It was a gorgeous day in Livingston last week. The winds stayed at bay for a a few hours, the sun came out and it seemed that everyone had the same idea... GET OUTSIDE!
Sacajawea Park is the ideal place to be when the stars align and you have such amazing weather (and antsy kids). We had 4 little monkeys ready to do hot laps all over the park for a couple good hours!
SLIDE
JUMP
CLIMB
SMILE (and try to ensure all three of her kids go home alive ... she's superwoman!)
VISIT (I and pretty sure this dad - duo were talking about fishing or fish tanks)
MORE CLIMBING (Monkey Matine's favorite part of the park - the spider web)
SWING
I am looking forward to many more days like this. I have to admit, I have been feeling a bit claustrophobic lately ... Spring? Are you here yet? For good?
I warned you. This commentary will not be PG. A night out in Livingston, no matter how "mellow" you are is never PG. I think this is why we live here. It's a beautiful blend of small town homeyness (I didn't say wholesomeness) and freak! God bless the freaks of Livingston. On Saturday night, I flew my freak flag proudly.
The Livingston Current (our very great local paper) throws a kick-butt Halloween shindig at The Depot. Free beer, snacks, and The Fossils played. Need I say more? Well, you know I WILL say more - much more.
I have to give ALL credit to my costume to my mother and Jim. Much to my very organized, always planning ahead mother, I waited until that afternoon to start my costume. Those of you who know my mother understand that this very act goes against everything in her being and almost sends her to the loony bin. I try to plan ahead more, but it just isn't in my DNA. I got the planning gene from my dad .... Mom was a really good sport and went along with the last minute costume, sewing sheets and pillows, even going with me to the Thrift store to buy a baby mattress that Jim would engineer to my body. With only a few frustrated under-breath comments and limited eye rolling - THE BYNUMS (and all their handiness) made me into a Bed Bug for the evening.
Jeff, Chris, Jeannette and Levia came over before we went out... finalizing our last minute costumes and having a few cocktails. The gals and I were Bed Bugs, Jeff was a Spelling Bee and Chris was a damn fine Flasher. Matine slept soundly in her bed at Nona and Jim Pa's (thanks again parental units)!
God bless a man that will wear a skirt and panty hose... if only we all had such nice hips!
her little lights lit up ... pretty funny.
Trying to fashion a pillow to Levia's head with a belt. Not one of the greatest ideas we have ever had.
the three of us were "Bed Bugs." Pretty cute idea we thought and we each had our own spin on the concept.
As a side note, Jeannette looked HOT with her bed hair and crazy make-up... we actually think she should pull off the look more often. If only she didn't work in the middle of field and wetlands on Wyoming ranches most of the year ....
for those friends that we could actually recognize throughout the night ... they looked great.
the three Bed Bugs.
Now, I guess we didn't anticipate that people must literally live in HOLES and not EVER watch the news or read a paper. The pervy, idiot citizens of Livingston thought that I was A WHORE... Yes, they thought I was just a "woman on a mattress." Classy eh? How many women for hire do you know that wear bug antennae?
the costume was a lot of fun - the bathroom was a bit of a challenge and I had my own space on the dance floor!
The Shanafelts looked creepy good. I wish my flash didn't drown out the details of their make-up.
Only in Livingston could a white guy get away with painting his body brown and going as "Venus Williams - Venus with a Penis"
The hostess of the evening, Reilly- a striking, glittering wonder!
more carnage
this is just the back side of Chad's 100lb costume... he just stood on the dance floor with dry ice smoke flowing from him.
For all of you fly fishermen(women) out there... Can you guess what Chieko (far right) was? Hint: she had blue wings on the back.
Chieko, the Blue Winged Olive, Paramore as some sort of funny thing, and Jeannetto!
Anyone who knows Randy knows that he can't arrive in anything tasteful... that would wreck his image.
The Tea Bag - yes you can assume the gross kind.
Barry the Muscles in a dress... quite a sight, I must say.
Candy cigarettes and Chris ... makes me laugh.
William Wallace didn't assume I was a cheap chick on a mattress!
Ah, my girls... I have missed you! It was so nice to be out!
So, there's always a few "creepers" around that never reveal who they are under their masks. Never trust someone in a mask. This person kept this mask on all night and would just be standing behind you dancing. As Matine would say "eeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww."
who are you??????????????
This was a woman .... I think.
And this was a man .... I think.
These guys just looked awesome ... much better than my pictures show.
