Dolphins and Dogs in Training

In August Grace, Tillman and Sully did a session of swimming lessons at Debbie's Dolphins swim school. It's a small back-yard pool operation...the kind of thing I've been looking for since the Shinsels retired and we could no longer take from them. I had heard lots of good things about how effective she is, as well as a warning about what a tough-mother she can be. It was all true. She definitely runs a tight ship --- with both kids and parents. But at the end of the session my kids had made really great progress and loved to swim more than ever. We'll be going back next year.

This week Mike's wildest dreams came true. His new Wirehaired Pointing Griffon puppy arrived from Idaho. We named him River (finally breaking away from the planetary themed pet names). I could have done without a dog for a while, but Mike has a soft spot for dogs. He convinced me with his argument that the little boys needed a dog to grow up with like the older kids had. I made a list of required traits: a dog that doesn't shed, smaller than a Lab (and not as loud),  gentle with kids and new people (knowing that the entire neighborhood would consider him their dog), and Mike wanted a hunting dog. He did his research, settled on this breed, and found a breeder in Idaho with a new litter.

We realized that while we have owned dogs in our lives, neither of us has experience in raising a dog from such a young age (8 weeks). We've been reading a lot, and watching YouTube.

How goes the training? River cried a lot the first night. But Mike was Johnny-on-the-Spot, springing out of bed whenever he heard River crying in the night, rushing him outside to relieve himself. I joked that Mike was better about getting up at night with the puppy than he had been at getting up with our babies. He admitted it -- but said, in his defense, there was not much he could do to meet our babies' needs, which was a good point.

 River sleeps a lot. Like all babies.

Since our backyard is not fenced, and he's too young for the shock collar, we can't just turn him loose outside. So, for now we are working on house-training. He spends almost all his inside time in a pen, and then we take him outside whenever he shows signs of having to use the bathroom. He's learning. And as with my potty training of Sully and Abner, I am grateful that this house is mostly tile and laminate flooring. It makes things less stressful.

And someday he'll look something like this... pretty cool.

So, while I didn't initiate the search for a new dog, and the puppy training can be frustrating, I am excited for this new addition. It's different having a puppy around. They are so fun and filled with wonder and curiousity, it makes everything fresh. I miss Jupiter, but it's really nice to start again. I smile when I think about what Jupiter would think of this new little guy. I wish they could have met.

Reunited

July is for family.

My mom's family held the biennial Sampson Reunion this year here in Utah.

Day 1. Big Cottonwood Canyon - hiking Solitude Lake. After our hike we spent the day up the canyon playing games, and doing kid-crafts, and a devotional. 

Day 2. We met at Salt Lake City Cemetery to install a grave marker for one of our ancestors, Lucinda Bybee Layne, who died in 1895. Her grave was unmarked, and my mom decided that we needed to remedy that situation. My brother Casey, the stone mason, crafted it out of a piece of marble, my uncle Larry offered a dedicatory blessing, and we all helped cement the head stone in place. It was pretty special. 

After spending the rest of day 2 playing in water bounce houses, shooting air rockets, visiting, horse shoes and eating yummy food -  my mom's brothers and sisters (9 of them) and their spouses gave us quite a send off. The Lawrence Welk goodnight song.
Those outfits were custom crafted from t-shirts and duct tape. 

DSCN6928 from Angie Melton on Vimeo.

The Melton's all came into town the last week of July and we got to spend lots of time together. This is always special time for us since we don't see the Michigan Melton's very often. Plus, our newest cousin, Pax, came up from Las Vegas and spent the whole week with us too. We had lots of fun. We watched fireworks, rode horses, went swimming, hiked Cecret Lake, Seven Peaks, a back yard movie and roasted hot dogs in the fire pit, had a birthday dinner, and got to see Spencer be baptized and confirmed!

Horse back riding with Jess

Swimming with the cousins.

Dinner and FHE at our house.

FHE talent show...Tami and the boys played for us. Now that's talent!

DSCN6934 from Angie Melton on Vimeo.

