See New Blog

For a while now I have not been able to post pictures on this blog.  After several months it let me post some pictures, but now they are not visible any more.  Grrrrrr!

After looking at several solutions, I decided to start a new blog.  So please continue to follow our family adventures on 
thedahlhome.blogspot.com  

With Bryce starting his mission, I will include those updates there.  And I want to get back to regular blogging.  It really helped us keep track of where we have been and the fun times.  So here's to a new blog!!

Hope to see you on the flip side!

Senior Pictures

Here are a couple more pictures of Bryce's photo shoot.  Our photographer rush a few so we could order graduation announcements.  There are even more coming!

We love this handsome boy!

Bryce's Mission Call

In doing a little catch up blogging, I wanted to record Bryce's mission call.  We were in Utah when Bryce's "white envelope" arrived from Salt Lake.  It sat at our house for three days while we were in Utah for General Conference.  We flew home on Sunday and upon pulling into the garage at home, we all jumped out of the car and headed inside for "the opening".

President Ballard, our stake president, had advised Bryce to open his call with just his family.  So we sat down all together in the family room and Bryce opened the envelope!

Bryce has been called to serve for two years in the Massachusetts Boston Mission speaking English.  He reports to the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah on July 16, 2014.

When Bryce took his senior pictures, he also took some "mission" pics.  Here are a few.  I love this one in front of the Gilbert Arizona temple.  He is SO excited to go to the temple in June!

When I saw this picture, I thought - "the field is white all ready to harvest".  

Bryce is so excited to be going on a mission.  He said when he opened his call and saw the words "Massachusetts Boston", it was confirmed to him that this is where he was to go.  The mission takes in Massachusetts, all of Rhode Island, the majority of Connecticut and a small corner of New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.  So we have been shopping for warm clothes in Gilbert at the beginning of a hot summer!  Bryce loves the east coast so this will be a perfect fit for him.

Just wanted to share these pictures with you.  By the way - we loved our photographer, Robin Lee.  She was very helpful in setting things up as far as location.  She was easy going during the shoot, and the final product was fabulous!  If you need a photographer, I would highly recommend her!

Bryce will be speaking in Sacrament Meeting on July 13, 2014 in the Elliot Ward at 10:30 a.m.  We will have an open house that evening in our home in his honor (time to be determined).  Everyone is welcome!

Bryce is Graduating

Stationery Card

View the entire collection of cards.

This is only the front side of Bryce's graduation announcement, but I thought I would try posting it.  Yes, he is graduating.  It seems he just entered Gilbert High School yesterday!  Time flies.  The back side of the announcement has a mission picture and the information about Bryce's mission call.  I will post that separately.

Congratulations, Bryce!

Prom 2013

Somehow the computer is letting me post pictures again.  Hooray!!  I'll probably try to go back and do a little catch up, but I think I'll start with current happenings and go forward for now.

Here is Bryce ready for prom, all decked out in his vest and bow tie.  This is just before he headed out the door to pick up Tori.  He got all dressed up for Winter formal in a suit, but wanted to do something different for prom.  The clerk at the tux rental questioned him twice about the vest and the bow tie not matching in color, but since their flowers were yellow, he wanted a yellow bow tie.  He looks pretty handsome.

Here is Bryce with his very good friend, Tori, back at our house for prom dinner.

We offered to put on dinner in the backyard instead of the traditional restaurant dinner.  Bryce and Tori got excited about the idea.  Tori's mom did the decorations, and we did the food.  They chose a menu of fondue, and we took it from there.  The menu for the evening was:

First course:  Cheese fondue with bread, apples, pears and broccoli for dipping.
Intermezzo:  Lemon sorbet to cleanse the pallet.
Second course:  Broth fondue with shrimp, steak, chicken, mushrooms, broccoli, peppers with seven different dipping sauces.
Dessert:  Chocolate mousse with whipped cream and raspberries.

Bryce and Tori invited two other couples to join them for dinner.  From l to r are Bryce, Tori, Ivy, Danny, Becca and Dayton.  All friends from band.

I think the pictures of the décor are on Dan's phone, perhaps I can add them later.  We placed a table out in the gazebo by the pool.  The table was complete with white tablecloth and black overlay, sliver chargers, goblets for water and sparkling cider, name plates, balloons, pom-poms and glittery bows on the chairs.  In fact, we will probably have glitter on the patio and in the house for the next several months!

Here is our excellent serving staff:  Dennis (Becca's dad), Ray (Tori's dad) and Dan (obviously Bryce's dad).  They were a crack-up and added just the right touch to the dinner.  (Check out Ray's red shoes!)

The theme for prom was masquerade - although the attendees were told they could not wear masks to the dance.  Tori had purchased these cool masks in Italy when she was there last summer, and when they heard the prom theme, she knew she had to use them in the decorations.  After dinner and before they left for the dance, they donned the masks for some pictures.

After the couples left for the dance, the parents (and two little brothers) had their own party!  We sat down around the kitchen table and tried out the three course dinner too.  We had a blast eating and visiting.  What a fun evening.

Out of Storage??

I have been trying to get caught up with my blog posts.  Obviously I am way behind.  Today I had some time to sit down and work on some posts.  When I tried to download pictures, I got a notice that I'm out of space and will now have to purchase space for pictures with a monthly fee!

Has anyone else run into this problem?  Can I delete old posts and make room?  I don't think I want to pay a monthly fee to write this blog.  Any suggestions?

July Random Shots

Here are some pictures that didn't really fit in anywhere, but we didn't want to forget.

