Speed Bag Training!

Not bad for a one hander!!
Ok... no laughing now!!
Shelby and I working on the speed bag! This is a medium size Everlast 9x6 bag. The following link is for Alan Kahn's speed bag training site. Kahn is from Grand Rapids, and went to high school with Ed Mosley, a co worker of mine. Kahn is known nationwide for his awesome speed bag skills and training. Ed also referees boxing throughout Michigan. I've been around boxing and hitting the bag since I was a kid. My brother Mike was involved in boxing for many years and worked with me a little here and there. Mike, who is not big on Christmas, I think bought one present in his lifetime, and it was a pair of 12 oz. box gloves for him and I when I was a kid. He use to box me on his knees in our parent's basement. I can still hear my dad yelling down the stairs at Mike..."Take it easy on him, he's just a little kid." My only claim to fame in boxing is that I was undefeated in boxing when I was in the Police Academy back in 1992! Shelby is getting better on the bag, Rena and Chloe have a long way to go though. I even have Mindy downstairs working on the heavy bag a little
http://www.speedbagcentral.com/

Click on the arrow to play video.

Click on the arrow to play video.

Christmas and New Years.

For the 3rd year in a row we spent New Years Eve at Kevin and Loa Keenan's place. The same couples again showed up, with all their girls!!! This year Derek and Amy Kooistra had their new addition to the family...the only boy, DJ. We all had a great time enjoying fondue, playing board games. Apples to Apples was fun....we also played Singing Star....glad we didn't actually have to sing!! All had a really good time.

Paige Keenan, Marysa Miller, Mariah Keenan, Shelby Miller playing Apples to Apples.
Derek and his boy DJ.

11 girls and 1 boy!!!
Getting close to midnight!
girls parade

MIDNIGHT!

left to right Maggie Kooistra, Molly Koositra, Chloe Miller, Samantha Miller, Cassidy Keenan, Rena Miller, Mindy Kooistra
Jason, Sara, Samantha and Marysa Miller
Millers
Kevin, Loa, Paige, and Cassidy Keenan....the hosts.
Derek, Amy, Mariah, Molly, Mindy, Maggie, and DJ Kooistra.

Derek and Amy Kooistra
Mindy and I
Sara and Jason Miller
Playing Apples to Apples.
I think we are laughing at one of Jason's hilarious answers! This was a really fun game!

Some pictures of Mickey


New Years Eve at the Keenan's home.
Chloe Miller and Samantha Miller

Shelby and Chloe opening presents Christmas day.

Shelby and Chloe with their new American Girl dolls. Shelby has 5 of these dolls now and this was Chloe's first American Girl doll.
Rena with her new doll..this is her 4th American Girl doll.
http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/static/home.jsf

Rena with what else.....another stuffed animal.. According to her last count she has 62 stuffed animals on her bed!!!

Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana Jonas Brothers concert, Christmas time.

Shelby's Christmas concert.

Mickey


Mickey is working on walking!

Shelby playing her Clarinet with Marilyn in the Christmas program at church.
The girls in the Christmas program
Shepherd Chloe

Shepherds at the manger.

Matt and his Uncle Mike Miller talking football strategy as usual.
Mike showing off his speed bag skills...not bad for a 54 year old!!!!
Doug working on his 2nd or 3rd plate!!!
Nancy, Thom and Mindy preparing the food.
The girls and Mickey.

Shelby, the Dance, Dance revolution champ goes against her cousins, Matt and Katie Miller, and sister Rena Miller.
Chris Miller takes on his cousin Shelby in Dance, Dance Revolution.
John Hirt tries to beat his cousin Chloe Miller....hmmm?
Katie and Chloe, Doug in the background.
The cousins with our dog Mickey.
This is Shelby's first year of band, and she is playing the Clarinet. The Christmas band concert was her first time in a concert. Shelby also did awesome in middle school so far this year. She had nothing lower than an A- in her classes. No tardy and no absences so far also. I had my brothers and sister and their families over my house for Christmas eve this year. Ever since I was little we always had a get together on Christmas Eve at my parent's house. Since our parents are gone now...I'm trying to keep that tradition going. We had food, Mindy made excellent Stromboli sandwiches that everyone really liked. My sister Nancy and her husband Thom brought really good meatballs, and everyone left painfully stuffed!!! The kids played Dance, Dance Revolution on Playstation 2. The older kids, I mean my brothers and I played with the weights and punching bags in my basement too!!! The girls also were in the Christmas Play at Church, and Mindy and the girls went to the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers concert at the VanAndel Arena.