Millers finally celebrate Christmas

A Christmas get-together had to wait for the families of Pam and Chris Miller. Pam's weekend-intensive schedule as a Strib night metro editor, and then the changing fortunes and schedules of those crazy madcap Minnesota Vikings, who control Chris' work schedule, delayed things a while. But on Wednesday night, Pam, Noah and the Millers Seven finally got together to celebrate Christmas 2010. A few snapshots:

With No. 1 son Noah, 21. He'll graduate from the University of Minnesota this coming spring.

Ditto.

Noah and Hannah awaited the dessert, a delectable chocolate ganache made by Mary. Elizabeth with her parents, Mary and Chris. Radiant Moriah with some pretty wild mittens.

Noah with some Catholic-oriented books from Auntie Mary. They'll find a place in his philosophy book collection. Hannah, 17, got a subscription to Seventeen magazine. Sheesh, she's prettier and smarter by far than any of their models, don't you think? Princessa Hannah de Banana. Me by tree. I got a GPS for my car from my nieces, who seem to think I might get lost. Ha ha! When does that ever happen? Oh wait -- last week -- with said nieces in the car. Never mind. Thanks, nieces! AvaMarie, 2, got a magic wand. Watch out, world!

"God bless us all, every one ..."

Chris and Zachary Miller had to work, but the rest of us Millers, plus one Johnson, Noah, and family friend Mandy Bradac, trooped to downtown Minneapolis this afternoon to see "The Christmas Carol" at the Guthrie Theater. Some photos from before and after the play at that awesome venue on the Mississippi River: Noah, Hannah, Moriah, Mandy and Elizabeth on the blue "endless bridge" that reaches out over the river. Pam, Mandy, Moriah, Hannah and Elizabeth by one of the theater's many cool windows. We ate lunch in the theater's fifth-floor cafe. Elizabeth had the "Merry Mac 'n' Cheese"; Moriah had the Reuben sandwich. Elizabeth and Mary on the blue bridge's balcony. Many people don't know about the Joe Dowling Studio on the Guthrie's ninth floor, perhaps the coolest place in Minneapolis. (The elevator to get to it is a little hard to find.) We call it "the golden room." The golden room has a glass floor through which you can see way, way down to Gold Medal Park. It gave me the vertigo willies to walk on it, but Elizabeth and Mandy were brave, and ventured out on it. Hannah, too, was wowed by the glass floor. Mandy and Moriah are golden girls even when they're not in the golden room. Elizabeth above the big city. Pam, Mandy and Moriah. Noah and Pam. Mary Miller made this casual snapshot of very casual Noah look like a Vermeer painting. Elizabeth's portrait, by her photographer mom. Noah and Hannah with a giant of the theater, Sir Tyrone Guthrie. Cousins Elizabeth and Noah. The beautiful blue theater from the outside.

Family coffee time

After taking in the Guthrie's matinee of "The Christmas Carol" this afternoon, we strolled down to Caribou Coffee on Washington Avenue N. for a little coffee: Noah, Pam, Hannah, family friend Mandy Bradac, Moriah and Hannah. Hannah, Moriah and Mandy. Me and my No. 1 son, Noah. Mary-Bear and Elizabeth... ... and, ditto. Note that Elizabeth is missing her canine teeth!

Noah's Dinkytown pad

Noah's room in his neat Dinkytown apartment, which he shares with friends Joe P. and Chris B, reflects his interests ... ... Leonardo da Vinci, Bob Dylan, guitar, reading... ... music, Aristotle ... ... Willie Mays, Pink Floyd and Picasso.

Christmas at the Hagbergs'

Photos are trickling in from the big Christmas Day gathering at Jane and Ted Hagberg's lovely Woodbury home. Here are a few: Katie Hagberg with her beloved grandma, Katie Sprick. Teddy Hagberg with a few Millers -- Zack, Avamarie and Hannah. Siblings Sarah and Dan Broberg. Siblings Tuck and Joe Kirkwood. Sarah Broberg was surrounded by lovely and loving members of the younger generation: Katie Hagberg and Hannah, Moriah and Elizabeth Miller. She loves her family; you'd better believe it! Uncle John (C.J.) Kirkwood with granddaughter Katie Hagberg, niece Sarah Broberg and great-nieces Hannah, Moriah and Elizabeth Miller. Two hip young relatives: Marty Broberg and Katie Hagberg.

A very merry Sprick family Christmas

Thanks to Uncle Joe for sharing these snapshots from the Sprick family Christmas: Cousin Dave clears his Eau Claire driveway, which has more lanes than a Wisconsin freeway, with a mini-tractor.

K., Mavis, Joe, C., A., Tanya, Monty and little ones Sonya and Perrin. (Camera-shy Maria slipped away before the photo was snapped.)

Mavis and Joe with son Dave and daughter Cindi.

Dave and Sarah and their three kids.

Monty and Dave played some tunes. Wish we had video! And Merry Christmas to you all!

A very merry Miller Christmas

The Millers Seven went all digital with their Christmas card this year. Click on the image to make it bigger and easier to read. By the way, the Millers' little family Christmas, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 27, because it's Pam's night off, has been disrupted by those @#$! Minnesota Vikings, who just rescheduled their Sunday night game for that night, which means Chris has to work. The Millers are trying to reschedule Miller Christmas, because can't have it without Chris T. Mas Miller himself. Check back next week for photos from that rescheduled event.

A birthday and early Christmas dinner

Cousin Dan and his sons, Marty and Nick, came over to the scrapblog editor's Robbinsdale house last week to celebrate Dan's 49th birthday and an early Christmas. Some snapshots: Dan blows out his candles as Marty watches warily, his phone nearby in case he needs to text 911 about a big fire.

Used to be, Dan could talk down to son Nick, but not anymore! Both his sons are way taller than Dan is, and Dan's not short by any means.

Nick created eerie music on his goblet. We took a video of this concert, but can't seem to get the darn thing to upload.

Nick, Dan and Marty. The scrapblog editor is old enough to remember when these people -- ALL of them -- were short tots.