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.

Birthday Month

Wahoo...

It's my Big Sis's birthday!!

I (Heidi now) cannot help, with having a new baby during this month, to think back to what I was doing 3 years ago. I was on bed rest awaiting the arrival of my first child. Life seemed crazy when I was working full time, keeping up a new home, supporting my husband in real estate, and taking care of our almost one year old puppy. HA! I had SO much time, and I didn't realize it. Motherhood has been an amazing ride. Anna has been such a sweetheart and I am so excited to celebrate her 3rd birthday (where did the time go?) this month!! We started off this month celebrating here in Utah with family.

January has been a special birthday month for the last 19 years as we have celebrated my youngest sister's birth. She is an amazing girl (now woman-weird) sister, friend, and AUNTIE! We have loved living here with her the last couple of weeks. Isn't she cute!? Sometimes she looks straight out of a magazine. Happy birthday lil' sis, thanks for sharing your month with Anna!

We decided to make it easy and make cupcakes, but I ended up putting them together as a cake anyway. My Mom also pulled out Auntie's old Snow White figurines (except Anna's Snow White was LOTS cuter).
Anna got MORE PRINCESSES, of course, and a light bright set, books, and money (to go pick something out). She is one lucky girl.

Anna has loved playing with her cousins! They are such good friends and play so cute together, even the boys loved playing Princesses. (:

This was "the morning after" she played all morning with her new carriage and princesses.

All Smiles

Maddie gave us an early Christmas present and started smiling on Christmas Eve morning (about 3 am) she had had spurts of potential smiles, but this was definite! It is so stinkin' cute! I captured these photos last night and cannot wait to get some more. She is a sweetheart and I have SO much to blog about... I'll get to it sometime.

She is killing me these days

Anna is hillarious lately, I cannot get enough of her random phrases and comments. She makes us laugh all day. Here are many things I have written down, emailed Dave, or wanted to write somewhere. This is mostly for my own records and may not make sense to some of you, but enjoy!
Also, she cannot say certain letters:
L=W
G= g and d sounds


A: Don't fall in (the toilet when I sat down to help her put her pants on)
H: I put the lid down so I won't
A: Yeah, if you did then I would just have to play with Daddy... and Baby Sis would say where's my Mommy?

"I had a scary dream ... about Ur SU la..."

"will you put my blanket over me? I don't know how to do it like you and Kjersti

"I did even recognize that"

Anna just woke up... she kept saying, "I am still sad the JoJo's gone.... Mommy I'm still sad.... But we go to Utah in a couple minutes..." "Mommy are you still sad?"

She is doing ring around the rosies (referring to Mia- I think)

"She is learning hot potato" (referring to Maddie in my tummy)

"Its hard to live far far away from cousins"

"Would Eli like that" or Eli would be sad" ( referring to the woodcarver in a book)

An email we sent to a friend: Anna just came to me as I sat down at the computer, and said, Oh we need to write Kristy a message! So here is goes....

kkkkkriiiiistyy hhhhhappppppppppppppppy bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbitrert

Anna's response when we were fixing the kitchen chairs one morning. She helped me put all the pads on, turned to me mid-way through and said, "we're doing GRRREAT!"

Emails I sent Dave about our day: Her latest ... Just got attacked because she was on Mia's bed..."That was funny...""Mommy Mia gave kisses"

Okay, her actual latest as I was typing, she tripped over Mia's bed and fell into the corner where the drawers are (outside) I almost thought stitches, but just some bruised toes... now we will go put shoes on

Anna just asked "Do you think I could be Diego and you could be Lucia?"
Then she said, "I think I hear Daddy" and went wandering down the hall.
She just came back, I asked her if she found you,
her reply? "Yes" I said "oh really where?' "Outside, then I scared him, I said, BOOO!"


P.S. now monsters and swipers are coming.... aaaaahhhhh! better run! (:

She sang "It's a small world" at the top of her lungs for about two minutes (or more). Repeatedly saying, "it's a small world after all," then going up an note, repeating again, going up a note.... until she gets so screechy I had to stop her."

