (like the kind you remove entire shop walls to place)
B) Run in circles
C) Turn a hobby into a business
D) More circles
E) Create a website
F) Hand us a brown paper bag please...
G) Start sewing, glassbedding, chambering rifles like madmen
H) Sign up for the local Christmas Market with a booth in Miles City

And so it goes, an LLC is born. Thankfully Steve & Nicole have been active since 2007 in rifle work as the same business, so the baby is only new to us. And the industry support has been phenomenal. In any case, check out the site, offer recommendations and maybe send us some work!

Outta Batteries

2011-10-20T14:15:00.001-06:00

At House of Miller, during times of eating and napping, we frequently say "if you don't eat/nap/relax/stay still 5 seconds/etc , then you'll run out of batteries." As if a 2 or 3 year old understands the Energizer Bunny fully, or cares. And yet we still try. Here is our lunch conversation:

A: Okay Gwen...you ladies HAVE to eat your green beans and the rest of lunch, or else you'll run out of batteries."
G: No Mom! My batteries will stay IN, even if I don't eat."

At least they understand battery removal.........

Strange Plumage of Miller Women

2011-09-05T13:38:00.000-06:00

Here is a sample of what we see at House of Miller......daily:

Here Fishy Fishy....

2011-07-01T08:42:00.000-06:00

First fish hauled in "all by self" and with "NO HELP" (Or at least as little as possible). The 10 minutes prior to the video shoot were marked with Gwen yelling," Hey fish...you CAN'T stay in that water."

Monks in the garden

2011-06-18T22:19:00.001-06:00

So a few days ago, Anne and the girls were planting peppers in the garden. Gwen was showing her baby doll dirt, rocks, etc when they spied a cricket:

G: What is THAT?
A: A cricket. Isn't it neat?
G: Can I step on it?
A: No, no. Crickets are good bugs. We don't step on them because they sing to us and....."
(A goes on and on extolling the virtues of the tiny creature)

G: Oh. (Retracts heavy cowboy boot)
A: Good job (Smiles with pride)

Young apprentice steps back and thinks for a moment....
G: Can Dolly step on it?

Gatorade. Ice Cream. Mud. Pizza.

2011-06-14T22:13:00.000-06:00

Bath.

The NATE

2011-05-28T18:29:00.000-06:00

So, yesterday Eric brought home a wonderful red-headed child we like to refer to as "THE NATE." Or the "I Love Him," as he is commonly referred to by Gwen (more on that later). Nate and his sister Melissa have floated in our household for years as honorary niece and nephew. And they have graciously allowed us to visit theirs as Aunt Anne and Uncle Eric. Both were excited to hear the House of Miller was having a baby for the first time. So excited, in fact, that Nate once told his 1st grade teacher during the school spelling bee that year that "My Aunt Anne is judging and she is going to have a baby so I am going to win." We should note here this was well prior to the info becoming officially public. Thankfully, Mrs. M could keep a good secret (we still owe you). Then one day, the good moods changed when we decided to reveal the baby gender to the hoodlums first. Home from school, they were just coming through the hall at their parent's house when we broke the news that it was a girl. Nate gave quite the performance.. slamming his books on the floor and stomping out, with the exit words, "Melissa can HAVE her." Melissa was thrilled.

Flash forward to today with 10 yr old Nate - Day 2 of what will most likely be a 3 Day Extravaganza of pizza, video games, playing with the girls, eating cookies/popcorn without the discovery of the wee ones ("Your baby has the nose of a bloodhound.") and did we mention movies? We think he got over the fact that we had not one but TWO girls in the end. What do you think?

Note for the Parents: We will not give him any form of caffeine prior to his return, nor will we send him back in a rowboat if we can help it. Although with the forecast tomorrow looking like more rain - can we keep him until mid-summer?

On this day, or at least this month, in another point in time....

2011-03-24T20:53:00.002-06:00

Sometimes, especially when worn from scrubbing the crayon art off the table legs or wandering sleep-deprived (yes, there is still THAT, more on it later), parents need a reminder of where they've been to truly appreciate where they are now. That, and to prove that at an earlier date in time, there were more posts, fewer run-on sentences and less strange & incorrect punctuation. So, here is a snapshot of where we were on the following dates:

Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - Video Hello (Click on the link to see it). Apparently, we still had zucchini to use at this point in time. Don't ask any questions - sometimes it is better you just don't know. Plus Eric's Extension position does emphasize food preparation and preservation. Gwen is talking and working on walking.

Sunday, March 29 2009 - Week in Review This entry basically still defines our crazy, busy lifestyle to a point (minus the stores burning in downtown Miles City part). Eric actually picked up the 4H fruit order yesterday from Circle. We also had more time to type. Strangely enough, zucchini is ALSO MENTIONED AGAIN. Maybe renaming this "The Summer Squash Situation" would be more appropriate.

Wednesday, December 3 2008 - Top Ten Indicators that Your Life Has Changed Forever So, prior to major pregnancy-type action and Gwen's arrival, there's wasn't a ton of blogging going on. But this post after Gwen was on the ground long enough for us to make some groundbreaking realizations also still holds true. And we don't even mention anything about zucchini! In March 2008, Anne had gone into the Dr. because she "wasn't feeling well" and also was worried previous health issues had made a re-entrance. Therefore, Anne got to see a very, very early ultrasound of Gwennie and, after a few more visits, also got an all-clear on the health bill too. So picture any kind of March entry during this time as a jubilant, chocolate eating period of time not used sleeping (like she should have been doing).

Our first blog was this one: Welcome to Our Crazy Postings which we believe was around July 1, 2008 since the next post after that is, in a nutshell, how not to get blown up while putting on the 4th of July fireworks display for the City of Jordan. We did wind up posting some house pictures but definitely made the shift to kids (because even though you don't have to discipline bathroom floor tiles or studs, they lack that lovely chaos).

To more posts...that are also coherent....Happy March all!

So Peaceful, Yet So Deceptive....

2011-03-23T20:40:00.000-06:00

Doin' Dishes with Dad

2011-03-21T08:34:00.000-06:00

Conversations with Gwen

2011-03-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Anne was changing Ari's dirty diaper, which was (unless you hab a colb) very evident to all rooms of the house. The scene was set:

Gwen vacates her kitchen stool in the search for more crayons. She walks past her sister, casting a withering look to Ari's bottom end and says (with all the angst she could muster), "Baby, grow up!" Her stunned mother had to ask for a repeat of the words to ensure she heard the 2 year old correctly.

Fingerpainting (Or Yet Another Reason for Baths)

2011-02-24T23:26:00.001-07:00

PS - We have cut Gwennie's bangs since these were taken, for those of you worried we may be taking her out in public sans grooming. :)

Why We Don't Hear Well....

2010-12-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

We trade childcare back and forth with several families. Last Friday, Everett joined the excitement.....his ears are probably still ringing. And so it goes.....

When All Else Fails.....

2010-10-25T15:04:00.000-06:00

And Monkeys Big & Small Are Going Crazy......

BAKE!

Sunday Morning

2010-10-17T10:09:00.000-06:00

On cozy Fall mornings, with the woodstove burning quietly, we Millers make biscuits and watch CBS Sunday Morning. Or at least that is the goal. This morning it actually happened and the sisters enjoyed some time together.

First Haircut (That We Admit To Anyway)

2010-10-14T17:44:00.000-06:00

After two years of either resembling a very cute version of Cousin It or sporting the "Mom Can't Draw A Straight Line To Save Her Life" cut, we finally took Gwen in for a professional do. Miss Melissa came along for moral support. Ice cream was had afterward with various friends at the local soda shop to lessen the blow - she was most interested in Rex's chocolate cone, especially after eating her vanilla one.

Do the Hop

2010-10-10T21:02:00.000-06:00

The Thing About Mini-Vacations

2010-09-12T21:48:00.000-06:00

Yesterday's 5am found the House of Miller driving for Billings - to have breakfast. No, dear readers, our coffeemaker and toaster did not implode, causing a stampede for the nearest department store (yes *sigh* Billings). We took a "mini-vacation," which is code for somebody-had-a-meeting-and-we-made-it-an-outing. Anne had a breakfast involving various Ambassadors and Montana's ag industry....you know, the usual.....in Livingston on Sunday morning at 8:30am. For those of you not familiar with the territory out here and to remind those living in places they could throw a rock and hit 100 plus people, Livingston is roughly 5hrs away. Making the assumption that our Highway Patrol friends are not reading this post, it can be 4.5hrs.

So, we were off yesterday for a breakfast at Denny's in Billings of all places, where the hoodlums could make the most of piles of eggs, sausage, bacon and the like. Ari is big on grabbing as much as possible, stuffing her mouth full and then pocketing more for later. Anywhere is fair game but she most favors the pantline right above her diaper. Meanwhile, Gwen is quite preoccupied these days with "bubbles" and "ice," peering into our coffee cups to check on the bubble situation, while stirring around ice in a kid sized glass with her index finger. Needless to say, we rather amused various customers. Fortunately, the vast majority had grandchildren and we're sure the moment reminded them of how nice it is to have them around, and then give them back when things got a little out of hand.

The Miller Sideshow then canvassed other locations, such as the mall. In brief, because your coffee cups are only so deep and patience only so much for posts sans pictures:

* Toys R Us has not changed that much since we were there as kids. Except we can now understand price tags, batteries and better gauge which tiny pieces will hurt more than others at 2am on the living room floor. Gwen received an early birthday present, a wee and very pink bike that works on gravel. We also stocked up on band-aids, a helmet and antiseptic.

