.

Correction

2011-01-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

I said Onyx was getting a tooth. He actually ended up getting teeth. Two right in front on the bottom. Daddy thinks they are so cute.

Weekend Fun

2011-01-15T21:11:00.000-08:00

So I was desperately in need for some time with my mom. Seems like a girl needs a little of that sometimes. Since I have such a good mom she took a whole weekend of her super busy life to come see me. Not only was I lucky enough to get a visit from her but she brought my three oldest nieces. It was such a fantastic weekend that filled my heart back up with love. Onyx loved the attention he got from his cousins. I didn't take a single picture which makes me sad because all of these kids are growing up so fast! Grace typed up a quick over view of our weekend activities below. (Thanks Grace!)

"Morning Til Night

It's been such a long day don't know where to start.

Well first, we woke up and played the Wii. Next was the vote on what we were going to do today... It ended up I lost, we had to go swimming. I so wanted to go roller skating. But after all it was fun!

Then we had to settle down and watch KIKI's DELIVERY SERVICE and ate ice cream bars!!!"

I have to add that the best part was snuggling and chatting on the couch after the movie.

First Tooth

2011-01-14T15:52:00.000-08:00

Our little man has his first tooth! Poor guy has been so uncomfortable the last couple of days which meant there was lots of walking, bouncing and rocking around here. Leon has been working over 60 hours a week during this break from school and so I have been feeling a bit frazzled. However, whenever I rock this sweet boy to sleep everything seems just right.

2011-01-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

Our little Onyx has been sick. (For all of these pictures we had to wash the snot off of his face first.) Poor guy sounds like a little pug because he has congestion both in his chest and sinus so he can hardly breath. Nights have been restless with lots of coughing. To top things off I accidentally got him to close to the crock pot a few days ago and burned his little hand. Despite this all he has maintained good spirits and has not even been fussy. What a trooper! He is very fascinated with his hands right now and will stare and stare at them as he moves his fingers. He also is able to maintain a sitting position independently which makes me a little sad. I mostly just hold him still because I'm just not ready!
My mom got Onyx a little tuxedo off of ebay. He looks so so cute in it but we seldom have an occasion for him to wear it. Last night we decided we would all get dressed up and have a nice dinner somewhere. (Then I would also have somewhere to wear the gold necklace Leon got me for Christmas.) We tried several restaurant, but there was an hour wait at each which we didn't think was wise with a baby so we ended up at Perkins eating meatloaf. :) Neither Perkins or meatloaf are on my list of favorites, but surprisingly both were absolutely fantastic and we really had a good time.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-01-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

It was the most wonderful time of the year

With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"
There were tales of the glories of
Christmases long, long ago
Hearts were a glowing
When love ones were near
It was the most wonderful time of the year!

Our Christmas celebrating started on Christmas Eve's eve with a pizza party at Leon's sisters. That evening we had our own little Christmas with just us three at our house, though Onyx crashed after the first present was opened.
On Christmas Eve we headed up to Worland and than on to Lovell where we did the traditional Bethlehem dinner and candles.
Christmas morning we watched as Ramie's little ones opened their gifts. The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent visiting grandma, playing with new toys and eating of course. Leon and I also got away that afternoon for a little date to the movie Harry Potter. Wendy Roth even showed up how the projection of the movies works which was pretty interesting.
Christmas night we opened presents at my parents. Once again they spoiled us with gifts.
The highlight of Christmas was Sunday morning when Leon was able to give Onyx his baby blessing. What a special time. Leon was very nervous as this was his first blessing with others present but he did a beautiful job. Our Christmas season was truly "the most wonderful time of the year" full of much love that left our hearts warm to welcome in the New Year.

So much to be thankful for...

2010-12-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

Look at his face. He was so excited about the lights!

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday. It is a time that we can refocus our minds on all the wonderful things we have to be thankful for and puts my mind on the right track for a meaningful Christmas.
Our Thanksgiving was full of food, friends and family. Leon had two days of work which meant we had a 4 day weekend with him. It was so heavenly.
Since my parents were out of town we spent Thanksgiving around Casper. On Thursday we went out to a family's home in our ward. They have 8 kids that are ages 12 and under. What a fun time we had. All the food was homemade (including the butter) and delicious. I even made my first successful pie crust.
After lunch Leon, Onyx and I took Leon's nieces Christmas tree hunting. We got a bit of a late start and had to drive quite awhile so by the time we got there it was very cold, windy and dark but we made it home with a beautiful tree.
Friday we tried out Black Friday shopping, but must have not been in the spirit because we were home by 9am without a single deal. We spent the rest of the day decorating and taking Onyx swimming.
Saturday we had Thanksgiving dinner again with Leon's family. Sunday we got to enjoy more time with family when my parents and Brad, Mary Ann, Aimee and Hyrum stopped for dinner.
By the time Sunday night rolled around our hearts were full of love and gratitude for each other and all we had.

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

2010-11-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

When Onyx was born I looked into using cloth diapers. There were several reasons they appealed to me. First, I'm a bit frugal and didn't want to have to be buying diapers all of the time. Second, I had read that they were less likely to give your little ones diaper rash. I really had no idea how to cloth diaper or what to expect so it has been a bit of an adventure but I've really grown to like them. There are several different types of cloth out there now, nothing like what past mommas have had to deal with, the cloth and rubber covers. The diapers I found I like the best have a cloth pad the goes into an outer shell. The outer shell is made from fabric that whisks the moisture away from the skin into the pad to keep little bums dry. I have to admit I still use disposables whenever we are going places because they truly are convenient, but I've found that we sure do love cloth at home.

