Merry CHRISTmas Everyone!

Photo: Country Living

This time gets me all a-twitter - like a child that can't sleep the night before Christmas awaiting Santa's arrival. I LOVE all the time spent with family, friends, and oh the delish food and sweet melodies. Amidst all the busy packing and baking, visiting and church going today there is the most absolute peace for all those who remember that blessed Christmas morn. "For unto us a Savior is born!" What greater reason to celebrate.

Merry Christmas!

Word of Encouragement for Moms

Picture by: prayer warriors for Jesus Christ

As a mother I often feel like I'm missing the mark, falling short,or am just plain inadequate as a mother. It's at these times I need encouragement from the Lord and others more than ever. This morning I was reading a morning devotion by Anne Graham Lotz, and it NEVER ceases to amaze me how our God gives us exactly what we need when we need it. This morning it was on mothers and prayer. Anne was speaking about a prayer book that her mother gave her - when she was a little gal- to specifically petition Jesus. In the front of the book her mother wrote:

Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring,
For His grace and power are such,
None can ever ask too much!

Our God knows what we need and is there to hear our hearts most inner cries, however large or small they may seem. Thank you Lord!

Our Little Tiger!

Zion was a tiger for Halloween. Not a very ferocious one since the miniature goat that ate his tail at the church petting zoo frightened him!! I tried to get him to growl the day before, but to no avail :( Then, two days after Halloween, he was crawling around the house going "GRRRRRRRRRR!" I guess it worked....just too late! Here are a few pictures of our little tiger.

Eight Months Old

Zion is 8 months old today. I honestly canNOT believe it. He's such a joy (I accidentally kept typing job...oops!)

A Little Business to Take Care of!

I've been M.I.A.

Out of commission.

Nowhere to be found in the blog-s-sphere for quite sometime.

And with good reason.............I've started a business!

Check it out at http://www.ashleymiller-photography.com/!

SALE!

O.K. gals, Beauty Brands is having their annual $11.98 liter sale for shampoos & conditioners!!! That's cheaper than buying Wal-Mart brands when you get a whole liter for $11.98!

I found a new love. AG products. The original price - $47. Way out of my budget. It's apparently all the rage in Hollywood - Anne Hathaway, Leonardo, Evangeline Lilly, & Eva Mendes. But I'm not name dropping so you'll love it. You'll love the way your hair smells of lightly sweetened citrus. The way it styles, and the shine.

My choice:thikkwash.

Photo by: AG Hair Costmetics

Happy 4th!

Happy Independence Day to everyone!

To all of those who have gone before us, and all of those serving our country now - THANK YOU!

It's In!

I finally got my new Canon 50D camera! It's a thing of beauty.
And yes, I'm sure my son is going to be half blind by the age of 2 now :)

Photos to come!

Zion Laughing

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. ~ Prov. 17:22

Zion's Favorite Pastime

Zion's Favorite Pastime

My grandma is a writer by profession. She would be so proud of her little Zion's newest favorite activity - reading! Well, he likes to make noises while he lies on his belly and looks at books.

Sweet Sounds

Is there any better sound in the world than hearing your baby's genuine laughter?

Nope!

Words

I love quotes. It's awe inspiring how so few words can say so much. The following are quotes and scripture that correlate. Read. Enjoy. Dream. Dream Big.

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated;

you can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.

~David Lloyd George

Daughter, you took a risk trusting Me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! ~Luke 8:48

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Live the life you have imagined.

~Henry David Thoreau

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

~John 10:10

There's no thirll in easy sailing when the skies are clear and blue.

There's no joy in merely doing things which anyone can do.

But there is some satisfaction that is mighty sweet to take,

when you reach a destination that you thought you'd never make.

~Author unknown.

Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards. ~Prov. 12:14

Today is unique! It has never occurred before and it will never be repeated. At midnight it will end, quietly, suddenly, totally. Forever. But the hours between now and then are opportunities with eternal possibilities.

~Charles R. Swindoll

This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ~Psalm 118:14

For the Love of Traveling!

Traveling. I love traveling. Actually, that's something my hubby and I have in common. We love to travel together.

Two weeks ago, I pulled out an old Journal and found a list of 10 places Hernan would like to visit. The date on the top of the paper reads 1-22-04. We each made a list that night & I'm sure that he has mine somewhere.

Here's Hernan's top 10 places to go:

1. Jamaica - We had our wedding here.
2. Ibiza - He's been there. I think it's about time Zion and I visit as well!
3. France - He's made it here too. Ditto to my comment above.
4. Australia -
5. New Zeland - I'm dying to travel here and take in some outdoors.
6. Thailand
7. Costa Rica
8. Switzerland
9. Cuba
10. Dubai - Only if I can stay in the new posh hotel :)

I'm posting these in hopes that they will motivate my husband to take his family to a few of these places!!!! Actually, we do have a good list of traveling for the next 6 months. North Carolina, Colorado, Miami and then Argentina.