* Asian food (Grand-Marnie and Marnie avert eyes until next asterisk) for a one and two year old that haven't had it before is not the best of choices when you plan to be in polite company later. Especially when your one year old also appears to be sporadically shedding brown rice from various clothing items more than 2 hrs after the event.

* We decided we need more vacations. The weather was perfect. The ducks were friendly. The hotel pool was warm.

*Anne's inner hippie was satisfied only after stopping at Town & County Foods (T'n'C to those in the know) where you can buy Burt's Bees, emu in the meat case and a full selection of various ice creams. The hippie again cheered for the stop at Coffee Crossing this am.

* Our car dropped mud from the time we left until we pulled back into the driveway tonight. Think mud-bogging-pay-to-watch type coating. Needless to say, it was rather wet when we left. At the hotel, some German tourists made sure to tell Anne, when she had to roll down the window to even see them, that the car was "VERY dirty, very dirty indeed." Unfortunately, the town car wash was broken, which meant at the Ambassador breakfast, Anne pulled the whole "I have NO IDEA whose car that is across the street from the restaurant." Fortunately, the New Zealand Ambassador at her table didn't press the issue and no trade relations suffered because someone tripped in all the mud leaving the area. It also meant waiting to exit for the hotel until the majority of the group left...

*We made it through Costco in well under an hour, counting the foodcourt. No purchases were made off-list other than the adult-type sippy,ahem, travel cups. Two for $20 total is a good deal, no matter how snobby you are. We are not snobby...we would have bought more if it was not for the formula, diapers, and wipes in the cart with the kids. Did we mention they don't spill? That's half the family no longer dumping drinks in the car!

* Feeding kids "Whirled Peace" Ben & Jerry's ice cream at 8pm is also not the best of choices (yup, we bought it at T'n'C). Especially when you buy a pint because it is on sale. And spoons. And then proceed to wonder why on earth these things always sound fun until about 2am in a hotel room, with neither kid sleeping.

The thing about mini-vacations is that it reminds you how important family is in the big picture. Things like seeing Eric's face as he loaded the pink (VERY pink) bike into the Suburban, realizing with a big grin that he was officially a dad (not that the juice stains on his otherwise clean shirt didn't already indicate that). And things like letting both kids splash and swim in the pool (with a tight grip on them). And things like letting them eat oodles of "Whirled Peace," knowing it might not be the best idea in the end but you gotta live a little. :)

Video: Daddy is the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

2010-08-31T19:01:00.000-06:00

Video: Now That's Service

2010-08-31T18:18:00.000-06:00

PS- Hit pause as it starts for about 30 seconds to let it preload, then push play to see one of the many amusing daily scenarios here at House of Miller.

Car (Kid) Wash

2010-08-01T10:17:00.000-06:00

"Oh no...I couldn't possibly........"

"Well, maybe...."

"But no pictures. I'm way too dirty right now for all my fans. Just think of the tub ring Mom"

"Geez, I didn't know the Surburban could look so nice!"

Feeding Frenzy

2010-05-01T21:14:00.000-06:00

Party Like a Rock Star

2010-04-29T15:26:00.000-06:00

Meet Gwennie R. Miller...

She parties like a rock star...

Tips back a few bottles with the fans...

Trashes a few nice rooms.....

Nearly passes out in strange places.....

And just as you think she's down for the count, she gets a second wind

We'd buy her album, but we bet it's pretty loud.

The Tricycle Motors

2010-04-01T21:36:00.000-06:00

More, as usual, when we overcome the sleep deprivation but here are pics from this week. We want to note that Gwen is actually wearing Anne's hat after finding it quite delightedly on the hall shelf. She felt is would adorn her head quite nicely and we agreed...

Video Hello

2010-03-17T18:29:00.003-06:00

Life is ambling right along here at House of Miller...Gwen is now standing unassisted for decent chunks of time and took her first two big steps this past Saturday while we were on the road in Choteau. The whole family has been on the road a lot lately, with the girls touring Bozeman and the Western side of the state over the past two weekends. Thought you family members (especially those of you in AZ and England right now) might appreciate a word (or two) from Gwen. What can we say...she's related to Anne. :)

Pixied

2010-02-22T18:16:00.001-07:00

For the curious (potentially mildly-appalled) family members......

Happy Valentine's Day from the Sisters

2010-02-13T20:54:00.001-07:00

New Lurker Contest

2010-02-13T14:43:00.003-07:00

House of Miller is announcing a February Lurker drawing. The winner will be drawn March 15th, with the last allowable sign-in at midnight on the 14th. That lucky duck will receive a packet of sheep pen and ink notecards from local artist Kathy McRae.

Truths and Lie - Anne's Quiz Answers

2010-02-05T21:51:00.008-07:00

Okay, while we are eagerly awaiting the appearance of a baby for Jen and Joe hopefully well before the Feb 16 induction...we might as well entertain you with more answers to quizzes. Here are the ones for Anne:

Has logged multiple takeoffs & landings in small engine plane - 6 of 11 voted Lie:

TRUE. As a birthday present in early college, her friend Nate from Lewiston stopped by the dorm room door one memorable May morning and asked if she would like to take a "Cessina for a spin." Nate was going through commercial pilot school at the time and was already a certified flight instructor. One requirement for him was a set number of takeoffs/landings each year at the local airport. Now, airplanes have been near and dear to Anne's heart since she used to play around her Granddad's airplane hanger and went to local airshows. That day, she logged 3 takeoffs and one landing...plus a stall. Nate now works as a pilot based out of Mumbai, India and Anne still counts that as one of her best birthday presents ever...especially considering that she waited to tell her parents about the adventure until afterwards. Funny how that is....

Was once asked to play ice hockey for Washington State University - 4 of 11 voted Lie:

TRUE. Anne played intramural sports at the good 'ol U of I, including serving as captain of a co-ed floor hockey team for two years. She also likes to ice skate and WSU (a mere 8 miles from the UI campus) was short on players at one point for the women's ice hockey team. They must have been desperate (or very kind) in assuming that understanding and affection of ice hockey + the same for ice skating = ice hockey player. Anne decided that she didn't want a disfigured (insert any appendage here) at graduation, so respectfully declined.

Has presented the Gifts at the downtown Denver Cathedral of Immaculate Conception - 1 of 11 voted Lie:

TRUE. Blame aforementioned Joe's little brother for this one. During conferences several years ago in Denver, Steve successfully convinced several friends to attend Mass with him, since the beautiful Cathedral was only a few blocks from the hotel. Those in the group concerned with the lack of formal attire, after assurances that it would be inconspicuous, shuffled quickly toward the back pews. They were met by a friendly usher explaining that the church picked members of the congregation each Sunday to offer the gifts at the FRONT of the alter and would they be willing to do so? Shaking in their flip-flops, the three chosen obliged, with Anne vowing to always pack something other than the "I am fresh out of college and I stole this dress from a sleeping Hawaiian's closet look"

Slept illegally in the Everglades while in Florida - 0 of 11
.
TRUE. While working on hurricane recovery efforts with FEMA, Anne's Montana Conservation Corps crew took a little R&R time in the Everglades. Problem was, the group was having a hard time finding somewhere to bed down for the night. No matter. Utilizing the roof tarping materials on hand, the lot of them constructed various scary looking tents in the back of their pickups after pulling into what seemed to be a decent campsite. Come morning, the discovery was made that the campsite was abandoned for good reason...mom and baby alligators had taken over the bogs within 20 ft of the parked vehicles.

Is officially a Class C certified sawyer - 0 of 11

FALSE. Although definitely a landmark goal, Anne is not Class C, although she has attended various classes and cut her first tree while in MCC leader training on the MT/ID border. Since then, many more trees have toppled over like popsicle sticks...but none have given C status. Partly due to needing even more experience and partly due to not having a certifying instructor there to witness some of these cuts...which is probably a good thing.

Now, if you have made it through all these and, by chance, happen to be an insurance agent offering life quotes, odds are good that you'll thrown all the apps out by now. Be assured that, since domestication, Anne does not fly airplanes or play hockey at this time. You will find her, demurely dressed and well prepared, sipping tea and watching babies. And only 2 of those statements are true.......

Movie Alert - Sisterly Nutrition Program

2010-01-25T17:03:00.002-07:00

1) No Aris were hurt during the production of this short film
2) Aris DO receive a bath afterward

Enjoy life as it is in House of Miller!

Truth and Lie: Part One of Two

2010-01-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

So, it probably is about time to reveal the answers to 4Truths and a Lie about each of us. We were going for the suspense factor but, as mentioned by Farmer's Wife, the suspense factor kind of goes when the quiz has been closed since the ice started forming on Ft Peck lake. Here are the answers:

Eric

Attended the Signing Party for the band Rage Against the Machine - True. Believe it or not folks, when it came to California's music scene, Mr Miller had his chips all in. As the story goes, band members had mutual friends that served as the connection. Rage was just starting (ie not yet famous in the mainstream) and Eric was at their small show the night they were signed in LA. Two things he specifically requested be in this explanation : 1) Technically, he wasn't around for the wild partying afterward. 2) This was the only concert in which he didn't think the earplugs for hearing protection were enough.

