blog posts

An Emerald Coast Christmas

An Emerald Coast Christmas

In 2015, we decided to celebrate Christmas in a non-traditional way -- at the beach, specifically Hilton Head -- to ...
Jackson's Senior Season

Jackson’s Senior Season

For the record, this is what our youngest cherub used to look like: It is a bizarre phenomena that babies ...
F1 + The Killers

F1 + The Killers

A few months ago, I was scrolling through Instagram on a lazy afternoon while Chuck mowed the lawn. Suddenly, I ...
A New Season

A New Season

It's been a month since Jeremy graduated from A-School and spent two weeks here before heading off to Japan. I ...
NYC 2023

NYC 2023

With a big overseas trip last year, and a big one planned for next year, we stayed stateside this summer ...
Reunited in Santa Fe

Reunited in Santa Fe

Michele and I had a visit scheduled in 2020, but we all know how that year turned out. That means ...
Jackson's First College Tour

Jackson’s First College Tour

There is something about taking your second (and last) child on a college tour. Homeschooling has been a long journey ...
February So Far

February So Far

One of the things I'm endeavoring to do this year is see people I haven't seen in a long while, ...
It was a good year.

It was a good year.

I'm sharing less these days, which I'm sure you've noticed. In previous years, I shared a lot with readers - ...
A New Normal, For Now

A New Normal, For Now

When people decide to start a family, they usually say something like, "Let's have a baby," as if having that ...
A Little Trio of Introverts

A Little Trio of Introverts

There are two questions I get asked regularly. The first is always, "Have you heard from Jeremy?" and the second ...
A Season of Change

A Season of Change

Despite the high heat and suffocating humidity that plagues the south every summer, I've been taking long walks almost every ...
Best AirBNB Ever in Vincennes

Best AirBNB Ever in Vincennes

After researching AirBNBs in Paris and getting discouraged by steep prices and undesirable locations, we scored the best apartment we've ...
Day Two in Paris

Day Two in Paris

Instead of going to the Louvre, which none of the kids cared to do, we got up Tuesday morning and ...
Day One in Paris

Day One in Paris

Writing about Paris will take several posts because we packed in a lot of places in a little bit of ...
The Swiss Alps

The Swiss Alps

Staying in Hésingue (France) put us in close proximity to northwestern Switzerland. After studying the routes and drive times, along ...
Jackson Turns 16

Jackson Turns 16

It is one thing to experience your oldest child turning milestone ages. It is quite another thing to experience it ...
Basel, Switzerland and our stay in Hésingue

Basel, Switzerland and our stay in Hésingue

When we started planning this trip, we hoped to find lodging in all three countries as the itinerary unfolded, but ...
Beautiful Strasbourg

Beautiful Strasbourg

I've wanted to visit Strasbourg for several years, a charming town in the Alsace region along the Rhine River. Since ...
A Stop in Heidelberg

A Stop in Heidelberg

The bulk of our trip was centered around France, but I didn't want Grafenwöhr to be my family's only German ...
Grafenwöhr in 2022

Grafenwöhr in 2022

Over the years, whenever Chuck and I would start talking about our next trip to Europe, the idea of visiting ...
Jeremy Graduates

Jeremy Graduates

It's been a roller coaster week, but one of the high points was definitely Jeremy graduating high school. We were ...
Goodbye Sweet Major

Goodbye Sweet Major

When we got Major in January 2013, it had been two and a half years since we'd lost Hank. Our ...
Senior Season

Senior Season

We're only weeks away from Jeremy's graduation, which both unbelievable and a relief. When we decided to homeschool eleven years ...
Second Trip to Lambeau Field

Second Trip to Lambeau Field

Sometime in mid-December, I got a text from Jim, the author of Green Bay: A City and Its Team, the ...
Second Snow of 2022

Second Snow of 2022

The snow started falling in the late afternoon yesterday and didn't stop until this morning. We finally got a good ...
First Snow of 2022

