The girls got new hair cuts!

Allie before her hair cut.


Allie with her Aunt Janay who cut her's and my hair.



The View from the back. Her hair looks so much thicker.




I also got my hair cut. I wanted to try really sort. I love change. It will be fun to try it out.

John's new trick

John has a new trick he learned on monday!! Watch and be amazed!

Pretty good for a 6 year old!

Take 3 of Pledge

Ginny says the pledge

Take 2 of the pledge.

Ginny says the Pledge of Allegience

We have been going to the sunrise ceremony at my kids school and they say the pledge there. Ginny learned it from there on her own and not from us. I just heard her say indivisible one day and decided to listen a little closer because that is not a 2 year old word. After a week of trying to get it on video here it is.

First day of School

I am a little late posting these, but sometimes life gets a little crazy. Have fun.

Thanks to Amber coming with me, we were able to get some nice action pictures.

John doesn't seem to care what he is wearing. But he can tie his own shoes now. He learned just two days before first grade started. He is so happy. He can even double knot them.

I do like uniforms, but Allie is not too thrilled about no pink. We just make sure she has pink or purple shoes or bows.

Climber

What is with my kids learning to walk early and climb right after!! Brandon has mastered the folding chair.

Bye Bye to my hair !!

Ever since my sister-in-law Kate cut her hair and sent it to locks of love, I have always wanted to do the same thing. So, when my hair got really long, summer time in Vegas came, and my baby turned into a hair puller, I felt the time was right. I love my new hair cut. Thanks to my other great sister-in-law Janay.



This was before I cut my hair. We sent 10 inches of hair in.

This is me after Janay cut my hair. It is so much fun to have short hair. I haven't had short hair in a long long time. Sam was very reluctant to have me cut my hair before, but now he loves it. He even caught himself checking me out in the store and didn't know it was me. What a great husband right!!

Mom Trauma, otherwise known as LOVE in kindergarten

So...I was picking John up from kindergarten today. The kids were lined up outside the classroom door and I was running a little late. So when I saw John standing there I was shocked to see his arm around a girl's shoulder and her arm around his waist. They were very cosie...I was not. I told John it was time to go and he smiled really big at me and then leaned in for a KISS (on the cheek, but how shocking). He was just grinning. She then says to me, "Can John come to my house and play today?" Since they were such good friends my obviouse answer was NO!! but I said it very nice because she is just a little cutie. This is also the same girl that sent him a really sweet love letter home in his backpack about a month ago. Sam is of course shocked as well because he used to run away from girls in kindergarten. Oh what have I gotten myself into? My brother, Matt, must have been having secret 'picking up on girls' lessons with him. I better keep my eye out.

Happy Birthday Allie

Today has been a long awaited day in our home. Allie has made her own invitations to all the family and been counting down the days for a month. She has decided to refer to herself as "the Birthday Girl." I was sending the kids to Grandma's house for Grandma to take them to get Allie's free ice cream (thanks to Cumorah, love them). John darted across the street looking right and left for cars as he was in the street. Allie, on the other hand, stopped, looked right and left, and then proceeded across the street. I am always trying to practice positive parenting, so I yelled, "Good job Allie, thank you for looking before you crossed the street." She then yells back a classic comment, "Birthday Girls always do what their mom's want on their birthday." This is said from the girl who asked me last night, "I get to do whatever I want tomorrow because it's my birthday, right mom?" Man I love her.

Split pea soup

I just asked my Allie if she wanted to have some split pea soup. (Allie is ALWAYS hungary.) She said, "No mom, I don't like peas and I don't like splits." Nice!

Final Stretch

So it has been a week since I updated last and I am happy to say that she is on the final stretch of potty training. She now tells us when she needs to go and we only have to remind her sometimes. She has usually only one accident a day, but it is a surprise which kind of accident it is. She also woke up dry this morning for the first time. It is pretty exciting. We will see how long the final touch ups take. She is such a sweet heart. When I ask her if she needs to go potty, she often answers, "No, I don't think so." What a silly girl. Well, that's all for now.

Progress in Potty Training?

