Nonsense From Wonderland

I am not quite ready for summer to be over.   Is anyone really, though?  I start back to work on the 23rd, and the boys start the 25th.  Got Peyton’s schedule picked up and moved him into his locker Thurs.!  I was having a lot of mixed emotions as we drove to the jr. high.  I think he’ll be just fine, but it’s that first little bit of getting used to your surroundings, and of course hoping he can pull it together and be responsible.  No more mom saving his butt because he forgot a book or homework in his desk.  I worked our school’s registration on Tuesday, which was BUSY, but fun!  I’d love to do it again!  This time of year is always bittersweet, because as I said, I’m not ready for summer to be over, but it’s fun seeing all the kids and my co-workers again.  We have a new principal this year, and she is fantastic!  Such a sweet, bubbly lady!  We also have 2 new 5th grade teachers (one of whom I’ve met), and a new secretary, who I have not met yet.

The boys spent 3 weeks at mom and dad’s.  It was actually a shorter than usual trip for them, since Peyton needed to be back for registration, and it felt like it took forever for baseball to be over!  Peyton’s team was one game away from making the World Series championship game, and Breck’s team were the AA League Champs!  They went 17-0!!  One of the parents gave them all these awesome pull over jackets w/their names and league champs embroidered on it.  While the boys were visiting Am, Pa and P, we were able to spend a few days w/them.  We rode our motorcycles up to Thermopolis, via Laramie, Saratoga, Rawlins, Riverton, Wind River Canyon.  LONG ride, but awesome.  We spent the night in a little cabin at a campground in Thermop, then rode over the mountains to Buffalo.  Enjoyed the pool, Crazy Days, and a ride over to Ft. Phil Kearney, Sheridan and Ucross w/dad.  He let me drive his bike for a bit, and even though I was really nervous about it, it went fine.  His bike is like driving a car–so smooth and comfy!  We celebrated our 13th anniversary on the 2nd, by going to a Mexican restaurant in Buffalo.  Last weekend we rode down to Estes Park for an overnight trip, and stayed in a cabin at the KOA.  I am really liking these KOAs, and thinking we’re doing that next year on our way to Disneyland.  Estes is so beautiful, and I would love to have a summer home there.  We wandered around downtown a lot, and decided we would bring the boys back for a weekend trip, which we are hopefully doing mid-September. 

I didn’t accomplish nearly what I had hoped to this summer.  Always have grand plans, and never follow though w/most of it.  Did get the cupboards cleaned out and reorganized, and threw out 2 garbage bags full of stuff!  Our next big project is our basement, which we are making a workout room/my craft room.  We’ve been working out down there for the time being, but it will be nice once we get the wood floor in.  Thinking we’ll do this in October, when we have a couple weeks off from working out.  We’ve been doing the P90, and it sure kicks your bootie, but it’s awesome.  Nice to actually see results.  I was such a slug last summer, and gained a few pounds : (.  I’ve actually lost all that and then some, so I will keep going!

Jason’s out on a poker run today.  I was supposed to go, but have no one to check on/hang out w/the kids, so I stayed.  Not sure what we’ll do today.  Jason bought Mario Kart for the boys last night, and they are currently occupied with that.  I do have some errands to do, and would love a nap.  Hoping to make next week a happy, fun last week of summer break!!!

I pretty much suck at blogging.  I just find it so much easier to Tweet little updates, although I wish I could be witty enough to have really intriguing blog posts.  Alas, I don’t, so it’s really just about family updates for me.  Since my last post, many moons ago, Breck and I each had a bday.  Both were great, and as always, we were spoiled!  Mom and sis were here for Breck’s bday, and ended up surprising me by staying for mine!  It was one of the best bdays ever .  I’ve been doing better about exercising and reading, both of which were my “goals” for this year (as I don’t make ”resolutions”).  Jason is rocking his workouts and doing so well on the path to being healthier.  I’m so proud of him for sticking with it.

