The Dyes go to Montana

We took our first trip to Montana! Unless you count clipping the corner of Montana to enter West Yellowstone (which I don't because it was just a snippet) this was our first time in Montana. We left at 5:30 am on July 3 and drove all. day. long. The kids did so well on the drive---they didn't even watch a movie until the last little bit and I think just the girls watched it.

The drive through Idaho was what we expected and most of the drive through Montana wasn't terribly interesting but I tell ya I'm a sucker for new scenery--even if it's not the most spectacular. I guess I just like being somewhere I've never been and seeing things I've never seen. We stopped in Butte for lunch at a pizza place/bar/casino/arcade. The pizza was about as good as you'd expect from a pizza place/bar/casino/arcade but it was a good place for the kids to stretch their legs and for James to ride in this car that didn't need coins.

I drove from Butte the rest of the way. I figured we were getting close to Flathead Lake but wasn't expecting to see it until bam, there it is! I'm pretty sure I gasped. I've wanted to see this lake forever. We drove around the west side on our way to Kalispell where we were staying for the next 7 days.

We got there about 5:30 and were pretty tired out. The kids explored the house and played some games they found. We made dinner and Dallin and Diane arrived in her motorhome. It was also Dallin's birthday so I'm fairly confident driving 12 hours plus a chicken patty dinner makes for the lamest birthday ever. Corey and Nadine arrived later that evening.

The next day was Independence Day. We had French toast for breakfast and then went to this mansion in Kalispell for an ice cream social. It was pretty much the most quaint thing one can do on the Fourth of July.

We arrived before the crowd and those first few moments were my favorite.

Once more people came it got a little crowded but the kids still had fun blowing bubbles and exploring the grounds.

Next we went to a city park nearby and played disc golf. Then we took Dallin out for a realsies birthday meal at Mackenzie's in Kalispell. It was delicious. Then we stopped at Cabela's so Justin could get a fishing pole (he learned you can fish in Glacier without a Montana fishing license) and some shoes for Henry. The most important purchase was James's sheriff badge which you will see on his shirt hereafter and forever.

Then we went home and took a nap because we were still tired from getting up at 4 the day before. For dinner we grilled burgers ---not because we were hungry but because you have to grill burgers on the fourth. Then we headed out to find a place to watch the fireworks over Flathead Lake.

This is the beach we went to. There were a few other people there to watch the fireworks too so we figured it would be an okay spot.

The wind started to pick up and it was a little chilly.

But we hung in there, even when it started to rain. We just huddled under a tree and ate snacks.

While we waited we watched random fireworks go off all around the lake and valley.

The fireworks show was supposed to start at 11:00pm. By 11:25 they still hadn't started so out of confusion/disappointment/coldness we headed back to the car.

And then we turned around when we heard them go off. So we walked back to the beach and watched. It was a slow show and we were cold and wet and tired so we didn't even stay until the end. 

It was a memorable fireworks show but not because of the fireworks. We'll talk about "that one time we huddled under a tree in the rain on a lake in Montana to watch fireworks that were too far away and kind of lame."

July 5, aka the day I took so many pictures. 

Here are a bunch of pictures of Glacier National Park. I think this might be my new favorite national park. It's just so beautiful. And it's not hot.

We couldn't get over how clear the water is.

Those rocky shores hurt! The same sort of rocks were at the shores of Flathead and other lakes we visited too. I carried many a kid from the water to a sitting rock to sit and wait while their feet dried before they put their shoes back on.

More views along the Going to the Sun Road.

I don't remember the names of any of these mountains but I do remember being so confused as to how their summits were only at like 8,000 feet. They are huge top to bottom!  It was hard to imagine they were 2000-3000 feet lower than the mountains in Utah we live near.

Erica did not appreciate the dropoffs.

This whole road is just crazy pretty.

There were a lot of pull offs along the way but most were packed with cars. This is one of the few we stopped at.

 We pulled off the side of the road to make sandwiches for lunch. This is very national park to me. I remember doing something very similar in Yellowstone when I was 5.