First Snow of 2022

Only in Tennessee would it be 78 degrees with a threat of tornadoes on January 1, followed by a widespread ...
Christmas in Wisconsin

Christmas in Wisconsin

For the second time, we met my sister and her family in Lake Geneva for Christmas, though it was entirely ...
A Long Autumn

A Long Autumn

It's been a vibrant, lovely autumn, and the season seems to have lasted longer than usual this year. There are ...
21 Years

21 Years

We have been locking eyes for a long time. It used to be that we'd lock eyes after school when ...
Cross Country Runners

Cross Country Runners

Both boys are running cross country for our local high school, and honest to goodness, we couldn't be more pleased ...
18

18

The aging of one's children is a curious and cruel set of mathematics. Our firstborn is 18 today, and I'm ...
My Tribe and the Things They Carry

My Tribe and the Things They Carry

You should know July was a rough month. I said no to several things and spent an inordinate amount of ...
43

43

Well, here we are again. This time last year, we were in a very different space, but no matter how ...
Four weeks and counting

Four weeks and counting

The school year is creeping up on me, and I don't appreciate it. My summertime priorities have been on point ...
Costa Rica: Day 6

Costa Rica: Day 6

Wednesday was our last full day in Costa Rica, so we kept the day light and planned a special dinner ...
Costa Rica: Day 5

Costa Rica: Day 5

On our fifth day, Chuck and I got up early to drive around the property to take photos and then ...
Costa Rica: Day 4

Costa Rica: Day 4

One of the things Becky and I wanted to do in Costa Rica was see a sloth. We'd talked about ...
Costa Rica: Day 3

Costa Rica: Day 3

One of the activities we booked in advance was a four-hour sunset catamaran cruise with snorkeling. It was an excursion ...
Costa Rica: Days 1 and 2

Costa Rica: Days 1 and 2

Until I put my feet on the ground in Costa Rica, I was hesitant to say with any certainty that ...
Taking Dad Home

Taking Dad Home

Per Dad's wishes, we brought his remaining ashes home to West Virginia this past weekend. It was the second service ...
Charleston, West Virginia

Charleston, West Virginia

In decades of trips to West Virginia to visit my grandparents and extended family, I have never, to my knowledge, ...
Three Days in Boston - Part Three

Three Days in Boston – Part Three

On my third and final full day in Boston, we met Amy in Beacon Hill after her morning appointment. Pre-Covid, ...
Three Days in Boston - Part Two

Three Days in Boston – Part Two

Monday in Boston was one satisfying discovery after another. The skies were clear, so the city looked glorious. We grabbed ...
Three Days in Boston - Part One

Three Days in Boston – Part One

About ten years ago, give or take, my dear friend Amy started traveling to Boston annually under the care of ...
It's Almost Summer

It’s Almost Summer

We are trudging through the worst part of the school year, those last few weeks of tedious work before finally ...
The First Girls Weekend of 2021

The First Girls Weekend of 2021

I don't need to explain Girls Weekend anymore, do I? We're entering the third decade of these trips, so if ...
Our New Runner

Our New Runner

A few months ago, sometime in the fall, Jackson started going for short runs on our cul-de-sac. He'd throw on ...
Lifting the Anvil

Lifting the Anvil

When I woke up on January 1, 2021, I felt lighter, as if in the night I'd dropped 20 pounds ...
A Goodbye Letter to 2020

A Goodbye Letter to 2020

Dearest 2020, I knew you were trouble from the start. While I am grateful for myriad things - extra one-on-one ...
Christmas 2020

Christmas 2020

Well before Thanksgiving was underway, I knew I didn't want to stay home for Christmas. Obviously, a pandemic makes this ...
Spreading Dad's Ashes

Spreading Dad’s Ashes

Before Dad passed away, we all talked about what he wanted to happen with his remains. No question, his heart ...
Grandpa

