Father's Day & Such

We actually didn't take any pictures of Father's Day. And none of Rich's (40th!) birthday, either, which we spent at the ranch, and then went out to dinner in Bozo at Canyon Burger Co. But trust me, it was a great weekend celebrating the guy who made these adorable children... We had a quick little family photo session on Friday night...

Addie, Heidi, Niles, & James

Melin Kids!

(had to include this one cuz James is so funny)

Addie's turn to hold the baby

(believe me when I tell you that half my waking hours are now spent refereeing whose turn it is to hold the baby and who held him the longest and who gets to burp him and who gets to sit by him in the car...bloody heck, it's worse than the sleep deprivation sometimes)

The Big Three

Sillies!

My Crazy Girls
That's me talking to Niles, who was not enjoying the light sprinkle of rain we were having.

Niles thinking about crying.

(I can't help but notice that since I had Niles, my smile lines have multiplied...doubled, in fact. Weird. Also, my hair is getting brittle and all that extra dark hair I grew is falling out again. Shucks).

Our Family!

***

On Wednesday afternoon it was warm enough to go swimming at the city pool. We can't have snacks in there, so James, Niles, and I went out in front of the pool and had a snack while we looked out on the lagoon...

...see? It's so pretty down by the river/pool/lagoon/park!

Scene from our pool adventure: Niles asleep while his sisters swim

***

On Thursday night, the girls concluded a week of Sports Camp (which is really Jesus Camp--Vacation Bible school with sports and coaches and gospel victory songs) with a block party social/talent show/revival at the park. This is Heidi singing a song with all the camp kids...

Addie sang, too...

James enjoyed the snow cones & cotton candy!

Even though it dipped down to 50 degrees or lower, the kids kept on eating snow cones!

***

On Saturday after working at the ranch all day on his birthday, Rich took us all to dinner, then bought the kids these fishing poles as a Fathers Day gift to himself because he wants to take his kids fishing this summer. They practiced casting down the stairwell last night (Yes, he is the world's awesomest daddy). (And yes, I jumped into the picture to ruin it, but I just made it hilarious).

Casting away!

Addie with her "fish."

***

Thanks for the awesome weekend, Rich! We are so glad you were born--you're AMAZING and I love you & our fun life (and these 4 fantastic children- thanks for making me a mama)!!

This Week So Far

On Monday cousin Danny came over to play and have a sleepover. I took a shower Monday afternoon, and when I came out, this is what the kids were doing--a nativity play with Niles as baby Jesus. Little kooks. James was a cow, Addie was Mary, Heidi was a lamb, and Danny was Joseph. Nice.
Niles/ Baby Jesus was not so thrilled.
Later that night he crashed out on my lap on his boppy pillow...so cute!

Also on Monday night, we had the missionaries over for dinner. Elder Moya is from Houston and Elder Haymore is from Tucson. Yep, we grew up in the same ward and I know his whole family and my grandpa gave Elder Haymore his patriarchal blessing. Great connections!

Moya, Haymore, & Heidi hangin' after dinner...

***

My MIL, FIL, BIL Mike, and nephew Danny are flying down to Texas this weekend for Cousin Liana Melin's baptism, so Mom Melin wantd to celebrate Rich's 40th birthday before they left. We had a little Hawaiian dinner at their house last night, topped off with chocolate birthday cake.

Heidi helping Rich make a wish!

Niles snuggling with Aunt Angie

***

And finally, here is a little snapshot of today...the girls are at sports camp, I am editing Primary pictures & blogging...

Niles is swinging and sleeping...

...and James is having a PBJ with chocolate milk and playing Handy Manny on the computer in the office with me...

..."The sun is up, the sky is blue

It's beautiful & so are you

Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?"

Yes, I think I will.

I gotta go get ready to take the kids swimming this afternoon--I hope it's warm enough :)

Have a great summer day yourself!

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PS: Watched this movie this morning and I highly recommend it. I really liked it.

