Our wild weekend

HELLO!

How are all of you?  We hope you're coming up with some fun summer plans and enjoying the start of warmer weather!  We've seen the sunlight a little more in the last few days but the gusty winds have made it difficult to be outside...Harley is a big dog yet I've still contemplated getting him a jacket and loading the pockets with rocks....the things we do for our children :)

Enough about the weather, let me update you on our wild weekend in Great Falls, MT...

Two summers ago I was able to take part in a nursing internship in Butte, MT.  There were only nine of us, but for 10 weeks we lived in close quarters, spent almost every moment together thus becoming close, quickly.  One of the girls in the group was getting married this weekend...in Great Falls...so off we drove...

We left Saturday afternoon....Harley had a puppy sleepover at our friends John and Ann's house...he was exhausted last night...evidence that he had a GREAT time....thanks you two for watching him!

It takes close to three hours to get there...I love getting in the car with Ryan and embarking on an adventure...some of the best memories I have of our relationship in its earlier years are of packing the car, driving and enjoying the wind in our hair...I'm so thankful this ultimately hasn't changed...after Ryan was injured there were times that packing the car was not enjoyable.  We had so much more stuff to pack, there was figuring out where we could/couldn't stay and there was the actual job of packing the car.  Wasn't that a boy job?  I did not love that it was now largely my responsibility...it was a job I wanted to give back to Ryan and one he desperately wanted to TAKE back.  So fast forward to the current road trip adventures...we've learned how to pack light and pack fast.  We know we can make any overnight accommodations work, whether or not they're ideal and I no longer mind packing the car.  In fact, packing the car clicks well with my self diagnosed OCD...I can fit all the bags in just the right spots...and packing the car makes me feel tough...girls CAN definitely do boy jobs.  I'm sure Ryan would love to re-assume his old responsibilities, but he makes the best of things and always finds ways to help out when we're getting ready to embark on an adventure...I think we're a damn good team.

Back to Great Falls...the wedding was lovely...short and sweet but lovely all the same...it was fabulous to see a dear friend on her special day...we said our goodbyes after a few hours, checked into our hotel and headed to a much recommended Great Falls hot spot.....The Sip and Dip....what a hilarious place....we sidled up to the bar, ordered up a cocktail and tried to contain our excitement...we were about to see our first, real life mermaid!  Yes, I said it MERMAID!  The wall behind the bar has two large windows that look into a pool...a beautiful mermaid swims past the window, swims through hoops, waves, smiles and poses for pictures...if ANY of you are EVER in Great Falls, MT I highly recommend checking this venue out...if the mermaid wasn't enough, our ears were entertained by the likes of "Piano Pat"....a lovely old gal singing her heart out as her fingers tap dance across the keys of her organ.

Needless to say, we had a great time on our 24 hour adventure....we made it back home, collected our doggie and ended up on the couch...no we are not old, but we don't bounce back like we used to...we watched a fun/heartwarming flick, Legendary, had a miss mash dinner and turned in early.

Thanks for reading, have a great week and enjoy the photos!


The Mermaid!



Knowing no one but the bride, we entertained ourselves with the infamous iPhone.

  

Kind of a hunky chauffeur...



So much to sniff....so little time...

You called?



Quite the trailblazer at the dog park.