Christmas at the Millers

On my way home, Amy let me stop at the Miller's so I could drop off their gifts this year.  It was fun to see them all and see Holly's house decorated for Christmas.  Here's what the Millers gave me for Christmas:

the kids found some NASCAR oreos and a KB car.  I also get to shop at Barnes and Noble and use my cute bookmark.

I also got a beautiful necklace:

i couldn't get a good pictures of it, but it has hearts and vines and then it says Girlfriends are the family you choose for yourself.

Thanks Millers!

To My Daddy!

Today is my Daddy's birthday.  I thought I'd share a few photos of my Daddy and Me.  I love you Dad!

What I've been up to

I keep trying to get Amy to post, but she's too busy hanging out with her new alliance on some facebook game.  I am really, really, really glad it's Winter Break.  I really need some time off.  I've spent the last few weeks working on Christmas gifts.  If you are the Millers - do not look below until after you've opened your Christmas Gifts:

This is for Anne

Bags for CD players for three of the Miller children

Jumper for a Miller

Also for a Miller - idea from another blog called Crap I've Made .  I found this blog while looking for instructions on appliquing on onesies.

I've also made Christmas frames, cookies, written a final, done a ton of laundry, read about 5 books, finished a quilt, and put together gifts for all the ladies at work.

Words of Love

It's been a really long month.  Both of our grandmothers have been in the hospital and Grandma Smith passed away November 13.  Amy & I drove to Utah and spent last week with our family, seeing our cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpa, and attending the funeral.  Amy stayed for Thanksgiving and I came home last weekend.  On the way home I stayed at my friend Holly's house.  Saturday morning her girls made me a book and then when I got home I found a surprise in my purse.  A chain of people - all the family plus me (I get to hold the baby and Roarke's hand, but Holly has to stand on the other side of me!)  and notes from everyone tell me that they love me.  That was a great surprise and one I really needed.  They've been sitting on the piano where I can see it every day!  Thanks to my two "nieces" for making my day a little better!

To Lincoln & Sawyer

I miss you!!!!! I'm sitting in my classroom at lunch listening to the CD you made me and missing you both! I can't wait to see you at Christmas. Aunt Amy is going to bring you a surprise at Thanksgiving! I need to watch Lincoln play Lego Star Wars and Sawyer in his Captain America outfit! Amy sent me this picture and I put it as my background on my work computer so I can smile at you every day!
Love,
Aunt Mel

Spirit Week

It's spirit week at school. I dress up for spirit days when I have the means to do so. Today was Hawaiian Day. Here's my look:

I was pretty cold, but it was fun! I tried to be over the top!

Halloween Cookies!

Pumpkin Face Cookies have been a long tradition in our family. Mom even sent some to me on my mission. A whole box full!! Every missionary in the zone loved my mom that day!

Tonight, for FHE, Melody and I made cookies! I made the cookies, and she made the frosting and decorated them (I'm TERRIBLE at making frosting)! Aren't they cute! Then we took them to families in our ward for fun! What a great night!

Quilt for my friend Julie

When I was living in Northern California and working at Sierra High School, my favorite place to hang out was in the office with the group I called the "attendance girls". Not all of them had anything to do with attendance, but I loved helping them in the office - whether it was alphabetizing state tests, finding locker combinations, repenting of attendance errors - they just were fun to talk to and they were the first people on campus outside of my department to befriend me. One of my favorites is Julie Bingham. She was the attendance girl and I had to repent of attendance errors many times. When I left, we kept in touch. I even helped them out when I went up to see my favorite class graduate the next year. Since the time I left, life has been rough for Julie and her family, culminating in the passing of her husband from cancer in April. I'd been toying with the idea of making a quilt for her, and had decided on one, when the news of her husband arrived. I changed the quilt a bit and added an embroidered border of scriptures that had been mentioned on emails & posts throughout the past few years and a few of my favorite. I finally got the binding finished Saturday morning and sent it that day. She got it today and now I can post some pictures of it.

My work web page

So I'm making a web page for my job - teacher. I'm looking for some ideas on what to include in my about Ms. Smith section. Any ideas?

I can't sit back and pretend any more

I admit I've been watching Glenn Beck.

