Dear Loved Ones,
Well, it’s October.
September is in the rear-view mirror...that was super-fast. This has been a
fantastic week because AUTUMN. And CONFERENCE!
I had a trip hangover on
Monday and actually felt a little ill. Luckily my schedule was loose enough to
sleep it off and get back in the groove Tuesday. Monday night my family had a
little birthday party for me, which was awesome. Rich bought an ice cream cake
and Addie gave me a sweet little necklace and my favorite Crabtree and Evelyn
Avocado hand cream. I looked and felt yucky but it definitely cheered me up. My
sweet visit teachee/neighbor/friend/other daughter Cali Dixon brought me
flowers and love. I went to be feeling adored. I slept hard and rocked Tuesday.
Finished laundry, cleaned up bedrooms, cleaned out fridge, planned weekend
meals, took Niles to soccer and attended Pack Meeting where James finished up
Webelos and I got to paint his face!
Wednesday I took James to
the doc to get his ankle x-rayed. It has been bothering him for 3 weeks but it
never swelled up or looked weird so I kind of ignored it. But he was limping
around in his quiet unassuming way and I thought I had better have it looked at
before he has another soccer practice. He looks fine so they gave him a brace
and some ibuprofen and he played pretty well the rest of the week. Since we got
out of the clinic during his lunch, I took him and Ammon to get some lunch at
Gil’s then took him back to school. That night was a combined youth activity of
a soccer game and barbecue that was a little rocky behind the scenes, but Rich
saved the day as usual (I keep telling them they need to let these things fail
big time so the kids can learn that planning, delegating, and keeping your word
MATTER in life--that is what they are supposed to be learning right now! It’s
better to learn it at a weekly youth activity that in your job or in college or
in your marriage. Make a plan, work your plan, and do what you say you are
going to do! Lord knows we already have too many adults who are not
trustworthy.) *steps off soapbox* At any rate, the kids had a great time and
that is awesome.
Thursday was super busy
for Rich, but it was the start of the weekend for the kids and me (no school
Friday). While the kids were at school, Ammon and I tried to help get our
firewood put away and made kindling buckets and cleared out the flower bed for
winter. We baked conference treats and prepped shredded beef and chicken for a
Sunday taco/burrito/nacho bar. We folded and hung laundry. When the big kids
got home, they helped, too. Niles went to Porter Tyner’s birthday party and I
took Addie to do some errands and to the JV soccer game, then home to feed my
people and clean up and host a post-game youth fiesta. The kids came home from
the game and had popcorn and brownies and watched Ryan Hamilton and were just
generally silly. Addie did a good job cleaning up after her friends so it was a
good night for me!
Friday we did morning
chores, took Heidi to spend the day with friends, and the other 5 of us headed
over to Bozeman. All throughout the day I enjoyed updates from family gathered
to say goodbye to Grandma Post in Tucson. It looked like a sweet gathering.
Addie and I went to Macy’s and stocked up at Clinique and got 3 bonus
gifts--woohoo! We picked up and order at Target, a few groceries at Costco, and
an hour at Museum of the Rockies hanging out with some dinos. We came home and
took Niles to soccer practice and picked up our other daughter, Izzi, to come
hang out with Addie. Addie and Iz made pizzas and I made a kick-butt salad and
dinner was great! I did some kid reading and mom reading and waited to pick up
and drop off kids at 11pm and get to bed to prepare for an awesome conference
Saturday. It seriously felt like Christmas Eve.