Swimming with Daddy

2010-11-13T19:13:00.000-08:00

Today Leon, Onyx and I went swimming at the recreation center here in town. They have slides, a lazy river with sprayers and a little splash park in the shallow part of the pool. I've taken Onyx swimming a couple of times before but it has always been during the adult open swim so none of the sprayers or slides are going and so it is pretty calm. He really enjoyed those times so I wanted to go today when Leon could come too. Today it was family swim though so the place was busy with excitement. Leon took Onyx through all of the sprayers and splashers and he actually liked it. I was surprised because I hate those things. I decided it's good Onyx has Leon because he lets him do far more adventurous things then I do.
On a side note, Onyx really does enjoy playing with his daddy. I play pretty gently with Onyx. We read stories, play with toys and cuddle. When Leon gets home Onyx gets to play all rough and tough. They play airplane, rocket ship and growl at each other. I think Onyx really likes the different dynamic and sure does think his dad is funny.

Halloween

2010-11-10T19:06:00.000-08:00

For Halloween we decided to be the Rubbles off of the Flintstones. Leon got me started early working on our costumes but like usual I procrastinated until the very last minute to finish them up (and I swore I was never sewing another costume again!) Onyx made an adorable little Bamm-Bamm and I suppose Leon and I were pretty cute too. We went to our ward Halloween party Friday night which was good because I ended up with strep throat Sunday so I missed out on the trick-or-treaters. Leon still dressed up and handed out all of our candy as well as whatever he could scrummage out of the cupboards.

What We've Learned

2010-11-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to write this post for weeks, but time just seems to slip away. There are dishes that need done, laundry that needs folded and floors that need scrubbed (you know how it is.) But, Onyx is tucked snug in bed and I'm not going to delay this post for another moment!
God sends us children to teach us many things, but mostly how to love. He sends us our own little ones so that we can better understand His love for us. Onyx has sure filled my heart with love. His every grin, grunt and giggle just sends my heart overflowing. He really is a sweet little guy.
As Onyx has been teaching me more about God's love for His children, Onyx has also been learning so much himself. He is so fascinated with the world and watches everything with such awe until he is so tired he just can't stand it. He has become quite the little chatter box. If you talk to him he will coo and laugh back. Sometimes while he is helping me with chores it sounds as if he is singing. Slowly he is gaining more and more control of his body. He tries so hard to grab toys, hair, ect with his cute little hands. He also sucks on everything, especially his lips and hands. His spit has become rather entertaining and he will gargle it and blow bubbles with it all day long. Onyx has not quite mastered rolling completely over but he goes from his back to his side in a hurry and I have to be careful now where I set him down because he can wiggles off the couch or out of his bouncer in no time.
I just love this little guy!

The Preisthood Blesses Our Home

2010-11-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Leon received the Melchizedek preisthood. My father was able to come down to do the ordination. It was such a beautiful and happy day. I am so excited to have the priesthood within our home and I know Leon will be a very aware and giving preisthood holder.

God Gave Us Weakness...

2010-10-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Ether 12: 27
Lately I have decided to focus my scripture study on overcoming weakness. Living the gospel is pretty easy for me. I'm lucky that I do not have to deal with many temptations. I have a supportive family that helps me live the gospel standards. I like being good. Though, those who know me best know that I struggle with two main weaknesses on a daily basis. One, I am quick to anger. I suppose that is the fiery redheadedness coming out in me. Two, I struggle with my body image.
I guess in my niaveness I thought that when I became a mother that I would miraculously overcome the later of these weaknesses. That I would have so many other things to worry about that it would just disappear. However, Satan is still holding on tight, so once again I must turn to the Lord and hopefully, one day this weaknesses will become my strength and I can move on to fighting different battles.

Two Little Witches

2010-10-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

When I was out visiting teaching this week one of the ladies had witches' potions sitting on her counter. She said during Halloween time she makes her kids naughty potions when they are bad. I thought it was a cute idea so I mixed some up today while I had some of my babysitting girls over. I took some old bottles and filled them with food coloring and water and them labeled them with spooky...but not too scary names like "melted ear wax" and "fungus." I then made some little recipe cards for Love Potions, Naughty Potions, Sleepy Potions ect. They had a blast brewing them up. I had them add vinegar and baking soda aka "Ground Goblins Teeth" and the potions would fizz and bubble. They would squeal and squeal. It was some good innocent Halloween fun.

Our Bountiful Harvest

2010-10-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today we finally gave in and harvested the last of our garden for the year. It was an interesting year for growing. About February Leon got ambitious and started a bunch of plants indoors (I think it was his way of "nesting" while I was doing mine). Our kitchen served as a little green house for several months and we had quite the assortment of herbs, beans and tomatoes. When we went to transplant outside the Casper wind ripped our little plants apart. The garden then got neglected as we got busy planting grass and preparing for Onyx. In July we finally got around to replanting. We really didn't think we would get anything as the plants seemed to not thrive. In mid August Leon decided to try some weed and feed on them. Boy did they finally take off. We enjoyed tomatoes, rhubarb, peas, beans, radishes, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries and broccoli from our little plot of land.

