Cameron, Jenny and Stella

Where does the time go?

2009-10-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

These are some family pictures that we had taken in late July. Yes - I've been meaning to post some of them here ever since we got them back in August. I guess I'm averaging a two month lag-time on that kind of thing right now. Wow - imagine how bad I'll be at those things if/when we have more than one kid that I'm chasing after!...Okay - I can't blame it all on Stella. We've just had a lot going on lately, I guess!

Not too many new updates...Cameron is still working in the day and going to school in the evenings, busy as ever. Stella is growing way too fast. She is walking (running actually!) and talking (saying the cutest things!). She loves to play outside now that the weather is finally allowing it and she talks about her cousins non-stop...(who incidentally have the swine flu right now! Poor kiddos...). I am just doing my thing - same-old-stuff. I had to give a talk in church today...Yikes! So, I'm glad that's over. I'm enjoying the fall weather and decorating the house for Halloween and fall!

Lake Tahoe

2009-07-15T12:35:00.001-07:00

Lake Tahoe is such a beautiful place! This is a picture I took of it as we drove around the lake (which is gigantic, by the way...I think it took us several hours to drive around it).

Cameron had business in Reno, along with my brother-in-law Derek and my Dad in early June. My Mom and Dad were nice enough to offer to send Sarah (my sister) and I along with our husbands for the weekend while they stayed home with all the kids. (For anyone who doesn't know, Reno, NV is just about a 30 minute drive from Lake Tahoe, CA).

So - we flew up for the weekend before Cameron and Derek's convention and stayed in a fun lodge in Tahoe. I actually brought Stella with me - I wasn't sure if she could fare all weekend at home without me along with Sarah's three kids and all the fun they'd be having...well, let's be honest, I wasn't sure if my parents could fare with all three of Sarah's kiddos and Stella!

Anyway, she's still kind-of little to be thrown into the mix, I thought. (Maybe next year!! :) ). But, it worked out great because Sarah brought her baby, Max, too. So, Stella and Max just hung out in their car-seats in the back of the mini-van we rented while the four adults sat up front and chatted!

We had so much fun just seeing the sights, hanging out together, eating, and enjoying the weather which was quite cool! The last night, we drove back into Reno and stayed since Cameron and Derek's convention was starting the next morning. We had fun there too even though I don't know that Reno itself is much of a tourist destination! :)

Here are a few pictures from our fun trip. I'm looking forward to going there again someday!

Sarah, Derek, Me, Stella and Max out on the end of a pier. The lake is so clear, you can see the bottom even all the way out on the end of the pier.

A neat view of one of the piers and the rain in the background. It is so beautiful there.

The same pier. The water was extremely cold!

Sarah and I found this Lilac bush at this big castle / mansion up there next to the lake. We have always loved lilacs since when we were little our house in Utah had a whole huge hedge of them that ran all the way along the side of our property. The inside was hollowed out and we had a play hut under the lilacs. So, we thought we'd take a picture by this one. It smelled so wonderful!

Sarah, Derek and Max on the gondola riding up to the top of the mountain where the ski resort is.

Cameron, Stella and Me at the top of the mountain. It was seriously high-up there. I can't remember now what the elevation was, though.

Cameron, Stella and I sitting on a bench next to the lake.

Cameron and Stella in front of a gigantic Redwood tree.

Stella laughing at me while I took her picture. Don't be alarmed by the hooded man. No, he's not a kidnapper...it's just Stella's uncle Derek.

Stella and Daddy. She's looking up at the top of a tree.

Our little family out on one of the piers.

Sarah, Derek, Cameron and Stella walking out to the end of one of the piers.

Derek, Sarah and Maxwell.

Us again on the pier. The scenery was so beautiful. This picture definitely does not do it justice.

Stella and Daddy laughing and having fun...they probably had some inside joke about me! ;)

Pool Days!

2009-06-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

I took some pictures today of Stella at the pool today. It's been so much fun since it got warm enough to take Stella-roo to the pool. She LOVES the water and will already try to stick her face in the water. Mostly I think she just enjoys being outside, eating snacks and popsicles and spending time with her cousins and/or friends who join us there!

The past two Wednesdays a bunch of us (sisters, sisters-in-law, cousins, etc) have met at the pool to let all our kids swim together in the afternoons. It's been a lot of fun. Here are a few pictures of Stella from today.

She loves those Otter-Pops!

Check out those teeth! So cute!

May - is it already over??

2009-05-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

Hello, Everyone! Wow - I can't believe that May is already over...or almost. I mean - the weather definitely feels like summer time - but I feel like I am still 'reminding' myself to write 2009 on things rather than 2008 and here we are, already half way through the year!

A few updates on us for anyone who cares! ;) Stella is turning one in about two weeks which is bitter-sweet for Cameron and I. We love to watch her grow - but hate to see her grow-up, if that makes any sense. We can't believe that we've had her in our lives for a year - the best year of our lives. She is standing up and walking with the help of a hand on the furniture. But, no real steps yet. She also says several words - mama, dada, bye-bye, baby, what's that?. She has eight teeth! She's still tiny - only about 16 pounds, and she still has no hair - but she sure is cute!

Stella's one year old birthday also means that our 'year of waiting' is just about over and we can officially go back on the adoption list at LDS Family Services on June 8th (they make you wait one year from your placement date to get back on the eligibility list.). So - we are going to go back on right away in hopes of getting a second baby sometime soon!

Cameron is still plugging away at law school at night and working hard in the day. He is still traveling some and always has something going on for work! (which I am, of course, grateful for!). He totaled our Altima two weeks ago - he was fine. But, Halle (the car) is gone.

