Go Rebels! Women's Volleyball Game

Claire asked to go to a women's volleyball game at UNLV - well ok, future 6-foot-girl who may just do well in volleyball someday, I will make that happen! And with $2 ticket night and kids under 12 free, yes please!

Quick shot with Tark the Shark before heading into the gym 

Dad's Alma Mater - Go Rebs!

Birthday Party - Frozen!

Claire had a few birthday celebrations.... lucky kid. Doughnuts from Mema and BJs (her choice) on her actual birthday plus early morning presents before school (she said, Mom! I'm in my pajamas!).

So, I have banned Frozen as a theme for Halloween just because I think every other little girl in the world will Elsa or Anna. But it was fair-game for Claire's birthday cake. I had such great ideas courtsey of Pinterest, but my candy ice was a total fail... a gooey mess of blue sugar. So, could have been cuter but Claire liked the characters on top of the cake. Claire and Genevieve's birthdays are only 3 days apart, so they agreed to combine their celebrations on our Sunday get together at the Hillers - so long as they both got their own presents, they were good with it. :)

Claire Turns Seven!!

Seven years ago this little lady made me a mama for the first time, and she has been charming the world ever since.

A few things about Claire Bear - let's make it seven things:

1. Claire loves to read. She reads just about every night at bedtime, whether she is assigned to or not. Her favorite books are Junie B. Jones, Magic Treehouse, and Ivy and Bean. She reads mainly chapter books and is getting into the Bevery Cleary books, and has even read a few youth versions of the classics like Alice in Wonderland and Jungle Book.

2. Claire is independent and brave. She doesn't seem nervous to do new things, even though I know that she is sometimes. She will sing in front of a group at church or give a talk in primary at moment's notice. She doesn't seem nervous at all to go to talk to adults - we can ask her to go ask for a to-go box or something at a restaurant, or deliver some treats to the neighbors and she doesn't hesitate. I can remember doing things like that for my mom too.

3. Claire is competitive and loves sports - her playground game of choice is tether ball and if the other girls would rather do other (girly) things, she will play alone on the monkey bars or jump rope rather than change her plans. She loves soccer and really liked swimming lessons this summer - she asked to do swim team next year too.

4. Claire is a girly girl - she has been known to even put a bow in her hair after bath time because it matched her pajamas. She lets me do her hair every day and she is always accessorized - she is hard on her jewelry though and I hesitate to get her anything nice. I need to invent a very sturdy line of little girl's jewelry.

5. Claire loves to pretend. I hear her in her room making up stories and plays, dressing up in her costumes and even recording herself on my phone doing her version of a YouTube tutorial on one topic or another. We found a particularly hysterical one where she is sitting on the toilet, but we will save that to embarrass her another day.

6. Claire still loves singing and music - we do songs every night and sometimes she sings with me. It was kind of strange when I first realized it, but I think our voices sound a lot a like. She picks up on lyrics really quickly, which is good and bad depending on the song. There was maybe a 10 second clip of "Single Ladies" by Beyonce on the radio after the DJs were talking about Beyonce being one of the top singers, and Claire was singing it all day. Luckily she also decides to learn the words to hymns and the songs I am singing with the church choir, just because.

7. Claire is a great student - she loves to learn new things, no matter what the topic. I found her reading Genesis the other day in her bed and I asked her why she was reading - she said, "Because Aunt Becky gave these scriptures to me" in a tone that was like - duh! What other reason do I need? She wants to get good grades and gets very upset when she doesn't have straight As. She doesn't love math, but mainly because it hasn't come as easy to her as reading did. She lights up when she gets a math concept for the first time and I know she will work hard until she gets it.

Happy Birthday Claire Abigail Hiller! We love you and are so glad you are the oldest and an example to your brother and sister - you are meant for the role. I have answered the question so many times as to why Claire came first and not Miles - it was a sore subject for Miles for several months. I always said that they talked it over in Heaven and decided that Claire would come first to check out our family and make sure it was a good place before Miles would come. She was the independent and brave one who would risk it for Miles. It makes sense to me!

