New Toys!

One of the wonderful post Christmas perks is the kids play for hours with their new toys. Hours of happy, playing kids equals happy kids and a happy mom. Here are some pictures of the fun.

I could never get a picture of the cars going around...they move too fast.

This is also a favorite of Scott and I.

When Owen concentrates out comes the tongue...just like his dad.

Thanks to Grandma Miller Spencer got his first Lego set. He has spent hours with this firetruck. Usually repairing the damage done by his brother.

Other 2011 fav's include new trucks, guns, movies and games. I can't even tell you how many games of Guess Who I have played in the last two weeks.

Christmas Eve in Kansas

This year Christmas was much different for our little family. We made the hard decision to stay here in Kansas and spend our first Christmas away from the rest of our family in Utah. It was different but not bad. We had a great time relaxing and hanging out with out the normal hustle and bustle. Christmas Eve day since we knew there wouldn't be snow for Christmas we made our own snowflakes for a white Christmas. Then we did tradition holidayish things like playing football

and eating cheese balls.

Then we joined a family party via webcam and enjoyed watching gifts that we sent be opened and also opening presents from family far away.

Next on the list is getting ready for Santa's arrival. I love how basically the pictures below tell so much about the personalities of each of these Miller boys.

Sweet-

Silly-

Crazy-

We were so grateful to be invited to a party that night with many great families from our ward. They really are our family away from family and what a treat it was to spend the evening laughing and eating and enjoying each others company. I am sure that helped keep the homesickness at bay. Then home we went to get ready for the big events to come.

We had so much fun with the magical feeling of Christmas. Each year it gets more and more fun with these little guys.

The house is ready...time for bed.

The Minivan Express

The night before Christmas Eve we surprised the kids with a ticket to ride the Minivan Express. As Scott got the kids ready for bed and did the normal routine I put tickets on their pillows and then went out to the van to wait for my passengers. We had just finished watching The Polar Express and as soon as they saw the tickets the fun began. They put their robes and slippers on and Scott led them out to the van. We don't really go out much at night after dark so the kids hadn't seen many Christmas lights. The Minivan Express took us to a neighborhood that is WAY decked out with lights and while we drove they had hot chocolate and ate popcorn. The kids loved it! I loved it! So simple but it was a hit. In fact when we got home Owen insisted on sleeping with his ticket and the next morning when they woke up the first thing they did was play Polar Express with the kitchen chairs all in a row and taking turns wearing the Engineers hat. We might have to do this again next year!

Like father like son...seriously alike

Scott and I were looking through some old boxes the other night and found these of him at about Owens age. If Owens hair were longer they would be identical.

Seriously, are my genes involved at all? Actually, it's fine because the are both so cute.

Just because he's cute

Potty Trained

I should have posted this a couple of months ago but I can't pass up on giving props to my Owen Jack. I was convinced that he was going to be difficult to potty train and well he basically rocked it. When we started he was scared to even sit on the toilet. So, I did the same thing I did with Spencer. We went to the library and checked out "Go Potty Go" and I brainwashed him. After watching it about 5 times in a row he wanted to sit on the potty. We stocked up on reward treats and we were fully committed. The boy is a genius. He regularly pooped about twice a day before potty training but once there were reward suckers the kid was eeking out little nuggets all day long and basically had a sucker in his mouth all day everyday for a week. A week later he was trained and now a couple of months later he even sleeps in underwear. I'm so proud of him!

It's about time they pull some weight...

With two little boys using our toilets they need to be cleaned frequently. They now clean the toilets.

I know it won't last forever but they actually enjoy doing little jobs around the house.

It's a beautiful thing.

"Dodging" for apples

I'm not sure where Spencer even heard about bobbing or "dodging for apples as he says it but he was adamant that we do this for family home evening.

He loved it.

Scott was compliant

Owen never really got the no hands thing but was happy to eat apples.

I Hope They Call Me on A Mission

It's official, my Mom and Dad will be leaving January 30, 2012 to serve a two year mission in San Diego California which coincidentally is the same exact mission Scott served in 8 years ago. Since their call I have been thinking a lot about the sacrifice that this is for them and yet they don't see it that way because it has always been part of their plan. They are such an example to me of service and willingness to turn their life over to the Lord. It won't be easy and there are lots of details to work out but their faith is great and I know they will be blessed...and missed. I guess this is their way of retiring to San Diego.

We have had some awesome sister missionaries in our ward and we have loved getting to know them. They made these cute missionary badges for the boys. It's hard enough to send my parents off for two years and I can't even begin to imagine what that will be like when it's my boys. Until then look how cute he is.

Halloween 2011

For the third year in a row Spencer asked to be Super Why. Every other year I have been able to talk him into what idea I had for him but this year I decided to try to make the costume he wanted. I don't sew. It wasn't easy and the first time I tried to sew his cape it took me a half an hour to thread the machine and everything I sewed the fabric frayed right through. Luckily I had a friends who came over and helped make up for my lack of sewing skills. I think it turned out pretty great if I do say so myself.

Luckily I can still talk Owen into wearing the costume we already have in his size.

We carved our pumpkins in the day just before heading to the ward trunk or treat. When we finished carving them we lit the candles inside and went into the laundry room where there are no windows and turned off the lights to admire our work. When we tuned the lights back on Owen has hiding in the laundry basket. Apparently he was uncomfortable with Scott and Spencer's "meam punkin." He did, however, love his "happy" pumpkin.

This year was so warm for trick or treating it was weird, poor Owen was sweating in his puffy warm costume. Look how our pumpkins shrivled up in the heat. This was one of the best Halloweens I can ever remember. The boys loved trick or treating and ran around with a family from our ward while I hung out with the other parents (minus Scott who chose to attend the Chiefs/Chargers game...50 yard line 17th row. Punk)