Emerald Bay

Over view of Emerald Bay and the island with the tea house.
The Living room inside of Vikings Holm.

Vikings Holm Kitchen
Lady clock in Vikings Holm.
The family in front of Vikings Holm.

This is the first year in years since i had the opportunity to go down to Emerald Bay. Honestly I don't think I Have done the hike down there since I was about McKenzie's age. I have been on a couple of boats going into the bay but this is a totally different experience. Ken and i have been waiting for the kids to be big enough to make the hike because we didn't want to carry them. It is a mile hike and going down isn't to bad it is the coming back up. It is a pretty steep mile but well worth it.
We went with all of my sisters and their kids. It was a lot of fun. When we got down to the bottom of the hike we got tickets and went on the tour of the Vikings Holm. This a beautiful home that was built in 1929 by Laura J. Knight. She had the home specifically built to look the homes in Norway and hence the name Vikings Holm. I love this place it is gorgeous. And everything in the pictures are original pieces from when the house was built. It was a fantastic tour and I even think the kids enjoyed it. After the tour we went and played on the beach for a little while.
When we left I did appreciate a lot more having bigger kids that mile back up is a lot harder when carrying someone. Sammy did want to get carried but we refused. It wasn't till he saw his little cousin who just turned 2 in May walking up on her own because she didn't want be carried. It was funny when i pointed this out how Sammy' complaining stopped immediately and he got a new vigor in his step determined not to let the little, tiny 2 year old beat him up the hill. Needless to say he made it just great.

Tahoe Day 4

The family in front of Mount Tallac
Anderson's Thistle
Horse Mint



McKenzie and Kaitlyn in the Kayak
Squirrel!!!
McKenzie and Kaitlyn
Mike Applegate, Me, and Christine Dyer


On this day in Tahoe My family went to the visitors center down street from our camp at Camp Richardson. We went on the nature trail and enjoyed the view of everything around us. We come every year and the kids seem to always find something knew to look at. This year Sammy's focus has been the butterflies. They of course seeing the the glass river and seeing all the fish.

This afternoon I had some of my good friends from High school come and join us when we went to the beach. I haven't seen these friends in 1 to 5 years. So needless to say I was excited to see them. Christine brought her daughter which Kenzie loved because for this afternoon at least she had someone her own age to play with. Great friends and family this day has been fantastic. I truly hope i don't have to wait so long to see my friends again.

When we got back to the camp when we were done playing at the beach we discovered a visitor. Big oops we didn't get the bag up high enough and the squirrel was thrilled about that. It was very funny to watch especially when it would lift its legs up and it was swinging there. We definately learned out lesson.

Tahoe Day 3 (Fallen Leaf Lake)

Part of The Larson Family sitting on the beach of Fallen Leaf Lake.
Sammy loved the butterflies
Christie, Jessica, and Mckenzie enjoying the water.
Cali Jumping in and Sammy enjoying the sun.
MY uncle Monty And aunts Ruth and Karen enjoying the floating dock.
TJ Helping Sammy.
Apple, Blueberry, and Cherry cobbler. Yum!!!

Today Unfortunately nelson woke up sick. So Ken Stayed back at the camp while the rest of the kids and myself went with the rest of my family to Fallen leaf lake to play for the day. It was a lot of fun. the water was a bit colder then Tahoe itself is but that was ok.

When we got home we got to have Ken's Yummy dutch oven Chicken and he made enough cobbler for just about everyone in the family reunion. Personally I Love Kens cooking and these particular foods are some of our favorites.

Lake Tahoe day 2

Zoey And Sammy
Tuckered Sammy after the first couple days in the sun. He slept right through dinner and on to the next morning.

Day two at Tahoe we took a walk near the lake. And of course played at the beach. The kids are loving being so close to all the aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.

Lake tahoe day 1

Swimmer Sammy
Monkey Mckenzie
Cooking hot dogs around the fire.


Ken grew up in Tahoe and for as long as I can remember I have been going to Lake Tahoe with my family. First as a little girl with my sisters and parents meeting up with grandparents aunts, uncles and cousins. Talk about a ton of fun. Now me and all the cousins are growing up and having children of our own. Needless to say our family is getting huge but it is still a ton a fun. Now I get to continue this wonderful tradition with my own family and Ken gets to share his Love for the Lake Tahoe area and our children love it. I do find it interesting or funny that all those years ago Ken and i were in Tahoe at the same time and not to far away from each other only to find each other years later.

So I got to come home from girls camp rewash and repack everything for this week. We got there on Monday the 20th. Everyone had fun getting the camp set up this year. We also had the opportunity to go the beach. Also this first night we had the opportunity if you can call it that of hearing the bear getting into the garbage can next to our camp which is not that uncommon. However this is the first year in all the years I have been coming that I have actually seen the cinnamon colored bear. She was a big bear. And Seeing her up close I now realize why the camp has named her cinnamon. Talk About scary but I am very glad she stayed out of our camp. we obviously had everything put away good. So the funny thing about this I usually don't sleep well the first night we go camping because of the whole bear thing on this night however after I saw the bear I actually slept better then i ever have at Tahoe. Talk about weird you would think after seeing her that I wouldn't sleep at all. Let the fun begin. Let the exhaustion begin as well.

Girls camp

The second week of July I had the great Opportunity to go to girls camp with the young women I work with at church. It was a blast. I haven't been to girls camp since I was in young women's.
I loved being able to go and get to know the girls better this week.

My Greatest treasures

13 years ago today Ken and I were married in the Oakland temple. These 13 years have been the greatest in my life and have brought with them the most wonderful treasures I could possibly hope for. I can't wait to see what the next 13 hold in store for us. Happy Anniversary Ken. I love you.