Memorial Weekend Fishing/Camping Trip - Yellowstone Park

It may be summer in some parts of the country, but I'm not sure it's even Spring in Montana yet!

We had 2 campers and this wall tent for everyone to sleep in.  Our camper was very warm and toasty and it sounds like the tent was either really hot or really cold because of the stove.  Jesse, Tricia and Paige, Karmen, Shawn, and Olive, and James and Esme slept in the tent.

 

This is Reid fishing the Fire Hole in Yellowstone National Park

Jessie was a trooper, as usual, as we walked around the Fire Hole looking for our fishermen!

Going for a walk with Joss, Sophie, Jackson, and Gunner. 

Tricia and Paige

We were lucky enough to have Jesse and Tricia's dutch oven cooking this weekend!

I took Jessie's pig tails out so she could wear this beanie to stay warm at the camp fire, but it was a little small. 

So, this was Jessie's opportunity to have messy camping hair!

Sophie was nice enough to load all the marshmallows!

Reid set Jessie down to make a smore and she was perfectly happy to be left like this!  She was cooing and smiling and laughing in this chair! 

We drove to Old Faithful before we left the park, but arrived just as it was erupting.  Joss and I were the only ones that got to see it! 

New Toy for Jessie!

Jessie LOVES to stand up, but she is still too small for most of the walkers and other baby toys out there.  This jumper fits her perfectly and is adjustable, plus we only paid $5 for it!  This was the day after we got it and she was just starting to get the hang of it!

  

Six Months Old Today

Race For the Cure 2011 - Team Andiamo

Just before race time, Kelly and Karmen are getting our team ready to race!

Jessie having a quick bottle before the race

A few pictures before the race starts. 

My friend Sarah drove up from St. Anthony, Idaho to run with us

This was Jessie's first race.  Reid pushed her the whole way!

The pink papers say "In Memory of Paige" and "In Celebration of Mom"



Team Andiamo after the race: Jessie & Reid, Mishel & Shelby, Jesse, Shawn, Karmen, Shawn's sister Kelly, and my friend Sarah who ran for Diane



Landscaping

We finally were able to start landscaping! 

Reid had fun using the rock-picker on the bobcat that we rented Tuesday night.  Our yard looked SO much better without all the rocks!  On Wednesday, our contractor did all the finish grade work around the house to get us ready for top soil and sod.  Top soil and sod were deliverd Friday morning and we started working around 11:30 on laying sod and finished about 7 hours later that night.   

We are just over half way done laying sod and plan to finish the rest in a couple weeks.  This is the rental side of the duplex. 

Our good friend's the Thomas family bought us a tree to remember Reid's sweet sister, Paige.  He chose a brandywine crabapple tree and planted it today with the help of his brother Jesse after we finished running the Race For the Cure. 

Yard Work

Jessie and I helped Reid lay sod for a while today.  It was windy and a little cold, but Jessie was able to stay warm jumping up and down on our new grass!

After a long day of yard work, Jessie was pretty worn out!

I had to include this picture too because the limp arm in the back made me laugh!  She went from totally awake to completely asleep in less than 2 minutes! 

The Bob

For Mother's Day, we got a Bob stroller.  It can go just about anywhere! 

We also went camping this weekend, but I forgot to document anything except this hike....Behind me is the Black Sandy campground where we stayed.

It was a very sunny and beautiful weekend! 

For All That I Am I Owe to My Mother



I look back on my childhood and thank the stars above. 
For everything you gave me, but mostly for your love.
--Wayne F. Winters



Happy Mother's Day Stacey

Legacy of an Adopted Child

Once there were two women who never knew each other

One you do not remember, the other you call Mother

Two different lives shaped to make you one

One became your guiding star, the other became your sun

The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it 

The first gave you a need for love, the second was there to give it

One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name

One gave you a talent, the other gave you aim

One gave you emotions, the other calmed yoru fears

One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears

One made an adoption plan, that was all that she could do

The other prayed for a child, and God led her straight to you.

Now, which of these two women

 Are you the product of?

Both, my darling, Both

 Just two different types of love.

 -Unknown

Road trip

Our weekend started with a snowy trip to Lincoln to look at a camper.  I think my dad is right to say that Reid and I have camper fever.  We have been looking for quite a while and finally found the perfect one!  It's old, but has been well taken care of. 

From Lincoln, we took off for Havre to visit with friends and to help with a branding.  By the time we got there, because of our 2 hour detour to Lincoln, we had to hurry and jump in to branding.  In the rush, I left my camera in the car so I don't have any pictures of Jessie's first branding. 

Jessie watched from her car seat while Reid wrestled and I roped.  This was only my second time roping EVER, so I felt pretty good about getting 4 calves this year!  This may not seem like a lot (and it's not), but it is pretty good for me!  I'll keep working on it so that maybe next year I can actually be a productive helper!

Gunner had a great time getting really stinky and playing with Jeff's cow dogs.  He slept like a rock all the way home!

Jessie is a pretty good sport when we travel.  She just hangs out in her car seat and sings to us!