Dear Loved Ones 31
August 2014
I hope we
are getting back to weekly letters now that we are back on school schedule.
This week was a blur of school preparations.
Monday we
went to Sacajawea Park and read books (Me- Stitches by Anne Lamott,
Girls-The Hobbit) while the
boys played in the sandbox. It was the most gloriously perfect day after a week
of rain. I’m sure it was a bit nippy for some people at 68 degrees, but that’s
the only kind of sunny day I like! It reminded me of spring because everything
was so cool and so vivid from the rain. That night we went to the Eastside
School Open House and met James’ and Heidi’s teachers. James will be in Mrs. Fink’s class with his
friend Curtis from church. Heidi will be in Ms. Gillespie’s 5th
grade, which is the class Addie was in. There is potential for a very fun year.
After the open house, Daddy took us to Pickle Barrel for dinner. We haven’t
been there for a long time and we had the place to ourselves.
Tuesday we
just did chores around the house and cleaned and organized the kids’ dressers.
That night the missionaries came to dinner. We were excited to try out a new
recipe we got for grilled chicken gyros and they were delicious. We ate them
with hummus and veggies and had our traditional missionary dessert, s’mores.
The Elders left for an appointment and we had Family Night and Father’s blessings.
We reviewed last year’s theme (“Try a little harder to be a little better”) and
reviewed the goals we had set. Everyone did a pretty good job and we moved on
to this year’s theme, “We’re all in this together.” We are going to try to be
more unified and willing to help and ask for help when we need it (instead of
getting frustrated or fighting).
Wednesday
was the big day—Heidi & James went to their first day of school. They were
so excited; they were up and dressed when we went downstairs to wake them. Addie was home that day (middle school had
delayed start), so we went to Bozeman to but some last minute supplies and
locker organizers. That night the Young Women and Young Men had a combined
activity. They went to the water hill and went ice blocking. Addie made some
yummy brownies for treats. At home the boys had baths and snuggles and watched Super Why.
Thursday
Addie’s first day of 7th grade. She is so excited to have Mr. Petit
for biology and choir with Mrs. Curtis. I helped her crimp her hair and sent her
off with the other kids and daddy. I continued to work on laundry and dresser
organizing—the kids grow so fast, it’s hard to keep their wardrobes up to date!
I took some pictures of the little boys playing so cute down in the basement
family room while I folded and mended clothes.
Friday
morning after the big kids left for school we had a home visit from Niles’
preschool. We met his teachers and set some goals for the year and they spent
some time talking to him and getting to know his preferences and personality.
He will have the same teacher as Heidi had, so she is well aware of what she is
getting in to. We made pizza for dinner and got ready for Daddy’s back packing
trip with the big kids.
Saturday
morning Rich and the kids left early to meet up with Uncle Mike in Bozeman and
head up in to the mountains on their back packing trip. It was cool and rainy,
so it wasn’t the most fun trip, but judging by the photos they had an awesome
time together. I stayed home with the little boys. We went to The Museum of the
Rockies and it was so fun for Niles to be able to decide how we spent our time.
Usually we go as a family and he doesn’t get to do all the things he wants to
do. We played the “Build You Own Gecko” computer game and dress-up in the
Discovery Room for hours. It was relaxing and fun on a rainy Saturday. We also
picked up some stuff at Costco and got dinner (salads) at Wendy’s. I was a
little anxious because I had so much to do in the evening (organize my gospel
doctrine lesson, finish laundry, make crockpot dinner, etc.) and the boys were
NOT falling asleep. I prayed so hard that God would bless me to use my time
wisely and do what needed to be done.
My personal
grooming suffered (as usual), but I got all the needful things done—James’
baptism invitations, led the choir, taught Sunday School, made stew and bread—
and we had a beautiful Sabbath Day. The back packers came home after church and
got cleaned up and dry and fed and we all took a nice nap. Tonight we are
having a Hobbit Fest. Addie and Heidi read the book this summer and they are
obsessed, so we are watching the first and second Hobbit movies tonight and
having a “birthday party” (cake) for our house—one year ago today we moved in!
I’m
attaching a page of quotes we used today in Sunday school. Our lesson was about
Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, so we discussed a few themes in those two books
(wisdom, child rearing, trusting god, etc). One major theme was friendship and
I found so many good thoughts on the subject. When we think of our family as
our closest friends and treat them with charity, and let that love ripple out
from home to our church families and communities, we change the world.
We love you
and miss you all. We are getting into birthday mode this week preparing for
James’ birthday and baptism. Please send us your thoughts/ greetings/
testimonies for him this week. Thanks for the fun letters, Grandpa and Grandma
Melin and New Jersey Melins, and for the chats from Sam, Jill, Grandma Lyn, and
mom this week. It’s so good to know how
you’re doing. Have a great week! Happy Anniversary tomorrow to Grandpa & Grandma Melin (#48) and to Sara and Rob (#13)!
Love,
Rich, Jamie, and Family
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| Wednesday Morning-First Day of School for James and Heidi |
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| Heidi lookin' sassy in 5th grade |
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| James saying goodbye to Ammon on the first day of school |
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| Rub-a-dub-dub, Three Men in a Tub! Wednesday Night Baths |
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Ice Blocking Youth Activity
Addie sliding with Clara Jones and Kurt Mills |
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| "Dream on, Dreamer!" |
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| Addie on her first day of school |
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| Ammon and Niles playing downstairs on Thursday |
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| Growing up too fast! |
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| Cute Brother-Pals |
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| Heidi and Ammon during family prayer time Thursday night |
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| James wearing Ammon on Friday night |
***
These pictures ore from Rich on the Back Packing Trip
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| Our wild hunter boy |
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Hyalite Lake
(This is where the girls go to camp) |
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| Hiking in the rain |
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| Addie, Heidi, Uncle Mike, and James at Grotto Falls |
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| Uncle Mike setting up camp |
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| Cookin dinner like a boss |
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| Minestrone and biscuits in the rain! |
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| The girls with Uncle Mike eating soup. |
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| Heidi with our traditional camping jiffy pop! |
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| Playing cards and eating jiffy pop in the tent in the rain |
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| Sunday morning hike-Mike, James, Heidi, and Addie |
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| Sunday Hike |
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| Wild Campers Selfie: Rich, Addie, James, Heidi, and Uncle Mike |
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| Happy Campers :) |
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| Heidi |
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| James |
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| Back at the trail head, heading home to get warm and dry Sunday Afternoon |
***
This is a facebook postcard I thought was hilarious.
I posted it with the caption, "On a T-shirt for family gatherings?"
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In honor of James' 8th Birthday...James and me
on Mother's Day when he was almost 5. |
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| Four-month old Sweet Baby James |