Worked at a pub in England - True. Pint anyone? Eric spent a year tending pints at Pope's Grotto on the bank of the Thames in Twickham. His favorite drink there? Young's Special Bitter

Competed in rodeo while in Wyoming - False. While Eric did work for the Faddis-Kennedy Cattle Company just prior to grad school, the only cattle wrangling he did was out on the open prairie without an audience. Growing up, he first learned English, then Western.

Body surfed before (and sometimes during) am high school classes - True. A significant amount of time was spent at the beach while living right near San Diego's shorelines. Eric learned to swim with his dad in the ocean at the ripe old age of 2 and never stopped. The surfing also extended to various locations in Hawaii with "double-overhead" surf. Those of you landlocked readers will need to look that one up.

Was the first engine on the scene of the '06 Black Pulaski Fire - True. The Garfield County Fire engine crew driven by Eric was the first on the scene at about midnight that infamous evening. Followed moments later by CMR and BLM crews, the group arrived to the first chunk of what would become a vast complex of fires covering roughly 125 thousand acres before containment. Anne and Eric tried to sleep in a pasture populated with several cactus patches before getting the go-ahead at daybreak to start putting in lines. The fire that was first estimated at 40 acres shortly after crews arrived (but due to various safety concerns they were not allowed near) had expanded significantly. By noon, it had blown completely out of the coulee and up over ridges on either side, along with multiple other lightning-caused fires.

Whew! Now we've gotten half caught up on the aging poll. 4 voted that lie was the Rage Against the Machine party, 4 believed it was WY rodeo and 2 voted the Pulaski Fire. Stay tuned for Anne's side next!

The Many Faces of Two Girls

2010-01-08T20:04:00.000-07:00

Daddy's Hands

2009-12-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Sisters............

2009-12-23T23:47:00.001-07:00

Life is Good......

2009-12-17T21:11:00.005-07:00

Crazy hair mornings must be genetic

Ari in extreme alert mode with her proud Daddy

Gwen striking fearsome pose after convincing Mom she needed her coat on, inside.

Life is good when you are allowed to combine camo, rhinestones and a very pink coat. (We never thought we'd see this kind of combo either - she picked her clothing out this am)

Hello from the coat closet...which is by far the most quiet place in the entire Miller household these days. Okay, maybe we are fudging here a little...but only a little. Today was just a typical day: Gwen falling off the ottoman twice and tearing into chamomile teabags (piling their contents nicely onto the rug while her mom wondered why things got so quiet). In case you are wondering, we don't typically leave teabags just lying around for this very reason, but Gwennie has the uncanny ability to find things you never knew you had. Meanwhile Ari (or Sharky) fed about every 1hr or so in the early morn and then was extremely alert the rest of the day. Which is good when your big sister is giving you kisses and rocking your baby seat when you cry. Maybe we're a little bit partial, but we tend to think that the kids under this roof do pretty darned well together. Parental units are tired but wouldn't trade it for the world (and have even figured out how to answer a work-line sounding very professional despite the 1 yr old running around half-naked holding goldfish crackers) For the sake of family and friends wanting visual proof that we still exist, here are a few quick pics with more to come!

Visiting the Hutterite Colony

2009-12-07T09:00:00.004-07:00

This Saturday, the Millers made good on a promise to visit and show off the new baby to our friends at the Hutterite Colony near Wolf Point. The House of Miller had been invited to celebrate Thanksgiving with them but had to decline due to the meal being at 6pm, which put us on bad roads at night for the 2 hour drive home. We haven't mentioned our connection to the colonies much in this blog both because of privacy for them and also because Anne's connection with them is primary through her work with pork producers. However, considering that over 85% of the hogs raised in Montana come through colony farms...it has been impossible not to have a strong friendship with some of these producers.

A good background on the lifestyle, which is one of a communal Annabaptist religious group most comparable to Amish or Mennonite, is here in the National Geographic article. Bill Allard, the photographer in the link, had just finished one of his personal/nonwork treks to visit Prairie Elk Colony several weeks before we came. The Walter family, many of whom were photographed in the article, had us to dinner (which is usually served in the dinning hall/kitchen..but because of the cold and young baby was served at their house). David is both the hog boss for the isowean unit located on the colony (with 2,400 sows) as well as the colony minister. His wife is Susanna and they have several children, including Abby. Abby, her brothers and their cousins have really helped Anne understand the ways of colony life and have answered her many,many questions over the past five years. When Gwen was born, Abby made her a beautiful, tiny version of the traditional dresses like the women in her family wear. Each colony's sewing patterns and styles vary according to which of the 3 religious sects of the group they belong.

Miss Gwennie and Ari both loved their visit. Gwen managed to sample more goldfish cracker in one sitting than in recent memory and thoroughly enjoyed her way through most of Eric's kielbasa sausage made the week before by the families. Ari was held and rocked by Abby, Susanna and cousins Barbara and Julie along with the boys..who investigated her from the couch. We didn't get as many pics as we hoped due to the nature of having two children under 2 for a visit somewhere. Hard to run a camera while you are kid wrangling! In any case, we thought you'd like the sneak peek into the weekend visit.

B-A-T-H Time

2009-11-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

One of Gwen's absolute favorite things is her bathtime, especially when she gets to play with her ducks from Aunt Cin and Uncle Ray. The pufferfish floating around in the tub with her is also a favorite, mostly because it shoots water roughly a foot into the face of unsuspecting adults. If we "forget" to bathe her, she will still bang on the bathroom door and attempt to remove her clothing...all the while pointing at herself and gesturing to her parents that they have missed an essential task.

Daddy's Are Good Stuff

2009-11-23T13:51:00.001-07:00

Anne's mom left early this am to head back to Idaho and spirits here were dampened with the realization that now the only Mom in the house is Mrs. Miller. However, realizing that a one to one ratio of parents to children is still not bad, we've found forms of amusement to keep busy (not that busy has ever been a problem here when children - and Daddys- fall in the 9-10 Apgar scale)......

House of Miller Status Update

2009-11-21T14:05:00.001-07:00

The picture above of Ari is how we like to see things here between the hours of 9pm and 5am-ish. :) This has not yet happened for any big chunks of time, but House of Miller residents are gaining on the sleep deprivation game. This has a lot to do with extra assistance from Anne's mom, Sally.We will warn you, dear readers, not to call or email Sally concerning her cameo appearance on the blog until she heads home this coming week. We are risking life and limb to post the photos, so would appreciate not alarming her to broken promises until she is safety on the road! In brief (okay, not really), here are some of the recent developments here:

* Ari returned to Miles City for pediatric/jaundice checkups this past week on Sunday, then again on Tuesday. Typically, babies don't gain back their full weight until 2 weeks have passed, not one. On Sunday, Ari weighed 5lbs, 10.6oz, then weighed 5lbs, 14oz by the following Tuesday. Needless to say, the pediatrician was so pleased that we don't return until the 2 month checkup in January. No wonder Anne isn't sleeping much due to "Sharkie," as we now call her, demanding her feeding frenzies.

*Gwen received a bath in the Big Tub while staying with our friend Beth's girls while Ari was about to be born. She REALLY REALLY liked it, so now the Millers are required to spell out B-A-T-H to prevent an almost-walking kiddo from running headlong into the closed bathroom door, pointing to herself and trying to remove her clothing. Needless to say, things are "Squeaky Clean" around here (yes, that was terrible, but worth it).

* Coffee is a godsend for everyone over the age of 2 here. More has been consumed in the past week than nearly an entire "normal" year.

* Mothers are a even bigger godsend here - with childcare, cooking, cleaning, and you-name-it-help. We are pretty sure that without her, we would have well-fed babies but be starving, in dirty clothes without showers, with bathrooms desperately needing cleaned...if only we could find paper towels and/or a mop.

*At 2 am, when one is really tired, a Size 4 diaper grabbed quickly will cause a person to wonder if their almost preemie infant shrunk further in the night or if they accidentally grabbed a small sized toga.

Send prayers our way.....we need all the help we can get :)

Bringing the New Sister Home

2009-11-15T21:03:00.004-07:00

Greetings from the fog of newborn parenting....we arrived home late midday Friday after getting positive health status for both Anne, for whom this labor had gone considerably better than the last despite anemic-related issues, and Ari, who was considered a 9 of 10 on the apgar scale and happy to deprive household residents of sleep. Short post for now to show the pictures from the first time Gwen got to see her new sister (she also got a stuffed monkey as a present....we think she liked that one just as much perhaps).

ARIANNA ELIZABETH MILLER 11-12-09 Pics

2009-11-12T21:17:00.005-07:00

....and now with her eyes open for the photo op....

ARIANNA ELIZABETH MILLER

2009-11-12T11:48:00.002-07:00

How about some pics..........................????

ARIANNA ELIZABETH MILLER

2009-11-12T00:45:00.004-07:00

AKA: Ari ("ARE-E") or squawk
The A is soft

5# 14 oz
19 inches
dark hair

11.51 11/11/2009

Has already nursed from mom!!!!

11.20

2009-11-11T23:18:00.000-07:00

Now a 9...
Should be any time now...
See ya later...
Other things to do....

11.0

2009-11-11T23:02:00.001-07:00

Not crowning, but 7cm's and head making its way to the correct spot...
cervex is thinned.
Here we go
short time..

