Claire's Cafe Rio

These are all pictures Claire took with my phone at Cafe Rio. It is interesting to see what she decided was picture-worthy. Notice our free meal - love it!

I Am Like a Star Shining Brightly

Claire filled out a spotlight form today for her primary class at church - they have all the kids stand up and then read the answers to each question. If the answer doesn't apply to them, they sit down. It is a fun way to see what Claire is thinking about - she said she wants to be a dentist when she grows up. A dentist?! I guess reading the Bernstein Bears Go To the Dentist has had an impact.

London - 10 Years Ago

Sigh... I don't even have a current passport anymore, that's how long it's been. Someday I will visit Europe again, if I can convince Matt. Here's Karry and me in Green Park, London.

Post-Harry Potter

We were the first ones in line for our showing of Harry Potter - after we took our pictures around the theater, of course. Some girls leaving a previous show let Emily borrow a wand. Nice! The movie was everything it was supposed to be - very well done, as usual. I love Alan Rickman as Snape - all the actors are great, actually. We had a great time and I am glad our husbands didn't mind that we we wanted to go on opening night without them :)

Date with HP

I have been on a Harry Potter marathon this week to get ready for the last movie which opens tonight.I am almost done with watching The Deathly Hallows Part 1 (though I have seen them all before, of course). I wasn't crazy enough to go to the midnight showing last night, but Emily, Katie and I are going to see it tonight. I am excited and sad at the same time because I really have loved the Harry Potter books and movies - I hope my kids will read the books someday.

Claire Quotes

My cousin's little boy Isaac said, "What's your name again?" Claire says, "My name is Claire, but my other name is Claire Bear."

Claire has been calling her "boyfriend" on her play cellphone. I have no idea where she got that idea - so not cool. Anyway, she gets off her latest call with her boyfriend, and looks at me and then at Matt and you can just see the connection in her head. "Mom, is dad your boyfriend!?" I said, "Yes, he was and then he became my husband - I told you, you can only have a boyfriend if he's someone you would marry." (See, I'm getting in my life lessons any chance I can).

Straight from one of Claire's bedtime prayers, "Thank you for mom, and dad, and Miles, and me. Help me to be good and strong and big. Help Miles to not push me or hit."

Lately when Claire gets excited about something - even something relatively small like a new shirt or going to the park, she says, "Yeh-aaahhhh!" in this loud, deep voice and then "Woo Hoo!" It is so funny! I need to get it on video.

"Mom, I am getting really big - did you know that? I am going to be 4 and then 5 and then 6 and then 7 and then I'm going to get baptized."

Miles Vocab

Miles is 23 months old now - can't believe he is the same age Claire was when Miles was born. He seems a lot younger than she was, maybe that's why I am not ready for a third baby yet. Part of that is his vocab - he is starting to say a few more words, but is still the family ventriloquist. Too much time with a pacifier in his mouth I guess. He can now say the following:

1. Shoe
2. Toe
3. Cuh (Claire)
4. Da da
5. Ma ma
6. Pool
7. Water
8. Potter (as in Harry)
9. Ju-Ju (juice)
10. Cool
11. Papa
12. Hot
13. MeMa
14. Cold (w/shivers)
15. Hey
16. No
17. Hat
18. Hair
19. All done
20. Cracker
21. Tessa (our babysitter)
22. Toots
23. Eye
24. Stinky
25. Nose
26. Ow
27. Chair
28. Color
29. Pop (lollipop)
30. Pop Pop (popsicle)
31. Ball
32. Bowl
33. Share!
34. Two (we are practicing for his b-day next month)
35. Shirt
36. Car
37. Hey
38. Uh huh (for yes)

Summer Rain

We have had several rain storms come through Las Vegas over the past week. Rain in the desert in summer is pretty fun - it is warm, so it feels kind of tropical outside. But the rain comes and goes in minutes - so you have to get out and enjoy it as fast as you can. The ground is literally dry in less than an hour after the rain stops.

Yesterday Matt parked the car down at the end of our street, and it started to rain while he got the mail. He was soaked by the time he walked to our house. So of course, Claire had to go out and play, which meant a swimsuit for the rainstorm. Don't judge us - but yes, she is sitting in the street.

My Dream Team

I have them in training already! Claire actually made a few baskets with the regulation sized basketball and Miles liked hanging on the rim. They have some tall genes coming to them, he just might be able to dunk someday. Go Team Hiller!

Fourth of July

We had a pretty mellow 4th of July - we bought some fireworks to set off at home, and spent time with the Hillers. We soon became the main attraction for the neighborhood kids, that is, until our fireworks were done and someone else down the street started setting off more.





Our kids have pretty mixed feelings about fireworks - it's a love-hate relationship. But we had just the right mix I think - going to the AF Base would have been a bit too loud for them. Maybe next time!

Oceanside

Our very generous friends invited us to spend the weekend at their family's house in Oceanside - we had a great time, and we were literally right on the beach so we could go down the steps from the back patio onto the sand.

Our kids got up at the crack of dawn every morning, but luckily we had a beautiful beach to entertain us so we spent the morning outside enjoying being away from desert heat, looking for shells and avoiding the very scary (per Claire) seaweed that would drift in on the waves.






Here we are hanging out on the beach, which we basically wanted to do the whole time. The kids were hit or miss with the water/waves, but liked to play in the sand and chase the dads around. Avery and I tried to read in between doling out drinks and snacks to the kids, and Matt and Willis ventured out to swim a few times.







A walk down the Oceanside Pier




Thanks for inviting us - we had a great time!