Chris Millard's World

Can't stop myself.

Love that little "pop" when it seals. My house is bulging with jars!

A friend of mine is in Edinburgh, Scotland and he took this photo.

I don't even need to comment, except to say that one of these will probably appear on 3100 North soon.

Today was Grandparent's Day at Wasatch Elementary and so I got to have lunch with my Amazing Ellie. We had mashed potatoes with gravy and tiny bits of turkey. There were vegetables and chocolate pudding.

Ellie at her desk

I saw Ellie's classroom and her desk where she learns everything they have to teach in second grade.

Ellie on the playground

Then we went to the playground where Ellie has lots of friends. The teacher who was the playground monitor told me that Ellie was his favorite!

Connor

Reed

Just want to point out that my little Reed is a Weber Wildcat! Makes me proud!

Jillian and Connor

Connor and Jill

Max

The Dinosaur Park has cut outs where the kids like to stand with their faces through the holes. They look very funny.

Sophie and Ellie

Family

In the morning the Millard Boys all had scrambled eggs.

Max

Connor

Grandpa

Here's my boss and my assistant (who was caught by surprise). So, he thinks I'm a meanie, huh? We shall see.

Where I work they frown on blowing things up. However, at ATK where Grandpa works it is considered sport. See the big plume of smoke? Hear that roar? That is the sound of Grandpa's paycheck. Sweet.

I am going to quit being annoyed that I cannot take my Diet Coke through the security gate at the airport. It all seemed so silly to me until I saw this video!

Take a good look. It is horrifying. And, there are people out there who want to do this to aircraft where it is entirely possible that I will be sitting in seat 28C!

Click here to read the text of the President's message.

My favorite line:

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

This is reminiscent of President Kennedy and President Bush who both challenged students to think about what they could do for their country. I hope my grandchildren are thinking about how they can do something for the United States of America. Emily, like her father, has chosen to serve in the military, making me proud (and a little frightened).

Mark, Michele, and girls

Ellie Millard and Megan Hoferitza

Connor in the pool with Rachel and Abby

Max in the pool with Emily

Reed

Michele has chickens because when the big emergency comes she intends to have fresh eggs.

Max in the playhouse

Ellie and Megan

Notice that both of these 7-year-olds are missing teeth.

Emily

Emily is 19 years old.

She loved her presents.

Mark

Mark is 49 years old!

Mark baked 2 cakes. This is the chocolate one, but he made a spectacular Angel Food (not from the box either!) which I cut into little pieces so there would be lots left which I promptly hid!

Reed

Ellie Millard (second daughter of Jeff and Kristin) is amazing. I call her my Amazing Ellie!

Jillian

Precious Jill (third daughter of Jeff and Kristin) is the last little girl in our family. After Jill, there are three boys. Jillian is the last little Millard girl.

This is Max Millard. In all probability he is the last grandchild. He is the caboose! Being the baby has some advantages. He is pampered and carried about by the granddaughters who all adore him. Being the littlest has some disadvantages. You have to fight to get what you want, but it makes you tough! Max knows how to fight! And, he is creative. His legs are too short to climb the ladder to the slide, so he just climbs up the slide to go back down.

This is an update for some friends whom we do not see often. These are the three Millard boys. Reed (Jeff and Kristin's youngest--age 2 1/2), Max (Dennis and Shamane's youngest--be 2 in Nov.) and Connor (Dennis and Shamane's oldest--almost 5). After 8 girls in a row, we wondered if we would have any boys. Then, all of a sudden, here are 3! You can't tell but they are fighting to see who gets to go down the slide first. I was afraid one was going to knock another off the top of the slide!

Protein

Here is my project for tonight since I have absolutely nothing else to do. I went to Costco to get protein to add to my storage in preparation for the big emergency (whatever it turns out to be). Tuna fish and peanut butter were the main additions for the food storage cupboard.

Yummy Protein

Then, of course, I had to add something good, so here are yummy chocolate covered raisins! The vacuum sealing lady on the video says chocolate covered raisins can last 5 years if properly sealed (POP!). I'm getting really good at this.

Grandpa called me on the phone tonight and said I'm getting to be a fanatic! Can you imagine???? Well, he can't interfere in what I am doing when he is in Australia and I'm in Utah, so he can say all he wants. Wait until you see what I do tomorrow night. Fanatic, my foot! I"m just gonna say, when the big emergency comes Mr. Frowny Face doesn't get any chocolate covered raisins. They are for my babies. There.

I'm taking this Swine Flu thing seriously. I'm ready for a quarantine with all my candy bars and other stuff. Yes, I have the food that's good for me too. And, I have 4 big bottles of NyQuil, and 4 containers of anti-bacterial wipes. Hope I don't have to use all this stuff.

Click here for IHC's info on Swine Flu.

This is the menu at the Mulwayla Hotel where Grandpa had dinner last night. It isn't the luxury that he enjoyed in Sydney! :) He said the food was pretty good. What is "Grilled Barramundi?" Just wondering. And, they are letting him come home on Friday! Wahoo! There's lots of stuff around the house that needs fixing and I just haven't been able to do it. Guess we need a big, strong man!