Lots of Adventures at Lakes

So this isn't actually a lake just proof that things are so much more fun when Chris is around. 

 Yesterday some friends took us to Axolotl lakes which are only six miles up the road from our house.  I had no idea they were even there.

 I am so glad they told us about them because I think it's going to be my happy place in Montana.  It was gorgeous.

 The girls loved playing in the water and the fact there was snails made it Huntley's favorite place too.  She can spend hours picking up gross little shells and has talked about going back constantly.

 Earlier this week we went and explored some places farther away from home.  We found an awesome meadow up a place called Beaver Creek to have a picnic.

The girls weren't a fan of the flies and sat in the car the entire time.

 After we ate we drove to Hebgen Lake to go swimming.  (I love that we have lots of lakes near by to swim in but really am missing the manilla pond, where the beach was perfect and I didn't have to worry about stinking snakes, ugh.)

 Just below Hebgen Lake is Quake Lake.  I didn't take any pictures of it but sure should have.  It's really funky looking.  The fact it was formed when an earthquake tipped the water out of Hebgen lake and a landslide created a dam probably has a lot to do with that. 

 The girls loved standing on the dam and Hunt kept saying "tell me more about it" and wanting to understand everything that had happened and all of the details.  I love weird natural disasters like this and the stories that go with them so it was really fun for the two of us to explore the visitor center and learn all about it.  Although it never fails at night I get home and can't stop thinking about it and the coolness wears off and I can only think about how horrible it must have been for the people who had to endure the experience.  Even better was today at church they announced our camping trip next week is going to be in that canyon.  Now I'm just crossing my fingers there aren't any earthquakes. 

I like being spoiled.

Chris is home.  And I'm actually posting while he is here.  Yes, it's a miracle.

 We love when he is home.  Huntley gets to ride all day long.  Penny gets to eat nice green grass out of my lawn.

Chris also spoiled Hunt and bought her some fancy new boots.  I never thought I'd spend that much money on shoes for my kids but she did look pretty ridiculous riding around in leggings and flip flops.

 I got spoiled by a quiet night out on the river.  The girls played together and I was able to have a conversation with another adult that just so happens to be my favorite adult in a quiet shady beautiful place. 

 Now if only this could happen on a daily basis and life would be perfect.

For the Fourth

We had lots of fun, parade, food, and fireworks.  The downside was my girls were in a constant state of motion and this is the best we got picture wise.  Oh well.

The next day we went on an adventure with Ma.  She came and spent the weekend with us.  We tried to explore a cave but luckily they had a fake cave you could look at while waiting to go in the big cave and we found out Pais is a wimp.  She wanted nothing to do with it and I was extremely grateful they had the fake cave so we didn't waste a ton of money to go in the real cave and have her freak out.  So we went on a picnic instead. And then most exciting of all we found a map!  That lead down a trail and pointed out all the different types of vegetation.  Hunt was obsessed and wanted to make us hike the three mile one way trail and back but Pais was not having it.  And since I forgot the backpack and didn't want to carry her the entire time I made us turn around.  Lame, I know.  At least we left the house.  Thanks Ma for exploring with us!

 

Dinosuar Park

Earlier this week we had to drive into the city to stock up on groceries.  The girls hate doing this!  The only way I can convince them to go willingly is with bribes of happy meals.  I also try and make it somewhat fun and stop off at a park too while we are there.  This week we found the Dinosaur Park which is like the Discovery Park but so much better.  At least in my opinion as a parent because it's not as intense and I actually didn't lose my children like I always do when we used to go to the Discovery Park.  It even had a huge sand box complete with buried dinosaur bones.  The girls didn't really care about that but I had fun playing in it while I watched them run around. 

Heatstroke

It finally got hot here.

 After weeks of rain and cold it's finally the weather we've been dreaming of.

 The kind that the girls play in the pool and I lay on the grass reading a book and working on my tan.

 But since this was our first experience with extreme heat (the other times they've used the pool I've been wearing a jacket) I let us stay out there way too long.  Before I even realized it my skin was fried and I needed out of the heat asap.  As I was gathering up the girls and going inside Maze just followed.  Apparently the heat was having weird effects on my brain because I didn't even care. 

She got to chill inside while I took a nap and the girls were in heaven.  Now talk of buying her a bed, baths, and all of the wonderful (NOT!!!) things of having a dog to play with at all times are being discussed.  What have I done!