escape artists

Charleston "party bus" back seat

front seat

Tuesday....morning, noon and nite



Downtown Charleston "roof top" view

Cool Kat on a sorta warm, sorta chilly Monday...mid November!

the Cindy's

Lovely Selena

"Kahroll", the Hostess!

our friends...

Dear Wednesday....tomorrow (which is now today) we will post pics...today we will just ponder.

just back from "girls beach week"...which is never really a week but a mere 3 days...but it's jam packed with "high quality fun & relaxation".

We, the "girls" are famous escape artists...we escape our day to day lives and meet up 2X/year at the same place, same time. There are but few guidelines..but these cannot and do not change.

Here they are:

• invitation only
• must be able to pass the "alzheimer-3-digit-gate-code test
• must be able to ride a bike while balancing a beach chair and fully loaded beach bag

must love cheese, crackers, hummus, diet coke, yogurt, & turkey and be able to survive on just that if need be...

Not allowed:

• Husbands
• children
• pets
• political correctness

Must love:

• the Lord
• sunsets
• excercise
• high school sports
• shopping
• chick flicks
• eating out/in

Daily Agenda:

• sleep until you wake up
• drink coffee until you are done
• walk/ride bikes on the beach until you're tired
• snack on whatever you can find (chocolate is mandatory)
• shop if the sun's not out
• watch sunset at "golden hour"

• enjoy fun drinks and chick flicks until bedtime....

wine testers

• sparkling cherry water with rasberries
  
• repeat daily

Girls beach week is necessary and must be enjoyed on a bi-annual basis...compliments of our great hubby's....simply because "we are worth it"...and, well, we just won't take no for an answer!...just sayin....
burgers & fries at "Poe's, as in "Edgar Allen"



These are the tired, early exiters....those in black were heading back to the Mtns...the one is white...back to FLORIDA....




These women are extra special....we'll love each other throughout eternity! Hooray! See ya in June!!

MIA's this year: Mindy, Tricia, Dottie, Leslie & Susan

crazy pup

I love my little dog...I miss him when we are on fabulous vacations...I miss him when I am with my favorite people...I even miss him while he is at the Groomer...who knew? When I go on about how much I am missing him...my darling daughters remind me that when we got him I said I hated him. He would run away every time we let him out and I would just say, "I don't care...let him go." That hurts my heart now...People told me I would learn to love him...I knew they were crazy!

He turns 3 on Sunday, the day before I turn, well, older.....now I know why he always ran away. He runs away now too...WHEN I DON'T WALK HIM!!! As a new dog owner 3 years ago I thought you took your dog out to go to the bathroom and walks were something novel..something you did when you had spare time to go out on a stroll...which was, uh, never!!! So he did what he does now...he says, "if you won't walk me...I will walk me...and I know you are mad at me so I won't come back right away...actually I won't come back until you catch me...and we both know how that goes"....crazy pup!

Today, we were out on a walk...which now we do twice a day... 1 1/2 miles each time...he decided to do his "dirty business" ON someone's tire...how wierd is that....He, like the infamous "Marley" of Marley and Me always searches searches, doing what we call the "search crouch crawl" looking for just the right spot to p--p...but not today...no today he decided to put his bottom right up against the neighbor's tire and squooosh..out it came....I laughed until I had a tear...then I had to get it off with the stupid plastic baggy....Florida rules...I could go to jail for not "curbing my dog"....blegth! Oh well....:)

And now...I'm one of those crazy people who writes about my dog and happily posts pictures of him....cause I just love him! Happy 3rd Birthday Ollie!

a lighter note...Miller updates

this maybe might maybe be my new pool on 4 acres with a lake and a gazebo...maybe might

and this would be my new maybe might maybe 2nd home....

Marc & John grill 270 burgers and 150 hotdogs and feed 400 at Southwind....

Adah and her "Big" Kylie at FSU football game

Bayshore Tournament (in pic Whitney and Hannah jump to block the vb)

my 2 baby boys Lu & Ollie (well one is 10 and the other 3)

Bayshore Tournament Saints bring home trophy for 3rd place:

My favorte man...and his stinky stogey

Miller's have been busy ...Adah is conquering FSU and loving it...new girlfriends, new guyfriends, visits to old friends.......Whitney is conquering Volleyball at St. John and loving it...games games friends tournaments friends and more games.......My picnic was a smashing great hit all thanks to the volunteers at Southwind and freinds at Centerpoint who helped me pull it all off (thanks be to God who never calls you without enabling you...) and now it's time to start planning "Festival of Holidays"...a takeoff from our old church in Ashevegas.... Finally... Marc is still loving his job at the hospital..meetings meetings gator hunting (got a gator) meetings conferences meetings.....Ollie and Lu? Well, they are still the greatest pets ever!!

We are contemplating thinking about thinking about contemplating renting a house here to own....it's a bit scarey trying to own 2 houses during these troubled eco times...but we believe we should investigate this lead...more later....

for now...enjoy Miller pics:

jumbled thoughts

I've been a little perturbed of late....haven't liked what's come my way...

