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One more day until the new year
December 30, 2005 by Adam in Family
 One more day until the new year. How quickly things have gone. Emma in particular has changed dramatically, going from a toddler to someone with a will of her own. She's very chatty and bright, loving to sing, dress up as a princess, and doing tea parties. Sam's new thing is reading, which he obsessively does everywhere he sees words. Graffiti in particular fascinates him, which will probably cause trouble some day.
Yesterday was the big snow expedition, which ended up being both fun and stressful. Jamie had many second thoughts about the trip, though we managed to make it to a snow park intact. The kids went crazy when they got to snow, tossing snowballs and running about. Virtually everyone was there, something nearly impossible to coordinate. Yet it happened, we had fun, and we returned home tired and cold.
Today has been fairly calm, mostly to counteract the last couple weeks of excitement. We went to Fred Meyers. Sam and I watched War of the Worlds. I think we'll spend the rest of our dreary day inside, playing with the kids. It's all good.
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A quick posting this morning
December 28, 2005 by Adam in Family
A quick posting this morning. I'm actually at work at the moment, catching up with zillions of e-mails and such. I came in later than I expected as Emma was handed to me by a tired Jamie right before I left. Fortunately Emma was pretty exhausted too and just conked right out.
The last few days have been good. We've been playing with Sadie a lot, with Sam and I going to see the new Harry Potter movie with her yesterday. We've also been finishing up various house projects.
The bathroom is nearly completed. Jamie painted the medicine cabinet and I painted the walls. I think we have one more visit from the construction folks to seal the tiles and we're basically done.
One of Jamie's Christmas presents was a small LCD television for the kitchen. Yesterday the cable guy arrived to put in an outlet. The wall mount arrived via mail as well, and I quickly put it up on the wall. Now she can cook and watch old movies at the same time, plus the kids can watch their shows while eating breakfast.
I'm taking the next couple days off still. I think tomorrow we're going to try to find some snow, perhaps heading towards Willamette Pass. We'll see how it turns out.
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Merry Christmas, everyone
December 25, 2005 by Adam in Family
Merry Christmas, everyone. I'm up before everyone else and we will likely be heading south soon after breakfast. The final Christmas celebration awaits.
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It's Christmas Eve and we're all lounging abo...
December 24, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's Christmas Eve and we're all lounging about at Jim and Judy's house. Yesterday morning we went off to OMSI and had a good time. The kids loved it, especially the first thirty minutes with nearly no one there. Two hours later we were all a bit frazzled, but the memories were worthwhile.
Later in the day, Josh, Dave, and Kirsten arrived. The kids and grandparents took the Max to downtown Portland to see the lights while the rest of us went for dinner.
All very pleasant.
Update: The guests have left and the presents put away. Today was mostly about the Christmas party, with lots of food and people hanging about the house.
I ate far too many chocolate covered espresso beans. Emma got tons of princess clothes, mostly in the pink and frilly category. Now we're all tuckered out and ready to return home.
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We made it to Portland, safe and sound
December 23, 2005 by Adam in Family
We made it to Portland, safe and sound. The trip up was fairly grueling, with the kids becoming increasingly wild as we got closer to Portland. Jamie keeps giving me a hard time about setting up odd contraptions to let the kids watch movies, but I grow weary of the "I hate you"'s and back seat flailings. I think I have the equipment to set up a Gamecube in the back, which I might have to do on the way back.
I woke up at 4:30 this morning, which is early even for me. I think I'll be taking the kids to OMSI while they're still fresh. Jamie's slipping off to surprise her dad this afternoon. Jim and Judy are taking the kids downtown to see the lights, letting Dave, Kirsten, Jamie, and I to have a quiet dinner together. Should be nice.
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Yesterday seemed quite pleasant, somewhat low...
December 21, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday seemed quite pleasant, somewhat lower key than the rest of the vacation so far. Mostly I hung out with the kids as usual. Jamie gave me a blissful hour to myself after she took Emma off to Jerry's to pick up some paint. The worker guys returned, refinishing the bathtub and making it look brand new. The bathroom is really looking nice, with only a few things left to do.
 Continuing our traditional week-long Christmas (dare I say Christmukah?), we opened up my dad and Yayoe's gifts. Emma loved her Cinderella doll and Sam spent the morning putting together his Dino Attack Lego set. Jamie poured over the book of desserts, which I promptly forbade her to cook from (a vow that will be quickly broken, I suspect).
Towards the end of the day, we sent the kids over to Dave's house to be entertained by the trio of Dave, Josh, and Kirsten. Jamie and I cooked together for the first time in ages, enjoying our yummy mushroom enchiladas while watching The Island which Angie lent us. It was wonderful.
Today we're getting ready to head out to Portland tomorrow. Sam's friend John is over. Jamie's heading out to Pat's for a Christmas party. Life's good.
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Yesterday was our family Christmas
December 20, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday was our family Christmas.