And then we drove the rest of the road all the way to East Glacier, exited the park and then drove a road that went along the southern border of the park. That was also a lovely drive. We stopped at Huckleberry Patch in one of the small towns for huckleberry ice cream but they were out (how can they be out?) We got other flavors instead.

Since the days are so long there....

 When we got home I went for a walk around the neighborhood. A couple of streets over I found this few.

That's Glacier over there. 

When I got back to the house we started a late night hand and foot game on the deck. We lost a few cards down between the deck. My team did not win but it was a good and close game. This is the only picture I took so that's what gets posted to remember the occasion.

Thursday morning we headed back to Glacier to do the  Avalanche hike. First you have to do the Trail of the Cedars hike and then the trailhead to Avalanche Lake is at the end of that.

Trail of the Cedars is all boardwalk over lush forest floor. And it smells amazing.

And then you take a turn up the hill and further into the forest. We don't have forests like this in Utah. Our forests are on slanted mountainsides.

Once in awhile you'd get a view like this.

And then we arrived at Avalanche Lake.

First a family photo...

Then lunch

And then playing around.

Again, clear water and poky rocks.

We ate lunch here and then Justin got out his fishing pole. He slowly trekked over logs and through mud to get to deep water to cast. And then his phone fell out of inside his hat on top of his head and plopped into the water. It fell between logs into the mud. He stood out there for what seemed like forever scooping water away trying to get his eyes on it around his feet but couldn't find it. We watched from the shore hoping it was his phone that fell and not the car keys.

One bystander thought he was drunk. Others saw what happened and had a bit of sympathy. I was cracking up at how many photos he's in the background of. Corey went out to try to help but it was gone. And it was worthless after like a minute in the water anyway. He had a soggy walk back down the trail.

After that we stopped at a BBQ place in Columbia Falls that gives you a scone (or fry bread for you non Utahns) with every meal. 

Since the days are so long here (did I mention it doesn't get dark until nearly 10?) We stopped at Flathead Lake at a park I wanted to check out. It did not disappoint.

Clear water, poky rocks, swimming dock.

And beautiful views.

This was exactly what I was hoping for from Flathead. Thanks for not disappointing me. The only thing that would make it better is if this dock was at our very own lake house. Maybe next time.

Friday morning Justin woke up with a headache. He's been fighting a cold and then a sinus infection for more than a week. We got a late start but made it back into Glacier and to McDonald Lake for lunch on the shore. The skies were hazy with Canada fire smoke but I still got some good pictures of the lake.

 "My feet are almost dry mom," he says with a big grin.

That afternoon we went on a whitewater trip down Middle Flathead River. Our guide told us this stretch of river was where some scenes of The River Wild were filmed. That was not comforting. The littles were not excited at all about the trip but once we got through the first rapid they were having fun. James sat in the front until he was nice and drenched then he went to the back to row and Erica sat up front with Justin and I.

Our guide shouted out orders of all forward, all back, left forward, etc. Since Justin and I were in the front we had to make sure we were paddling in unison so that everyone behind us following would also be in unison. I hope we did better than the rafts we could see ahead of us.

No one fell out which I guess is good. We were all soaked and then we went back for dinner. They cooked us salmon and steak.

Since we weren't tired enough, we drove back to the swimming dock at Flathead Lake again. I don't have any photos of that, just videos but trust me we did.

Then Justin's parents met us at ice cream in Kalispell. They ran out of huckleberry while we were standing in line. Sigh.

We noticed streets in Kalispell like Oregon and Idaho so I searched to see if there was a Utah. There is! It's less than a half mile long and just a residential street but we had to stop.

And since the sun would just not set and the kids weren't sick of water, we drove up to Foy's Lake. The gal at the ice cream shop told us that's where all the locals go because the water is warmer. It's like a 7 minute drive from town.

Daaaaang.

This is at 9:30pm.

On Saturday we finally visited Norm's News in Kalispell. They close at 8 and we were still out doing stuff so we had to make sure we made it on Saturday!

