Dunham Fun

Hallie and Ella in Hawaii! (The girls were in such a rush to get in the pool the first day-Ella took off her cover up and had her suit on backwards! It took a while to get her out and convince her to turn it around-it didn't bother her!)

2008-04-29T08:49:00.001-07:00

2008-04-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Peter, and I had a really fun "becation" in Hawaii with Hallie and Ella. It took us a little longer to get there, but we had a great surprise visit with Mary and Dan and their kids in Vancouver- overnight with no luggage! The next day us and all our luggage arrived in Oahu, and straight to the pool we went, and played in the pool and ocean all week. The girls got along great most of the time, and had so much fun together! Hallie learned how to swim on her own, and Ella lived in her life jacket. The girls missed Claire so much- they were always thinking of her, and wanting to buy her things. They were cheering when our plane was landing in Calgary to see their Claire! Peter and I missed her too, but it would have been hard to have her there- plus she got spoiled by all her Grandparents, and Great-Grandmas at their houses. Nonna had a hard time giving her back! We all missed her, but enjoyed being busy swimming, shopping, eating, and some relaxing with Hallie and Ella!

Easter

2008-04-06T23:39:00.000-07:00

Easter

2008-04-06T22:44:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the cabin over the Easter weekend. The highlight was obviously the Easter egg hunt! Lots of candy for the long ride home! The girls were so excited for some cousins to finally arrive for our last night there to hunt with, and then have a fun ski day together! Claire was in love with baby James, but so gentle, and tried to be so helpful, and get him what he needed, it was really sweet. We also have some neat pictures of a night when it was just starting to snow in our backyard with a group of deer walking through.

CLAIRE IS 1!

2008-01-30T07:38:00.000-08:00

Claire's first year has flown by! She is such a pleasure to have in our family! Her big sisters just love to play with her and help take care of her, they think she is the greatest little doll! She is so much fun, very friendly, sweet and playful. She loves to smile and wave, and dance, and giggle, and play chase. She loves her sisters, her "Daddy", "Ducks", and "UH-OH"- when she drops something, or finds something on the floor. She is such a good little girl- she loves to wander around and find fun things to play with, she sleeps and eats so well! She was so cute at her birthday parties, and thouroughly enjoyed her cupcakes! She loves to play with all her her cousins-big and little! She loves her grandmas, and grandpas, aunts and uncles too. Hallie was so thrilled to lend Claire her BIRTHDAY GIRL party hat, but for most of Hallie's attempts Claire swatted it away, so it was a real feat for her to keep it on for some pictures! We love you Claire!

Claire's first birthday!

2008-01-28T22:04:00.001-08:00

2007-11-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

the girls had a great halloween! they went to a couple parties, dressed up for school, then the mall, then the trick or treating on our street! almost a week long event! they were all so cute, and had a great time in their costumes. yesterday grandma got hallie and ella ready to trick or treat, and even put mascara on for them! they loved it, although ella was going nuts rubbing her eyes when it was time for the group shot at the mall. there were cute cousins and friends at the mall, it took ella a few minutes to figure out that paige was underneath that pirate costume! they got so much candy! while ella was eating orange pancakes, and hallie was SORTING through her loot, we had visitors pop over to our house. more cute little cousins! a skunk, an elephant, a zebra and a monkey, and grandpa too! what a busy FUN night!

HALLOWEEN!

2007-11-01T11:08:00.001-07:00

2007-09-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Hallie is 5! She had a great party with lots of family and friends, and a beautiful sunny day! It couldn't have been nicer (except for the bead up the nose mishap after most of her guests had left! Good thing Poppa was there to get it out for us! I think Hallie thought is was there for life! Her cousin Paige claims the bead just jumped up Hallie's nose! - She does get in real close to smell everything!) thank you all for making it a memorable day for Hallie.
Then on her birthday Claire and I found her at reccess playing on the big spinning tree with all the big kids, and brought in cupcakes for her kindergarten class! She really likes school now- especially riding the bus! If I drive her to school now, she thinks she can go without a seatbelt-just like the bus!
We also have Claire getting big so fast. Another mishap is documented in this slideshow- one involving Claire twisting the top off a jar of diaper cream-and having her way with it! We are learning that Claire's way is always straight to the mouth! She sis crawling all over and standing herself up against everything! She is so sweet and a lot of fun! She loves laughing at her sisters.

Hallie turned 5!

2007-09-27T21:53:00.001-07:00

HOME AT LAST!

