Miller Domain

Can't Get Enough of Me?

2011-05-10T08:57:00.001-07:00

Monday Morning Snark

2011-03-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

I like to read. And over the course of my reading career, I've noticed a frequent descriptive phrase (adverb? adjective? I dunno, that still confuses me.) that is like nails on a chalkboard.

Freshly squeezed orange juice.

Authors. Please stop. Nobody REALLY squeezes their orange juice. And if they do, they clearly are better than me so I stop liking your character (and sometimes, your book) a little. So please stop wasting your time and energy describing what's for breakfast.

(And yes, I realize the irony that I have a blog that two peeps read yet I'm offering advice to a published author.)

And again

2011-02-15T06:07:00.000-08:00

Everyday Valentine's

Shameless Self-Promotion

2011-01-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

Eating Crow

Reflections from the Dentist Chair

2011-01-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

So far this month I've been to the dentist twice. I have a third appointment early in February. My teeth aren't horrible, just one cavity plus I'm getting a crown (no jewels, BCBS denied that request) that requires two visits.

I've been entertained. My dentist's first language is not English which has struck my funny bone more than once. It's not just her speech that's amusing, but also her bedside manners. Last time she made a comment that I have 'much sticky saliva'. Mark asked me if I was sure she didn't say 'stinky'. Not funny. But possible? Yes, I suppose so. She also yells at her assistant. I would imagine their working relationship had a few kinks to work out before they became the smooth operation they are now.

Last week I asked my dentist if I could listen to my iPod while she works. She enthusiastically encouraged me to do so. She explained that she'll just nudge me if she needs my attention. I think she forgot. More than once I could hear that she was talking, but not after a few second did I realize she was talking TO me. Doctor? It's hard to hear/understand you when 1) I have approved earbuds in, 2) you don't get my attention and 3) you have a mask over your mouth.

Today I was amazed when I saw about an inch and a half of thick wire go into my mouth. But I don't remember it coming out. And I think she was one step away from putting her foot on the armrest of my chair for leverage when working something out or around.

I also realized today that I spend most of my time in the chair in a full-body clench. Like I'm expecting each move to hit every nerve in my mouth.

I feel I should end this post by pointing out that none of this makes me angry. Just entertained. I'm thankful that we have insurance so we can keep clean, healthy grills. And my dentist's office has so many endearing qualities too. One of the receptionists has the thickest northern accents I've heard since moving here. You can't help but smile when she calls to remind you about your appointment. And their reception area is filled with faith magazines and signs and posters containing scripture. I like that.

Still blogging--just not here

2011-01-10T07:01:00.000-08:00

As part of my job, I now have to write for my organizations blog. So if it's okay with you, I'll give you all links here to there.

Love & Respect
I Saw the Sign

2010 Christmas Letter

2010-12-15T09:24:00.000-08:00

(Sigh) The Christmas letter. For reasons unknown, I fear writing it more and more each year. I try to tell Mark that nothing has happened in the past year. But being the good husband he is, he gently reminds me of a few details to encourage me to start typing. So? Here we go…

About the time you were reading our 2009 letter, we were celebrating Christmas with my side of the family waaaaay up north. Like most families, we celebrate Christmas by exchanging gifts, eating way too much, staying up late watching movies or playing PS3 games and wrecking whatever big-boy toy Dad has from Polaris. This year was no different. Most likely preparing to be the next winter X-Games star, Mark was tossed from a snowmobile. So from then on, he was icing his knee with a bag of frozen peas each day. I’m not sure what it is about the two of us, but we always seem to get into trouble. Could it be that we’re getting older? Nah. I don’t think so either.

This spring, we had our nephews, Noah and Dana, up during their spring break. Being quite busy in the fall with our respective sports, we didn’t get much raking done at our rental place. So, since we had additional man-power, we decided to clean-up a bit. Plus, since we were burning a lot of the leaves (which I’m not sure was legal) it kept the boys interested. I was inside (no man-power here) when I heard a big BOOM outside. I ran out to the deck to see what the commotion was about and saw Mark on his tail, flaming debris flying and Noah looking at Mark with eyes the size of saucers. So naturally, I ran for the camera. After I took a picture I realized the seriousness, grabbed a bucket and ran down to help. Mark threw Noah in the lake and he filled buckets for us as we put out the small flames that were starting. Meanwhile, Dana was collecting wood for a promised s’mores campfire and had no idea what was going on. After we finished, we destroyed two bushes and gave Noah enough memories for the year. What did we learn? 1) Be careful when lighting fires in old rusted out barrels. 2) Safety first; capture memories on camera second. 3) If we’re going to set-fire to landscaping, it should be our own.

So in March, we became homeowners again. We feel truly blessed that we were able to find an amazing deal in a crazy-awesome neighborhood that is walking distance to Mark’s work. My favorite story to tell is when Mark and I were dating, he told me very seriously (probably after a trip to my hometown) that he’d never be able to live in a small town. And now? In our village (yes, village) of about 2300, he is practically the mayor. We can’t walk a mile in our town without it taking 45 minutes cause he’s shaking hands and kissing babies of all of our neighbors.

