"Fill regular, please."

Oh how I miss saying those words!

In Montana we have to pump our own gas. I have never done this before, and today I managed to pump my own gas without any help, and it didn't start out so good. I went to a gas station that I hadn't been to before, and at most gas stations they have really good instructions on what to do, but no such luck at this one. When I got to the part where it tells you to select the type of gas, I couldn't figure out what to push and no matter what I did it wouldn't give me any gas. It eventually got sick of me and spit out a receipt that had a $0.00 amount. And I left very humiliated, thankfully there was no one around! So I headed down the road to a gas station I had been to, where my dad had helped me a few weeks ago, I knew they had good directions. And my attempt was successful! Although the day was very warm and sunny, I couldn't help but think about having to do this in the middle of winter when it is 20-below-0 outside. That is something I am so not looking forward to.

(The picture is actually of Hubs's little sister Brooke pumping gas for the first time (I think?) when she was living in Utah going to BYU.)

Mt. Helena

Well we decided to take a hike up Mt. Helena on Saturday because it was the only day of the holiday weekend that it was supposed to be nice weather, and the weather man was right. The hiking trail was very nice, just really steep. But we made it to the top and boy was it worth it. On one side you can see a national forest and the other side you see beautiful Helena. And it has been raining a lot so it was really green. There are about 10 different trails that run up and down the mountain,and I think that we will try to at least get a few others in this summer.


We are really enjoying Helena, although I am ready to explore more of Montana. I am feeling a little stir-crazy because we haven't left the little town of Helena in two weeks. It has taken us more than two weeks to eat up our tank of gas. The only places we drive to are work, church and the grocery store, we live really close to downtown and we walk down there almost everyday. We are going to drive the 3 hours to Billings next weekend and go to the Temple and then do some shopping because there isn't much of it in Helena. But all-in-all we really like it here.

Well here are some more pictures of our hike...

My HOT husband!!



Helena



The Sleeping Giant

(This isn't the best picture but if you look closely at the mountain in the middle of the picture with the snow on it is the belly of the giant and to the right of that is his head and the outline of his nose and mouth, therefore everyone calls it "the sleeping giant".)

Taking one for the team, although Hubs thought that it was a publicity stunt.
(I did carry the pack for awhile.)

Part of the trail.

Off the beatin' path.

This chipmunk was running in circles around us, he didn't seem to be too scared of us. He probably thought we would leave him some food, no such luck though.

The National Forest behind us.

Helena behind us.

Silly Faces

This is from the little goodbye party that my sister-in-law Shannon gave us. These kids are the best. We will miss them so much. I am mostly bummed about missing Hallie and McKenna's baptisms this summer, and not getting to see our newest nephew, Gavin grow up, like we have all the rest of these cute kids. We love you guys, and don't grow up too fast before we get to see you again!

Hills or Mountains?

Well, it has been raining and cold here in Helena for the last couple of days. There was snow in the "hills" surrounding Helena, and while I was driving Hubs to work, I was commenting on the snow in the "hills" and Hubs had to correct me. He had to remind me that they are mountains, although they may be the size of what we call hills in Oregon, they are mountains! Well the elevation here in Helena is 4300 ft (Tigard elev. is 160 ft). So Helena is the top of the mountains and the hills are the very top of the mountains. I am used to seeing a mountain (Mt Hood) in the distance. But now I know better than to call the surrounding mountains, "hills".

Cars & Prison

When my parents were here we drove to a little town called Deer Lodge to visit a car museum. My dad loves cars and ownes a 1931 Ford Model A, so it was our plan to take him here when they were here with us. The car museum is also in the same facility that the old Montana State Prison used to be, of which they have now made into a museum also. So we checked them both out.

Who do you think the boss is around here!

This room was only a tiny part of the car museum. My dad could name off almost all of them with out looking at the information cards.

Hubs's dream to have a truck almost just like this someday.

Ok, so this is going to show you what a tom-boy I was when I was little. When I was a little girl I wanted a car just like this (Pontiac Trans Am Firebird) only black with a gold firebird on the hood. I thought that it was the coolest looking car, glad I grew out of that phase.

Hubs made a new friend!

Our Montana Home

Welcome to our humble abode! We are really liking it here. Alot more then I originally thought I would. I really like our little place too, except for the no dishwasher part, but I am managing somehow. Here are a few pictures of where we are living...

The front.

Living room

Kitchen

The eternal hallway.

Our teeny bathroom, although this picture makes it look huge. (The bathroom in our last place was probably 4 times as big.)

Our street.

Our street is beautiful with alot of old houses. We actually live close to the historical district neighborhoods. The trees that line the street just barely got their leaves the week after we moved here. There isnt much for flowers here but there are a ton of lilac bushes, so the air smells so good.

Out our front door...

Mother's Day

My parents loved my front porch, I think that they were missing their porch on Thurston Rd.

Us at our new place!!

The neighborhood deer.

Helena has a huge deer problem. The deer just wander around town and eat all the plants. You see them wondering across the street downtown, laying down in peoples lawns, they are everywhere. These pictues were taken out our front door.

Retro

Our new place was built in the early 1900s I would guess, and so there are some interesting things in it that give it alot of character.

The ceiling light in the living room. (It has actually grow on me now)


The dining room light.

Hall light.

Kitchen light.

Our bedroom light.

Spare room light.

Our really cool glass doorhandles.


And the very old school bathroom sink. One faucet for hot and one for cold, no in between.

MISSING MYLISA!!

Mylisa's mother let us have her for the weekend before we moved. It was alot of fun having her for a few days, but really hard knowing that we wouldnt see her for a long time (if ever again).

Mylisa was her typical cute, fun, sweet, smart self! And she is talking like crazy. We are so going to miss her, everytime I think about her I get choked up. I also balled the entire 45 min drive back to her mom's place and I was crying so hard when I got there I couldnt even talk to her mother. And I made her mom cry too, she was very sweet.

Mylisa has been a huge blessing in our life. And we are very greatful for the opportunity we had to be a parent figure to her. We pray everyday that she may grow up to do good things in her life. And she will always be a part of our family no matter where she is.