Minnesota!

We're off to Minnesota and will be out of our house for 6 weeks! Yikes. It will be an adventure that's for sure. Looking forward to some time away and being "unplugged" from the world! Sorry you won't get the daily updates like our Montana trip. It will be random when we go to a place with wireless.

If you need us you know where to find us! :)

Sue

I should have posted this before we even went to Montana. But just wanted to share how we know Sue. She was one of my mom’s many friends and they met when my mom lived in Montana. My mom had gone out and visited Sue for a week just 2 weeks before the accident. Sue then came back to Minnesota for the funeral and we were able to reconnect. Since then we have exchanged Christmas letters, facebook messages and random phone calls.

Her friendship is such a blessing to me. She reminds me so much of my mom…always laughing, very welcoming to anyone, and just a dear. It was seriously like spending a week with my mom! Amazing. A true blessing.

As I am typing this I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with her and get to know her more. I was so glad she finally got to meet Jack and Henry. They loved her, as we all do!

I miss you already, Sue! I can’t wait for our next phone call or facebook chat!

We LOVE you!

Day 11 - Last day in Montana

Last Day on Flathead Lake

We drank coffee outside on the patio, which was one of my highlights. I never got sick of the amazing view! Seriously…..I was in awe! The boys got to go to their favorite playground one last time on the 4 wheeler with Steve.

They like to play restaurant there. It’s a great playground at a little school in Dayton. Jack did the monkey bars all by himself! He came back and told everyone! He was so proud of himself.

I went to Polson by myself to get some snacks for the trip and shopped a downtown at adorable little shops. Everyone was so nice. I met some new friends! It was a refreshing afternoon!

The boys loved to go with Chris to the dump. They were beyond excited when they got to throw the garbage in. Here’s the view from near the dump. Just like in Iowa....yea right!

We were treated to supper at Fazooli’s. It was this great Italian place on the lake. We all got all you can eat spaghetti and meatballs and it came with a ½ pound meatball.

(notice the huge door!)

We finished our last night in style by having a bonfire and roasting s'mores.

I can’t believe it went so fast! We had an amazing vacation and can’t wait to go back. We all miss them already! Many tears were shed as we pulled out of the driveway yesterday.

Day 10 - Flathead Lake

Flathead Lake Day!

It has been a fabulous day here in Montana! We have been outside playing in the water and relaxing!

Day 9 - Glacier National Park

Yesterday we went to Glacier National Park!

Henry was reading the map for us...yes, it was sideways and backwards.

We went on a hike to Avalanche Lake...it was so muddy! Jack walked the 2 miles into the lake, I couldn't believe it! We carried Henry because he would have been in all the mud and loved every moment of it. They both got carried out or we would still be on the trail.

We saw a black bear on the trail. I couldn't believe it stayed that close.

Avalanche Lake. It was incredible views! The waterfalls were coming off the mountains and you could hear them. There was so much snow left.

Avalanche Gorge

We didn't get to go on Going to the Sun Road because it was still closed from all the snow. So I guess we'll just have to come back out sometime.

We went out to eat at Mackenzie River Pizza Company. It was so yummy! What a treat after hiking all day.

In this cute town on Flathead Lake is a town called Lakeside. They have this decoy police car and policeman sitting in it. I couldn't believe it! I laughed so hard I was crying. Check out his mustache and glasses. Not to mention the car says "Lakeside Decoy". They move the car every so often. Can you imagine that job? Slide over the mummy and change locations.

Day 8 - Whitefish Mountain/Hungry Horse Dam

We drove to Whitefish Mountain to go on the alpine slides and ride the chairlifts. Well, it was raining so no alpine slides but we still got to ride the chairlifts. The boys loved it! I guess that means they are ready for skiing! Maybe this winter?

We also drove to Hungry Horse Dam. It was amazing how far down that goes. Jack and the boys loved the waterfalls. Henry was again wondering if we packed his swimsuit.

Waterfalls at Hungry Horse

View from the top of Hungry Horse Dam.

We finished off the day with Huckleberry Ice Cream at a sweet shop. The boys were so well behaved that the store owner gave them a little stuffed bear. Melt my heart! They have been so good on this vacation I can't believe it!

Day 7 - Brunch, Camp Tuffit and Hot Springs

Father's Day was great! Wanda (another one of my mom's friends) came up for the day. We had a lot of fun and good laughs with her. We went to brunch at Lake Mary Ronan Resort for a great breakfast and walked around a bit. It was very yummy!