I've been avoiding the media for about three years now, because I can't stand watching it and watching my country go down the tubes. I miss the America I believe in, the America of hard work and reaping what you put into it, Americans who don't expect or demand that the government fix everything. I'm tired of Senators and Representatives getting away with things that the rest of us couldn't. I'm tired of special interests getting all the breaks, deals, and money that comes from my taxes. I'm tired of watching our government bow down to the rest of the world and turn our backs on true allied in the name of some world order. I don't want to let the government that can't manage any other social program control my health care. I want to keep the constitution - the way it is.

I decided that I couldn't avoid it forever and started forcing myself to watch the news - just a little at a time. Then one day I was sewing and turned on Fox News. It happened to be the Glenn Beck show and what he said made sense to me - We need to ask reasonable questions - that we have a responsibility to question our government. I didn't go out to a rally or anything (though I'm thinking about it), but I'm much more conscious about what the government is doing and how I don't want to become a socialist country. One thing I like about Glenn Beck is that he places the blame on both parties and it's not what's best for him or a political party but for the country and what's right and our freedoms.

Then I watched a piece on the Fox News Channel about the Dust Bowl being created in California in order to save a two inch fish. Since I taught in the northern end of the Central Valley of California and loved driving through the fields, it pains me to think of the students, farmers, workers that are out of work, losing their farms because a fish, we can't eat is more important than families, the cost of food, and the possibility of being dependent on foreign countries for food. And the state government can't do anything about it - this is the Federal Government's doing.

Do something different - write your senator, email your representative when you are unhappy with what they or their colleagues are doing. They work for us, not anyone else.

Love, Love Me Do

What comes out at Midnight - - - - - - - -

Beatles Rock Band.....

Did I pre-order? you bet. If I didn't have to work tomorrow I'd pick it up at Midnight! But I know what I'm doing after work tomorrow! I'll be singing Beatles all night1

First Day of School

I totally forgot to take my first day of school picture. We have a lot of Freshman (more than the school was built for), but things went pretty smoothly. Aside from a talkative class or two things went pretty well. We'll see how day 2 goes!

The Kenny Wallace Fan Car

As most of you know I love NASCAR - Amy has become a fan at least sometimes. One of our favorite guys to watch on SPEED TV is Kenny Wallace. He also drives in the Nationwide Series sponsored by the US Border Patrol. This weekend the series is racing in Montreal (that's in Canada for you geography impaired people) and the Border Patrol cannot sponsor the car. Kenny's fan club came up with idea of a fan sponsored car. For $20 you could have your name on the car for the Montreal Race. I signed Amy & I up. We also get a picture of Kenny & the car which we will add to our NASCAR wall in the garage. Today they posted pictures of the fan car close up so you could find your name. We are on the deck lid - Left side second row. The picture is of our section of the car. I can't wait to see it run on the track (but I still expect Kyle Busch to win - sorry Kenny).

My awesome nephews (and bro & sister-in-law)

Today I spent the morning profusely sweating in my new classroom (they haven't turned on the air in the classroom wings) and doing some organizing. I had to move 200 textbooks, adjust some really heavy shelves. It was really hot, heavy, and boring. I finally left about noon because it was just too darn hot up there! I stopped to get the mail and hiding in all the ads was a package from the Rob & Katie family! Inside were two beautifully crafted cards from my two nephews (even one with me as a lego!) and an AWESOME CD!!!!! I can't wait to take it with me the next time I go to sweat away in my classroom! At least one of the songs is a favorite of Lincoln and there are lots of Rock Band songs that Sawyer can sing! It is cool! Thanks for thinking of me!

Forgot to post

I forgot to post my birthday present from the Millers so they could see it. Here it is:

You can't go wrong with Kyle Busch!

Trip Catch Up!

My four week trip is over! Here's what happened the rest of the trip:

BYU Family History Conference: Four days at BYU getting inspired and wonderful ideas on doing my family history. I'm really glad I went & I hope I'll go next year!

Last days at home: Mom & I hung out in the basement. Monday I hung out with Lincoln and Sawyer in the morning. We went to Office Depot, where as soon as Sawyer saw a Tony Stewart cut out he said - NASCAR! We also visited Target and then Sawyer & I played Wii. The afternoon was spent with my cousin Dallis where we shopped University Mall. Mom, Dad & I went out for dinner.