DST is kicking my butt.  I will enjoy the extra daylight, once I get used to getting up again.  I’ve never been on good terms with the morning !  I believe we are down to 51 days of school left–wow.  We are in the midst of PAWS testing (state assessments), and will finish up next week, just before spring break.  The kids will go to Buffalo, as usual, and I have no idea if J and I will be doing anything exciting.  I would love to go somewhere warm or tropical, but that won’t happen this year.  I’ll just have to listen to how great everyone else’s trips were.  Last year it was so incredibly depressing to be in a blizzard for the first few days of spring break.

Got the bike out today, and will ride again tomorrow.  I have missed it so!  Looking forward to summer and LOTS of riding in the hot sunshine!  Hopefully the city gets in gear and fixes the potholes that have become like a plague.  I don’t remember them being this bad in years past.

Peyton’s all registered for junior high–eek!  Still not sure it has hit me yet.  I think he’s excited, but I am sure I will have some anxiety for him.  Going to be weird not having him in the same school with Brecken.  Life will get pretty crazy for us in about a month, with the start of soccer and baseball.  If it’s anything like last year–yowsa!  I get tired thinking about it.  All I ask is we have decent weather this year.  Last year, we had 3 weeks of rainouts, and that made for a loooong season.

I’m totally in love with my new car–a 2010 Jeep  Commander.  It’s everything I could have wanted and more!  The kids love the DVD/streaming TV, and I love the iPod interface.  Now we just need to take a trip in it.  I think we’ll do something this summer-not a big trip (I’m ACHING to go back to Disney, but that’ll have to wait until next year), but maybe something that includes Mt. Rushmore and that area, or Yellowstone.  Both are places the boys have never been.

Happy Turkey Day!!!!

Oh how I’ve neglected you, dear, poor blog!  I guess between Twitter and Facebook, I just never think to come over here!  So what’s been going on with the Millers since I last posted in July!?  In short–school, work, school, work, life, life, life!  Peyton seems to be enjoying 6th grade this year.  The whole class went on a trip to Jackson, to the Teton Science School.  It was a great experience for all the kids, and for many, the first time they’d been away from home (not for Peyton).  He seemed to be a little nervous though, when it came time to leave, and I think it was because he didn’t have any family going with him.  Once he got there, all was okay, and he was able to call me and check in.  Peyton did flag football at the beginning of the year, and will most likely do basketball.  Breck’s flying along in 2nd grade.  He was in fall soccer, and won’t do anything else until spring soccer.   Brecken lost his 3rd tooth the other day–first front one on the top!  Peyton lost 2 last week!  He’ s so good about getting them out fast, whereas Breck is nervous about it, and takes his time.  I have actually pulled his teeth for him.  Gave him the option to do this one the other night, but he didn’t like the way it felt, and said he wanted me to get it!  The other top front tooth is loose, so maybe I can get him to do it!  I’m enjoying work, but it took me a while to get back in the groove after having summer off and sleeping in.  I was so exhausted for that first month, I could barely function after work!  I still hate mornings–just never been a morning person–but at least I’m not falling asleep in the chair every time I get home!  Jason’s been busy working out.  His arms and legs feel so nice!  I’m proud of his commitment to getting healthy.  I’ve been trying to work out on the Wii and treadmill, but it’s hard for me to fit it in, because I can’t force myself out of bed early enough, and usually have 100 things to do after work.  I will get there someday though!

I am amazed at how fast this school year has gone.  Can hardly believe it’s Thanksgiving week!  We’re heading up to Buffalo, which I am really looking forward to.  I think it’s been 3 years since we last went for Turkey Day.  Looking forward to just hanging with the family, relaxing in the hot tub, going to the mountains, seeing my friend that I haven’t seen for well over a year!

Paige will be coming down the first week of December.  Her main reason for coming is the AFI concert in Denver!!  I am sooooo beyond excited for the show!  I absolutely love their new album.  The day before the concert is the craft show we do every year, so it’ll be nice to have her here for that as well.  That same week, Jason and I are headed to Stephen Lynch in Denver.  This will be our 3rd time seeing him.  The show was actually in Oct., I think, but he had to reschedule for family reasons.

