Life According to my iPad

I finally found an app to transfer iPad photos to my home computer, so here are a few gems from the 'pad (minus the zillion photo booth self portraits the kids have taken ;))



Melin KIds at the rest stop in Sheridan, Wyoming on Spring Break 2012 trip to Rapid City/ Mt Rushmore



Addie & Niles in my bed on Mother's Day

Mother's Day morning in the family bed

Heidi self-portrait

Niles in his stroller outside the office on June 30th during our lemonade stand

Heidi selling lemonade on June 30th

James manning the lemonade stand on June 30th...the kids made $26 in 3 hours...not as great as our last sale where they made $40 in about 75 minutes, but good for spending/ pool snack money.

Addie's photobooth pic form December

James- photobooth-December

Aunt Abby & Heidi- photobooth-January

I think this is Heidi's eye- photobooth

Mommy & Niles, April

Nephew Jared Lehman- photobooth- January

Mommy & Niles, April

The Second Week of July

Saturday after cleaning up from camping (I left the 8th load of laundry in the washer), Rich took me to Ted's Montana Grill in Bozeman on a date. We had Bison Chili Nachos and BBQ Chicken Salad and it was all delicious! The whole building that houses the restaurant (the Baxter Hotel) is gorgeous. Two thumbs up, but Rib & Chop House is still way better.

On Monday we welcomed our friends from North Carolina, the Smiths, for an over night visit on their cross-country road trip. Jessica and I had a great visit into the wee hours of the morning, then we got up and went to Yellowstone Park.

We stopped for lunch at Gibbon Creek...Niles loves grapes!

Hannie ate her sandwich then ran to play in the sand with James

Rich & James eating sandwiches

Baby Bridger, Hila & Heidi eating lunch in Yellowstone

James, Hila, Hannah, & Gabe in the creek.



James & Gabe



Jess taking pictures

Sweet Hannie doing some SERIOUS wading

Me, Jessica & our boys in the creek

Jessica, Bridger, Addie, Niles

Bridger, Jess, & me

Hila, Asher, Jess & Bridger at Old Faithful

Thar she blows!

Addie, Asher, Hila, Heidi, Gabe, James, Hannah, Niles, Jamie, Jessica, Bridger at Old Faithful

Niles, Heidi, Hila walking away from Old faithful

Two Peas in a Pod: James & Hannie at Old Faithful Lodge

Way too much cuteness

Jessica, Bridger, Jamie saying goodbye at the lodge

The whole gang with ice cream...thanks for coming Smiths! We love you! Happy Trails!

After Yellowstone, we hurried home for Danny's & Mike's birthday party, (which got moved to Grandma's because we were late getting back, which was regrettable because it was 199 degrees in Grandma's house with nary a fan or a breeze or ANYTHING). Angie made this fun ice cream cake for the party. We had a pasta bar, cousin play, then gifts and cake, then headed home. Seems like Dan  & Mike had a good time and felt loved, which is kind of the point, right? ;)

Delicious ice cream cake with all kinds of fudgy goodness hidden inside

On the way home Tuesday night we saw smoke north of town. We drove up to highground and saw this over the hill toward 89/ Clyde Park. SUPER SCARY! It spread fast, but was contained quickly. PHEW!

The First Week of July, part two

PINE CREEK CAMP OUT!

On Thursday, July 5th, we headed up to Pine Creek to camp out until Saturday. I slept at home with Niles both nights, but we spent the days and evenings at camp with our family and freinds who were up there. On Friday morning whiel I was at PT, Rich adn the big kids hiked to the falls.

Addie

Heidi

Addie & the falls

Hikin' James, making a quintessential Melin Face.

Heidi at the falls

My son the Deinonychus

Kids on the bridge

Kids on the trail

I joined them later and we found a nice rocky beach on the creek.

We set to work building stick boats and beach shelters...another fairy village.

So nice of mother nature to provide us a bench!

Niles loved throwing rocks and he giggled when they made a "plop" sound or splashed on him.

At 6pm we gathered at the pavilion for a Ward Dinner--Steve McCann (who owns the local Dairy Queen and is a great cook) smoked a zillion ribs & brought yummy Wilcoxon's ice cream,  and people brought the most delicious salads. It was super fun! Afterward, family and friends gathered at our campsite and Grandma snuggled Niles. 

The S'mores Crowd- Gavin Roberts, Cousin Dan, Aaron Roberts, Addie, Carter Roberts,  TJay, Me, Zach, Cousins Lexi & Summer, Uncle Jess...

Thankfully, it rained a little Thursday night which allowed us to have a campfire...the BEST part of camping!