I am busy with Stella - she is a mover and a shaker - I don't think she has sat still for one moment since she was born! When she naps, I am always teaching my classes or answering the phone for my mom's law office. Also, Stella has really taken to swimming, so we are busy hanging out at the pool many days too! :) Not to mention my every-Thursday lunch date with my sisters and mom.

Other than that - pretty much same-old-thing. Here are a few recent pics!

Stella typing on dad's computer. It is her new favorite thing to do. She actually thinks she is typing and then will point at the screen.

Stella's birthmom came to visit a couple weekends ago. When Stella was placed with us, part of our agreement was that she could come in town for the blessing. That didn't work out, so she came this weekend instead. It was really nice to see her and we were happy that she got to see Stella growing up a happy, healthy, beautiful little girl in our family.We hope this helped her to feel some closure and security on her decision to place Stella.

My family on the day of our new nephew, Max's blessing.

Two of our nephews, Sam and Max on the day of Max's blessing. Aren't they cute?!

This is one of my favorite new pictures. Stella's grandma (my mom) made all three grand-daughters matching Easter dresses this year with the various color flowers to wear with them. It was so cute. We had to get some pictures of them all together.

Is Your Blog PRIVATE???!!! Then, keep reading!

2009-04-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

This post is directed to everyone out there who has a private blog.

Watch out - I'm about to throw a fit...

Okay - It is officially not fair that you can look at my blog and I can't look at yours! :( I mean, come on, I want to snoop into your life just like you do into mine! So, this is an official request to each of you who look at my blog, but have not invited me to see yours - please add me to your list! :) It seems like I can't look at anyone's blog anymore because almost everyone has gone private. (Should I be offended that none of you have invited me to be on your list yet out of your own desire to have me be on your secret blogging list?).

My email address is jennyleewebb@gmail.com. Or you can use jennywebb@cox.net.

Thanks! :))

Some Recent Pictures, etc.

2009-04-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while because my old computer was literally getting so slow that it would hardly even allow me to upload pictures, etc. Poor old thing - it's been a good friend! We've spent many hours together. :)

Anyway - I finally broke down and bought a new computer. I bought a Mac Book which so far has caused me nothing but confusion and frustration! But, hopefully I'll get it all figured out soon. In fact, as we speak, right now it's not allowing me to get rid of the underlining here and the formatting on this post is all crazy...I hope it is okay once it actually posts!

I'm pasting a bunch of pics below...just some that we've taken over the past couple months of the baby, etc. She's such an adorable little girl! Every day is a new adventure with her in our lives and in our home. We sure do love her.

All the baldies in our family. Sorry Stella - you're the only girl in the bunch - you're also the 'bald-est' of any of them! :)

Cameron and Stella in our Hotel room in Newport. We drove over for a weekend in March just to get away. It was so cute - those two in their matching hoodies!

Silly girl! Pulling dad's hood down over his eyes and laughing like crazy!

Stella and Me outside the Crab Cooker in Newport. The waitresses in there thought Stella was so cute they were literally standing in a circle around her and all screaming and laughing. The whole restaurant was looking...it was pretty funny. I have to admit - she did look pretty cute that day! :)
I turned 29 this month...Cam took me to dinner on my birthday and Connie (Cam's sister) babysat Stella for us. This is Stella and I on my Bday before we left.

Stella zonked out in her stroller as we walked up and down the beach in Newport.

Stella in her favorite spot - in front of the DVDs. She would work all day to get those doors open and pull out all the DVD's if I would let her! Yes - every once in a while I open up the doors and let her yank them all out!

Stella got sick two weeks ago with the stomach flu. This was right after - so she was looking even more lean than usual...I seriously think she lost weight with her flu if that's possible. In the ER, they weighed her in at 15.6 pounds, which is pretty tiny for a 10 month old! Poor little thing! She's feeling much better now and is back to loving food!

Stella and Cameron on Easter Sunday...My mom made this dress and flowers for her. It was so adorable.

Stella splashing around in our hottub. She LOVES it in there.

How long is Eternity?

2009-02-12T20:21:00.000-08:00

Stella is now forever our little girl. I can't wait to be with her for eternity.

As I mentioned in my previous post, we had our sealing to Stella in the Temple on January 31st and then Cameron blessed her in our sacrament meeting on February 1st - which we picked as her blessing date because it was also Cameron's mom's birthday. So, we thought that would be neat since she is Stella's namesake.

The sealing was so neat. We got there and my mom was Stella's escort in the Temple. So, she took her in the nursery there and got her dressed. She wore my dress and slip from when I was a baby, little white shoes, and a headband that was a tiara. She looked just like a little princess. It was perfect for the occasion. It was a really neat experience for us - they let me dress in the bride's room and treated me just like it was my own sealing, which I wasn't expecting! It reminded me of when we got married. Then we all met in the sealing room where our family and close friends were waiting and my mom brought Stella in to us - and then we were all sealed together. It went just perfectly and she acted like a little angel the whole time.

After the sealing we took some pictures and then went to eat at Tia Rosa's for dinner which was great.

The blessing went equally as well. She didn't make a peep the whole time during the blessing...I was a little worried since usually they are blessed around 6 weeks of age, and she is eight months! I thought she might yell or scream or something! Cameron gave her the most beautiful blessing. It was so special and so fitting.

After that we came to our house for some refreshments and it was great to visit with everyone.

Thanks to everyone who came and supported us all weekend...it was so special for us...a couple of days we'll never forget.

Lame Blogger

2009-01-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess it's official. I am a lame blogger. I don't know what happened to me...all the sudden I just stopped blogging. The truth is, I am on my computer about 20 hours a week for work and between that and the baby, I'm pretty much busy every hour of every day!..and after all those hours on the laptop all week, sometimes I just can't bear to stare at my computer screen any more!

