Dear Loved
Ones,
Okay, it has been a long busy month
since I last wrote and I seem to do this every holiday season. There is just
too much fun to be had on Sunday nights to be tapping away on my keyboard. But
I always miss recording important moments. Like all the sweet thoughts shared
around the table on St. Lucia Day at a candlelit Swedish dinner. Or the
absolute delight of the second grade Christmas Program. Or the fact that we got
most of the people on our hayride to sing carols with us at the Downtown
Christmas Stroll last weekend. But I will try to recapture some moments here as
we approach the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Since my last letter, Adeline turned
17 on Wednesday 11/21 and her cute friends came over early in the morning (it
was the first day of TG break) and decorated and made her breakfast at
7:30am—it was so sweet!!! We hosted Thanksgiving for 26 loved ones on 11/22.
Dinner was delicious and each of us had two siblings and their families with
us, which we LOVED—cousin time is always awesome. My sister Sara’s kids stayed
the weekend again and we took them to Museum of the Rockies and made Sand Art
Brownies and watched movies and played games before we met up with Sara and Rob
(who live in Great Falls) at my brother Matthew’s house in Helena on Sunday
night 11/25. We also stopped by to visit my sister Laura, her husband Darrin,
and her granddaughter, Lilith. Short but sweet visits with all of them, and
felt so grateful for family love.
On Tuesday morning 11/27, Heidi had dental
work in Livingston, and Addie had her wisdom teeth extracted in Bozeman. It was
pretty fun cuz Kristina and Izzi came along to Bozeman to have silly conversations with
Addie while she was drugged up. Her recovery went well and she only felt yucky
for 3 or 4 days. Within a week the holes in her mouth were fairly closed and
she had just enough coverage left on her dental insurance policy to get it done
with no cash charges for us, for which we are extremely grateful, especially
around the holidays!
On Friday, 11/30, Addie had her
“friend Party,” which was a dinosaur-themed party with a taco dinner and a
chocolate dino cake (she made it herself and it was so cool), and also included a lot of singing—they even went caroling
to neighbors, and not just Christmas songs. Crazy kids. I suppose it’s better
than blowing up mailboxes or skateboarding illegally like SOME hoodlums I know
used to do. It’s worth mentioning that during the party, former President
George HW Bush passed away. He was the president when I graduated high school
and when I left on my mission, and the first president I voted for (in
1992—though he lost to Bill Clinton). I think he was the last truly honorable
person to serve as president, may he RIP.
Saturday 12/1, I hosted my CTR 7/8
class for a pizza and cookie party. They earned it by bringing their scriptures
to class and by overall awesomeness, so we decorated cookies and took them to
“lonely old people” (their words). While we were planning it, Beatrice Jones
asked, “After we give them the cookies, can we sing at their door? And then go
inside and talk about Jesus? Because then we will be just like missionaries,
oh, I am so excited!” This smooshed my heart big time; having an older sister
on a mission is clearly influencing her, and I love how earnest and eager this
class has been. I am truly going to miss them…teaching them has been a gift to
me from my Heavenly Father. On 12/9 I was called and sustained to serve in the
Primary presidency with Sadie Reyna (President) and Janelle Bowden (2nd
Counselor). I still get to be with my kiddos every week, but in a different
way. Presidency will be so much easier with the new block—less administrating
and sharing time, more time for shepherding and loving!
