Highlights from our '07 Christmas Card Shoot!

*Special Thanks to Stacey Kane for capturing these special moments!

ADORE...

How amazing is this!?! I am so thrilled that I had Stacey Kane shoot my Mom and Dad with the girls during their session last month! It was a very impromptu thing and I am just so tickled to have these images. I only wish that Gramma Patty had been with us - but all the more reason for more sessions with Stacey the next time she is here in the spring!!!

We are all so blessed to live so close to each other and the bond that Annie and Gracie have with Gramma Bee and Papi Don ['Big Don' as Annie calls him!] is priceless. This quick collage [you can click on the image to enlarge] she designed says it all: ADORE: cherish, shower with hugs + kisses, love and respect deeply. I couldn't say it any better myself! We adore you Mom and Dad and are deeply grateful for all that you do for our family each and every moment of each and every day!

Aunt Kathleen On Her Way Here!!!

We are SO excited! Patrick's sister Kathleen [aka "Aunt Kate"] is arriving in the morning to spend the holidays with us straight from the island of Pulau [near Micronesia] where she has just wrapped filming the 10th season of Survivor! [her 3rd one on the series]. She is a producer with Mark Burnett Productions. We all cannot wait to hear all of her tales of her amazing travels and life experiences gained over the past year since we saw her last! She has been in Dominica [filming the series "Pirate Master"] and then was in China and most recently Pulau. We will only get her for a few quick days before she is off again to destinations unknown for the next 2 seasons!! Check out the pics of her in Pulau diving and swimming with the dolfin's in the wild!

She is just the coolest, most laid back and super fun Aunt/sister/sister-in-law and we are just totally psyched to hang with her for the next few days!! Updates and more pics to follow for sure!

Uncle Doug, Jimmy Buffet, The New Orleans Saints and a Racehorse!

[New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton on left, Jimmy Buffet in red and Doug to immediate right of Jimmy aboard his boat "Last Mango II" in Miami last February during the Superbowl!]

[The official 'Doug Miller' executive headshot from the New Orleans Saints website [which he is totally in charge of! Click on his photo to read his latest bio!]

Ok - quiz time: what do Uncle Doug [my little brother!], Jimmy Buffet, The New Orleans Saints and a Racehorse have in common?

Turns out - quite a bit!! Doug is a part owner of a racehorse named 'Pulaski County' along with Jimmy Buffet and a number of notable New Orleans Saints including head coach Sean Payton, quarterback Drew Brees, General Manager Mickey Loomis and his boss Greg Bensel, Vice-President of Communications! Racing under the "Last Mango Racing Stable" the horse had its second 3rd place "show"today [the first race was on Thanksgiving day].

So. Much. Fun!

Barb and Don were there today for the race - they said it was great and really exciting! You can visit the official website for the whole back story - but in a nutshell - when Doug and the others were in Miami last February for the Superbowl [which the Saints came heartbreakingly close to playing in!] they spent some time with Jimmy Buffet [a HUGE Saints fan!!] and after many Landshark beers they cooked up this idea - and less than one year later here they are!

This is a fun article from the Times-Picayune about the endeavor! Leave it to Doug - never a dull moment!!!

Visit with Santa '07!

One of the highlights of the Christmas season is the visit to Santa in Downtown Celebration!! We took the girls earlier tonight - this was the first year that Gracie has been bold enough to actually talk with Santa and sit on his lap. She was just beside herself with anticipation all day and so excited - I wish I could bottle it up! She wanted to wear her Santa sweater [at least 2 sizes too small!] and matching hat and besides a few anxious moments and tears at the last minute - she did warm up enough for a sit on the big guy's lap!!

Annie took a break in between her two Celebrate Gymnastics team performances downtown to pop over and visit with him - which explains the outfit! She made us very proud and is really loving being part of the team. She was also excited to debut her new 'do' - a shoulder length bob!! Santa loved it!

So far - there are more 'nice' moments than 'naughty' ones so heading into this final week odds are good that Santa will deliver on their lists...but we will keep you posted!

Our Soccer Girl!

Here is Annie's official soccer portrait from this Fall season. This is her 3rd season playing Celebration soccer and besides having her friends on her team - the best part about soccer is her coach...Daddy! Coach Patrick is enjoying coaching and soon needs to decide whether he will take on double-coaching duties when Gracie enters the league - starting this winter!!

Annie is growing up so fast and this past week has added Musical Theatre and Jazz to her already busy line-up of activities which include soccer, piano lessons, the gymnastics team. So much for my vow to not overschedule my kids!!! We will take stock over the holidays and decide what we want to do in the new year - but judging by her enjoyment of everything - she will choose to keep them all!!

The Elf on the Shelf!

The Elf on the Shelf arrived today to our house!! The girls are SO excited! They have named our Elf - "Nip" and he has been assigned to our family by Santa to watch over us and report back to the North Pole each night on who is naughty and who is nice...then, each morning until Christmas, "Nip" will reappear on a new shelf in our house and the girls have to find him! We will let you know how it all goes - so far, so good! "Nip" will go home with Santa and the reindeer on Christmas Eve and then return to our house next Thanksgiving night!!