A PLETHORA of FOTOS

So...it's been an eventful week with Richard's birthday and Father's Day and our Beartooth Campout. Here are some recent photos, beginning with stuff from Wednesday:

You know how I like to make little embroidered quote pillows, right? And you know how our family LOOOOVES the movie "Elf", right? So I made some Christmas pillows (well, actually I just embroidered the quotes on muslin, but they will soon be pillows) with our favorite Elf quotes on them! Have a gander...

I got adorable holiday fabric at the quilt store--it'll be so FUN!

Here is a gorgeous rainbow out our back door from Wednesday night.

On Thursday, Addie and Heidi decorated a birthday cake for Daddy.

Ta-Daaaah!

After the kids' dinner, Rich made a wish while they sang...

I think he wished we coudl go to Bozeman to see "Land of the Lost" and eat Taco Bell, because that's what we did while Jessica H. babysat for us like a true HERO.

***

On Friday afternoon, we headed southeast with Uncle Mike & Christina to camp at the KOA in Red Lodge, MT...

Addie & Christina

Addie, Christina, Heidi, and James around our campfire

Addie in the "porch" area of our tent

James & Heidi found the "doggie door" to our tent.

Mike taught James how to roast a marshmallow without setting it on fire.

...but he didn't learn how to EAT the marshmallows!

YUM!

Christina gave Addie a fireside crochet lesson

Daddy was silly!

Mommy was cold!

Uncle Mike was cheezy!

Rich cooked up a yummy breakfast the morning

Pancakes in a can are NOT the best...but breakfast was great!

Kids in their jammies by the creek

Girls in their jammies by the creek

Heidi, James, and Addie on the bridge behind our campsite. They were waiting for Daddy to pack up and for the KOA pool to open!

Super James!

Mike & Rich hard at work!

Daddy threw the kids around the pool from 10am-11am...

Here's James

...and Heidi...

...and Addie!

Mikey came, too!

[Mommy just watched and embroidered and got a sunburn on her right side!]

***

After swimming, we dried off, got dressed, and headed up the Beartooth Highway!

Look at that glacial lake! GORGEOUS!

Christina and James at the first lookout

Mike, James, Addie, Christina, Heidi, and Jamie

at the first Beartooth lookout.

Addie & Heidi freaking me out at the lookout.

Check out the snow on the side of the road!

Here we are writing "MELINS" in the snow wall

(and we can thank Rich for all these awesome bum-shots of me--UGH!)

Heidi on the glacier

James on the glacier

Christina, Mike, and James at the glacier

***

While we were driving from Red Lodge, the Grays (my SIL & family) and Gram & Gramp Melin were driving over from Yellowstone Park! We met them right at Crazy Creek.

Jame s and Grandpa on the Crazy Creek trail

Rosalie & Heidi

Addie & Crazy Creek (that is white WATER behind her, not snow)

Me and the Beartooth from Crazy Creek pull out.

***

And that is ALL for this week. Tomorrow morning the kids and I are driving down to Lehi, Utah to pick up my nieces, Ally and Belle for some long-promised cousin fun! I can't wait!

So it's time for me to re-pack the van I unpacked last night and head south. I better hit the hay. Best of weeks to all-y'all!