Christmas at the Miners

This was an old post that I just found, thought I would finish and post.

Here is a glimpse of what our home looked like over the holidays…

This year we started a tradition called, “The Elf on the Shelf.” Our Elf, “Oo-Duh” or “U da” I don’t know how Anna would spell it. He came every morning, sat in a different spot all over the house, then left at night to tell Santa how Anna was for the day. He found some random spots throughout the house, I wish we would have captured them.

Then the night before we left he disappeared for a while and left a note saying he went to tell Santa that we wouldn’t be at our home for Christmas. Then after Anna and I went to get the mail, we walked into this! U dah (According to Anna it wasn’t Santa it was U dah) had brought back some early presents that he knew we couldn’t fit in our car coming home from Utah. Anna couldn’t have been happier about her bike.

Anna was obsessed with this nativity set. It was so cute. We had a lot of fun while also teaching her about our Savior’s birth.

I was in charge of making gifts for all our Primary teachers, music leaders, and Presidency. We decided on these Nativity tile coasters. I made these with my Ann Arbor ward last year for super Saturday. It was quite the task…88 tiles, lots of stamping, spraying, gluing felt pads (which I don’t know if they even stayed on) then wrapping. I don’t feel like they were my best work, and I hate giving mediocre presents, but in the end they were finished and given out. I heard good feedback, so hopefully people were happy. (I don’t have time to post a tutorial, but if you want to know how to make them, let me know)

And last but not least…. Griswold's eat your hearts out!! (okay this isn’t our house, but we drove by this display every day. Our neighbors were REALLY into decorating for Halloween then REALLY REALLY over the top for Christmas. It was like a friendly competition. Each day something new was out. The photos don’t give it justice.

House #1

( Anna’s favorite was the Grinch moving in and out of the Chimney)

House #2

House #3

House #4 This house was FILLED with EVERY blow up imaginable. It’s funny, I have never thought about it before, growing up in Utah, but because California doesn’t have snow, they can go all out and some do.

Houses #5, 6,7

Last but not least, this is where we spent Christmas. I have to say my mom’s living room is one of my favorites. There are nutcrackers everywhere, including all over the tree. It is elegant and beautiful. Most of the Nutcrackers have some sort of meaning, like the two small ones, which represent Holly’s experience of being in the nutcracker. Three others (not pictured) where given by Dave to my parents when we were dating. A special memory for me! (:

We love our new webcam!

Silly Resolutions

So, I have been contemplating in my head the New Year and all that I have to work on and all how I would like to be better and use my time wisely as we are now a family of four. I have many things I will be throughout the year, but I am trying to simplify life right now and focus on what is important.

Today we had a GREAT sacrament meeting (our Church's main meeting of the day where to partake of the Sacrament, have song and prayer, and listen to a few members of our church speak about a subject- like a sermon from a minister, it is just given by a member of the congregation). Today the focus was on President Uchtdorf's most recent General Conference talk. It helped me to re-analyze my life, goals, and how I should be living my life. One of the speakers said that 80% of New Year's Resolutions fail and quoted someone who said "New Year's Resolutions are for procrastinators." Those who know me well know how much of a procrastinator I can be, and I want to make this year count. In effort to do so, I declare that I will make a goal each month and try to work on it during that month. That is it. If I happen to accomplish it, then I move on to another thing. Perhaps scaling it down and focusing will be better for me. (However my annual goal of being more healthy will become a lifetime goal).

Yesterday as I backed my car in the garage I realized I am horrible at backing up and hate to do so, and I thought... this could be a resolution, to get better at it. Ha, I laughed, then I thought about other things that I would like to work on, but are weird.
So I did make a list of silly resolutions (ones that won't kill me if I don't accomplish them this year)
Here they are:
1) Back the car in the garage more often to get more comfortable with reversing the car.
2) Keep toenails painted all the time and file nails
3) Take contacts out once a week
4) Keep the car clean
5) Hang clothes/put in wash bin after wearing them (keep closet clean)
6) Only get on FB once a day
7) Blog once a week
8) Brush my dog once a week
9) Listen to music more
10) Meditate. Perhaps with Chocolate.

There you have it.