October fun!!

The month of October has been pretty busy for the Millers. First up, Derek's birthday. I didn't take any pictures, but we had lots of fun. Ember and I made Derek a carrot cake and we had chicken fajitas for dinner. He got a fun tank top that says "Sun's out Guns out" and a Detroit Lions freezer mug (that he's been using frequently!)

Next, Carly arrived. She made the long trek from Soldotna on the 15th and arrived on Kwaj on the 16th. The girls have been having lots of fun with their Aunty Carly, and I've been enjoying having another adult around the house during the day!

Here are a few pictures of her first bike ride from the Airport to our house. Carly and Ember have been biking around the island in this trike frequently since she got here. 

There have been a lot of "firsts" this month. The big one is that Nova tried her first solid food... Avocado. Since then she's tried banana and a few of Derek's fruit smoothies. She seems to like the avocados the best.

...And Ember had to get in on the fun too!

"This is how you do it Nova!"

"Ok! I get it."

Here are a few more just because she's so cute!

Ember started "Mommy and Me" dance classes. This is her second year of dance and she's really starting to pick it up. 

Nova is starting to crawl!

It's only a few inches at a time...

 And then she lies down..

 But she's really proud of herself...And then she tries again!!

Since Carly has been here, we've been taking lots of trips to the beach. Here are a few from a particular pretty sunset.

Ember has been helping out around the kitchen. She collects ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator, helps me measure them out, then adds them to the mixer or pan. 

I think her favorite part of the whole operation is wearing the apron...

... or it's "cleaning" the utensils!

Here are a few more random pictures just for fun...

Bye!!

2014 Halloween

The 2014 Halloween season was lots of fun. It started in September when Ember and Nova's Elsa and Ariel costumes arrived from San Diego. Ember immediately donned her costume and started singing "Let it Go". After a few days of this, I put the braided wig away so that is would last until Halloween (and invested in some earplugs...)

Halloween on Kwaj starts with the flooding of a low spot by the soccer field. The resulting pond is then turned into the location for an epic shaving cream battle. The event is split up by age group and Ember's went first (Nova will have to wait a few years until she can participate.) This was Ember's second year, and I think she had lots of fun (Derek too)...

Next up was the 1st annual Kwaj Coco Patch. A recent Kwaj transplant decided that she missed the annual fall pumpkin patch experience. So she bought a can of orange spray paint, spray painted a bunch of coconuts and planted them in her yard.

 A bunch of the neighborhood kiddos "picked" their coconut and proceeded to "decorated" them.

Next up... Pumpkin carving!

The carving master...

Aunty Carly helping out.

Halloween day is finally here!! This year Ember got to choose her own costume, and like millions of other little girls around the world, she chose Queen Elsa. Nova, on the other hand, had no choice and went as the little mermaid!  Ember went to pre-school where they got to ride the bus to different offices around the island for trick or treating. Nova, Carly, and I got ready for the little trick or treaters, who are too young for the bus ride. They get to walk to the near by houses for their candy

Queen Elsa and a Jelly Fish.

Your not seeing "quadruple" there were FOUR Queen Elsas in her class!!

The Little Mermaid (being held by Aunty Carly) got in on the action too.

And they're off to terrorize the island...

Carly and I are getting ready for the little kids

I only let the pumpkins out for a few minutes.. they were wilting in the heat!

The Little Mermaid is a little camera shy.

Here they come!!

Nova loved passing out candy!

Kwaj trick or treating is great. Everybody sits outside on the side walk to pass out candy. Sometimes they even pass out adult drinks to the parents... It's a good time!

The catch of the day!!

Miller Family 2014...

Ember decided to change into her Ariel costume... Even though Queen Elsa is the Ice Queen her outfit is a little too warm for Kwaj!

Trick or Treat with the jellyfish again!

This candy should last her until next Halloween..

Ember, if you hold her she can't get into your candy!!