Grandpa

Here I go again asking that you keep my family in your thoughts: My grandpa died suddenly and swiftly on ...
The Holidays and Impending Doom

The Holidays and Impending Doom

Last week I sat in the car with a dear friend as I finally said the words I've been holding ...
20 Years

20 Years

Ten years ago this week, we took family photos in Amarillo. It was a weird time - Chuck was living ...
Life in the After

Life in the After

I don't know what to call this space - these days that unfolded "after Dad died". I don't want everything ...
Buck up, Kid

Buck up, Kid

When I try to recount the last nine months, the one looming shadow over everything was Dad’s illness. Everything changed ...
42

42

August signifies two things: The impending return of school and my birthday. In fact, I don't want to even think ...
A Check-In at the Midpoint

A Check-In at the Midpoint

The Great Pause is long gone, that beautiful, restorative, slower pace my family enjoyed throughout April and May. I can’t ...
Father's Day 2020

Father’s Day 2020

The Przyluckis came in town to celebrate Becky's birthday and Father's Day, so we soaked in more family time over ...
Miller Quarantine Vacation House and Jackson Turns 14

Miller Quarantine Vacation House and Jackson Turns 14

We've had back-to-back weekends of house guests, first with Karin and the kids, then Corey and Alex, and finally, my ...
Summer is here and hell is empty

Summer is here and hell is empty

Becky, Jeff, and Owen came to town last week to be with us as we heard the results of Dad's ...
First Boat Day of the Season

First Boat Day of the Season

Despite all of the temptation to buy a boat, we've decided to spend another summer season renting one. (It is ...
Garden Serenity and a Family Update

Garden Serenity and a Family Update

Right now, in between our sluggish attempt to finish the school year and staying up-to-date on COVID-19 news, I'm sourcing ...
My Safer-At-Home Begins and Thoughts on The Great Pause

My Safer-At-Home Begins and Thoughts on The Great Pause

First of all, Happy Birthday, Dad! It's a milestone, and I'm so grateful for it 🙂 While most of the ...
A Hike in the Woods

A Hike in the Woods

Almost daily I feel overwhelming gratitude for where we live. Not just America, not just East Tennessee. I love our ...
The Coronavirus Curveball

The Coronavirus Curveball

We are two weeks into Dad's treatment for cardiac sarcoma, and now the rehab center, where he lives full time, ...
On the Eve of Chemotherapy and Super Tuesday

On the Eve of Chemotherapy and Super Tuesday

Those two things, in theory, should be unrelated, but sometimes things fall together on a calendar for a reason. For ...
How is it February?

How is it February?

I don't even know where to begin. My father had a stroke on Dec. 8 while on a business trip ...
Christmas 2019

Christmas 2019

By now most of you know my parents are in California on account of a medical emergency with my dad ...
A Full Moon in December

A Full Moon in December

It has been a full week fraught with surprise, worry, and anticipation. We are near the end of our fall ...
Thanksgiving 2019

Thanksgiving 2019

We were happy to host family for Thanksgiving dinner, and it ended up being the first year we mixed both ...
Autumn 2019

Autumn 2019

More has gone on here than our trip to England and Wales, so it would be a shame to make ...
The UK with Karin: Day 8

The UK with Karin: Day 8

It was our final full day in the UK, and we wanted to make the most of it. Instead of ...
The UK with Karin: Day 7

The UK with Karin: Day 7

Like I said in the previous post, our AirBNB in Nant-y-Derry was a DELIGHT, even though it didn't have WiFi ...
The UK with Karin: Day 6

The UK with Karin: Day 6

I was still high as a kite the morning after meeting Philippa Gregory at Sudeley Castle, deliriously happy as we ...
Races No. 23 and 24

Races No. 23 and 24

Just when I think I'm done running half marathons, I convince myself to run "just one more." When I learned ...
The UK with Karin: Day 5