8.40

2009-11-11T20:39:00.004-07:00

So, now that the drugs are in place, the mothers (grand mother types) are situated for the time being and Anne is no longer worried about being nailed to a chair...she wanted me to post what she was doing on Friday... She said she hurt and HAD to get out and do Something...She coundn't sit in the house any longer.

The drugs are working....

Back to Friday/Saturday....285 yards, 25 mph wind...1 shot....

8.15

2009-11-11T20:16:00.001-07:00

Epidural has been administered...
Contractions are close and significant...
Mom to be is resting as best as she can...
She is remembering to Breath...!!!

6.30

2009-11-11T18:30:00.002-07:00

Might be the last comment for a bit..
Anne said, "post it is getting very ouchy". Epidural time is now upon us!!
She isn't sure if her Julia Child book will survive the ordeal...I thought I heard pages rip with the last sucking of air, then she exclaimed that reading about the latest recipe was not doing what she wanted...take her mind away from reality...
Very regular rate < 3 minutes and getting stronger...
Later

5.30 update

2009-11-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

2.0 is getting busy. Contractions are getting stronger and closer...Anne was breathing rather hard for a few moments...

More to come

Update 2.0

2009-11-11T16:23:00.002-07:00

Now almost 4.30...
Anne still is doing well, no migraine which is very important.
Squeek is doing well with Grand Mother Sally...Or should it be GM Sally is doing well with Squeek?!
Anne is sorta comfy but waiting for things to go into full swing. The contractions are coming and 2.0 is still very active...
More Later...

Back where we started...Here we go Round Again

2009-11-11T14:11:00.002-07:00

And so round 2 has begun...Anne is starting labor, hooked up to machine and feeling well all things considered...
Anne is settling in and expects a long day...At this point there are not any migraines nor any early indications of any! We will keep our fingers crossed the trend continues.

Need Anything From Walmart?

2009-11-10T21:53:00.002-07:00

Quick update - back again today (Tuesday) after starting back labor and close contractions. We didn't speed on the way down due to Anne wanting to get there in one piece, pulled into the hospital lot and checked in. Presented with two options after determination that there is early labor going on...A) Stay in hospital, look at boring art on walls that repeats in every hallway, chat with lively nurses and go in ever smaller circles OR B) Leave and roam the aisles of Walmart for hours on end to return either when contractions get ever more intense or tomorrow morning, whichever comes first. With a residency in Jordan, Gwen in safe hands and Anne's mom on the way....Dr's determination is that she can "help things along" first thing in the morning if labor continues as it is now. So far, we have memorized multiple serial numbers in the hunting and baby aisles at Walmart and are working to wear out the hall carpeting at the hotel. Unfortunately, the treadmills at Walmart were on elevated platforms not accessible to the pregnant lady, otherwise we would still be there. At least there was no major cleanup on Aisle 2.. :) Last meds were taken today, so cross fingers for rapid-fire action by tomorrow am at the least.

Watch and Wait.......

2009-11-09T12:35:00.004-07:00

Typically, we would spend today at our weekly Dr. appt but we managed to somewhat get that out of the way last evening, after a trip to Miles City for monitoring. Anne has been having contractions for awhile now, but they had picked up a notch to the point that she felt like she might just break in half with the baby so low...and it wasn't from all the chocolate ice cream she had stuffed herself with either. So we were off for the 90 mile trip after some fast repacking and a quick once-over on the house to ensure that Gwennie hadn't dragged anyone's unmentionables on to the living room floor and that the toilet bowls and counters were clean (okay, only somewhat exaggerating here) ...

Apparently, Baby 2.0 is somewhat interested in appearing but refuses to buy the one-way ticket thus far. After several hours at the hospital, we know the following things:
** The nurses (that remember us somewhat vividly from last year) are still awesome

** Since last Monday, Baby 2.0 has worked to go from 60% effaced to 80-90%. We are somewhere around 2cm. Quote from one nurse: "Things are paper thin down there and she is right at the canal....I'm not exactly sure why she isn't here yet" If that doesn't make you feel like a time bomb, we don't know what will!

** Head appears to be down and 2.0 is so active that the monitors had to be muted for a time due to all the static from movement.

**Blood pressure was very high but leveled to 123/68 by the time we left. Anne started to get a migraine a la last time with having Gwen, but we managed to cut it short.

**Contractions and lots of lovely normal medical things are definitely happening,but still don't have enough pattern to be considered active (let us tell you - Anne definitely doesn't care if they are considered active or not....that's like telling someone they have an imaginary friend when you are pretty sure they are sending you emails and have visited your house)

So, given the option to stay the night in Miles in hopes of something happening in the next 24 hrs, or several days, or weeks, we went with the option of going home and waiting. Heck, why stay at Motel 6 camped out for what could become eons, when you have a cute kid, fully stocked fridge of ice cream, and wood to stack at home? We will keep you all posted - Anne's mom will be here on Wednesday, although she will forgive House of Miller if we happen to be indisposed in Miles for her arrival. Got to go.....there are more toilet bowls to inspect and counters to be washed.....

Baby Status Update

2009-11-03T08:49:00.002-07:00

Yesterday again found us in Miles City for what is now the weekly trek to the doctor's office. Last week, Anne found herself waddling much more than usual and having more contractions & cramping...so she hurriedly threw a hospital bag into the car (if a 9 mo pregnant lady can really hurry lugging nearly everything she owns) and ran in to Doc Dan, our local healthcare provider for a quick check. After drinking copious amounts of water and promising (again) not to try and stack wood, drag antelope, etc, she was sent back out of the Clinic to wait until yesterday's update with her regular OB in Miles.

The stats:
Blood pressure - Elevated, although not dangerously so. Bottom number was 80 but hey, at least we remembered half the info

Baby position - Head down, waaaay down. In fact, all doctors thus far have been rather shocked at how well a 5ft 5 petite person can manage to hide a baby this far along. Next time, she'll attempt to hide an entire cruise ship. Apparently, the measurements (fundal length, etc) read more for someone only 28-30 weeks along. As in sneeze and maybe........

Cervical dilation - 1 cm and holding from this past several weeks

Effacement - 60%

For the past week, House of Miller has been suffering from a cold/flu bug and Anne was prescribed some antibiotics to get rid of any issues in her lungs with the cough. We think that having a baby without coughing/sneezing/wheezing through the process is a tall enough order, especially considering that we had a migraine for the ride last time. The "plan" is to wait out the next week, then revisit the OB next Monday. On Tuesday, the 10th, Anne takes her last dose of the anti-go-into-labor-and-have-baby-along-road-with-AAA-phone-support and we will wait and see what happens. Sally, Anne's mom, is hurriedly packing away in Idaho and plans to appear sometime after the 10th as well.

We DO plan to again lose all dignity and post pictures of the pregnant lady of the house for all to see....along with a picture of the swimsuit she ordered on discount from Land's End in a size that might fit in the next ten years. (Take a breath, dear reader, we did say photo of alongside.....not photo of Anne wearing) It was supposed to be the "reward" for hopping back into "normal" clothes....but after viewing, the modest one-piece instead appears to have exactly 1/4 of the total fabric currently involved in the prego lady's single pair of underwear. *Sigh*

Not Everyone Is a Morning Person...

2009-11-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

Planting Bulbs

2009-10-31T07:54:00.001-06:00

This year, Eric made Anne promise (P-R-O-M-I-S-E) to get all the bulbs purchased and stored at the Miller house in the ground BEFORE she bought more (instead of lotto tickets, this girl buys flowers, occasionally with the same no-win results too). Admittedly, the fetish had gotten out of control in past years, with Anne cheerfully hoping snow and ice would melt in December so she could just get that last bunch in. This year was different, with a little helper to plant and husband Eric and good friend Mark on hand to help the preggie lady dig and fill holes.

Chatterbox Cam

2009-10-27T22:38:00.002-06:00

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We have another video to post shortly of what happened AFTER she refused to leave her little shelf..... :)

What Mom Sees All Day........

2009-10-27T20:48:00.000-06:00

Dear Papa

2009-10-20T20:53:00.003-06:00

Dear Papa,
Mom says you are in Bozeman busy learning this week at meetings, so I thought I would tell you about my day after you left. First, I played like crazy with that Farmer's Tractor toy that my friends Ben and Ali gave me. Then it was on to climbing the rolling island in the kitchen. Did you know that I could use the squash in the basket underneath as a stepstool? Mom didn't either. But I didn't break anything and hurried to sort pans and baby bottles to help her. Next we cleaned in my room. I didn't think anything was wrong with it but a lot got put into drawers. I rearranged my shoe drawer and found the neatest legging thingies. Which I wore on my head....for the next hour... until someone took them away from me and tried to trade for a whisk instead. Not a good trade. You two drink a lot of tea! I found some bags you forgot about in the back of the cabinet but I couldn't get them open. So I shook them a lot instead. For lunch, we had the rest of the antelope roast with carrots and potatoes. They were sure good. I also napped a long time this morning, so Mom could get her work done and then play with me more. We loaded laundry and had pork chops and noodles for dinner. I played in the bath a long time but then Mom tried to take my bandaid off from the shots. She sang and made a lot of noise so I wouldn't notice, but I did....a lot. After she got done hugging me and apologizing, we made a nice sippy cup of milk. I got into bed in my jammies and missed playing with you a lot. You are much nicer with bandaids and I love your stories. Mom says you will be home soon, so I am trying really really hard to be good. I'm even organizing some of your favorite drawers for when you come back. And I'm hiding one of each of the pairs of socks in the hamper so that you have an excuse to buy more on your trip.