Anyway - I figured it's about time to post some pics of the baby and a couple important updates. Here they are...our adoption became final on December 15th. It was a day that we were very excited for. There was a snafu or two with our paperwork, withour attorney, etc, and so it finalized a few days after it was supposed to. But, overall, it went okay. Now we're just waiting for our decree to arrive in the mail...it was supposed to get here two weeks ago...so, hopefully it arrives soon.

The baby had her first Halloween - she was a bumble bee. Her first Thanksgiving which we spent at my parents house...and her first Christmas and it was so much fun. We spent a lot of time with family, friends, etc over the holidays and overall it was relaxing and enjoyable.

Cameron had time off school and we both had two weeks off from teaching our classes, over the holidays. So, that was a much-needed break. Of course Cameron still worked, but working - without school and teaching - seems like a breeze! :)

Now we are looking forward to our sealing to Stella in the Mesa Temple on January 31st and her baby blessing in our ward on February 1st.

Here are some pictures of the last couple months...

Our Little Bumble Bee!

Trunk-Or-Treat

One of Stella's little Halloween outfits. This one was sent to her by her birth-mom.

Stella and Cam at a Family Reunion in Utah

These are all my cousins and their spouses. It was great to see everyone at Alee's wedding

Stella's cousins sure to love her!

My girlsfriends from high school and I got together one day in November. It was really nice to see each other and catch up. (Jessica, Megan, Me and Breanne).

One of Stella's cute little Christmas Dresses.

Another little Christmas outfit. She loves her 'nut house' that she sits in.

Stella and Me picking out our Christmas Tree.

Cameron and his beautiful sisters on Christmas Day.

Stella - 7 months old.

Stella in her Blessing Dress.

Bean Town and the Big Apple...

2008-09-24T14:49:00.001-07:00

Well - it's been a while since my last post. I think I got scared off when Aimee Hada showed me that blog that is called 'SeriouslySoBlessed'...it is a 'mock' blog that basically makes fun of all the bloggers out there and every post just goes on and on, bragging about this 'fake' girl's life - she has the 'best' husband, baby, house, life, family, trips to 'Powell' (LOL), friends, etc, etc. It is really hilarious - but worried me a bit - I hope I'm not like that on my blog! I started thinking maybe I should be a bit more self-depracating on my blog - people think that is funnier anyway, don't they?! Well - I'll do my best to share some of the 'not fun' things that I do (which is like every day), too! LOL.

I will start that today - here is one very 'not' fun thing I did today...cleaned all three bathrooms top to bottom. By the way - I know it's the trend to be into the 'green' everything...including bathroom cleaner. But, come on - you can't beat a bathroom that smells like straight bleach. I mean, that is when you really know you can comfortably use that bathroom without wondering what kinds of crazy staph and flu viruses you are picking up. Sorry, but for me, using plant-extract to kill germs just doesn't cut it...but I digress...

Another 'not' fun thing that happened to me today - one of my students was really rude to me and threatened to report me to the University. Ouch...all because I would not accept her final project after the last day of class. Hello people - if you want to earn a good grade - submit your homework on time! It's that simple.

Okay - now to share something fun. Last weekend we got to go to Boston and then to New York City! We took Stella with us - yes, you heard me right...and my parents came with us as well. We first flew to Boston just for one day, where we got to see a RedSox game at Fenway park. It was great. Stella and I only lasted a few innings, then my mom and I took her back to the Hotel while Cam and my dad stayed to watch the rest of the game. The next day we took the train down to NYC where we spent the next 3 days. Cameron and my dad went to a Yankees game (apparently they are tearing down Yankee stadium like right away or something and Cam wanted to see a game at the stadium before they did). We went to the San Genaro festival in Little Italy - shopped in Chinatown (which is always an experience!), walked up 5th Avenue and up Central Park. We ate good food - Serendipity, Lombardi's Pizza, Cafe Lalo to name a few...anyway, we had a great time. I didn't take a ton of pictures, but here are a few;

Stella's first plane ride - she slept almost all the way from Phoenix to Baltimore on her beanie bed!

Again, in the airplane. She was such a good little traveler!

Us at Fenway, watching the Redsox!

Stella and Dad at the Redsox game.

Mom and Dad at the game.

Mom and dad eating the biggest sandwiches ever at the San Genaro Festival in NYC.

Me and Cam doing the same!

The hotel in NYC had a really 'bright' plasma TV in our room. Stella really tuned into it - and began a habit she'll probably never break!...watching TV! Here she is with dad watching Football while I got ready!

Here we are in NYC - No, the baby's neck is not hurt from sleeping like this...don't think you're the first person to wonder!

Me pushing an empty stroller through NYC. It seemed that I was always pushing an empty stroller!...Sometimes I just put our snacks in there and pushed them around while Stella got carried by everyone! :)

Sin City!...

2008-08-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

...Las Vegas is called Sin City, isn't it?...After I wrote that I thought it seemed weird. Anyway - Apparently Cameron and I (and Stella of course!) have become quite the travelers the last while. This past weekend we went to Las Vegas. It is part of Cameron's territory for work, so he is there at least once a month, but usually I don't tag along.

This time, though, Stella and I decided to come with - we had a real Las Vegas wedding to attend in a wedding chapel down by the strip and everything! I knew that would be interesting and worth witnessing!...and we also wanted to see our friends Jeremy and Bree and their son Buddy (genious boy who started reading at age one and that is not a joke) and their new little girl, Lulu who is now Stella's friend! :)

We got there Friday morning - Cameron had a couple of meetings - so Stella and I spent a bit of time in Fashion Show Mall. Then we ventured out to North Las Vegas where Jeremy and Bree live. Cameron dropped Stella and I off there for an afternoon nap (her not me...) and he headed back out to finish working for the day. That evening when Cameron and Jeremy came home from work, the four of us went out to Okada - an Asian restaurant in the Wynn - and got some yummy dessert there in the Wynn as well after dinner. We then came back home because Jeremy's brother was watching all three of the kids! (Stella was asleep the whole time - I knew she would be of course - thanks to her Baby Wise schedule! LOL.) We had a great time.

