Please, Just Don't. Thanks.

My sister and I are self-proclaimed Christmas decoration snobs. As we drive around at Christmas time, we give grades to the Christmas decorations on houses, and offer suggestions (to each other, not to the people who live in the houses...that would be taking it a bit too far) as to how they can bring up their grade.

For example..."That house is a B+, but they could bring it up to an A if they would get rid of the blinking lights that give us seizures/ get rid of the red lights in their windows/straighten out the lights on their tree." You know, practical stuff.

However, in my eyes, there is one decoration that gives you an automatic fail. Observe:

Those blasted inflatables! I don't know what it is, but they make me shudder!

Although...I DO like the lights on the house behind the loathsome inflatable. Add some pretty garland and some candles in the windows and we have a solid A- going on. I'll even look past the icicle lights on the dormers. It is Christmas, after all.

This one makes me want to cry. It MOVES. Ugh.

So there you have it. I love Christmas. I love Christmas decorations. And I appreciate all effort and the beauty of it all. But inflatables...INFLATABLES? Please. Just don't.

It's a...

self imposed snow day! I attempted to get to work this morning (thing #278 I miss about teaching: guilt free SNOW DAYS!!!!)

Gah- they just interrupted Ellen for a weather alert- that's how gross it is! And the weather lady just told me to stay in bed and eat pizza. Okay. Will do.

Anywho...after slipping and sliding through town, barely making up a hill and wishing with all that was in me that I lived in the south, I turned around and headed home. To this...

Yes, a stack of books just waiting to be read (and one that already has been read.) Recently I have remembered my love for reading and I'm milking it. And having a blast.

So I started my day with a little bit of this:

Figaro wanted to get in on the action, too.

So what am I reading? Hummmmm?

I just finished...

This book was great. I cried. Yup...it was challenging, motivating and heart-string pulling. Good read.

I am currently reading...

Sophie Kinsella makes me laugh. A lot. This book is really cute and fun.

I am looking forward to reading...

Don't laugh. These books are fun. I have read 4.5 of them. I read half of book 5, put it down and never picked it up again. I was reading them as they came out, and by the time book 5 came out, I had forgotten what had happened before and was lost. I do much better waiting for a series to be complete before I read it. I'm the same way with TV. TV on DVD? Yes, please!

It's been a rough year. I just need to read this.

I've heard great things about this book...and have a mentioned it's been a rough year? Yeah, I thought so.

So there you have it. I love reading. And I'm going to go do some more. Right. Now.

RUH ROH!

Yup...that's my cell phone. Note to self...don't shut your cell phone in your car door. It will break. I just got this phone 2 weeks ago, too. I was thisclose to cancelling my insurance in an attempt to save money because in the history of having cell phones I have never lost or broken one. Glad I didn't do that! Thanks to the magic of the internet and the Verizon fairies, I should have a new one tomorrow. Yea! It's driving me crazy, though because I can see I have a voicemail and a text message...but I have no way of getting them. Ugh!

AND

This video makes me laugh. A lot. It reminds me of college. And Laura. And it makes me miss her and the way we used to laugh like fools.

I volunteered to my future SIL to sing it at her wedding next month. She hasn't answered me yet. Hummmmm. Wonder why. :)

*And yes, Julie, if you read this...I stole the title from your facebook comment. Thanks! :)

Let's Rewind...Again

I really, really, REALLY need to be better about this. You know- posting on my blog and not having to always rewind. Ahem.

Anyway, about a week and a half ago I got together with my dear friend, Tiffany. Tiff and I have been best friends since third grade. We went to school together all through elementary and middle school, then went to different high schools.

During high school and the beginning of college we worked at Camp Good News together as well. After college Tiffany stayed in NH and I was in Ohio, but we have remained great friends and I have LOVED reconnecting since I moved back to NH.

Tiffany is married to Ryan and now has two adorable kiddos that she lets me play with, read stories to, and snuggle. I love being "Aunt Erin!"

So, Tiffany and I got together on a Saturday morning to go watch her husband, Ryan, go jump into Lake Winnipesaukee for the Turkey Plunge, a fund raiser for the Salvation Army (although we missed the jump...whoops.)

