Where's the snow?

What summer vacation? Since Madison's last day of school, it's been quite a rat race at our house. Now, this week, we hope to settle into a summer routine. First off, Madison's class celebrated their last day of school with a party. They sang songs, got a certificate and we got Mrs. Watson's famous punch and lots of sugary goodies!

After our last weekend of t-ball, it was time for summer to really begin. The girls and I began our week with a trip to Garrison, North Dakota to see our friends, the Giffey's from Tennessee (there visiting family.) We stopped off in the North Dakota Badlands at a rest area. Madison noticed the coal in the soil. I told her a little bit about how the coal is mined and pointed out the numerous mines and power plants in the area. She thought that was really cool. She's a sponge just waiting to soak up information. We enjoyed our time with the Giffey boys (they outnumber us now: Grady, Gavin, Gunnar and Gage.) The first thing Madison told Derrick was that Gage was so cute and she said he thought the DeWilde girls were his sisters.

The DeWilde ladies returned to Billings Thursday evening only to leave again Friday morning for our first weekend of camping. We were excited to explore a new area of Montana! We left early for the Lewis and Clark Caverns. On the guided tour, there were a lot of areas that were tight to say the least. Breanne was especially nervous on the first "butt-slide," but after that, she couldn't wait to be the first in the group to lead the way.

We headed down into gold mining country from there. Made a loop through several ghost towns that circle the Tobacco Root Mountains. We finally made our way to the campground (through lots of slip, sliding and mud!) in the heart of the mountains. We were the only people in the campground. All day we kept waiting to see the snow. For the past two years, our first expedition out has been with a little (or a lot) of snow. We didn't find any until we drove up further into the mountains. "Should you be concerned when all you see driving up past your campsite is snowmobiles?" Derrick wondered.

After parking the camper, Breanne breathed a sigh of relief, opened up the camper and pulled out her blankie, "She was so sad because she missed me so much on that LONG car ride." (Letting the thumbsucking begin!)

After "Linner" that evening, Breanne snuggled up next to Derrick at the campfire and said, "Ah, this is the best part of camping! Just sittin' by the fire." Time for s'mores, right? A half-hour into the roasting, Madison requests another oreo (she's a s'mOREO fan). Derrick asks, how many is that for you now? Madison shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know...."

Saturday morning, we headed out to explore the Tobacco Roots...mountains that is. I had packed 3 bandanas for the big girls and I. Until Aliya insisted that she sport the third one, not mom. Sure does make for a cute picture though!

I thought about entitling this entry, "Next year will be so easy!" I feel like I say this every year we go camping (in regards the girls). I have to admit while this year is different with Aliya camping (she's not crawling around in the dirt, sticking pine needles in her mouth) she is definitely trying in her own special way with the constant, "Mum...Mum...Mum...Mum....," skinning up her hands and knees, crying, whining, temper trantuming.... You get the point. Next year will be so much easier...

We enjoyed our time touring some ghost towns (Virginia City, Nevada City to name a few). And dad, just so you know, we read EVERY Historic Point sign along the road! Madison, Breanne and Aliya had their first run in with a buffalo at a museum. YIKES!

We loved the area mostly because in every direction you look, you're surrounded by a different mountain range. The first picture in the entry is the Tobacco Roots. Here you can see the Pioneer Mountains in the distance.

On Sunday, we clean up camp and headed for the Missouri Headwaters State Park. Madison and Breanne were educated. What three rivers make up the Missouri River? "The Madison, the Jefferson Rivers and the Gallatin." Speaking of Madison, here she is by HER river (and if you look close you can see Her mountain range in the background)!

We tried to learn more and see more and ended our time there with a picnic...and Aliya feeding Derrick chips!

Ah, summer is HERE!