On Saturday Cameron and Jeremy went out and got massages and pedicures while Bree and I watched the kids in the morning...Yeah, I know - the world has definitely gone sideways. Then, in the afternoon, they watched the kids while we went and got pedicures and did a bit of shopping.

That night Cameron and I (and Stella) went to a real Las Vegas wedding in a wedding chapel for Cameron's friend James. The minister was a woman wearing pants who was 30 minutes late for the wedding...the bride wore what I can only describe as a mini-dress, there was a live feed to their relatives in Texas which they asked the whole congregation to wave to during the ceremony. Anyway, you get the picture! It was quite interesting and kind of fun in a kitchy kind of way. Stella was certainly the star of the show - more people were taking pictures of her than I can remember! These are all people who don't even know us, mind you! It was funny.

Anyway - here are a few pictures of the weekend...

Stella looking a bit tired! This was the day we were leaving to come home...Maybe she was tuckered out from the wedding the night before!~ :)

Jenny and Bree at dinner.

Cameron and Jeremy in the Wynn - Jeremy is showing off his infamous bracelet.

Stella (right) with her new BFF, Lulu (left). They look ready to hit the road!

Stella and Lauren (or Lulu, or Lewis - depending on who you are!), taking a look at each other. They really did stare at each other for a long time!

Me and Cam out to dinner...it felt weird to be out without Stella!...but we had a good time.

California - Here we come X2!

2008-08-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

This last month both my family and Cameron's family decided to go to California for a little get-away. So, we packed up Stella and headed over there (Orange County) three weekends ago with my family...it was over Cameron's birthday (31 years old!!), so he got to spend his birthday in the nice weather. We mostly just hung out, shopped (we stayed at the Westin that is basically connected to South Coast Plaza - so some shopping couldn't be avoided!). We ate out, took walks, went to the pool at the hotel, etc. It was a nice relaxing weekend. Unfortunately, as soon as I got there I realized that I had forgotten to bring my camera - so I don't have any pictures of the weekend.

Then, this last weekend, we went over again with Cameron's family this time. (All his sisters and their spouses and kids). We all went to Disneyland on Friday which was fun, although a bit hot, and we did Newport Beach on Saturday. The weather was perfect and Stella did very well on both trips.

Here are some pictures of this weekend with Cameron's family...By the way, Carrie and her friend Johnny were there too - but somehow, I didn't end up with any pictures of them! Sorry, Carrie!

Christine (Cameron's sister) and me with Luke and Stella.

Connie, Tim and Abbey at dinner on the last night we were there.

Christine and Jared with Wyatt and Luke

Me and Stella at the beach. Okay - I tried to rotate this picture like 50 times and for some reason it won't stick...so then I tried to just remove it from the post and I couldn't make that work either! So, here you go - a sideways picture of us!

Stella all tuckered out after the beach!

Cameron and Wyatt at dinner.

Cameron and Jared at Disneyland with a not-so-happy Stella and Luke. It was really hot in the afternoon! :(

Cameron and Stella at Disneyland

Baby Stella in the evening at Disneyland...it was perfect because her stroller is one that has the infant 'bassinet' system with it - so she basically thought she was at home in bed! ;) Isn't she cute in her little hat?

Six Weeks Old!

2008-07-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

We had these pictures taken last week when Stella turned six weeks old. I really wanted to get some good shots of Stella by herself, which we didn't really get when we took pictures in Utah...also, she was just so tiny then!...now she is filled out into a 'real baby' and is looking even more cute than she was then, if that's possible! :) . So, anyway, I think these pics turned out really well. We had Aften Wright take them...she has taken a lot of different family pictures for us over the years. She is great - if anyone needs a family picture done...here is her website http://afteneyephoto.typepad.com/.

The baby is actually seven weeks old now - almost two months!...I can't believe it - she is still just a little thing - Nine pounds One ounce now - which is still smaller than I was when I was born! Ha, ha.

Our first family pictures!

2008-07-10T12:15:00.000-07:00

When we were in Utah picking up Stella, our birth mom asked if we would meet her a few days later to have some pictures taken all together. Of course we agreed and the photographer had us go to a really pretty spot there in Springville and she got some pretty neat shots. Here are a few of my favorites!...Stella already looks so much bigger than this! It's amazing. She is just 5 days old in these pictures. Now I need to get her 'one month' pictures done already! :)

This one is interesting - these four hands are mine (bottom), Jake (our birth dad), Spencer (our birth mom) and Cameron (top).

Worlds Cutest Baby Shower!

2008-07-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Here is Stella and I at her Baby Shower...Isn't she cute?! :)

My sisters and mom along with my sisters-in-law, Jackie (Terry's wife) and my friends Aimee and Jennae threw me and Stella the worlds cutest baby shower a couple weeks ago. Thank you ladies for making it so special!

Finally, I am getting around to posting some pictures. I wish I had more pictures to post - but my camera went dead right toward the beginning of the shower! :( So, anyone that took any pictures throughout the night (AKA - Carrie!) if you have any you can email me - that would be great!

We had the shower at my mom's home on a Thursday evening...the theme was all pink desserts! The decorations were all pink and black - they ordered the most adorable layered cake (it seriously looked like a wedding cake!) and th cutest 'crown' shaped, iced, cookies from Sarah's friend who has a baking business (she makes the cutest stuff!). There was a chocolate fountain with tons of great things to dip in it, fruit and fruit dip, a delicious punch, plus a bunch of other yummy treats.

