Mom Favorite: How Have I Never Heard of This?

Amazon Mom.

I'm not sure where I found out about it--maybe on another blog?   Or in a magazine?  Anyway, it's AMAZING.

It's Amazon Prime, FREE, for up to a year!  Just for being a mom!

(3 free months and an additional month for each time you spend $25 for up to one year.)

That means FREE 2-day shipping (no way!).  AND additional discounts on baby-related items.  AND even more discounts if you sign-up for recurring delivery.

I am getting my diapers (LUVS) delivered, for free, to my door for less than I can buy them at my usual super-stores (which are 30 minutes away).

I also ordered these little gems with Amazon Mom right before we left to bring Beza home.

Teething Bling Donut Shaped Pendant Teething Necklace (more about it here) and Oh Plah Teething Bracelet (more here). 

Wearing the Teething Bling necklace on our trip to bring Beza home.

Loving Amazon Mom! :) 

Friday Afternoons

Are a great time for a big bowl of popcorn

and a game with my favorite big girl. :)

Friday Favorites: That's Nat!

A few months ago I was looking for some series books that would be good for a 5-year-old girl.  M likes story books, but she definitely LOVES chapter books.  Anyway, I found this series, That's Nat!  They are awesome for little girls! 

There are six books in the series and they are written in the really fun perspective of 5-year-old Natalie.  I can totally hear M in Natalie's thoughts and I think that M loved reading about someone just like her.  Natalie also learns a lot about God in her everyday life.

Admittedly my favorite book is the last one.  I had NO IDEA, but in Natalie Wants A Puppy, Natalie finds out that her parents are adopting a little boy from China (with a cleft palate).  (Um, yep, and as I was reading through it I was totally trying not to cry. :)

A little excerpt from Natalie Wants a Puppy (Dandi Daley Mackall):

I never prayed a pick-the-right-dog prayer before. So I have to guess how it goes. "God, which one's the right puppy for us? I'd really like to be sure about that one. Amen." I look up at Granny. "Was that okay?" 

"That was just right, Nat," Granny says. "You know, your mom and dad have been praying a prayer just like that one for a couple of years." 

"They wanted a puppy?" I ask, surprised. 

Gran chuckles. "No. They wanted a child." 

Some of me wonders if they wanted a child as much as I want a puppy. The rest of me wonders why. "Why did they pray that, Granny? They already had me."

"Before they had you, Nat, your mom and dad prayed God would give them a baby. You were the answer to that prayer. And they thank God every day for you."

I know that's a for-true thing. "So why do they want another baby?"

"I think God gave them that want. And this time God chose to answer their prayers by letting them adopt a boy from China, a boy who really needs a home."

Really, these are such fun books to read to a little girl--I highly recommend them (and wish there were more)!  You can go to Amazon to read an excerpt here.  And you can quickly read a blurb about each one here.

A Favorite

A spoonful of this deliciousness...

Friday Favorite: Catchy Little Tunes

Was just hanging with Emily the other day when this song popped up on TV (no, we weren't watching Sesame Street, but T was ;). 



Also, in a search for some new Christmas music I saw a suggestion for Family Force 5's Christmas Pageant. LOVING their sounds--fun modern twist on the classics. Check it out...



(There are more in my Tunes on the side of the blog. :)

Friday Favorites: Hangin' with Tage

(a day late :).

One of my closest friends is Emily.  We spend a lot of time hanging out with Emily--talking, crafting, and eating her most delicious crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside grilled cheese sandwiches.  Love, love, love and are inspired by her awesome family.

This summer, little Tage joined their gang.  He is one of the happiest little dudes ever!  Snuggly and smiley.  Almost never cries--a-maz-ing!

(T's face was so funny in this photo--he was SO excited to be holding baby Tage.  Not sure Tage was as appreciative of the moment.)

Baby Tage was born with a hole in his heart.  Technically called "Tetralogy of Fallot," there is a hole between the two ventricles that causes oxygenated blood to mix with de-oxygenated blood.  On Monday, Tage will be having open-heart surgery to correct the hole.  Becca and I will be hanging out, talking and praying with Emily at the hospital on Monday.

Praying for Tage and for the doctors as they operate on his little heart (the size of a walnut.)...



Emily posted this song on her blog--the words are so beautiful and perfect...

Friday Favorites: The House Inside Our House

A few weeks ago our neighborhood had a yard sale and one of our neighbors told me about a dollhouse that they had been thinking about selling.  M loves her little plastic houses and I'm always looking for things to engage her imagination.  Our neighbor offered to just give us this AMAZING dollhouse.  Check it out--

The House

(Yes, it's missing a door, and, you know, a few windows--but those are just cosmetic fixes. ;)  

This whole front opens to reveal rooms on the front side.)

The back of the house.

Some close ups of the very cool furniture with working drawers and cupboards.

The piano/living room.

The master bath.

The master bedroom.

Elania's (from Fisher Price's Loving Family) bedroom.

The guest bath.

The breakfast nook.

The kitchen (check out those appliances and dishes.)

