Claire is back on the big screen

Hey team. Our camera with video capabilities is broken... well, kind of. If you hold down the on button and keep pressing it, it works. So this morning we shot some fun videos of Claire that I think you will all enjoy. We have some other good things coming real soon - Grandma and Grandpa Carter visit Va, Nate goes camping with the scouts, Nate needs a haircut, etc. We are also planning some photos of Claire as well.

This video is Claire's first pop quiz. We want to prepare her early to succeed in school.

This second video is quite entertaining. The other day Claire picked up the Book of Mormon and for about 10 minutes just sat there flipping through the pages and expounding doctrine. We let her read again this morning.

The funny part of the video isn't so much her reading. That loud noise that startles Claire is tough to distinguish. It was just daddy sneezing. We just loved the expression on her little face and thought you would all enjoy it. We would like to thank grandpa Dahle for passing on what we fondly refer to as "the Dahle sneeze." Not to worry grandpa, Claire sneezes like a Dahle!

In the words of Neil Diamond...

Hello, my friends, hello.

It has been a hard-working month at the Dahle household. Alot of threats have been made about getting a blog up. Hill took a few pictures today and I hope you like them.



Just getting ready for the day with mom. We don't see dad alot these days. But when we do we love it. Isn't she a doll? Isn't she big? My favorite thing is that she recently learned to say "thank you" - pronounced di duck. And we started early on teaching her to say yes.



Claire, if you could choose one place to play this afternoon, where would it be?

The gutter. Very interesting.



Claire has designs on becoming a witch for halloween.


Still in the gutter (just so you all know, it is not an official gutter. just a little strip of parking lot between two curbs).

Claire loves black beans. We were tempted to put her in the dishwasher.

Claire loves history and she loves James Monroe. Although she wasn't loving the tour. We had a great visit from grandma and grandpa carter and we are just waiting for them to get us the pictures from the trip.

We love you all. Dad finishes his long rotation this week and hopes to get back on the photography wagon and get more pictures of the cutest, sweetest little girl in the world.

P.S. We would like to offer up congrats to Grandpa Dahle on finishing LOTOJA last weekend. Check out the Dahle's blog on the right side to chronicle is ride - 206 miles. Way to go grandpa!!!!!!

Claire's adventures continue

First of all I would like to thank Hill for taking over blogging duties last week. She got tired of her other duties - priestly duties, lunch duties, dead-guy duties, etc (fans of Nacho Libre will appreciate this reference), and she wanted some new duties. Apart from Al's visit a couple weeks ago, things have been pretty routine around here. But we scrape up a few things to talk about.

1 - Claire goes bowling.
2 - Claire goes to the fair.
3 - Nate is doubled over in pain and ends up with a root canal and is now awaiting a crown (as CFO, Hill was not very happy about this. Definitely NOT in the budget).
4 - Claire reads.


BOWLING

Our apartment complex gave out some bowling passes early this summer and we finally decided to take them up on the offer. It has been quite a while since we have been bowling and I was most shocked by how expensive it is. Unless we get some more passes, we definitely aren't heading back soon.

Needless to say, Claire had a great time

Mom and Claire were master bowlers. Watch out Ladies Pro Bowlers Association. There alot of things to start your kids out with when they are young - piano, soccer, dance.... None of that for Claire, she is going to spend her life at the alley. Maybe by the time she is old enough, it will be an Olympic Sport.

Just so you all know, that was a STRIKE!!! Hill was no match for my bowling brilliance.

If only Hill's game was as good as her look (s).

Claire was a very close understudy of her mama. She loves to follow mom around wherever she goes. She had alot of fun at the alley.

In the end, the scores didn't matter (although I more than doubled Hill), but time together as a family did. I love hanging out with my girls.

The Albermarle County Fair

Anyone looking to visit us should really try to correlate their visit with the county fair. It is really something that shouldn't be missed (fine, we may miss it the next year, but we would be happy to give you in directions).

Brilliantly we somehow forgot Claire's had and she ended up with a head full of sun screen. That didn't mix well with the 92 degree temperatures.

Our first stop was the petting zoo. Claire wasn't really up for the whole petting. In fact, she learned from one of the little girls there that if you put your finger up to your nose, it keeps the animals away (kind of like the smoke at the campfire)


Here is Claire trying to run with the lambs.

"Mom, why does that little girl have her head in the hay?"

"I'm really not quite sure. Possibly she is trying to be an ostrich? Maybe she is hungry."

We had to keep Claire from eating the prize winning tomatoes. She sure had a good time though.

Claire is a good reader

Claire loves her books. It is amazing how much time she can spend pulling books off the shelves. Moo, Moo, Who are you? is one of her favorites. We love to read it too.

When Al Comes to town

Usually Nate is the blogger in our fam, but I'm taking over for this one. My sister Aly came to C'ville last week for a short visit, (too short in my opinion) and we had a blast! Now don't be too upset as the following pictures my provoke some strong emotion...