 

Upon arrive home from Seattle, Adam constructed his Lego White House model.

Dan was stuck in the hospital on a beautiful day, so he took a picture of a storm over the Superstitions.

The night before Bryce was to leave for out-of-town band camp, he informed me that he needed a superhero cape.  We took a magician's cape I had made for my dad years ago, turned it so the red was on the outside, and appliqued a bolt of lightning.  Instant super hero.

Bryce with his friend Tori at band camp.

 

Adam after having three teeth removed at the dentist in preparation for braces.  Not a happy camper.

Seattle - The Wrap Up

 

 Saturday started out with some play time for Elliot and Grandpa.

 

 

They had some fun rolling the ball back and forth down the hall.

 

In the morning we discovered a milk carton regatta was being held at Green Lake.  Having never been to one, we fought through the traffic and scored a parking spot so we could see the regatta.  Each "boat" had a floating base of empty milk cartons. 

Some boats were simple and some were very elaborate.  Check out the aircraft carrier - now that is a masterpiece.

 



How about that big blue fish??

As we arrived they were finishing one of the races.  The above "barge" was in the race.  They had a whole party happening on their boat.

 

Another entry was a skyscraper.

 

Another tried to make everyone believe they were a speedboat.

 While we were watching, two cute kids came by with their moms in tow - out for a jog.  Edie and Elliot enjoy their moms running in the park.

 

They visited a while.  Elliot checked out the water with Uncle Adam.

And then they were off again.  That's Morgan in the red top and Lindsay in the light blue top, pushing Elliot and Edie.  We joked that they would probably beat us home since the traffic was a bit heavy.

Isn't the park beautiful.

 

Later that afternoon we piled in the car to drive to Safeco Field to see a Mariners game.

Elliot enjoys the games, but he especially likes eating popcorn at the games with his dad.

 

Dan thought his hot dog was worthy of a picture.

 

Adam tried out the fried twinkie!

 

Since I am so behind in my blogging, I don't remember the details of the game.  I do recall it was an exciting game.  The Mariners played the Rangers, and the Mariners won 7-0!

One last shot of Adam in Safeco Field after the game.  We didn't get a shot of all of us, but those who attended were Jamie, Morgan, Elliot, Boyd, Lindsay, Dan, Michelle, Bryce and Adam.  As we left they were giving a free bag of compost to the fans - only in Seattle.

Lindsay and Boyd headed home after the game, but they rest of us enjoyed some tasty desserts from Honore Bakery.

Chocolate!

 

I don't remember the name of this creation, but it was delicious.

The next day was Sunday.  We went to church with Jamie and Morgan, and then had a fabulous Sunday meal when Lindsay and Boyd came over.  Here is one last shot of our family in Seattle.  It was hard to leave.

It was a clear day as we flew out.  We were able to get this amazing picture of Mt. Rainier.  It was a fabulous week in Seattle.  A perfect spot for a summer vacation.

Seattle - Part 3

Friday gave us a taste of classic Seattle weather - overcast and rainy.  We even had a little thunder thrown in which Morgan said was unusual.  Luckily, the rain moved on fairly quickly and left us with a nice day.

 

Dan borrowed one of the bikes and took a little morning tour.  This is Gas Works Park.  And then home through Green Lake Park. 

 

His ride through Green Lake Park reminded him of the fun Pitch 'n Putt golf course there.  So he rounded up Bryce and Adam and went over for a "round" of golf.

 

 

Adam teeing off.

 

When they got back, Adam built a train for Elliot.  Adam is now the train builder, whereas when he was Elliot's age, I was the train builder and Adam was the conductor (the player).

Elliot is also the zookeeper!

The rain left a little too much water outside the garage.  Since the water was trying to make its way into the garage, Adam used a shovel to reduce the size of the water puddle.

Morgan had found two great little spots for breakfast/brunch not too far away.  So we headed to the Fat Hen for some bostock.  We were out the loop and had no idea what bostock is, but it turns out it is the new french toast with almond flavors and nuts.  Sadly, we were informed it is a seasonal item, and this is not the season for it.  Who knew!

Lucky for us another of Morgan's favorite bakeries was across the street.  So we walked back to Honore Bakery and grabbed some amazing pastries and smooth hot chocolate.  Just the right weather for hot chocolate.

Adam carefully carrying his hot chocolate to the back patio.

Here we are on the back patio.

After brunch we drove to Pike Place Market.  It was pretty crowded because a cruise ship had just arrived.  But we still took a pass through the market.

There were beautiful flowers.

Smelly fish.

 

Flying fish. 

 

 This is the shop that throws fish from the display case to the cashier to bag it when someone buys fish.  A crowd gathers around waiting for someone to buy a fish and see it fly through the air.  In the picture you can see the fishmonger (just left of center) in a white apron just getting ready to catch a fish.

Outside Morgan found a fruit stand with a lovely variety of berries.  She bought some for our dessert that night.

I couldn't pass up the sweet peas, and Bryce was kind enough to carry them for me.  The flowers are amazingly inexpensive.  My bouquet of sweet peas was only $5.

We drove back home and soon Edie stopped by with her parents, Lindsay and Boyd.

She had heard Elliot had his train set up and she wanted to join in the fun.

Meanwhile it was all hands on deck to prepare dinner.

I told you this trip was all about the food - and I didn't mean just the restaurants either.  Both Morgan and Lindsay are amazing cooks.

And here you see the berries made their appearance for dessert.  What a great day we had poking around Seattle, and spending time with family.