Life in a Northern Town

Dear Loved Ones,

Happy Sabbath, Lovies! We have had a rather peaceful week with lots of wind and beautiful weather. This was our last week of soccer and we didn’t get a single warm Saturday this season, but we did it! James and Niles had a lot of fun playing but we are glad to be off the treadmill of practice and games.

Monday was another busy fall-cleaning day for me, sorting through the little boys’ clothes, books, and toys and cleaning their room. I had breakfast at Gil’s with Ammon after we dropped Heidi off to school and then we got to work! We had a yummy roast-and-potato dinner and a nice family night from The Friend about how prophets are to us like a control tower is to a pilot. They can see a bigger picture and warn us of dangers and obstacles ahead and help make it safely back home.

Tuesday we cleaned up James’ room, which is something I have been meaning to do for 8 months since I switched the rooms around. He has been his patient self, trying to organize on his own, but he needed a mom’s touch. I helped him organize then I ran to Walmart and bought poster frames for the posters he has collected the past few years from museums and NatGeo, etc. It looks pretty spiffy and perfectly James’ style—a great place to read, work on stamp collecting, study, build legos, etc.

Wednesday we met up at Sacajawea Park with some friends to play in the leaves. Sister Smith organized the gathering and brought cider and pumpkin cookies. It was a lot of fun. We came home and had dinner and the big kids went with dad to YW and scouts while I stayed home with Niles and Ammon for snuggles and PBS.

Thursday was Addie’s Friday (no HS on Friday) so she invited Izzi over to hang out and we had a great time. We made pizzas and listened to our Halloween mix cd (which we have had since Addie was 3) and they did the whole Thriller dance for us! I took it easy in the evening and instead of another project, I got my 80s on and watched the new season of The Americans.

Friday we babysat Laney Mae, who is now 7 months old! She is moving away next month so we are happy to get all our loves in. Addie went to help student council with a blood drive and had lunch with friends, then came home and hung out with Ammon and me and Laney. Heidi had friends over to watch a movie, so Rich watched a movie upstairs with the boys and Addie and I wrote letters and made gluten free pumpkin cookies (which turned out great).

Saturday we went to clean the church in the morning, then to Niles’ soccer game at 1045, then to lunch, then to James’ soccer game at 2. We kept expecting it to be warm because the sun was blazing, but the 40mph winds made the wind chill around 35 even though the temp was 48*f! Rich made hot cocoa for both teams—he’s awesome—and we survived another cold, windy season. Addie spent the afternoon with Joneses, Heidi was at Sophie’s. We came home and warmed up and had dinner (I made a harvest stew with local grass fed beef, the last of our tomatoes, ranch carrots, onions, potatoes, and Costco corn). Rich left at 6 to drive Addie and other youth to the stake dance in Bozeman. A wonderful time was had by all, including myself at home with the boys.

Today at church, we got to hear from Cory Cox who just returned from his mission to Logan Utah. He bore a powerful testimony of the Savior and the Book of Mormon. It’s wonderful to see him so grown up and awesome. I got to sub Primary music today, which was pretty fun. Niles insisted on helping me a few times, he is very earnest about learning to lead the music. He asks if it’s “the swing” (2/2) “the x” (4/4) or “the triangle” (3/4)—FHE is paying off! ;) We had naps, and then had the Johnsons over for tortillas to catch up and hear about their recent trip to Hawaii (they went to BYUH right after Rich graduated, so they share several friends and memories). It was WONDERFUL to be with them as always. We are so grateful for a good ward family and these edifying Sundays. We feel very blessed and grateful. We love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Jamie and Rich and Family

10/9 Breakfast Date

10/9 Boys' Room

10/10- James' Room

10/11- Fall Fun at Sacajawea Park

London, Kennedy, Elsie, Niles, and Ammon

Niles and London

Ammon

Ammon and Niles

Ammon learning to rake with Winston

Kennedy, Niles, Ammon, Elsie

10/12-Izzi and Addie doing the Thriller Dance

10/14- Addie's hair do

10/14!

Niles

Niles (and Kinsley Lowe there in the middle)

James

SOCCER STARS

Awww, Brothers!

10/14 at 10pm- Nerd Herd at Stake Dance
Matty J, George, ?, Orrin and Kelli Tyner, Lincoln J, Kai J;
front- Mickayla D, Erin P, Izzi, Chase, Addie, Jeanette J;
Kara S and Oliver J on the floor

10/15- PRIMARY SELFIES! Mom and Niles

I LOVE MY BOYS!!!!

Dear Loved Ones,

Happy Birthday to our nephew Tyler Oslin today! He’s gettin’ OLD. He’s probably still sweatin’ in Phoenix, but we are all snuggled up by the fire watching “Big Jake” with the family after a busy week/ weekend.