Anyway, back to 12/2—that was the
night of the First Presidency’s Christmas devotional and it was so lovely! I
loved how much everyone talked about music. I think as we become more of a Zion
society, there will be more music. For real. We had the Wilton family over for
tortilla soup and got to know them better. They are a really fun family! Monday
12/3 we had Grandpa and Grandma Melin over for dinner and Family Night. I made
a ham dinner with funeral potatoes because the past few funerals we have gone
to did not have that meal and we have been missing it! ;) We all put together
missionary boxes with treats and winter survival kits (cold remedies, vitamins,
hand warmers, etc) and hand-made cards. It was a fun night. On 12/5, we learned
about Krampusnacht (see photo) and the next morning (12/6), Kristina gave us
all advent calendars full of delicious German chocolate for St. Nicholas Day. Her parents sent so many delightful treats for the family; we love sharing her traditions. Friday 12/7 we attended the Downtown Christmas Stroll, starting with watching
Adeline and the Chamber Choir perform at the Murray Hotel. We then walked over
to the Pickle Barrel to watch some of James’ band friends play in brass
ensembles and get some hot cocoa and soup. After that, we went on the hayride a
couple of times. The time I went with Heidi, we got our whole wagonload to sing
carols! The next day (Sat 12/8), my brother Matt and his family came over for
some cousin Christmas fun. We had pizza for lunch when they arrived, and then
we made gingerbread houses. Rich took Matt and Ashley on a barn wood hunt while
I stayed and played games with cousins and started dinner (Swedish meatballs
and dill potatoes), then we exchanged white elephant gifts (early, before
dinner because Addie had to attend a concert), ate dinner, and watched “Elf” by
the fire, eating cookies and cocoa. We stayed up late and had a parental chat
after the kids went to bed, and attended a wonderful sacrament meeting together
the next day. It was super sweet to be with Jake, Sam, and Emily again—it has
been a long time since the kids really got to hang out, and I really think they
need each other more now. So we will for sure be doing that more often. After
church I attended the community choir concert, then after dinner we had a
nativity skit practice with the Jelli cousins and the Jones family and our
accompanist, Rachel Buniger. Kelli and Robyn did an awesome job costuming the
kids and getting things organized for the performance the following Saturday
(12/15). Rich was a great stage manager and I did my best to direct. The kids
were adorable and their singing just pierced my heart right through! Robyn also
commented to me how sweet the evening was—“Tonight just made my Christmas. It
was everything.” Beautiful chaos!
Monday 12/10, the Christmas fun
continued as we attended the high school choirs Christmas Concert, wherein all
three of our girls performed. The music was beautiful and the photo session
afterward was its own fun event. We love our girls, and their friends, and
their friends’ parents, so these events are always pretty joyful. The following
night, I hosted a little surprise birthday gathering for a sister I minister
to, Adair, who turned four-oh (shhh), at Gil’s Goods. We had a nice dinner and
visit and 8 other sisters came and showered her with love and gifts. It was
terribly cold and windy, gusting over 100mph, and the smoke from the wood-fired
oven at Gil’s was blowing back down the chimney and out into the restaurant,
which made it feel like we were at a campfire…so cozy and fun! I think Adair
felt special and loved, and we all had such a pleasant time, which was the
goal. Thursday night 12/13, we hosted a St. Lucia Day dinner at our house for
our Melin Family. Addie wore her costume and we made a Swedish meatball dinner
with potatoes and red Christmas cabbage (which was delicious, and Kristina says
they eat in Germany, too), plus Lucy Buns and gingerbread cookies. We ate by candlelight
and the big kids shared thoughts and scriptures about light and why all
civilizations throughout time have celebrated the winter solstice with
festivals of light and how that has been a type and symbol of THE LIGHT of the
world, Jesus Christ. Such beautiful time spent with family.
Friday 12/14 there was no school and
the girls helped me make some Primary Christmas ornaments and Addie baked Clara
a birthday cake for her 18th birthday party that night. While we
were working on ornaments Friday morning, I received an email from the church explaining that
instead of advancing on their birthdays, the youth would start advancing
through their classes on January first as a group, according to birth year, and
that 11 year-olds would start attending youth meetings January 1st
of the year they turn 12. So bye-bye Valiant 11s…you get to be with the youth
and be ordained and attend the temple (!!!)—amazing changes, which of course
threw us a curve ball as we planned 2019 in Primary—WOW! That afternoon we all
attended Niles’ second grade Christmas program, which was so cute. Then we
picked up Niles and took the whole gang over to the Shane Center to watch James
perform with the middle school drama club in a middle school adaptation of A
Christmas Carol called “Three Ghosts and a Jock” or something like that. Heidi
is the mentor for the club, so she helped with the show. I felt really proud of
both kids for getting involved and staying involved and bringing some drama to
SGMS.
Saturday 12/15 we attended our
beloved Livingston Ward Christmas Brunch and performed our little nativity for
the crowd. It was short and sweet and the kids were just delightful. We were
exhausted, though, so we went home and napped a little and did some chores and
little Christmasy things the rest of the day. Today was our first day as a
presidency in the Primary. I did a little musical sharing time, combined with
singing time. We talked about the 4 gifts from Jesus (as mentioned in the first
presidency’s Christmas message) and sang songs to remind us of those gifts.
Robyn is such a great chorister—we are lucky to have her! I think Primary
singing time is the most important and most lasting teaching that happens in
the church. The value of a good chorister cannot be over-emphasized, imho. So here we are, watching Christmas movies by
the fire, doing puzzles, eating treats people keep bringing us, soaking up all
the Christmasiness of December. I’m super excited for my kids to finally get
out of school because all I want to do is stay in our jammies and eat good food
and play fun games and watch good movies and sing beautiful music together for
like two straight weeks. We wish you all the love and coziness and LIGHT of the
season. Have a great week and keep in touch!