Afterward we went to a local restaurant for a yummy fund raising lunch of clam chowder and chili. Then it was back to Tiff and Ryans to hang out, talk, play with the kids, and catch up.

What a fun day!

On Sunday afternoon I met up with my friends Heather and Diana and their friend Ian to go see New Moon. Heather and I went to school together from sixth grade through high school. She lived right up the road from me and was like a part of our family. Diana is her best friend and roommate.

These are horrible pictures because I took them with my phone and it doesn't have a flash, but I insisted on taking pictures anyway.

Heather and me



Ian and Diana


So here was my brilliant statement of that evening. We were standing in line for the movie and Ian and Diana were talking about some movie, but I wasn't sure what. So I said,

"What are you talking about?"

and they responded,

"Buffy."

I had a thought, but didn't say it out loud, and then I burst out laughing. When they asked me what was so funny I told them that I had thought,

"Yeah, I'm just really not into vampires at all."

Ironic since we were in line for New Moon, huh? HA! The thing is, I'm really not. I just recently read the Twilight books because I wanted to know what all these kids and teens were reading so I can be informed and to form my own opinons about them. I enjoyed the books, but am I a Twi-hard fan? No. Were they entertaining? Yes.

It was a fun and friend filled weekend!

Fallish Fun

Two weekends ago my family and I went apple picking. This has always been one of my favorite fall-time things go do. Who am I kidding? I love EVERYTHING about fall. The weather, the smells, the hay rides, the corn mazes (although there aren't very many of those in NH...), the decorations, the pumpkin spice EVERYTHING...I love it all. So we headed out to Appleview to pick some Cortlands and Macs. We took a hay ride out to the orchard.

Um...I guess you can't really tell we're on a hay ride there, huh? Oh well.

Mom and Dad

Mimi- 91 and still apple picking!

The Miller Girls

He really does love her. What a goof!

After picking apples we headed into the barn/store to pay for our apples and sampled a few of their apple fritters. Oh YUM! I also decided that one of my favorite smells in the world is the inside of the apple orchard store- especially if it is an old barn. Looking forward to more fall time fun things to come!

Catching Up!

I really need to be better about this. Let's back track again, shall we? Alllll the way back to August. My friend Julie came up from DC to visit. Julie and I worked at Camp Good News togteher as counselors in my late high school/early college days. Julie's family lives in Bangor, Maine, so the plan was for me to pick Julie up in Boston, then to drive up to Bangor to visit with her family and attend the annual Folk Festival.

Julie's flight was delayed due to bad weather, so I drove around and around while waiting for her and had a nice driving tour of the northern Boston area. After picking Julie up, we were both starving, so we decided to visit the brand new Sonic that had just opened in Peabody. It is the first Sonic in New England...


So we were pretty excited! When we pulled up we noticed there was a long line, but thought, "Eh...can't be that bad." Once we realized it was THAT bad, we were stuck. There was no way out. See...

That Strawberry Limeade was totally worth it! HA! Oh my. So after that we decided it would probably be best not to drive all the way to Bangor, so we stayed over at my place in Portsmouth and continued on to Bangor in the morning. That afternoon we headed out to the Folk Festival. It was cold and rainy, but still fun.

We listened to some good music, ate some yummy food, and listened to a riveting talk on honey bees. :)

Julie's family was great. I had a blast and honestly hadn't laughed that much in a loooong time. It was a great weekend!

Ooooookay...well, I didn't post like I said I would. I WILL NOT LET THIS DIE!! Anyway, this past week was a blur. My new to me car was making some weird tire noises, so I sent it to the dealer to get fixed. I was borrowing Dad's car for one day...and got rear ended. At the stupid traffic circle. Those things are death traps!! And to top it off...I locked my keys in the car. It wasn't my fault, though, because Dad's locks are possessed and keep locking on their own. Anyway, the guy who hit me is really nice and stayed with me until I was let into my car. What a week!

Today was back to work. I decided I was going to go to my happy place after work...Target! And not just any Target...the brand spankin' new Target that just opened in Portsmouth. I wandered around forever just looking at stuff...and ended up with some purchases that I am very excited about.

First I got Fiber One Pop-Tarts!! I LOVE Pop-Tarts, but never buy them because they are bad for me. But HELLO!! FIBER ONE POP TARTS??? Those are practically a health food!

