Last Day of 2007

The world recently lost another great singer, Dan Fogleberg (August 13, 1951 -- December 16, 2007). He was 4 months older than me and died the day after my birthday. This is my favorite song of his and I always think about it on New Year's Eve. I like this version because it shows the words and the words are magic. If you want to hear this you may need to pause the automatic song in the right sidebar.



Another version here, done live in concert. I prefer the original recording, but this one shows the actual performance.



The end of 2007. It's been an eventful and different year. It is also Ken's birthday. Tonight I went to a dance with my friend, Barbara. The dance was not fun and we got our money back. All very loud, disco-style with no slow songs or even easy-listening. I guess I'm getting old! So we looked for something else to do but by then it was too late for a movie, nothing happening at the Gateway or Trolley Square, no sign of "First Night" like they supposedly have someplace. Very cold weather too. So, after not finding anything else to do, we decided to go to my house where some of my kids/grandkids were playing games. I envisioned us dropping into the party and joining it. Instead, it turned out my coming home early just caused Jenn great stress. Apparently they only see me as the wicked witch and thought it would freak me out to come into the mess. I knew it was a mess when I told Barbara she could come! Anyway, they immediately went into mad-paced cleaning up mode. We definitely crashed the party so Barbara just turned around and went back home to Riverton. I saw 2008 come in while driving on the freeway with Aubrey to pick up her husband in Farmington. I guess this will be a memorable New Years anyway.

Well, Happy New Year! May peace and prosperity find us (finally).

We managed a quick photoshoot at the Christmas party. Jon used a remote to take the shot. We're not perfect here but something for posterity anyway.

Front row (floor) - Joshua, Kenlee, Ken with Elizabeth, Debbie, Adam
Middle row - Krista, Aubrey, Karla, Jennifer, Natalie with Alex, Kiyomi with Jaelyn, Julia, Jasmine
Back row - Justin, Steve with Asher, Jon, Noah, Emma, Fred, Ashlie, Rob, Olivia, Chris, Jordan

Tonight Steve and I went to a pre-New Year's Eve dance. We had a good time and it has been a while (2 months to be exact) since I danced.

Thirteenth Day of Christmas

Oh, yeah, we were supposed to end at twelve, but from the looks of the house, it must be 13 but not unlucky because Santa was good to us all. It has been good having two daughters here to share the cleanup; not just the making of the messes. We're climbing all over each other and stepping on toys. More snow was shoveled again today. Hopefully the mountains are getting plenty this winter so we'll have what we need. If not, it's like my mom said - when the weatherman gives dire predictions, what can we do about it anyway? Rain dance?

It was nice to see my dad and Sandy as well as more relatives on Christmas day. It's now 1:30 PM and I'm still in my PJs. Not a bad way to spend a cold day off.

Twelfth Day of Christmas - Merry Merry!

After a nice Christmas Eve, a few bumps in the family dynamics, running late and a major snowstorm, we woke to a beautiful white Christmas, complete with clear, blue skies. Everyone had a nice day and the kids made a haul.

I enjoyed a story from Little House and Talmage's Jesus the Christ along with the Tabernacle Choir concert broadcast on PBS. Glad to look forward to another day off tomorrow. I try to request the day after Christmas so I don't have to stress about getting up early, having the house cleaned, etc.

May we all be able to feel the savior's love and return in by doing good deeds for those around us, being considerate, loving and forgiving. Peace be with you at this special time of year. Hopefully I will soon find the camera that became lost in the chaos so I can upload some photos.

Some from Jenn's camera... Pass the mouse over for subtitles but don't click.

Eleventh Day of Christmas - the Eleventh Hour

Visit with Grandma Baker. She was discharged from the hospital today. Still needing some home care, shots, etc. but doing well enough to do it at home.

May this be a peaceful and happy day for all! Merry Christmas!

Tenth Day of Christmas Means it's Almost Here!

Emma ready for Church on SundayTonight is the Miller side Christmas party and Grandma is still in the hospital - serious enough they won't let her out even on a pass so we have to do it without her. They're taking the gifts to the hospital so she can give them to each family as they come to visit in the next couple of days.

