Monday, August 3, 2015

annual Montana summer vacation 2015

travel fashionista -
she loves her neck pillow
Rhys tuckered out after
his car sickness episode!
our travelling caravan




This year, from July 18-25, we vacationed, with 2 groups of friends, a little farther southeast of Whitefish (where we usually stay) and stayed in the neat little town of Bigfork. The house we rented was amazing and backed onto the main street of shops, and also faced right onto the water, with our private dock.



Our little family had our very own "cottage apartment" above the garage (while the others stayed in the main house), which was awesome for putting Rhys down for naps and the kids down for bedtime. Then we were able to just take the monitor down to the main house.

Skye on the EZ-ski
The weather was great all week - pretty hot around 28-30C. It was cloudy most of the time and there was always a breeze. The elevation (higher) of Flathead Lake and the grand size of it (WAY bigger than Whitefish), made for more rocky water. We mostly had to drive to the actual river portion of it to get calmer waters for wake boarding and surfing. So Whitefish may have won out in that aspect.

The location of the house though was perfect! All we had to do was walk out the back door and up a little paved hill and we could grab a coffee or ice cream or visit the little bakery (all of which we did many times). And there were a bunch of cute shops and art galleries.

We didn't do a lot of shopping though. We went into Kalispell a couple times to check out my dearly missed Target!









One day during the week it was too windy for boating, so the Giorgi's and us drive to Columbia Falls and enjoyed the outdoor waterslide park - FUN!



Skye liked just playing in the pool with the tubes.  I took her down a couple slides, but then she didn't want to go anymore after the drop/tunnel combo ;-)
It really wasn't that bad, but she preferred the hot tub, rather than the cold pools. Little diva! haha (I don't like cold water either)

Rhys loved standing in the tube and just walking around and around in the shallow end. I also took him down the slide a couple times just before we left and he loved it and didn't want to leave.















the "kids" hanging out
family selfie
Another morning, it was a bit cloudy and drizzly, so we went out for brunch at Echo Lake cafe nearby - on the recommendation from a friend. It was a really beautiful spot and we had to wait about a half hour to get in. So we took a walk around the grassy property, saw the fish pond and Skye and I played a little golf on the putting green. The food was okay, but the portions were huge and everything seems to taste a little different in the States? saltier…

ice cream "cheers"!
Skye finally got some time to try out her Stride bike that she got last year for her birthday. She went on it a few times at home, but she wasn't getting the hang of it just going up and down the sidewalk in front of the house. I think I may have had the seat a bit too low as well. So after an adjustment and some nice paved space to really get going, she can now glide really well and was even going down a bit of the hill by the house (quite wobbly though)! Every time we would go for a walk she wanted to take her bike.

this is all mine!
The four of us got to go on a really long walk the one evening after supper, as the kids had had a later nap and were up longer than usual. It was so gorgeous out and we walked thru all of main street - twice! and then down by the river and bridge and checked out some outdoor music they had playing. We finished off with a stop at the ice cream shop. I had got Dino a big coffee flavoured cone and Skye a mini cupcake cone. As soon as Rhys saw Dino's he grabbed it and wasn't giving it up for anything! So I had to go back in and stand in line to get him another mini cupcake one. My bad for not getting it the first time! Poor guy, he loves ice cream too.








In the mornings Skye and I would go for walks, while Daddy "napped" with Rhys. We liked to walk past the flowers and see the butterflies. We could get right up to them and I almost got one to land on my hand.  Then we would go check out the little park with the animal statues.


skye watching her brother
sleep in his closet bedroom
awwwwwe!


The last night of our vacation we visited our favorite pizza place - MacKenzie River Pizza (locations in Whitefish and Kalispell).  If you ever go, make sure to try the salad with the house dressing - it is awesome! They sell it as well, so you can grab a few jars to take home with you.

the closest we got to a bear
after many failed attempts at a "sit still" photo!