We’ve been married five years?! It doesn’t seem possible. To celebrate, we traveled back to Mitchell and spent our anniversary and the 4th of July holiday with our besties in SD. We had such a great time and didn’t want to leave. We miss you all so, so much. By the way, Cousin Earl says, ‘Hi’!

Before the summer was over, we had hotel points that were about to expire, so Mark planned a ‘in the area’ get-a-way. We found ourselves in Amish country, Indiana. What surprised me most was how commercialized Amish folks are! Before we headed home we swung through the campus of Notre Dame and got our picture taken in front of touchdown Jesus. And stopped at a non-Amish outlet mall. J

Halloween was learning experience for me. Growing up 2 miles from town we never had trick-or-treaters. Nor was I ever home, now that I think about it. Mark, being the more ‘urban’ half of the couple, went into turbo-candy-distributing mode. I discovered he had many pre-set rules to handing-out the goods. At one time I tried to give-out candy to a group at the door and I got a, ‘No, no. You can’t give the good stuff away to everyone’. So I retreated to behind the scenes and just enjoyed the entertainment. We went through about 200 pieces of candy in less than 2 hours. We then killed the lights and retreated to a backroom to hide. I’m pleased to report there wasn’t any toilet papering in our yard in response to us running out of candy.

We both are still coaching: Mark full time and me on the side. We both have experienced great seasons since the last letter and treasure the relationships we’ve built with athletes we work with. I’m still working for Marriage Matters Jackson and really enjoy what I do and who I work with. This year I had FOUR authors personally sign their book to me, three of them happened through work. This is extra fun for me as it typically is Mark who rubs elbows with celebrities. Mark would like me to point out he did see Mark Wahlberg and Snoop on the same day at an airport, but since he only SAW them, it doesn’t count. Right?

We really do have so much to be thankful for: Being able to visit family and friends, a new house, five years of marriage, jobs we enjoy, and on and on. I guess it’s healthy for me to journal our year in review each December for you so we can reflect on how many ways the Lord has richly blessed us. And look at this! Something else to be thankful for: I’m at the end of the letter! Mark was right, I COULD do it.

Merry Christmas to you!

With love, Mark & Kylee

i'm dead sexy

2010-03-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

I have a cold sore. It's ginormous and smack dab in the middle and underneath my bottom lip. A messy Princess Amidala makeover. And yesterday? I found out I have an infected cyst under my chin (aren't cyst's bad just on their own?). So I permanently have a double chin until the swelling goes down. Jealous?

Argh!

2010-02-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

I don't know whether to love or hate this book. I've never read such a cliff hanger before. I had to call my mom, at work, to find out what happens--who claimed she didn't remember (!!). What makes matters worse? I'd requested book #2 at the library, and it wasn't waiting for me when I returned #1, like I had wanted. Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue...

It Just Never Gets Old

2009-12-09T12:43:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Hip-hop version available on Facebook!

Our Backyard

2009-09-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

My 'bait' to get visitors. This is my backdrop to my morning coffee and reading time--well, actually this picture was taken at dusk, but you get the idea. Imagine the fall colors! We house-sit until spring of 2010. Let us know what weekend to reserve for you and your family.

Top Ten List of What I'll Miss About Oklahoma/Bartlesville

2009-08-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

The other night David Letterman gave me an idea. Mark and I have been randomly making comments about what we'll miss about living here. (Oh, if you hadn't heard, we're moving to Michigan). Why not make a post out of this on-going conversation?

So without further adieu...(drum roll, please)

The Top Ten Things I'll Miss About Oklahoma/Bartlesville
#10 - Authentic Mexican restaurants
#9 - Schools/events cancelling for a week after just about any snowfall
#8 - Central Standard Time (see beginning paragraph)
#7 - Gas prices
#6 - The proximity to Branson (and the outlet mall oasis)
#5 - QT (and not because of the gas prices)
#4 - The Gap Outlet right here in our mall
#3 - The OWU Community--students, faculty, staff, teams, coaches--you get the picture
#2 - My friends (the few, the proud, the brave)
#1 - Hands down, without a doubt, my team

And in tradition of rankings, here is the 'others mentioned': Chik-fil-A (it would have been a top ten, but this franchise does go beyond the OK borders), Big 12 football (however I will not miss Bob Stoops and his cliche-ridden press conferences), the commute to work, and an Oklahoma 'connection' to at least 2-3 contestants on American Idol

Mark also mentioned our mechanic, but after all, this is MY post...

Father's Day Story

2009-06-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

I LOVE shopping for cards. I love finding the perfect card for my friends or family. Once, I had forgotten to get one for my sister, Keri. Rather than sending her generic, not-so-funny impersonal card I wrote and sent a note on scratch paper. I'd rather do that than risk ruining my rep with card sending. (p.s. I also love GETTING cards)

So, Father's Day is no exception. I found one that made me laugh out loud and ventured to guess my dad would, too. Below is an e-mail from my mother I received today. Edited for posting, of course.

