Just cute indoor photos of Bell from July 2009

Isabel getting ready for bed (July 19). As you can see she is rarely sleepy at bedtime.

Mommy has stopped waiting for special occasions to put dresses on Isabel. Every day is special and she looks so cute in dresses.

Isabel has discovered the wonderful world of finger foods!

Another pretty dress.

Another adorable bedtime shot. It makes me want to go wake her from her nap right now and squeeze her!

More summer photos

Isabel enjoys a campfire on Jaime's lap.Jenny's favorite moments of summer 2009 are coming home to Isabel after work.

For Summer Solstice this year, Isabel and Jenny rode with Scott out to Wonder Lake where he was stationed for a few days. Since we have no days off together this summer, we have had to find alternative methods of spending time together. This photo taken at the Wonder Lake Ranger Station is dedicated to Jeff C. who is terribly missed by all. We wouldn't don these ugly hats for just anyone!

Isabel was very happy to spend time with mom and dad together!

We stopped by the East Fork Cabin on the way.

Another Monday Play Date

We went over to Colin, Karen and Jake's house, and hiked from there.

Jake was eager to show Isabel just how all of his toys worked.

Colin barbecued while Jake did a bit of yard work.

Isabel opens a big package from Grandma Priscilla.

Hiking

Isabel and mom hike the Rock Creek Trail by our house.

On Mondays Isabel and I have started having a hiking/play group with Karen and Jake. On this particular Monday we hiked up toward Montana Creek by the canyon just outside the park so we could bring the dogs.

Jake likes to get out and walk on his own when he can, and Isabel seems to wish she could too. Our dogs are getting older so they are staying nice and close for a change. Sisu and Cleo will be 10 on Halloween! Lucy and Cora are 11 and 13.

A view from the trail.

Just before Isabel fell asleep.

More Yard Critters

These moose photos were taken the same day as the last ones I posted, but this was after they came even closer! The cow brushed by our living room window.

I opened the back door to find the calf right there!

A pair of Great Horned Owls nested in the vicinity of our home, in late February. We heard them for months. In mid June the 3 owlets fledged.

When we got home one night this one was perched right outside my truck door. I got out on the other side to avoid disturbing it. One of the parents was uttering several low and deliberate whos.

Isabel is on the move

Isabel has finally decided that staying in one place is unacceptable. Last night (June 28), Scott and I turned to find that she had rolled 6 foot from where we had placed her on the living room floor, which scared Scott since he couldn't see her at first.

She is also closer to crawling. At least she doesn't mind tummy time as much, but she finds it a frustrating workout!

It can all be so exhausting!

We still help Isabel get around whenever we get the chance. The 3 of us took a rare opportunity to hike together in the park after work one day.

A scene from the hike.

Land Barons

We now have land in WI, MN, and AK. As you can see from the above picture it makes Jen happy and Bell a little nervous that we are overextending ourselves, but despite Bell's concerns we are moving ahead with building a very small house on our newly acquired AK land.

Bell enjoys sitting by herself and playing with the vegetation and mosquitoes while mom and dad work on clearing the land for a house and driveway.

We should have a nice view from our two acre lot, with mountains on three sides. We had Jen's co-worker, who does dirt work, start cutting a driveway in for us.

Its not all work for us, we had a nice walk in the park after work, where we taught Bell the finer points of exotic plant eradication.