I love you Papa and Mom does too,
Gwennie

The Baby 2.0 Report

2009-10-20T16:23:00.000-06:00

Yesterday (Monday), the whole gang trooped down to Miles City for another Baby 2.0 Checkup. Right now, Baby 2.0 has been in the cooker for roughly 35 weeks, still with the official due date of November 24th. We'd love to be able to report all the lovely med stats associated with an appointment like this but Anne usually mixes up all the numbers by the time she leaves the office - ie "was my blood pressure 160 over 130 or was 130 the heartrate?.....etc" In other words, we'd probably quote you something totally impossible. Which is pretty sad considering that Anne once was fully Wilderness Advanced First Aid Certified, meaning that she could traction a broken femor with a mere belt, stick, coffee cup and gauze. (Aren't you all lucky she forgot?)

Thus you get the following:
Bood Pressure: Good
Fundal Height: Good (No twins, no giants thus far)
Baby Heartrate: 133 (We did remember THIS one)
Cervical dilation: 1 cm (Okay, this one seemed kinda important TOO)

We have another appointment on Nov 2, with the "plan" being that Anne is to behave and not do anything dumb for the next 2 weeks. Meaning that wood is not to be stacked, hunted animals are not to be dragged and, really, you do not need to be washing the big windows on the front of your house. After the next two weeks, the situation gets reassessed accordingly. The goal right now is to make it a minimum of the next 2 weeks, then prepare to go off the preterm meds at about 38 weeks - ie sometime the week of Nov 10th or so. Anne was priding herself on not having the frequent trips to the bathroom and/or paying visits to every mile maker between here and Mile City (all 90 plus of them) until she bragged......then Baby 2.0 decided to drop in the last 4 days or so. Not in cliffhanger fashion, but getting there. And so it begins. The waddle is more prevalent, the demeanor more crazed, with parents wondering how they will survive two Gwens unloading the tea cabinet and nesting mode is in full swing.

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

2009-10-13T07:50:00.002-06:00

This is what happens when Mom comes home from business meetings and leaves her suitcase in the hall. There's plenty of maternity yardage to go around! Also, the red streaks on Her Highness' face and clothes are due to eating tomatoes shortly prior to the investigation.

Antelope Season - Day 2

2009-10-12T10:18:00.000-06:00

Same song, second verse....with the exception that we were able to size up a bit this time. Main difference with this morning's routine was that aforementioned tractor seat at the bench (yes, they were there AGAIN) had a lot more frost. Hence once sitting was accomplished, Anne was thereby committed or risked ripping the entire back half out of her preggie pants until things melted a little. One shot at slightly over 270 yds - again with the 223 AI with a dedicated husband retrival system.

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Opening Morning - Antelope Season

2009-10-11T09:14:00.001-06:00

Just to prewarn anyone faint of heart, at the bottom of this entry you will find several demised animals pictured with Anne. We prefer to think of them as food, however, when eating morning breakfast and pleasantly wondering what beautiful garden or kid pictures the Millers have posted today..it is only fair to warn ahead of time. For someone nearly 8 months pregnant, this am went rather well. Came downstairs in somewhat warm clothing in case of spotting the herd close by, changing pants three times, getting offered husband's long underwear since hers does not fit, snagging coffee and toast with said husband and child, then sighting herd just off the shooting range setup. Roughly 270 yds from the bench we target practice from (yes Joe, THAT one). Grab gun and safety gear, walk calmly to shooting bench, settle down after deciding that pregnant women don't fit very well in the tractor-style seat we have out there and take aim with the 223AI. It took two shots, with the first being lethal but Anne doesn't like any lag or suffering time involved, so two rounds fired just to be sure.

At this point, husband has dashed from house with his firearm (6XC) with thumbs up....after settling a slightly bewildered Gwen in her crib for a brief moment. Eric took aim and brought down another one as they crossed the creek below at 425yd. The marvelous thing about being preggers means that ever-loving husbands get the animals, bring it out for fast picture and take care of the other associated tasks while mommy heads in for coffee and to entertain the baby. We're hoping to get a few more later today and of the larger variety....but when you're at the grocery store and there's a sale on something you need.....the biggest and best isn't always the most convenient. Especially when you and a beached whale have a lot in common :)

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Sometimes Life is Just Messy..............

2009-10-02T18:14:00.002-06:00

Meet......

2009-09-27T18:43:00.002-06:00

Everett Clyde O'Connor. He was born at 5:28 pm Sunday, September 27th, 2009. The hoodlum weighed in at a healthy 8lbs 12 oz. Proud parents sound tired but enthused. The expectation is to arrive home to Jordan with the new family member tomorrow (Monday), as Everett is healthy and showing no signs of jaundice. CONGRATS GUYS!!!

PS - Permission was granted to post since computers are few and far between on L&D ward tonight......

Announcing....

2009-09-27T17:39:00.002-06:00

The O'Conner baby has arrived - both mom and baby sound to be doing well! We refuse to spoil the thunder of parents announcing boy vs girl, so you will just have to stay tuned to the blogs until either A) The new mom & dad give us permission or B) They post it themselves later this week. The important thing: Baby is here and all are doing well (and we're pretty sure John never threw up in the delivery room) :)

Amended Info

2009-09-27T14:34:00.002-06:00

So...we were a little premature in projecting the O'Conner baby's entrance. Family members have found that the water was broken around 12:45 in high hopes of baby coming soon...vs it already happening. Sorry all and we'll wait a little longer for multiple confirmations until the next post! :)

Marisa/John Baby Update

2009-09-27T12:38:00.002-06:00

Hey guys,
Marisa is in the last bit of pushing and the family is all headed into Miles City now at 12:45pm. Should have baby O'Connor arriving shortly!!!!

Wishing Them the Best!

2009-09-27T08:13:00.002-06:00

For the record, this am John and Marisa headed down to Miles City with contractions early this am around 4ish. Updates will follow as we get them and we are all waiting in Jordan with bated breath to welcome the new addition to the family! Send positive vibes that direction!!! :) YAY!

One Year Ago Today......Happy 1st Birthday Gwen

2009-09-24T07:27:00.002-06:00

One year ago today, Gwen was born at 6:55 am in Miles City's Holy Rosary Hospital. Boy how much has changed since then! Here's a little comparison:

It took the wee one 25 hours to show up, meaning we had started yesterday at 6am on our anniversary with 4 hrs of active pushing at the end. Worth. Every. Bit. Of. It.

Gwennie's New Winterwear

2009-09-20T10:30:00.003-06:00

Gwen's great-great Aunt Sandy recently sent a hearty box of winterwear for the young hoodlum to enjoy while tossing herself in the snow this cold season. Sandy also selected highly colorful items which, in the case of a full face-plant, will be helpful to the parents speedily locating said hoodlum. Gwen tested the coat this am and decided it would work well, especially after she figured out it was the equivalent of a crash-suit, allowing her to try more potentially disastrous moves than usual...kinda like Cirque du Soleil for babies. Enjoy (and BIG THANKS Sandy!):

Speedy Gonzales Goes Fishing: Weekend Part 2

2009-09-17T20:50:00.002-06:00

Above: The sneer is due to really BADLY wanting the cookies that the two pregnant ladies are eating in front of her (she got one...so it worked)

Post auction and wedding, the Miller crew got together with John and Marisa for some fishing down at the lake. Gwen got to be much more involved this time...thanks to a little help from John (no fishies were harmed during the filming of this moment, nor after)! Enjoy pics of "Speedy Gonzales" on her outing.......

The Weekend Part 1 - Auctions and Weddings

2009-09-16T08:20:00.002-06:00

This weekend was a busy one. Early Saturday found Anne and Gwen getting ready for an antique/western memorabilia type auction in Jordan. And it may be the last auction she is allowed to attend for a while unescorted by the husband, because her bidding arm got a little itchy. Total loot? One oak Eastlake style spoon-carved side table (using as many adjectives as possible here makes her feel like it was money well-spent), 3 old sad (and yes, it was quite sad) irons, and a box of Silesia/HT&M Co/Victoria Schmidt & Co china (including a covered butter dish) . Her loving husband offered to bring in the table right away and has been very gracious about the purchases. However, to be totally honest, the irons will probably end up in the same spot as the old Singer sewing machine with no working parts and the 10 some frying pans out in the garage......he is a very patient man indeed. Pictures of the "loot" will be provided when pride isn't an issue - although, again, the table was a great deal! :)

The girls got home just in time to shower and be ready for an evening wedding. Eric's secretary Pohney's son Rich married his childhood sweetheart, Angie, in a beautiful ceremony and reception. A street dance was held afterward to celebrate but the Miller bunch turned into pumpkins shortly after cake, so lack pictures of that chunk of the eve.

The crew sat in the balcony for easy escaping if the hoodlum decided she didn't like weddings. First Eric read to Gwen, then she read to him.

The mother of the groom looking quite stunning in purple.

Sister of the groom, Amber, with no idea that her Calla lilly is under serious investigation and probable taste-testing

What you aren't seeing is the little ringbearer going Mach 10 up the aisle, leaving flower girl in the dust. He deposited his pillow at the front, then started to head back and retrieve her as well!

