Meldrum Reunion

During the Meldrum Reunion, we hiked up to Timpanogos Caves with several of my extended Meldrum cousins:

 

We had a blast, even if it was a difficult hike up.

 

 

We had so much fun visiting and getting to know one another better.

Megan was a real trooper, surviving only because she knew another bench would be just around another corner. 

 

 

Here's some other random pictures from the hike:

(All of the pictures are thanks to my cousin Martha, because we accidently left our camera back at the cabin we were staying at)

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 Back at the reunion, it was a fun-filled several days with all of these guys:

 

 

I love the Meldrums, and am so glad we have started doing these reunions every few years.

 

We did lots of visiting and catching up.

 



Me and my cousin Martha.

 

 Natalie playing Stratego, getting good strategy advice from one of her cousins.

 

 My brother, Brice, and brother-in-law Mike during our skit.

They were Hil-ar-i-ous.

 

It was rainy and thunder stormy one of the nights, but the kids still liked riding their scooters around.

Best thing I packed in the car to keep the kids busy.

 

I am already looking forward to the next reunion scheduled in three years.

July is Halfway Gone?

I can't believe how fast this summer is going, and truly it is because we have been having a blast, hence a lack of blog postings.

 

Here are a few things we have been up to:

 

Proof my two older girls are getting along some of the time this summer: 

 

here they are working on sewing projects together, and then below, Alicia is doing Kimberly's hair for her.

 

We went to the air show at Hill Air Force Base.

 

 saw lots of cool planes

 

 Grandpa and our cousins joined us

 

 grandpa brought some cool earphones for the jet noise

 

 saw an F-35 up close for the first time (well, as close as they would allow us, which wasn't any closer than this picture)

 

 Met some thunderbird pilots

 

and for one of my stories, I got to ride up with the army parachuting team, the Golden Knights in this fun plane:

 

I am pleased to say I didn't get sick, or need extra oxygen like some of the other media on flight :)

 

This last weekend we went to the Meldrum Reunion up at the Wasatch State Park in Midway:

 

 There was a fun dress up booth the kids enjoyed

 

 We were the green clan

 

 cousin fun

 

I will post more pictures of the big Meldrum Family Reunion later when time allows.

National Youth Leadership Training

John has been a leader with our local National Youth Leadership Training Program (NYLT) for several years now, and for the first time ever in the State of Utah, at John's suggestion, they allowed 14-year-old girls who are registered with a Venturing crew (at least I think that's what it was) to attend.

All of the camps John has attended over the years with scouts, it was fun to finally be able to send one of our girls. They had a blast.

 

John went up early to get set up, and we joined up with him right before the camp started.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 After we dropped Kim off, we came home and the girls made a fort to watch a movie. So cute.

 

 

Seriously, Something You've Probably Never, Ever Seen Up Close

See anything unusual?

 

 

Yet?

 

 

Now?

 

 

Here you go...

 

 

We found this hummingbird nest attached to our next-door neighbors' Christmas lights, and only because he pointed it out to us. So cool, huh. We have never, ever seen a hummingbird nest before.



 

 In fact, I haven't ever seen a hummingbird sit that still for so long. So cool. Really. really. cool.

In other news, Alicia visited Primary Children's ER this week for her headache that has lasted for 3 1/2 weeks. They hooked her up to and IV and doped her up with what they call a migraine cocktail, and her headache went from a pain level four down to a one. By the time we got home, and she slept it off, it was down to a .5 pain headache. We're still working to get that down to zero, but it's better than the 4.

 

Sadly, she has been dealing with chronic headaches and migraines now for over a year. We just cannot get them licked. We are working with a neurosurgeon at Primary Children's, and we started a treatment plan last November that worked for several months and we were thrilled, but then it stopped working a couple of months ago, so she attended an eight-week long headache study at primary children's, which helped a little, but a couple months ago, the headaches were still in full swing, so we're onto the next treatment plan in hopes it will work, but if not, they have a plan c, d, and e, basically turning over one stone at a time to see which one is hiding the magic cure.

We and her doctor are hopeful we will find something that will work. In the meantime, she has lots of good headache and migraine medicine to try and treat them as they come along, and worst-case scenario, there is always the migraine cocktail.

 

 

Wedded Bliss

We shared in the wedded bliss of Tamara (John's youngest sister) and Conley last Saturday. They just so happen to share our anniversary :)

 

 So, happy 17th anniversary to us, and happy day 1 anniversary to this cute couple:

 

 

 

 

The brothers always plan something fun for the weddings, so here is Tammy's:

 



 

She did say she wanted us in orange :) Sad that John isn't in the picture - he is one of the head honchos at NYLT that started on Saturday, so he was able to make it for the wedding, but not for the reception.

Here's all the cute granddaughters in the darling skirts Aunt Marian made for them:

And on the way home, we had to stop and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Love, love Utah sunsets.

There is one last bit of information I want to share as well, totally unrelated to wedded bliss, but so cool, I just have to share. I got a call today from one of the gals I did a story about at Hill Air Force Base. She wanted to know if I could email her the link to my story so she could send it to her boss at the PENTAGON!

Yes, that's right, my very first story to have entered the Pentagon premises. SO Cool. Speaking of Hill stories, I am covering a bunch of stuff for the upcoming air show next Saturday, which you should all attend, those who are in the vicinity. I am currently on the very long list of reporters that want one of the 6 media seats for a couple of their practice flights. Yes, that's all media in the valley, so I highly doubt I will get on, but one can hope, right :)

 

 

In Summer

 

Now that it's summer, here's our latest activities:

 

 

It has already included several trips to Lagoon.

 

We have been practically living in our backyard - the younger girls making good use of the small pool, intermingled with games of Go Fish while they dry off.

 

 

We love playing games back there.

 



 

Alicia and I took lovely naps on Sunday afternoon while listening to the birds.

 

 

We planted our garden, though its only a small portion of what our garden is capable of, but alas, it was all we had time for this year trying to get the basement done intermingled with yard work.

 

On the last week of school, Alicia was treated to a limo ride to Boondocks thanks to a special class she was a part of at school.

 

We have also been preparing for Tammy's wedding this week (John's sister) and enjoying visiting with Marian (John's other sister) and our niece and nephew who are visiting from Kentucky. 

Fun Times!