Swim Season is upon us, yet again!

Luke has begun swimming again this summer. He had his second meet last week and so far has brought home two second place ribbons and one first! Here is a video of his win swimming the backstroke.



Steve was in town helping Blake and Ali move in so he came out to support Luke. He was entertained by the culture of Phoenix, Arizona summer sports - the way we all pitch tents and umbrellas to build shade for our families and send our little ones into the splash pads fully clothed to keep cool! It's definitely a way of life down here.

But congrats to Luke! He always makes it worth the effort to come out and watch him!

7 months old

My tiny one. 7 months old and starting to sit up on her own! What a development and change in perspective for her. Exciting also because grocery carts and high chairs will come soon, what fun!

Her daily schedule is like clock-work, rarely varying by more than 30 mins, equally due to my preference and her personality:

6-7am - wakes up, Tyler gets her, brings her to my bed and I feed her lying down.
7:30 - baby food meal in the bumbo while the family also eats breakfast
8:00 - morning nap
10 - 10:30 - wakes up, nurses for the second time
11:30 - baby food meal
Noon - down for second nap
2-2:30 - wakes up, nurses for the third time
3:30 - baby food meal
4:00 - down for third nap
5:00 - up, eats a baby food meal when the family has dinner
6:30 - bath, lotion (sugar), jammies, nurses a fourth time
7 - 8pm - bed

As far as the routine:

Naps and bedtime happen in her bed or a pack and play only (carseat when we're out or my arms at church, but that's a struggle). We use a white noise maker and it is like a trigger for sleep when she hears it. I put her fuzzy blanket on my shoulder and she pops her fingers into her mouth, lies her head on my shoulder and begins to hum. I hum softly back. We do that for a minute or two until she is settled enough to lie down, then she puts herself to sleep.

Eating is her major interest. Favorite foods include: bananas, avacado, sweet potatoes, chicken dinner, mashed potatoes, applesauce and oatmeal, cinnamon granola and pears. She's like a little birdie when she eats, opening her mouth big and wide for every bite. She can also feed herself graham crackers and saltines and likes when we put cheerios and baby puffs in her mouth for her. She no longer takes a binki.

Her favorite pasttimes are: being outside in a stroller taking in the fresh air and chewing on a toy, playing with her siblings peek-a-boo or chase and taking baths or showers.

Our lives are so joyful because we have Claire! We tell her multiple times a day how beautiful she is, how much we love her, how happy she makes us. From the moment I first held her in my arms 7 months ago I recognized what a precious gift, to be treasured and enjoyed, she is.

Dr. Blake Hillstead, Doctor of Dental Surgery

June 4th

Today on June 4th my bro in law Blake is graduating from the University of Washington dental school! This means that he and Ali and their girls will soon be on their way HERE for ortho school, which is a very exciting blessing! They arrive Monday. So this June 4th is a happy day.

Three years ago on June 4th I got the strangest call from Tyler at work, he was sitting out in his car in the parking garage horrible pain, and soon found out he had appendicitis! That night about 11pm, after spending the entire evening at the ER, he went in for surgery. We had no family in town, I sat alone in the waiting room and my kids were at a friends. We became very homesick for family support and decided a few months later to put our house on the market and try to move to Utah (never happened).

Seven years ago on June 4th my dad went in for a routine surgery to remove the bothersome mass that had been identified on x-ray in his left lung. Tyler and I happened to be in town in Mesa visiting my family (we were in Denver then) and became concerned when the one hour surgery became a three hour surgery and we hadn't heard from mom. She returned home late that night looking like she had seen a ghost and we all knew our worst fears had been confirmed. It was cancer. They'd taken the whole lung and found it also in his lyphnodes. Stage 4. They gave him 6-9 months.

In a way June 4th was the day my dad died and most certainly the day my family was changed forever. So I reflect upon him and that time every year on this day.

It's good to be celebrating something positive this year (thanks Blake!) Life has a remarkable way of rolling on... And isn't that what we're here for.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

our girl

Pinetop: Better than Disneyland

We got away to our traditional Memorial Day spot in Pinetop, AZ this weekend. The kids have concluded that they like being in Pinetop at the cabin better than being at Disneyland! That says a lot!! We took a new way there and the views were gorgeous. We swam in the warm pools, even Claire although mommy forgot her swimsuit! We ate breakfast at Darbi's; We biked/walked around the lake and trails; Ate lots of smores, watermelon, burgers and bagels; Went to the carnival and made ourselves sick; Saw Kung Fu Panda 2; And ended the trip off at the family funplex on the go-carts (not for me or Ash). The best part was being together as a family, in the woods and the cool forest air. It's heavenly up there and only 3 hrs away.































On the way back down the kids were watching Tom and Jerry in the car. Tyler and I were dying over the things they would say when they looked out the windows every once in a while: jake (looking at the sand and cactus), "Wow! We've come down out of the woods!" Ash (as we pulled into a gas station), "Are we back in Arizona?!" Jake (seeing the freeway interchange near home) "Yes! We're back in America!" They are so funny.

Grateful for another family trip on the record books.

peach picking

Maddie and her special friend Trevor were in town last week so we went peach picking with them. It was a warm day so we made it quick, but we took home a load! The orchard smelled delicious and the peaches are perfectly ripe. Now what to do with them all! ...

Last Day of School 2011

Luke first day 2nd grade
last day 2nd grade
Ash first day 1st grade
last day 1st grade
precious
I took last day pics at the front door like it do on the first year. I think because I had Claire in November time moved at warp speed and I can't believe they are out for the summer already! Both Luke and Ashley had a fantastic year. They learned a lot, enjoyed their teachers and classmates and said, "Yes!" when asked if they love their school. We feel so happy to be here in this great neighborhood and community.

After school we met friends at the bowling alley, met family for dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then I went on to Shelly's graduation! She was beaming and looked beautiful! Congrats to all!!