Last Week in Photos

Somehow I didn't take any pictures of our visitors last week, not even our trip to Chico with Nana on Memorial Day or Aunt Laura with Niles at our girly party last Friday. Darn it. Here are a few I DID take... Niles' belly button finally healed up & his clamp fell off on Sunday 5/29, so he had his first bath on Monday 5/30 and he loved being in the water.
So snuggly!

Here he is stretched out on my bed

Angry Face!

Contemplative Face

(he makes this face a lot, just peacefully gazing around the room, taking it all in)

Heidi with Niles

Addie with Niles

***

On Friday, Rich and James went with Uncle Mike & Cousin Danny on the Stake Father-Son Camp Out on the Madison River near Three Forks. We girls and the baby stayed home, and Aunt Laura came to visit us from Helena- handbasket! YAY! We had steak and shrimp for dinner, then went on a drive out to the ranch house, then we watched "Gnomeo & Juliet" and had a nice sleepover.

This was our fancy dinner

And this was the boys' fancy dinner in the tent trailer...

Brats & Beans--YUM!

Addie took this pic of Niles on her lap on Saturday

And I took these pictures of Heidi pushing Niles on his first stroller ride after we had dinner at Applebee's in Bozeman on Saturday night.

SUNSHINE!

It was a lovely weekend.

***

PS: Don't forget to check out the RANCH BLOG...I'm updating that next and lots is happening out there!

What a GREAT Week

I will admit to being in a post-partum coma most of last week, but once Niles adjusted to life at home and started getting enough to eat, things settled down a bit and we're all a bit more sane today.

Much of the credit for the week being so pleasant goes to my amazing SIL, Amie, who made a special trip from Helena- handbasket with her three delightful children to help me. She brought 4 wonderful meals, lots of activities, and two very helpful hands. She took the kids to play and let me take long naps, she matched my socks, folded laundry, cleaned my kitchen and made sure I was hydrated and rested. She was AMAZING and I am so grateful for her thoughtfulness!

It reminds me of THIS [click]. Amie, Thanks for being my "Suze". You are one of the most empathetic, thoughtful people I know.

Anyway, so Amie got here Wednesday morning just as I was heading out to James' preschool graduation, so we got to surprise him with his favorite cousins Jake and Sam at his graduation party. Here are some pictures of the cute little ceremony...

James singing in his program
cute li'l midgets!

There's my graduate with his diploma

James & his best girl, Ashley...headed to kindergarten next year!

***

My mom arrived Thursday afternoon with my siblings Abby, Marshall, Michael, SIL Amber, and niece Ally. Nana has taken lots of cute pix of Niles...

Niles

My beautiful niece, Emily

Sleepy Boy

Niles & Nana

No More Paparazzi!

James eating Veggie Booty

Niles with Aunt Abby

Aunt Amber swinging James on Saturday in a break from the rain.

***

Niles and I are both feeling better and getting lots of stuff done. Friday we worked all day at the ranch unpackaging dishes & silverware (and washing & putting it away) and making beds and filling bookshelves. On Saturday I planted flowers and weeded and hosed down out backyard (wishful thinking on Memorial Day weekend...it was sunny for a few hours and I thought maybe we'd have a barbecue and enjoy the lovely backyard this weekend, but no...it was sleeting again today). We went to church today and I went to Primary for the first time as 2nd counselor. I wasn't much help, but it was fun to back in there with the wild kids and our fun new presidency and music people. I am so excited that mi amiga, "Aunt Jen" is coming to Primary with me and serving as the Activity Days leader because (a) Activity Days is one of my responsibilities and I know she will ROCK it, and (b) it fun to have her around! YAY!

So all is well with us. Mom is here until tomorrow night, and then she will go to Helena for a day or two before heading back to Utah. Then it will be just us six for a while...praying for summer to arrive!

Big Brother

Bringing Niles Home from MelinFamily on Vimeo.