Adding a Little Spook to the Season

2010-10-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Leon and I have been wanting to decorate for Halloween. We've looked at the decorations at the store, but I'm never willing to spend money on them and they are all so yucky looking anyways. So, Leon got busy and cut out some "spooky" designs from metal. We added a little paint and hung them in our trees. Now we are officially ready for the trick-or-treaters!

How We Spend our Days

2010-10-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

I officially consider myself a stay at home mom since I get to stay with my little boy. However, we don't actually stay at home. Onyx and I have a job tending a little two year old, Bode. We watch him at his house where he has his own toys to play with. He really is a good little boy. At first Onyx didn't really like going there because he would usually miss his morning nap. Bode didn't particularly care for Onyx at first either. At times he would get a little jealous and even tapped Onyx on the head with a plastic baseball bat to see how I would react one day. Now they are awfully fond of each other though. Onyx loves watching and laughing at Bode. Bode loves talking to Onyx and holding his hand. In fact, the only way Onyx will ride in the stroller is if Bode is riding next to him. I'm so glad they have grown to be buds.

Introducing Onyx Michael Miller

2010-10-13T18:04:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I know this is a little past due, but I wanted to officially introduce the newest addition to our family, Onyx Michael Miller. He was born July 17th, 2010. I would have written this sooner, but I just haven't been able to put him down long enough. He was 7lbs 1oz at birth. He has already more then double that and boy do we love kissing his soft round cheeks! Onyx has the sweetest little personality. He's really quite easy going and seldom gets upset. He loves to cuddle. He's got his dad's charming blue eyes and just might end up with his mom's red hair. We our so blessed to have this little man in our life. He has already brought so much joy into our home.

To My Hunny

2010-10-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

Leon and his nieces catching crawdads at the lake.

Leon's graduation - Mike Enzi was the guest speaker

I wanted to take a minute and brag on my hunny a bit. I feel he deserves a public thank you. Those who know me best know I can be rather cranky, demanding and down right ornery at times. I'm not always the easiest person to live with. Leon is always so patient with me. He smiles and tries harder and lets me get my gruff out.
There are several things I really admire about this man. First, he is so dedicated and excited about learning. He earned his GED in August 2009 after dropping out of school in just 6th grade to work in the rock quarries in Arizona. Can you imagine? He has now completed 3.5 semesters of college and is taking math that I can't help him with. He gives every assignment his very best. He studies for every test. He takes full advantage of his learning opportunities. I am so very proud of him.
The second thing I admire about Leon is his fun loving personality. He loves to play. Every night when he gets home from work he teases the cat mercilessly. I know Onyx is just going to love him. Just yesterday Leon sat him on the bed and then started jumping on it softly. Onyx laughed and laughed. If Leon stopped he would start to cry. Leon's always the first one in the water whenever we go swimming and will swim with the kids for hours. He really is still just a kid at heart.
There are so many other things I love about Leon, like his complete honesty and his ability to be so generous. The list goes on and on.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-10-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

There's not too many truly great men in the world. Sure, there are a lot of good men, but truly great, very few. There are even fewer of us who get to be daughters of a truly great man. However, somehow I was lucky enough to have one for my father.
Today my dad turned 51. Since we were not able to all get together today, we celebrated last Saturday evening. The evening was full of laughter and little shrieks of joy as the grand kids (all 8) played. The adults managed to enjoy good conversation amidst the noise. Ramie made homemade spaghetti sauce from tomatoes out of Mom's garden. Grandma made a delicious plum cake from plums from Nona's trees. Love radiated throughout the evening and at the center of that love was my father.
Like I said, I don't know how I got lucky enough to have him as my father. He is the most loving, patient and accepting person I know. He gives of himself freely without complaint. He never raises his voice and judges no one. He radiates a sweet and cheerful spirit. I am so blessed to have him as my father.

Trip to Arizona

2010-03-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

For spring break Leon and I took a real quick trip to Arizona to visit his dad and sisters. We didn't do anything too exciting but Leon sure did enjoy seeing his family. His sister had a baby last June and this was the first time we got to meet her. We also really enjoyed his youngest sister who is deaf and only speaks sign. She is so funny with her expressions. Leon's dad was moving so we got a bunch of old bottles who now have found a home in our kitchen. Besides all the mud and rain it was a great trip.

Digging...Bah hum bug!

2010-03-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

This past week Leon and I have been working in the evenings on digging trench for our sprinkler system. It sure is a lot of work and talk about a back ache. My hunny is good about letting me rest so it's been a slow process but today we almost finished the backyard. YEAH!

Christmas

2009-12-29T10:21:00.000-08:00

Leon and I had I wonderful Christmas. We celebrated on Christmas Eve with Leon's family with a little pizza party. After I got off work that day we headed to Worland. We worried about bad roads but they turned out to be dry.
Christmas day we opened presents at my mom's, played some on my dad's new Wii and then headed to Ramie's for more celebrations. Our family sure is growing with little ones that kept us all bust. We enjoyed each others company and ate a Bethlehem dinner and watched the "Breath of Heaven." We also lit candles on the tree and sang Christmas songs. The best part was really just being together.

Belly Pics

2009-12-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone has been requesting belly pics so I guess here are a few. I had to take them myself so they are not of quality but you get the picture. Really my belly has just started permanently being there within the last week. Before that it would be there and then I'd be as flat as ever shortly after. Sometimes my belly is really soft and sometimes it's hard. Somedays I don't mind it and other days it drives me bonkers. If I don't wear a tight shirt you really can't even tell :).