What are your traveling plans and wishes?

Spinach Quiche

My friend, Mrs. B, fixed this delicious spinach quiche for a playdate brunch a few weeks back. It was fabulous. I begged her for the recipe and now I'm sharing it with you lucky folks. The recipe is super easy and is made with pantry items that we all have, so now you have to make it!

She calls it "Mom's Spinach Quiche."

Mom's Spinach Quiche

8 oz can crescent rolls

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. flour

1 1/2 c. half and half

10 oz. package of frozen, chopped spinach (drained)

3 eggs (beaten)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll crescent rolls into 2 long rectangles. Place in ungreased 13x9 pan; press over bottom and half way up the sides to form crust.

In medium bowl, combine cheddar, Parmesan and flour. Add half & half, spinach, eggs, and spices. Mix well. Pour into crust.
Bake at 350 for 45-50 mins.

It is truly so delicious! You won't be able to eat just one slice. I'm pretty sure I ate at least 3. SHHHHHHHHHHH don't tell!

Kelly's Running Warehouse

Running Season is upon us. I must confess that I love this time of year. Going to the park, lacing up my shoes, and taking a jog in the late evening.

O.k., so my sister that loves to run marathons let me in on this website. It's a must for runners. A fabulous little site that sells running gear at a MUCH lower price than the MSRP in retail stores.


Let me tell you that the BEST, and I repeat, BEST running brand of shoes is Mizuno. Honestly, I've never had a blister or shin-splint while wearing them; and they are soooooo super light.

He's getting so big!

I canNOT believe how much our Little Z has changed in just 12 weeks!

Just 1 week old here...................and 11 weeks here!

I honestly canNOT believe it!

We are in LOVE with this guy!

Gadgets & Gear

So, if you love workout gear and gadgets, but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for them here are THREE websites that you DON'T want to miss (compliments of Fitness Magazine).

For the Jogger "Shop It To Me"

www.shopittome.com

You get to choose exactly what running gear brands & sizes you are looking for. A daily or weekly e-mail of sales in these selections are sent to your e-mail. You will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pay full price again!

For the Nature Lover "Steep and Cheap"

www.steepandcheap.com

It's the "woot.com" of outdoorsy gear with fabulous brands like North Face and Kelty!

For the Techster "Woot"

www.woot.com

It features one majorly discounted gadget per day. There are only a certain number in stock, so when they're out...they're out!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mother and all of you other mother's out there! Now that I'm a mom, I know why you always said THIS...

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

My Bucket List

I'm a list maker. Always have been and probably always will be. When I have so much to do, I jot it down & cross it off. Guess it makes me less overwhelmed....or actually, when the list is pretty generic, it makes me feel like I've accomplished more in the day than I have. Like when the list is 1) get out of bed, 2) eat breakfast, 3) take a shower 4) etc...... But hey, don't we ALL have those lists?

I've actually been thinking about what would be on my list if I knew exactly when my life were going to end. What would I do? Where would I go? How would I spend my time & with whom?

I'd like for my list to be at least 100 lines long. I'm not gonna list them all today, but I am going to start; and I'll keep adding to from time to time. Hopefully, I'll be crossing some off too!

1. Speak Spanish fluently
2. Play the guitar
3. Buy a new camera
4. Work on my photography
5. Visit every continent
6. Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
7. Live in another country (for a short while)
8. Do mission or relief work in that country
9. Run a Marathon....not just half
10. Take more random road trips
11. Start a non-profit or for-profit (that functions as a social entreprenuership with an NPO/NGO)
12. Have another child.....eeekkk!! Can't believe I said that already at this point :)
13. Adopt a child
14. Have Thai at this delicious place at Delmar & 170
15. Explore St. Louis more this summer

This is the beginning of my list. WHAT'S YOURS?

A Thing of Beauty

I love beautiful things - aesthetically beautiful things. Not necessarily frilly or fru-fru. Just beautiful things. And I love nature. I was thinking about this sunrise that I witnessed just a few weeks ago as I was heading to pick up a friend on our way to Chicago. Swirls of the most brilliant hues of purples, oranges, and pinks that I had ever seen were rising above the city. When Mrs. B hopped in the car, she immediately commented on the beauty of the sky that morning. Last night I opened my Bible to read in the Psalms, and the first verse was this:

"The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display
his marvelous craftsmanship."