I also got a new toothbrush. The Crest Sonic Care Spinbrush! Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE brushing my teeth, so needless to say, I am very excited! Plus, for someone without dental insurance, a new toothbrush is always a good thing.

Finally, I needed some more cinnamon and decided to buy the SUPER cute Archer Farms cinnamon. When I'm not supposed to be in bed (goal #1 of the new Erin...but that's a different post) I will post a picture of it. Let's just say I need to cook with a LOT of spices in the weeks to come so I can replace all my spices with the Archer Farms brand. So CUTE. And everyone knows food cooked with spices that come in cute packaging just tastes better, right?

Speaking of food, I haven't been grocery shopping since I got back from OH. CRAZY. That was on the list of things to do today, too. Luckily, the brand new Portsmouth Target has a whole market section! Two birds...one stone. Mission Accomplished.

When I got home, I ordered these from Target online...recommended by Clemsongirl- a hilarious blog I just happened upon over the weekend. Hopefully they're as wonderful as she says...and maybe they'll make me look like the girl in that picture!! Anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for a good lounge pant! (Sorry Mom!)

To top it all off, I finally got caught up with my wonderful friend from Cedarville, Shawnna. We have both been away and on vacation so we haven't talked in forever. I miss her like crazy and it was great to get caught up.

Overall, today was a pretty good day. Hopefully tomorrow will be, too!

Well Hello There!

So, I've decided to join the blogging world. Not that I have anything wonderful to say...really it's just a way for me to keep track of what I have been up to. Seeing how scrapbooking is my second biggest fear in life, I've decided that this here blog will be a good way to do that (and to organize my pictures). So here I go!

So what have I been up to? Well...this past year has been a year of change. I moved from Ohio back "home" to New Hampshire last August. Quite honestly, it's been a rough year. I don't really know why God brought me back to New Hampshire, but I sure have learned A LOT- about Him and about me. Huh- maybe that's why He brought me back here. Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out what I should do with my life...and as I figure that out I'll keep track of what I'm doing right here.

Okay. So. Um, I think instead of starting in the present, I'll back track just a little. So let's recap:

In July, my friend from Cedarville, Kellie, and her husband, Matt, came to visit from Akron, OH.

We explored Portsmouth...

and Boston. Where we saw some interesting sights!

The next weekend Andrea (a friend I taught with in Ohio) and her husband Tony came to visit. We met in Boston for dinner.

Fast forward to the last week of July...I went on vacation to Ohio. Because who doesn't dream of taking a vacation to Ohio?? I'm such a dork.

First I went to my cousin Kim's house to hang out with her and her family, who I miss SO much. I don't have any pictures of that (yet), though. One night my brother and my future SIL, Laurie, came for dinner. We had so much fun! When Kim, Chris and the girls were at VBS one night I went dress shopping with Laurie.

Then I was on to the Dayton area where I met up with my old roomates Laura and Christina. Seriously, I felt like I was back at home being back in Laura's house. We had so much fun when we lived together, both in Cedarville, and in Xenia.

The next day when Laura went to work I went to hang out with my BFF Alia and her son, Xander (who I LOVE). Alia and I met the first week at Cedarville. Her husband, Jason was my small group leader my freshman year so we met when she came to our small group. We were also both el ed majors and had all of our classes together. Alia and I also taught together for the past 5 years in Ohio. Anyway, we met Laura for lunch at Colonial's in Cedarville. Oh, the college memories!

That night I went with Laura and Christina to The Greene (a great outdoor mall) for dinner and fun. We met up with Katie and Robin, ate at Noodles & Company (PLEASE, OH PLEASE come to NH!) and just had fun!





The next day Alia and I hung out all day long. Xander and I enjoyed some reading...

Together...

and on our own.

That night Jason, Alia, Xander and I went back to the Greene and did a little bit of shopping. :)

It was a great vacation, but all good things have to come to an end (much like this blog should. Cut it short, Miller!)

Yeah, so now it's August and I'll get caught up on what's been going on in August tomorrow!

Edit: A Sonic commerical JUST came on and my grandmother said, "Oooohhhh...where can you get that?" My answer, "At Sonic...a very far way away from here." Sigh.