To Montana for New Years...

Wednesday-A late start, travel, lasagna, games

For the New Year we planned a little trip to Montana to see my side of the family and to catch up with some friends.  

It was a good time.  

We decided to take our HUGE lab with us.

I didn't however account for her panting and doggy breath breathing on me (not on Cory for some reason ;-) for the first hour there and the 2 1/2 hours on the way home.  It took her a while to settle down.  We even stopped to get a couple bones for her but she preferred to look out the front window and breathe on me.  Ugh!!  I guess that's what I get for suggesting we bring her!

 What you see here, with the three kids, only lasted until about Rexburg with the warning that we were moving Briggs up to the middle seat not 3 minutes after we left home.  It was clear we weren't on our "A" game when we thought that one through.

 On the way to Montana I read the entire book "Return from Tomorrow," by George Rutchie, to Cory.  The book is about a soldier who died in an army hospital and 9 minutes later returned to life and he "tells of his transforming encounter with the Son of God, who led him to encounters with other nonphysical beings."  It really was an incredible book.  Very eye-opening.  I am just a little obsessed with stories like this. They really have opened my eyes and helped me gain a greater perspective on life, and life after this life.


When we got there, my parents waited to eat dinner with us at 7:30 (very unexpected, but sweet!), then we put kids to bed and played games.

Thursday-Fudgescicles, key-lime pie, Olive Garden, and forts

Thursday we went out to see my brother's new Chiropractic office (which is REALLY nice and opening in just a few weeks) and to get adjusted.  Then Cory and I went to lunch with Spencer and Jacque and their boys at the Olive Garden.

When we got home I saw a big bag of limes in my parents pantry and decided to make a key-lime pie for my Dad (one of his favorites.)  When Cory remarked that my Dad gets more Key-lime pies than he does Banana cream pies I knew I was also going to be making a few of those too ;-)  Anything for him!!

The boys enjoying a fudgesicle.  Many a fudgesicles while we were there!

 Ethan and cousin James

 Looks yummy!

 Thursday night the boys got to sleep in a fort... Grandpa's brainchild.  They loved it!  Brooklyn wanted to sleep in there.  Cory gave the warning that one problem, from any of them, it was straight to bed.  I think Brooklyn was in there for about 2 minutes before she was wisked off to cry in her bed.

...the adults (Spencer, Jacque, my parents and us) stayed up and played games

Friday-friends, family, food, banana cream pie, a massage, and yummy bagels

Friday was a crazy day.  We met up with my cousin Laighton and his family at the church gym so our boys could play soccer with their boys; it was fun to catch up with them.  Later that night we ate a nice dinner at Spencer and Jacque's house and learned a new game called Acquire.  When we got home we put our kiddos to bed and headed over to Laighton and Katie's for a few rounds of Jamaica.  It was a great time; they're totally our style and we loved hanging out!  

"Llllllay-ton" 

(a silly inside joke)

Saturday-A visit with friends, fondue, and ringing in of the New Year!

 New Years eve we were able to stop and visit my dear friend Ursala and her husband who were visiting from Ohio.  We hadn't seen them since Ethan's 3rd Birthday in Ohio!  So it was fun to catch up!

 New Years eve fondue dinner  

We cooked steak in oil (scrumptious!), shrimp, and a swiss/gruyere cheese fondue with bread, ham, and vegetables and then for desert a chocolate fondue with toffee, fruit, crackers.  It was yummy!

We were so glad that my Grandparents were able to come eat with us!  I enjoyed having some one-on-one conversations with them and my Dad.  I especially enjoyed the touching stories of my Grandma and their late dog Sparky (a very smart German Shepherd that I remembered as a child).  Sure love them!

All the adults stayed up and played games (Cory, my Dad, Spencer and I played some interesting versions of trump) and we rang in the new year with banana cream pie and 3 types of sparkling cider.  We hit the hay shortly afterwards.  I easily could of fallen asleep 3 hours before; I was pretty beat.

We left for home early the next morning.  It was a fun trip!