When someone is very wiggly, it is very hard to pay attention to the camera...and we're not just talking the baby here! A Christmas picture with everyone looking at the camera, with the Baby 2.0 addition included, is promised in the coming months. If you get it by Valentine's Day, figure you are doing well!

Labor Day Weekend 2009!

2009-09-15T22:19:00.006-06:00

Skip a weekend ago, Anne's close friend Joe came up from S. Idaho to visit while his wife Jen and "the boy" went on a trip to Seattle. Conveniently enough, Anne has also known Joe's wife Jen since kindergarten and therefore heartily approved when he went to pledge his love interest in her whilest in college (as you can see, things worked out well from that point on). In any case, House of Miller got to gleefully borrow Joe for the Labor Day weekend and proceeded to take him on the typical adventures found here. Within 48hrs time, the group went fishing on Fort Peck Lake, spotlighting (an Eric/Joe bonding opportunity - the pregnant lady went to bed), target practicing, reloading (again, lady of the house missed this one and ate ice cream instead), prairie dog "hunting," stained a deck and refinished porch steps. Although it was painfully hot part of the trip, the group still even managed to score massive hits on the 500 yd target gong and then reward themselves with cookie bars and iced tea. It would be useful information at this point to mention that when Joe and Anne were in high school and college, shooting was not exactly a skill she had...or even pretended to have. However, after realizing she couldn't hit the broadside of a barn because she was left eye dominant, not right eye as was attempted, things changed significantly. Hence, Senior Kaufman got to experience the new and improved Anne - who now appreciates firearms much more than in the 14 plus years prior to the discovery. Not to mention, this was probably the last showing of the pregnant lady out on the range until Baby 2.0 is born due to hearing loss concerns. Gwen loved the extra excitement (although was kept off-range) and definitely worked to show off to the new guest. Thanks for the great weekend and the Millers can't wait for the next Kaufman/Miller adventure!

When daddies give babies stuff they shouldn't have....

2009-09-06T22:39:00.004-06:00

An important sidenote: Gwen had snagged the yogurt out of the grocery cart while shopping and patiently held it most of the trip. When unloading kidlet, Daddy noticed she had managed to lift the foil on one side to create a tiny hole, so figured she should be rewarded for her handiwork when in the car.

It was really all for the dryer......

2009-09-06T21:34:00.003-06:00

The past week and half or so here at the Miller house found it's residents slightly under the weather. Anne came down with the flu promptly in time for her Doc appointment in Miles City on Friday, the 28th. Although she isn't particularly a fan of getting poked and prodded...at least now she gets "Mama Cow" and not "Heifer" status at the clinic, meaning the exams still aren't her favorite mode of business but at least it isn't all new. AND the Millers were scheduled to get a new gander at Baby 2.0 via ultrasound to check on size, etc. AND their dryer hadn't worked in several months (a whole post in itself) with the residents of the home also concluding 3 things: 1) Clean clothes not done at the laundromat are nice 2) Waiting for Sears to come through on anything, especially when you gleefully told them "No extended warranty is needed" only to find out maybe you should have bought it, is crazy talk 3) For the price of having a repairman arrive from Billings to fix it, you're already more than 3/4 of the way to buying a new one in Miles City. So, the wife scraped herself together with massive help from the husband and got in the car for the 90 mile drive.

All checked out well for Baby 2.0. The due date is still November 24th (it bumped once several months ago to Nov 26th, but returned to the earlier date) and Anne is hoping to sneak pecan pie into the hospital with her. Hoodlum is VERY active and has maintained heart rates in the 140s+ range. Mom's blood pressure has risen a bit but is being watched and no changes have been made in medication at this point. We will be posting 3D ultrasound pics shortly to the Chicks in the Sticks blog...as some readers think they are impossibly weird and definitely noncuddle looking, so we won't stick them here. Anne also had a slight bacterial infection showing up, was put on antibiotics, and then sent to "hydrate," which is code for having an IV for several hours. While "hydrating" (sounds much more spa-like), Anne was the only patient in that section of the clinic and tended to by a wonderful nurse that quietly pulled the privacy curtain for her. Not long after, another nurse wandered in, oblivious to the solo patient, and chatted with the attendant, announcing loudly, "Geez, its just like a morgue in here, so quiet today." Well, the humor potential of this was just too high.....and after evaluating professionalism and whether or not said nurse may have a heart condition, a voice decided to cry out next to her," Well, I sure hope not!" Once the nurse was peeled off the ceiling, she proceeded to get visual confirmation of Anne's existence and wish her a lovely day (and lifetime).

Next, after looking only so pulled together as one does following a battery of "Mama Cow" tests and related issues...the Millers drove straight to Ace and picked out the soon-to-be-beloved washer. When you are up to your eyeballs in dirty socks and underwear, anything with a plug and something resembling a washtub is a good value. However, the family succeed in purchasing a highly functional and less computerized species, with a TEN YEAR WARRANTY. After installation, it has definitely earned its keep and respect from the household - with many, many loads run in less than 48 hrs.

At this point in time, the flu has come and gone with everyone at the House of Miller. Or, as you could say, the only ones left that could possibly get it are the dogs. Bottles of Lysol were used to the point of nearly creating brain damage, the kitchen was sanitized and the bunch is all off and running again with brand new antibodies in clean clothes. Anne's infection (wherever and whatever it was) has cleared up and the next appointment is on August 14th (the Doc asked to see her within 2-3 weeks at the Flu Visit....something about keeping her in line, not doing crazy things, etc ;) )

As you can see, even Gwen was transfixed by the new appliance:

Let them eat cake! (Alternate title: Why we live here)

2009-08-27T08:05:00.010-06:00

The past few days, Miss Gwen had quite the full social calender. On Tuesday, she headed off with her mom to go make mints for a baby shower thrown for our friend Marisa. With the help of Beth & Rod's kids - Lacey, Linsey and Skylar, the moms got to chatter away while pulling sugary concoctions out of various molds. We will post pictures of that day shortly, but it should be noted that Lindsey actually managed to comb Gwen's hair while GWEN SAT STILL for her!! The next day, we had a party to celebrate Skylar's first birthday. Again, we have more pictures but here are some of all the kids in attendance. For those of you not in the county, these kids (with the exception of Gwen and two others in the pic) are all 1st cousins. We consider them our adopted families, to the point that Miss Gwen gets hauled around a lot. Instead of saying "Cheese", Ty (with Gwennie in all the group pics) was told to "Hold up Gwennie" for photo ops. As you can see, his weighlifting routine wore a little heavy (no pun intended) toward the end. Hope you enjoy seeing the party as much as we enjoyed being included on it!!

Pictures for Papa

2009-08-10T22:42:00.006-06:00

Hi Papa,

We finally got everything figured out so you could see what I have been up to out here.

Love,

Gwennie

KC showed me her garden and even paraded her pet ducks by to see me

Meanwhile, Mark kept me busy with more toys than I knew could exist at once

When I got to Stevensville, they hired me on as extra security for the Pork Board's catering trailer

I fit right in with my pig!

Sam really liked playing with me when he wasn't working (AND I got fed at the same time)

Manda let me drink some of her tea to show off my new straw skills (she and Mama didn't sleep much that night..I know that because I was up watching them) I really like my honorary Auntie!

In Lewiston, we met up with more of Mama's roomies from Spotswood house. I liked Tiff's little boy best and wish Darbie could have come too.

They tried to get a picture with everyone looking but I just couldn't help myself...the grass was so much greener than at home. I had to check it out more closely.

When we got to the ranch that night, my Marnie bathed me and I got water everywhere.

More pictures soon!

Love Letters Home - Trip Update

2009-08-10T13:17:00.002-06:00

Dear Papa,
Mama and I arrived safety to the ranch in Idaho after a lot of traveling. First we drove from Jordan to Bozeman for a retirement party and stayed with our friends Mark and KC. Mark played with me on the floor and built me towers of blocks and KC fed me my first chocolate cereal. I didn't get as much as I wanted though.

Next, we drove to the State BBQ competition south of Missoula so Mama could work. We picked up my new friend Manda on the way and she helped take care of me this weekend. I figured out how to drink from a straw! And they gave me a sip or two of huckleberry shake...but again I didn't get as much as I wanted. I also tried my first lemon slice after stealing it from Mom's lemonade. It was good!

Mama's friends that are pork producers from the Hutterite colonies played with me whenever they had time at the BBQ event. We served 500 pounds of pork loin samples in a day and a half. Mama says that if she doesn't eat or smell BBQ for a few weeks, it will be okay.

After we drove from Stevensville to Lewiston, we met up with more new friends from when Mama lived with a bunch of girls on Spotswood Street in college. They were fun and I flirted a lot with Tiff's kid Nate...he's pretty nice but he didn't share his ice cream with me.

I get to stay with my grandparents and crazy Uncle Phil for the next few days here in Lewiston while Mama goes to Wyoming for more meetings. Last night I had a bath on the utility room counter with 5 people helping! It was fun and I splashed everyone as much as possible. This morning I listened to my grandad's BTO CD and showed people how I dance.

I miss you very, very much and can't wait to be hugged by you....

Love,
Gwennie

PS - We are having trouble putting up photos but will try again later this afternoon!!!!

