Over The Weekend

Well, it's Thursday and we have had a WONDERFUL visit with Cousin Brent and The Sweetie (Autumn), but we have absolutely no photos to show for it! They are heading back to Utah this morning. We've just been hangin' out doing our regular weekday routines while Brent and Autumn have been exploring Livingston on foot as they are training for a half-marathon next month at Mt. Rushmore. Their endurance is inspiring...Mayberrys are runners fo' sho'! (Have you guys read THIS book? Looks super interesting!) They did some lazy stuff with us, too, like floating the Yellowstone with Rich yesterday, Autumn & I went to Enrichment meeting (Slow Cooker night), taking naps, and watching Glee last night. It has been so fun, and we are so happy that Autumn is going to be our cousin forever!

Now, as promised way back on Sunday, here are our camping photos...

The girls woke up so early on Saturday, I had to get upand find them stuff to do so Rich and James could sleep in, so we got some snacks and painted with water colors and decorated for James' birthday. When he woke up, we gave him his pictures and some birthday pancakes.
Here we are getting ready for pancakes.

And from another angle

(you can see James' favorite "big rig" in the background)

Our camp neighbors invited James to explore their tractor trailer...

he was in hog heaven, pretending to drive "Mack" and talk on the cb radio.

Keep on Truckin'!

Addie and Daddy baked James a birthday cake in our new camping oven...

it turned out GREAT!

We let James open one gift in the morning...

it was a little Buzz Lightyear.

A view of our campsite from the big rig.

After breakfast and some games, we went into West Yellowstone (about 15 miles). Here's Addie posing with a Bison in West. Right before this photo, we had a sandwich picnic in the park. Right afterward, we went to see the IMAX "Alaska" movie. It was so fun!

At 4:30, we med Grandpa & Grandma Melin and Uncle Mike & Christina at Wild West Pizzeria (they had been in Yellowstone Park and were coming to see a play at the Playmill at 6pm). Daddy decorated James' cake at the pizzeria.

James got a super cool tool set from Grandma & Grandpa

"I LOOOOVE it!"

Christina made him a cool scarf

Mommy got him some fireman boots and some new jeans.

Heidi enjoyed the pizza!

Everyone loves the birthday boy!

We made his candles read "Happy Birthday" the way HE says it:

"Happy Dirbay!"

After dinner, we went back to camp where James played with his tools and wore his boots

And the girls had a tea party with Sprite in the tea set Addie bought with her allowance in West.

Sunday morning we had a quick cereal breakfast and headed out to church at Mack's Inn.

(notice we camped right by the Arizona Flag)

As we drove down the highway, we couldn't get Fiona (our gps navigator) to tell us where the church building was. However, when we came over the hill to the Mack's Inn turn off, we didn't need directions anymore! There were rows of cars a quarter mile long and lines and lines of people just walking toward the church, so we just parked and walked along to the building for sacrament meeting. The count the clerk in the hall gave us was 1, 960. Nearly 2,000 saints gathered on a holiday weekend to take the sacrament and it was quite a sight (I whispered to Rich, "Is there a Rainbow Bread truck outside? This should totally be B.Y.O.B!"). I thought to myself, if I were scared of Mormons, this would be a horrifiying sight...like ants coming in from the woods, and then just disappearing 90 minutes later. Amazing, and a lovely place to think:

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur

And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
***

Sunday night, Brent & Autumn joined us for s'mores, then came home with us on Monday...

But first we stopped at a "must-be-present-to-win" drawing for a new car at Ressler Motors (I was 1 of 200 finalists)

James waited patiently with me.

The girls were so excited...

but alas...I was 16th of 200, so I got a 12-pack of coke and a Tshirt.

Shucks!

But it was still a super fun day, a super fun weekend. I loved being with my hubs and kids for 3 days straight in such a beautiful setting!

A Very Merry Birthday

I have 22 photos to post, but I am out of time for now. Trust us, Satuday was a very fun day, and a wonderful third birthday for James......from start...

...to finish!

PS: We went to church today in Mack's Inn with 1,960 of our fellow saints. No joke. It took about 40 minutes to pass the sacrament! (Just imagine how many mormons are camping here and DIDN'T come to chuch!). I told Richit's just so crazy that 2,000 Mormons just crawled outta the woods for 90 minutes, and just as quickly disappeared back into the woods...it was pretty cool/freaky.