A child-size perspective with T and his best bud, the very lovely Hannah (also waiting for her baby sister).

Isn't it so cool?  Would totally love to live in this house!  So, so thankful for it. :)

Friday Favorites: Flowers from my Dad

My Dad loves flowers and he usually picks out a few for my sisters and me. 

These are some of the most gigantic mums.  They make us laugh because Dad's are so puny--his look like tiny marigolds. ;)

(Hair by Emily. ;)

And this most gorgeous iris blooms multiple times a year.  I took this picture yesterday.  Love the purple with all of the fall colors.  And the smell!  I think iris's are my favorite flower to sniff.

We also have a lot of grasshoppers hanging around for fun.  No, you would not catch me holding one.

Thanks, Dad, for all of the flowers that keep our house so beautiful and that always remind us of you. :)

Friday Favorites: Seedless Watermelons

Ahhh...so today, when I cut open a watermelon it was FULL of seeds!  I can not tell you how long it has been since I have had such a rare seeded watermelon.  As I carefully removed all of the seeds lest one of my children refuse to eat the said watermelon because of the them, I was VERY THANKFUL for the convenience of the seedless variety. :)

The carnage. :)

Besides watermelon, we have also been partaking of the delicious pears and apples from one of my parent's neighbors.  Thank you Mr. and Mrs. S!

Friday Favorites: Catalog Living

One of my FB friends posted a link to the blog Catalog Living a few weeks ago.  I literally had tears running down my face I was laughing so hard.  Not sure I can fully explain why, but it just totally cracks me up!

I am definitely an admirer of Pottery Barn catalogs.  I may even examine every picture looking for inspiration. ;)  Case in point, this monogram on our desk.  I saw a similar one in the first Pottery Barn catalog I ever saw, and felt moved to make my very own for our desk. :)

And so perhaps, because I too look at catalog images and sometimes wonder exactly what is "going on" in the picture, I find this blog absolutely HILARIOUS!  Love it! :)

Some favorites:  late guests on stools, flowers on a plate, the book stool, pages on the wall, the abacus, and the garnished cocktails--just to name a few. ;)

Friday Favorites: My Fleet & NEW NUMBER

Okay, I realize that in the grand scheme of things, my floor-care essentials are really quite meaningless.  But, as a person who may be known to like things a little on the clean and organized side, they do make everyday-life much easier.  And, so this is a not-so-serious little commentary about the three tools that keep my floors spotless with the least amount of time and home-making troubles.

Without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce you to the key players in my floor care regimen:
1. Dys*n Slim
2. Biss*l Steam Mop
3. Sw*vel Swe*per (yes, as seen on TV)

Glam shot.

Oh, I have had many vacuums in my lifetime.  I have had good ones with short lifetimes and horrible ones that wouldn't die.  I have cried in frustration as I realized that it would be easier for me to pick up the fuzzy stuck in the carpeting than to keep going back and forth, back and forth over it 20 times.  I have kerplunked heavy vacuums up and down the stairs bruising my legs and marking the walls.  I have yelped in more frustration as cords got caught on corners and came unplugged.  I shared many tales of my woes with J (poor guy) who finally said that enough was enough and it was time to find a solution!

That is when the Dys*n Slim entered our lives.  It is undoubtedly the most expensive "tool" I have ever owned.  But I must tell you, it is simply fabulous.  I seriously think I have NEVER complained about it.  It is everything you could ask for in a vacuum--lightweight, not too loud, easy to empty, long cord (I can reach every room on each floor without unplugging), long hose, and, indeed, amazing suction. :)  Truly a joy to use.

On to mopping...  Again, have used the wet and dry floor mops with disposable cloths, sponge mops and even good-old-fashioned on-my-knees-with-a-sponge-and-bucket hard-floor cleaning.  All of them either left my floor really streaky and still dirty or took a LONG time.  My steam mop is so quick and is always ready to go (I'm never out of any product because it only uses water!) and the floors are white-glove clean.   Mopping has never been more enjoyable. :)

The sw*vel swe*per.  Well, this little gem is just amazing in a house full of children.  It runs on a battery pack that rarely needs to be recharged, tucks away easily, and picks up every kind of crumb you can imagine.  Perfect for spilled cheerios, cake crumbs, cat food mishaps and tiny bits of paper from little people just learning how to use scissors.

And there you have it, my three best floor cleaning agents that hang out in the coat closet always ready to tackle the latest Miller mess in the least amount of time and effort. :)  In all honestly, really am VERY THANKFUL for them! :)

And, check it out!--For August our official and unofficial number is 20!  Almost in the teens! :)

Friday Favorites: Rocking Out with Veggies

We were cranking these tunes in the car the other day and it made me remember what a lifesaver they were a few years ago.

Our dear little M passionately HATED being in the car.  Between the ages of 4 months until she was almost 2, every car ride--even just the 10 minute drive to the grocery store--was filled with a lot of screaming.  It was NOT fun.  Trying to find ways to avoid the fits of screams or ways to quickly diffuse them tested every ounce of patience I had.  Definitely a challenging time.