But, God is good and His timing is perfect. My new Beth Moore Bible Study began 2 weeks ago with my same group as last year plus some newbies on the scene. We are studying the Psalms of Ascent...(Ps. 120-134)...and the last few homework assignments have brought enlightenment.

I was encouraged with the reminder that my God (Master Creator of Everything) is familiar with my circumstances and He writes "what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.. (Eccl.1:9)...and He reminds me that there are those who "hate peace". I call them "Lovers of conflict."


"In my distress I cried to the LORD, and he answered me...I have lived too long with those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war." (Ps. 120:1,6-7)


then there is today's lesson:


"Show us favor LORD, show us favor, for we had more than enough contempt. We've had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud." (Ps. 123)


Do I think it is a coincidence that these are my homework verses??....verses that we are to "unpack" as my Pastor says....and ponder???....no I don't. I think they were put there 1000's of years ago for me to unpack today..."for such a time as this".....to let me know He knows who and what I am dealing with and that I am to "cry to him in my distress" and He will "answer me"....


So I will...and I can know"...the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame" (Romans 9:33b)

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers...." (Ps. 1:1)

St.John's mighty Saints

Today is catchup day....now for the life of Whitney...which keeps us on our toes and in our cars....practice everyday from 4:30-7:30...1-2 games/week and the last 2 weekends had tournament games both Friday nites and Saturday mornings......out of town...........

These Lady Saints are awesome...lots of Seniors graduating last year so the team is made up of Whitney (the Libero in yellow) and her buddies....5 Jr's, 1 Sr. and 2 Freshmen...a new group that plays together like a well oiled machine!! We're looking forward to a great season!!

Adah has a new home

GrandMarc Tallahasse...."welcome home"

Adrianne moved to FSU in August...she told us allllllllllllllllll Summer...no roomate for me please...now, just 3 weeks into the Semester...you guessed....she has a roomate...."Jessica"...a local girl from Ocala...yay!She moved on Tuesday into a more spacious 2 bedroom which...costs less...hooray!

Of course it has seashell dishes, and palm tree glasses....and drapes the color of sand and water...

Her little apt. is cute and cozy and calm....everything opposite of last year...well, except for the cute...last year's was cute ...just wild...not calm! These pics are from the first apt....much smaller...more pics to follow later...

and a painted wall mural (that she did herself)

We are thrilled she is now content in her new School...with a new major (communication), making new friends, and enjoying a new kind of independence....minus one man in her life.....and, has already attended her first football game there (FSU lost but was a great game) GO NOLES!!

heart topic

Baby Beemer getting all cleaned up....by someone who WANTS to clean it!! Baby Beemer washed and waxed..mmmm!

Ok, lots of catching up to do....but for now, I will start with today....I am at Ocala's Infamous Cactus Carwash...ask anyone in town...they will tell you...best place to go for your money...they do EVERYTHING!! (and provide use of their internet while you wait)

I'm driving home from Tallahassee last nite (takes 3 hours) and I'm listening to late nite Christian Talk Radio....they are asking the question: "If someone off the street up and gives you $100 what would you do with it?" I knew immediately...buy shoes! But as I listened for about an hour no one ever said that. No one ever said they would spend it on themselves...NO ONE...then I thought maybe people were just trying to "out be good" everyone else. All the answers were: I would give it to charity, my Sister, my Brother, the church, the radio station....really? I'm a Christian. I love the Lord....but I wanted new shoes and a carwash...like today at Cactus Carwash.

I'm actually having a good time sitting in here..sipping on a Slush Puppy, that they make for you right here...I could have a brownie if I wanted or a muffin...but I'm not hungry. It's air-conditioned and has nice leather chairs (made to look like Indians made them...stretched leather, wood tomahawk legs.....) Yep, I would spend the $100 on shoes and a carwash...I would give my 10% to the church...on that note I did agree with the others...probably even take my buddy, Gatorflame, the Pastor out to eat too!

a little uneasy

It's almost time for School to start....Whitney's first day is the 18th and Adah's is the 24...so it is technically almost Fall...it's still in the high 90's, if not low 100's everyday here so I have to go by what month it is.

With Fall comes Fall Picnics...and we are having just that at our church...and I'm part of the planning and execution of this...so...I tell myself..it's just like Marc's birthday party...only add 350 people...easy....I'm just a little scared...totally outside of my comfort level....there....I said it.

The End.

fun fun fun

OH MY GOODNESS' SAKES.....I LOVE TO DO THIS.....finally our pics arrived from the Whitewater rafting trip we took back in Ashevegas....when I look at the pic I am reminded of how very warm and sunny it was (heat promoted by those silly lifevests...oops "floatation devices"...the guide reminded us they won't save our lives), how very cold the water was (we were allowe a 5 minute "float down the river break"...they knew we had to go to the bathroom...don't say "ewwww"...it was a long ride), and how very exciting and fun this was. Note to self..."always go whitewater rafting, you love it".

In this pic front to back: Gator Scott, Marc, Gator Valerie, Me, Whitney & Emily