Last Monday we came down off our conference high pretty fast by waking to the news of the mass shooting in Las Vegas. It was sad to know that as the sun rose, they were still clearing the scene and counting victims. Terrible. The day got a little worse when Tom Petty died. Bummer day. On the bright side: We listened to uplifting stories of heroism and selflessness and service all week. Also, I took Ammon to the dentist to get his first little cavity filled and he did great. In fact he is super excited to go back and get the other side done in 2 weeks, lol. We got home just in time to meet the big kids after school and take James to soccer practice. We had a nice dinner with everyone home, and for family night we watched and discussed Sister Jones’ talk from conference and found ourselves in the crowd during the half-time song (we mostly could see Abby’s shirt and Isabelle’s bun). Tuesday is kind of a blur, but I do remember getting all the laundry done and taking Niles to soccer practice.

Wednesday, on the other hand, was so dang busy. We got everyone ready to go to Niles’ school for picture day so all their photos match. Right after that I went and got a haircut, then got Ammon some lunch at home and changed, then we picked up Addie at 12:45 to go to the dentist in Bozeman. We hurried home and got James to soccer practice and made dinner. The big kids went with Dad to YW and scouts, and the little boys and I colored some pictures and made a fall box for Great Grandma Lyn.

On Thursday morning Ammon and I went to the post office after we took Heidi to school. We mailed our packages and then came home to do projects, I gutted the laundry room while Ammon played mega blocks and watched Daniel Tiger and sometimes helped me. I kept working on the laundry and laundry room even after dinner, taking a break to call Sam and wish him a Happy 40th Birthday and to read with the little boys.Friday I had grand plans to continue organizing all the linens and laundry I had dug out of the laundry room, but Ammon was not having it. Instead he wanted to “make somefings.” So we made a felt banner of his name to hang in his room and also some gluten free orange-vanilla cupcakes with Halloween sprinkles. We shared them with neighbors and that was fun. When the big kids got home from school, we turned right around and went downtown to watch the homecoming parade. It was so fun to see all the schools, all the teams and organizations with their floats, and all the townspeople out cheering on the high school. We don’t have the best football team, but the town was really celebrating the team and the whole school in general. It was nice to see. After dinner Addie went to the game and had some friends over afterward, which was nice. I sure love all our youth and I am glad they like to be together.

Saturday began with 7:45 am soccer again (no more early games, and only 1 week left in the season). I can see marked improvement in the boys’ playing, especially James. He is so meek and uncompetitive, he runs a lot but doesn’t often go after the ball. We saw him really get in there a few times this game and even take a good slide after getting tripped up. Pretty impressive for Sweet Baby James. Grandma and Grandpa Melin joined us for both games, 8-10:40am, and we got to visit about their wonderful visit with Elder Hallstrom in the temple all week. Pretty great experience! After the games, we all went to Murdoch’s Ranch supply for a 25-cent burger barbecue, then I took Addie to work and Rich took the boys out to press cider with Grandpa and Grandma. Heidi came home with me to help continue the cleaning out of the downstairs. Yesterday it was the play room. We cleaned out 4 boxes of toys and books to give away (or throw away). It’s kind of crazy how sentimental I felt about all the board books. A few of our favorites have made it through all 5 kids and are being saved in my ‘Grandma Box.’ So many sweet memories with my baby girls! My sweet hubs did the grocery shopping for me because he needed to get some garage stuff at Costco. So he went shopping, we kept cleaning, and he brought home a bunch of tacos for dinner so I could stay focused on the basement. My very last task of the night was scrubbing squirty cheese off the playroom walls at 9pm--Ammon had rubbed cheese all over the walls this summer and Addie had tried to clean it, but there was still a layer of cheese on the wall! Memories, people!

We had a lovely Fast Sunday today. Testimonies were sweet and all the lessons went well. I got to sub in Naomi Johnson’s Sunday School class while she and Matt are in Hawaii. We learned about inviting others to become more like Christ, and I got to share Elder Palmer’s “Then Jesus Beholding Him Loved Him” talk from April. I never get tired of studying that talk (and hearing his awesome Aussie accent). The kids were GREAT. Delaina Bloxham taught an excellent lesson from GHB about virtue. I’m grateful for an edifying, restful Sabbath (great lessons AND a nap). It is just what we needed!

I just remembered that yesterday marked 25 years since I entered the MTC. It truly feels like a blink of an eye, though there are a few periods of that 25 years that felt like centuries. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve, and moreso for all the blessings and growth I have experienced since. Full time missions are a privilege and a blessing and they can completely transform you if you let them. It is the very best start to adulthood that I can think imagine. I am grateful for those who made it possible for me to go and stay out, and for all the great people I met who still bless my life. And I am grateful that the work continues and I get to play my small part with my little family. Sweet is the work! And boy, does our world need it.

We love you all and wish you a wonderful week!

Love, Jamie, Rich, and Family