It's an old timey soda fountain with tons of candy for sale. We also got some french fries.

It perfectly completed the lake trip experience.

Then we went to a different state park at Flathead. I think there are four state parks. This one is called Wayfarers.

The kids were super mad I didn't tell them to bring their swimming suits. (I severely underestimated their desire to jump in the water at every opportunity.) Some of them got wet in their clothes.

And then we hiked around and explored a little.

From there we went to the Swan River nature trail but didn't go up very far. The view of the river wasn't great and it was pretty hot. Plus we had hit that moment of vacation where the kids were just done. Done with sightseeing, done with driving. Done done done. 

We had planned to eat dinner somewhere along the lake but we didn't think the kids were up to waiting for a table or behaving so we headed back to Kalispell. I found a restaurant that had everyone's favorites (French dip for Sarah, burger for Henry, pasta for Erica and James) so we went to Cislo's. It was full of veterans and senior citizens and the food was okay but the kids loved it. The owner even opened up the claw machine and let them pick a stuffed animal, free of charge. Now they think it's the best place in world.

Sunday we went to church. There was a church building like a half mile from where we were staying. The people there were so nice and friendly. They seem to get a lot of visitors just there for the scenery. We get visitors to our ward too but not people passing through---people visiting family. Anyone with Utah ties wanted to know just exactly where we were visiting from. One of the young women asked Sarah if it's true that like everyone you know goes to church. "Yeah, pretty much," she said.

The rest of the day we spent playing games and resting up. Here's James being the sheriff with his new sheriff badge.

And then we headed out the next morning and drove all the way home! The kids handled the drive pretty well again. We even found an ice cream place in Pocatello that sold ice cream for a dollar a scoop! And then Henry finally pulled out his super dangly wiggly tooth and then like an hour later, Erica pulled out a tooth too. First kids to lose teeth out of state.

All Good Things Come to an End

Saturday we went to a shower for my cousin getting married this summer. The very last bride on the Baadsgaard side. Erica and Maddie found some fun puppets and had to show all the guests.

On Monday we were invited to our neighbor's house for ice cream. Their daughter who is Henry's age has a pet rabbit and Erica was so excited to hold it.

They told us she can come over any time to play with it and she is going to take them up on that! Now Erica asks every day for a rabbit instead of a puppy (or baby sister).

Tuesday we picked up Justin from work and went to the Saratoga Springs temple open house. We hadn't been to an open house since the Provo City Center open house in 2016 before James was even born. Erica was most excited to go inside. We lingered longest in the sealing room, showing the kids the infinity reflection of the mirrors on both sides of the room. Having us all there inside the temple together was a very cool experience for me. I can't wait until we can all be there for realsies.

It was bright out there. This side of the temple overlooks Utah Lake and up the prettier mountains to the east (mountains behind Saratoga are lame).

I was walking along my favorite stretch of a street a half mile from my house when I spotted hot air balloons in the sky over Provo. So I stopped to take a picture. Then a deer bounded out and ran across so I got a picture of him too! Mapleton be so crazy picturesque.

That afternoon I drove Sarah up Spanish Fork Canyon to the beginning point of the stake pioneer trek. A few of her friends from the stake rode with us. They were so giggly and chatty and that helped her get more excited for the trek. Their trek is 14 miles long in 3 days in the trees so hopefully not too hot. 

I'm impressed how into dressing up these kids are. 

Tonight the bishops and wives were invited to go up for dinner. Visiting with her and asking her a hundred questions made me feel better about how her experience is going. She was all smiles and positivity but when it came time to say goodbye she wanted to come home with us. Well kind of. It was wishful thinking but she knew she needed to stay and finish out strong. I'll update below how picking her up tomorrow went.

Update: here she is at the finish line!

One minute she's talking about how tiring it was and the next minute how amazing it was. She wants to do it again so I'd say she enjoyed it overall. They trekked like 20 miles and 7 of those were this morning.