Photos, finally!

On Thursday Heidi got her kindergarten shots. She was fine all day, but woke up with a fever at 11pm and was kind of delirious and whiny for a couple of hours. This made us both tired on Friday (and put a kink in my camping prep--I tried to take her to school but she can't return until 24 hours after her fever breaks, even though they knew darn well it was a reaction to her MMR shot). So I had an extra helper all day, even while James was at preschool. When James got home, I let him open the package that came for him--a sweet little book from his great-grandparents! James opening his bday package
YAY! A new book about animals (he loves it!)

Heidi's cute self-portrait on her locker

(elem. kids have lockers here cuz there are copious amounts of winter gear!)

We picked up Addie from school an hour early and she was so excited to go camping!

Here we all are taking off...so fun!

How the road to Henry's Lake looked...

perfect day!

After we set up camp, we drove down the highway to get some fish-n-chips at Island Park Lodge.

The moonrise was AMAZING...we watched it from many angles, but this one is from our campsite.

After s'mores, I blogged and my peeps watched a movie.

What a great day!

"Shine on, shine on Harvest Moon!"

Goodnight, You Moonlight Ladies!

Three years ago today (click) I was in Labor. I looked like THIS. All our weekend company had gone home and it was just me, my family, and my mama hangin' out. I was contracting all day, steadily, every 10-15 minutes, but only just enough to make me tired and uncomfortable. I knew--I always knew--that I would have James on September 5th, so I just chilled. I remember my mom stayed up with me--I took a warm bath in Love Spell bubbles, listening to Katie Melua, while mom watched Leno. We went to hospital at midnight, but I had a dr. appt in the morning, so I went home to sleep in my own bed.

So tonight, I am up all alone again, this time in a tent trailer on the shore of Henry's Lake, listening to my four loves breathing, sleeping all around me as I type by candle light. How cool is it to have WiFi in the wilderness? LOVE IT! When we wake up, it will be Sweet Baby James' Third Birthday. We will have bday pancakes and swim in the lake and watch an IMAX movie in West Yellowstone and then have pizza and presents with the Melin Grandparents and Uncle Mike (who are meeting up with us in W.Y.). And I will be in awe of my little man, still smitten with his cuteness (and now smartness), and sad because he is growing up way to fast and looking at pictures like these makes my heart hurt a little. In a good way...so blessed...

I uploaded some pix of today to post, but thistiny laptop will not upload them to blogger, so I will do that later. Just try to imagine the perfect setting in which to sing James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" and that's where we are--shiny lake, pines and aspens, and the most bright, enormous moonrise I have ever seen. I love the mountain west--I could never stay away from here, and I super love my family. I am so grateful to be a wife and mama.

PS: Also, Heidi cut herself some bangs today.
I'll post a photo when I stop crying...

just in time for her first school picture....

update: no pix yet, but HERE's a previous hair tragedy, and HERE is what Addie did to Heidi's precious golden toddler curls 4 years ago...SIGH...I guess today's shennanigans could be worse.

update: OK, it's after school and Heidi is playing Starfall and I just took these pix. It's not so bad. I am just so anti-bangs, but they'll grow...

Catch Up

Friday afternoon we drove to Helena and met Matt & Amie, Jake & Sam at the park for Matt's big Congratulations party. Amie prepared such a fun party! There were burgers & hot dogs with lots of great potluck side dishes, homemade root beer, yummy desserts, and super fun games--even a pinata! Amie looked so cute in her new apron! She is excited to join the society of hausfraus now that Matt has a new job!
Matt & his friend (already an officer) looking like COPS
(sans donuts and mustaches! HA!)

Rich took over the grill for Matt because, he said, our motto is

"Never Trust a Skinny Cook!"

***

We slept over Friday night (Heidi & Jake and James & Sam were inseparable) and had fun just hanging out until about 4pm. Laura and her kids came over and we had a quick girl date to a quaint little shopping area called Reeder's Alley. Amie wanted to show us a cute store called Cinnamon Toast, where I bought a vintage sewing basket that's ballet pink with decoupaged notions on the lid...so fun!

There's Addie walking down Matt's Street--the other kids are riding scooters behind her.

