Miller Christmas Letter 2009

The air is brisk and light snow is falling as we head home from Mt. Shasta with the best Christmas tree this Miller household has ever seen. As we look back on 2009 we will share with you a few of our blessings as we hope to forget our complaints.

Mattie Bella turned 5 at the cabin this year. We now have a kindergartner and I have a new heavy hat to wear, her teacher. Since we home school we have enjoyed the freedom that gives us to still be able to travel to see family and friends. I really enjoy the program that we are going through which offers classes and extra curricula activities. Mattie has been taking a science and a geography class once a week (Do you know all the continents because my 5 year old does?). She has excellent penmanship and loves to write. Mattie loves being a little mom to her dolls and to her little sister. She has a wonderful imagination and says that she wants to be a chef. She loves everything Tinkerbell and will play a game with anyone willing. Mattie loves to fish with her daddy; she caught both a brook and brown trout this year.

Chesnie Grace is our fiery 3 year old who also enjoys mothering her babies and playing with her sister. Ches is our little entertainer, always making us laugh. She loves to dance to Johnny Cash music and she often will be heard saying, “Dance me.” Chesnie’s senses seem to be highly sensitive as we hear her say, “I hear, smell or see something.” Chesnie wishes that Mattie didn’t have to do school as she looses her playmate for a few hours every day but she does very well playing on her own or listening in on what is being taught. I am afraid that she is going to have to start school in third grade since she seems to pick up a lot of what Mattie is learning. Then they would be in the same class and people would really think they are twins (I get asked that all the time!). As Mattie learns new things during school Ches soaks it right up, even from the other room. We might have to start her in second grade! Both of the girls love to be outdoors. One of their favorite things to do is gather acorns to smash and pine cones to eat the pine nuts.

Matthew is a teacher continuing to wear pool man clothes. Although a teaching job has yet to come we are thankful he has a good job with a great pool company. Matthew enjoys his family time best of all. He enjoys gardening, nature walks, fishing and exploring new places with our family. His fishing highlight of the year was a very special trip to Kennedy Meadows with his dad and brothers where he out fished them all. His dad, Ron, has had a difficult year

with his cancer and we continue to ask for your prayers.

Home schooling has presented its challenges for both Mattie and I but I am amazed at her growth and how much she has learned. I continue to plow through and enjoy every book I get my hands on as I have now started a book review blog,
www.booknerd-corrie.blogspot.com. I enjoy connecting with family and friends through Facebook. I love being with my family and enjoying God’s creation with them.

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior may your fires be warm, family be near

and your coco hot…Oh, Let it be Christmas!

Matthew, Corrie, Mattie Bella and Chesnie Grace Miller
2009

Miller Boy's Fishing Trip

For Father's Day, albeit a little late since it was in September, Matthew went on a fishing trip with his dad and his brother's, Rick and Dan. They woke up early Saturday morning to head to Kennedy Meadows, an hour out of Sonora. According to Matthew it was just beautiful. They had great luck fishing with Matthew catching the most, 8 fish! They enjoyed dinner together and then passed out in a little cabin. They woke up the next morning and had a cowboy breakfast and a little more fishing then headed home. It was a special time for Matthew to be together with his brothers and his dad. They had lots of fun and took lots of pictures. Matthew said he wishes they had not waited so long to take a trip like this together.

August Happenings's

We spent Labor Day with our best friends, the Brownie's, up in Salem. We had such a great time all being together. Mattie loved on Sam and Ches bossed around Caleb. The kids had lots of fun outside in the backyard swinging away. They also got to go to the Gilbert House, a children's museum, with the daddy's. Kara and I enjoyed some girlfriend time, chocolate cake and shopping. The boys enjoyed some boy time with football. The picture of the guys on the couch is all of them watching a game. It was such a blessing to be with our best friends for another fun filled Labor Day!

This is Caleb at church leaning on Matthew and holding his hand, just precious!

Mattie my little hippie girl! I love this picture!