Tuesday morning I left for Boise to spend a few days with Holly & family. The new baby is beautiful and I had a great time with the kids. On Wednesday I saw Dr. Miller and found out I have no cavities! Thursday afternoon I went to see a friend from my younger days - Piper. It was a lot of fun to see her and remember the days in the Westminster 1st ward.

Friday I drove home. Eastern Oregon is a big place - especially when the speed limit is 65 and you happen to watch the Highway Patrol pull over someone every 40 minutes. I did take a detour through Baker City - very cute place - and wished I had my cousin Brent's phone number with me so I could have stopped and said hi at their place (the only pretty part of the drive through Oregon). I never had to stop for gas the whole trip home until I got off the freeway at home (only 5 miles left in the tank). That was really nice (except the price of gas here in WA).

That's my trip! It was a great time!

Day 15,16,17

Saturday - Mom & I went with one of her friends to American Quilting in Orem. Mom & I both read a blog by someone who works there - so it was fun. It's a pretty good quilt store. Saturday afternoon Andy & family came over. Sunday Rob, Katie, Lincoln & Sawyer came over. I made Pizza on a stick and we just hung out and talked. I now know what Lincoln & Sawyer both want for their birthdays in Sept. Monday was too hot for me so I ran errands (or non errands that became necessary) I spent some money at the Church Distribution center (recommend only section), Deseret Book/Mormon Handicraft/Lion House Pantry (lunch) and then I drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon for the first time. Then I finally finished the project I'm working on for my friend Julie in NorCal!!!!!! Next up - BYU Family History Conference.

Happy Pioneer Day!!! (Day 13,14)

Today is Pioneer Day - the best state holiday in the world! What other state can give you an extra day off in the summer and allows fireworks? Today is the day that the Mormon Pioneers finally made it to the Salt Lake Valley. Mom & I watched the Days of 47 Parade, gave ourselves facials, went to Walmart, watched Bones & Nascar Racing (Kyle's in the lead in the truck race as I write). We've hidden in the basement trying to stay cool. Yesterday I went to Walmart and Mike & Crew came over for a visit. Dad is hiking in the Uintahs with the llamas.

Day 10, 11, 12

Well - I've been hanging out at my parents for the past few days. Monday I made a trip to Walmart. Tuesday I went and saw the new Harry Potter movie. Wednesday I drove to Delta, Utah to see my grandparents.

Day 9 - Utah

I probably won't post every day now - just every couple of days. Today I sat and laid around in the basement of my parent's house. I was really sore this morning, but my back seems to be better tonight. We'll see if I can sleep tonight and then spend one more day sitting around. Today I wore my new Kyle Busch shirt courtesy of the Miller family for my birthday.

Day 8 - Rexburg to West Jordan, UT

Finally I'm based in one place. My back is still killing me, but I'm hoping with stationary rest my back will relax and heal. The drive from Rexburg was pretty quick. My brothers Mike & Andy brought their family up to my parents' place for a family dinner. I felt pretty lame and stupid being stuck in a chair and not able to get up or take care of things for myself. I hate feeling like I'm the bossy older sister making them do things for me because I'm too lazy to do it for myself. I have no pictures today because I couldn't really move - maybe I'll take a picture of my generic Icy/Hot patches and add it tomorrow. I watched the NASCAR Camping World Truck race and now I'm watching Kyle Busch lead the Nationwide race. Hopefully it will end with him leading!

Day 7 - Dillon to Rexburg

I left the beautiful views from Bob & Sue Briggs' home in Dillon.

I went out to lunch with the Briggs clan and then headed down the highway to Rexburg to catch up with my Uncle Matt, Aunt Jane and boys. My cousin Dallis is at girls camp. Matt & Jane drove me around Rexburg and then took me to one of their Craigo's Pizza restaurants for dinner. Afterwards I got to watch my cousins Ben & Carson race their BMX bikes. Carson got second place in his group. Tomorrow I head to my parents for the next two weeks!

Day 6 - Dillon and the No. 1 Ladies Quilt Shop

Thursday we hung around Dillon. We went to a quilt shop and then had fresh squeezed lemonade. That night the Briggs family had family pictures and Anne, Lisa, & I worked on sewing the binding on Lisa's t-shirt quilt. For dinner we had hobo dogs (don't ask), blue cheese hamburgers and fresh corn. Emma & Cody helped husk the corn - a great job for kids living in Nebraska (Cornhuskers).

