Independence Day Weekend, So Far...

James resting up for the big weekend
Early morning smiles from Niles

Daddy & Niles

More sweet smiles from Niles (look at those cheeks! He's up to 11lbs)

Hoodie!

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Our Independence Day celebration kicked off (as always) with the Livingston Roundup Parade down town. Rich's brohter Mark & Family arrived from Texas on Wednesday and Jess and family arrived on Thursday, so we had a little Melin Reunion.

Our Gang

(that's Matthew, James, Sammy, and TJay in front)

Crazy Float

Niece Samantha Melin

Niece Emily Post

Niece Lexi

Nephew Jared with his mom, Elena

Addie

Matthew Melin

Sariah Melin

Another Gang Shot (Addie with Cousin Liana at right)

My Brother Matthew under an umbrella (it was HOT, fer real!)

Addie & TJay Melin

Samantha, Summer, and Heidi

gathered around the cooler to cool off with some ice

My SIL Amie with Emily

EMILY!

Niece Lexi & her mom, Kelli

I made Amie wear this silly hat

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After the parade, we headed out to the ranch for a potluck dinner at the pavilion

Summer, TJay, Lexi, James, Sam, Samantha, and Jared (standing) eating

Matthew, Heidi, Jacob (with Kelli & Jess in the background)

Mark & Elena (see how high the river is behind them?)

Emily, Sariah, Addie, & Liana

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After dinner, Grandma planned water games for the kids

During a relay race

Heidi v. Sariah!

James thought the race was hilarious! Matthew Post with Elders Haymore & Moya

(Matt knows Elder Haymore from back in Tucson days--Matt was bff's with Elder Haymore's brother, Kurt).

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Today we blessed Niles at church (no pix of that to post YET) and had lunch at home afterward.

Elders & Matt chattin' it up around my stairwell

A little family reunion at my table:

FIL Tom(lower left) and his cousin Rich (lower right) had a good visit today!

Nephew Jacob Post rocking Niles

The crowd (after some friends had eaten and left, family remained). This picture just makes my heart happy because everyone is having a peaceful, good time. And we had enough food--yay, that.

Cousins! Summer, Addie, Liana, Sariah, and TJay in Addie's room

Little cousins Samantha & Lexi watching James slide off the side deck.

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Ahhh, a lovely Sunday with family and friends. Thanks for coming, everybody, and thanks especially to Amie (AGAIN) for all the help! Now for The Big Day...(pix coming soon) Hope you all have a great holiday!

Week in Photos, just for my Gram!

Last Sunday we stayed over at the ranch so the kids could spend some time with their busy Dad. Addie took these pictures of Niles while we were out there...When he's snarfing his hand, that means "I'm so hungry!"

SURPRISE!
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On Monday (and most days) we went swimming a thte city pool in the afternoon. Buying a pass was the best idea this summer because the kids all swimso well and see lots of friends each day. I can read and watch the baby and take short dips myself adn it's really nice.
Our two bathing beauties


Addie getting on her raft



Heidi relaxing

James in the shallow end, pretending to be an Elasmosaurus

(that's a water dinosaur--think Loch Ness; he cracks me up)

James again

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On Tuesday we went to the library's kick off of the summer reading program, "One World, Many Stories" in which the kids will be taking weekly "trips" reading stories form other countries. It was fun. Then we went to the dollar matinee show of Rango (which isn't really a kids' movie and wasn't as funny as I hoped it would be with Johnny Depp as the lead & all--oh, well. I loved the mariachis, though). After the movie we met Daddy for family swim time and had burgers at Mark's In & Out--and IDEAL summer day.

The kids swimming with Dad

Addie's leg--she's practicing her hand stands

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The girls usually have piano on Tuesday afternoon, but this week it was bumped to Wednesday morning. Heidi & Addie at Carrie Kling's house, ready for lessons
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Last Thursday, Rich's Aunt & cousin came to visit from Colorado. When we walked them out to say goodbye, this is what we saw!

That's Aunt Carol & Cindy with me & Niles on the porch, under the rainbow.

Niles was telling me a little story out on the porch. It's so cute the way he's trying interact and communicate these days!

Just hangin' out with mom enjoying the rain from the porch.

SCRUMPTIOUS!

(and thanks Aunt Amie for the cute outfit)

Our crazy kids ran through the gutters in their jammies

Down the street...

...and back home again, looking like little duckies.

The first ten days of summer have been fabulous. We are so glad that AZ finally got some rain! We are excited to have all our Melin cousins together this week, excited for the Independence Day festivities, and for Niles' baby blessing & celebration on Sunday. We wish all our loved ones a fun holiday, too.

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Don't forget to check out the RANCH BLOG again, too. We're almost officially done (just finishing up the deck & log work and we're ready for guests).

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!

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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

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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!

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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."

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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...

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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

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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.