Pre-Reunion Fun (July 30, 2018)

 We had a McNiven Family Reunion up in Montana so we "quickly" drove up there (3 days). We got there Saturday night and the reunion started on Tuesday night, but many cousins were already there. One of my nieces had been up in Montana since June 24th, and then my brother, Spencer, had been up there with his four kids for two weeks previous, and the another brother, Chad and his wife Katrina, had been up there with 7/8 of their kids for a week already when we got there. My mom had been having to feed all of those people before the reunion even started. My brother Mike, his wife Wendy, and their 5 kids had flown into Monday on Thursday but they only stayed one night in Montana and then drove to the South Dakota Bad Lands to see Mount Rushmore. They didn't get back until Monday. Jon's family already lives next door so the only ones who were missing were Heather and her kids. They arrived on Monday, I believe, maybe it was Tuesday, all of my days are running together.

We took Matthew's bow up to Montana with us and Spencer had a target for him to shoot at, so he and Jessica went out and shot his bow.

When Heather and her kids got there, we decided to take all the kids that wanted to go to Lake Elmo. 

We were there for about 2-3 hours and they all had a great time.

Pre-reunion setup

Lots of toys being played and games being played

Many loved sleeping on the trampoline

MT Road Trip 2018 (July 26, 2018)

Our McNiven Family Reunion was going to be in Montana this year so we knew that we were going to have to have a big long trip again.

Both the kids were planning on making Champs in swimming so we weren't going to be able to leave until Sunday, July 29th or possibly Saturday July 28th depending on when they were swimming. Matthew was really hoping to make champs because this was his last year of being able to compete if he didn't make it because 13+ compete on Sunday, so being 12 this year, would have been his last year to compete at Champs. Even though he was top of his age group (11-12) he still missed the Champs cut-off time by about 8 seconds. If we were in our last swim team, they take novice swimmers and his time would have made it, but we are in a different league and you have to be JV time in order make Champs.

Allison wanted to make Champs SOOOOO badly, SOOO badly.

She stopped eating sweets on May 23rd so that she could swim faster. She also went to 2 practices a day, her practice for 10 and unders and then she went to the 11+ practice and worked her tooshy off to stay up with those kids and even beat some of them.  She worked SOOO hard to make Champs, but in the end, she ended up being one second away from making it. We were both really sad, because I KNOW how much she wanted it, but them not making champs meant that we got to leave for Montana earlier. That was the only consolation there was about not making it. They got to see their cousins and Grandma McNiven sooner.

Matthew was suppose to have a board of review on Wednesday night to get his Star and I wondered if we should just forget the BOR and leave earlier but the BOR ended up winning. Matthew got his Star rank and then we left around 7am Thursday morning. 

We drove to Indianapolis, Indiana the first day. We were headed to Minnesota the next day. As I was laying in the bed in Indiana, I started thinking that one of my long lost sisters lived in Minnesota and I was curious as to how far away she was from where we were going to be. I got her address and realized we were going to be going pretty much right past her house. I emailed her by chance if we could just stop by and say hi since I hadn't seen her in WAY too long. Tammy was my sister, Heather's roommate for a long time and she just became part of the family. To my surprise she emailed me back right away and was going to be available the next night for us to stop by. I was SOOO excited to see her!

We made it to Minnesota and it was so awesome to see her and her husband!!

They were SOO welcoming and awesome and just spoiled my kids rotten. They just love their Aunt Tammy and they said they can't wait to go back.

The next time we go to MT we are going to have to add an extra day to stay longer with Tammy and Michael!!

The kids didn't want to leave but we needed to get going.

From Minnesota we drove all day to make it to Montana Saturday night.

Swimming/Je-Moll-ison (July 19, 2018)

Swimming siblings

They get a shirt as part of their registration fees

Allison ADORES her head coach, Coach Jen and Coach Jen thinks that Allison has the same work ethic as she did when she was that age. So Allison is her favorite as well.

Another beloved coach is, Coach Molly. 

She swam on our team last year and it was SOO much to watch her. She is really good and she went to the Olympic trials so she is an icon here.

Allison like her hair being in two french braids on Swim Meets because that is the way the Molly wears her hair when she is swimming in a meet.

So with Allison having Jen's work ethic, and Molly's hairstyle, Allison's nickname is 

Jemollison, part Jen, part Molly, and part Allison

Je - Moll - ison

And of course, you have to have Michelle in the picture.

Sorting Swimming Ribbons

Allison is our little fish and does pretty well at her swim meets.

When she got her and Matthew's ribbons to sort through she figured that the blue & red ones were hers and the other colors were Matthew's but when one of the blue ones said Matthew on it, she actually had to do a double take to make sure a blue one was ACTUALLY Matthew's. As Matthew and I watched this, we just laughed:)

Last Swim Meets (July 18, 2018)

Since it was the last swim meet of the season I figured I better get some pictures of my kids swimming. Chris was working so Michelle had to come with us.

Michelle was blowing through an apple straw in Matthew's hair....I don't know why

This older girl, I think her name is Emma, just adored Allison and would always want to be partners with her when Allison was at the older kid practice.

Allison with her most favorite coach, Coach Jen

Big Gator/Little Gator

Big Gator/Little Gator

The last swim meet at our pool they throw the coaches in at the end and have a big pool party! It is really fun for the kids and I think the coaches also.