We danced, we laughed, we soiled my wearable mattress with beer, we danced some more, and walked home. It was a good Halloween!
Lucky me! This weekend I got a visit from Keely. We have known each other since kindergarten. That's a long time. Long time. We have been friends since that first day at Jenks and I have a feeling we always will be. Oh Keels - the crazy things we have done and seen together. This gal is fantastic - it takes us about 2 seconds to slip right back into our banter, chatting, laughing and sharing. I am thankful that Keely lives in Denver now, as opposed to AFRICA where she took her cute self for 2 years. She is now a short 12-hour (or one long day) drive from Livingston - YAY for getting to see her more often.
Sadly, this was her first Matine introduction. Not surprisingly, Matine loved her from the start and they became fast friends. Since I am an idiot, I had to work the entire weekend and didn't have much time to see Keely, but we managed to pack in as much talking and gossiping as we could into one night and a brunch. Keels, you are a gem and make my life much more fun and interesting! Always have. Here's to you and the next 25 years of friendship (minus the hideous bangs / troll doll phase that has defined our friendship for so long)! I can only hope that Matine has such long and special friendships in her life.
The following pictures are for you Matine addicts - just some general "coffee house cuteness" for your Tuesday (Labor Day Monday).
her new styling fall ensemble
uh, mom THERE IS A PUPPY OUTSIDE ... Do you see it "PUPPY!!!!!"
Hi, my name is Matine and I look like my father.
Hey there friend - I like you. I think I will rub your back for a bit (seriously, she does this now - she gives back massages)
Rob is showing us a very cool card trick. As usual, Jim Pa and Nona are not far behind - where there is granddaughter - there you shall find the grandparents (and the were excited to see Keely too).
Look at the serious intensity in watching this trick. She doesn't even try to touch the cards, just patiently watches and then "fake" laughs and claps when we are all excited at the end.
It is so fun see and entire town triple and size and basically stop everything to enjoy the entire 4th of July weekend. You can't find a single business in town (except the bars) that still have staff in them during the Parade each year. It's Americana at it's best and we find it right here in Livingston. Three days of festivities, fireworks, events, music, festivals, parading, and of course RODEO! Friday morning our dear, sweet organized friend Laurie went extra early to stake claim on some prime parade-watching real estate (shady side of the street corner, right in front of the Murray Bar) for the Cox's, Paynes, Blanks and Howells. Since our spot was saved with Laurie's white patio chairs by 6am, we were able to cocktail on her deck until it was time to saunter downtown at 3pm. If I become an afternoon drinker, I will officially blame Laurie for introducing us to the most delicious sweet tea vodka cocktails I have ever tasted! Yum. I might just post the recipe as soon as I talk her out of sharing it.
Here's the highlights and wonders of our quirky, small town Parade:
The high priced real estate and tenants - Caid, Mike, Brad, Laurie, Matine and Pete
The two cutest cowboys (under 10) that I have ever seen - ready to collect their candy loot. Caid even wore his spurs to get an edge on the competition.
What is more American than Girl Scouts pulling a little cowboy riding an antique Radio Flyer trike? This little dude's legs were moving so fast as he was pulled - it was hilarious!
Mattie with the best seat in the house {side note: notice the nuns behind and to the left in the picture - I think we noticed them after"someone" had one too many sweet tea vodkas and may have yelled something like "show me your tits" to some cute firemen in the parade}
This will be Jeannette, Laurie and I in 40 years- gray haired, sassy, and cruisin' in a convertible in the Livingston Round Up Parade. These gals rock!
No real Montana parade is complete without some tribute to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and Sacajawea on a horse!
A very large mule pack string from another outfitter. Next year, Willow Ranch Outfitters and the Norwegian Fjords WILL be in this parade. Mark my words.
The VERY cool McNair Skate Park kids had an entire half pipe on the back of a truck - and skated. Very cool.
NOT so cool was THIS over forty and feeling foxy jean short man being pulled behind the kids on a skateboard. Eek. { you can insert your own thoughts and comments at this wondrous sight here }
Ah, the characters you find in Livingston. I swear THIS is why I live here.
Oh, hi Jeannette - is that Scott Cottongim as the face on the Trillion dollar bill being handed out? Cool. I didn't know you were into politics now dad!
This is pretty much what Laurie, Jeannette and I looked like the entire parade - we had commentary on just about EVERYTHING that walked past us... Would you expect anything less? I love my friends.