Jason and I got a good chunk of our Xmas shopping done.  I wanted to be done w/it early, to avoid crowds.  I will finish up most of it online.  I love the holiday season, but not the crazy shoppers.  My plan is to get the tree and most of the deco up next Sunday.

I’ve been reading like crazy.  Really enjoying Darren Shan’s Demonata and Cirque du Freak series.  We saw the Cirque movie and enjoyed it.  Friday night, the boys and I went to New Moon.  I LOVED it!  Can’t wait to see it again, and am hoping to after Tgiving.  I really want to read all the books again.  Just not enough hours in the day.  I always thought it’d be fun if the adults at school could have a silent reading time, just like the kids : ).

I guess that’s us in a nutshell for now.  Hopefully the next update won’t be 4 mos. from now!

Mother's Day 2009

and summer vacation is upon us!  We have so much going on at school right now, with field trips, assemblies, student council elections, end of year stuff.  This week I took a personal day and went on a field trip w/Breck’s class to a sheep dairy in Bushnell, NE.  Yes, a SHEEP dairy.  They milk sheep and ship the milk to California for use in yogurt and cheese.  I’d never heard of such a thing.  It was quite educational!  The wind was horrible that day though, and being out there in the open was crazy w/dust, dirt, and everything else blowing around.  I have had a cold for 2 weeks, and add in all the stuff blowing around on top of it, and my nose is a mess!  I’m going on another field trip w/Breck’s class to the library next week.  Peyton’s class has the D.A.R.E. graduation next week, as well as THE movie (about growing up, etc.).  We’ve never delved into this topic with him, mostly because I don’t think we’re ready, but hopefully this movie will help, and I told him he can always come to me w/?s.

Jason’s got 10 days left at hs class in Atlanta.  It’s been a loooong week without him.  Seventeen days is a long time to be gone!  He’s been giving his brain a workout though!  My mom and sis are here!  Mom’s been cooking dinners, which is great, and helps so much.  Sis and I go to the No Doubt concert in Denver at the end of the month.  We’ve been running ourselves ragged between all the soccer and baseball practices and games.  I couldn’t imagine doing this with more than 2 kids!  I applaud those who do!  I’m stressing about the nights the boys have games at the same time, and going back and forth between fields.  The fields are all in the same complex, but still!  We have something going on every single night!  I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning, since we don’t have a game at the crack of dawn, like we have the last 2 weekends.  However, we’ll be out all day between the soccer and baseball fields.  We’re taking mom to dinner at Olive Garden for a belated Mother’s Day celebration.  I was able to get out on the bike a couple days this week, despite the wind.  It was just to work and back, but is better than nothing.  I miss not having my riding partner here : (.  By the time he gets back we should be having great weather, (at least that is my hope!).  I can’t wait to do some serious riding this summer!

Mother’s Day was great.  The boys cooked/baked all day : ).  Brecken made me a mug at school that came from the paint-your-own pottery people.  It’s really cute.  Peyton made me a scroll in art that said he would be my servant all day!  LOL   We did some Wii bowling and Monopoly on the PS3.  I had wanted to geocache, but the weather didn’t cooperate.  We actually woke up to snow.  Bleh.  Luckily it was that spring snow that was just wet and not sticking to anything.

Mr. Bright Eyes!

The Monster!

Life’s been zooming lately, which leads to the blog going by the wayside, so I suppose it’s time for an update. We had a good time at the Nuggets game over spring break. Had dinner at the Hard Rock, drinks at ESPN Zone, and dessert at Cheesecake Factory. The next day we had lunch at Bono’s BBQ, which was fantastic. We spent the rest of the time driving to 4 different Harley stores, which is always cool. I went up to Casper to pick up the boys and my sis the day before Easter. Easter was very low key for us. We had fish for dinner and just spent the day hanging out at home. Jason was supposed to go to Atlanta last weekend, but due to the 2nd crazy blizzard, which resulted in a snow day from school and state offices being closed, he wasn’t able to fly out. I was happy he got to stay, but he does have to go later . My sis came down to stay with us, but ended up going back home after about a week. She’ll be back on Mother’s Day and will stay through the end of the month. We go to No Doubt on May 27th. Can’t wait for that! We’ve seen Gwen solo twice, and she puts on a kick-ass show! We surprised the boys a week ago w/a Wii. Our bundle had Wii Sports and Wii Play with it. I haven’t had a chance to do Play yet. I also bought Wii Fit, and I love it! Now if I can just stick to a regular workout schedule! I bought Animal Crossing, since I’d been eyeing it before we even had a Wii. It is so freaking cute. Spent 2.5 hours playing it tonight. My mom got the boys Super Smash Brothers Brawl to play up at her house, but I think they are sending it back for them to have here.

