Life in a Northern Town: FAMILY LETTER 04.19.15

Dear Loved Ones

So another busy week full of crazy spring weather has come and gone. We’ve had snow, sleet, sunshine and sweat all in 6 days. We had two celebrations of Heidi’s birth, two cancelled baseball practices, and one day Rich and I each drove to the school and back three times.

Monday James’ baseball practice was cancelled due to the horrible windy, cold weather. We recovered from our trip and watched “The Lincoln Hypothesis” by Tim Ballard for Family Night. We learned a lot about Abraham Lincoln, and the next morning realized it was the anniversary of his assassination. The kids thought we were so on the ball, but it was just a coincidence. Tuesday night we took cupcakes to Elanor Jones for her 8^th Birthday. She is a great friend to James and we are excited for her baptism on the 25^th.

Wednesday 4/15 was Heidi’s 11^th Birthday, aka International Day of Heidi. The day began with pancakes and lots of bacon and OJ. Then I took cupcakes to her class (which ended up taking two trips). We had angel hair pasta pomodoro and salad for dinner and Grandpa and Grandma Melin joined us. Grandpa was getting around so great on his new knee, he’s’ working really hard on his recovery. Heidi opened some gifts—finally got her Hogwarts uniform—and we had Graham Slam ice cream cones instead of cake. Then we watched a little Heidi slideshow and everyone scattered for YW and Scouts.

On Thursday, we got to go to an assembly at the middle school to honor Addie as Student of the Quarter. Afterward all the kids rode home with me rather than taking the bus, so they got an extra half hour to enjoy the gorgeous weather. All three little boys played with dump trucks in the garden, it was so cute! James’ coach texted us and held a make-up baseball practice since we’d missed two during the snowy weather. So Rich and James got home late from that and we had a leisurely, late taco dinner, did homework and got the kids to bed late. It’s staying light so late, we are already slipping into summer schedule, I think!

Friday 4/17, we had homemade pizza night and Rich took the kids on a big bike ride (all 5 of them!) while I went over and crashed a craft night some ladies from our stake were having at a vacation rental nearby. I talked to one sister for a while about our auto-immune issues since she noticed we go to the same rheumatologist. I also got to meet my mission president’s granddaughter, Megan…her dad is President Hickman’s son, and her mom is the daughter of Brother and Sister Hammar in Bozeman (Sister Hammar is the organizer of these crafting retreats). Megan just returned from The Argentina Rosario mission and she’s a cool girl. I had fun getting to know these ladies better and stayed up way too late J

Saturday the whole family worked together to get ready for Heidi’s birthday party that evening. Heidi had planned out all the party details, designed the invitations with me last Sunday night, and said she wanted to cook a pasta dinner friends, which she then delegated to Addie and me (she’s a sly one). It was a pretty fun little fangirl shin dig, some of the girls dressed up as wizards or Hobbits. The party was “Slytherin” themed, and Heidi wore her Hogwart’s costume. Addie made her cupcakes and butterbeer for dessert and the girls all tried eating all the nasty Bertie Bots Jelly Beans (flavors like soap and earthworms and ear wax…ewwww).

Sunday (today) we enjoyed Jordy Yarborough’s homecoming talk in sacrament meeting. She bore testimony of the Atonement of Christ and coming to know him more during the extremities of mission life. Missions certainly are a great introduction to the exquisite joys and sorrows of discipleship and parenthood and the Great Plan of Happiness. So glad she went and so glad she is home! She quoted a life-altering talk given by Elder Bednar a few years ago—if you haven’t read it, you should. In fact follow this link and print it out—you’ll want to keep it with you.

Life is sweet, we love you all! Happy Birthday to Cousins Sariah Melin (10) and Kaylee Hamlin (8!) tomorrow and Uncle Marshall (sweet 16!) and Cousin Jack (11) next weekend! Hope to hear from news from y’all this week, email, facebook, whatevs…

Love, Rich and Jamie and Family

Ammon helped me make chicken tikka masala on Monday.

(from facebook)- He stirred the cheerios
and reminded me of the first rule of toddlerhood:
ONLY GIVE THE BABY AS MANY ___ AS YOU WANT TO PICK UP.
Usually that number is zero, but today he gets about 20 cheerios