We had a really good turn out - thank you to everyone who came! It was so much fun...and I'm glad that Stella got to be there for it! Not many babies get to come to their own baby showers!

Here are a few pictures...sorry there's no one in them!

Stella Meets her Cousins!

2008-06-18T22:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Baby Stella got to meet her extended family...Grandmas and Grandpas, Aunts and Uncles and her cousins Sam, Hannah, Gracie, Wyatt, Abbey, Luke and Michael. I'm sure this is just one of many fun times she'll spend with her cousins! :) Here are a few pictures of her with Sam, Hannah and Grace...I didn't actually get any pictures of her with her cousins on Cameron's side, regretably...they are a little younger so were not quite as anxious to hold her, so there weren't as many photo ops...I'll have to be sure to get some pictures of them with her next time.

Hannah, Grandma Gloria and Baby Stella.

Gracie holding Stella.

Sam and Stella.

Grandpa Kent with Stella and her cousins

Two days ago, my mom and I were at home playing with the baby and all the sudden we looked down to find Junior laying in the baby's bassinet basket. He thought it was the perfect size for him, apparently! So, I had to take a picture before kicking him out! :)

Baby has Arrived - Safe and Sound...

2008-06-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

Stella Kate Webb

Born June 5th, 8:22 am

6 pounds, 5 ounces

Placed with our family, June 8th, 1:00 pm

We are so excited our little girl is finally here!

Meeting our baby for the first time

She is so tiny! Here she is yawning..

She is sleeping almost 24 hours a day

Proud new grandmas!

Daddy and Baby

BEWARE - What you see below may be disturbing!

2008-05-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

Okay - so there is a funny story behind this. Derek bought a Speedo before our trip to Maui to wear underneath his boardshorts...he thought that it would dry faster than underwear. Not a bad idea in my opinion. But - this decision soon served to be a bad one once Cameron got his mits on that little black Speedo.

Also - Derek has this blue rash-guard top that he always wears when we are on vacation. Over the past few years it has become a bit of a joke between him and Cameron - when the rash guard comes out, you know you're really on vacation! :) (Do you like how in the picture it is also all dirty??!!).

One morning when in Hawaii, Derek, Sarah, Shane and Meredith left the condo early to go to the beach. Cameron, Carrie and I weren't ready to go yet...so we lagged behind. A while later, Carrie and I were just minding our own business getting ready for the beach and out comes Cameron from Sarah and Derek's room wearing nothing but the infamous Speedo and the too-small-for-him rash guard! We were laughing so hard that we were crying...we dared him to walk down the beach in it to look for the others.

Surprisingly, he agreed. So, we started at the end of Kaanapali beach (a very long beach that goes along the front of quite a few resorts - so there are always a fair amount of people on that beach.). He drug the boogie-boards behind him for effect and walked right in front of all the people until he saw the others in our party and walked right up to them, handed some sunscreen to Meredith and asked if she would put it on his (too-white!) thighs! I think they were all stunned. It was quite amusing...and a bit out of character for Cameron, which made it all that much more funny. Here are some pictures - Unfortunately for you readers (no offense Cam), these images will likely be burned in your memory for a while - so beware. A Speedo is just not flattering on any man - even a fine specimen such as my husband! LOL.

Maui

2008-05-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

We are now home from a week in Maui. We wanted one last week away before the baby is born! (Of course, if the adoption falls through then I'll be spending another week in Hawaii in June as well!..In fact - make it Tahiti! Ha, ha!). Anyway, we had a great time, as always! Here are some pics!

Carrie, Sarah, Meredith and Me!

Cameron and Jenny - Walking on Water???

On the dinner cruise! Fun!

This is the view from our 2nd hotel room balcony...the grounds were beautiful.

Stay tuned for some funny pictures of Cameron - let me just say this - there were some manly-men giving Cameron dirty looks on the beach for this one! ;)

Mother's Day!

2008-05-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

Mothers day was neat this year for a few reasons. My family celebrated a week early with our mom because she and my dad were in Washington D.C. on actual Mothers Day Weekend. We had a barbeque at mom and dad's house and opened gifts, etc.

I received my first Mother's Day gifts this year. My mom gave me a card and a gift certificate for a pedicure which was lovely (especially since I was leaving for Hawaii just a few days later)! Spencer (our birth mom) sent me a package which included a 25 minute video of an ultrasound of the baby set to music. It was so sweet - at one point you could see her sucking her thumb! It was so cute! She also sent me a book and a beautiful necklace shaped in a heart with diamonds around the outside. She really is a sweet girl.

On the actual weekend of Mothers Day, Cameron and I had decided to go to Pinetop to visit his mom's gravesite.

It turned out great because the rest of his family decided to come along as well - so we ended up going to the gravesite, cleaning up around it, planting some bulbs and seeds for flowers, since that cemetary does not have grass or flowers growing...We think that it will look really nice when these flowers grow in. Here are a couple of pictures.

LOVE!

2008-05-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

For my birthday on April 8th, Cameron took me to Las Vegas for the weekend. He had to go for work anyway - so it worked out perfectly. He had meetings all day on Friday, so I just hung out by the pool at our Hotel (we stayed at the Monte Carlo this time), then that night we went to dinner at a chic new place in the Wynn - that I can't actually remember the name of now! :( But, it was really good!...and then we had tickets to Cirque Du Soleil, Beatles LOVE show! It was so great! It was all set to Beatles songs, and it was crazy dancing, acrobatics, etc, etc. It was a pretty amazing and very entertaining show. It was a fun little trip. (Yea, this picture of us at the show is really dark - so not great. But it is the only one we took!).