It started the night before as I turned on lights, put the presents under the tree, and filled the stockings. When seven o'clock rolled around the next morning, I ran out to Metropol to return with assorted pastries and muffins. I heard the kids moving about upstairs, so I cuddled in bed with everyone until the excitement was too much.
They dug into the stockings, loving some rather unexpected toys. Sam really liked his pirate MegaBlock toy, especially a plastic pirate coin which instantly turned into a game. Emma carried about her Barbie Farytopia coloring book as if it were a real Barbie. Eventually we moved into the real presents after the grown-ups got their coffee.
Sam liked his new Gamecube games and Emma liked her playdough. Jamie was excited about her new food processor. I got some new shoes, though I need to get the size adjusted. Dorothy gave us scarves which ended up being worn the entire day. All-in-all, it was a good haul and lots of fun for the kids.
Jamie went off deliver presents to friends and I played with the kids until noonish. It was a little rough, with Emma having a melt-down about wanting to wear her pink dancing dress. It took me a good five minutes to calm her down before she could even articulate what the problem was.
For the afternoon, Sadie and my dad arrived to help me make apple butter. I assigned my dad to play a new game with Sam, which he was ecstatic about, rolling dice and moving tiny figures about on a hexagonal board. Sadie and I chatted and did a lousy job at following the recipe, though I think it finally worked out.
As the day wrapped up, we tried to keep our normal routine. There was dinner, baths, and stories at bedtime. Everyone was pretty exhausted and went to bed fairly easily.
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It's been a rather exciting weekend
December 19, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's been a rather exciting weekend. So much has been going on, it's hard to know where to start.
Yesterday was spent trying to get things done, making Sam a bit disappointed that I wasn't playing with him as much as he'd like. Sadie and Isa came over to play for a bit, and then we all went to see the new Narnia movie. It was good, though perhaps not great, a little longer than I expected. The actress who played Lucy was very good, as was Mister Tumnus and the beaver family.
I stayed up late working on my Christmas presents, going to bed sometime before midnight.
 Today seemed even more jammed back. This morning Jamie went shopping with her friend Pat. The kids and I played non-stop while I continued my Christmas projects. At noon we went to my mom's to make gingerbread houses with my mom, Sadie, and Isa. Sam and Isabel had a good time playing together. The kids had a great time making the little houses while I chatted with Sadie as much as I was able. Afterwards, Dave and Josh came over. The kids loved playing with Josh, who seems even taller than before. Around three, we sent Sam home with them while I snuck by the store for stocking stuffers and ingredients for tomorrow's project with Sadie.
And now, towards the end of a long day, I'm at Dave's house with the kids. Pretty soon Jamie will pick us up after visiting with Angie. Tomorrow is our family's Christmas, so I've got to get everything ready for tomorrow. Hopefully I can make it a semi-magical experience for the kids, especially Emma who's so excited for Christmas.
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It's Mocha Friday here at work
December 16, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's Mocha Friday here at work. It's also the last day before my semi-two-week vacation. I've got a long list of things to do, but I'm trying hard not to put anything into live or make any serious changes before I leave.
Sadie was supposed to come into town last night, but she ended up stuck in Portland. I guess Seraph will be hauling her down, hopefully this weekend sometime. I can't wait to see her.
The picture for today is a typical scene in the Miller-Mellor household. After I feed Emma her bowl of cereal, I bring her upstairs where the kids get read a story by Jamie and tucked into bed. Emma and Sam have different reading preferences, so it's a bit of a challenge at times. Jamie's been reading Little House on the Prarie to Sam, having long discussions about European colonialism and the relations with the native Americans. Jamie reports that he's brilliant and insightful, which is a good sign.
Tomorrow begins a couple weeks of hanging out with family and hopefully a bit of relaxation. I'm hoping for some time playing in the snow, watching some movies, playing some games, and visiting with folks. Plus cocoa. There's something special about cocoa on a cold winter day.
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The grand bathroom remodel is in full swing
December 15, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The grand bathroom remodel is in full swing. The contractor working on the house is a really nice guy and Jamie is quite happy with him. The walls and floor have been ripped out. Yesterday he put down new flooring and today the tile will be going down. When I asked Jamie what the next project is, she just grinned and wouldn't say anything.
Jamie and the kids slept in until eight o'clock yesterday, so Sam didn't make it to school. My mom even went out to watch Sam sing in his holiday musical, but he sadly wasn't there. I think Jamie's been feeling guilty about it.
I have another work day of meetings lined up, making it the third one in a row. The first day was actually pretty productive since it was just focused on a small group of us and we had actual things we wanted to accomplish. Yesterday was far more fluffy, mostly about team vision and such. I don't have particularly high hopes about today. Ah, well. At least tomorrow is Friday and I'm taking a bunch of time off work.
Last night I took the family to a team dinner. The kids were in pretty good behavior while there, but they were incredibly wacky afterwards. Jamie's frustration level was quite high towards the end of the night. I ended up putting the kids to bed, which is a rarity for me.
Tonight my mom comes to babysit the kids while Jamie and I go for a walk to look at Christmas lights. Sadie also arrives late tonight, which excites me to no end.
