Montana Itinerary - Yellowstone, Bozeman, Livingston

I couldn't resist when I saw the news that Avelo Air was going to have $19 flights to it's destinations. I've always wanted to visit Yellowstone and Montana, so we booked a five day trip to Montana. I've had a ton of people ask for my itinerary, so here it is: 

For reference, we went to Montana the first week of May which is technically considered off season. I took my two teens ages 15 & 17.  

Air: 

Avelo was a DREAM! All in $210 for our trip with taxes and fees.  $70 per person for a round trip ticket from LA (Burbank) to Bozeman, MT! We took off and landed on time, maybe even a few minutes early. Yes, it's no frills and you pay for anything extra. We checked two bags $10 each and all three of us had a backpack that we carried on as our personal item. We paid to upgrade our seats for more legroom and sat behind the exit row.   If you are looking to trim the budget, we could have skipped the seat upgrade because it's a short flight. Checking bags was easy and since you are taking off and landing at a small airport, it doesn't add that much time.  You do get a small snack on the flight and every single staff member was so nice.  We took off on the fourth day Avelo had been flying and the excitement of the staff was contagious. I've already booked two more Avelo flights for the summer. I'm a HUGE fan and very excited about this airline.

Car Rental: 

We used Hotwire and since we were meeting my brother and nephews, I opted to rent a Suburban. It was $377 for 6 days, which considering the rental car shortage was a bargain.  When we arrived at Bozeman Airport, we were off the plane and in our rental car in 30 minutes with our checked bags.  They gave us an upgrade to an Infinity QX 80, it was roomy and easy to drive. I'm putting this car on my wishlist.     

Lodging:  

I highly suggest staying in Livingston, it's cute as a button and easy to access everything. There is a Marriott Fairfield Inn or a ton of Air BnB's. I originally booked The Yellowstone Valley Lodge, but my brother ended up joining us so we stayed at a house in Livingston.  Or I would suggest staying at Chico Hot Springs, if you want more of a resort vibe.  

Things to do:  

Day 1:   Landed in Bozeman at noon.  Went to Burger Bob's (get the Huckleberry Shake and the Cowboy Bob Burger, trust me)  and strolled around downtown Bozeman. Drove to Livingston and got settled, cooked dinner and had a campfire. The house we stayed at had a firepit and that was something the kids loved. 

Day 2:   I wasn't feeling great, so we kept it low key.  We went to downtown Livingston in the afternoon and strolled around.  There was a bookstore that was over 100 years old.  The town has amazing Neon signs on Main Street and a rich railroad history.   We got drinks and appetizers at Katabatic Brewing, my kids loved the homebrewed Root Beer. Just be aware that most stores close at 5pm and restuarants close at 8pm.  

Day 3:  Went to Chico Hot Springs Resort.  The drive through the Paradise Valley was unreal and beauty was everywhere. Next time I will do the horseback ride.  Loved lounging in the Hot Springs ($8.50 a person for a day pass) and went to the Poolside Cafe for lunch. I would definitely consider staying here next time. 

Day 4: Yellowstone!  We left Livingston about 8am and drove 40 minutes to the Yellowstone North Gate. Must stop at:  Mammoth Hot Springs, Grand Prismatic Springs, and of course Old Faithful. The Lamar Valley is beautiful and that was where we saw the most wildlife. Unfortunately, we were two weeks too early and a lot of the roads were closed so we didn't get to see all of it. You could spend two days in Yellowstone easily. Hot Tip:  If you see a group of cars pulled over, pull over.. there is probably some wildlife. We got to see a wolf den through people's scopes! We left Yellowstone around 7pm. We brought a picnic lunch and tried to eat dinner in the town of Gardiner just outside the gate, but it was crowded and the food had mediocre reviews.  We drove 40 minutes back to Livingston for dinner and I'm so glad we did that.

Day 5:  Back to Bozeman (30-35 minutes from Livingston), for another walk down Main Street. My kids loved Bozeman so much. We ate lunch and hit the Museum of the Rockies. ($9.50-13.50 a person) The museum was super interesting, they had a planetarium show, and during the summer they have a living museum outside.  The highlight is the giant T-Rex, this is definitely a dinosaur heavy museum. My teens enjoyed it and they are not normally museum people.

On the way back we hit the Montana Grizzly Experience. ($9 per person) I was worried this would be a little bit of a Joe Exotic style zoo with rotten food, but was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness and well cared for bears.  There is only one bear out a time and it has a bit of a zoo feel, but how often are my city slicker kids going to see a bear up close?  You'll spend 30-40 minutes tops at this stop right off the highway. 