After breakfast we went to Camp Tuffit. It was this sweet resort area....they had a building with a pool table, a building with ping pong, a cafe, etc. and it was all outdoors. Not to mention on a lake with mountains all around it. We saw some great RV/Camper set ups and funny signs posted all over. Here is an example of cabin that people rent. Isn't it like stepping back in time?

We came home and grabbed our swimsuits and headed up to Hot Springs. It was the perfect way to end Father's Day and relax a bit. The boys loved it! They swam and swam.

Oh, I almost forgot about a stop at the dump. Henry and Jack loved that! Henry came home and was playing dump at Sue's house.

Jack also finally got to go meet the neighbors. He has been asking Sue all about her neighbors, etc. They were finally there last night and they Jack got to meet them. He was going to go over there by himself!

Day 6 - Drive around Flathead Lake

Today we drove around Flathead Lake. Amazing! That's all I kept thinking. We spent some time in a great town called Big Fork. It was raining on and off, but we didn't care. Henry really didn't care. He was wondering where his swimsuit was to play in the fountain. He did get soaked, and I luckily found a pair of pants on a clearance rack...kind of hideous and the wrong size, so we called them his pirate pants.

We had amazing coffee and cookies at a place called Brookies Cookies and they had a great backyard where we could sit and listen to the river.

We finished off the day with a spaghetti supper outside on the patio...and of course the boys went swimming when it was 53 degrees outside. I was watching them in my fleece jacket and finally made them come in when I was too cold to stay out any longer!

Day 5 - Flathead Lake (yesterday)

We woke up to a nice cool day here in Montana. We walked down to a small down a couple miles down the road and checked out the sailboats, checked out forklifts, and played at a park. It felt so good to go for a walk and move after sitting in the car ALL day yesterday.

The boys thought they would go for a swim today, keep in mind that it was 60 degrees outside and the water was freezing. They did play in the rocks and wanted to be outside. But who could blame them! :)

We all rested or took naps and then went out for supper at a very yummy brewery in Lakeside.

Tomorrow we're off to drive around the lake and stop at little towns along the way.

Day 4 - Driving through Montana

We drove 12 hours, well 13 if you're counting stops from Rapid City to Dayton, Montana! The boys (yes, all 3 of them!) did very well. I couldn't believe it. I think Steve and I were more antsy in the car then they were.

Here is a picture of our route. Yes, it did feel like it went on forever!


Henry was using his licorice for logs when he was playing with his trucks...but I can't get the pictures to cooperate! So I will see if I can get it to work when I have more patience.

Day 3 - Rapid City

We had a wonderful day today too! Of course we were up early and ready to go since now we're in Mountain Time Zone. We had a day filled with all kinds of new adventures...

First we were off to Mount Rushmore. I went when I was in high school, but it is so different to go now that I'm all grown up! :) It is incredible. It was fun to teach Jack the names and live it through his eyes. He was so amazed and kept telling me that he finally got to see Mount Rushmore for real!

Our second part of our adventure was to Custer State Park. I also went through this on a family vacation (when you traveled with my mom you held nothing back!). So Jack was set with his binoculars and Henry was fast asleep when we came across the first herd of buffalo. There is no way you could miss those things...they were huge! It was so funny to see them roaming through campgrounds and resorts. We also saw and hugged (Jack) a burro. Talk about some friendly animals!

Buffalo herd behind Jack

Taken from view van window. I need to learn a little more about the buffalo....they are so fascinating looking!

Jack hugging a burro. Still can't believe he did that!

Last night in a hotel tonight! Until the journey home...tomorrow we're off to Montana! Can't wait!

Day 2 - Badlands and Wall Drug

We went to the Badlands and Wall Drug today! They were both a lot of fun in many different ways!

We drove through the Badlands, and got out randomly to look around and climb a few things. At first it was raining and really cold. It did stop enough so we could climb around without being totally covered in mud. Henry kept calling them sandcastles. So cute! They also saw a snake that they thought was pretty cool. What an incredible place!

Wall Drug....Henry saw a sign for a donut on the interstate about 50 miles before we got there, so that's what he had on his mind the entire time. We had some free water, climbed around in the backyard and took lots of pictures of Jack with his head on different scenes (which he thinks is so funny).

Jack riding the horse at Wall Drug.

Henry riding the horse.

Henry finally getting his donut.

A picnic supper at our hotel on the window seat. It's the smallest room it has no table....but such a great deal! :)