The Tale of Rosie and Duke..Choose Your Own Adventure

2009-08-01T09:12:00.008-06:00

Meet Rosie*, pregnant with her second child and ready to head to a friend's wedding and to see other dear friends somewhere that seems like Uzbekistan to bystanders...but really is a town on the map in a state that does exist nearby (okay, no offense to Uzbekistan...it really does exist....but the general feeling is that it is a "fake" country used to win Scrabble games).

Meet Duke**, who is ever faithful to Rosie but quietly is worrying about her sanity in taking first child and herself on said trip. Although he feels strongly she is entirely capable of the travels, the man of the house cannot help but be a little concerned about her road time in combining said wedding trip with several other work events...leading her to be gone for 2.5 weeks, instead of just under 2. Especially when Rosie fails to mention to most parties that she is experiencing a wee bit of "practice," shall we call it, in the labor department.

After much thought and crying, Rosie decides that, for the overall happiness of the household, she will give up the long awaited wedding portion of the trip and forgo all the pre-planned activities. Being a women (and very hormonal), she secretly expects Duke to read into subtle signals of severe disappointment, such as loudly sniffing behind Forbes magazine, eating piles of cookies and determining her side of the bed has its own demilitarized zone, and offer dinner out on the town in a location featuring more than 300 total people in its populace.

Touched by how much her man will miss her later in the week, Rosie decides a good compromise would be to drive solo to a neighboring town and partake in a shopping excursion for the day. By jove, if she canceled two nights of hotel rooms and 8 hrs of gasoline, what's to say she shouldn't enjoy at least 5-7 hrs of females-hopping -pregnant-lady-bliss while the husband finishes his day and arrive back refreshed and not feeling sorry for herself. Duke was potentially busy with prep for his upcoming fair and other plans, therefore it shouldn't interrupt his schedule and the wife would be back in time for dinner and a pay-per-view or something. However, Duke again feels strongly that he should escort the lovely lady out on the town....if only she would wait until he finishes a morning appointment lasting until about noon. Involving gun maintenance and man things that Rosie trys to avoid at all costs and purposes. So there she sits.....with the kidlet and man off to town doing their thing, patiently waiting for their return so she can actually DO SOMETHING she would like to involving people and social environments.

Should she:

A) Eat all the cookies remaining (oatmeal raisin) and suffer such severe gastric distress that she couldn't possibly go anywhere unless a rest stop exists at each mile marker...

B) Commence upon Ebaying a few "loose items" in the house, all involving triggers and major optical displays, setting up a trust fund with payouts offered only in plane tickets over fair weekends until 2020..............

C) Clean the house (again) and attempt work in stealth mode, since her voicemail announces her absent from the physical office anyway this weekend..........

D) Order a dress for her upcoming class reunion, which she was supposed to shop for this weekend while traveling, and tell Duke that Gucci and Prada were really the only cute options for semi-formal preggie wear........

E) Wait patiently for Duke's return, knowing that he truly does love her and that his shortfalls in observance are only because he is male, and wait to be surprised by whatever fun exciting non-couch sitting adventure he has planned.........

Please place your votes in the adjacent box to the right and await as the story unfolds.

* & ** Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved in the "fictional" plot. Any resemblance to real characters you may know in "real life" are purely in your head and accidental...not the responsibility of the posting party.

Happy Anniversary Meyers!

2009-07-21T22:26:00.003-06:00

Just a quick note to offer congrats to Mandy & Tim celebrating their 8th (and we repeat, 8th!) wedding anniversary! It truly is hard to believe that many years have gone by since Mandy called Anne and told her the engagement news by asking her what size bridesmaid dress she'd be. Anne was caught so off-guard that she calmly told the excited friend on the other line that she needed to hang up and would call her right back. Which she did. :)

And the winner for June/July is.........plus new drawing

2009-07-20T08:03:00.005-06:00

Hey guys! We waited until exactly midnight on the 15th for any stragglers, promptly wrote down all the names and drew for the coffeecake at o'dark thirty...then sat on the results until now. We also have some beautiful property for sale here in Jordan with a view of the Pacific ocean, if you are interested in one heck of a deal. All jokes aside, the winner of the drawing is:

This could get a wee bit complicated on the packing, since Anne's college friends Mandy & KC live in Germany on base, where KC is a blackhawk pilot in the US Army! Fingers crossed, your coffeecake will arrive safety, hopefully identifiable and as another good reason why you can't go too long without checking your mail. Mandy, can you please send your APO again via email: idahofarmchick@yahoo.com ? :)

The next drawing will span from July 15-August 15. The winning entry will receive the Blackfoot Ladies Home Demonstration Club Cookbook, straight from the ranches and coulees of Garfield County, Montana. House of Miller received one at the wedding, and it has been put to thorough use. Note: If any new wives to the area are wondering what the heck Pig and Whistle Cake is or how to make a cobbler out of nearly anything and why their guy assumes you might know, the secret is in this book...actually written down....legibly and with complete measures!

The New Cleaning Lady

2009-07-16T17:28:00.004-06:00

In honor of Anne being pregnant and needing a little extra help around the house, House of Miller now has a cleaning service assisting with the matter (when she isn't double-booked with bottles, playing in piles of blankets and wondering why the dog won't let her "pet").

Starting Her Right..In A Split-Marriage Home

2009-07-14T12:03:00.002-06:00

Eric recently returned from his annual survival as chaperon/teacher/driver at Montana's 4H Congress on the Montana State University campus. While there, he picked up a little something for daughter child. She was quite pleased, although you can tell from the top picture she was worried for a moment that it meant she couldn't wear the Idaho Vandals onesie anymore..............

After confirming she can have dual support for both camps, things got a little easier.

We think she'll be a great fan (and try not to think of the college fund anyway)!

Puppy Dog Tails or Sugar and Spice......

2009-07-06T20:40:00.004-06:00

The incoming babe is healthy with the correct number of fingers, toes, etc! Right now it weighs 10oz at 20 weeks and it appears that we will have two females in high school fighting over the bathroom mirror and causing Eric to oil the shotgun more than first believed. More later, due to the severe thunderstorm over our heads right now and power failure is a high potential!

Boy or Girl?

2009-07-06T08:50:00.002-06:00

Today we head down to Miles City for "The Telltale Ultrasound." Gwen will get to check out her new sibling and find out if she will most likely have a brother or sister. Stay tuned.......

Video Series: Swimming With Gwennie (Much Better Than Painting With Bob Ross)

2009-07-05T18:43:00.003-06:00

Swim Lessons With Papa

2009-07-05T17:32:00.005-06:00

Last weekend, we took Gwen to the lake to test out her swimsuit and actually play in the water for the first time (highly supervised of course, for any family members cringing out there). It appears that she is going to be a water baby, complete with tears whenever we tried to take her out of the water to dry off and hang out in her diaper again. John and Marisa were there too and also took to the lake to cool off. They really aren't arguing in the picture...it's merely John convincing his wife that cold water is a really good idea and easier once it passes the waist. As mentioned on their blog, Anne even put more than a toe in (finally) but it was all in the name of the food reward at the end. Speaking of food rewards, the fishing was quite good and everyone worked hard on their best "trophy photo" poses...elbox bent, fish curved in front and raised slightly to make it look as big as possible against the landscape behind (muscle flexing and grinning optional). All of us like to think it works rather well but will be disgusted when we catch a record-holder and nobody believes us on the the real scale and size!

Note to Self

2009-06-30T18:47:00.003-06:00

Do not feed child highly squishable watermelon cubes AFTER carefully bathing her and putting her into a onesie. Better luck next time......

Weekend in Review Part I : The Wedding

2009-06-29T22:27:00.001-06:00

This Saturday, the whole crew drove to Circle (about an hr away, depending on who drives) to help marry off the last daughter of the McRae family. Kristin married Cord in a beautiful ceremony, followed by the traditional bash at the local banquet room. The McRaes have known Eric since he first set foot in the county and have known Anne since she worked at the MSU Wool Lab and met Eric. It would be safe to say that they have kept a kind watch upon the Millers from the very beginning. In any case, a good time was had by all. Newell, the character you see on the top right, had introduced the couple and therefore was presented with the Honorary Hat. Be sure to note the special tira and (you can't quite see them) sparkles.

Below is our friend Scott and two of his kiddos, Haley and Adam. Scott "piped Anne in" at the Miller ceremony and was pressed into duty again this weekend for the McRaes. We guess you could call us bagpipe band groupies! The cake above was decorated, in part, by two of Eric's 4H program current & former participants, Shiloh and Nikki. Gwen enjoyed all the festivities, getting to stay up late, eating roast beef and cake and letting a young gentleman take her out on the dance floor (Eric isn't worried....yet).

Best wishes Kristin and Cord!

Domesticated Suburbanites

2009-06-20T14:14:00.001-06:00

And so it goes, the Millers (especially the Mrs.) have officially been domesticated. Earlier this week, the silver Camry went out the door and in came the new-to-us 2000 Suburban. The joys of living in a small rural area include being able to call the local dealership and arrange for the owner to meet you sometime around 6pm, have your good friend who happens to be a mechanic ride along for the 90 mile (one way) trip and run diagnostic tests on the potential purchase right then and there, and AFTER buying the rig driving it home when the dirt road to your house has had an inch of rain and the 4WD is a MUST! As you can see, it was tested last evening at the lake and we are headed out the door again for another evening session. Gwen gave it two thumbs up, so we must be doing ok. In any case, the vehicle needs a name and, dear readers, it is your job to come up with one. The prize? Getting your name plastered all over the blog and House of Miller using it to refer to said new purchase! :)

PS - Although domesticated now, Anne does plan to add some detailing...something along the lines of stick on (and off) flame decals or something else that allows her to pretend for a little while that it really is an Austin Martin.

