Jul
18
A while ago we received an invitation to the wedding of one of JB’s hunting buddies, and JB said he thought he’d like us to go. I said sure, if you’re positive the kids are invited. Oh yeah, kids are invited, JB assured me. And it sounds pretty kid-friendly since it’s outside. At a ranch. Near Missoula, Montana.
He had to work on me for a bit on the idea of road-tripping to Montana with the boys, even though Montana is one of my very favorite places (multiple trips to Glacier National Park as a kid = best childhood memories ever, at least until I read Night of the Grizzlies in 5th grade and had the description of what a sucking chest wound sounds like burned into my brain-folds in a special place that apparently grows more vivid and dramatic with age), because I couldn’t quite picture how a vacation filled with lots of driving would be enjoyable just two weeks after our last epic drive to and from Oregon, but oh, I was so wrong.
I usually have a great time on our trips to Oregon, but they’re awfully exhausting. We’re always staying with family, which I think gets hard on everyone after a while. It never really feels vacationy, you know?
The three nights we spent in Missoula over the weekend were completely different. I mean, yeah, there were some challenging moments with the kids, of course there were, but overall it was just amazing and relaxing and everything I thought a trip with kids couldn’t be. I loved the beauty of the drive, I loved exploring new places, I loved the unique and fun wedding we attended, I loved being cozied up in a hotel room at night with my little family.
And oh, Missoula! What a spectacularly gorgeous place. I can’t wait to go back.
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I get what you say about trips to see family being not so vacation-y. We took a trip to Jacksonville a few weeks back and it was our first ever trip where extended family was not involved. It was awesome. We had a lovely time just chilling and going to the beach. I really hope we don’t wait a long time until the next time we get to do something like that.
Oh, what lovely pictures. I love Montana so, so hard. My brother went to school at Missoula and has trying to get back there ever since.
So glad your boys are growing up in such a way that makes trips like this fun. You all look fantastic.
Um, hi. that was me. I kind of had hoped my first anon comment to be more… horrible and bitchy.
You have such a beautiful family. I totally get the road trip blahs… Taking our 4 year old & 2 year old anywhere in the car makes me want to jump out the window if it’s longer than 2 hours.
Sakes alive, Dylan is looking so grown up. Great pics!
Montana is one of my very favorite places. Unfortunately we are on the east coast and it’s a little more involved and expensive to get out there as much as we’d like. Beautiful pictures.
Beautiful pictures! What kind of camera do you use?
Family vacations like this are priceless. I hope you have many more like it ahead of you.
Beautiful! My dad grew up in Montana and I always loved going up there…in the summer, that is.
Looks like a great wedding too–is that a band of camouflage on the bride’s neckline? Awesome.
Liz: yes, the camo trim was awesome. I’d heard the entire dress was going to be camo, which had me doing that RCA Victor dog head-tilt, but the result of adding just that bit of trim at the neck, bottom, and back lacing was really kind of amazingly cool. (Both the bride and groom are bigtime hunters.)
my husband needs some hunting buddies
You just keep getting more gorgeous every year, Linda. No fair. *pout*.
Really lovely set of pictures, too. That one of Dylan with the river in the background looks like a professional portrait!
I want more details! And? When did your children grow up? These photos are amazing.
The light there is amazing! What great pictures of you guys! And the boys’ headshots look like professional studio shots – that’s nuts and awesome at the same time! :)
I was born and raised in Montana (Kalispell) and this post made me miss home. Glad you guys had a good time.
Whoops, wrong blog up there ^^^ ;)
Those pictures make me want to up and move to MT this very second. Which my husband has been trying to convince me to do for years, but I was too scared of the winters. But if I could get a picture of myself looking as great as you do in that photo, the winters would be worth it!
Your boys are so dern handsome and adorable. I just love how Riley has his arms wrapped around the neck of you and then JB in the photos.
Montana is rather bittersweet for me. My dad was diagnosed with a terminal illness in Boseman while on vacation there. What was supposed to be a big family reunion turned into a very sad time. While the mountains and crisp mornings were quite fabulous in October, the memories unfortunately will always be of the hospital.
But hey! You all look refreshed and wonderful. Vacations are a good thing.