The UK with Karin: Day 5

Our fifth day in England was the most special. Not only was it the day that our driver showed up ...
The UK with Karin: Day 4

The UK with Karin: Day 4

To Windsor! We hopped the train again, this time westbound to the tiny town of Windsor. Last year we visited ...
The UK with Karin: Day 3

The UK with Karin: Day 3

When Karin said she wanted to see Hever Castle, I didn't mind one bit. Interestingly, it was on our third ...
The UK with Karin: Day 2

The UK with Karin: Day 2

We both enjoyed every second of sleep we got that first night. It is definitely the trade-off for flying overnight ...
The UK with Karin: Day 1

The UK with Karin: Day 1

When Karin and I met in 2001, we became fast friends. This is actually the same origin story for all ...
16 and a quick trip to West Virginia

16 and a quick trip to West Virginia

I seem to average one post a month these days, so that's a good indication of how busy we've been ...
August 2019

August 2019

We're only halfway through the month, but the momentum of the new school is already giving me whiplash. Is summer ...
My Week Alone

My Week Alone

Earlier in the spring, my sister asked me if Jeremy wanted to join Owen on his summer youth trip, and ...
Family, the 4th, and Starcourt Mall

Family, the 4th, and Starcourt Mall

My Uncle Bob and his wife, Carie, came to visit the week of July 4th, and I was more than ...
Carillon Beach with Karin

Carillon Beach with Karin

I know, I know - we just went on vacation. BUT, Karin and I like to skip out of town ...
2019 European Vacation: Day Eight in London

2019 European Vacation: Day Eight in London

As promised, we made sure the boys set their feet in London before flying back to the States. A quick ...
2019 European Vacation: Days Six and Seven in Milan, Italy

2019 European Vacation: Days Six and Seven in Milan, Italy

The weather was a bit gray when we left Levanto, an indication that the remainder of our Italian experience would ...
2019 European Vacation: Day Five in Levanto and Cinque Terre, Italy

2019 European Vacation: Day Five in Levanto and Cinque Terre, Italy

It was hard to leave France, if I'm honest. We had just found our stride with the neighborhood and language, ...
2019 European Vacation: Day Four in Antibes and Cannes during the Film Festival

2019 European Vacation: Day Four in Antibes and Cannes during the Film Festival

We scheduled a morning to sleep in and take our time, which was necessary for happy moods and getting some ...
2019 European Vacation: Day Three in Monaco for the Formula 1 Grand Prix Practice

2019 European Vacation: Day Three in Monaco for the Formula 1 Grand Prix Practice

If you'd have told me as recently as January that I would want to go to Monaco for a Formula ...
2019 European Vacation: Day Two in Antibes, Côte d'Azur (the French Riviera)

2019 European Vacation: Day Two in Antibes, Côte d’Azur (the French Riviera)

It was a genius move to sleep in the hotel connected to Gatwick Airport because our Easy Jet flight from ...
2019 European Vacation: Day One in Kingston-Upon-Thames and Brighton

2019 European Vacation: Day One in Kingston-Upon-Thames and Brighton

Last year, when Chuck and I flew to the UK, we opted for an overnight flight so we wouldn't lose ...
So we went to Europe.

So we went to Europe.

At some point during winter, Chuck and I started talking about where to take the boys on a summer vacation ...
Mother's Day 2019

Mother’s Day 2019

Several years ago, as a gift to myself, I decided that as long as we are homeschooling our academic year ...
F1: A New Obsession

F1: A New Obsession

I don't know if this is a short-lived phase or the beginning of something, but I've become a Formula 1 ...
Mumford & Sons on their Delta Tour

Mumford & Sons on their Delta Tour

When I became a Mumford & Sons fan, Chuck and I were in the midst of trying to move back ...
Where in the world have I been

Where in the world have I been

In my former life, blogging was an almost-every-other-day thing. I had so much to say, so much to post, so ...
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