Where does the time go?

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

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!

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!