The package has arrived. Your father is so funny. He opened the box and I quote:

"A card and AN ATOMIC TRAVEL CLOCK."

A long period of silence.

"It even has the temperature, what time should I set the alarm for?"

That was a tough one to answer since we are not traveling. "6 a.m.!"

"And a second time?"

"Only set one"

"K"

The part that gave me a chuckle was this morning I see the card on the counter, under all the packaging, unopened.

All of my time spent looking for that card? Wasted. Doesn't matter. Cause the gift that MARK thought would be good got all of the attention (After all, Father's Day is all about ME, right?). But seriously? The story doesn't surprise me one bit--I got a nice belly laugh out of it, in fact. And I'm sure my dad is thrilled that he now has sons-in-law shopping for him rather than his daughters. I remember one Christmas I got him a ice scraper that was ATTACHED to a mitten. I thought it was genius. He? Wasn't as impressed. Not sure he ever used it, now that I think about it.

Maybe I'll send my card separate from the gift next year? Or take the instruction manual out of whatever gizmo Mark finds and put it INSIDE of the card? Brilliant.

Spring Cleaning

2009-06-14T16:01:00.002-07:00

25 Random Things & Facts About Me

2009-02-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

So there is this little 'forward' type of game going on Facebook. Basically, you come up with 25 random things & facts about yourself, and then tag (like, tag! you're it!) 25 friends. This has been going on about a month--maybe longer, as I'm not very cool. Here's my list:

p.s. If you're not on Facebook, you should be. If you are, and we're not friends yet, find me!

1. I've been so anxious to do this. I've been secretly coming up with random things & facts for about 2 weeks. Thank you Mindy, Crisa and Kate for setting me free.

2. I've made two quilts, some curtains and hemmed a lot of tears. If it's a straight line, I can sew it.

3. I can't straighten my pinkie fingers

4. I'm a published author. True story.

5. I paid off a student loan last week.

6. I save box tops for education even though I have no children. I'll give them to friends who do.

7. I have a crush on Jim Halpert. There. I said it.

8. I'm a paper towel snob. While I was at DWU, there was a science fair and a couple students did a study on which paper towel was best. I've only purchased Viva since.

9. I can and do eat chocolate at any time of the day.

10. On average, I read approx. 2 books a week. 90% of those books are fiction.

11. If I could live anywhere I wanted, it would be in Mitchell, SD. Maybe in someones basement if need be.

12. My very first job was building grain bins with my uncle. After the first one was complete, I was done.

13. Because of Mark's influence, I now enjoy talk radio. Dan Patrick and Dave Ramsey are my favs.

14. Once while playing with my sister's hair, I burned her. On purpose.

15. I once had a dream I could make force-fields like Violet on The Incredibles. But if I could have any super-power, it would be the ability to fly.

16. Most mornings I wake up with a song in my head. This morning it was 'Wipe Out' by the Fat Boys w/The Beach Boys.

17. I manage a bookstore but RARELY pay retail for a book. Typically I'll get it at the library or off Amazon.

18. I have really small ears. If I'm not wearing earrings it's because I've forgotten. I feel they make my ears look a normal size.

19. I have always hated being sticky, dirty or slimy. My mom can vouch for that.

20. I had an imaginary friend Sally. We used to ride bikes together. I have no recollection of when she 'left'.

21. Sometimes I'll play Michael Buble's, 'Save the Last Dance for Me', over and over and over on my iPod--many times while I'm walking. It has a good beat for my stride. And I love the song.

22. The coach/boss/peer I respect most is a man I thought I once hated (Andrew). I mean, who really makes teams do sprints and burners for WARM-UPS?! Turns out he just wanted us to be better. It worked. My senior year is a season that stands out from many, many others (playing and coaching).

23. I'm the only one in my family who doesn't need glasses.

24. I got my snowmobile permit when I was 14. It stayed on my driver's license until I moved to Oklahoma. I'm not certain that it exists here?

25. Last but not least: It's not a secret that I fiddle with the bottom or sleeves of my shirts. But what most of you DON'T know is that most of the time I don't even realize I'm doing it. My mom first noticed me doing it when I tried out for a club team when I was about 16. Also my dad claims he used to do it, too. So I think it started out as a nervous habit, but now I am constantly doing something with my hands--like I'll pick at the cuticles of my thumbs, fiddling with my cuffs--or any soft object for that matter, or playing with other random objects. Also, Mark is one of the few people who didn't try to rid me of the habit. I figure he was worth keeping around. :)

Treasures from Grandma Fish

2008-12-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

My grandma Fish passed away about three years ago. Here's Grandma painting the picture Mark and I have up in our bedroom.