We got up around 7 and got
Niles ready for his soccer game at 7:45am and Addie to work at 8am. Ammon came;
the rest of the kids slept in. Niles was entertaining a usual and it was 20*
warmer than last time but still too cold-windy to be fun. I stopped by the
local grocery and got some donuts and oj for the kids and some apple boxes to
store and stack our last bits of kindling from our 2 cords of wood. Daddy and
the boys gotter done today--only took 9 days, and boy are we cozy! We had a
fire and conference on 3 tvs throughout the house and the kids were so good and
quiet. So refreshing! Rich left during Sister Oscarson’s (awesome LOSE
YOURSELF) talk to get James to his game, and I followed after Christofferson
and missed Holland! Thank heaven for instant replays! We had chicken veg
lettuce wraps for lunch per Heidi’s request, and an array of brownies, and 2
gluten free cakes--carrot and chocolate zucchini. Yum. Grandpa and Grandma
Melin came and watched second sesh with us cuz they have limited data out at
the ranch. It was fun to be with them. They had to leave right away, and I had
to go pick up Addie from work. She looked so cute in her sous chef coat (she
worked the early prep shift, which she loves) and it started to rain on our way
home (yay). James decided to attend priesthood session with his dad tonight
even though he is only eleven. I was surprised he wanted to go, and it may have
just been for the pie, but I am glad they got to do that. I am so happy that he
and Rich will be spending so much time together now that James is in Boy
Scouts. Perfect timing--just what he needs to get through middle school, I
think. I snuggled Ammon watching the priesthood sesh on Roku on my bed. Addie
joined us after a while and Heidi and Niles watched a Disney movie. Again--a
remarkably peaceful evening.
Sunday has been
equally peaceful and beautiful. The grandparents joined us for lunch and second
session and its always nice to have them here--they bring a little Billings temple to us ;). Right after lunch we learned that Elder Robert D. Hales passed away.
We enjoyed watching together his biographical sketch/tribute after the last
session of conference. He lived a great life. We look forward to sustaining a
new apostle.I am so grateful that Grandma Sine’s funeral was a comforting and
sweet experience by all accounts. I am also grateful that Cousin Dave got to
take Lucy and Peeps to conference in SLC with Aunt Marti and Uncle Ralph. Some
of my best memories and testimony-building experiences happened on temple
square with my grandparents and it kinda smooshes my heart to see that
tradition continue. Beautiful, strong girls!
We love and miss you
all and wish you a happy week full of sun, rain, leaves, cool breezes, warm
beverages and interactions. We wish Uncle Sam Layton a super Happy 40th
Birthday on Thursday…he’s a good ol’ goat and I always think of him as my very
own belated birthday gift ;) Keep in touch!
Love,
Jamie and Richard
and Family
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| 9/25- Birthday kisses from Heidi |
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| Pretty presents from Addie |
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| Heidi telling us a story of "learning about stress-relief in hell." We heard hell; she said HEALTH. |
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| James and Niles, my wee cake eaters |
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| 9/26- Daddy and his scout-done with Webelos! |
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| 9/26- James and me at Scouts |
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| 9/27- Ammon and James at lunch |
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| Me at lunch with my boys |
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| Lunch with Mom 9/27 |
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Jerky and Dilly Beans has become a favorite lunch.
My visiting teacher makes great dillies and give me her recipe. I shared it a lot this week--YUM! |
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| 9/28 Party- The Beehive Presidency |
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| 9/28- YM after the soccer game- Carter, Tyler, Niles, and Kai |
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| 9/28- Soiree: Matty, Carter, Tyler, Kai |
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| 9/29 No-School lunch in Bozeman |
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| James, Ammon, and Adeline |
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| 9/28- Cute little Niles |
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| 9/28- My crew at the Dino Museum |
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| 9/28 Ammon with his MOR fishing license. |
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| 9/29- FALL COLORS! YAY |
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| 9/30- Niles' Early Soccer game |
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| 9/30 Watching Conference and flying a "Chairplane." |
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| 9/30- Our Sous Chef, Adeline at work |
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| 9/30-The best Chefs wear CHUCKS |
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| 9/30- CONFERENCE NOTES!!!! |
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| 9/30- Rich and James heading to priesthood meeting |
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| 9/27- Livingston Ward Youth Soccer Game and BBQ-sure love these kids! |
