Trip to Montana!

After the Ragnar race we headed up to good ol' Montana:) We haven't been there since I was just barely pregnant with Brody, so the kids didn't remember too much about it, especially Max.

I was really bad about remembering to take pictures, but here is what I got:) We stopped in Rexburg on our way and had lunch with my sister Amy and her 4 kids. You'd think I could have taken a picture of that! But I didn't.

This sign cracks me up. Stevensville has about 2000 people in it, there is 1 stoplight (which wasn't there when I was growing up) 1 4-waystop, and 1 wrong way street in Stevensville - and I'm not sure that there is any reason this street is 1 way, the street is about 75 yards long:) I love my hometown!!! This picture is just to remind me how close the mountains are in Stevi. They are literally right out the back door. They are so pretty too. I miss having mountains so close. I don't love having to drive at least 30 minutes to get to the mountains here in Colorado.Here everyone is waiting for our food at a gourmet hamburger shop in Stevi. We ate out A LOT (I was on vacation!) and we spent a lot of time waiting, there were a lot of us to serve:)The burgers were soo YUMMY! I can't remember what kind mine was, just that it was "handcrafted" and had either feta or bleu cheese on it (or is that the same thing?)See? huge!Here we are waiting to eat at Cracker Barrel. It was hard for Brody to get naps, so he got them in whenever he could! (Not that it's any different at home - poor 4th child!)

The cousins playing checkers at Cracker Barrel. We had to wait for a table for 5 adults and 9 kids:) (Poor waitress!)There is a little Italian place in Stevensville called "Romeo's "fast, fresh, and Italian" Yummy food there too:) right after I took this picture of Brody he fell (but I caught him and he wasn't hurt)- but good mom that I am I couldn't resist a picture of that cute smile:)the children's museum in Missoula is the best! Max and cousin Dylan are digging for dinosaur bones...and they found one!!!Cousin Alanna and Riley played dress upRight behind the museum is a carousel. I remember when it was built there was a big deal about it being the only hand carved carousel in the U.S., The kids loved it and took several rides:)G-Sue has a great cupcake book so the kids spent an afternoon decorating cupcakes. They turned out pretty darn cute! (and yummy)! Uncle Matt and Aunt Emily have a fabulous, gigantic tree in their front yard that Max loved climbing, and cousin Bridger has a fun swing that the boys had fun on:)

We walked all over town one day (it truly took about 3 hours, including stopping for lunch) Riley and Alanna get along really well:) They are 2 of 5 girls born in the Hill family in 2003:)

We were up until all hours of the night. It stays really light till 10 and 1030 in Montana. So we would look at the clock thinking it was time to get the kids in bed and it would be 1130 and midnight. The kids did great with such late nights. It helped to have cousins around I think:) We had a really great time in Montana - I tend to forget what a pretty, laid back place it is. I'm glad I got to grow up in a small town (and by small I'm talking 1500 people). Thanks G-Sue and G-Pa for a great trip:)

Here is how light it is at 1015 pm.