Matthew took the girls to Old Shasta. They got to go to a bakery, a courthouse and a museum. They got to pan for gold, Chesnie's favorite. Then they found a beach at Whiskeytown lake. They swam and built castles and found treasures. Mattie was so brave, she swam just like she was in our pool. She has gotten to be a good swimmer this summer. They had so much fun they took me the next day. The picture of just bubbles in the water is Mattie and Matthew going under at the same time. We live in a beautiful place and it was nice to get out and enjoy His beauty.
Matthew is such a good daddy and at the end of the day her carried both girls up all those stairs. The girls loved the special day with their daddy and I love that I have such a loving to husband that treasures his girls.

The last of Summer

August started off with a trip to the Bay Area to see my sister Catie who had moved to TN in January. She was bringing along her new boyfriend, Jaime, for all of us to meet for the first time. My brother, Chris, his wife Jen and their kids James and Kylie were there too. It was great to see Catie after so long, meet Jaime (whom we all like by the way), have the cousins play and just be all together.

All the grandkids helping Gma cook

The new pool at Gma and Papa's

Auntie Catie keeping the girls warm

Chesnie, Kylie and James

Catie got the girls shirts that say "My mom's the bomb" My shirt says "the bomb mom"

Me reading bedtime stories to all the girls

Chesnie singing Jesus Loves Me with Papa at church

Mom and her granddaughters

My dad bought the girls all matching dresses and an matching outfit for James

Matthew trying out the slip and slide

Papa keeping Ches warm

Papa playing tic tac toe with the girls

Gma loving having her grandkids with her

Auntie snuggling with Mattie

Auntie Catie with Mattie and Kylie

Then we traveled to Oregon for my cousin Joel's wedding. It was like a mini family reunion and it was great fun! The girls enjoyed playing with their cousins and we enjoyed being with family we hadn't seen in too long. The wedding was beautiful! It was outside in the bride's parents backyard full of greenery and white twinkling lights. It really couldn't have been more perfect. God was honored and two amazing people where joined together. Love you Joel and Emily! The girls couldn't wait to get on the dance floor. From the moment the first dance was over Mattie and Chesnie were on the floor dancing till 11:30pm! Chesnie literally danced till she dropped. She asked Matthew to hold her as the band was singing their last song and then he passed her off to me and she was instantly asleep. Thanks for all the fun Quisenberry's!

This is how Ches travels, watching a movie and stuffing her face

Tryin' out the zip line at the park

Matthew trying out the zip line at the park

Mattie on top of the slide

The girls with Papa on the sea saw at the park

Ches trying on Gma's shoes

Matthew two handin' it with Ches and little Richy

Ches stylin' in mommy's glasses

Ches sitting on the grass at the wedding

Family prayer and blessing

The happy couple, Joel and Emily

The girls smothering Matthew with love

Chesnie and little Richy

Mommy and Ches with my beautiful mom in the background

Ches and Ruthie

Mattie and Jordan

My handsome hubby

The girls having so much fun on the dance floor

Ches doing a new move

Mattie dancing with Catie and Jaime

The girls dancing with Drew

Chesnie twirling with daddy

Mattie is having a lot of fun

Mattie dancing with Papa

Chesnie twirling

The girls with their cousins

Mattie all tuckered out at 11:30pm

Then we went up to our cabin for one last hurrah with Matthew's parents. It was very peaceful and relaxing. The girls enjoyed one on one attention with grandpa and grandma. They enjoyed riding their jeep and finding lots of "treasures" in the outdoors. They also enjoyed "driving" on the dirt road to the cabin

Mattie "driving" to the cabin

Chesnie out the window

Just hanging out with grandpa

Mattie's wooden head band

Roasting marshmellows on the bbq

Our summer officially ended today as it was Mattie's first day of school. She is our big Kindergartner now! We are home schooling so be in prayer! She enjoyed helping me make blueberry pancakes for her first school breakfast. And in the picture you see her doing her first writing in her book.