Christmas comes early for the Miller boys!

We celebrated Christmas early so we could have our own little family time before we fly to the U.S. for the Holidays. Cyrus and Talen wanted a guitar and lessons. We are still working on possible teachers.
Brodie wanted books!
We can't wait to celebrate on the 25th with all of our family in AZ, see you soon!

Cyrus and Talen worked very hard this quarter and earned a Nintendo DS, they are in Heaven!

Canadian Meat pies!

I know, I know, I am not Canadian, but sometimes my friend Carolyn makes me wish I was. Anyway there is a village named Shetie Camp where the recipe for this pie comes from, and Carolyn taught me how to make them yesterday. It is a Christmas tradition for the Mackay family, that I plan to adopt. I made 7!! Most will be given to friends as gifts, and the others we will enjoy. Thanks Carolyn for always teaching me something new.

Also the 2 plants on the top of the table are Bobbi (on the left) and Jeffy (on the right) the boys named them. I am very proud that I have been able to keep them alive, ( I usually kill everything green). Jeffy was dying, but when we put Bobbi next to him, he started to look much better. Jeffy even leans a little towards Bobbi now. This is no direct relation to the real Jeffy and Bobbi, but I thought it was pretty cool anyway!

Brodie is all grown up!

Brodie turned 19 months on the 4th, but he thinks he is 19 years! He is very independent and will not allow us to feed him anymore. He takes great pride in his bowl of cereal, even drinking the milk out of the bowl when he is finished. Hooray for Brodie!

All Done!

Budapest (Buda pesht)

JD had to go to Budapest for training last week and I was able to tag along. The city is very beautiful! We were able to do some Christmas shopping at a big outdoor Christmas market with musicians, spiced cider, and cinnamon bread! What more do you need to get into the holiday spirit! I also tried goulash for the first time and loved it so much I have been looking for a good recipe on line. Let me know if any of you have one!

The funny thing about Pokrovsly Hills

One of the things that cracks me up about living in Pokrovsky Hills is the "green men" They do everything for us, including changing light bulbs! However they always do everything in groups. This is a photo of them raking leaves, there must be at least 8 of them all in the same spot! They mow the lawns this way too. Usually this time of year they should be shoveling snow, however you can see that this winter is unusually warm, (49* yesterday).

Home sweet home!

After being in India for 9 days, we all missed our little bro! The boys spent the afternoon watching TV together, and we were lucky enough to catch this sweet moment on film. They were so happy to be together again!

Our passage to India!

This year for October break we flew with some friends to India. We started in Dehli then went to Agra, Jaipur, and Ranthambhore. We stayed part of the time in the home of JD's friend Rahul who is from Dehli. If I had to describe India in one sentence I would say, It is an assault of the senses! Everything from colors to flavors is intensified. The highlight for the boys was the tiger safari and setting off hundreds of fireworks on Dewali, (Hindu New Year). JD and I loved seeing the Taj and enjoyed watching the day to day life of the people in India. This was an amazing adventure!

Cyrus charms the locals!

Talen's new friends.

Danvi, Talen, and Dia

Dressing up for Dewali

Kristy, Migna, Ambica, Sita, and Rajni. All dressed up for Hindu New Year! These women were our hostesses for the week and dressed me for the occasion. I loved it!

Ric-shaw anyone?

Relaxing in the Taj hotel!

Halloween in Pokrovsky!

We celebrated Halloween early this year (October, 17th), as the school was having a week long break over the 31st and everyone goes on vacation. Some neighbors from the Canadian Embassy built this haunted house out of moving crates, it covered 2 double garages! It was really amazing. I hosted a Halloween party complete with pumpkin soup and pumpkin cake. I even made the boys costumes this year (with help from Carolyn). I guess I was having a Martha Stuart moment. The boys had a great time, we are really going to miss our friends here if we move this summer.

The famous luchador Nacho Libre!

