This is a photo we stole from Mark & Elena's files--Jared, Liana, Sariah, and Samantha in their van just before arriving at Grandma's house from Texas on 6/29. So cute!
Cousins went to Sacajawea Park on Wednesday, 6/30. Here are Lexi and Heidi on the slide.
A summer fave--Norwegian Golf in Grandma's backyard(Sariah, Liana, and Rosalie)
Cousins playing ring-around-the-roses during family photo time on 7/02.
James and Jared in the sandbox at the ranch on 7/1.
Check out the boathouse all done(fire pit and ramada under construction)
Jared pillaging the pirate treasure chest in the treehouse
On Thursday afternoon, we all went to the slack rodeo.[that's me with Ally, TJay, and Matthew behind me, Sariah,
Heidi, Belle, James, Addie, Liana, Summer]
Cutie Cousins!
We moved to the shade when it rained a little...
The gorgeous view from the rodeo grandstand.
Two Pretty Girls: Addie & Liana are good cousin pals!
Team Roping action (my first rodeo!)
The little kids were cheering, "Go, baby cow! Go baby cow!" 
Belle, TJay, and Summer***
After about an hour of rodeo, we went home for tacos---YUM!
Mike, Jess, Elena, and Mark enjoying the Casa Melin Mexicateria
All the kids ate their tacos outside
After dinner, we had a Girl Cousin Pajama Dance Party
Belle strikes a pose
Liana, Sariah, Summer & Addie busting a move
The girls just kept dancing--soundtrack:Guns-n-Roses, Bangles, Spice Girls, Rhianna, Dan Zane
Our two tiniest nieces are so cute! Here is Samantha having something mushy and green for lunch...
...and here's Little Miss Fourth-of-July, Lexi Melin
Our two tiniest nieces are so cute! Here is Samantha having something mushy and green for lunch...
...and here's Little Miss Fourth-of-July, Lexi Melin***
Gathering for the Roundup Parade on Friday, July 2nd
Gathering for the Roundup Parade on Friday, July 2nd(This after family photos in the morning and a lovely-albeit-rained-out picnic lunch catered by Matt's Meat Shop)
Cousins catching candy
Watching the parade, waiting for candy
Samantha making friends with a dog at the parade
Uncle Mike on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters float
Sand box fun with Jared, Summer, Addie, and Liana
The wind kicked up big time, so the BBQ moved into the boat house 
Poor little Hannah was sick, so Angie snuggled her for a while
Cousins catching candy
Watching the parade, waiting for candy
Samantha making friends with a dog at the parade
Uncle Mike on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters float***
After the parade, we headed out to the ranch for a big family BBQ and campout
Sand box fun with Jared, Summer, Addie, and Liana
The wind kicked up big time, so the BBQ moved into the boat house 
Poor little Hannah was sick, so Angie snuggled her for a while(we all took turns)
Addie & Liana
James, Jared, and Matthew--all the three-year-olds
Grandma planned all kids of fun activities, but all the kids wanted to do was dig in the dirt hill! They were filthy by bedtime--yikes!
Uncle Mike was giving fishing lessons after dinner and the kids were catching huge rainbow trout like crazy! Liana was the first to catch a fish...
Check it out!
Addie & Liana
James, Jared, and Matthew--all the three-year-olds
Grandma planned all kids of fun activities, but all the kids wanted to do was dig in the dirt hill! They were filthy by bedtime--yikes!
Uncle Mike was giving fishing lessons after dinner and the kids were catching huge rainbow trout like crazy! Liana was the first to catch a fish...
Check it out!(I love Rosalie's face there on the left)
James, Jared, Liana, Heidi, Rosalie, and Sariah snuggled up in our tent trailer and watched "Cinderella"...
While the big kids gathered around the fire for grown-up s'mores and talking (Mike & Rich)
Our tent trailer in the morning, 7/3
James, Jared, Liana, Heidi, Rosalie, and Sariah snuggled up in our tent trailer and watched "Cinderella"...
While the big kids gathered around the fire for grown-up s'mores and talking (Mike & Rich)
Our tent trailer in the morning, 7/3 (I'd gone home at midnight with a raging back/headache)
Jess at the grill on Saturday morning
Cousin Uno Game in the boathouse
Here's the whole gang at Chico!
The valley on the way home from Chico
Grandma cooked the trout for dinner Saturday night
Jared and James wore matching shirts
The kids ate dinner outside again--YUM! (Some of them even liked the fish)
Jess at the grill on Saturday morning
Cousin Uno Game in the boathouse***
Rich called me at home on Saturday morning to say that the kids were cold and dirty, so the best solution seemed to be a trip to Chico Hot Springs (I agreed and went back to sleep cuz I was coughing up a lung). Good thinkin'!
Here's the whole gang at Chico!After swimming, they all had pizza at the Poolside Grille right next to Dennis Quaid
(his ranch is nearby)
The valley on the way home from Chico
Grandma cooked the trout for dinner Saturday night
Jared and James wore matching shirts
The kids ate dinner outside again--YUM! (Some of them even liked the fish)***
Sunday, we all went to church, then enjoyed a Turkey dinner, games, stories, naps, and Grandpa's slide show at Grandma's house. The Texas Melins ("Marlena") left early Monday morning and the party was over. The Florida Melins are staying on til next week for Danny's baptism (I have a niece and THREE nephews getting baptized within the next month!). We are currently passing around Hannah's virus--James and I are starting to feel better after 3 days of YUCK. It was wonderful to see our adorable cousins again. Grandma and Grandpa Melin planned a memorable week for us and we're so grateful for them!
5 comments:
I love the whole post--you always have such fun! I get jealous of the life you live! But by far, my favorite part of this whole posting was Mexicateria! I love that word! Thanks for the Gordo's reference.
What a great weekend of fun! It makes me miss my family!! I too am a bit jealous of all the fun!! And I want to go fishing...I've never caught a fish before! Glad you are all feeling better!
Wow! Quite the festivities. And we thought we had a busy weekend :) Good times, let me know if I can do anything--hope you guys are feeling better!
Steph--"If you like chimichangas--I mean if you REEALLY like chimichangas..." I have fotos of my last visit to Gordo's in 1998 (I didn't know at the time it would be my last visit, tho). Now I have to go to El Charro and get the real thing while I am in Tucson. Jenn--we'll have to spend a day at the ranch and get Mike to give us fishing lessons. I am totally serious! Wanna come, Kim? :) Thanks for the well wishes, sisters!
It was a great post and there are too many pics to comment on. My most favorite that actually made me ball was seeing Ally dance away and have a good time! Sniff!
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