Lucky Us!!

          Can you believe that the girls, my parents, and I spent a second week in Montana?  It still seems like a dream to me, but we did it.  Mom and Dad had planned a second week exploring different areas of Montana, and they graciously (and bravely) invited my little family (sans Matt) to join them.  So, after dropping off the rest of our extended family at the airport on July 3rd, we began our week long road trip around Western Montana.
           We spent our first day and night in the capitol city of Helena.  The drive from Bozeman to Helena was filled with wide valleys and fertile fields.  We checked in to our hotel, which was located in the heart of downtown Helena, and began walking around the city center to explore.  We saw a cathedral, the capitol building, and a small city park before dinner started calling our names.  We ate at a great pizza place we saw often in the cities of Montana (MacKenzie Pizza Co.).  
         The next morning, we began our drive to Kalispell.  We made a stop at a fishing access point along the Blackfoot River, and I could have stayed there all day.  The river was beyond description!  We sat enjoying the view and watching rafts of fishermen and floaters putting in for a day on the river.  Our drive continued through tiny little communities (like Ovando) that were getting ready to have their 4th of July parades or festivals.  We headed north past Seeley Lake and Swan Lake before skirting the northern border of Flathead Lake.  Once we checked in to our hotel, we explored the area, including the quaint town of Whitefish (just to the north of Kalispell). By the early evening, the girls were exhausted, so we called it a day.  No fireworks for us this year, since the local show didn't start until 11 p.m.!
        The next morning, we continued our exploration and drove to Missoula.  We spent two days and nights in Missoula, taking in the sights of town and the surrounding areas.  My favorite day was driving south through the Bitterroot Valley to the town of Hamilton.  We ate at a local diner and then spent an amazing afternoon at Hamilton's river park (along the Bitterroot River).  Dad got in a few hours of fishing.  We played, went on a "Moose Hunt" (no luck), and practiced our rock throwing skills on the banks of the Bitterroot.  The hotel in Missoula also had an indoor water park, so after an afternoon nap, Audrey, Pa, and I spent a good hour or two splashing and sliding!
        We drove back to Bozeman for our final two days and nights.  Who can resist Bozeman?  We spent some quality time getting a feel for the community and just enjoying ourselves (and the mountains and cool breezes) before catching our flight back to Missouri.
        The week went by much too fast, and my girls traveled like champs!  It was a great two weeks and I'm already missing the mountains and mountain air.  In fact, as we flew back and drove to Gram and Pa's house, Audrey asked three or four times, "Where are the mountains, Mommy?"  That's what I want to know, too.