Rich & Matt stained the front deck and stairs and went gun shopping...

Here we are saying good bye (I am laughing at the kids) and you can see how nice the house is looking after all of the Postum's hard work.

THANKS for such a fun weekend, guys! We love you so much and are so excited for this next chapter in your lives.

(Your gratitude attitude will get you far in life--we love hanging out with you!)

***

Saturday night I folded some clothes and watched one of my favorite Scrubs episodes, "My Cabbage"--the final song in that episode (Fix You by Coldplay) always makes me sad and reminded me of Jill. *SNIFF*----But then in the morning I turned on "Music and the Spoken Word" and the MoTab performed a gorgeous arrangement of "For the Beauty of the Earth"--the one we sang in UA institute chorale--and later sang, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," which I performed for regional solo & ensemble contest in high school (I only got like a 90% on that one, though--it was the year before I got the perfect score). Ahhh, musical memories. I am so thankful for music in my life. I am hoping with a tiny bit more free-time now I can do more music (and make more memories!).

***

Sweet Baby James, the almost-birthday boy, wants yogurt, so I shall oblige...love 2 all y'all!

This Week In History...

...lots of my relatives were born!

Happy Birthday to

My lovely SIL, Audrey (8/24)
My fabulous stepdad, Mark (8/26)

And my cute nephew, BRADY, who turns 5 TODAY!
YAY!
***
My cutie-cousin Maren has a cutie-daughter, Morgan, who turns 3 today, too (I think)...Happy Birthday, Morgan! James is right on your heels, turning 3 next Saturday...where does the time go?

Recently

If you've never been to Chico Hot Springs, it's hard to imagine how remote and beautiful the setting for last night's date was. But you can click here to get an idea.That's me and Rich enjoying Shakespeare in the Park on the front lawn at Chico.

And that's me, pre-show, reading up on the synapsis of "Two Gentlemen of Verona"

The secondary characters were so entertaining in this play--here they are as the outlaws in the woods toward the end of the play.

Here are Silvia and Valentine reunited, with Proteus and Julia feeling remorse.

***

This morning the girls got up way-early for school and got themselves ready--all by themselves, for real! Clothes, shoes, socks, hair, yogurt w/ cheerios and a vitamin for breakfast, backpacks--everything! They were super excited to ride bikes to school with daddy.

Addie & Heidi waving good bye...

Saying good bye to my 3 punkins at 7:45 this morning...

and they're off, Daddy leading the way on his awesome Townie!

***

James and I are just going to clean up a bit and pack overnight bags because we are going to Helena to celebrate Uncle Matt's new job as a Helena police officer. We'll stay over for some cousin fun and be back tomorrow afternoon. Woo-hoo!

First Day of School

Last night we had a special dinner and father's blessings to start the new year. Grandpa & Grandma came by to tuck the kids in and wish them luck...Heidi was sooo ready for bed!Heidi was too tired to wear her crown!
Addie wore her crown and visited with Grandma for a while.
***

Heidi woke me up at 6:45 am to help her put her fancy pink belt on her denim capri pants. She was so excited to get ready for school! She was all dressed and groomed by 7am, and then she drew a picture of Jesus watching over her and Addie (I'll have to scan it--it's so cute, and it surprised me that she veered from drawing elephants!). Addie was pretty enthusiastic this morning, too--she even had time to watch Sid the Science Kid on PBS Kids. Oh What a Beautiful Morning to start second grade!

(that's Addie walking across the playground)

Heidi the kindergartener and Addie the second- grader

Good-luck hugs between sisters

Addie shows Heidi the way

Heidi at her locker

Addie lining up for Mrs. Meador's class

Heidi got cold feet at the last minute

(I know, can you believe it? My sassy, independent little superhero?)

I held her hand and walked her into the class room

Mrs. Thumbs welcomed all the kids and tried to put them at ease...

Heidi wasn't buyin' it.

She still looked a little freaked out when we left, but I think she's going to have a great day!

James and I have lots of laundry to fold and green beans to can, so I'm outta here!

Best Hubs Ever

Richard, I loooooove you! Thanks for a wonderful weekend of home-n-family...you're the BEST.


PS: I see HERE that Cat and friends graced SLC this weekend...what a FAB show, sorry I missed it, and too bad it was on Sunday!