Ukrainian Christmas Feast

2009-12-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Three years ago I arrived home from the Ukraine right at Christmas time. We decided to have a Ukrainian Christmas Feast and have all of the extended family over to look at pictures. After the feast I brought the leftovers back to Casper and shared them with Leon. Every Christmas since he has asked me to make a Ukrainian Feast. I guess 3 years in a row means we can officially call it tradition. It was very tasty to eat tonight and brought back lots of fun memories of babushkas sweeping the streets and yelling at me to put my coat on and not sit on the ground because my ovaries would freeze! I also remembered all of my ornery little school girls and wondered how they have grown.

Breath of Heaven

2009-12-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

12/21/09
As the holidays are drawing closer I'm greatly looking forward to our Christmas traditions. At some point during the holidays we always have a Bethlehem dinner and eat food that Jesus would have eaten. After that we watch the Breath of Heaven song to the Nativity video. We usually have to watch it multiple times because we are all in awe. Thanks to Youtube I thought I'd share it with any of you who haven't seen it.

Relief Society

2009-12-22T17:06:00.001-08:00

12/20/09
Last week at church I wasn't late enough which meant people actually had time to talk to me before sacrament meeting started. So, I got asked to play the piano at relief society. Since my piano is now probably sitting at a dump somewhere from our little moving incident I didn't have a way to practice so I was soooo nervous and shaking when it came time to play. It all worked out fine though. God must have not wanted the piano to sound awful on songs about His son's birth.

Congrats to my Hunny!

2009-12-22T16:59:00.001-08:00

So on Saturday I decided to start a "photo of the day" journal so that I hopefully get in the habit of some sort of journaling before the baby comes. I'm already 3 days behind and better get caught up!
So....
12/19/09
The picture of the day is my hunny because I am just so proud of him and have to brag a little! He only went to school until 6th grade. He's now completed his GED and completed his first semester of college with a 3.9 in the last 7 months! Not only was he going to school full time but he also worked full time and put up with me. He is just so amazing!

2009-12-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

On Monday we got to hear our little babies heartbeat at the doctors. It was pretty exciting. Still feeling oh so tired and very itchy but we are getting close to the being done with that first trimester so hopefully that will help!

First Lights

2009-12-16T19:41:00.001-08:00

We hung our first set of Christmas lights a few nights ago. Well..in all actuality Leon hung them and I was just moral support from the ground. Not too much but I still love them. I also picked up a 4 dollar wreath from Hobby Lobby for the front door so I really feel decorated!

We've Moved In...

2009-11-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

The last day of October we moved into our new house. We had to be completely moved out of our rental within a day so we moved fast thanks to Leon's mom and my dad and little brother. Everything is here but now it's a month later and we are still unpacking boxes. Some day we may get it all done.
We are loving the house. It is three bedrooms. We turned one bedroom into an office and the other will become the baby's room (yes we are expecting!) whenever we get all the boxes cleaned out. Our living room, kitchen and dining room are all open with vaulted cielings so it makes the house look nice and roomy. Last weekend we painted the dining room yellow. I'm surprised at how bright it turned out but I think it's cute.
We have a nice patio area and a little backyard. Next spring we will have to put grass in but for now we are just living with the mud.
If anyone is in Casper we would love for them to stop by and visit!

So close...yet so far away!

2009-10-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Leon and I have been patiently awaiting for the closing date on our house. We signed papers last June for a little house. We wanted to get an old house with some character but after looking at the options we realized that it would be better to go with new construction since the interest rate is so low. So...all summer long I visited our little patch of dirt and watched the other homes slowly pop up around us. Then one night we had a hole in the ground with concrete around it. Boy, was I excited! I jumped in and made Leon play house for a bit. After that the house really went up fast. Soon we had walls, then a roof, and then rooms! Yesterday I drove by and and they had painted the inside and out! One week from yesterday we should be sitting at the bank signing the papers. We are so excited to have a place to call home!

Happy 50th B-day Dad!

2009-10-19T17:30:00.001-07:00

The 12th was my dad's 50th birthday. We waited til the weekend to celebrate. Friday night was Homecoming in Worland. Dad held a car bash. The kids sure did like taking a hammer to the car! Saturday we went to Powell. Dad took everyone for a tractor ride. Then he packed up his tractor and old Ford and brought them into the sentinel celebration at the museam. The kids got to ride on an old unique steam engine. We toured the museam where we got to see Oma's baby quilt and watched grandpa's tractor bail hay. Then we headed to Lovell for dinner and cake. It was a busy and happy weekend!

2009-09-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

This week was a challenging one for both Leon and I but it's good we had each other and good friends cause we made it through. Leon got his results back for his first round of tests and pulled all A's, even in Anatomy! I swear that boy is amazing! I'm working on my own now at WBI without supervision so that has been interesting. I've had a few fights but I try to respect the patients and they are usually quite respectful in return. This weekend was pretty laid back. Leon and I got Blizzards and walked around Mills which was Leon's stomping ground as a kid. He had a bunch of funny stories about places. We also found the Leprecaun Laboratory. We almost went in but then decided we didn't want to push our luck so we just took a pic of the sign instead.