Sunday: I so did not want to be potty training on Sunday because I just wanted to relax, but the show must go on. So here it is: 80% mostly because she pooped in her pants. I wish she would just tell me.
Monday: Hallelujah! She is a strong 95% today. She even told my hubby this morning that she had to go potty and then went. She also told me this afternoon that she had to go potty and then went poop on grandma's toilet. She is amazing. It has been a true week since we started and I have been very diligent even though at times I really did not want to be. She is on my good side today though. She is super wonderful. and I just love her so much.

Brandon Crawling at 5 months

Yes my baby is crawling. This video was taken on Sunday and he is now sitting up and everything. It all happens so fast. He is still my baby though.

Potty Training Again!! Do not read if you are sensitive to potty words.

So, Today their is hope. Yesterday, I got up and decided that this week is the week Ginny gets rid of diapers in the day because it is spring break and I have time to stay at home ALL DAY. I have now decided to give an update of the progress for my future sanity when potty training other children. Here it is:
MONDAY: 20% Today was not good. She managed to go pee-pee on the toilet twice and she was in underwear from the moment she woke up till bed time. Luckily she did manage to have all her accidents outside. If she were a puppy, she would be done potty training. Thank goodness it is laundry day.
TUESDAY: 100% so far, and it is already 4:30pm in the afternoon. Hooray. This is a huge improvement from the 7 or 8 pairs of undies we went through yesterday. Yes she even pooped on the toilet instead of in the undies. O.K. she pooped her pants once (and a 1/2), but otherwise she did great.
WEDNESDAY: 80% She has decided that if I actually catch her before she poops in her pants then she gives me this look that seems to say, "Give me a break, mom." It is adorable. There was no pooping in the pants today. She just peed in her undies twice. She is really doing well now that she gets a gummy worm after she goes pee. Who would have guessed?
THURSDAY: 80% so far. She also managed to poop on the toilet seat. Don't ask me how that happened, but it did. I couldn't get mad because I always say, "poo-poo on the potty." I should have said "in the potty." Kids are so smart.
FRIDAY: Today was about 90%. She only pee-peed in her undies twice and was able to wait the rest of the times. She has also been taking naps all week in undies and not had an accident. She didn't even poop at all today. We will see what tomorrow brings.
SATURDAY: She was with daddy today, but managed to poop "on" the toilet seat again in the morning. Still working on "in". I am getting frustrated because she still won't tell us that she needs to go, but she will tell us right after she has gone. She will also show us where she has done her business if we ask her. She is so helpful.

That has been the adventure for this week. Stay tuned for next week.

Potty Training Part II

So, Ginny has been in undies the whole day and has gone pee-pee on the toilet at home and at Lowe's. I am sure Lowe's feels really privileged to be my girl's first outing in undies. No accident though. She is so awesome!!

OOPS!

It was pointed out that I forgot one important detail of 2008. In February, Sam and I went to Mexico on a cruise with my cousin Stefi. A week away from the kids with great people. How fun can that be. Let me tell you. GREAT!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Better late than never. Here is how our family has been doing in 2008:
Sam- He is still working for the State, but went through some changes at church. He was the scout master for most of the year but now he is teaching primary and doing a great job.
Stacie- I have been pregnant all year and we welcomed Brandon Miner into our home in October. He is so cute and lots of fun for everyone, but especially for his siblings. They LOVE him. I am still teaching primary, John's class actually, and I am starting to get the hang of it after a whole year. In fact they like me so much, that I get to be his teacher next year too. Oh Joy!!
John- John has had an eventful beginning to kindergarten, but he is now in a regular education classroom and is loving it. He is so proud that he can make good choices at that school. He is taking tumbling with Grandma Larsen and can now kick over his back bend. In May we went to see Thomas the Train at the Heber Creeper and the kids loved it. John was in heaven.
Allie- She is in her last year of preschool and loves to tell me all about her day when I pick her up. The biggest news is who was the leader that day. I am constantly being told what a great student she is. She is taking dance class from Grandma Larsen and absolutely loves it. I don't think my mom is EVER going to be able to retire.
Ginny- What a handful and a cutie. She is starting to talk now and is cracking us up with all the cute things she can say. Slowly we are beginning to understand her constant chatter. Her hair is actually coming in as well, but it is so blond, that it makes a halo above her head so she looks like an angel. She likes to do everything John and Allie do and thinks she is big enough to do it.
Brandon- CUTE!!
We just want to thank all of our family for their support and love. We wish you all the best and are so thankful for your support.

We love you,
Sam and Stacie Miner Family