Day 5 - Missoula

Today the whole gang headed to Missoula, MT. This is where Anne grew up. I met more of her extended family. We had lunch at Hoagieville (Anne's favorite place to eat in Missoula), rode/watched the Carousel, and then headed to an afternoon of water play at Splash Montana. I only have pictures of the carousel. We came back to Dillon late last night!

Lisa

Anne & Cody

Road Trip - Day 4 - Dillon, MT & Bannack

Today was a hang around morning (I couldn't not get up!). During the afternoon we went on field trips. Our group chose to go to Bannack - the first territorial capital of Montana. It's a state park and basically a ghost town. You can roam through most of the buildings. It started as a gold rush town. Here's some pictures of the day - these are three of Anne's children - Lisa, Emma & Cody (in order of birth - so you can figure out which one is which). I even allowed a picture of me to sneak in there. Tomorrow is our big trip to Missoula!

Road Trip - Day three - My Birthday - Kallispel to Dillon, MT

Today I am old - 36. I spent my day driving from Kallispel in northern Montana to Dillon, Montana in the southern part of MT about 2 hours from Idaho Falls. Dillon is where one of my good friends from BYU's parents live. She is here with her kids visiting her parents and I got invited to come and crash the party for a few days.

As I was driving I stopped in a town for some lunch (name has escaped me - since Amy & Abbie called and sang Happy Birthday to me). The gas station is surrounded by these fake plastic palm trees in different colors - it was so weird I had to take a picture.

Anne's parents live on a beautiful piece of land on the edge of Butte. The kids rode 4 wheelers before we went to Anne's grandparents for dinner. The kids sang happy birthday a billion times and we also had a cake for me. It was really nice!

Road Trip - Day Two - Glacier National Park

Today I got up very early so I could get to Glacier National Park. My goal was to drive the Going to the Sun Road. This is a very famous road and includes a drive on basically a ledge up the side of some mountains to the Continental Divide. The drive was beautiful. My back is still giving me some problems so I didn't take any hikes, but I did stop and get some pictures. I also drove into Many Glaciers and then returned driving along the edge of the park. Babb, MT is now the farthest point north I have ever been! I had so many pictures, I made them into a video:

Road Trip Day 1 - Home-Kallispel, MT

It's been a long day -can you tell from the look on my face? Sometime on Thursday I messed up a few muscles in my back. I spent most of yesterday in pain while trying to pack and finish errands. While still in a lot of pain this morning I got in my car and began driving. I drove across Washington and took a detour to visit a famous quilt store - the Buggy Barn - the owners design fabric and patterns and they always have cute stuff on their website - I don't recommend an in person visit, unless you already live there - plus you have to drive down a dirt/gravel road for 1 1/2 miles (my new car and my back did not like it!). Once I connected back up with I-90 I drove through Idaho and then took a scenic route to Kallispel, MT. As I came down the hill/mt there was Flathead Lake.

Flathead Lake is very well known to me - I've never been there until today, but I've seen plenty of pictures, drawings, and even a map because my friend Anne's family has a place on the lake and it's her most favorite place in the whole world. So I felt like I was greeted by a familiar sight.

I guess sitting in the same position most of the day has been good for my back, even though it hurt all during the drive it's feeling better now.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Glacier National Park and either drive or ride the shuttle on the Going to the Sun Road!

"I believe that it (the declaring of independence) will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival, It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other..."
John Adams

"You can't be a full participant in our democracy if you don't know our history."
David McCullough

"The American Constitution is the greatest governing document, and at some 7,000 words, just about the shortest. "
Stephen Ambrose

This is my favorite day of the year. While I have always appreciated the sacrifices made so this country could be free, until I started teaching U.S. History and researching more and more about it, I never truly understood what that meant. Now I can't even begin to think about the sacrifices for my freedom without becoming emotional. Every year I've taught American history I've tried to make sure that my students understand, even if it's only in a small way, the sacrifices made on their behalf. I hope that lesson will be with them always!

