Summer Family Holiday, part 2

Thursday (the 2nd) was the big Parade and kick-off for the Livingston Roundup. We started the day by staking our claim (with camp chairs) along the parade route and picking up some ice blocks and treats. At about noon, we went ice blocking with Nana and Papa while Daddy Rich finished up work at the office... Nana was brave...one of the first to slide down the hill!
Abby wiped out!

Ally, James, Me and Abby watch Belle and Addie slide

Heidi at the bottom of the hill

Isabelle and Heidi (again)

Ally gives it a try

Addie was so good at sliding!

Papa even took a turn!

Cute Little Belle

Belle, Addie, & Ally hitting the bottom of the hill

This is a picture of Addie from the Picnic. I forgot to post it with the picnic pix, but I love it because it's a sweet, natural smile from her--great shot, Papa!

After ice-blocking, we stopped at the park for about 45 minutes as we made our way to the parade

Ally, Abby, and Marshall on the swing

Belle, Heidi, and Addie on the swing

James chillin' with the train...

We headed over to our parade chairs at 2pm-ish...

Nana and Papa at the Parade

(Nana's wearing the crowns we made at Crafters Club this week)

Parade Gang part 1: Belle (with her crafters club wand and crown), Marshall, James, and Addie waiting for the parade

Parade Gang, part 2: Ally, Abby, Heidi, Me, and Nana (Rich & Gram & Gramp Melin were still on their way, and papa took the picture)

James tried to run away, but Abby caught him.

The Holms, Carters, and Gramma Suzie Blatter were right across the street from us. Here's Heidi with Aunt Debbie.

Ted Turner, the Grand Marshall

Ladies Liberty for Peace

Our parade gang reflected in the hub cap of a classic chevrolet

PIPERS!

CLOWNS!

COWBOYS! (champion roper)

Revolutionary Band!

After the parade, we had a little BBQ and I took a nap before the 10:30pm fireworks. I missed this sunset!

And that's the end of Day Two with Nanan & Papa. On Day Three, Matt joined us with Jake, Sam, Cody, and Tyler to camp at the ranch...

Summer Family Holiday, Part 1

My mom and Mark arrived in Montana last Saturday and visited with Matt's family & Laura's family in Helena til Tuesday, and they arrived here in Livingston late Tuesday afternoon. We made a yummy Swedish dinner and hung out until sundown, then the next day we had a picnic at the ranch... Nana brought James some little metal trains from her miniatures collection in a little tin printed with trains and he instantly loved them. I thought it was cool for him to have some Southern Pacific trains...
he played with them all night, even while we were watching the sunset and the deer in the front yard!

Train Lover!

This is how the sunset looks from the adirondack chairs on the porch.

And this is a close up of Tuesday's sunset by Papa Mark.

***

On Wednesday, we had a picnic at the ranch. This is Isabelle with Papa Mark.

Nana at the picnic table (with Ally, James, and the water jug).

Me and my Lynners!

Me and My Sweet Baby James-Peanutbutter face

James being silly for Nana at the picnic table

The view from the picnic table near the new treehouse.

Ally & Abby swinging under the treehouse.

James and Belle in the treehouse.

Marshall digging on the roof of the root cellar.

Belle doing pull ups under the treehouse.

My gorgeous niece, Ally.

The view from our walk around the river bend to the beach....

[there's the beach]

Kids throwing rocks into the Yellowstone River.

Addie and Abby at the beach.

Belle, James, and Heidi at the beach

(see the main part of the ranch & the house there in the upper left)

Sandy James

Silly Boy!

Heidi rinsing her feet in the river

Sweet little Ally

Our ranch neighbors have the craziest dogs! They are mad about fetching sticks, so when I saw Marshall pitching sticks into the river I said, "You'd better watch out or a dog is gonna come running to play fetch with you!" Sure enough, about 20 seconds later, the Olsen's black dog showed up ready to play with the kids. Well, the kids LOVED it! That crazy dog went after everything, even into the river, even two sticks at a time! In this photo, Addie, Abby, Ally, Belle, and Heidi are cheering on the dog as he retrieves a stick from the river.

Belle was fond of the command, "Drop it!" when the dog came back, and that's what she's saying in this picture with Heidi, Addie, and James.

And finally, James decided he wanted to play fetch, too! He makes a sweet little puppy!

That's the end of DAY ONE with Nana and Papa (these are their photos, too). I'll post more when I get a minute...

For now, we hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day (we enjoyed Sam's fotos of the Sierra Vista celebration...wish we'd all been together!!!!). Thanks to all our loved ones who came to be with us...you made our holiday special! I'm feeling especially grateful to live in the free-est part of the land of the free, and perhaps the most beautiful. Ya gotta love July in Montana!