Gawd damnit woman, you’re letting the secret out!!!:) I was waiting for a post about your trip. I’m glad you guys were able to make it fun. Montana in the summer is a pretty extraordinary place, but I highly recommend visiting over a weekend in the winter before moving here. -38 degrees isn’t something to snivel at.
So gorgeous. Thanks for sharing! I was waiting all day to see this post. :)
Your trip pictures always make me want to go camping, even though I HATE camping.
Ah, Missoula. We have family there, and visit every summer. It is magical! I’m glad you had a such a wonderful time.
Fantastic photos!
That haircut is totally working for you! Lovely tale and pics.
Hang on, why wasn’t the groom the one in the white hat?
Looks like you hiked up to the “M” on the big hill east of town. My husband and I lived in student housing at the base of that hill about oh … four decades ago!
My knowledge of the States is limited to a handful of business trips to Chicago, Boston and NY. Your pictures show the America that I’m sure all British people envisage when they think of the American country and I would so like to see it.
gorgeous photos! Montana’s one of the last four states I need to visit and you’ve definitely made me want to go to there now! (subtle Liz Lemon reference for ya…)
WOW! Just WOW…
Wow Linda, BEAUTIFUL! So many perfect shots to comment on them all, but LOVE the one of you and boys by the road and the one of Riley with his “catch!” Thanks for sharing!
I lived in Missoula for about 10 years ago. You captured it beautifully! The picture of your boys ahead on the trail above Missoula ( Mt. Jumbo or Sentinel, I wonder?) is just perfection.
Thanks for the beautiful photos. It makes me miss living out west.
Swoonworthy photos! Such love and beauty radiating from the amazing wild west. A gorgeous vacation gallery keepsake. Like commenter Jessi, I, too, miss living out west. Thanks for the peek.
Linda, you look like you stepped out of a catalog. Great pictures.
So glad you enjoyed Missoula! We’ve loved living here and you came during the best time of year. July in Montana makes up for the rest of the year (although September and October run a close second). Sorry, I didn’t see you around town – that would have been a trip – but it looks like you enjoyed some of my favorite places.
Oh, I loooove Missoula! It is one of the most beautiful places on this planet, indeed.
I am so glad you guys had an awesome trip. It would have been a shame to miss any of that spectacular landscape due to meltdowns or exhaustion.
The colors in that photo of John are STUNNING.
cause i love photography – those pics were full of such vivid colors! The golden hues, the blue skies contrasted agains green hillsides. “beautiful” just isn’t enough of a descriptive word to describe what you captured on film. great job with those.
Love the joy on Riley’s face when he caught that fish, and that photo of him in hat & bandana is a keeper!
Will definitely think about visiting more of Montana!
Every time you post something that remotely involves somewhere I’ve actually been I get all OMGIHAVEBEENTHERE!, but yeah, it still hasn’t gotten old. [I’m from Florida, if that helps this make any sense.] Your pictures brought back so much of what is wonderful about Montana. :)
And that is why my parents started road tripping up to Montana while pregnant with me, and we have never stopped going back. :)
This isn’t news, obviously, but his picture just struck me this time. Dylan is so big! Where did the BABY go?!
Just wanted to say you have a beautiful family! I look forward to the day I can have a peaceful vacation with my boys…at 2 and 4, we’re just not there yet. My nerves can barley handle a trip to the grocery store with both of them!
Glad you had such a lovely time! My dad lives in northern Idaho and that neck of the woods and Montana is just so. pretty. It’s totally true that the sky is bigger there.
Gorgeous photos, and glad the trip was better than expected.
My favorite herbal tea ever is named Evening in Missoula.
Looks like you escaped our crappy summer here in the NW for just a little while, I’m so happy for you. I so need a vacation… guess I’ll have to live vicariously through your beautiful photos.
This makes me so happy.
The beauty and ease in these pictures makes me ache to see them. You really captured beautiful moments that are as good as any ad campaign out there. We recently took our boys up to the dunes on the shores of Lake Michigan and it had the same sense of release/adventure/beauty. I think a Lake Michigan beach trip is in our future on an annual basis.
Beautiful photos! Also…what’s with the person in a wetsuit in the river photo? Surfing the current? I’ve never seen such a thing done, and I’m very curious.
Augh. My overall response is “man, Florida is ugly.”