7 Wonders of Casper

2009-09-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we did the 7 wonders of Casper with some friends.Nothing like a bunch of 20-25 year olds running around town like they were kids again. We really had a good time. Afterwards we Karaoked and it was the first time I saw Leon laugh until he cried. We even talked Leon's friend Brian into singing country music and now have some good black mailing material.

Ally Sheedy

2009-09-08T20:08:00.000-07:00

So today I got told I looked like Ally Sheedy from The Breakfast Club. I'm not convinced but what do you think?

Labor Day

2009-09-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

I had to work during Labor Day weekend (nothing like working for free on a holiday) but Leon and I managed to sneak away for awhile so I could take a cruise on my 4-wheeler. It was short...but I enjoyed the wind in my hair for a few hours!

Birthdays Birthdays!

2009-09-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

Bryce and Owen's birthday was last weekend so we went to Lovell to celebrate. It was the first time the whole family has been together in forever so it was a full house. Owen is getting to be quite the toddler and loves being chased. He and I got to laughing so hard together we couldn't stop! Bryce turned 18 and I just can't believe it. Even though he's twice my height and not so little anymore he'll always be my favorite LITTLE brother ever! (Don't forget it Bryce:)

Back to school...back to school to prove to Dad I'm not a fool!

2009-09-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

Leon and I are back to school. I greatly enjoyed my 6 weeks off this summer but am adjusting well to my internships. Leon is working 31 hours a week and taking 13 credits so he is a busy man. We've been trying to rock climb together 2 times a week so that we see each other every once in awhile.

Rain Rain GO AWAY!

2009-09-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

Since it was the last weekend before school starting my family came down to visit. Our intentions were to meet at Martin's Cove so that the kids could have the whole "pioneer" experience. The day started out cloudy but we ventured out anyways. Sure enough when it was time to pull the handcart it started down pouring rain. The kids were good sports but when Owen started crying we decided to turn back. We spent the rest of the day in Casper shopping, bowling and playing at the art museum.

Sally Sam

2009-08-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

Tonight Leon's bother David came over to watch a movie with us. Whenever we have company Leon has to show off our garden which is now producing pumpkins. While they were out looking they found a little salamander. He was so cute! I think that last time I saw one of those was when my mom used to have them in her classroom in Shoshoni. We held him for awhile and then let him go. I named him Sam and sure do hope he sticks around for awhile! He may cure our desire to get a puppy.

YEAH!

2009-08-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Leon completed and passed his GED this past Thursday. We are sooooo excited for him! He did really well on all of the tests (8 hours of testing) and even scored high enough to qualify for scholarships. This is a big feat for him and the teachers at the GED center can't believe he dropped out in 6th grade because he did so well.
After testing all day Thursday he went back Friday for more testing to see what college classes he could qualify for on his Compass. A lot of classes were already full but we finally found something we think will work.
We went out to the lake Saturday to celebrate this milestone as well as his b-day. His mom, nieces, friends Brian and Donny, and Donny's kids all came. We had lots of fun playing in the water and sand, broke open a pinata and came home with sunburns.
I'm so proud of my hunny and just can't stop smiling!

4th of July

2009-07-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little out of order but I decided I wanted to write about the fourth since I just got my pics downloaded from it. Leon and I went bass fishing in a little run off lake near Boysen with the same group of people that went fishing with up by Jackson. I had never fished for bass before and was surprised at how wide their mouths were...I decided Aerosmith should have named himself after the bass instead. On the day of the fourth we went to the parade in Lander. It is such a fun parade because the firetrucks have a big water fight at the end and so everyone who wants to gets really wet. Sometimes when your in the middle of the choas there is so much water your blinded by it. It is really fun though because people of all ages (there was even this really really old man) are out there jumping around and acting like kids again.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

2009-07-14T06:11:00.000-07:00

July 9th was my 20th birthday. Ever since I was little it seems that I've gotten to celebrate my birthday on multiple days. Have a party with my family, a party with friends ect. Well this year was no exception. On the day of my birthday my mom came to visit. We worked on girl's camp stuff and just got the chance to talk. It has been a long time since I've spent time with just her so it was a fun day. That evening Leon got me angel food cake and strawberries. He also gave me some beautiful pearl and diamond earrings. I just love them! The next day Leon had taken off work so he could spend the whole day with me. We went to the fair and rode rides until we were sick, which didn't take too long. We also looked at the animals and had a really good time playing these brain games that a booth had set up. That evening we watched a movie and my little brother came to spend the night. The next day my parents, Ramie and her kids came to town. We had a BBQ at my house and made homemade icecream. Then we went out to Edness State Park. It's a little pond that we swam and rafted in. There are lots of little fish that will come up and nibble on your toes. At first the kids were not sure about them but they got bravier as the afternoon went on. It was 3 full days of celebration and boy do I feel loved and lucky! I have such a great family and they always are so good to me!

