What?! January Already?

Here we are once again at the start of a new year ... I'm scratching my head wondering HOW IN THE WORLD the time goes by so fast!!! 2011 is off to a great start - so long as chaos, hectic schedules, and too many activities to pack into a week are your definition of "great"! Ha Ha. Like they say, "time flies when you're having fun"!

We had a wonderful holiday season -- but with two family weddings packed into the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the time between the holidays felt super compressed! That just meant we did all the same things we usually do . . . albeit with less time!

Favorite Christmas gifts this year included iPads (for everyone . . . YES, I said everyone! Are we spoiled or what?!), a new powerful gaming laptop for Alex (who decided to 'trade in' his iPad for the new laptop - thinking the new laptop will get more use when he goes to college), UGG boots for yours truly (my very FIRST pair!) and a variety of other awesome goodies. With the turn of the New Year came a big bad fever for Miss Carly, who spent the entire New Year's weekend laying on the couch and 'drinking' Tylenol and Advil every 3 hours to keep that darn 103+ fever under control. Also with the New Year came a very adorable little houseguest who is staying with us for the month. None other than Anastasia (Oma and Pappy's 9 month old Schnauzer puppy). While Mom and Dad head to the sunshine of south Florida, Anastasia stays with us and acquires all sorts of new 'bad' habits. LOL! We've had a great time with her . . . she is settling right in to the craziness of being a Miller.

January 14 was a BIG BIG BIG BIG day for two special little girls ... My friend, Jen, and I took Carly and her BFF Ella (Jen's daughter) to Chicago to . . . yep, you guessed it - the American Girl Store!!! *WOW* is pretty much all I can say. If you haven't yet experienced it, you MUST. But I will honestly say that there is a REASON they say those dolls are for girls ages 8 and up ..... LOL. So Carly and Ella have entered into this new world about a year earlier than some .... good news for the American Girl Store because this just means they'll get an 'extra' year of purchases out of us, but bad for us because ... well, the American Girl Store will get an 'extra' year of purchases out of us! Ha Ha! We rode the train to the city and as the girls boarded, guess what they found in their seats?! Ivy Ling (for Carly) and Lanie (for Ella) who were sitting there looking adorable and holding signs that said "I'm looking for Carly" and "I'm looking for Ella". It was magical. Honestly, I don't know who had more fun that day ... the girls or the moms! It was an awesome trip and a truly wonderful experience. I can't wait to go back again soon. Here are a few pictures of that incredibly fun day.

At the train station:

Finding their dolls:

At the store - Shopping Divas (Yes, the bags were ALL ours):

And back at the hotel, ready for bed (note the matching PJs - girls/dolls - seriously, this place is 'over the top' - as you can see, we were an EASY sell):

Other 'goings on' in our household include Alex's participation in TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) last weekend (it is a 2 night/3 day retreat), which was ever so powerful and emotionally moving - for him personally, and for us as his parents. It is difficult to put into words what we experienced during the evening parents were invited to participate ... we're already looking forward to doing it again with Nick and then Carly. :) And this weekend, Alex headed to Washington DC, along with 45 other Central Catholic High School seniors, to participate in the Right to Life March on Monday, January 24. They took a bus and traveled through the night last night, arriving in Washington DC this morning. Today is a sight seeing day, then they'll spend the night in a hotel, and tomorrow is the big march. They'll have a little more sightseeing tomorrow afternoon, and then they'll climb back on the bus for another overnight trip home - he'll be back early Tuesday morning. A whirlwind trip, but what a great opportunity.

And with that, I think you're pretty much up to date with our lives! Still pulling together details and facts to make that long awaited FINAL college decision. At the moment, Augustana is #1 . . . stay tuned!

Hope your new year is off to a great start!