Big Sky Procrastination

 We took a trip up to Big Sky, Montana.  It was pretty much the only thing we did this summer (other than pack 9 billion boxes) and it was seven weeks ago. 

Summer was kinda a bust around here is what I'm saying.

But.  At least we had Montana and it treated us very well.  

I should have taken some pictures of the cabin.  It was really nice - gave me lots of good ideas for building a new house.  Like a fireplace on the deck!  And a fridge drawer!  Floyd was loving all my discoveries.  We had cousins staying in Big Sky the same week and one night we had them over for a BBQ.  It was fun to see them and funny that we had to travel that far to get together. 

We started out the week with a little waterfall hiking.  Just a short one so even the littles could make it.  

 

 I like waterfall hikes cause it's always nice and cool in the mist once you get to the falls.  

 

You might notice Cole is rather absent from these pictures.  That's cause he's too cool/fast/something to hike with his slowpoke parents.  Cue the sentimental music - wasn't it just last summer that it took us three hours to hike a mile cause he had to stop and look at every rock and bug and plant on the trail?  He just won't stop growing up!

One of our favorite activities during the week was hanging out at the lake.  It's just a teensy little man-made lake, but we had access to paddle boats and paddle boards and kayaks and canoes and we had so much fun paddling around the lake.

 

 

 

Most of us preferred the paddle boards, but Cole was the kayak master.  Some of us weren't coordinated enough to figure out the kayak paddling, but he had it down.

Others of us preferred hanging out at the beach and digging in (or eating in someone's case) the sand.

One day, we took a little day trip to the Lewis and Clark Caverns (which were neither discovered by Lewis and Clark nor explored by Lewis and Clark).  The science nerds amongst us enjoyed them...

 

 ...while others in the group were a little bored.

 

While the big boys went fishing one day, some of us went to the rock climbing wall. 

Children - you should know great sacrifices were made by me, Aunt Kelli, and Aunt Karlee for this event to occur.  It was killer hard to be the balay-er for ya'll.  You know we all have rather pathetic arm strength and it was not an easy task.

With that little disclaimer out of the way, you can see the kids enjoyed themselves.  They loved it.

  

 

 

And then there was the horseback ride.  

Oh the horseback ride.

 {don't worry - Cole settled in and enjoyed the ride after he got over his horse's name - Latte}

It almost didn't happen.  Horseback riding on a trail in a resort town is just so touristy that we weren't jumping at the chance, but a few of the kids really wanted to and we had an open afternoon, so we headed down.

I haven't enjoyed myself so much for a loooooooooong time.

It wasn't because the ride was so pretty, which it was.

Or because I love riding horses so much, which I do.

It was all because of these two cuties:

I had the privilege of riding right behind Annie and Landon and they were absolutely hilarious.  I didn't stop laughing the entire time and neither did they. 

Landon was clearly born to be a cowboy.  He worked the entire ride to get his horse off the path.

Annie had a naughty horse that kept getting into trouble and making us laugh.

There is really no way to describe why they were so funny on their horses, but it was just so fun to watch them.  They razzed each other like old cowboys the entire time.  It was a highlight of the trip and when I'm 90 and bored in my rocking chair, the memory of those two riding along the trail will still make me smile.

 

And to finish off the week, we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday!  What a great way to celebrate.  I have a feeling we'll make this trip again sometime.