Kid Quotes - Growing Up!

The kids, especially Miles, is very concerned with getting older and all the things he has to do now that he is a wise five year old. 

He recently said he wishes he was 3 years old again so he didn't have to go to school and could just play. He thinks it's not fair that Penelope gets to stay home and skip school. I told them there were good things about getting older like getting to go on roller coasters. And there are bad things too. Claire pipes up and says, "Yeah, like paying taxes!" 

Miles asked me, "How come the more you get taller the less you get to play?? You get to have less fun." I told him that I still get to do fun stuff like going to play basketball and tennis, and sometimes I go out with my friends to the movies or dinner. He said, "That's kids stuff I guess - ok, fine." 

We went over to my aunt and uncle's for dinner Sunday. Miles asked Kevin, "What's your name again?" Kevin said I can't believe you don't know my name, I've known you all your life! By this point Miles had walked a few yards away and he yelled back, "I can't believe you would say that to a five year old MAN!" 

Driving to soccer practice, there was a sprinkler broken on side of street, spraying about ten feet into the air next to a sign flipper, those guys who dance around holding the big signs on the corner. He started walking towards the water and we wondered if he would go under it. Claire said, "I would! Because that looks really refreshing!" Refreshing? Her word choice kill me. 

Miles Rides His Bike!

We now have two bike riders! If waiting a bit and using the balance bike is the key, then I will do this every time. I remember teaching my brother Kenny to ride his bike and it was a lot of me running along side him and pushing the back of his bike, holding him up.

Miles just said, "I think I'm ready" and he walked into the garage and traded the balance bike (no pedals) for his new red bike. He did awesome! Stayed right on and with a bit of practice got his pedaling down quickly.

Miles rides his bike! from Shannon Hiller on Vimeo.

Miles and Claire bike ride from Shannon Hiller on Vimeo.

Penelope and I just hang out in the shade and eat popsicles. It's still 100 degrees around here! Come on Fall weather, any time now!

Soccer Mom Yet Again

And yes, I even drive a mini van. The image is complete :)

Both Claire (#12) and Miles (#8) are returning to their same teams this year - Claire is on the Tiger Lillies and Miles is on the Sharks. I have really liked our league for the most part, but it is just too far away now. We need to start researching North Las Vegas options. Practice becomes almost a 3 hour adventure and that is just too long for two school nights a week.

Claire finally has a girly color for her uniforms and the team is so happy! I liked orange best - it matched the Tiger Lillies name!

Miles has scored a goal in the last two games - he is really enjoying his team and he seems to "get it" a bit more and is going for the goals more often. 

Genevieve's B-Day - A Crystal Palace Roller Skating Adventure

I think it was a little too early to try roller skating for my kiddos - but despite the bumps and falls, they had a great time. Miles was so determined to stay with the big girls, who were really only walk-skating around the edges of the walls, but he fell so many times. So. Many.

My heart was just breaking for him. I walked him around the floor once until I was kicked off for my lack of wheels, but at least he got a bit of practice. The rest of the birthday party was really fun and Charlie spoiled the kids with glow necklances, cotton candy, light up cups and of course pizza and cake. Now Claire is planning her birthday bash - I had to break the news to her that we aren't doing a big party... I think she likes the planning phase more than the actual event. Wonder where she gets that from...

New Haircut - It's Still Long!

Summer was tough on Claire's hair - swim lessons and splash parks and sun dried it out pretty good. I remember my brown hair getting bleached in the sun and then turning green after swimming every day all summer. Claire's wasn't quite that bad, but she was ready for a cut. She was very worried that it would be too short - she has been growing it for a long time now. I made her an appointment at the same time I was going in and I think she enjoyed going to the "fancy haircut place." Matt informed her it was called a salon. :)

Claire was with me when I got my hair washed, but then I went to another room to get my hair cut while she got hers washed. She was just fine staying by herself - and was soaking in the girliness of the place.

Her hair is still really long and looks so much healthier. AND it is easier to brush which makes for a happier hair experience every morning. :)

Slip Sliding Away