After camp ended for the summer we were blessed to be invited to use the cabin of some camp friends, the
Berglands. This is the cabin where we stayed located across the road from
Seeley Lake, just about 90 miles from here between the Mission and Swan Mountain ranges. I have to say it was a very challenging family vacation. The cabin and location were perfect, but the girls were irritable,
whiny, and uncooperative. Had Jedd and I started this mini-vacation with a 24 hour deep sleep, things would have gone much better, I'm sure. But since we were both exhausted/sleep deprived after a long summer of camp, pregnancy, and the wonderful week prior with siblings and cousins, we weren't able to give the girls all they needed. Although, I will say we tried our best. There were many attempts to resurrect this vacation, and finally by Friday, the girls were in very good spirits. But the vacation started Monday night and we came home Friday. I know they were experiencing their own feelings having said goodbye to their beloved camp counselors, their cherished cousins, and anticipating baby as well as kindergarten. So, the pictures below demonstrate that we did some cool things and had some good times, but it was not easy. The picture below shows where Jedd and Mara put in the canoe and then canoed down the river into
Seeley Lake, taking out just across from the cabin where we stayed.
This picture is dark but you can still see inside the adorable cabin. Within the first 20 minutes of arrival,
Sonna fell off the ladder from 5 feet. Oh, this child takes MAJOR falls at least once a year and we thank God that she has been okay
every time.
The girls helped Jedd prepare the fire in the wood stove each night so it was all ready to be set in the chilly morning. The temp was in the mid to upper 40s early morning and reached 90 degrees by the afternoon.
We were pretty impressed with our minivan for making the drive up to this lookout. We just hiked the last 1/3 mile to reach the top.
We spent the warm afternoons swimming in
Seeley Lake, playing in the sand (we have rocky beaches on Flathead Lake so the sand was extra fun), and reading in the shade.
Check out
Sonna's new shoes. She picked them out at
Payless and I knew they were '
Sonna Shoes' even though the sales lady showed
Sonna a different pair and said, "These have been very popular this year". I took this picture on a one mile hike during which
Sonna cried and moaned the majority of the way saying, "
Uppy". (Pick me up). I figured it kept the bears away. We were seriously in bear and mountain lion country in the national forest and didn't have bear spray so I was mildly comforted by her noise. *Mildly*
This is the tallest Tamarack/Larch tree in the country. It is over 1,000 years old, 153 feet tall (taller than the Statue of Liberty) and has survived over 40 forest fires. Can you see Mara and
Sonna at the bottom?
Mara took this picture of us.
Mara in full, intense action at the local school playground. The wise woman at the Visitor's Center recommended the playground to us. She must have seen my fatigue because she recommended that I bring a chair and a good book. :)
Jedd enjoying
Sonna. We got ice cream everyday. Ice cream makes most things a bit better.
If you look closely, the sign says Deer
Xing Next 53 miles. The road is also known as Meat Highway. When I drove it in May on my way back from Great Falls after returning all my office equipment to Planned
Parenthood, I stopped counting deer around 40. The deer seriously stood in the middle of the highway and stared at me in my minivan.
Our camping spot for next season. This is Holland Lake. It was so spectacular. We stopped to check it out on our drive home. We also stopped at a favorite restaurant, Echo Lake Cafe, for brunch. It was a good day Friday.
Mara and Mom.
After camp ended for the summer we were blessed to be invited to use the cabin of some camp friends, the Berglands. This is the cabin where we stayed located across the road from Seeley Lake, just about 90 miles from here between the Mission and Swan Mountain ranges. I have to say it was a very challenging family vacation. The cabin and location were perfect, but the girls were irritable, whiny, and uncooperative. Had Jedd and I started this mini-vacation with a 24 hour deep sleep, things would have gone much better, I'm sure. But since we were both exhausted/sleep deprived after a long summer of camp, pregnancy, and the wonderful week prior with siblings and cousins, we weren't able to give the girls all they needed. Although, I will say we tried our best. There were many attempts to resurrect this vacation, and finally by Friday, the girls were in very good spirits. But the vacation started Monday night and we came home Friday. I know they were experiencing their own feelings having said goodbye to their beloved camp counselors, their cherished cousins, and anticipating baby as well as kindergarten. So, the pictures below demonstrate that we did some cool things and had some good times, but it was not easy. The picture below shows where Jedd and Mara put in the canoe and then canoed down the river into Seeley Lake, taking out just across from the cabin where we stayed. 
This picture is dark but you can still see inside the adorable cabin. Within the first 20 minutes of arrival, Sonna fell off the ladder from 5 feet. Oh, this child takes MAJOR falls at least once a year and we thank God that she has been okay every time. 
The girls helped Jedd prepare the fire in the wood stove each night so it was all ready to be set in the chilly morning. The temp was in the mid to upper 40s early morning and reached 90 degrees by the afternoon.
We spent the warm afternoons swimming in Seeley Lake, playing in the sand (we have rocky beaches on Flathead Lake so the sand was extra fun), and reading in the shade.
This is the tallest Tamarack/Larch tree in the country. It is over 1,000 years old, 153 feet tall (taller than the Statue of Liberty) and has survived over 40 forest fires. Can you see Mara and Sonna at the bottom?
Mara took this picture of us.
Mara in full, intense action at the local school playground. The wise woman at the Visitor's Center recommended the playground to us. She must have seen my fatigue because she recommended that I bring a chair and a good book. :)
Jedd enjoying Sonna. We got ice cream everyday. Ice cream makes most things a bit better. 
If you look closely, the sign says Deer Xing Next 53 miles. The road is also known as Meat Highway. When I drove it in May on my way back from Great Falls after returning all my office equipment to Planned Parenthood, I stopped counting deer around 40. The deer seriously stood in the middle of the highway and stared at me in my minivan.
Our camping spot for next season. This is Holland Lake. It was so spectacular. We stopped to check it out on our drive home. We also stopped at a favorite restaurant, Echo Lake Cafe, for brunch. It was a good day Friday.
Mara and Mom.
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