With about 45 people involved now in the family party, the past two years we have held it at our ward building. It works much better and cleanup is a cinch!

Winter Solstice & Christmas Letter - Ninth Day of Christmas

Winter WonderlandJosh was excited to play in the snow. Noah is working on the fort in the background.
Emma too!
Noah, Emma and Josh.

DEAR FAMILY & FRIENDS,

Yay! The days start getting longer now. The Christmas lights help me to deal with so much darkness but nothing feels better than more sunlight. OK, so it will take a while to actually notice, but at least I know it is going that direction now!

I've enjoyed receiving Christmas letters from friends. Right now, I'm late getting anything out. I may or may not manage snail mail this year. Maybe just send a brief note saying, "go to my blog if you want to know what's happening in my life." Of course that would make mine the world's longest Christmas letter! So I will give a summary here and direct people to it, then they can read the summary without being bogged down in the blog.

I entered this new phase of my life - single. Ken and I separated on March 2 and divorced May 30. We remain friends and I am enjoying seeing him as he is now - "new and improved." I am also dating Steve and we were actually engaged but have postponed things while I sort out my life. I have great kids and darling, smart grandchildren. I still work for the Department of Health and I've danced more this summer than in my entire previous life! After just over two years as Relief Society president, I was recently released from that calling and anxiously await what is in store for me next. My Bishop says I probably have my hands full right now and it's true so I'm enjoying this break.

Chris had an adventurous year. He and Rob were in partnership but they decided they really aren't good together as a team so they split the business - Rob does the cabinet-making and Chris was preparing to do the door operation. After investing in lots of equipment, Chris found a good programming job at DAZ where they do 3D animation. They decided they needed to pay the bills so he is now selling his equipment and abandoning that particular goal. Kiyomi and the kids spent another summer in Japan which meant two trips for Chris (he goes and spends a week to help transport the family each way). The kids are doing great with both their schoolwork here and their Japanese studies. They attend school in Japan in the summer, traditional calendar here so they literally have year-round school with only the Christmas break here and August break in Japan. Jordan is 11, Julia 7, Jasmine 5, Jaelyn 2. Kiyomi most enjoys cooking and being a stay-at-home-mom and they live just 3 blocks away.

Jennifer and Fred are still living with me. Fred graduated from the U in May and in August he got a four month contract job offer in Carlsbad, California. They saw this as a unique opportunity to spend some time as a family in southern California. Since they weren't tied to a mortgage payment, they decided to do it and moved into a furnished vacation condo on the beach in Oceanside. They bought a Toyota station wagon, loaded it up with essentials and headed west. They enjoyed the beach, the kids swam regularly, they had season passes to Disneyland and Sea World, and were able to do some home schooling in a unique place, learning about sea life, ships, attended the body exhibit, etc. In November Jenn reluctantly flew home with the kids to get them into school here. Fred finished his contract and returned on Dec. 16. He is looking for another job presently. Adam will be 11 in January, Noah is 9, (they both attend Spectrum Academy Charter School), and Emma is 5 (kindergarten at Bountiful elementary). They are very bright kids but in many ways a real challenge for their parents. Jennifer spent a bit of time doing "reborning" - she has created some very realistic "babies" - some she has given and others are here in her nursery. She is a very busy stay-at-home mom.

Justin and Krista have been busy working on their home in Herriman. Krista has painted almost every room and they are ready to begin on their basement. She still works at Intermountain Electric and they have told her they couldn't manage without her! After she was offered another job, they literally cried and lured her back. She also recently took a night school course in business. Justin also remains in great demand as an automotive tech at Precision Automotive in Midvale. The family appreciates having him to call on for all their car questions and crises. Kenlee is 9, a good student and she shares Justin's love of animals. They have a cat and many fish in numerous tanks around their home. One of their favorite outings is to visit a pet shop.