That's right...you're looking at a 2008 Sebring Convertible. Al swears that it was either this or a Dodge sedan. I'm still a little suspicious. The best part is that since we had a long drive ahead of us (Raleigh, NC to be exact) I had to use a dish towel in place of a glamorous head scarf since I don't own the real deal.





Claire looks glamorous no matter what...binky or no binky, she's so stinkin' cute! She didn't last too long with the top down though, we had to pull over on the freeway and put the top back on before we had even hit Richmond! She's never been one to do well on road trips...ask anyone in the Dahle family.


We had a great time on our drive singing along to Newsies (I had goosebumps from a couple of our performances:) and Wicked. The trip was short and we were on our way back home before we knew it. As luck would have it, we passed a Smithfields on the way back. Sigh. I wish the follow-up visit would have been as magical as our first time there, but I'm sorry to say that that was not the case. I give you exhibit A:

I'm not sure you can see the fine detail of that hot dog (if it is, indeed, a hot dog), but it was disgusting. When the waitress delivered the food to our table, Al's exact words were, "I can't eat that." Seriously, the hot dog looked like it was a pickled slim jim on a bun! Terrible. I hope Al will still consider a revisit after this heinous incidence.

Luckily we had the ward Sock Hop to attend the next night which put Al in a much better mood:) She also let Nate and I slip out for a few hours alone together. You're the best Al.

The only real downer to our trip was the elimination of Will from So You Think You Can Dance. I think America has learned its lesson...

Anyway, we love you Aly and thanks again for coming to see us so often. We hate to put this in writing, but you're definitely high on Claire's favorites list -this doesn't mean that there isn't any hope for the rest of you, but you've got stiff competition. Until next time...

A very funny video and another engagement???

Maybe one of the funnier videos we have seen. Just getting ready for the Olympics in China!!

And...

Kevin and Natalie are engaged!!!!

We are excited for these two and we love Natalie. We knew there was something special when she ditched Kevin to watch LOST with Hill and me. And possibly the most exciting thing - we are coming back to Utah for another wedding (the third Dahle wedding in 10 months). We can't think of a better person to round out the Dahle sibling spouses. We will see you soon. We love you

Stay tuned for Claire goes bowling

Why we love Claire!!!! and other things to catch you up

Claire is so much fun these days!!!



Here are some of my favorite things about Claire at age 13 months.

1 - The other day Claire and I were playing together on the floor with her animal cards. Out of nowhere I hear a little "roooaaar." I look over and she is holding the picture of the bear. I can't even describe how cute it was. She now knows the bear, the dog (you should hear her say roof, roof), and the cow. We are currently working on the pig and the duck.


(Here is Claire practicing her bear pose)

2 - Claire loves bathtime. She now loves to bend over, stick her face in the water, and blow bubbles. On Thursday, I was drinking a glass of water while she was playing in the bath. She of course wanted a drink. Since she was in the bath, and wet already, I handed her the cup. She took a drink and then she went for the big drink. She doused her whole face with cold water. You should have seen the look of shock that followed.

3 - Claire is getting better in the car. And we have grandma Dahle to thank. Last year for Christmas, she gave Claire a book called "Dear Santa." It is a board book with flaps that hide the presents. She rides along, with her feet crossed, giggling every time she opens a present. That book is the gift that keeps giving all year long.

4 - Claire loves to help mama pick up trash. Today, she picked up one of my socks, walked right over to the trash, put it in, and walked away. Luckily I saw her do it. Otherwise, I would still be looking for the sock.

5 - Claire loves to leave little hints for mom and dad. She loves to play in the drawers that have our tupperware and towels. We find many things that make their way from other parts of the house into those drawers - puzzle pieces, bouncy balls, silverware. Yesterday we found the picture of the pig in the drawer. We both wondered what message she was trying to send us.

6 - Claire may or may not be the playground bully. She had a play date the other day with RJ who is significantly smaller than Claire. She walked up to him, started squaking and then proceeded to push him over. Nice job Claire. Needless to say, there has been no follow up play date.

7 - Claire is walking like a champ. Does she fall over frequently? Sure. Does she have bruises and scrapes all over her body? Sure. Is Hill worried about Child Protective Services showing up at the front door? Again, yes. It is just so cute to see her stumbling around. But she is improving.


We had a great outing to the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. Claire loved the squirrels. She loved the ice cream even more


Claire is a Little Piggy!!!

Claire had a great time at dinner this night. I really can't telly you what happened other that she loved the watermelon. She really is such a good eater. She eats just about everything. She only recently learned to spit things out. The funny thing is that she will eat a bunch of stuff, and then she will eat some other stuff, and then about ten minutes later she will just spit out a big blob of food - mostly the stuff she ate first. I am guessing that she stuffs her cheeks and then has nowhere else to put food so she then swallows it.

The Burtons have left the building!!!!

It was a sad day in Charlottesville two weeks ago when the Burtons loaded up the car and moved back to Utah. We were so sad to see them go and we wish them luck out there.

Prior to their departure, Claire would see her good friends, Emma and Ellie, 3-4 times a week. Claire and Mama just haven't been the same since they left. Sam's Club just hasn't been the same since they left.