Nacho's trusty side kick Esceleto!

Brodie is a cute skeleton!

Play Time!

The neighborhood we live in does not have private backyards, so everyones stuff becomes Brodie's personal toy box. This is just one of the many play house that we have to stop and play in on our walks.

Brodie is happiest when he is outside, and he loves to run!

It's Fall!

This is one of the best parts of Moscow, we live in the middle of a forest so our fall is amazing!

One of the big boys!

Brodie wants to do everything his big brothers can do, and since they don't eat in the high chair he doesn't want to either! This can be pretty messy so we only indulge him when I am in the mood to clean up the big mess he leaves behind.

Back to School!

We are ending our third week of school and so far so good. Cyrus has his first male teacher this year and finds him a little strict but otherwise nice, and Talen thinks his teacher is just fine. They both start their after-school activities soon and Cyrus will be swimming and playing volleyball, Talen will be swimming and taking a cooking class and learning to play the drums.
Brodie and I are going to story time a the library on Thursdays, and I will keep busy by teaching 3 Pilates classes and a Step class this year. I will be working for the school, and teaching the other classes at our community center again. JD is off to a slow start at work which is nice because I get to see him every night. I try to ignore that in 2 weeks I will be missing him again as things start to get busy.
We are looking forward to another busy year in Moscow and planning lots of trips, as this could be our last year in Russia. The future is unknown, but that is what makes life exciting!

Cyrus is always so excited about the first day of school, always eager to get out the door! He could barely pause from reuniting with his friends long enough for me to take this picture.

Talen is the opposite of Cyrus, he doesn't think his first day of first grade is a big deal, it is all just part of being 6 for him.

Rainbow Bright

It was really cold last week and I dressed Brodie for our morning walk and he reminded me of the children's doll Rainbow Bright, only Brodie was much cuter with his tye-dyed rain boots!

A boy and his dog (well as close as a son of mine will get anyway).

Brodie loves dogs and Kate is his favorite! He has decided that he needs to walk her now, so every time we are out he holds his doggies leash. I am so glad my friend Carolyn doesn't mind!

You are my sunshine

No words that I can think of could describe my beautiful sister Holly better than this photo that I took in August. Holly always makes everything fun! Thanks for being my sister, my friend, and the best aunt ever!

Oregon August 2008

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."
-William Shakespeare
I think Oregon is one of the most beautiful places on earth!

Ta Da!!!

The Miller Bros together in Oregon!

Talen digging to China.

Brodie takes a break on Mission Beach.

Summer Fun 2008!

Great friends come to visit us in Moscow!

Truth can be found in the most unlikely places!

Last night I was enjoying a nice dinner with my husband at a cute restaurant in Cannon Beach, Oregon. As we waited for our dessert (The Lemon Thing, which is super yummy!) I went to use the little girls room, and sitting and pondering my life as I so often do my eyes strayed to the wall in front of me. I lingered on the porcelain much longer than needed so that I could absorb the words written there.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves,
"Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?"
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to
make manifest the glory of God
that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
-Marianne Williamson

I am so lucky to have had so many of you in my life that have let your light shine and made it possible for me to strive for the same.

Barf-O-Rama

There is a scene from one of my favorite movies, (Stand By Me) when a kid at a pie eating contest throws up and soon the whole audience, judges, participants, etc. are also throwing up. I know gross right? Well I have been living this scene for the last 5 days, and it looks like the end is not yet in sight.
Friday I became very sick, but tried to ignore it as JD had just arrived in town and we were on our way to San Diego for a great vacation with some good friends. I did my best, but alas I was indeed sick and have since past it on to Brodie, Cyrus, JD, and my friend Becky.
We have washed so many towels, sheets, clothes, and even a car seat you would think we run a laundry mat! My fingers and toes are crossed that this is the end, but what ever this bug is it is fast and furious!
I can't believe this is how I am spending my summer vacation!
Send all your good thoughts and prayers our way, we need at least 1 sick free day this week!