Day 6:  Fly home! Vow to return... Montana's scenery was breathtaking around every corner. 

We could have shaved off a day and or added another day.  My kids loved just lounging around the house with their cousins, we were right on a river.  They rode dirt bikes, chopped wood, built campfires, set up hammocks, and practiced driving on the dirt roads.

Here are some other musts in Livingston, MT:  

Matt's Butcher Shop - A real butcher shop and the best place to get meat.  Definitely get a sandwich on the sourdough bread and order a pizza while you are there. So good!   If you have a grill... get any of the meat, the Bison Steaks were so tender, the Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage is out of this world. We actually stashed frozen meat from his shop in our carry on to take home to LA.

Dairy Queen - When in a small town, this is a great place to check out the local scene. 

Drive through the Paradise Valley, take Old River Road over Carter's Bridge instead of Highway 89. 

Drive down Main Street Livingston at night to see the Neon all lit up.   

River Rafting would be so fun, it was too early in the season and the weather was chilly, but we will do that next time. 

A time capsule 4/4/20

Today April 4th, 2020, we enter the 20th day of Quarantine.  Twenty days without hugging our friends or attending school.   Twenty days without our kids hanging out with friends. 

I stood in line outside Target to wait to go in the store, wearing a mask and gloves.  I thought I had selected the curbside delivery, turns out I didn't, I would have to go into the store to grab it from the pick up desk.  Only so many people are allowed in the store at ones time.  I went in and got our things prebagged, anxious to get back outside.  The store, although cleaner than ever felt icky.  Everything feels germy and my germaphobe tendacies are in hyperdrive. 

Back in the car, I loaded in the groceries.   Removed my gloves, threw them in a trash can in my car, sanitized my hands, finally removed the suffocating mask, and took a Clorox wipe to the door handle of the car and my wallet and the outside of my purse.   The parking lot is littered with used rubber gloves. 

At home, I run on the underused treadmill.  Running for ten minutes gives me about an hour of clarity and focus upon which I could work.    My brain is full of swirling thoughts but mostly, "Am I doing enough to keep my family safe?"  and "How can I make this better for my teens?"   

My work as an accountant has exploded as small businesses scramble for loans and stimulus loans to help keep them afloat.  I'm worried about them and work hard to get the information they need, simultaneously feeling guilty for ignoring my children or pleading to them to please just leave me alone.   AK especially demands my attention often, her life has changed the most.  Mr. Boy still has homeschool and Mr. Man has been working from home for more than a year.  

I don't feel like I have more time...  however we have played more games and watched more family movies than we ever have.   Having family dinner together every night is a bonus and I treasure it.  

We have a menu of meals to pick from that we have all the ingredients for, because I dread a trip to the grocery store.   Everyone gets a vote on Sunday for a meal and I realize I have changed forever how I will grocery shop.  I was being wildly inefficient before. 

Our life is divided into parts.... the Before... before the schools closed.  Before the grocery stores had limited stock.  Before when we could see plays. 

I fully acknowledge there is a mourning  taking place right now... the Present.  We mourn the full calendar with Baseball, Ballet, and fun social outings.  Dodger and Hamilton tickets that will be unused.   I worry a lot, but less today than the first two weeks.  I did not sleep the first week and stared at the ceiling feeling inadequate to live through this "unprecedented time".   I am not old enough in my mind to be the responsible adult who will help navigate my family through this.  The odd cure for my insomnia... is a show called "The Tiger King" where there are not enough t-shirts, limbs, or teeth to go around the characters of this real life show.    Here in the present, there is SO much good.  People helping people.  People and companies sewing face masks. People shopping for other people.  CEOs foregoing their salary. 

I'm looking forward to the After... I took so much for granted.  I don't know what the after looks like, do we wear mask every time we are out?   I can't wait to host a party.  I can't wait to sit in a restaurant and browse a store.  There are things I started now during the present I won't change.  Cloth Napkins at dinner will stay, I was saving them for a fancy occasion, but I love using them daily.  I won't grocery shop 3 times a week.  Once a week or once every two weeks is fine as long as you are organized.  There is so much food waste when you don't plan.  Clean windows make the house feel better, even though it's a job I loathe it's been a mood booster.  We pay a lot of money to live in LA especially with the hills behind us.   Hiking behind my house has been my saving grace and I'll continue to do so during the after.   I'll see you all again in the after.   