In the mean time - speaking of love!...we have been continuing to prepare for the baby. We finally hung her chandelier in her room and put together the crib. It took us a while because we put like three of the pieces in backwards at first! :( The baby is now due in about 5 weeks. As far as we know, everything is still on track and heading in the right direction. Our birthmom has started birthing classes with her mom as her partner and we have given her both our cell phone numbers so that she can call us as soon as she goes into labor and is admitted to the hospital. She has told us that she wants us to be there as soon as possible because she knows how excited we are to meet the baby (that was sweet of her). So, our plan is to just jump on a plane as soon as we can after she calls. Exciting! We're still just hoping and praying that everything goes as planned and that there aren't any last-minute issues or changes of heart.

Here is the chandelier - it looks a lot cuter in real life. The crystals and beads hanging off it are pink, clear and green.

Here is Cameron putting together the crib...we started it pretty late at night, so he was kind-of frustrated and tired by the time we were done...as you may be able to tell from the look on his face. But, we did finally get it done and now I'm slowly but surely getting the bedding all ready and put together.

Seven Years and Still Going Strong!

2008-03-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

As of yesterday, March 9th, Cameron and I have been married for SEVEN YEARS! Wow. That is seriously going on a decade!

Unfortunately, we didn't end up having the opportunity to spend our anniversary together this year. Cameron was away on business and I was here. But, I think that's just a testament to how you mesh your lives together and roll with the punches after you're married for this long! We talked on the phone and reflected a little bit on the last seven years and we'll celebrate together when he gets home...

This picture (above) is of us on our wedding day. Our wedding day was a great one - beautiful weather, flowers blooming everywhere, family and friends all around. It really was one of the very best days of my life. Seven years ago today - so the day after the wedding - we were off on our first trip together as a married couple - to Maui! It was a perfect place for a honeymoon.

Here we are now - definitely looking a little older, maybe a little wiser (?)...and a little chubbier! We've been through a lot together since that day seven years ago, both good and bad times - but I don't think either of us would change a day of it for the world! I know everyone says this - but we really are still very best friends.

Now, maybe after Cam gets home this week, we'll go out to one of our favorite restaurants!..Lon's...(Hint, hint, Cameron...). :)

(If any of you reading this have never been to Lon's - you should go!...It's in Scottsdale, and is so beautiful in the spring...maybe save it for a special occasion. Here's the link. http://www.lons.com/. ).

Anyway, here's to another year of marriage! Looking forward to Year # 8! :)

Ward Friends...

2008-03-07T22:48:00.001-08:00

Well - It's not too often that we actually take a picture when we go out with friends...The opportunity doesn't always arise. But, this particular night, which was a couple months ago now, Aimee Hada had brought her camera with her when we went with some friends to see the temple lights at Christmas time.

So, she emailed me this picture and I thought I'd post it so everyone could see some of our cute ward friends. From left to right, it's Aimee and Rich Hada, Alan and Ali Evans, Matt and Jennae Porter and then me and then Cameron. Plus their babies in the strollers, Halle, Cooper and Savannah.

This was a fun night - we went out to eat at Rosa's, then to see the temple lights and then to the Evans house for dessert - yummy orange roll things that were really good! We always have a great time when we hang out with these fine couples! They are good friends to us.

2008-03-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

More Updates on the Baby! It's a Girl!

Well - I know I said I was jumping back on the blogging thing - and that was in December. I think I have that pregnancy - losing your memory thing...Okay, so I guess you can't get that if you're not really the one who's pregnant, but whatever. I'm also blaming my current figure on baby weight, so I'm making up my own rules here! :)
Here's a picture of the baby during the last ultrasound - getting big!..and for anyone who hasn't already heard, It's a Girl!

Well - since the last post, a lot has happened. Cameron's mom, Kathi, passed away on January 19th. 2007 was a tough year and I think that while her death was a tragic loss, it has also brought a bit of closure to Cameron and his family. I hope they continue to heal and feel better and better this year. We like to think that she is there, spending time with our little one before she is sent here to earth to be with us. Kathi was a wonderful grandma to her grandchildren, so I'm sure she's continuing to nurture her grandchildren now. We love Kathi and miss her - but we know that she is happy now.

(This picture is of the baby's little legs! Aren't they cute?!)
The day before Kathi's funeral was the date of the ultrasound of our baby, in Utah. We had been invited by the birth mother to be there and we thought it was an important step in the progress of the relationship with our birth mom. So, even though it couldn't have come during a worse week, we flew up there for just one day. We went to the ultrasound, met our birth mom and birth dad and both their families. What nice families they are! We feel very fortunate to have them as our birth-parents. I know everyone's been wondering - and no, they don't look anything like us! Both are dark hair and dark eyes - but both are very cute! I'm sure our baby will be adorable. We found out that the baby looks great, is progressing as she should be and that she is a girl! How exciting! We spent some time with the birth parents, took them out to lunch and visited. Then, we visited with my grandma and grandpa for an hour or two and jumped on a flight to head back home. It was a whirlwind of a day, but one that we will never forget, I'm sure!
(This picture is of all the baby's clothes - Hey, a girl can never have too many clothes!!)

So - we are currently getting the baby's room ready - well, it's painted and we have the crib (although it isn't assembled yet). We have her car seat and piles of clothes - as you can see, I have them laid out on the guest bed right now, waiting for her closet to be ready to put them in! We've still got almost 3 months before she is born, so I think we'll be ready by then!

I bought the baby this cute little outfit last week for this summer...It has strawberries on the dress and on the little sun-hat. It's so cute!

Here is Junior in the baby's room - he is not allowed in there...I'm trying to teach him to stay out of that room for when the baby arrives. So - of course, that room is exactly where he always wants to be. When I went in there yesterday to take these pictures, he ran right in, laid down next to the baby's shoes and wouldn't get back up. He just stared at me like I was an idiot and pouted evertime I tried to tell him to get out of the room. Oh boy - we may have a jealous sibling thing going on here! Ha, ha.