Val and J.

All the Melton boys after Spencer's baptism

Slip-n-slide at grandma's house.

Good times. We love all our family so much!! Thanks everyone for coming! It was so good to make more memories.

This Month's Adventures and Accomplishments

Catching up on the last month. It was action packed.

Here's a photo journal of the goings on:

Mike took the Teachers' Quorum up to the Snake River in Idaho for an EPIC high adventure camp. One of the leaders had a connection with a family up there that guides groups on the river and also opened their cabin for them to stay. Without charge. 15 boys, 6 leaders and dads. Mike says he's never met a more generous family. This scripture hung prominently in their cabin. A mantra which they live.

 Some of the action shots from the river. They took a GoPro too. Hopefully we'll get to see some of that footage soon. There were some dicey moments, some people to pull out of the water. The boys were in heaven.

They also threw in a paint ball and Airsoft war, an afternoon in Jackson Hole, and a visit to Lava Hot Springs.

 It was a trip that neither Mike nor Noble will ever forget. And it turns out it was Mike's last as their fearless leader.  I was called into the Young Women's Presidency, and so they released him from the Young Men's Presidency so that someone will be home on Tuesday nights with the kids. It made us all sad.

When Mike got back from the river we celebrated our 17th Anniversary by going to see Wicked. A lovely night.

We worked on the sand box and playground area. I sweep a lot of sand in the house these days.

Abner catching some sleep whenever he can get it during a rare quiet moment in the Melton house.

 Noble apprenticed with Grandpa Melton in the art of window washing. He's getting set to start his own little neighborhood enterprise. Grandpa gave him a set of professional window washing tools for his birthday and spent a day showing him the techniques he honed many years ago when he washed windows on the side as a young dad.

Construction time in the little boys' room.

Horses. It was a busy month for the horses and this team.

Shows and long practices....It's been a great year for both Jessie and Grace. Jessie brought her handful-of-a-horse Russel a long way this year. We are all impressed with the horsewoman she has become, how confident and competent she is. Grace, who had never really been on a horse before this season, did an amazing job with Pecos. She even placed first in her class in one show, and finished the season with a slew of ribbons at County Fair.

Grand Entry at County Fair

The Majestic Riders

Coaching from Grandpa

Grace on barrels

 The most impressive performance of all though came when Mike took over flags during the County Fair show as a volunteer Arena Steward. Look at that form!  ;) 

With Grace after County Fair with her string of ribbons.

The Majestic Riders. Such great kids. We'll be back again next year.

We got lucky one day when I picked the kids up from the temple  and we found the Waffle Love truck parked right outside the gates.  The take-away for the kids:  you never know what good things might come your way when you're living right. :)

I bottled 53 jars of apricot syrup.

We happened to have a free day together - so we went to the zoo.

We hadn't been up there for a few years. It's totally different! The exhibits were awesome! The kids had a blast, and everyone was cooperative and pleasant. It was one of those rare days when we climbed in the car after the outing and I said something to the kids like,"This has been awesome! You guys made this day so fun. We could do this again. I love you guys!"

The polar bear exhibit was amazing! We were so close!

 Monsoon season arrived. None too soon. I love summer thunder storms! So do the dudes. Here's Sully out in one of the recent down pours. Oh, the joys of childhood!!

All aboard the Potty Train!!!

Abner is on board. Here is the totally Pinterest-able chart I made for him (kidding). He was all about the Potty Train. Check off one more phase of my life closed. NO MORE DIAPERS!!!!!! 

(I won't miss that phase.)

 We fought it out in the 2nd annual neighborhood epic summer water fight. Intense as ever. The teams took the battle all the way up and down Corinne Drive, a glorified game of capture the flag - but everyone was more focused on the water than the flags. When the dad's get involved, mercy goes out the window. They were dousing anyone who was dry including mom's in street clothes who came to watch and babies in strollers. I love this neighborhood!

I tried to shield some of the little guys on the front porch. They still got caught in the cross fire. 

HAPPY times.