The week of blah

I've been out of school for 1 week and two days. I was very productive the first two days, but I had a hard time getting things done most of this week. I did get out of the house every day - which isn't a normal thing for me in the Summer, but while it's warm for here it's not 105 and my new car has great air conditioning and Sirius NASCAR radio. I drug Abbie out to a couple of quilt stores. I've also made myself sew everyday. If you read my previous post you know that I'm making a quilt for my friend Anne. I'm also making myself a smaller version - so I had to sew 70+ of each of the two blocks that make up the quilt. I've also worked on a project for Anne's Mom. I'm invading their home in a couple to weeks to see Anne & kids and her parents & Montana. Today I finally finished the blocks - now I just have to sew them together.
Anne's (and my) blocks:

For Anne's Mom (it's not finished, I still have to quilt and bind):

Anne Nicole Briggs Fuller

Today my first real friend from college turns a year older. I think we get along much better than we did during college for a variety of reasons - mostly because we are no longer really young, young adults. One of my favorite memories is when she was first married and was spending the summer in Barrow, Alaska. She got to call me for her birthday! She was also the person I made my first baby blanket/quilt attempt for when she had her first child Lisa & I drove to Colorado to spend a few days with them. I love that she is highly organized (she'll deny that, but she is) and loves to read. I am grateful that she shares her family with me and tolerates my week long visits. I get to be an honorary aunt to her four children. I'm glad that she let me buy her a sewing machine for her birthday one year so we can quilt and make stuff for her house. This year for her birthday & Christmas she is getting a Queen size quilt - I'm going to spend most of today and tomorrow working on it - so I can drop it off for quilting on my vacation. Of course I can't find a picture of the two of us together - so we'll have to settle for a picture of her first quilting project:


Next year I'll have to find all the college photos!

It's over

Wednesday was the last day of school. In two days I think my blood pressure has dropped to normal levels. I haven't been called about parent complaints. So far I've done my laundry, cleaned the bathroom, washed the dishes, picked up the license plates for my new car, played some xBox 360, took a nap, created a facebook account (I'm not sure I want one), and put together a quilt block. It's finally really rained here. It hasn't for quite a while - like almost 4 weeks. Oh - I also watched Kyle Busch qualify 2nd for the race in Sonoma. I wish I had gone - maybe next year!

Announcements Announcements Announcements!

Announcement #1 - I'm an (honorary) aunt again! My friend Holly gave birth yesterday to #5 - Graham Glavinic Miller 8lbs 4 oz and 21 1/2 inches long!

Announcement #2 - My poor 1999 Neon was nearing the end of it's life - I did drive it for 10 years! SOOOO - I bought a new car last week May 28th - a 2009 Ford Fusion SEL.
My favorite feature - the air conditioning that gets my car cool and can still make it up the on ramp to the freeway!
Second favorite Feature - the driver's window actually comes down!
Third favorite feature - the sunroof that actually opens!
Fourth Favorite Feature - SYNC - I can tell my car who to call, at home,cell, or work, and I can tell it to play certain artists, songs, genre when my iPod is plugged in!
5th favorite - Sirius Radio with the NASCAR channel & my Kyle Bush #18 in the window!
6th favorite- American company that hasn't taken my tax money.

I love it. Thanks Amy for doing all the yucky part of buying a car and if you live in Washington buy a Ford at Ford of Kirkland. It looks really silver in these pictures - the color is Vapor Silver - so in bright sunlight it looks more of a gray with a metallic sheen and in the overcast like these pictures it looks a lot more silver than it really is.

Rain Delay Part 2

The race never got started yesterday and now we are under the third rain delay in the race today. We need it to restart at least once so that Kyle can take the lead back after pitting before the rain delay. We've been sort of busy today. Amy has made a salad, strawberry cake, cleaned the kitchen, organized her craft stuff. I took a shower, got dressed, charged all the rechargeable batteries, took some pictures (and loaded them on my computer, cut 400+ squares and triangles for the quilt I mentioned yesterday and listened to Kyle Busch and crew. We also hung up my flag today and made dream boards - check out the posts below:

Dream Boards

Many members of my family have ended up with a book called One Year To An Organized Life by Regina Leeds. While Amy & I have had the book since the beginning of the year neither of us got too far. One of the first things you are supposed to do is create a dream board - what you want your life to feel like/be/inspiration. Can you figure out which is which? I'll give you a side by side and then both boards: (and yes - that's the race in the background above both boards)

Amy's Garden

Amy has taken over the balcony and by the end of the summer I don't think you'll be able to sit on it. She has a garden growing:
Tomatoes
somewhere in this one is a garlic sprout
Cilantro
Squash
green peppers

I'm looking forward to the tomatoes the most!