Natalie and Rob recently remodeled a 50s era bathroom in their Bountiful home. They ripped out tons of old tile and did a fantastic job. Rob works day and night at the cabinet business. He has plenty of work but it's hard to manage alone. Natalie wishes she could see him more often. She keeps busy though with their three children and Gage (the two year old she babysits) besides her weekly cleaning jobs. They have also recently completed the classes to become certified as foster parents. They are on the waiting list for the home inspection. This is clearly a job they do for love of children because with all the hassle involved in becoming licensed, the money required to bring things up to regulation and the little compensation, there would be no other reason to do it. Even with her business degree she doesn't think it is worth it to work outside the home so she works like crazy to be able to stay home! Ashlie is 9, Olivia 7 (both learning to play the piano their great grandmother, my mom, learned on). Alex is an adorable 4 year old terror.

Jon and Karla have struggled this year too but right now things are looking up. His photography business keeps him busy but doesn't pay the bills and he had a few months' unemployment before recently getting a new position in Kaysville. Karla also works as a nanny for a little boy in Kaysville but she has mostly been busy with Elizabeth (2 1/2) and the new baby due the end of January. After several pregnancy losses, it is exciting that she is doing so well in spite of several trips to the hospital for preterm labor. So far so good. It's another girl but they're not revealing the name - seems they think the Millers have too many opinions and they don't mind sharing - imagine that! They live just a block away so we get to see them frequently. Liz talks like a 4 year old and entertains us with her cheerful and inquisitive nature.

Aubrey and Steve are still stationed at Ft. Riley Kansas. None of us love Kansas but it sure beats Iraq. We're glad to have them home for Christmas and we have a full house. They also brought their beagle, Doc. That has been a little difficult because we have so many family members with pet allergies! The dog is sweet but we just can't enjoy him because of everyone's asthma, eczema, etc. It was good they brought him though because of the ice storm at their home. Their neighbors were without power and water for days. Josh will be 5 in January and Asher is 2. They are darling, well-behaved boys who are delightful to have around. Steve enjoys his job but they look forward to him finishing his commitment and coming home for good, we hope. Aubrey sells PartyLight products in her spare time and maintains a fun blog (justadetour.blogspot.com). She is also a SAHM.

Feel free to email me at miller.mayday@gmail.com. I post pictures regularly and still hope to get a family photo this year since everyone is here but as you can imagine, it's hard to coordinate so many people to cooperate in such a venture. We'll see how it goes!

I wish all my friends and family a very Merry Christmas, with the Savior as the focus, and the best of years in 2008!

Much love,
Debbie

We saw the luminarias at the cemetery. This video shows what it looks like but it is actually from another place and time. In my Christmas rush I forgot my camera! Kind of hard to see due to lighting and there's nothing like seeing it in person. So, if you missed it, next year, same time and place (Saturday before Christmas).

Eighth Day of Christmas -Snow!

Doc wasn't very happy to go outside.... this is Aubrey and Steve's dog visiting from Kansas.One view of my backyard.
The swingset in winter.

Last night we got hit hard with a pretty big storm - third one this winter. Roads are icy and baby it's cold outside!

I got pretty sick yesterday but better today. The bad news is Ken's mom, Marie, ended up in the hospital with a pulmonary embolism - pretty scary! Nobody should get sick at Christmas.

I attended Kathy's funeral today. What a special lady - always smiling, happy and cheerful. We could all learn from her.

The Seventh Day of Christmas

More parties... today is my work party. Time is flying; still much to do, my house is full and pretty messy in spite of my efforts after work. It's good to have kids around though so I'm really not complaining - really!

The Sixth Day of Christmas - It's the Giving

Fifth Day of Christmas Ends Birthday Week(s)

Today my work associates treated me to lunch at the Dodo and tonight Iwent to Rodger's Memorial Theater with Ken to see 1940's Radio Hour.

Sad news today. I learned that my friend, Kathy Reeder died quite unexpectedly on Sunday. This is very sad and I will miss her cheerful greeting every Sunday morning.

An Interesting Article

Cut and paste - I don't know how to do a hyperlink!

http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110010962

Fourth Day of Christmas - Around the World

On the Third Day of Christmas....

Some really nice thoughts and gifts today as birthday week continues....

Noah and I shared a birthday party.

For those who live on the Wasatch front, today I have a tip for you. Next Saturday from 5:00 to 9:00 PM you can see the most amazing display of Christmas luminaries at the Wasatch Lawn Cemetery, located at about 3300 S and Highland Drive. This is worth seeing - you needn't get out of the car - can drive right through. I'm sending this out as a gift to you in time for you to plan for it.