A Bloody Ride

2009-07-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

Today was "Flag Day" in Casper. Not sure how that holiday ever got to be, but it's a pretty big deal here. If you work for Natrona County you even get the day off. Anyways...I volunteered to take Leon's oldest nieces, Devin and Gadget, to the parade. As far as parades go it was a pretty good one. Over 2 hours long but the kids made out like bandits with the candy. After the parade I decided that we would ride out bikes to the grocery store to pick up a few things. We have 3 bikes but one of them is Leon's "trick" bike (he found it in the river and likes to ride wheelies and stand up on it and stuff). The only problem is is that it doesn't have any brakes. Leon's younger neice, Gadget, was stuck riding that one because she couldn't get on any of the others. She did really well up and down hills just putting her feet down. We were on our way home, all loaded down with groceries like melons, chips ect when we came upon a deadly corner. Gadget cut the corner due to her no breaks but that meants she also cut right into her sister and I. All three of us and our bikes ended up pileded on the ground, my head right into the metal peice that holds the chain. The gash wasn't really that big, but you know how head wounds bleed and this one was no exception. My face was covered in blood, the groceries were covered in blood and the pavement had a nice little puddle pooling. Poor Gadget went into histarics, screaming and crying about how she hates blood and to just leave her there because my face was scaring her. I tried and tried to convince her that I was okay and that I needed her to get up so that we could get home and cleaned up but she wasn't convinced. Luckily one of Leon's friends just happened to drive by and save the day by taking Gadget home while me and Devin got two of the bikes and the groceries home. Everyone turned out fine. Gadget put a whole pack of band aids on every little scratch and dirty spot, I butterflied my head shut and Devin walked away without a smudge. It always amazes me how brave you can be when you HAVE to be the responsible one.

A story for those with Germophobia

2009-07-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not scared of germs, but I like to think of myself as a rather clean person. I keep my house scrubbed, wash my hands after using the restroom, usually squat when using a public restroom, ect. Well...today while working for Lita (an elderly women with a beautiful yard) I so graciously volunteered to clean up an old wood vine that had died. It was laced between chicken wire above a gazebo thing. The vine had grown thick and it proved to be quite the wrestling match (I won but came out of it with plenty of scratches.) After getting the vine all down I had a huge pile of stick to pick up. The dumpster was clear across the yard and down the alley. I didn't want to haul the sticks to it because it would leave behind a trail and make an even bigger mess so I decided to bring the dumpster to the sticks instead. Now this wasn't just a little dumpster. This was a BIG city dumpster. The ones they put in alleys for the neighbors to share. It didn't have wheels so I decided I would tip it over and roll it down the alley and into her yard. At this point I wasn't thinking about how much I would have to touch it, but just about the time it toppled over to its side I realized. Anyways...I ended up pushing and pulling the dumpster the whole way there because it didn't exactly "roll" like I invisioned. When I got there the sticks overflowed the dumpster (kind of like leaves over flowing a garbage bag) which meant they needed to be squished down. I tried a shovel but it didn't work. I finally decided my only choice was to crawl inside the dumpster to get them squished down. The whole time I just kept thinking in my head that my grandma lived through many dumpster diving trips in nastier dumpsters then this. After loading the sticks, I duck taped the lid shut and started my roll back in the rain (fyi..duck tape doesn't stick to wet plastic.) When I got the dumpster to it's "home" I still had to tip it back upright which once again involved a lot of touching. I felt pretty proud to have finished my task but I haven't yet decided if it was really the easier way out. The minute I got home I did get in the shower and scrub down good though.

Camping Fun

2009-06-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

If you were to see Leon and I today we may appear to look like ripe tomatoes. Our weekend started out wet, with heavy rain. We had decided to go camping at Brooke's Lake near Jackson with Leon's friend Brian and his family. We made it up some super muddy roads in Leon's little mustang and arrived at the campground to find more rain. We decided to sleep in his friends camper that night instead of pitch our tent. It was a full house with six adults and 4 HUGE labs. The next day however we woke up to sunshine and blue clouds. We packed up our fishing gear and headed out hiking to Upper Brooke's Lake. On our hike we saw a real bear which I thought was pretty exciting! The boys fished during the day while I lazied around and read. When it was almost time to go I decided I better cast my fishing pole in the water a few times. I caught 4 fish almost in a row! (Leon and I both caught six fish each during the weekend. I usually am lucky to catch one!) I wondered if it was the same fish biting over and over but they seemed to change size and I moved spots on the lake. Our hike back down the mountain was pretty uneventful. That evening we enjoyed a hearty meal and smores of coarse. The next day we woke up with sunburned faces. It didn't seem to be that warm...we wore coats but the sun must have been tricking us.

Well...

2009-06-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

Well...A little catch up on our lives. The day after getting home from our honeymoon I took off to Billings for a school clinical at the hospital there. I enjoyed the work...but got very very lonely. One day a patient (a cute shrine circus clown) told me that I looked homesick. He didn't even know I wasn't from around there. Anyways, I lasted 2 1/2 weeks before deciding to return home. I felt like a failure, but decided I was only 19 and still had time to fail a few more times in life. I will be able to redo my clinical here in Casper so that I can still get my degree but will have to wait until January which will put me behind my classmates a bit. It may turn out to prove to be the harder road less traveled but I am satisfied with my decision.
So....now I am working helping an older lady in her yard. She has quite the gardens and I am learning a lot about plants and weeds. It's all very interesting. I'm also working on sorting my moms boxes of pictures which is going to be quite the task. Oh...and I've also gotten a chance to play with baby Brody a bit.
In the evenings Leon and I work outside, take his nieces for bike rides and work on his homework. We decided that my parents are soooo ambitious! We went to help them on their house last weekend and were so tired by the end of the day. We don't know how they do it everyday.