~Psalm 19:1

I think sometimes people feel shallow for only appreciating something for its beauty, but our God is an amazing artist. Just look at what he has created and you can't deny that he loves art. I mean, we do call him the potter for more reasons than just one. And why else would God give so many individuals artistic abilities? So go ahead, look around, and appreciate those things your find beautiful!

Zion's "Aunties"

Zion got to see his "Aunties" this weekend!!!

Auntie Jenny

Auntie Jeana

Auntie H

Auntie H is expecting Zion's "cousin" Max-A-Millie in July!!!!

Bebe Poo

If you're a mom, and your child has ever pooed on his or her clothes, READ THIS:

Why is it that baby rear blow-outs never happen at home when there are a plethora of spares to repair the situation?

Today, I was having lunch with some friends and their kiddos at Mrs. B's home when little Z unloaded clear through his diaper, shirt, and pants! Thank goodness she had an adorable little Hanna Andersson get-up that fit just perfectly. However, I was more excited about the next little mommy secret that she let me in on.

Take the baby pooed clothing and rinse it. Then set it out in the sunlight to dry and the stain will be gone.

I have to admit I was more than a bit skeptical, but IT WORKED! And even under partly-cloudy conditions!!!! I'm forever gonna use this trick. No more spending extra $$$ on expensive stain detergents or treating clothes with chemicals. I'm sold!

THANK YOU MRS. B!

Run, Run As Fast As You Can!!!

For all you out there into running or just getting back into swimsuit shape, I love these two websites: Runner's World & Map My Run.

Runner's World has a fabulous Smart Coach that will plan a running schedule for you depending on how far you want to run and what is your goal (based on what you can do now). It's fab!

Map My Run will literally map and track and run you want to make anywhere, so you always know how far you're running and what the terrain is like. There are also lots of other perks on there.

Enjoy!

Waiting

WAITING...

Waiting is my word for the week. It's something I'm not so good at. I'm more of a jump-in-and-get-it-done sort of person, but sometimes we just have to wait for things. Like babies to be born, paint to dry, & baby weight to drop off! No I do not like waiting!!!

I have been thinking about waiting and the times in my life, where I refused to wait for what I know should happen in the end and decided to take action myself to get to the end result faster. It pretty much ended up a disaster everytime. Most recently I was painting a frame and it was almost dry but still a bit tacky. I wanted to see what the finish product would look like in the place it had to be, so I hastily placed it on the shelf. Not a good idea. I not only messed up my shelf but also the frame that I had been painting for a couple of hours since it needed several coats.

This can be much like my spiritual life when I refuse to wait for something that the Lord has for me. There have been times in my life where I have done this or that to get to what I thought the end result was that the Lord had me waiting for, only to make a complete disaster of everything! I think this is why sometimes he doesn't show me the entire picture of where things are going, but rather gives my heart desires or glimpses into things.

God has put some strong desires in my heart, but I'm trying to patiently wait. I don't want to have to wipe the paint off of something else and start over!

Miller's Update

Where has the time gone? Zion will be 2 months old tomorrow!! I know, I know. That doesn't sound very old, but I feel like we just brought him home! He's such a blessing and we're enjoying every moment watching him grow.

Hernan is still working at the Fed.; and I, after finishing my Master's degrees in Dec., am staying home with Zion and loving it. We are sooooo ready for the summer. Warm weather and vacations...what's not to love?

Just Call Me Mom

I used to hate it when my Mom and Dad called each other "Mom" and "Dad." ICK! It seemed so strange to me; but, it's happened. When I recently went to Chicago this weekend with Zion and a friend, I opened up my luggage to find this:

And I LOVED being called MOM! I finally get it :)

Friends Old and New

I have recently been so blessed to spend so much time with some of my closest friends ~ old and new. One of the best feelings as a girl is having someone to do silly things with & gab with. I LOVE my friends.

So, if you have a gal pal that you haven't talked to in awhile or that is just so special to you, call her, text her, or drop her a note to let her know how special she is to you & that you appreciate her.

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."- Anais Nin

IKEA, Here we come!

I will be out this weekend. Heading with Mrs. B & Little Z to Chicago for the weekend.

Watch next week for pictures of Little Z's room!

LOCA & Me

I'm a sucker for animals. Dogs really. So, I was thrilled when I finally got to watch "Marley & Me" this past weekend. Loved it. I'm not much of a crier during movies, but well, I bawled at the end of this one. It was the ugly cry. The one where your eyes swell, nose runs, and you're practically gasping for air! My son and my dog were both sitting on my lap by the end of the movie. Well, I can relate to the attachment that the Groger family had to Marley because our family, "The Miller's," we have that attachment to our dog Loca.

Dogs truly are man's best friend!

Living With Less

I've recently been thinking a lot about living a life of simplicty. It's often something that I have talked much about, but have rarely accomplished. Slowing down and staying home with little Z has put a lot about life in perspective. The Mister and I want the best life possible for him, and that doesn't mean by giving him the most things.