2007-09-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

They did it! They survived the first day of kindergarten and pre-school! Ella's day was much less traumatic, but still she was hesitant to enter her classroom, once in, and found her cousin Parker, she was a lot more at ease. The night before she said "I don't want Mom to come with me, cause I know Parker, and I'm not scared of him." She was so excited, especially to wear her new school clothes! I asked her who else she played with, and she said "I don't tell them my name, I just play with them." There are 3 Ella' in her class, so they wanted to call her Ella D, but I know she sometimes take offense to nicknames, so I tried to clear it with her, and she shook her head-no. Ella boo was a no go too, but she grinned and nodded when I said "Ella Marie". She told me one of the other Ella' cried the whole time "and she didn't even get hurt"! Her only complaint was no snack-Hallie told her all about snack, but it was a short day, so she''ll have to wait for next time!
Hallie was the only lucky girl to have a cute little sister waiting and waiving to her as the bus pulled up. They were excited to see each other after a long day for Hallie. She was all smiles, and asking Ella all about her day at preschool. She said she had fun, "but I did't get much time to eat my lunch, I could only eat my nitchyvan". She was hungry, but happy to be home playing with Ella, and waiting to greet Claire when she woke up from her nap! She later confessed to having a pretty hard day, and feeling lonely at school. Our hearts were breaking for her, but we convinced her to go back, her friend from her primary class will be there next day, as staggard entry days will be over. She had no complaints about the bus, and sat with a new friend on the way home. She has been talking about riding the school bus since she could talk!

first day fo school PART 2!

2007-09-05T23:03:00.001-07:00

2007-09-04T08:51:00.002-07:00

She did it! I told Peter last night that I was going to be so sad to put Hallie in the bus for her 1st day of kindergarten, but as you can see by the grumpy looks, and force feeding her an eggo on the way out the door- it was a happy success to get her on!
She was so sweet, and exited to go to school last night, layed out an outfit-perfectly, had her backpack packed, and lunch in the fridge-ready to go! Excited, but nervous-both of us.
She snuggled up to me in my bed this morning, and got up cheerfully, went upstairs and got dressed. Then she looked in the mirror, and everything changed! She changed the outfit, changed the lunch snacks, we threw in the "nitchyvan", would not eat breakfast, or drink her choc milk, and said she was not going in the bus! It was falling apart, but I thought, unless she cries, she'll be on the bus!
She slowly treked down the driveway, and told me not to take pictures, but I did, and got her to crack a few smiles! The Karl's puppy followed the kids out the door, and tried to get on, and she thought that was funny. She would not stop and pose for me, and marched on the bus. I asked the driver if she should sit up front, and she said yes, but Hallie had already marched halfway back and slid into a seat with her babysitter from accross the street! I gave her her lunch and a kiss, and it was done! SUCCESS!
I'm nervous for her now, she's gone for the whole day! I hope she's having fun, and happy when I meet her at the bus stop after school!

Hallie taking the BUS to her first day of Kindergarten!

2007-09-04T08:51:00.001-07:00

the last of the summer pics!

2007-09-04T08:36:00.001-07:00

transrockies race!

2007-08-24T00:56:00.000-07:00

summer fun

2007-08-24T00:20:00.001-07:00

2007-08-23T23:05:00.000-07:00

We have had a fun summer so far-with lots of pictures taken!
Most recently Peter and Brian rode the Transrockies mountain bike race from Panorama to Fernie! They did great, and had a great time, but a hard time! We had a fun little vacation in Panorama before the race began, visited the cabin a few times, and have enjoyed hanging around our yard this year!

July long 2007!

2007-07-18T01:39:00.001-07:00

Mothers' day,Elbow falls, Backyard, Sleepy sisters, T-Ball, Soccer...June 2007

2007-07-18T01:00:00.001-07:00

Ella's 3rd birthday! Mommy amd Me day with Hallie! May long weekend!

2007-07-18T00:32:00.001-07:00

Catching up!

2007-07-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

My blog was not cooperating for a while, I even had Lisa try and help me! So I stayed a way for awhile- and hadn't been checking anyone elses either- so i have been missing out! We have had some birthdays in our family- Hallie finished preschool- been finishing our yard, and finally have a driveway- been vacationing at the cabin- and having fun with cousins!

Hallie loved school, but is happy for a break! I guess she'll be let down if she thinks Ella, Claire and I are having all the fun without her while she's at school! She said on the way to a friend's house, after her last day of school "Now my days are free to do what I want with them! I can go to play at friends' houses, and got to the grocery store now!" Playing, doing crafts, and singing must be so stressful! She loves friends, and all her cousins!