Over Thanksgiving, my mom brought down some odds and ends inherited from her. It was now Keri, Kathy and my turn to go through the loot. There were plenty of 'what the heck is that?' items, but there were also several treasures. Here's what made it back to Oklahoma:

And three scarves and a lace tableclothEach item is so unique and fun. And the best part is that is was my GRANDMA's. One of the dishes even had a piece of masking tape with 'Fish' written in cursive. I've already started cleaning everything up and have even found a home for a few things. It was like an early Christmas!

My Everyday Hero

2008-10-16T14:05:00.001-07:00

I came home Monday night (cold--for Oklahoma--and rainy) and on my way into the house, I thought I heard the cry of a stranded kitty. Sure enough, after calling in reinforcements (Mark), we found the furball in our big tree in the front yard.
I didn't get to keep the kitty...oh, who I named Oakie. Because I think he/she was in an Oak tree (please don't tell Mr. Jensen I can't remember how to figure out types of trees) and well...we're Oklahomans. Clever, no?

What Would You do in my Shoes?

2008-08-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I'm blogging. I have a million and one things to accomplish before the girls get here for volleyball. Yet....shoot, this will be my afternoon 'break'.

So Saturday morning, I'm walking out of our living room, coffee cup in hand, and my purse in the other (looking back, I'm not certain why I had that?). I see a spider. Gross. Since Mark wasn't home yet (visiting family in Cinci) I couldn't just start screaming like I normally would. So, since I was barefoot, I used the bottom of my cup to squish it.

Done! Well, wait...it's still wiggling. I better squish it again.

Phew! That's better...but wait...I still see movement.

Looking closer, the MAMA spider has definitely met her maker, but her gazillion BABIES are now scattering all over my living room floor! Gasp!

I'm certain I set some type of world record sprinting to the closet where the vacuum is stored. Barefoot. And in my pj's.

So I got what I could see vacuumed up. It's quite likely I missed one, yet severely injured, that the then absent father will overbearingly protect the rest of their short lives. Finding Nemo II.
Anyways...so this is what I did. I propped the hose up in the air and stuffed a paper towel in the end--in efforts to keep the babes in. I then called Mark and instructed him to change the bag upon his return.

I still don't feel completely 'safe'. Perhaps I should add, 'spray for spiders' to the honey-do list?

Chuck and Duck

2008-06-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

I am getting such a kick out of this. As a bookstore manager I have a yearly meeting. Last year it was in Vegas. This year we travel to exotic Lincoln, NE--headquarters of Nebraska Book Company (where I get my paycheck).

This year they decided it would be fun to have a manager dodgeball tournament. I thought, why not? I wasn't a huge fan of dodgeball in elementary, but surely I'd stand my ground against a bunch of bookstore nerds like myself (I'm envisioning paperbacks and eye glasses flying everywhere). If this were the volleyball coaches convention dodgeball tournament, I may reconsider.

Turns out everyone is really getting into this. I was asked for my shirt size for our UNIFORMS. Dear goodness. But when I got to see artwork for the shirts they designed, I had a nice belly laugh. I thought I'd share it with you.

I'll let you know how it goes and share pictures if any are taken.

Wet Weather

2008-05-08T09:03:00.001-07:00

We got somewhere between 3 and 6 inches yesterday. The poor drainage system for the pond at OWU just couldn't keep up with downpours.

We got a call from Curtis saying that the water was FEET from Doc Lacy's front door. By the time Mark got there, it had receded from 'land'.

Spring is Here!

2008-04-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

And so are the April Showers....

Can Your Mom Do This?

2008-04-02T09:46:00.001-07:00

Oh, wait. Would your mom WANT to do this? Love you, Mom!
Click here then find 'Nice Weather Finally Arrives!'

Easter

2008-03-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Wow...2 posts in a week's time frame. Stop the presses. This weekend Mark and I drove up to Mitchell, SD on a whirlwind trip. We stayed with good friends, Tim & Laci Baltzer (oh, and their darlings, Caitlin, Mary & Emma). We had a terrific time watching March Madness, playing volleyball, playing card games and visiting with friends/family from Mitchell Wesleyan Church. MWC did a FANTASTIC Easter cantata on Sunday. The play was followed up with an Easter feast at the Nebelsicks. What a GREAT trip. I'm a bit drowsy today. Here are some pictures and links to video's from the weekend.

A side note: we finally found that smudge on the lens halfway through the weekend (see previous post pictures)

Video's:
Emma Dancing
Wii Relay Race
Mark Wii-ing--Pt 1
Mark Wii-ing--Pt 2
Tim Wii-ing

Where we've been and what we've been doing

2008-03-19T11:39:00.001-07:00

Wow...so my last post was Christmas pictures...a bunch has happened since then. I've been to Nashville, Lincoln and Ohio all within a months time span. Yeesh. Here's what we've captured on our camera:

So here's some narrating...
1. In celebration of my 30th year, Mark took me to a local shwanky restaurant. This was the first time I've ever experienced a SIX course meal. It was fun and the food was delicious. The dessert course was my favorite!
2. You know that Visa commercial: 'The wine list was..(something), the service was amazing, the food was...tiny'. That went through my head for our 'first course'. This is considered a course?!?
3. Birthday flowers from my pal, Sheila
4. Mark threw a surprise party together for me. I wish I had a better picture, but the best ones are on another's camera. He did a great job of putting it together...if you're interested in the details, let me know...
5. At the end of February, our friend and old co-worker, Leslie Hardesty and her T&F team had their conference meet about 2 hours from us (Joplin, MO). I had a blast catching up. Mark enjoyed talking 'shop' with someone who understood T&F lingo.
6. I went along with Mark and his T&F team to the Christian National meet in Ohio. We drove through one of the worst ice and snow storms. The entire state of Missouri was a MESS. This pictures gives you an idea of what all the vehicles looked like...but doesn't come close to show the misery we drove through.
7. Ahhhhhhh
8. Mark's indoor qualifiers. They are a great bunch. Who says 'Thanks coach!' after a 16 hour trip that should have only taken us about 8? These kids. I was impressed.
9. We've acquired a piano! I've so excited, but perhaps not for the reason you're thinking. My musical talents are limited to those little ditty's that my uncle taught us as kids. I'm SO excited to fill an awkward space in our abnormally long living room. Hooray!
10. For those of you who have not yet seen our mis-matched house, this gives you an idea of the space I was referring to from #9. If you double what you see here, that's how long the room is. Note the mirror off to the right? Super clearance find for the kitchen/dining room. It's on the honey-do list.
11. My daddy got me this universal docking station for my nano for my birthday. I figured out how to put it together and make it work all by myself. I figured it was worth taking a picture. Can you see the music playing?
12. The piano, and the docking station and this all happened in one weekend. My parents got us some bathroom hardware for Christmas. Our first attempt at putting the towel bar up failed since there weren't any brackets in the packaging. A few e-mails later to a customer service rep and we finally had replacements! About 20 minutes into the installation, Mark starts giggling and calls for me. Not only did we not get any brackets, but the right end piece was poorly constructed and was crooked (Mom, I hope you got a good deal). A few more e-mails and this past Saturday we received an entire new towel bar set. I'll keep you posted on the fate of a cohesive looking bathroom.

Some Christmas Pictures

2008-01-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

sorry for the delay...

You CAN Teach an 'Old Doug' New Tricks

2008-01-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

I love my parents. And, like many other daughters in the world, I think my dad can do anything. But I'm still going to brag-up my dad for a second.
There are so many people my age and younger who are fully capable of doing stuff like this. In fact, I took a few 'technology' courses in college, and I'll admit, it took me a while to figure out this blog business--don't get me started on learning facebook. So the fact that my dad has self-taught himself how to tinker with video's like this simply amazes me.
Someday, if I learn, I'll post the video Dad created for our wedding--I'd like to consider it professional quality (the same for my sisters, as well). Maybe I should have him do it for me.
So without further adieu, here is a video that he and my brother in law, Austen, created over New Years. It took them a mere 5 hours. It stars Oz and his supporting actress is his loving wife, Kathy.

Tip-Tap Doug & Teri

2007-12-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

As I'm posting this, I'm struck by how ironic it is that while many of my family and friends are posting pictures of their children, I post pictures and video's of my parents. Does this clue you in at the personalities of my folks? :)

http://www.wiktel.net/dojohns/Movie.html

Ice Storm

2007-12-13T13:18:00.000-08:00

As you may have heard on the news, we had a little ice storm rock our state. They reported 600,000 without power--the most any ice storm has ever caused in Oklahoma. We lost power for just one night and didn't lose any tree branches so we consider ourselves very blessed as there are many in the Tulsa area still without power.

We Elf-ed Ourselves!

2007-12-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1194863419

DI NCAA Volleyball National Championships

2007-12-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

Mark and I got a call from my college coach, Andrew Palileo. SDSU made it to the first round of the NCAA national tournament. As luck would have it, they drew Nebraska for the first round. On a whim, we decided to run up to Lincoln to see the match. We had a blast! AND drove through an ice storm on the way home!

Thanks-mas!

2007-11-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

Also available on my Facebook account...

Polaris in Oklahoma

2007-10-02T14:51:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I got to be a XC coaches' wife! Mark and the crew had a meet in Stillwater, OK (home of the OSU Cowboys). We ran (pun intended) into some souped-up Rangers--cowboy style, of course.

Christmas 2007

2007-09-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here's item #1 on my list:

I'm Baaaaaack!

2007-08-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

Finally! I have half an hour without any interruptions! Here's some pictures from Kathy's wedding. If you'd like to see more, Oz has a bunch on their wedding site. Keri has some too. Volleyball and Cross Country seasons are now underway. If you'd like to keep up with us, check out the links on the right hand side.

Please be patient...

2007-08-23T14:51:00.001-07:00

Volleyball started last week....the students came back on campus this week and are buying me out of books at the bookstore...

Sometime in September I'll reconnect with the rest of the world.....

Around the Bonfire

2007-08-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

What's a trip to Minnesota without a bonfire? Better yet, what's a bonfire without nailing someone with marshmallows?