She is playing princesses and just asked "do you want to go to the candy kingdom?" in her cute princess voice.
"Hi, Prince...
oh, this is the Beast
Hi, Beast
Hi prince, Hi beast, do you want to go to the ball?

"it's a small world after all....:"
"do you want to dance"
It's a small world after all (dancing with the princesses)

Now it's belle's turn.... It's a small world

I would say the Disney trip was a success.
I am going to grab the video.

"Squishy Ariel" - her Christmas present Ariel

Anna thanked me for saving her from the scary Crocodile in her dream. I vote no more peter pan.... (:

"That was so nice of JoJo to bring me this house" ( referring to her advent house)

"Thanks for waiting so patiently" ( to me on Christmas as I waited for her to clean up)

"Tome on" - her phrase many times a day meaning "Come on!"
I like Captin hook, I really like him

"I'll be back in a minute"
Me: "Where are you going"
"To Costco"
......
"I'm back and I had a good time. And I did everything at Costco, but I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm sad,"
Me: Why?
I'm sad Daddy's leaving, I am sad Daddy's leaving from work. ( I think she means leaving to work...)

30 seconds or less later...
"Im going to check on the Princesses and the beast and princes and see if they are still sleeping.
Princesses are you awake? They are still sleeping. I'll go wake them up..."
"Mommy they are awake! They are playing in their beds. Ah oh, swiper's coming
Me: "Really ? what is he going to do?"
He's gonna swipe something. He's going to swipe my princesses and princes.
"Swiper no swiping... he go far far away and didn't swipe something that is naughty. He didn't wake up the beast and princesses.
But I woke them up. I'm going to go check on them

Runs ot her room
"Are you sleeping? Oh, They're awake"

Hail to the victors......

That has been almost word for word the last 2 minutes!

(While playing with the swing in the Baby's room) "Mommy can you say the magic words so baby sister can come out and I can push her in the swing?"

Me: " I wish it worked that way"
A: Can you ask her "Please come out?"

A: "It's stinky in here"
M: Did you Toot?
A: No, it smells like garbage!
Then proceeded to gag a couple times
M: Is it the dirty dishes?
We went over to the sink
A: Yes! (gagging again)

So all the dishes were done before 8:00. She has Dave's nose and my gag reflex!

More emails:
Your Daughter...is the cutest! She was just looking through the gospel principles book and found a girl who was sad. She said "what is wrong?" I said "she must have done something bad and is maybe in timeout." Then I said what can we do (or something like that)?" She said, "Be gentle to her.... and pray for her!" About melted my heart

Anna just tried to ride Mia like a bull...

She got bucked off, pretty hard! ): "It hurt" she says.

"I'm getting so mad at you. Do you want me to get mad at you?'

"Listen when I say something to you. when I say thing then YOU listen"

"I'm sorry I said it twice" after she yelled something in the car (I had just been trying to teach her she didn't need to repeat things)

"I'm sorry"(the way she says it is so cute)

You can do it if you waaannnt"

A: Mommy I just tooted
H: ewww
A: squooose me... is that the nice way to say it?

If I need help I say, "I need Help"

Measuring with a measuring tape- " 30lbs"

"I like California, I don't want to live in Utah, then I would miss my baby stuff"

Her newest things:
*talking in an Italian accent, "what's a doin' down therea"
*adding a's to the end of words
*calling people by nicknames and telling me "sometimes I call them _____"
(Goof, Sar- for Sara, Syd, Mic, Gram, and many more)

Sisters!!

Yes, I am feeling a bit like this these days. And I have been HORRIBLE at documenting sweet Madelyn's life. (besides the large amount of photos I take). I will hope to get some things written, such as birth story, Anna moments, and fun memories with family. But for now, in the craziness of the holidays (don't have a child right before Christmas, it is crazy!), I will just post a few photos of our now 3 week old!

I have to admit, I think she is gorgeous...

Anna is the BEST Big Sister (and will remind you of that). We just have to keep her OFF of Maddie! (:Almost Every morning Anna will ask to see Maddie, one morning when I got up after Anna I found Maddie like this. Anna picked out and gave Maddie that Giraffe. I think this photo is so cute on so many levels.

SISTERS are the BEST!