More camping and boating

We went camping last weekend...and I remembered the camera! Aren't you proud of me?!

Once again...in no particular order:

We went to the same lake as last time but camped at a different spot. The kids liked playing on the tube at camp:


It was warmer this weekend so we could go boating and tubing more:

Jake didn't do any tubing but he likes wandering the boat and swinging from the rails:

Jake is making sure the girls don't fall off:

And getting excited about boating:

You can see our camp in the background:

Here is our campsite from further out:

Packing up to go home:

We stopped at the top of McDonald Pass and took some pics while we were there:

On the way home:

Camping and Mowing and Swimming

We went camping a couple weeks ago and of course I forgot my camera so we stopped and got a disposable one to accommodate my brainlessness.



We went to Holter Lake, close to Helena. Here are the pictures in no particular order (because I can never seem to get them uploaded in the order I want and it's a pain to move them around after they're on here):

It was a little cool that weekend so the kids stayed in the bottom of the boat to stay warm.

This is at our campsite:

Also at our camp site...not a bad view to wake up seeing!

One of the kids took this:

Hanging out at camp:

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The girls took swim lessons earlier this month. Mackenzie is at the bottom of the picture. She was the only one in her class this time...usually there are around 5 or 6 in the class.

Rebecca and Jessica were in a class together...that is Rebecca floating on her back with the instructor helping...and Jessica is next to the instructor, watching:

Here Rebecca is helping Jessica float on her tummy:

And this is Jake who is mad that he can't swim too. I guess basketball will have to do for now.

After swim lessons. It was in the 60's and low 70's the whole two weeks they did lessons. Brrr!!

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Rebecca's turn to mow the lawn. We mow around the outside and have the girls mow the middle.

Our Easter Trip

Since the girls had a 4 day weekend we took a much needed trip out of town. So we went to Idaho. Doesn't everyone go to Idaho whenever they get the chance?! No? Well I'll have you know that northern Idaho has Silverwood, the biggest theme park in the Northwest (that's really not saying much, though). But we didn't go there. It's too cold to be open yet.

And Coeur d' Alene has a nice little lake to browse around, and Pend Oreille (c'mon Idaho! let's speak some English here!) is another larger lake that should be fun in the summer (you'll still need a wetsuit to swim/ski, though).

But the main attraction in Idaho is....

CABELAS!!!!! Yes, Post Falls has a new Cabelas store. The dream destination of millions. Oh yes, we went there.

But Post Falls also has a large outlet mall. Or at least it did until the economy shut most of it down. Hmpf!

Anyway, it was fun to get away for a few days to play and shop. The highlight for Stan and Jake was, of course, Cabelas. The highlight for the girls was shoe shopping and swimming in the hotel pool. The highlight for mom was naptime. Kidding! I enjoyed everything except Jake's sleepless nights.


So here we are at Cabelas:


I didn't get a picture but they also had a fun shooting range in the store. Not real guns, of course. But for a couple of tokens you can shoot at several different objects in an outdoor-looking setting. We all enjoyed that one!

Jake was so funny. He could not get enough of it all. He was running and jumping around, so excited! It was like Christmas for him!

The dam at Post Falls:

On our way home we decided to take the scenic route and went up to where Stan's territory ends on the railroad, then followed the tracks all the way home. In the 4 years we've been here I haven't ever seen this side of his territory so it was fun to see where he works.

The tracks follow the river:

Don't you just feel sorry for him that he has to work in places like this?

Here, the tracks are behind me when I took this picture. You can see how far out from the shore is still ice and where it melts further out:

The ice is breaking up and melting:

Such horrible working conditions. No one should have to suffer through this kind of scenery while on the job. The tracks are along the right side of the river:

Half way home we stopped where Stan sometimes stays when he's out of town. We stayed in a two-story cabin next to the river with three queen beds and a full size futon, complete kitchen, and a jacuzzi tub. Now that's roughing it!

We also scoped out some camping spots for this summer!

Glacier

This weekend I'm heading over to Billings to see Beth Moore with her Living Proof Live!! I can't tell you how EXCITED I am! I've been dying to go see her, and now she's actually coming close enough for me to go. Not many events flood the Montana area, and when they do, they go to the thriving metropolis of Billings (with a whopping 100,000 population, our largest "city")...aaaaaalllll the way across the state. But that's ok.

I'm meeting up with my dear friend Melissa so we can go together. Can. Not. Wait!

And speaking of Beth, who lives in Houston, please remember those in the wake of Ike. So many people's lives have been affected.

Now, since I'll be gone I'm posting this for your viewing pleasure. Here are pictures of our trip to Glacier National Park...uh...three weeks ago. If you're ever in Montana, after you come see us of course, you must see Glacier. And Yellowstone.

Breathtaking!






As you travel along the Going To The Sun Road (yes, that's what it's called) for several miles you're scaling the side of the mountain. Wall on one side, steep cliff on the other. And you can see in this picture where they cut a tunnel under the road to allow the waterfall to continue on its way:

If you're afraid of heights (like I am) your best plan of action is to grip the door with one hand, and grip the arm of your seat (or your husbands arm) with the other hand. Be sure your knuckles are white, or you're not doing it properly. And. Don't. Look. Down.

Well, that won't work. You have to look down at least a few times or you'd miss this:

But once you cross the Continental Divide you're not scaling the wall and you can start breathing again.

And even check out some of the mountain lakes:

Isn't it gorgeous?!

You can also travel north and head into Canada, eh? No way, eh! But don't you need a passport for that now?

Have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday!!!