Birthday Girl!

Interrupting vacation pics to say "Happy Birthday" to my girl!

First off...

I can't believe it's already been a year!

5 weeks

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

and now

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-

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One year old!

Oh how we love this little girl! She's so much fun and we're so thankful for her everyday.

 (Aidan loves her too as is evidenced by the fact that he tries to wake her up when she's napping, just because he wants to play with her!)

She's still not walking by herself, but I'm sure it won't be long.

Ella is quite the talkative little thing and lately she's saying a bunch of new words all the time.

Her favorites right now seem to be

 "this", "thank you", "aaah-choo", "brother", "outside", "don't", "grandpa"

(She LOVES her grandpas!)

and of course "daddy".

Can't wait to see how much she grows up in the next year!

♥

Conrad Reunion - Day 1 (morning)

On the first day we kind of did things backwards and went swimming in the morning and hiking in the afternoon.

That would be okay if we were in Phoenix and it was 105 degrees in the morning, but it was probably only pushing 70 degrees.

We managed to have fun anyway. ☺

Ella impatiently waiting to be able to get in the water.

Sunbathers

Draven, Scott, Laurie, Natalie, Janille, Alyshia, and Jeremiah

Aidan always gets sidetracked by rocks and dirt.

Lunch time!

Ella all tuckered out.

Fat Camp

...Also known as the Conrad Reunion.

Where you either show up to get rid of your fat or add to it.

Ok, I'm only mostly exaggerating.

No 10 mile runs were scheduled this vacation and we had plenty of good food to eat.

I haven't been to a Conrad reunion for quite some time, but since they had it planned in Utah this year, we pretty much felt like we should go. ☺

Destination was Zion's Ponderosa Resort, near Zion National Park.

Cary and I decided that instead of just going down I-15, we'd take the scenic drive down route 89.

Such a pretty drive.

Loooong trip,  so we had to stop quite a few times and let the kids out of the car, but they traveled so well.

We (the family) had reserved two vacation homes, and then people had reserved some cabins.

This was the main house where we cooked and ate the meals.

That first day, most of us didn't arrive until around supper time, so we just visited and ate.

Aidan and Draven enjoyed playing together and were best buddies in no time.

There are 8 Conrad siblings, so obviously with a family that big not everyone is going to be able to make it, but I think we still had close to 50 people.

Ella opening an early birthday present.

David and Tom hanging out

Alex and dad discussing basketball, I'm sure...

I wanted to steal this kitchen and take it home! Check out the fridge/ freezer on the left hand side of the photo.

Grandpa and Patricia chatting (although, Grandpa kept telling us that "we should stop gossiping and sing songs". ☺

Natalie and Janille

Rosaleen, James, and Bethany

More to come!