The Sudden Homeschooler

With schools closing everywhere due to Covid-19 (Coronavirus) many of us might find ourselves homeschooling or virtual schooling.  I found myself a sudden homeschool mom three years ago.  Is it the path I would have chosen?  Nope, but here we are and we have made the best of it. 

My kids are older, 14 and 16, but we have been Mom-schooling every summer since they were in pre-school.  

Here are my best tips:

-Some families thrive on schedules, some thrive on a checklist, and some thrive on more of a loose “block type” schedule.  (Mornings are school, afternoons for play.)  Know your kids and do what works for you.  My kids work best with a checklist they have to complete before they can have screen time.

-Workbooks are great, but kids learn by playing too.   Legos build fine motor skills and spatial awareness.  Minecraft is teaching geometry and budgeting.   Don’t stress if your kids are playing, they are developing their brains.

-Boredom stimulates creative centers in the brain.  So, if they get bored it’s stimulating their brain!

-Physical exercise and fresh air makes everyone happier.   The best cure for the witching hour has been playing outside.   My kids loved scavenger hunt walks, I’ll give them a clipboard and they have to find a flower/plant that is every color of the rainbow.   Or look for different types of cars.  

-Cooking together teaches math. However, most nights I’m panicked making dinner in a rush, so I don’t have time to let them help.   I’ve made little Tupperware containers with army guys hidden in flour for them to play in on a cookie sheet.   Or given them a tray of salt or flour for them to draw in.   Yep, it makes a mess, but the vacuum cleans it all up.

-Leave out a long term craft or a puzzle.   During the summer we have a weekly craft theme.  We have used the back of wrapping paper to make a huge mural.  We have a week of watercolors, or paint by number.   We have had clay and even play doh (not my favorite, but they loved it).   We paint rocks or on a sunny day, paint with water on the sidewalks.  My kids will tell you their favorite was painting our own tattoos via watercolors. 

-Reading aloud is good for everyone.  I still read aloud to my kids.  They will say they hate it, but they talk about the books that we have read aloud and will suggest reading another chapter.   “I wonder what happens in the next chapter.”  We have loved reading The Wind in the Willows, The One and Only Ivan, Farmer Boy,  Henry and Beezus, & Harry Potter.   I usually just pick up a book and start reading a chapter outloud after dinner and usually they end up lounging around and listening. 

At the end of the day if all you did was make sure your kids didn’t kill each other and they watched hours of Netflix, no worries, you are doing a great job.  I stressed out so much those first few months of homeschooling only to realize, kids are always learning, and learning opportunities present themselves all the time.   If you are only virtual schooling or homeschooling a few months, chances are these few months aren’t going to what determines if they go to Harvard or not, so just lean into it and enjoy it.   Time is fleeting and tomorrow is never promised, so enjoy today.  

Cheaters never prosper, or so they say

It's no secret, we are Dodger Fans.  We are raising the third generation of Dodger fans in our house and I practically sold a kidney to pay for Dodger World Series tickets for my husband and son to attend the World Series games.   However, I'm not a baseball fanatic, I rarely sit and watch an entire game, but my 16 year old son is an avid fan.  He is outraged over the cheating scandal and while I'm shuttling him to the ballfield and to school this is a topic of conversation that has dominated our time together. 

I'm mad too and when he said, "The worst part is there is nothing I can do. The Astros cheated and they are still winners."  I knew I had to show him, you can always do something about it. When there is an injustice, we can take action and make our voice heard.

So here is my letter that I sent to the Commissioner of the MLB. (Major League Baseball)   

Rob Manfred

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball                                                         
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY, 10020

Mr. Manfred,

As I sit here on the uncomfortable bleachers at the Little League Ballfield and watch the next generation of MLB players and fans practice the game they love, I can’t help but feel like somehow, we have lost our way.   We need to chat, not as MLB fan to MLB commissioner, but parent to parent. 

I’m sure you remember what it was like raising your four children.  Shuttling them from their various activities, sitting through games and recitals.  Most of our kids don’t end up being professional ballerinas, piano players, or even baseball players.  We pay the fees, spend our free time on the sidelines, drive them around, and then drive them some more.   But why?   If they aren’t going to end up doing it for a living, why do we do it? 

We do it to teach our kids discipline, hard work, and to put forth a good effort.  They are learning to manage their time, to follow the rules, that practice makes a difference, and most important that cheaters never prosper.  

These kids here on today’s ballfield, they are watching you, watching the MLB teams, and learning a big lesson.  Cheating is worth it. 