Anyway, one day we tried a Veggie Tales CD and she was hooked.  Out of all of the children's music that we had, listening to singing vegetables completely captivated her. :)

Consequently we have quite a few Veggie Tales CD's.  To name a few...
On the Road with Bob and Larry --where I learned the lyrics to Bicycle Made for Two
Christian Hit Music  --Kind of funny to hear Mr. Lunt singing I Was Made to Love
Bob and Larry's Toddler Songs --I must point out the version of the Wheels on the Bus on this CD is different from the version on the On the Road CD and this caused M no small amount of concern. ;)

One of our favorites is Veggie Tales Worship Songs with Matt Redman.  M was in love with Matt Redman--she always wanted to hear the "Matt" songs (maybe it's his accent).  :)

Friday Favorites: My Dad's Raspberries

My dad grows THE most amazing raspberries I have ever seen--or eaten!  They are HUGE and ABUNDANT! 

And he loves to share them.  When he knows that any one of my sisters or I am coming to visit my parents don't pick them for a few days so that there will be lots.

Really they are the most amazing red and black raspberries I have ever had and we get to eat as much as we want--no need for berry baskets.  Most definitely a summer favorite.  Thanks, Dad!

Ten Year Anniversary!: The Beginning

Today J and I have been married for 10 YEARS!  Crazy! :)

J and I started dating during the summer between our junior and senior year of high school.  But our story began way before then.

My mom and J's mom went to nursing school together.  A few years after they graduated they were working at the same place.  And as the story goes, they both got the phone call from their doctors around the same day telling them that they were expecting.  J's birthday is at the end of November, mine at the end of December. 

Our moms did different things after we were born.  But, my mom kept all of the baby cards that I got.  In them was a sweet note on pink paper from J's mom with funny little stories about how messy babies can be. 

J and I didn't go to elementary school together.  But we did go to Junior High together.  At the end of 7th grade there was an awards ceremony.  We each won some awards and my mom said, "Hey, I think that's that boy whose mom I went to school with!"

I was insanely quiet and shy, especially around guys (I grew up with 3 younger sisters).  But after the last day of school of our junior year, J Miller called me to ask me out on a date.  I couldn't believe it!  I thought he was pretty cool.  But I had NO IDEA that he liked me.  My big fear was that I had said "yes" to a date with the wrong J Miller--there was another J Miller who was a year older than us and he was bad news.  :)

For our very first date we saw Congo and went to McDonald's.  I wasn't hungry, but I got french fries so that he wouldn't be eating alone.  Oh, so funny! 

We dated all through high school.  We both ended up going to Penn State (it really just worked out that way).  We got married 2 months after we graduated on July 1, 2000.  Our pastor read some of that pink note at our wedding.  Really, who would have known that those 2 little babies would grow to live happily ever after?  Love it!

Love you, J!  You are an awesome husband and daddy.  So glad I get to live this life with you.  Here's to a lifetime together!

Friday Favorites: "The Carousel Mall"

M and T LOVE the "Carousel Mall."  It's a mall that has a soft kid's play area and a double-decker carousel.  Every Miller kid's dream. :)

This mall is not so close to our house--maybe 45 minutes away, give or take.  But it has more stores than our "local" mall (making it one of my favorite places to shop) and on a really hot or rainy day it's a fun place to go.

Love this play area because the floor and climbing creatures are all super soft.  Great place to get some energy out and a very good reward for helpful little shoppers. ;)

Tumbling together under the caterpillar.

Posing on the bear.  (A little treat from McDonald's always helps with the ride home.)

We always go for either the horses on the top level or the spinning "cup" on the first level.

Fun place!

Friday Favorites: Baskets!

Happy Friday!  I have new numbers to post, but in the meantime thought it would be fun to share some of my family favorites on Fridays. :)  You know, the stuff that makes me smile and that just make everyday life easier.  Things that I'm VERY thankful for!

For my first favorite--I LOVE baskets!  I love that they are incredibly practical, yet beautiful and homey.  I love their organic and handmade look.  Love them!

Favorite places to get baskets?  Clearance sections of TJMaxx and Target and yard sales, of course. ;)

Here are just a few of the many baskets that help keep our house organized and lovely. :)

Basket on top of the desk for printer ink.

Baskets in my closet for jeans and the like.

My nightstand.  The bottom basket if full of parenting books and mementos from M and T.  The top basket is for the books I'm reading now.

Another side-table basket in the guest room/office.  Full of adoption books and paperwork.

Entrance-way baskets.  Top baskets--one each for lint rollers, car games and extra keys.  The bottom three--one each for returns, cleaning supplies for M & T and M's artwork that we send to grandparents when it gets full.  And even a basket bag full of sun screen. :)

Shoe basket--this one gets crazy full!

Toy basket.

Wooden train basket.

Crayon basket.

Pantry baskets.

Basket for fruit (time to make some banana bread). ;)

Potty seat and TP basket.

Tissue basket.

And everyone's favorite--laundry baskets!  (Though seriously, can't complain about having too much laundry--definitely thankful to have more than enough clothes.) :)

Yep, very thankful for baskets! :)