We're Back! Great News!

2007-12-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone - Okay, okay - so we realize that we haven't made any updates to our blog since, well, it's been a long time...But, the truth is that we've been working on our adoption blog instead for a while. The great news is - we were chosen by a birth-mother on December 5th and so should be having a baby in June!

Here's the story - we worked on our adoption certification through the state throughout the summer. Once we were certified we went to LDS Family Services to get onto their adoption list. Well - that was quite a process! There were interviews, lots of paper work, waiting, setting up a profile on their website, etc, etc. So, by the time we were actually 'live' on their website and available for birthmoms to view, it was about November 15th. We were told that it can take up to 3 years to be chosen by a birthmom. So, we were prepared for a long wait.

Low and behold, about three weeks later, we got a call from our case worker, Larry. He said that there was a young couple sitting in the Provo, Utah LDS Services office. They had chosen us based on our online profile and wanted us to adopt their unborn baby. We were so excited! Of course we said 'YES'!

Since then, we have spoken with her twice, we have received a very touching letter, pictures and even a Christmas gift from her. The gift consisted of a picture of her first ultrasound, three baby outfits and an adorable baby blanket.

So far this has been a great experience for us. After such a long, somewhat painful experience with infertility, we are just very happy to be feeling as though we will finally be able to start our family. We will be flying to Utah in January (around the 20th) to be at the 2nd ultrasound where we will find out the sex of the baby. We will also meet the birth mom and her family as well as probably the birth-father. The baby is due on June 8th and will be born in the Payson, Utah hospital - the same hospital where I was born!

We are keeping our fingers crossed and saying our prayers that our birth-mom will be strong and healthy and that she will have the courage to go through with her decision when the baby is born.

I've Been Tagged (Cameron)

2007-10-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

4 Jobs I’ve Had

Sentry Home Health: I delivered oxygen and medical supplies to the ailing residents of the White Mountains. It was a great job…probably my favorite. I had one lady put me in her will for an old T-bird. She wrecked the car a year later and I was out of luck.
Lens Crafters: I made glasses during my first year of college at MCC. If you want to pay homage to my early years, check out the store at Superstition Springs. Sadly, the Luby’s and the Cinnabon are no longer there. LensCrafters stands strong!
Direct Alliance: My closest experience to a real life Office Space! There is something magical about working out of a cubicle! Great job for a college student and I learned a lot about computers. The best part was messing around with the annoying callers.
Anasazi Group: Had to get a grown up job. I sell commercial roofing material. I love the job. I enjoy looking at all the new buildings with my roofing material on them. I have some pretty cool ones in Las Vegas!

4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over

Disclaimer: I don’t really like to watch movies over and over…but if I had to, here are the ones I would choose:

1. Saving Private Ryan- Remember this movie Christine? This is the only movie I can say kept me on the edge of my seat. I was literally shoving popcorn in my mouth. I have a lot of respect for the soldiers in WWII. I guess the Army brat in me can relate to those men.
2. What About Bob- I can’t believe nobody else put this one in there. This is a great movie. Paging Dr. Leo Marvin…
3. Old School- This movie is hilarious. You can’t go wrong with Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell. Makes me laugh out loud. We need another funny movie to come out. On a serious note, I hope Owen is recovering nicely. We miss you buddy.
4. (Tie) Anything with Kirsten Dunst- There, I said it. Much to Jenny and Carrie’s chagrin, I am a bid Kirsten Dunst fan. I can’t really even say why. Much to my dismay, she did a turn of the century film (Marie Antoinette) which I refuse to see. I tell her sorry every time I pass the movie in Hollywood Video.
Two Weeks Notice- You are laughing because this movie is freaking funny. Hugh Grant is hilarious. I think this movie is great and it takes place in the best city in the world.

4 Places I Have Lived

Arizona
England
Georgia a.k.a. Hotlanta or PTC
California

4 of My Favorite Places to Visit

In order of importance. I take vacation seriously and expect those who travel with me to do the same. FYI: Carrie, you have passed the test.

1. MAUI. End of discussion. This place is paradise. If you don’t like Maui, I don’t like you. This place is perfect for me.
2. California- Another beach location. I prefer Orange County, but will go anywhere. Lately I have enjoyed San Clemente. It has the laid back feel yet lacks the hustle and bustle of Newport and Huntington. The beaches there are fantastic and it is close to Laguna. (Laguna beaches are the closest thing to Hawaii that I have found in California) I did get annoyed at the hippies, aggressive women and feminine men in the bay area. But California is great.
3. New York City- Wow. I haven’t even come close to scratching the surface here but it is a great place. It makes me feel proud to be an American. I think I’m a city boy at heart. I love the energy this place has. This is one place I would go just to grab a piece of pizza.
4. Hard to say…I have had some great trips to Boston, Kennebunkport, Napa Valley, Chicago, Destin (Florida) and there are many places I want to see. That being said, number 4 would have to be London. Another great city with an amazing energy. I had a lot of fun on the streets of London.

4 Favorite Desserts

1. Lemon Meringue Pie- Reminds me of being a kid. I love lemon desserts. The crust is important in this dessert. By the way, I am telling you, The Coffee Shop in Agritopia makes unbelievable pies. The cherry pie there is the best I have ever had. Worth every penny. (That’s saying a lot, one slice is $7.00)
2. Ice Cream- I love ice cream. Chubby Hubby from Ben and Jerry’s is probably my favorite.
3. Cheescake- This might sound weird, but I love the Jello No Bake one the best.
4. Cookies- I love cookies. Any type. These also remind me of being a kid.

Honorable Mention: Lime Mr. Misty Freeze from the DQ in Show Low. Preferably made by Christine. I probably cost Christine $15 bucks a week for all the free ones she gave me.