We are down to exactly 30 days of school left. It would be 29, but we have to make up the snow day next month. I am taking a personal day on the 13th to go on a field trip w/Breck’s class, to a dairy farm in Nebraska. The last month of school is so busy w/field trips and various things (Muffins for Moms, end of year testing, track meet, Earth Day celebration (we had to postpone ours since our principal was gone). I am really looking forward to summer break and getting some things done around here, as well as just enjoying some lazy days and WARM weather. I love sitting on my porch swing reading or just enjoying the fresh air.

I suppose that’s it in a nutshell for now. We’re catching up on the DVR, since it’s close to full! Just never have time to watch a whole lot at once.

The Indy Monster, Feb. '09

We had a pretty good, productive weekend I think!  The boys were both at sleepovers last night, so Jason and I went to the Chinese buffet, then over to the mall to see Taken.  We both liked it.  After we got home we watched Eagle Eye, which I had from Netflix, and we liked that also.  I always enjoy Shia.  We slept in a tiny bit this morning, then Jason decided we should get the bikes out and ride to breakfast at the Luxury Diner.  I wasn’t so sure my bike would start, after not running since about October I think, but she fired up and went!  It felt so good to be out again, even if I was a bit cold.  Hopefully we’ll be looking at some warmer days, where I could ride to work.  After breakfast we headed to Barnes and Noble.  I’ve been on a book buying spree lately.  Today I bought 4 books by Neil Gaiman, the guy who wrote Coraline and Stardust.  I ended up getting Stardust, The Graveyard Book,  Neverwhere and Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders.  Can’t wait to start on them.  I really need to get serious w/my reading.  I had planned to finish Breaking Dawn this weekend, and I did read both days, but didn’t finish : (.  When Breck came back from his sleepover, his friend came w/him and hung out for a couple hours.  Jason got them McD’s for lunch, while I was busy scraping old caulking off the kitchen counters.  I was only going to do right behind the sink, but kept going and decided I’d do the entire counter on that side of the room.  It looks so nice and fresh w/the new caulking.  We also redid the caulking in our shower, and put new stuff around our vanity.  I rearranged the stuff on the kitchen counter, got dishes put away, and did some laundry.  We also finally hung Jason’s new Bengal thermometer mom and dad got him for Xmas.  It looks nice, and I’ll be able to see it w/out my glasses.  We had a digital one that came w/the house when we bought it, but I couldn’t see it unless I had my glasses on, and even then, the numbers were tiny.  We were going to replace some pieces of lattice on the bottom of the deck, as the dog has been going under there, but we couldn’t find just the strips, so will probably end up doing the whole piece.  While at Lowe’s, we browsed the sinks, faucets, stoves, and carpet.  It would be so great to carpet both living rooms and the basement in one swoop, but that stands to be very pricey.  Might actually have to have someone from Lowe’s or Home Depot come and measure, so we can get an idea.  The basement definitely needs carpet first, since it’s in a semi-unfinished state.  I told Jason today we need to make a list of what’s a priority, because we’d like to have a lot of new things (couch, dining set, sink, stove/micro, carpet). 