They made one last stop before they made their ways out of the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountians. Good luck in the Rockies. We miss you and love you!

Happy Birthday....

HILLORY!!!

To the best mom and wife, we love you.

Continue reading below for our fourth of july fun!

The emotion is raw, but the hotdogs are cooked!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

We had a great day yesterday as we celebrated the Fourth. It was announced about a week ago that President Bush would attend the naturalization ceremony at Monticello - the home of Thomas Jefferson. It was a tough ticket to get, but fortune shined down upon us. One thousand general admission tickets were available to the public and the line to get those tickets started well before I awoke on Wed morning. But, I thought I would drive by the visitors center on the way to work to check it out. My radio was on and they were interviewing people in the crowd. 6th in line was one of my attendings - who had the intention of getting only two of her four available tickets. I was able to flag her down and convince her that she should get me the other two. How often do you get a chance to see the President of the United States and hear him speak - unless you have a fortune to boot.

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Claire was just elated for her first ride on the bus. It sure was an early morning for the whole family. Every time we have to wake her up, she always seems so shocked and confused. She was very serious as she prepared for the president's address.

Claire contemplates the stars and the stripes. Obviously she will never remember this event, but it was so great to be there as a family to celebrate the birth of our country and the see the newest citizens take the oath.

Love being together as a family

You've seen them in the movies - and we saw the snipers in real life.

The entire morning I kept singing to Claire - duh, duh, duh-duh, duh, du-duh, du-duh, du-duh, duh. Regardless of your views of the current president, it is quite a sight to see him make an entrance.

Jefferson's home is a great place to visit on any day, but yesterday was quite a display. It was very well put together and an experience we will always remember.

Unfortunately President Bush's address was not without interruption. There were multiple outbursts of protest regarding the President's policies. Although not unexpected, it was in very poor form and a big distraction from the ceremony. There is a time and place to disagree, but this was definitely not that venue. Fools and Fanatics!!!

The swearing in of the new citizens by the judge. After the repeating of the oath, they were given the chance to get up and express there feelings. It was moving to hear of their love for the country and their hopes and dreams of success. At the end of the ceremony, Hill defined it as one of the top ten events in her life. It was very cool.

Claire was a champ. About midway through the ceremony, she got ahold of an apple core and just would not let go. She chomped and chomped and chomped for the rest of the ceremony. We tried to pull it from her hands when she fell asleep, but she would have nothing to do with it. As we waited for the bus at the end of the ceremony, she entertained the crowds with her big smile, her babbling, and her apple core.

After waiting for the bus for quite awhile (among the common folk), as President Bush and others made their way off the mountain, we finally made it home. Claire was exhausted. So were we. But, we were able to enjoy the national hot dog eating contest and see Joey Chestnut take down Kobyashi in a sudden death eat off. After taking down nearly 50 dogs each, it was the first one to finish off the next five. Pretty intense. We will make it a fourth of july family tradition.

In the afternoon, we were invited to the Old Trail Picnic and boy did it not disappoint. Crozet, Virginia is one of the most beautiful places we know. Claire was at her best during the party. Just a few pictures with the lush Virginia green with the Blue Ridge mountains in the background.

Happy Fourth of July to everyone. We love and miss you all. God bless the U.S.A.!!!

Back to the Basics...

Things are great back in Charlottesville. We are all happy to be sleeping in our own beds and back to a regular schedule. Although Hillory is particularly enjoying the fact that Claire is still on Utah time when it comes to waking up in the morning (actually, both of them are).

My little girl is just getting so big I can't believe it. Given my schedule this week, I was able to go with her to her doctor appointment. She did great 29.7 inches tall, 20.1 pounds, and her noggin is still big (but cute). She is now moving all over the place and I predict she will be walking in the next couple of weeks. She is currently working on her 3rd tooth and she continues to be a bundle of fun.

With mama off to ballet lessons (yes, Hill is taking ballet), it was my turn to look after the little girl. Of course, we went looking for dogs and other fun things at our apartment complex. We had a great outing. Just wanted to share some pictures.


Just holding on for dear life, and trying to get taste of the metal on the swing. Claire was enthralled by the boy playing basketball. Maybe she is trying to me like Mike.

Claire just loves the swing. It is always nice to have a go-to activity when she is getting restless. Between the swing and the bath, we are in pretty good shape.

After our stop at the playground, it was off to the lake to look at the geese. To quote one of our favorite little girls here in Charlottesville, "I stepped in goose poop at the yake!!!" Claire is becoming so much more aware of her surroundings. She points at birds, and trees and she even has been known to chase an ant or two.
Claire here is very interested in the fishing line that she found on the dock. I just thought she looked so cute crouching down to pick it up. One thing that I love about her now is that I can get her to give me five.

Our little girl brings us so much joy. She is the best Father's day gift that I could possible imagine. I love to go out on our little excursions. Luckily, on the way back home we saw 4 dogs at the dog park. Now that is what I call a successful trip.