Visit from the ID fam

2009-06-19T08:03:00.005-06:00

Gwen and Anne were highly motivated to make all the airplanes back from Rhode Island earlier this month because Granddad and Marnie Konen (Anne's folks - Bruce and Sally) were coming for a visit the next weekend. Since their schedules are so busy, this was a rare opportunity to show Bruce the house for the first time since he had walked her down the aisle three years prior.

A primary activity (aside from holding Gwennie) was also shooting prairie dogs. However, they first paid their dues, in Garfield County style, by accompanying the Miller fam to the fairgrounds to weigh, tag and slick-shear 4H lambs in prep for the August Fair. Kids hustled and bustled from horse trailers bringing animals in and out of pens and sending them to Brandon, our shearer for the day, with his handpiece roaring at the end of the alleyway. A brief attempt was made to weigh Anne The Pregnany Lady on the scales, but was quickly averted by "Jumper" the sheep (thank goodness). Gwen attempted "mutton busting" by getting her first (and highly supervised) ride on the back of a lamb.

Then, it was off to the dogtowns and out for some shooting practice. Sally, Gwen and Anne stuck around the two Jeeps, a tarp tied up over them and enjoyed the wee one's antics and iced tea. It was somewhat like being in Egypt at the local watering hole, with the mini-oasis complete with sandwiches, cookies and the like. Anne typically would have spent more time camped out on her shooting mat with the guys (hey, when you are preggers, you definitely get a mat, ok?!) , but a full day of morning sickness happened to coincide that particular Saturday..rendering her somewhat ineffective although she did wander out later that day. Meanwhile, Eric and Bruce put their guns through the paces, running through enough ammo to sink a small ship and grinning the entire time.

Although far too short, it was great to catch up and show them where Anne & Eric make their living. Sally brought a VERY large bucket of peonies from home to share, so Sunday morning found the girls cutting and arranging flowers throughout the house. If there is any one simple thing Anne misses most from day-to-day life at the ranch, it'd be going out in the mornings before company comes to gather buckets of fresh flowers for bouqets. Not that she has anything against the grass that was painstakingly planted around the new house here...but it just doesn't look the same in a vase (and the man of the house would be horrified that she pulled up his grass)!

After one week of getting thoroughly spoiled by both sides of grandparents, Gwen crawled aimlessly through the living room after everyone left. Her own parental units were very nice in feeding, clothing and bathing her...however it just isn't the same as a grandparent!

Can you see the two heads out in the dogtown?

Sally investigating the terrain

Gwen mutton-busting

Granddad getting lured in......

And the May/June Whine Winner Is.......................

2009-06-15T07:51:00.005-06:00

Congrats and we will be dropping it off today at the Cohagen Post Office before high noon as we head to Miles City for Anne's tooth repairs (somebody may as well have a good afternoon.... :) ) Peonies, lace tablecloth and coffee pot not included.

Rhode Island in Stealth Mode

2009-06-14T13:50:00.005-06:00

This past week, Anne and Gwen headed off to Rhode Island on a spur-the-moment trip handcrafted by Eric's mother, Nancy. You see, Nan already was flying "across the pond" from England to visit her mother in East Providence for several weeks. Now would also be the time to mention that Eric's grandmother, Gertrude, is 96 years old and still happily lives on her own with only mild anger at the thought that she can no longer just hop in the car and drive to Boston, etc. She does still drive, however is relegated to the local roads. In any case, a plan was hatched to bring 2 of 3 in the Miller clan to Rhode Island (Eric held the fort out West) and surprise Gertrude with the arrival, being that Gwen had not yet met her great-grandmother. So, Nan promptly picked up the two travelers over at Green Airport and headed for her front door.
The surprise factor was excellent, with Gertrude squinting at her front door, which appeared to have a mirage of the Western segment of family on the other side.

After catching up.....the group headed out to conquer the state. It would help our Western readers to know that RI is roughly 30 by 40 miles. As in several individuals out here may have cow pastures comparable (just lacking the license plates on the cows and wealth of state regulations). Here's a map to help (click on the X in the Address bubble to get rid of it):

View Larger Map

One day was spent touring the coastal areas, including the mansions of Bellevue Ave in Newport, along with the "summer homes" over on Ocean Drive. Anne even hopped out of the car for a particular camera shot that required stuffing her lens through the gilded gate on the "castle's" driveway...all the while knowing that she was right across from an intercom system that, if a particularly mean-spirited caretaker decided to use for a sudden vocalization, would probably startle her right into getting her noggin stuck in the gate. Talk about potentially making a scene. Fortunantly, arrest was not tempted for long before the group of women found other recreational activities, like shopping, feeding Gwen ice cream (when the great-grandmother asks to give her a little, can you really say no?!), and getting to see some of the homes that Nancy grew up in prior to Gertrude's current Cape Cod style home. All in all, it was a great trip and we apologize for not letting our readers in on the little secret until the House of Miller was whole again. Getrude has been known to head to a close family friend's to check the blog, ergo posting something might the blown the surprise.

Gwen traveled quite well as a young hoodlum on all four airplane flights with her 4 month preggo mother. On two legs of the trip, God supplied the pair with young kids ready and willing to entertain and play enough guessing games to make Gwen feel like she really just needed a nap and quiet time. The 6 year old taught her all about the intricacies of kindergarten from Billings to Chicago, then on the way back the 8 year old kindly allowed her to listen to his MP3 player from across the aisle and told her all about Disneyworld. Not a bad deal, considering that they kept each other busy. Going through airport security as a lone parent with infant was a little more tricky. Here's a brief synopsis: Insert child into stroller, show id card/tickets, unload backpack nearly completely for security agents to see the 3-1-1 bag (3oz liquids in one single quart bag), the formula mixes and all the baby food, collapse stroller and grab kiddo, swing purse, shoes, aforementioned backpack and the stroller into conveyor bins, wait patiently barefoot with squirming offspring for the go-ahead to march through the X-Ray scanner, return to conveyor and attempt to redress self, grab all possessions and reconstruct stroller while opening the single bottle of premade formula for the agent to test for drugs/explosives. This proved to be decently managable with a little experience, but complicated by the fact that the mommy was pregnant and so distracted by the restroom and Pretzel Annie's signs that she could have done better. Fortuntly, she had purposely worn the shirts that tastefully screamed her "condition" with the hope that sympathy might get her to the gate faster. In all truth, people were saints when it came to making the trip easier, from the woman that helped fold the stroller on the gateway, to the three grandmothers that offered to entertain the baby, to the stoic looking businessman that made faces at her over his New York Times.

Since pictures are worth a million words (and we already are getting close), here are some shots of the Thursday-Monday trip:

Prayer Request

2009-06-09T09:50:00.002-06:00

Readers, we need a favor of everyone. Anne's childhood friend Amy (Altmiller) Eddy is very ill right now at Tri-State Hospital in the Lewiston Valley. Any thoughts and prayers you can beam over there to help her would be VERY much appreciated by House of Miller. For updates, you can go to her twin sister Jen's blog.

Greetings from the Crab That Fishes...

2009-05-30T21:26:00.002-06:00

Anne was just getting ready to sit here and post the family's recent escapades from down at the lake when something happened....she realized that from her post she could see that dishes needed to be washed, the laundry pile that had hidden while the kids came to stay had come back, the floors were yucky and, for the love of Pete, what the heck was growing in the pan of Spice Cake from last weekend? And so it goes...

It seems that this time around, the Lady of the House is a lot more grumpy while pregnant. And tired, which somewhat befuddles her, which (in turn) makes her more grumpy. It's a vicious cycle that friends may slowly be beginning to notice. As you will soon see from the incoming fishing posts, we are thankful to have BRAVE social friends that pretend not to notice the occasional one-word answers (usually we're talking Tolstoy here), the not-so-private sessions of fussiness and the muttered curse words when a fish gets away (for those of you not aware of this uncultured trait - just pretend she is saying things like: "Rats or Shooter-Magoter") The ice cream depletion isn't looking so good either, with weekly buys of either Mud Pie, Rocky Road and the like. Anne was even seen fighting off a nine year old from a bag of Cheetos recently.

The particular female in question likes to think of herself as a (normally)happy person that plays well with others and can carry on a conversation without whining. We're not talking freakishly happy here, like the little bug-eyed character off the Madagascar movie that seems to always be on a caffeine frenzy kind of happy. So, if you have been morally offended recently by a certain Mrs. Miller, she apologizes. There's only one kid here at this house with the other on the way and the Millers know plenty of happy well-adjusted moms of multiple children that seem to make it just fine. So people, since we have presented you with this tableaux of pitiful pregginess....offer some answers before the local sheriff arrests her for being a public disturbance! PLEASE! :)

Wee One

2009-05-29T07:49:00.003-06:00

Here are a few more random pics of Gwennie from Idaho and our trip over there. We have more "Parts" in the story but you'll have to forgive us if they wait a bit. We are hosting 2 kiddos for a sleepover this afternoon and trying to make sure we don't lose them in the laundry. :)