PGA Championship

2007-08-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

The PGA Championship has come to Tulsa! Mark and our friend, Curtis, had a chance to go watch the practice rounds for free on Monday. They missed Tiger (he came at 6:20 a.m. the day after he won a tourney in Ohio), but saw a few other famous faces. The heat index was around 112 that day...what a good time!

Curtis really isn't 3'8". Perhaps he should have stood on the higher part of the hill...

This ain't mosquito country

2007-08-08T16:34:00.001-07:00

I've been bit by mosquito's PLENTY of times...but this past weekend I had my first experience being bitten by chiggers. They are miserable! And the treatment isn't much fun either. I had to put clear nail polish on EACH bite! You locals may laugh, but Mark counted 46 bites on the back of my left leg! They are much better now--thankfully, since Kathy's wedding is in a few days and the dress cuts off right below the knee...

PBR Me

2007-08-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

Back when Mark and I first moved to Oklahoma, we went to a Professional Bull Riding event down in Tulsa. I had never seen a woman with a dip so big before...Welcome to Oklahoma! Two years later, we came back! If you'll notice, I'm wearing my very first pair of cowboy boots. I'm officially an Oklahoman!

Are Your Parents as Cool as Mine?

2007-08-02T11:55:00.000-07:00

Click here to find out.

Who's the King of the Jungle?

2007-07-12T10:36:00.001-07:00

Since it was raining before we left for our big trip, we...okay, Mark wasn't able to mow. We came home to a green wheat field! Luckily we had a relatively dry day yesterday so he was able to get out last night. Thank goodness, since we woke up to thunder this morning.

Area Flooding

2007-07-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

Northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas (as well as Texas) have recently been stung with LOTS of rain. While we were in Minnesota, we saw our small town flooded on the national news! Our home was untouched by flooding (PTL), but other areas were not. Below are pictures from Coffeyville, KS and Copan, OK. The oil refinery shown is the one that leaked in Coffeyville. It was a mess!

Gwen & Brady Get Hitched!

2007-07-11T14:22:00.001-07:00

Yay!! After several years of dating, Brady and Gwen said 'I do' on 7-7-07 at 5:27 p.m.! The ceremony was held at Gwen's family farm near Bagley, MN. It was a beautiful, yet quite warm, ceremony. I had a blast catching up with friends and celebrating the union of two of my sweet friends!

(w/Mel & Sheila)

At Farmer Johnson's

2007-07-11T14:01:00.001-07:00

After a pit stop in Fargo to celebrate our 2nd Anniversary, we shot up to Roseau. Most of the our time spent there was crossing of item's on mom's and Kathy's to-do list in preparation for Austen & Kathy's big day. On Friday, we had a shower for Kathy. Since I didn't get any pictures, if you would like to see shots of the party, head to their wedding site: http://www.austenandkathy.blogspot.com/

Here's the rest of the fun:

Nebelsick Wedding

2007-07-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

We started our 4th of July holiday road trip with a swing through South Dakota. Josh, the 3rd of the Dave Nebelsick clan married Katie Shoup in Pierre.

Miller's Vegas Vacation

2007-06-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

This past week, WORK brought me to Vegas. We had our annual (bookstore) manager's meeting and this years location brought us to the city of lights! I agreed to let Mark tag along. We had a great time finding adventures--we've got fun stories to share!

Memorial Day in OKC

2007-05-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

After Sheila & Jesse departed on Saturday, Mark and I packed up and headed to Oklahoma City. Our friend Emily is an assistant general manager at the Residence Inn in Bricktown (downtown OKC). Her sister and my friend, Laci and her family also came down for the weekend. We stayed in a two-room suite at Emily's hotel--it was so fun!

SHEILA Comes to Visit!

2007-05-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

Sheila and her beau, Jesse swung through Bartlesville on their whirlwind trip down the gut of our country. After a twins game in Milwaukee earlier in the week, they sprinted down to Dallas to watch them play again on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, they came to visit us!

We had a great time touring the town, catching up, playing games, eating and, of course, golfing.

As they shoved off on Saturday morning, they were headed up to St. Louis for another game. Haven't heard yet if it was rained out or not, but surely they had a blast!

Thanks so much for coming to see us!

Farewell to Friends

2007-05-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

This past week OWU said goodbye to some fine people! Kathy, to my right, will be delivering her second child sometime this week. She'll now stay at home with her two boys, Eli & Judah.

Amber will be headed back to her hometown, Brookings, SD. She's taken a job at her home church, Brookings Wesleyan.

I'm so sad to see both go, but quite excited for their new adventures!!

Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

2007-05-23T10:05:00.001-07:00

Mark and I both scored 18's...how will you score? (You may have to allow pop-ups for the link below to work)
http://www.oldjoeblack.0nyx.com/thinktst.htm

An Addition to the Family

2007-05-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

No Mom, I'm not pregnant. We have a pet--kindof.