Tonight we watched Stardust.  I bought the DVD last night before dinner.  The boys and I had seen it, and since I’m on a Neil Gaiman kick, I just had to have it.  Plus, it has a small appearance by one of my favorite people–Ricky Gervais.  The boys stayed up late to watch it, so hopefully morning isn’t a pain.  I showered tonight, in hopes of making my morning go faster.  This week I have class on Tuesday, and the kids have their school carnival Friday.  It’ll be the first time Jason gets to go, since he no longer bowls on Fridays.  Peyton’s done w/basketball, and will have a pizza party at school Thursday, to turn in his uniform.

I guess it’s about time to hit the hay.  I need to take some laundry out and throw in another load before I go up.  Looks like we’ll have some decent temps this week, which I am hoping really is true, since I have bus all week!

My pretties

Hope everyone enjoyed a nice day with their loved ones and/or family!  I got a wonderful surprise at work yesterday after I got back from lunch….the gorgeous boquet pictured above!  They smell so good, and the color is so vibrant.  VERY sweet card w/them as well.  This morning I came down to some nice cards from Jason and the boys, as well as a box of all dark chocolates!  I LOVE dark.  It’s my favorite kind of chocolate.  It was just a very nice day spent together, and of course we got a lot of Little Big Planet play time in.  Jason finally got us past this evil level that had us stuck for the last week. 

This afternoon I spent my Barnes and Noble card that I got for my birthday from my co-workers, and picked up a new Twilight bookmark w/Bella and Edward (I have one w/my favorite Edward pic too), Coraline, a comic version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and What the Dickens.  I just love shopping in the kids’ section.  Seriously, they have the best books, and I am the kind of person who immediately gets drawn in by cool cover art.  I have often thought about getting a Kindle (my friend has one and loves it), but I just don’t know about giving up the real book feel.  I also check out a lot of books from the library, and rarely buy a book that I will plan to give away some day.  I told Jason I’d like to get some nice bookshelves for the living room.  I have books tucked away all over the place it seems. 

We are all on the mend, although Jason’s still feeling a little blah today.  Peyton’s stomach was bothering him too, but hopefully it wasn’t flu related.  I went back to work yesterday, and Jason stayed home.  Luckily it wasn’t too rough of a day, and the girls were looking out for me, not letting me be outside for my bus duty.  It’s great to work w/such caring people : ).  I did go to Kerri’s Tastefully Simple party last night, but I didn’t eat a bunch, because I was worried about my stomach.  She had the choclatinis I wanted to try too, but didn’t, dang it : (.

We have Monday off, of course, so I will really be enjoying the next 2 days.  I would like to get some reading done.  I’m trying to make some kind of plan about which book I want to read next when I finish Breaking Dawn, but I am so all over the place w/my books, it’s hard for me to stick to any one thing.  I just want to read everything, and I want to do it NOW!  After watching Harry Potter 5 with Peyton the other night when he was ill, I really had a strong urge to reread the whole series.  It’s been a while, and of coure I’ve forgotten a lot of those little details.  One thing that I am thankful for, is that I will never have a shortage of things to read.

I suppose I should get up to bed.  We watched Madagascar 2 tonight.  Mom got it for the boys for V-day.  I dozed off, so will have to rewatch, but what I saw was so funny!  I want to go see Coraline at the theater, but am wondering if I could read the book before we go see it.  It looks like a really short, fast read.

After a VERY long week, we are off to Denver to pick Jason up at the airport tonight. He’s been in Cincinnati for a class, and got to go to the Bengal game last Sunday. We actually saw him on TV! We have a stop to make on the way to Denver, and will then go visit my cousin and her sweet baby : ). I have not been to DIA for a while, and only at night, so I hope I don’t get lost! We plan on parking and meeting Jason by baggage claim. I’ve been busy cleaning this morning, and really need to get in the shower. I wanted to leave by noon. Tomorrow is my sis’s birthday! Dana and I are going to see “Twilight” in the afternoon. I cannot wait! \

How cute is this pumpkin?  Wish I was talented enough to pull this off, but alas, I suck at carving, and leave that to Jason! 

Boo!