Ericka's Birthday

2009-06-26T05:05:00.000-07:00

A few days after little Brody Wolfe was born his momma had a birthday. Everyone loved adoring the new little one. Leon, Devin, Gadget, Joanna and I tried making Ericka a red velvet cake. It turned out alright but took $9 worth of red food coloring! The night we were baking the cake there was a tornado warning in town. A lot of people were running about and leaving town. One lady even drove around the trailer park Leon's mom lives in yelling "It's coming...everyone get out!" We didn't even know at first and were out on our bikes to get the needed ingredients. When the lightening and thunder came the girls would yell and run around the house. It was so funny.

Babies!

2009-06-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

We have a new little one to welcome into our extended family. Leon's sister had a little baby boy last night at about 8 o clock. He was 22 in and 7lbs 7oz. Saw him for just a minute and he sure is cute! No pics yet...

Birthday Weekend

2009-05-31T14:19:00.001-07:00

This weekend we had two birthdays to celebrate. On Friday night Leon's nephew turned 5. We had cupcakes and tacos and played outside with the new toys. Then on Sunday Leon's brother also had a birthday. I tried packing him a carrot cake but the pan cracked in two in the oven. We kind of saved the cake and it tasted ok. We also took him to Godfather's pizza and then went a swam in the spill way. The water was cold...but everyone got in except for me and had a good time.

Look how our garden grows!

2009-05-28T20:36:00.001-07:00

We were so excited to check out our garden when we got home. We had full sized radishes, spinach and lettuce that we harvested and brought to Leon's family BBQ Saturday morning. It was so fun to have something fresh from our garden to share. I have not seen it lately...but Leon reports that it is growing well, especially the beans and that we have pumpkins sprouting.

We are back!

2009-05-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

We made it back from Costa Rica early Sunday morning. It was a great time...nothing like what we expected but we still enjoyed ourselves. We spent a couple in Arenal near an active volcano. We never got to see the hot lava but we could see rock tumbling down it and did a lot of hiking around the rain forest. We hiked (it was considered a mild hike but was so steep and muddy!) to the top of an inactive volcano to swim in a beautiful lake that had formed up there. It was chilly but so refreshing after our long walk. We do explore the Venado Caves where we saw bats, huge spiders and fish. It was so fun to explore in there. We had to crawl through water and shimmy through tight places. It was one of our favorite spots.
The next couple of days were spent in Monteverde where we toured a cheese factory (they made chocolate cheese there) and zip lined through the canopy.
The last couple of days we spent at the beach. We did some buggy boarding, kayaking and snorkeling. We also built a HUGE sandcastle.
We really enjoyed our time together. We can't wait until our next vacation. We think we will
head to New York City!

OFF to Costa Rica!

2009-05-14T06:06:00.000-07:00

This evening Leon and I fly out of Denver for Costa Rica. We have a lay over in Texas so won't actually get there until tomorrow around 11. We are so excited. This is Leon's first time leaving the country and my first time leaving the country as the most experienced traveler. It's a little nerve racking because I really don't know that much...but I guess it will be an adventure nonetheless. When ever Leon tells anyone about are trip he gets so excited and starts talking faster and faster. I'm glad he is looking forward to it so much.
Here is our rough agenda. We will be flying into Libera, finding a taxi to La Fortuna where we plan to hike around the active volcano at night so we can see the lava floe. We also plan to go spelunking in a cave with water in it as well as spiders, bats and fish. Its called Vernado caves I believe. After a few days in La Fortuna we are going to Monteverde where there is a Cloud Forest with suspension bridges and ziplines. There is also a cheese factory, butterfly farm and snake farm. After Monteverde we plan to just relax on the beach for a couple of days before returning home.
We will post pictures when we get back!

Graduation

2009-05-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Since I will be missing graduation Leon had me put on my cap and gown and walk through the house to Pomp and Circumstances while he blew noise makers and whistled. It was probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever done...but now we have officially celebrated it and I've officially passed all of my finals. Yeah!

Last Day of School!

2009-05-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Today it my last final...finally! I am really excited to be done with school, at least for a little while. I'm not actually officially done because I have to start my fieldwork experiences in about 2 weeks but I'm done here at the college and will be "graduating." The fieldwork rotations are each 2 months long and I will be doing two. The first one is in Billings which means I will be away from Leon. I am not yet sure how I will be able to do it...but I just try not to think about it cause it makes me sad.
Anyways, I have really learned a lot and am thankful for the education I've gained. Despite how much a complained, it actually was pretty fun learning.
Thanks to everyone who helped me get to where I am!

May 2...THE BIG DAY!