4 Websites I Visit Daily

ESPN.com
AzCentral.com
Google
Expedia and Southwest. Always looking for the next vacation.

4 Favorite Dinners

1. Spaghetti- Jenny makes a mean spaghetti that taste’s like Mom’s. I agree with Connie, spaghetti tastes better if you don’t make it yourself. I also only like spaghetti that is made at home. I never order spaghetti in restaurants.
2. Steak- I prefer the top sirloin cut. I know most steak connoisseurs would frown upon this admission, but to me it has the most flavor and the least amount of fat. Medium well please.
3. Chicken Enchilladas- Mom’s method isn’t my favorite to be honest. I prefer red sauce. I love chicken enchiladas. Tia Rosa’s are the best by a long shot.
4. Bacon, Eggs and Toast. I think this stems from eating the “Captains Special” at the Best Western Hotel Circle in San Diego. I love bacon eggs and toast. No matter how dodgy the restaurant is, they can’t mess up this delectable treat.

Honorable Mention: Cheesburgers and Grimaldi’s Pizza.

4 Hobbies

Playing Guitar- I thought I would be so much better by this point. It is safe to say I am NOT a natural at this, but I have fun.
Golf- I have played a lot more golf recently. It is a lot of fun.
Gardening- Does this make me gay? I ask myself this question from time to time. I really like creating a comfortable space around my house. All the gardens in England are to blame. England is such a gray place and all the flowers were such a welcome sight. This last winter did a number on our backyard and I am still recovering.
Vacationing- There are many reasons for this. I think a vacation once a quarter is mandatory.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

2007-08-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Cameron! Today is August 2nd, 2007...exactly 30 years from the date Cameron was born. Wow - 30 years old! When Cameron and I met, he was just turning 22...a baby, really! I can't believe that we've now known each other that long.

Now, that same kid is going into his thirties and there's no turning back! The neat thing about Cameron is that he seems to just continue to get better, the older he gets. While it seems that with time, I get chubbier, less good looking, less smart and less motivated - he seems to be just the opposite! He gets more handsome, more smart, more funny and more successful with each passing year...

I have heard a rumor that your 30's are your best years. The twenties seem to be a constant struggle to get established, and I suppose maybe your fourties on up is when you begin feeling the wear and tear on your body and mind, so Cameron, live it up and make the best of the next 10 years...Here's wishing you a happy birthday and a decade filled with good things!

Vacation in San Clemente!

2007-07-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

For the last week we have been on vacation in San Clemente, California. We've had a great time! Jenny's family including mom, dad, Sarah, Derek, Sam, Hannah, Gracie and Jenny and Cam are all here. Katie is in Boston starting her Masters program, so she was not able to be here and Brian stayed home to work...We missed them, but are happy for Katie!
We got here last Saturday and stayed in a beach house. We have spent most of the days at the beach, but also went to Disneyland, a fun shopping place called the Spectrum, out to dinner, and to various other places. We've been taking some bike rides in the evenings, playing games and one day we even stayed up late watching America's Funniest Home Videos...weird, I know! :)
Tomorrow we are heading home...we're all sad, but have to get back to our lives! We hope to be back soon!

4th of July Pictures...

2007-07-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

(Carrie, Cameron and Connie in Kent and Gloria's back yard).

We spent the 4th of July this year here in the valley. It was around 113 degrees that day, so Cameron and I spent most of the day relaxing at home...reading, napping, etc! It was nice! In the late afternoon we went to my mom and dad's house for a barbeque. It was us, mom and dad, Sarah, Derek and the kids, Tyler, Julie and their baby Michael, Julie's sister, Brian (Katie is in Boston, but we talked to her on the phone), Connie, Carrie and Abbey. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, dessert and then some of us went off to the fireworks while others stayed behind and just lit some sparklers! It was a good day.

Abbey riding a scooter on 4th of July.

Gracie and Hannah eating watermelon.

Cameron and Brian hanging out on the 4th.

May the Force be With You...

2007-06-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

We are now the proud aunt and uncle of another nephew! :)Congratulations to Christine, Jared and Wyatt...Baby Luke was born last week and finally I have our first picture of him here to place on the blog. We went over to their house on Friday - he was not quite 2 days old then. What a cute baby! He has lots of fuzzy black hair and the cutest little tiny body! You forget how small they are when they're born...I might have this wrong, so don't quote me on it - but I believe he was 7 pounds, 10 ounces at birth. Welcome to the family, Luke!

Cameron's Haircut; Today's visit

2007-06-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

Yes - Cameron has a new summer haircut! Everyone is always sad to see his curls go - but I thnk he looks pretty good either way...Last time he shaved his head, Hannah wouldn't speak to him for a few days...so hopefully the reception from everyone this time might be better! Terry - if you're reading this - yes, we did have your clippers. But, Cameron brought them back to your house last night, so you should be able to find them in the future! :) This is Cameron at the pool today after work.

We had our adoption social worker come over this afternoon for our 2nd (and last!) home visit. She is such a nice lady, Windsor Elliott. She said that everything seemed to be perfect and that we should be officially certified for adoption by mid-August. She now has to write up some huge report on us and submit it to the judge at the Juvenile Courts so that he can 'sign off' on it. Once that happens, we'll be ready to adopt! So, please keep your fingers crossed that everything goes as planned!

Welcome to our Blog!

2007-06-12T07:15:00.001-07:00

Hello! Welcome! Today is the first day that our blog is up and running. It is still pretty elementary; we're just learning how to use it! So, expect improvements and more pictures as time goes on.

Christine, Connie and Carrie (Cameron's sisters) started up their blogs last week and encouraged us to get one as well. We thought it would be fun to post our updates and fun pictures here for the purpose of archiving and for friends and family to see!

Please feel free to look around and post a comment of your own if you'd like! Thanks!