So yesterday didn’t quite turn out like we had planned.  Jason didn’t want to go anywhere, so we ended up staying home, which was fine w/me.  It was nice to just be lazy!  We played around on the computers all morning, and after lunch played cribbage and Scrabble w/the boys.  It was pretty fun, even though Brecken completely steamrolled us all in cribbage!  It was the first time he ever played.  I won at Scrabble, of course.  It’s not Jason’s favorite game, but Peyton’s teacher taught them how to play last week, so he wanted to play.  I learned to play when I was younger than Peyton.  My great grandma, grandma and great aunt were all big Scrabble players.  The Scrabble game I have was my grandma’s, and it still has their old Scrabble dictionary in it.  I love it, because the game still smells like Grandma’s and Papa’s house : ).  After dinner we watched Cloverfield.  Peyton was scared initially, but I think by the time it was over he had calmed down.  Sometimes the things that scare hiim and the things that don’t really baffle me!  We did not get to watch The Princess Bride, so maybe tonight.

This morning I ran out to get donuts at King Soopers.  They have the best donuts.  It had only been an hour since they’d put the donuts out, and they were pretty much wiped out!  I started some laundry, took a quick shower, then headed to the library and Albertson’s.  It had escaped my mind that the Bengals weren’t on until this afternoon, so it was nice to have the time to get things done earlier in the day.  We are having chicken avocado flatbreads for dinner.  They are so amazingly good and simple.  I still need to make my snack mix for tomorrow.  I got a can of pumpkin to do some frosted pumpkin cookies.  Been craving those for some reason.  I haven’t gotten to do much baking with life being so different and busier now w/me working.

EVERY time I try to insert a pic into a post, I have errors.  It drives me up the wall.  I think it has something to do w/this computer, because last time I added a pic I did it on one of the other computers, and had no trouble.  I don’t get it at all.  So, because I am too tired to mess w/it tonight, it will have to wait until tomorrow.  I have a cute pic of Breck’s new Halloween costume, which we just picked up tonight.  It’s a tad bit early, but I wanted to get it before they were picked over, and as it was, there were only 2 sizes left in this one.  We did some shopping at Target, after I got off work, then headed to Jackson’s for dinner .  For the first time in my life I ordered fish and chips, and it was really yummy.  However, I think I ate too much junk today (darn the treats in the teachers’ lounge–I can’t stay away!), so am feeling liked a beached whale.  After dinner we went to Barnes and Noble to look around.  I was going to buy the boys each a book, but Peyton was trying to go for books that aren’t necessarily story books, and certainly not AR books.  AR books are books they can take quizzes on through this program at school.  They have goals set for the # of points they are going to reach each quarter, and have a certain level of books they are supposed to be reading at.  At the beginning of the year they are tested to find out their level, and Peyton tells me his is up to an 8.6!  This means he is reading at an 8th grade, 6th month level!!!  Anyway, because Peyton decided to pout that I wasn’t going to buy him this book, which I’m sure he all ready owns anyway, he opted not to get one at all.  Brecken picked out a Magic Treehouse book, and even though he is in 1st grade, he is actually starting to read chapter books! I’m waiting to get confirmation on his level, but it’s possible he is reading at a 3rd grade level! Once we got home, Peyton gave Breck all his old Magic Treehouse and A-Z Mystery books. I got myself an awesome looking book! It’s “The Looking Glass Wars”, by Frank Beddor. I cannot wait to read it! I just happend to be browsing the teen section, because they have so many cool books, and the title just jumped out at me. I wondered if it would actually be something Alice related, and it was! I am trying to make myself finish Eclipse before I start another book!

Jason got home at a decent hour from bowling, and watched the end of the Cubs game. Needless to say, he was not happy with the results. I hope for his sake, the Cubs kick it into high gear for the next game. Tomorrow night we’ll finally watch Iron Man. We’ve got the last soccer game Saturday, and I guess Jason will be busy blowing out our sprinklers, and 3 other people’s. Hopefully that doesn’t take all day. Breck has a birthday party late afternoon.

Guess that’s all my rambling for now. I will attempt to post pics tomorrow. I have one of the mantis that turned okay, considering I was taking it in low light through a plastic aquarium!