Catching up

We really are going to get better at keeping up the blog, I hope! We are aiming for a once a week update since everyone is asking! I know you everyday bloggers think that is a cop out but too bad. That's about as good as we can get right now (smile).

Sarah Beth's new love is turning off the computer or pressing the keys if I try to do anything during the day and during her nap time I am trying to finish up any school we haven't done. Then that leaves evenings which are full of activity, so we will do our best.

Life is always fun around the Miller house. Sarah Beth goes a mile a minute and loves to draw on school work or lesson plans. When she is not doing that she is into closets, trash, cat litter, dog food, toilets, etc. Your typical toddler who finds EVERYTHING to be a game.

Her favorite word is "No" and she loves to say it very loudly. Just like one of our favorite shows when the kids were little (The Big Comfy Couch) we are constantly saying, "Who made this big mess?" and our little sweetie just smiles!! We are having a blast though and Chad and I feel we have to be getting younger by the minute with all the running we do to catch up with Sarah Beth. She is personality plus, that is for sure. Although she looks quiet and reserved in alot of her pictures she is usually laughing or making silly noises or faces 95% of the time. She ranks up there with our other entertainer, Noah! Maybe they will go on the road together!

We have been busy with Scouts, some swimming and lots of homeschooling. We also have a celebrity in our home. Josh won the regional home school spelling bee and will be particpating in the entire region's spelling bee this Saturday, March 8th. He would LOVE to take first over all as this would win him a trip to the National Scripps Spelling Bee in Washington, DC. Go, Josh!!!!!

We had a great time a few weekends ago with our dear high school and college friends, the Thornells. They are now midwesterners too since moving to St. Louis about a year ago. We love being with them and our kids have a blast together. Rachel and I swapped baby stories since she just had her 4th in November, baby Jake! He was precious and Sarah Beth adored him, as long as sissy or Mommy wasn't holding him. She already is such a little Mommy herself!!

A wild side note. All 4 college roomies have had babies this year. Rachel had Jake in November, and we had our gotcha day in November as well. Linn had twins in October and Maxie had another baby girl in December. We have all had a good laugh over this one! Are we done yet? Who knows???!!!

We had a great field trip to Sugar Grove Nature Center this week and learned all about tapping syrup from maple trees. It was bitterly cold and snowy as most days are around here but we all had a good time and were so glad Dad took the day off to join us. Unfortunately, it was too cold to get any sap (imagine that) but we learned so much and that is what matters! We don't feel so bad complaining about all the snow since even the locals are over it! Our daily plea is "Snow, snow go away, bring us some warm weather today!" All in all it IS very beautiful but we Southerners are ready for some sun!!

We met with the surgeon of the cleft palate team who will be doing SB's surgery. It is scheduled for April 17th. We meet with an ENT next week to see if they will put tubes in her ears at the same time they repair the palate. She screamed the entire time they were trying to look in her mouth, which actually turned out to be a good thing since her mouth was wide open allowing for a great view of her palate! She starts with an early intervention team this month as well for speech therapy. She really is doing well with her signing. Thanks for the website Lucy about the signing videos. They are great!

We are looking forward to a visit with our Atlanta friends, the Powells over Easter. We are meeting them for a few days in Kentucky and then soon after that we will host the Harkness family, April 6th. We can't wait. How blessed we are with such wonderful friends! We also can't believe our baby will be two on March 28th!!! What a fun and busy month March will be.

Gotta go and get kids in bed! Hopefully you will hear from us again next week. No chuckling from you avid bloggers!!!