Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Santa Train


Last Saturday, we went on Paul's highlight of the season which was a trip on The Santa Train. Take a regular NJ Transit train,


add friends,

our favorite Hantia (our friend Santia, that Paul loves!)

and yes, Santa

Mrs. Claus handing out candy canes,

and winning the raffle -which was a super cool train

fun was had by all!

End the day with a trip to Trader Joe's with Paul size grocery carts,

that gives us one happy boy!

I'm sorry, but my kid is the cutest in the whole world!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Christmas Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Holidays! If you read this blog you probably already know more about my life than you care too, but here is our Christmas letter for the time being.

Jared started his career this year! That's his biggest news. Even though it's been a long, hard road we are glad that he finished school in August. Even happier he finished with the highest score on the final exam. He was happy to get a job in NYC at Omega Boutique on 5th avenue near Central Park. It's a fun job in a beautiful building and he works with great people. He has rediscovered reading as he now has time on the trains to read, and is currently reading Les Miserables. He loves, loves, loves Paul and they are getting to be best friends, as Paul grows into a little boy.

It's been an interesting year for me. I was so happy that Paul got to spend time with both sets of grandparents, as well as the rest of the family while living in Utah, but I was glad to come home to be with Jared. I've been getting involved more in my ward, landing back in Primary, thank heavens as 1st counselor instead of President this time. Despite being in Primary, I have made some good friends in my ward, and we enjoy hanging out with our kids, or just us girls! (We all have only boy kiddos.) I have been crafting more this year and feel like I am really settling into our apartment. I hope to start substitute teaching starting in January.

Paul continues to amaze us with his amazing genius. (I can say that I'm his mom!) He knows all his letters, and although five gets left out regularly, he can count to 10. He has memorized parts of his favorite books and loves to read. We probably read about an hour a day total. In our ward we have 3 boys that were all born in the same month and another who is just six months older. He gets along with them really well, and it's fun for him (and me) to get out of the house and play with them at least once a week. He loves his daddy and copies everything he does. He has started to narrate everything he does, and it's pretty funny to hear the his imagination come out. We are going to start doing a co-op pre-school once or twice a week in January with his friends, and I am really excited!

We have been truly blessed as family this year. Many thanks to my parents for letting Paul and I live there while I was teaching in Draper, as well as supporting us every way they can. Many thanks to Jared's parents for their support, and for watching Paul when they could while I was there. We are glad to have our ward family out here to rely on, and feel the gospel enriches our lives in so many ways out here. Heavenly Father has blessed us more ways than I can count, somehow keeping our car running when logic defies that it should work. We feel the love and prayers of you, our wonderful family and friends, and hope you know that we love you and prayer for you often. I am sad to not be able to visit Utah this Christmas, but hope to see all y'all that live there soon. Our doors are always open, and we have lots of beds, and plenty of floor space for anyone that cares to visit!

We love you and hope you have a wonderful holiday season of joy and peace!

Love,
The Millers