I think too often we spend too much time working to acquire things. And for what? In the end, what do we gain by it? The Bible verse and saying, "I came into this world with nothing, and I will leave with nothing." (paraphrased) is often preached. But how much thought do we truly give it? I am convinced that too many of us fail to accomplish much of our life's purpose because we toil (often in vain) for more things. And I am convinced that we miss out on many opportunities because we are too attached to some things! We have allowed things to put limits on a life that should be limitless. Oh, how much time I have often spent to get some thing. And oh, how much time I have not spent using the talents and gifts that God has blessed me with. I am confident that if we would live a much simpler life and focus on our purpose in life, that in the end we would gain so much more!

"I make the most of all that comes, And the least of all that goes." ~ Sara Teasdale

Jerry Ireland, an AGWM missionary to Zambia, Africa, recently wrote an article on how we could learn so much from those less fortunate than us about our possessions. It's a short article and well worth the read. Click HERE to read it.

Steals & Deals

With the arrival of little Z, I recently became a stay-at-home mom. And while this is truly the best job in the world, it wasn't without major lifestyle changes. Going from 2 incomes to 1 and adding a person isn't always easy. A word of encouragement for all you out there going through the same thing: It can be done!

So, in response to my last blog, Living With Less, I've decided to list a few of my favorite websites, stores, and tips that help me save money and still enjoy a few of lifes pleasures.

Click on each of the names to go to the website.

Eyes Lips Face (ELF)

Their makeup brushes are FABULOUS! And at $1 per brush, who can't enjoy them?! I've personally tried a couple of them and LOVE them :)

Aldi's: Fit & Active and Grandessa brand foods

Fit & Active is a nutrish. healthy food line, and Grandessa is delish...a must try!

Oh, and I recently tried the LACURA face products that are being sold there after reading about the storm that it's recently taken Europe by and I thoroughly enjoyed the eye cream. I haven't yet tried the others, but at $4.50 for the most expensive product I'm sure to give it a try soon!

Trader Joe's

There are sooooo many good finds here, but their cheeses and wines are better and cheaper than you can ever imagine! I've checked and many of them are the same that you would buy a Whole Foods Market, only cheaper.

They have all sorts of clothes for children. However, the best part about this store is their coupons. They will send the best coupons, even ones for a free outfit, out quite frequently. Today, I bought little Z the most adorable courduroy camo blazer from The Children's Place with the tags still attached!!!! Price at The Children's Place = $29.50. Price for me= FREE!!!! I used one of their fabulous coupons.

This website has coupons and will actually PAY YOU CASH back on your purchases through them. Check it out!

I am confessed and obsessed coupon clipper. It saves me BIG time. So, snoop through your junk mail before you toss it. It's amazing what you can find in there!

Happy Easter

May you know how much our Jesus loves YOU!

May you know how much We love YOU!

HAPPY EASTER!

A Much Needed Road Trip

I'm taking a much needed road trip north with a friend.

Destination:

Stay tuned for pics fom Zion's room. 1 week and counting!

What's In A Name?

Names are often chosen today and bestowed upon little ones with little thought given other than how pleasing it sounds to the ear. However, this was not the case in Biblical times and is still not the case in many Eastern and Middle Eastern countries today. Names held great significance. They said a lot about a who a person was. His reputation. His character. The authority he had been granted.

With the recent birth of our first son. Hernan and I wanted to give him a special name. Yes, a name that we liked, but more than that, a name that meant something. A strong name that will represent the man we want him to become. So we chose Zion. "God's presence with us." Any of you that have ever witnessed the birth of a child know that your child is truly a gift from the Lord and he is ever present at that time. We pray that Zion will reflect God's presence with all he comes in contact with during his life.

Zion Hernan Miller

Love

Love. Ah, Love. It's been the central theme of so many great literary works, movies and life dramas! Robert Frost once said, "Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired." Well, I desire my irresistible husband.

So in tribute to Mr. M (I'm copy-catting use of the last initial from another great blogger, Mrs. B)

Here are the lyrics from:

Jason Mraz's Lucky

Featuring: Colbie Calliat

Do you hear me,
Talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying

Boy I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart

You make it easier when life gets hard

Lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

They don't know how long it takes

Waiting for a love like this

Every time we say goodbye I wish we had one more kiss

I'll wait for you I promise you, I will

Lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we're in love in every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea

To an island where we'll meet

You'll hear the music fill the air

I'll put a flower in your hair

Though the breezes through trees

Move so pretty you're all I see

As the world keeps spinning round

You hold me right here right now

Lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we're in love in every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

To see the video click HERE