2009-05-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

Wow! We made it and I'm officially Mrs. Miller. As the day came to a close I was absolutely exhausted but I just couldn't go to sleep because I didn't want it to all be over.
My sister and mother spent 2 days before the wedding in Billings getting food and last minute stuff. They then came here that night and we spent the day before making some preparations. They were soooooo much help and were patient and loving to me through my stresses.
The evening before we had a rehearsal dinner at the hotel my parents and several of my aunts were staying at. We ordered pizza and had dinner in the hotel lobby. The hotel was so kind to allow us to take over their space like that. We had to wait for my dad and little brother to arrive before we could practice so we let everyone swim while we waited. Leon was a great sport while we were swimming. All of the kids would hold on to each other to create a huge chain and then he would pull them all around.
When my dad arrived no one was ready to change out of their suits, so we just rolled out the runner in the hotel lobby and practiced in our dripping wet suits. We had a lot of fun practicing and the hotel guests found us to be cheap entertainment.
It was a great evening to prepare us for the next day.
The morning of we headed up to the lodge bright and early to get started with decorations and food preparations. We were blessed to have so many helping hands there. Everyone pitched in and did a wonderful job. Everyone contributed something. For example, my dad picked my flowers and brought up his old remodeled Ford pick up, my little brother picked my veil, my mom did so much planning and preparing she deserves a million bucks and my sister was right there by her side, my sis-n-law Mary Ann said an opening prayer, my aunts and cousins were there from all over the country to help decorate and the list goes on and on. I just couldn't ask for a better family!
My sister did my hair and make up and really made me look good. Thank you!
The ceremony was simple, but amazing. We worried about doing it outside but the snow really did add a beautiful backdrop. My little brother played Ashokan's Farewell on the Mandelen for my wedding march and that made it extra special. My dad gave Leon and I some sweet advice about picking the very best things in life and not letting things get in the way of our relationship and commitment because we were the best for each other. Leon and I had written our vows and the judge we used was so kind. At the end, I kicked off my high heels so that we could skip away through the snow. The judge picked up my shoes and Lily grabbed his hand to walk with him. It was just so cute!
At the reception we ate, talked and danced. It was so nice to see everyone and to have so much love and support.
The day ended up amazing. It wasn't what I had dreamed of, but I don't think anyone could have dreamed of something so good.
I loved it and am soooooo sooooo soooo thankful for everyones help!
I put a few pictures here but if you want to see more check out this webiste...
www.cwenskyphoto.printroom.com/marsieandleon
the password to get in is Miller

Celebrations

2009-05-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

In anticipation to the big day we have had many celebrations. While I was in Worland doing some school stuff at the hospital the Trombley's threw me a huge bridal shower. There were so many people there from the ward. It was so neat to see them all again. My amazing sister packed up her kids and drove all the way from Lovell to come for the evening. I felt so blessed to have her and her little girls there.
My old roommate Yolanda and some friends also put together a little bachlorette party for me. They made me wear a silly banner out to eat at Sanfords. We ate and talked and then ate some more. That night Yolanda and I stayed up late discussing the thrill and trials of life.
It fun to celebrate with friends and loved ones and I feel so blessed to have so many of both in my life.

Gardening

2009-05-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

In early April we started our garden despite the fact it was still snowing. Leon had this great idea to build greenhouse boxes out of old pallets and plastic to place over the top of our plants to protect them from the cold and rugged never ending Casper winds. Leon's niece Devon came over to help us build. In no time we had four boxes built and seeds in the ground.
Within about 2 weeks things started popping up. It has been soooooo excited to watch them grow. We already have radishes that are big enough to eat, chives, lettuce, spinach, peas, beans and sunflowers. I just can't believe it! Leon's half of the garden is doing substantially better then mine but oh well! I'm sure he'll share.
It fun to have a project that takes nuritioning and that reaps rewards. We just love our little garden!

Wedding Preparations

2009-05-13T05:25:00.000-07:00

Planning and preparing for a wedding is NOTHING like the movies. I don't care what they say. It just isn't that fun. The anticipation for the wedding is fun. Thinking your going to spend the rest of your life with the one you love is fun. But actually getting the stuff for the wedding...just not that much fun in my opinion. It's probably due to the fact that I hate make decisions, big or small, and I'm not that picky. So, I've mostly left the decorations up to my dear mother and helpful sister. Thank goodness for them or I would probably not have one.
I went wedding dress shopping with a friend and my mother in Billings. We found a gorgeous dress. More then I wanted to spend...but oh well I guess.
I also went with Leon to try on tuxes the other day. I made him try on EVERY color in the whole store and he did so so willingly. At the end I just decided on the original black and white though.
I really can't wait for the big day! It's so excited that I will soon be Mrs. Miller!

We're engaged!

2009-05-13T05:13:00.000-07:00

March 2, 2009 my honey asked me if I would be his wife. I obviously couldn't pass up an opportunity like that! Leon is so patient with me and so much fun to be around. He loves playing with kids and he works really hard. I just couldn't ask for me.

I knew he had been working on getting a ring because he had to have a jeweler make the one he like in yellow gold and it took over a month. Talk about a trial of patience! Thus, I was expecting it, but I just didn't know when. One day when I had to stay late at school he called me to see if I could come jump start his truck at the river. It's likely his truck could use a jump because he doesn't exactly drive high class vehicles. It is also very likely that he would be at the river because he loves the outdoors and loves fishing. When I showed up at the river and crawled up to hook the cables into his truck, the whole engine and stuff was covered in beautiful roses and lilies. When I turned around he was on one knee with an absolutely beautiful ring that I just love!
That evening I just couldn't stop smiling. We went to the Platte River Restaurant to eat and I wanted to just tell everyone.

OH HOW I LOVE THE WEEKENDS!

2009-02-23T16:03:00.000-08:00

This weekend Leon, Brian (Leon's friend) and I loaded up my four wheeler and his bike and headed to the edge of town to ride a little. Though most people would have said it was way too cold, we bundled up in several layers and had quite the time. The snow added for a little extra adventure and as the sun rose I really enjoyed playing in the mud! There rest of the weekend was spent on homework and just relaxing. It certainly was refreshing!