MONTANA

A few weeks ago we had the amazing opportunity to leave our beloved children behind and travel up to Bozeman for Mikey and Jana's wedding(that's them in the cowboy hats). Sounds easy enough, but let me tell you, it was a huge task, but well worth the effort.

First, we thought we were going up there for the wedding weekend with both munchkins. Then someonehad the brilliant idea to have my mom come out here and stay with Holden and we would bring Everett with us. I am still nursing and plan to make it to a year with him and we didn't really see another option.

Then as the wedding got closer and the dreams of free time away....to go to the bathroom alone, take a shower alone, to eat a meal in relative peace (well, there was that night Pete was serenading the hot dog with Neil Diamond songs, but that was pretty funny),to fly while reading a book and enjoying a cocktail, to go out without the worry of being awoken at 5 am, to spend time with friends who I feel like I haven't seen in three years since kids began arriving on my doorstep all started to sound irresistible.

So I investigated renting a breast pump, buying the parts, and buying a hand held (because I wasn't going to plug in that big bad boy in public while we traveled:) and the price was right. Well, really any price would have been right because the four days alone on vacation with my husband and friends was well worth every penny. Everett got tough on the Enfamil while we were gone...I WAS DEFINITELY NOT going to pump enough for the whole vacation. That whole activity is rotten and I don't know how people do it all the time.

Wait, I am getting ahead of myself, I was way too excited before even asking my mom if she felt up to this challenge. I was terrified to call her because I could already taste the freedom and I truly was not sure if she would want to take care of both kids, by herself for four days. Well, we lucked out and she jumped at the chance and wasn't scared a bit, except she says, for the sleep loss!

So Mimi hit Denver around 11 and Ian and I left her around 3. It felt good, really really really good. Being so far away from most of our families we do not have much away from our children. No sleepovers with grandparents, nights off to go out, even just a few hours to see a movie. Well, unless we pay the babysitter, which really starts to add up on top of the money we pay to do things. Anyway, bottom line is we felt so relaxed because we knew the kids were in good hands. I was even excited standing in line at security, because I didn't have Everett strapped to my chest banging his feet into my stomach and screaming happy yelps, while Holden was yelling for juice boxes and demanding lollipops (oh yeah, she still plays the lollipop game...and she still doesn't like them!). Worrying about getting all of our shoes off, and all the liquids, formula and baby food on display, keeping track of purple baby, and folding up the stroller, which is always fun while holding two kids and five bags.

We arrived in Montana to beautiful weather. Mikey and Jana hosted a barbecue at their house overlooking all of the mountains.



The next day Mikey took us all out for target practice. We were in the middle of nowhere and shooting all different kinds of guns and drinking beer. Ha Ha I don't think I ever even saw a gun in person before that day, but of course I had to try too!

The rehearsal dinner was quite an experience. We have all sat through the ho hum speeches and if we get lucky one or two actually turn out funny and heartfelt. This is a whole other league! Mikey's family is a big bunch of entertainers. Casey and his sister did a hysterical rendition of Casey at the Bat. Mikey's aunt and the other in-laws gave Jana a test and admitted her into their group called the "out-laws," Jana's Texas friends wrote and performed a Mikey and Jana song to the tune of "Deep in the Heart of Texas," and it just went on from there. For about an hour we sat back and laughed at the great stories and speeches.
Notice all the guys and their handlebar mustaches? They get all worked up around weddings and have to look as ridiculous as possible.


The morning of the wedding we all (except for Ian and Pete who were in the wedding) went on a short but quiet and peaceful float rip down the Yellowstone River. We tied the tubes together and Relaxed with a capital R. Onto the wedding in an amazing log cabin feeling place. Great live band with lots of country music, lots of cowboy hats, and lots of great dancing,


Now I don't want you to think it was all fun zone and no thought to my poor mother and children. I thought of them fondly while I sat alone in my bedroom pumping and watching HGTV 5 times a day. It was most fun at 1 or 2 am when I was kinda drunk-haha. I also called to check in about 6 times a day. I just wanted to be sure my mom wasn't loosing her marbles...I know my kids, I know what they do to me when I am alone and Ian is out of town for a few days. But they were fine. Still waking up at 5 am, but they seem to be early birds these days for me too. Luckily, Courtney came by to help with dinner and bedtime one night and Amy stopped by to take Holden to the playground on Saturday. AND Mimi survived.

We were super excited to come home and see their smiling faces. Mimi did an awesome job and we may have to hire her again. We had a wonderful get away, I got to remember who I was again. Ian laughed at me all weekend as he caught glimpses of the "old" me. I am just very glad to know she is still in there and can come out for a visit once in a while.