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Sigh, another Monday
December 12, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Sigh, another Monday. Soon enough I'll be braving the freezing weather to get to work. This is going to be an odd week for me, with lots of team meetings and hardly any time to get real work done. To top it off, I'm going to be taking time off for most of the end of the year, so I can already envision work piling up. Ah, well.
Sunday was both productive and relaxing. Sam and I managed to get all the bathroom things done. Sam in particular was extremely useful, unscrewing bolts and helping me drain out the water from the toilet. Somehow it's less disgusting when there's two of you cheerfully making jokes about it. We hauled the toilet into the bedroom and then took the sink downstairs. There was some minor spackling and then it was declared finished by Jamie.
 We bundled up and drove down to the river path. Everything was still frosty, so we tried hard to keep the kids warm. We made our way to the odd concrete sculptures, which they enjoyed playing in considerably. After our adventure, we headed to Barry's for soup and muffins, then back home.
The rest of the day was deliberately spent relaxing. The kids and I played a fair amount. Jamie gave me some time to myself, mostly spent playing Resident Evil 4 and creeping myself out. All-in-all, it was a very pleasant end to a very pleasant weekend.
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It's a chilly Sunday morning here at the Mill...
December 11, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's a chilly Sunday morning here at the Miller Estate. Sam's playing with Legos, Emma's watching a show, and Jamie's taking a shower. Soon I'll get Sam dressed and we'll start working on the bathroom, taking out the toilet and sink, as tomorrow the worker guy comes to completely remodel it.
Yesterday was fairly low-key. I mostly hung out with the kids, managing to steal some R&R time along the way. John came over in the morning and he and Sam played for a good long while. Jamie went to Victoria's party last night, returning at a quite reasonable hour.
Maybe we can hit the library today, or perhaps continue hanging out with the kids. There's about three movies out that I'd love to see in the theater, but that might be somewhat difficult to manage.
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It's Mocha Friday, though I'm trying to wait ...
December 09, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's Mocha Friday, though I'm trying to wait to get one until my friend Jim arrives at work. His wife just had twin babies, who are staying at the hospital for a bit longer. His job is to deliver milk each day, so he's promised to swing by for our normal Friday coffee run.
Work has been surprisingly busy as of late. I spent yesterday trying to debug a coworker's code, which is always interesting. I have another import process that doesn't work properly for some odd reason. I'm very much looking forward to taking some time off.
Yesterday evening was a little different. Sam was at a friend's house and Jamie took Emma off to put her to sleep in the car. With an empty house and a work-frazzled brain, I decided to spend some quality time with our new Gamecube and played a little Metroid Prime. Soon enough Sam was next to me while Emma slept away in the car and we were exploring a strange alien world from the comfort of our couch.
Jamie went off to have dinner with my mom and I spent the evening distracting Emma from the fact that she was gone. I did fairly well, using a variety of silly faces and games to keep her occupied.
The weekend looks busy already, with assorted events filling the days. Hopefully I can sneak in a little rest and relaxation too.
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The weekend is coming to a close
December 05, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The weekend is coming to a close. Jamie's making dinner for my mom and Bob. The kids are watching Little Bear on tv.
Saturday was fairly typical. We all went to library in the morning. The afternoon is a bit of a mystery, as no one can remember what we did. I do recall putting Emma to sleep while driving around in the car. After dinner, we all watched the Polar Express.
Today the big event was getting a Christmas tree. Jamie went out with Angie while the kids and I went to the park this morning. I don't think anyone was used to the cold, as Emma refused to wear her hat and gloves, and quickly became painfully chilly. Sam complained that his jeans with holes in the knees were too cold as well. Soon enough, though, we were back home and drinking hot chocolate.
The tree trip took a good hour or so, with Sam helping out with cutting and hauling. Emma had fun watching the chickens that lived on the farm (along with the people who rent it from my mom). On the ride back, Emma fell asleep, leaving Sam and I to play together. When she awoke, we decorated part of it.
I had a minor fit of exhaustion and begged Jamie for some time to myself. I took a bath and read, and have since mostly joined the ranks of the living. Fortunately tomorrow I return to work and can hopefully get a little rest.
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December already
December 02, 2005 by Adam in Family
 December already. Hard to believe. I'm still at home, visualizing my morning mocha.
It's been a busy week, with things happening nearly every evening and my days seeming more frantic than usual. I'll go in to work, planning on working on some project or another, only to find myself working on something completely different as the calls poured in.
Jamie and I had a nice Wednesday night, going out to Onsen's for some relaxing hot tub time. Last night I had the kids to myself. For awhile I was trying to play pretend some zombie game with Sam and Go, Diego, Go with Emma. I think tonight will be a repeat as Jamie's going off with Angie somewhere.
Hopefully this weekend will be somewhat more quiet. We need to start getting the bathroom ready for the contractor coming next week. I'm sure there's some Christmas-related activity that needs to be done, hanging up lights, for example. Ah, well, time for the shower and heading into work.
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