Love, Jamie and Rich and Family
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FLASHBACK to 2002: Addie's First Birthday,
2 months after we moved to Livingston |
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Addie's surprise birthday breakfast with her wonderful pals;
Jeanette Jones lettered this lovely sign |
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Breakfast Club 11/21/18
Ammon, Addie, Heidi, Clara, Jeanette, S
ummer, Brianna, Izzi, Niles, & TJay |
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| Sweet kids-- such a fun morning! |
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Later that night (11/21)...Rich took the kids to Chico for Addie's birthday
and I got the turkey in the roaster and set up the house for Thanksgiving |
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We had a joyful Thanksgiving gathering & the food was so good!
Clockwise from six o'clock: my bro Matt Post, SIL Ashley Post, my sis Sara Hamlin, BIL Rob Hamlin, Riley (Ashley's), Matthew Jelli, TJay Jelli, Heidi, (at the back table) SIL Kelli Melin, Rich's bro Jess Melin (Jelli), Summer (Jelli), Simon (Jelli), Adair Peacock (friend); (in the middle) Lexi (Jelli), James, Kaylee Hamlin, Rich's bro Mike Melin, Addie, Raef Hamlin; (right table) Brady, Ammon, Cooper, Niles, Kristina, Richard /Jamie |
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| Pictionary with Kaylee, James, and Riley 11/24 |
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| Museum of the Rockies with Hamlins 11/24 |
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Quick visit with my sis Laura & Darrin &
Laura's darling granddaughter, Lilith |
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| Addie's 17th Birthday Dino-Friend Party 11/30 |
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| Amazingly delicious taco bar |
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| Fun Friends |
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| Addie, Brie, Katerina |
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| Izzi |
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| Jeanette & Clara |
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| Erin |
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| Adele |
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| Chase, Antonio, and TJay |
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| Gathered around for gifts after "caroling" |
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| Party Animal |
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| Makin' missionary boxes for FHE with the grandparents |
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| Addie making notes for missionary boxes 12/3 |
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| It's nice to have the grandparents with us! 12/3 |
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| Celebrating some fun German traditions. |
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| Niles and Ammon watching Adeline sing at the Christmas Stroll 12/7 |
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| Addie, Izzi, and Jeanette after the hayride 12/7 |
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| Mom, Heidi, Ammon and Sophia on the hayride 12/7 |
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| Sacrament meeting good bye selfies with Uncle Matt and Aunt Ashley 12/9 |
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| Flashback to Christmas 2008- sweet baby cousins! |
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| Much bigger, still sweet 12/9/18 |
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| Nativity practice 12/9... Simon and Niles as Shepherds |
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| Addie Mary, Beatrice Angel, TJay Joseph, Elanor Angel, Jeanette Angel, Lexi Angel |
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| James as a hairy Wiseman (with Matthew and Rex) 12/9 |
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Post-choir concert photo shoot 12/10 at PHS
Kristina, Lexi, Heidi, and Summer |
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Jeanette Jones, Olaia Connelly, Adele Welch, Addie, Izzi Petry,
Clara Jones, Brianna Pittman, and Erin Petersen on 12/10 |
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| Summer, Kristina, Addie, and Heidi 12/10 |
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| Addie and Heidi |
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| FRESHMEN! Ember, Ilana, Heidi, Nick, (?), and Molly |
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The choir dads want their pictures taken too!
Lope Jones, Gunnar Petersen, Rich Melin |
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| 12/13/18: Happy St. Lucia Day! |
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| Lucia Buns, fresh from the oven -12/13 |
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Candlelight Swedish dinner with
the Grandparents (Lucia Day Royalty) & Matthew -12/13 |
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| Matthew, James, Rich and Ammon at dinner -12/13 |
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| Addie/Lucia at dinner - 12/13 |
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| Aunt Kelli and Summer sharing a scripture after dinner 12/13 |
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| St. Lucia and her littlest star boy 12/13 |
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| St. Lucia reading tomten tales with Kristina |
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| Lucia dinner tomten |
Christmas Brunch Nativity Sat. 12/15
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L-R: Kristina, Heidi, Niles as shepherds, James, Rex and Matthew as three kings; Addie and TJay
as Mary & Joseph with Beatrice the angel with the star; Elanor, Jeanette, and Lexi as Angels. |