Ella turned 3! She had a great party with lots of little friends- a Tinkerbell Party! She of course got spoiled from grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, and cousins too! She has a lot of new 'special' things- which means she can't possibly share them- they are too 'special'! She is a lucky girl, and we are so lucky to have her- her face lights up the room! She is full of love and energy, and sweet to snuggle. She is my greatest Mother's Day present.

Claire is so loveable. She is almost always happy and sweet, and smiling! She loves her big sisters, although she does 'brace' herself as they come charging at her for a kiss, or to make her laugh! She is a joy for us to have in our home. The other girls do fight, and get jealous, but never at her, or about her- they love her to pieces.

Peter is busy working in the yard, and riding his bikes- preparing for his races! He loves being outside with the girls! They love riding bikes, jumping in the trampoline, and playing at our park in our backyard that he built for them! We had a wiener roast and Smores tonight in our backyard fire pit for the first time tonight. The girls thought it was so great! He loves finding hikes and adventures to take his girls on - and they love it! They are troopers!

I 'll try and keep up with this now that it's working again! Hopefully my pictures will work! This feels a bit like a Christmas letter (that I never do)!

Derek and Pernille's Wedding!!! Here are some of the pictures I took yesterday! I'm sure Allison and the photogragher got a lot of good one's too, it was a really nice day! Pernille looked beautiful, and her and Derek looked so happy. Hallie, Ella and Parker did a great job, and looked so cute! Hallie found a great resting place for her bouquet, she always had it on her, even when dancing (she sang YMCA on the way home) and then put in in a cup of water to save! Poor Ella had bad fever all day, but she is always a good sport! It was Claire's first wedding, she and the other babies were all very good! Lots of grandparents there to help! Derek, his friends, and my Mom and Dad did a nice job on their talks. It was a very sweet evening, with lots of laughs, and a sweet letter from Pernille's Mother touched her heart, and everyone else's- as her family was not able to be there. Derek and Pernille are going to Mexico on their honeymoon, then to live in Denmark for a year, so they can celebrate with them there! Congratualations, and we're excited to have you in our family Pernille!

2007-05-07T00:11:00.001-07:00

We had a really fun Easter weekend at Grandma Smith's! She had so many fun things for the girls to do. the cake decorating was hilarious! Hallie could not resist eating bites of the cake- she thought it was so delicious! Ella got tired of it, so as Grandma tried to help her-she couldn't resist putting a few sprinkles in Grandma's hair, both of them oblivious as to why Hallie and I werekilling ourselves laughing!! Grnadma had wonderful Easter baskets for the girls- they loved everything about their weekend. Grandma had great food and hoppitality. We had a nice time at church, out for walks, Peter and Hallie did a little work, and had a great Easter egg hunt Sunday afternoon when the weather was perfect Sunday afternoon-when the easter bunny finally found us! Hallie really wish we could stay just one more night!

2007-04-13T23:41:00.003-07:00

We had a really fun Easter weekend at Grandma Smith's! She had so many fun things for the girls to do. the cake decorating was hilarious! Hallie could not resist eating bites of the cake- she thought it was so delicious! Ella got tired of it, so as Grandma tried to help her-she couldn't resist putting a few sprinkles in Grandma's hair, both of them oblivious as to why Hallie and I werekilling ourselves laughing!! Grnadma had wonderful Easter baskets for the girls- they loved everything about their weekend. Grandma had great food and hoppitality. We had a nice time at church, out for walks, Peter and Hallie did a little work, and had a great Easter egg hunt Sunday afternoon when the weather was perfect Sunday afternoon-when the easter bunny finally found us! Hallie really wish we could stay just one more night!

2007-04-13T23:41:00.001-07:00

Ella's new BIG GIRL bed!! She' been waiting to get out of her crib for a while , and finally her bed arrived! She still calls it her bunk bed, even though part of the top bunk had to be sent back, so for now she only has a bottom bunk! She'll be excited all over again when it actually becomes a "Bunk" bed!

2007-04-09T11:15:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago Peter took a week off, and we went down to the Cabinwith the girls. We had a great time! The girls were waiting for their cousins to show up. Hallie said she was going to stay down till they came in the summer, but then remembered she had to go home for school. The girls had a lot of fun playing together, and putting together shows for us to watch in the evenings! Peter even took both the girsl skiing by himself one day!! We did a lot of realxing, watching movies, shopping, skiing, going for walks, swimming, and going out for dinner! It was a nice break for us!

