Life in a Northern Town

Saturday, July 05, 2014

Independence Day at Casa Melin B&B

Our big Independence Day celebration is always Parade Day (July 2nd), but this year my SIL Kelli threw a pretty nice party at the ranch and the Melin boys put on a great fireworks show. The boring day in between (July 3rd) was made awesome this year by my sister Lisa (from Phoenix) coming to visit with her son & grandson...

Aunt Lisa on the trampoline with James, Niles, & Heidi

Jumpin' Monkeys!

Aunt Lisa and Ammon
(her grandson Zecklin is in the background)

We had a houseful the night of July 3rd with Lisa, Cody, Kamrie, and Zecklin upstairs and our friend Elden Haymore from Tucson and his friend Cort downstairs in the boys' room. Lisa had to head out to Helena after breakfast for Laura's BBQ, Elden and Cort went hiking, and we headed out to the ranch for BBQ and fireworks with Jelli & Mike.

Simon, James, Lexi, and Niles eating

Heidi, Matthew, and Summer

Elden, TJay, Kelli, Jess, and Cort
(Cort had just graduated from the USAF Academy, so he and Jess had a lit to talk about)

When it got dark, Jess, Mike and Rich put on a crazy-awesome fireworks show. We ended up having kind of a "Dueling Fireworks" battle between us, two different campsites across the river, and the Bakers at their house on the bluff across the highway from the ranch.

We put on quite the show between us, it must have looked awesome from a distance!
Happy Birthday, America!
***

On Saturday, we attended the baptism of 2 of James' friends, Trynity and Ashley, who just turned 8. Later we met up with Ant Debbie visiting from Las Vegas at Alberta Bregar's 60th birthday party.

Heidi & Debbie being silly

Heidi & Debbie being sweet

So cute! They are BFFs!

We also said goodbye to Elden and Cort that morning--
they were off to do some backpacking at Flathead Lake.

Addie & Niles on July 5th.

**A quick, funny little NILES STORY: **

I noticed the new blooms of my geraniums had been ripped off and were laying on the porch. I asked him why he broke my flowers and he said, "Your flowers are naughty!" Upon further investigation, he explained, "Sister Blatter said the flowers are naughty," then sang, "In my pretty garden the flowers are naughty..." BWAHAHAHA!

[ if you don't get it, there's a song they sing in nursery at church that says, "In the leafy treetops the birds sing good morning/ They're first to see the sun/ They must tell everyone/ In my pretty garden the flowers are NODDING/ How do you do they say, How do you do today?"]

Friday, July 04, 2014

PARADE DAY!

Nothing is so awesome as the Livingston Roundup Parade every July 2nd to kick off the celebration of American's Birthday! This year the cast of "Full House" was in town for Uncle Joey's wedding to a local girl. Don't be jealous!!!! ;)

Addie holding her cousin Matthew with Summer on the left and Simon on the right.

The cousins with Uncle Mike waiting for the parade to start
(and the candy to fly!)

Ammon on my lap...

Niles and Simon

Lexi and James

Simon, James, Lexi, Summer, Matthew, TJay with their candy bags.

James the clown

Livingston Healthcare dressed up like MASH
and made this cool helicopter float.

Daddy & Ammon

Niles with an Otter Pop thrown from a float.

Matthew, TJay, Summer, and Addie

Jess, Mike, Kelli, and Rich

After the parade, we had a BBQ at our house with some trampoline fun, s'mores, and rodeo fireworks when it finally got dark at 10:30. Good Times.

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Summer 14 RoadTrip: Days 8-10

Day 8: June 28th, Independence Missiouri and Salina/ Lindsborg, Kansas

The day began with one last visit to the Visitors Center with Mom & Dad, then some farewell froyo in downtown Independence. Addie, Dad, Niles, James, Rich, Mom with Ammon, and Heidi at the FroYo Place.

Ammon, Grandma and James.
(notice the Direct Casket outlet in the background)

Niles kissing Grandma goodbye.

A Happy-Sister moment
(we had several of these, which was one of the aims of the trip,
but shhh, don't tell the girls we noticed)

We said good bye to Grandpa and Grandma and left from the yogurt shop and headed to Salina, Kansas around 11am. We stopped for lunch at the mall in Topeka, KS, then drove down to Lindsborg "Little Sweden" Kansas for about an hour before we checked into our hotel in Salina and let the kids swim. Below are some pictures around Lindsborg, with their awesome little Dala Horses.

Love this one!

The girls with St. Lucy

We rented this cute little quadracycle to explore Lindsborg and the kids LOVED it.

We stayed the night in Salina, then drove all the next day (Sunday, June 29, Day 9) through Nebraska to Custer, South Dakota where we stayed across the street from the Flintstones theme park. Monday (June 30, Day 10) we drove across Wyoming and Montana and got home around 5pm. It was so nice to be home...I don't think I've been so excited to back in my own house and routine since we went to Europe! What a relief. It was a WONDERFUL but draining vacation.

Summer 14 Roadtrip: Day 7

Day 7: June 27 in Independence, MO

On Friday, Grandpa took the boys to the World War I Museum and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City while Grandma took the girls to the Puppetry Arts Institute and to the ovies to see "Maleficent."

Here's the outside of the World War 1 Museum in downtown Kansas City

James loves guns!

James & Niles

So many cool vintage War Posters!

Downtown Kansas City from the Museum tower
(the building with the arches is Union Station which houses Science City--I'd spent the previous day there with Mom Melin and the girls; to the right of this picture is Crown Center and Hallmark Headquarters)

Authentic Soldier food...
Goulash and biscuits and cole slaw for Niles

Not-so-authentic Pizza for James

Niles & James at the FR Bank

Mad Stacks of Cash!
***

Later that evening after we were reunited, we went to dinner at a KC BBQ place called Bandanas then to the Visitor's Center for our own little tour. The mission president was leaving that day, so all the sisters gathered to say good bye that night.