As you may have already read, Bartlesville has been quite soggy the past week. Creatures have been coming out of the woodwork! On the way to work today, I saw a turtle who I swear could be directly related to a triceratops. But, that's not the new pet...back on track: as I came out of the house this morning, I saw a little scurrying out of the corner of my eye. IT WAS THE BIGGEST SPIDER I'VE EVER SEEN (in the wild). Perhaps it is a tarantula? So, first thing I did was scream at Mark and started to ring the doorbell so I could keep my eye on it. Mark came to the door (mostly dressed) and asked me what I wanted him to do about it. So I asked for cup. He brought a Ziploc bowl, and I TRAPPED it, and then left for work.

Mark called later and said that he got the bowl covered, and we now have a pet. We've named him Fozzie. If he lived without air holes during work, I'll take a picture of our new bundle of joy.

It's Official...

2007-05-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

I am married to the MCAC Men's AND Women's Coach of the Year. The Women's plaque arrived today...

Bartlesville Under Water

2007-05-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Pictured to the left is our campus soccer fields. They're a tish soggy! The baseball field directly behind it is also submerged. We had a few roads in town that washed out. Most of the water has since (last night) receded, and our home was never in any danger. But, we did have a few soggy boxes in our garage. Rain is predicted for the next four days, so pray for an absorbent ground! However, it's so nice to see Bville green rather than the crunchy brown from last summer!

A Dramatic Finish

2007-05-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Look at my husband, the MCAC Men's Track & Field Coach of the Year! I'm so proud of him!

He came home Saturday night excited to tell me about his girls, who lost the conference meet by only ONE point...oh, and the guys WON it! On Sunday, we had both teams over to eat (ah, preparing for 30 is tough!). I thought I'd spruce up one of the serving tables with the nice trophy the guys won. I also find a smaller plaque with it, I figured, "This must be the runner-up plaque for the girls.". Nope--it's the Coach of the Year plaque...Mark didn't even TELL me about it, the stinker.

Fast forward (kindof) to Monday. Mark calls me around 10:30...turns out there was a miscount (no, the meet wasn't in Florida) and his girls actually won it too! No word yet if that means he's also the Women's Coach of the Year...

It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it...

2007-04-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Mark and I headed south to Dallas for a recruiting trip. Our school car fleet had been depleted, so our buildings and ground office got us a rental. When I went to pick up the keys and eyed a convertible Sebring, I thought, "Surely that's not for us." Oh, but it was!

It was a GORGEOUS weekend to have a convertible! However, we didn't use the best judgement on the way home. We cruised with the top down for the last two hours, which included a spin through Tulsa--the nation's #1 city for allergies. Also, a convertible is a lot more enjoyable on a 30 - 45 mph jaunt--not a an 80 mph race home. Our ears were ringing and our sinuses were FULL by the time we got home.

We know better for next time!

We Want to Know!

2007-04-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

I found a new fun thing! If you scroll to the bottom, you can sign our 'guestbook'. I'd really like to know if anyone is even looking at this stuff!?!?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Easter in Branson!

2007-04-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

History Repeats itself...

2007-04-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

Not only did Florida repeat, but it was a mirror image of the match-up from this years NCAA Football Championship game. One bright spot for this Ohio-picking couple: Coach Donovan is rumored to be in cahoots with Kentucky. Mark would be VERY excited if that panned out!

Our final inter-office/family standings:

1 - Kathy Ramey, 90, Florida
2 - Teri Johnson, 88, Florida
3 - Mark Miller, 83, Ohio
4 - Austen Miller, 82, Florida
5 - Kylee Miller, 72, Ohio
6 - Curtis Williams, 65, Kansas

Tonight will Make or Break the Race!

2007-04-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Results after Saturday night:

1 - Kathy Ramey, 84, Florida
2 - Mark Miller, 83, Ohio State
3 - Teri Johnson, 82, Florida
4 - Austen Miller, 76, Florida
5 - Kylee Miller, 72, Ohio State
6 - Curtis Williams, 65, Kansas

And for those of you who were closely monitoring my national race in the polls, I have actually moved up in the ranks. I now sit at 261,005th.

Another Knuckle?

2007-03-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

Mark had a little accident yesterday at track practice. He was holding the end of the sprint cords, when the velcro gave way on the athlete that was attached. Luckily it only got his hands! He got a nice goose egg out of the deal. It's gone down quite a bit overnight, but it will be some pretty colors!

Not Even a Sniff

2007-03-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

When I created the Family and Friends Bracket challenge, I also entered myself in a nation-wide bracket contest. Here's your comic relief for the day:

Challenge Standings through Regional Finals Round
Rank Team Name Round Score Overall Score
1 MN1999 32 122
2 apachi 32 121
5 amish6969 32 120
8 Clint Ellis 32 119
20 Bert Yocom 32 118

317,491 Kylee Miller 16 80

p.s. I deleted the 'ties'

Week Two Bracket Challenge Update--A Tight Race!

