Saturday, May 31, 2014

Mid-May & Niles' 3rd Birthday

We went to the ranch for our first official outing with Baby Ammon on Saturday, May 17th to celebrate uncle Mike's college graduation. I wish all the timing had been different so I could have thrown this party for him--he did so great, but I missed the ceremony and festivities giving birth and all ;) Mike did a great job, we had a good time.
Ammon hit his ONE WEEK OLD mark as we arrived at the ranch for Mike's BBQ.

Mike and The Ansoteguis enjoying some BBQ along the river

My mom and Mark arrived shortly after the BBQ around 8pm on Saturday, May 17th. Somehow we got ZERO photos of Nana (I hope she took some!). But here are her knees! Ammon relaxing with Nana on May 20th.

Niles LOVED having Papa Mark here to give him some extra attention and birthday love! Mark was so helpful in so many ways. His dad had a stroke while they were visiting and I know he was worried, but he stayed in good spirits and did so much to help us...we were very grateful!

On Monday, May 19th, we celebrated Niles' 3rd Birthday.

The day started with early morning brother snuggles in mommy's bed.


Then Grandma Melin called us from Missouri!

Niles opened his card from Grandpa and Grandma Melin while he was on the phone with them.
 He was SO EXCITED! It was a great start to his special day.

Daddy cooked Niles and birthday breakfast of French Toast and bacon
 and he got to open one present...Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood figures!

DANIEL!

Later, we got a sundae at Western Drug with Nana and Papa.

SILLY BUG!
Monday Night we had brats and dogs for dinner and invited the Johnsons and the missionaries over to celebrate with birthday dinner. I made chocolate zucchini cake for Niles' birthday cake and then he opened his cool presents. We didn't get a picture of him opening his cool beach play-doh set from Brody, but he loved it.
Nana and Papa brought this awesome remote control car

The family got Niles this basketball hoop, which was a big hit
with James and little Colton Johnson, too!

Rich snapped this pic of me and Ammon napping on May 20th
(I stayed in bed all day because I was recovering from a sever case of mastitis
which came on, conveniently, during Niles' birthday party).

James skipped a day of school just to snuggle with Ammon.
On May 21st, Grandma Lyn and Aunt Mart arrived. Grandma stayed with us for a whole month while Marti stayed for 2 days, then flew to Georgia to help Cousin Kevin and Katie have their baby girl. They overlapped with Mom and Mark by one day, so Mark prepared this amazing BBQ dinner on the night we were all together. It was really sweet. The next day Mom and Mark left to visit the Helena kids, and we got Gram settled into her room at our house. She had an injured knee and was immobile for the first week of her visit, but she was such a trooper! We loved having her with us, and Ammon loved the extra snuggles.
S'mores with the missionaries! Rich found this fun at-home s'mores kit
 at the thrift store for $1.25! We love it!

Elder Curtis and Elder Brock love it, too!
(These good Elders are ON FIRE; they have a baptism almost every week!)
My dear girlfriends planned a fabulous shower for me on May 10th at Kim's house, but I spoiled everything by having a baby that day! They rescheduled the party for Saturday May 24th. Lots of people were out of town for Memorial Day weekend, but we had a great time together. I felt so spoiled and blessed to have all these good women in my "tribe."
Diaper cake from the cute Kirby girls

Our hostess, my partner in many a crime,
my gorgeous sisterfriend, Kim Strupp.

Lynners came!

Addie came!

Of course we passed the baby around...here he is with Angie Kirby.

You can always plan on awesome food at any Kim party...
Jessi, Robyn, and Kim did such a great job welcoming Ammon to the world!
Love them!
 

Monday, May 26, 2014

Beartooth Highway with Gram

We got a wild hair on Memorial Day weekend and decided to drive Grandma Lyn up the Beartooth Highway. It's almost never warm on Memorial day weekend, and the highway usually isn't even open, so we took advantage of the sunshine and hit the road. Grandma was such a good sport!
We drove to Red Lodge and had a picnic lunch there along the creek just out of town.
Gram said, "Oh, this is so fun, you know? I just sit at home or take little drives around town. I never get to do stuff like this!" I was surprised because the kids were pretty crazy, but Gram just turned down her hearing aids and enjoyed the ride!

Heidi and Niles and me eating our lunch

Me and my Jamesy boy.

At the top of the pass

Niles at the lunch spot drinking fountain

James pumping a drink for Niles.

At the top of the pass we pulled over so the kids could sled on the glacier.
Here's Niles waiting his turn.

Heidi and her sled

Gram watched from the van (it was a little cold for her), and
I watched from the roadside with Baby Ammon

Addie sledding

Niles hiking up the hill

James and Heidi

Heidi heading downhill

James sledding

Daddy and his boys

The Beartooth!

We stopped in Cooke City to eat at The Beartooth Café,
owned by our friends the Dennistons in our ward.

Addie went in back to say hi to her friend Micki Denniston who was doing dishes.

The little Dennistons came out to see Ammon for the first time.
Niles, Me, James, Sidney, Riley, Curtis, and Heidi checking out Baby Ammon.
He was 2 weeks old that day.

Heidi, Sidney, Curtis, James, and Riley

Riley and Niles are buds!

The tiny bathroom at the cafe

Riley shared an appetizer of potato chips with Niles

Rich's delicious gyro

Heidi eating her sandwich

Yum! Niles loved his burger and apple juice.

Addie

We drove home through the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone Park, up though Mammoth to our house.
Gram was able to see Bison, Elk, and a moose up close for the first time on our drive.

What a beautiful day in our gorgeous neck of the woods!

FAMILY LETTER 07.28.19

Dear Loved Ones,                                                                                                        We have just ...