Diamond Backs game with aunt Holly! 7/22/08

Talen and Holly went to the ball game tonight Diamond Backs vs. Cubs. He had a great time, Holly had box seats so they had a waitress, which I think was Talen's favorite part. It is nice to be back home so the kids can do fun things like this with family.
Thanks Holly!!!

Cyrus leaves for Utah to see his best buddy! 7/19/08

Cyrus was so excited to go see his friend and fly by himself! We are missing him, but are so happy that he is having a great time. He is growing up so fast!!

Back in the US of A!!

We have concluded another year in Moscow and are back in AZ for the summer. We have had a great 2nd year in Moscow with many highlights, these are some of my favorite moments... Dale and Linda coming to visit in April and how excited we all felt the minute we saw them standing in our doorway! JD was promoted at work, I am so proud of how hard he works, he is amazing! Long walks with Brodie in the stroller, the spring was beautiful in Moscow, and we tried to be outside as much as possible. Talen lost his first tooth, and Cyrus was Mr. Arable in his school's production of Charlotte's Web. The Miner's came for a visit in June and it was so fun to see how much fun our boys had with their girls.
I am going to miss all my friends in Moscow this summer and look forward to another year of adventures!

Sunday May 4th we were lucky enough to take the boys to London for 4 days. They loved being able to read the signs in English and understand everything everybody was saying. JD and I noticed as well how relaxed we were because even in a city we are not familiar with we knew that if we needed help or directions all we had to do was ask. A simple pleasure I am sure most people take for granted.
We also enjoyed the Krispie Cream doughnuts that were right next to our hotel!
Our favorite part of this trip would have to be our visit to Greenwhich. It was a beautiful city only an hour train ride outside London. We visited the Maritime museum and the Royal observatory. The boys learned what the prime meridian was and were able to stand over it. (Similar to going to the four corners in the U.S.)
We also went to see Wicked, if you haven't sen it you must! I loved it! Talen even quotes it now!
It was a nice getaway, but now I am ready for our next big trip, Mesa Arizona! It has been almost a year, and we are ready to see our family and friends!

London May 2008

My trip to Zug, Switzerland April '08

Baby Bro!

Another birthday!

Cyrus turned 9 on March 14th, but was home sick most of the week. On Saturday he said he felt good enough to go out to eat and pick out his birthday present. He wanted steak so we took him to Goodman's (a nice steak place in Moscow) he tried to enjoy his dinner, but still wasn't feeling great, and then we couldn't find him a bike, so his birthday date was a bust. However word got out and we had a friend give us a nice bike that their son had outgrown, and we managed to get him to blow out the candles on the cake so he could make a wish, so the week ended on a happy note.
Cyrus has really grown up fast these past few months, and is a big help to me with Brodie. He is doing well in school,and really enjoys writing his own stories he has a great imagination! Saturdays JD coaches his basketball team (Cy is quite good), and he continues to take swim lessons so he can try out for the swim team next month. We are lucky to have him in our family!

Cyrus turns 9!

Talen's Birthday

Talen turned 6 February 27th, and this year I was too lazy to do big parties like I did last year, so we told the boys we would take them anywhere they wanted to go for dinner, and then to the big toy store to pick out anything they wanted.(This is still safe, as their favorite things are still army guys and legos.) Talen wanted to have McDonalds for his birthday dinner, (we don't eat alot of fast food here) he couldn't have been happier with his royal with cheese and french fries. After dinner we invited some neighbors over for cake and a fun evening visiting with friends.
Talen has many friends and loves to play star wars on the Wii. He is the best at making Brodie laugh, and can't wait until the snow melts and we can go to the park and push him on the swing. He is very smart and can talk with adults just as easily as children his own age, infact he is the favorite among most the men in the branch, he is their little buddy. We are so blessed to have him in our family.