Our Trip To Montana

This past weekend we drove to Billings, Montana to watch

the Treasure State Spelling Bee as Morgan was competing in it.

This was the first notable thing I saw.

Sort of felt like Dorothy when she says to Toto,

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

Thursday night:

This was Fourth of July Pass at 3:30 AM on Friday morning.

As I am driving down this pass- tired as all get out having been up for 21 hours at that point, snow falling hard enough to make visiblity low-I see a sign that reads: Watch for wild game standing in road. Are they kidding? Luckily, I didn't encounter any.

Day 1: Friday

Cross Montana's border. Check!

Get a speeding ticket. Check!

Take a picture. Check!

This is the view just over the Montana state line. Beautiful!

The kids at one of the many stops we made along the way.
4:00 PM- Ahhh, finally to the hotel.
This is Jarom playing in the pool at the hotel.
Jarom again.
Isaiah jumping to Jarom.

Brendan jumping to Jarom.

All three of the kiddos in the pool.

This is the living area of our hotel room.

And the bedroom area.

And the dining area. My kids are such posers!

Jarom writing Megan a postcard in the work area.

Day 2: Saturday

Spelling Bee. Of course, photography was discouraged as it is distracting.

Lunch at Pizza Hut with the McLean's.

Onto The Reef Indoor Water Park!

Mom suiting Brendan up at The Reef.

Brendan and Jarom.

Isaiah thinks inner tubes are fun stuff!

He also likes the slides.

Two man tubes are cool too.

Temple and me at the Park, watching over the flock-- herd-- tribe, whatever!

Brendan on the slide.

Temple and Teal. Morgan and Erin.

Brendan, Jarom, Isaiah (behind Jarom's head), and Iain. (Iain is the one in the Spiderman trunks. I don't know who the kid in the tube is.)

Day 3: Sunday

This is after church on the toys behind the church.

Brendan on the slide.

Morgan pushes Isaiah on the swing.

After church, we went to Teal and Temple's home and had a meal with them. The kids played at the school playground across the street while Temple and I took at drive and she showed me the sights. It was nice to be able to visit without the distraction of children.

Sunday night, we started the treck home. We stopped in Missoula and stayed the night.

Day 4: Monday

This is the kids in the pool at the Best Western in Missoula.

This is me, pool side. Isaiah took this picture.

I really enjoyed our visit to Montana. Jarom did too. He and Iain hit it off so fast and well that Jarom didn't want to leave. Isaiah and Brendan had so much fun swimming and playing that I think they really enjoyed our trip too. The only part that wasn't so fun for any of us was all the driving. I loved seeing all the scenery. I didn't love the whining and fighting from the back seat.