2007-03-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion
1 Mark Miller 78 45 89 47 Ohio St. (132)
2 Teri Johnson 77 49 88 51 Florida (135)
3 Kathy Ramey 74 45 90 48 Florida (164)
4 Austen Miller 71 44 87 47 Florida (127)
5 Kylee Miller 67 41 78 43 Ohio St. (138)
6 Curtis Williams 65 40 65 40 Kansas (101)
7 Jennifer Flick 0 0 0 0 ()

DISCLOSURE: There is NO monetary wagers linked to this competition whatsoever. Furthermore, both Mark and myself are active members of the NAIA, not the NCAA.

Another Blogger!

2007-03-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Another one falls hook, line and sinker to the allure of posting your lives to the world. Welcome Scott & Keri!
(See 'Must Hits' for the link)

My 8th Annual Hockey Weekend

2007-03-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Another Brother!!

2007-03-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I beat him to the punch (by posting). This weekend I got the call from my baby sister, Kathy. She's engaged! I'm so excited! Austen (Oz) is a perfect mate for her and and a great addition to the family. Plus, now the Miller's will outnumber the Johnson's and Van Havermaet's 4-2-2. I think 'mutiny' was how Oz described it. Click on 'Another Family Blogger' link (off to the right) if you'd like to read more as I'm sure Oz will eventually get something up.

A December wedding was mentioned, but nothing has been officially set yet.

First Week of March Madness

2007-03-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

What's more fun than a little family/office competition? Here's where we all stand:

DISCLOSURE: There is NO monetary wagers linked to this competition whatsoever. Furthermore, both Mark and myself are active members of the NAIA, not the NCAA.

Overall Standings

Rank Team Name Score Correct Best Score Best Correct Champion Relation
1 Teri Johnson 55 42 108 56 Florida (135) (Me Madre)
2 Mark Miller 49 36 98 49 Ohio St. (132) (The Mr.)
3 Austen Miller 48 37 101 51 Florida (127) (Future Bro in Law)
4 Kathy Ramey 47 37 97 50 Florida (164) (Co-Worker)
5 Kylee Miller 44 34 94 47 Ohio St. (138) (The Mrs.)
6 Curtis Williams 43 33 96 47 Kansas (101) (Co-Worker)
7 Jennifer Flick 0 0 0 0 () (Unimpressed Co-Worker)

Report Updated as of: 3/19/07 7:07 AM EST

Signs of Spring!

2007-03-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for next weekend!

2007-03-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

On Friday the 9th, Mark and I headed to Tulsa with Curtis and Brennen Williams to catch an Oilers hockey game. I think Brennen is a good luck charm since I've been to several games and this is the first time I've seen them win. But, she denies it emphatically, since she's a OKC Blazers fan.

Going back in Time--Christmas & New Years

2007-03-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

What a Day!

2007-02-28T06:56:00.000-08:00

As you may or may not have noticed, the blog site was created on my birthday. Let me recap the festivities....

The day(?) started at 12:30 a.m. when I got up to use the bathroom. I woke Mark to announce that it is my birthday, and requested that he sing to me. I got a grunt.

The first birthday wisher prize goes to my sister, Keri, who e-mailed me at 7:15 a.m. She also mailed my birthday present in January. Congratulations, Mrs. Van Havermaet.

Fast forward to mid morning. My friend and fellow volleyball junkie, Helen, brought a beautiful cake to our vball work-outs. I got TWO very jovial happy birthday songs from the girls. Do you think that it had something to do with the fact that I substituted cake for conditioning?

My afternoon was spent building this blog. I'd like to thank my work-study for fixing all my mistakes and reteaching me how to use the Internet.

Dinner was consumed at Montana Mikes, a Bville favorite of Mark and mine. Afterwards, we shuffled over to the movie theatre for a show.

Probably the neatest part of the day was listening to all of the voicemails I had accumulated during the movie. One really ought to have more than one birthday so she can have so many cheerful messages! A personal favorite was the Baltzer choir singing their hearts out.

Another comical message was from the Williams requesting verification of what day my birthday was. Curtis, having shared some of the cake at work, thought that today (the 27th) was my birthday. Brennen, who was told by Mark that my birthday was the 28th, thought it would be tomorrow. Apparently a high-dollar bet had been placed on the correct day. I'm not sure how it was resolved, but it's not the first time the 28th was mistaken as my birthday. At least it wasn't immediate family this time. :) But, I get another celebration out of the error--I've got no problems with that.

Sadly, the only picture taken yesterday was of the cool cake Helen brought. It was taken on my phone, and I'm not savvy enough to get that on my computer (yet).

Thank you to my great friends and family for the gifts, phone calls, e-mails, e-cards and voicemails. You mean the world to me!

I did it!

2007-02-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

In celebration of my 29th year, I've decided to post to the world what Mark and I have been up to. I'm certain rejoicing will be ringing for months. However, I do see this as a possible detriment to my work production. I may have to use some of my 'American Idol' viewing time instead.

I'll do my best to post pictures and other details you may or may not be interested in.

Here's to technology!