Temple Square at Christmas

Temple Square
Salt Lake City, Utah
Pictures just don't do it justice

Noah's Birthday

Today is my grandson's birthday. He was born the day after my Grandma Johnson's birthday the year she was in the hospital after she suffered a stroke just the week before. She passed away on December 15 (my birthday!). That was a very sad year for us but having Noah join our family was a bright spot and their spirits kind of passed - Noah leaving heaven to come to earth and Grandma returning with honor! I'm sure she was anxious at that time to be reunited with my Grandpa and no doubt they are busy helping all their neighbors.

The days before Christmas always remind me of that year - 1998. And the Christmas season also generates good feelings about Grandma & Grandpa J who were such a big part of our celebration. They also gave generous and meaningful gifts, both materially and emotionally.

Kurt Bestor in Concert

Tonight Steve is taking me to see Kurt Bestor's concert for my birthday. I am excited for this one!



From the web: A Kurt Bestor Christmas Concert has become the helm of a holiday tradition for families in Utah. With warm storytelling and humor, Bestor creates a rapport with concert-goers that sets “A Kurt Bestor Christmas” apart from any other seasonal show. Always performing before sell-out crowds, Kurt Bestor showcases selections from his best-selling holiday album series. A band with a full orchestra, as well as additional guest performers, accompany Bestor on his Christmas tour. Featuring as many as 45 other musicians on stage, sophisticated sound and lights create an unforgettable evening.

Late note: The concert was fantastic!! If you've never experienced it, do it next year.

Deck the Halls

Where's the Mistletoe? Jennifer helped me finish the decorating. She is gifted and I have a lot of stuff! I love it though and can't bear to leave anything out.My mom made the advent calendar for me.
Loved this I found at a Farmington Boutique.
I love glassware and most of these were given to me by neighbors and friends, filled of course. They're more fun when filled with candy. Chris and Kiyomi gave me the blown glass tree.
Cindy gave me the log bear and I made stockings for each of the kids starting the year Chris was born (1972). My mom stitched the picture in the next photo.
I've been collecting these for many years and each one has significance. There's a Church (obvious reasons), Picadilly Station to remind me of my British ancestry (genealogy), a house that reminded me of the one we built in Farmington, a school I got when I had three children in college at once, City Hall I got when Ken was Mayor of West Jordan, a fabric shop (Chris & Kiyomi gave me because I sew), a train station for the two eldest grandchildren who loved trains, a lighthouse from Connecticut that Jon bought while on his mission, and a Missouri landmark from Justin and Krista, Sawyer's Creek.

I went to ceramics classes when my children were young and this was one of my creations.
Little tree from Natalie, Willowtree statuettes, snuffer from Joy Jones.
I loved this nativity I found in a little shop in Farmington. Ken gave me the lantern.
This was the closest thing to a Temple. The egg nativity is from Natalie and the hanging was a gift from my sister, Carolyn. The antique-style stereo is really state-of-the art gift from Justin & Krista. The wreath was from Natalie's Christmas wedding in 1997.

A Christmas Carol

Last night I enjoyed Hale Center Theater's annual production of Christmas Carol. They announced that it came up on MSN's top 10 list of must-do items for Christmas season - number 4, right after some high-profile NYC activities. They did a fantastic job with this show.

"Some, like Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens's A Christmas Carol, have a hard time loving anyone, even themselves, because of their selfishness. Love seeks to give rather than to get. Charity towards and compassion for others is a way to overcome too much self-love" (James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, Dec 2001, 2–6).

On a less-pleasant note, Jordan fell at school and broke his right arm at the top of the humerus. It put him on the bench for his last Junior Jazz game.

Snow on Dec. 1

Blanket of White



My Snowball bushes in winter
I woke up to a beautiful site. It snowed during the night and in the morning everything was covered and the trees were like fuzzy, white, twisted pipe cleaners - every branch accentuated and surreal. It's still coming down and there's no tracks yet! Quite a sight. At least it looks nice from inside the house. I actually hate cold. I'm glad the snow waited for December.

After a few hours' shoveling, not so pretty but easier to maneuver in.