2007-04-09T10:56:00.001-07:00

I am finally posting some pictures for Mary and her family! Obviously most of our pictures since Claire was born are of her! We are all so in love with her at our house, she is just a doll! Her big sisters are all over her, but very sweet and gentle. They both want kisses all the time! Hallie can feed her a bottle, and burp her- she talks so sweet to her, and loves to calm her down. I have to confess that Peter and I took Hallie and Ella skiing a the day before Claire's blessing, and I forgot our camera. So I missed taking pictures of our 2 big Ski bunnies at the "ski buuny hill"! It was Ella's first time, and she was so cute-clapping her hands AND FEET- the whloe way down the hill! We had a really fun day, and it was so nice to be able to leave Claire with my Mom! She is a really good baby. The next day was Claire's baby blessing. It was such a nice day. Peter did a great job, and it was so nice to have so many people there, and back to our house for a fun afternoon. Hallie keeps asking when Claire's next baby blessing is! They had a great time with so many favorite people here! Later in the week Hallie discovered she liked carrots and white dip! Then ate chicken nuggets ("bicnuggets") she insists is the proper term, and likes them too! This is a breakthrough! And later that night we had another great breakthrough-Ella decided to get on the potty after Hallie, and Potty trained herself!!! Shes had a couple accidents, but she usually goes all on her own! No coaxing required! I guess she knows the drill after having so many people try and talk her into it this past year! She likes her "PIVATCY", and likes to tray a new pair of panties, and pants after going. Hallie likes to make sure Ella goes as many times possible in a day since she usually gets a reward too! I can't take credit for thfirst cute slide show of Claire- that was Lisa's work- so thank you Lisa! I'll try to keep up a little better now!

2007-03-14T00:36:00.001-07:00

Love at Home!

2007-03-13T23:45:00.001-07:00

skating and a limo roide with grandma and grandpa!

2007-03-10T12:36:00.001-08:00

Cousins sleepover and Cinderella!

2007-03-10T12:15:00.001-08:00

Family Bowling Night!

2007-03-10T12:08:00.001-08:00

Chritmas Eve! Nativityand talent showand pyjamas with cousins! Our first Christmas at our own house! We had funreading stories, leaving cookies and milk, and letters out for Santa! Hallie really thought Petershould get up on the roof and leave her letter ther so Santa would see it before he came down the chimney! The girls were both so excited this year, they were so cute!

2007-03-10T11:57:00.001-08:00

Gingerbread house!

2007-03-10T11:37:00.001-08:00

fun at the family dance!-Don't worry I caught everyone's moves on my video camera during the dance

2007-03-10T11:29:00.001-08:00

Hallie's Christmas Concert!

2007-03-10T11:12:00.001-08:00

Last day of gymnastics!

2007-03-10T11:08:00.001-08:00

I am catching upour pictures finally! This was at a christmas party for Peters office. Santa brought the girls Barbies! Just what they asked for!It was Ella's first one! Then she was a snowflake in a little play they did-dancing around!

2007-03-10T10:33:00.001-08:00

Baby Claire!!

2007-01-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

| View Show | Create Your Own | Playlist
Claire Amy Dunham
Jan 22 935am
7lbs 1 oz

Learning to ski at C.O.P.

2006-12-14T01:45:00.000-08:00

24 hour race!

2006-12-13T23:06:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of the big hike!

2006-12-13T22:54:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of the big hike!

2006-12-13T22:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my pictures from Brian and Christine's wedding

2006-12-13T22:33:00.000-08:00

Here are some more pictures of Hallie!

2006-12-06T08:57:00.000-08:00

Here are some random shots from the year- I hope this is good enough for close ups Mary!

2006-12-06T01:08:00.001-08:00

Here are some random shots from the year- I hope this is good enough for close ups Mary!

2006-12-06T01:08:00.000-08:00

These are from our tahiti Cruise Feb 06

2006-12-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures fo our last cruise! I hope there are some you can use Mary!

2006-12-05T22:40:00.000-08:00

Snowman Day!!!

2006-10-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

The Girls had a great time making a family of snowmen on Monday night. Hallie cried big tears and felt bad when snowman #3 fell over about 30 minutes later! Peter swept off the tramp and they all slipped around for a while! Peter had to show off his refound ability to backflip, since he'd only attempted it the day before- minus the snow! I'm sure we'll have many more snowmen this year if Hallie has her way!!

Labor Day Weekend

2006-10-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

We stopped on the way to the cabin for a night hike sept long weekend. This is Hallie and Ella in a hollowed out tree on the Trail of the Cedars. They were Dying to stop on the pass the whole way, and it was really cold, but they loved it.