They are watching the Houston Astros issue an apology with no sacrifice behind it.  The Astros cheated, they admit it, but they still hold the World Series title.  They still have their rings and the World Series Flag still flies at Minute Maid Park.  They received their bonuses and cashed those checks.   Jose Altuve still holds the MVP title and has admitted cheating.  The message the MLB sent was loud and clear, “Cheaters Win.” You can cheat to win the World Series and the MLB will give your team a fine and take away your draft picks.  Don’t worry, you’ll still retain the title of winner.  You can cheat, but you are still a winner.

I’m feeling a little defeated as a parent.  I’m spending hours of my life trying to raise a baseball player who is skilled and talented so he can live his MLB dream.  With the recent events, I’m not sure it’s worth it.  The cheaters are just going to be the ones who win.  

I hope as you sit in your office you can remember that there are millions of kids out there playing baseball in the US, many of them who have MLB dreams.   They are watching you, watching this scandal unfold and learning from it.  The choices you make are impacting not just the league but the next generation.   I think our kids deserve to play in a society where cheaters never prosper, and I think you want the same for your kids and your family’s future generations.  You have a real opportunity to send a message that cheaters are not winners and I hope you will take it. 

Sincerely,

Wendy 

Parent of an MLB hopeful

April Fools' Round Up

April Fools' Day is one of the traditions that I reluctantly embraced, but my kids love it.   They talk about it for weeks leading up to it, so the pressure is on!   My rules are that the joke doesn't make a mess, put anyone in harm, and is easily remedied.

Some of my favorites are:  

Meatloaf cake with potato frosting (I used carrot shavings to look like sprinkles.)

I didn't take a picture, but the look of horror on their faces when they took their first bite was priceless.  It wasn't that it tasted terrible, it just wasn't sweet like they expected.     

Congrats you're going to Chore Camp!  Your kids will be so thrilled to learn they are going to sleepaway camp this summer and that it is chore themed!  My favorite part is the quote on the brochure from Teddy, Age 10.  "My favorite part of camp was when we got to clean up the mess that the kids in the other camp made while making s'mores."  

You can download the letter and the brochure from my original post here. 

Last year I "Slashed" my husband's tires.    I left a note on the counter before I left in the morning "Someone slashed your tires last night, already called the authorities."   Then he walked outside to find pictures of the Rock Star Slash on his tires.   

I've frozen the kids cereal bowls and they still talk about the year that I made Red Jello in cups and after it set up, I handed it to them as juice, complete with a straw.

This year I'm doing Cake Pops that are really Brussel Sprouts dipped in White Chocolate.   Hoping they turn out! 

St. Patrick's Day - Cabbage Baseball

I love a good holiday, any excuse to do something out of the ordinary. We traditionally have Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick's Day and get Shamrock Shakes for a snack. 

However, our new favorite tradition is playing Cabbage Baseball.  

It's super easy, buy a bunch of cheap heads of cabbage, grab a bat and smash away.  The kids especially think this is the funnest thing ever, and lucky for us we have a grateful clean up crew. 

  

Tender Mercies: Chick-Fil-A

An excerpt from a talk I gave at church: 

We are getting a Chick-Fil-A!   It's the most exciting news, isn't it?  Finally, one will be opening up within a mile from my house.  We won't have to fight LA traffic to get to our favorite restaurant.

In case you haven’t heard of Chick-Fil-A, it is a made to order Fast Food restaurant, that doesn’t serve beef and serves a variety of chicken dishes.  It’s delicious and it is a favorite of our family, but there aren’t any locations close by that make it convenient to go for dinner.  (Curse you LA Traffic!) 

Today, my entire talk is about Chick-Fil-A.  Bear with me I have a point. 

About three years ago, my son started getting  regular treatments at Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA Medical Center and has been facing some difficult health challenges.   Those appointments are no fun and our anxiety level is often really high.  I read in a book that when an activity is filled with dread, you should pair it with something fun.    I can’t remember if it was our first appointment or second appointment that we noticed that there was a Chick-Fil-A right by Hospital, within walking distance.  So we started a tradition of going there after every appointment or going there for lunch in the middle of our day at UCLA.   It’s a treat that we look forward to.  No matter what the day brings us at the hospital, at least we can look forward to going for a short walk outside of the hospital and eating at one of our favorite places. We often find that we can bribe even the most strict nurse with the promise of Lemonade or Sweet Tea!

I noticed on our first visit that the cashier glanced at my son’s telltale laboratory band aid and there was a milkshake on our tray that we had not ordered, and there was  a note of “Feel Better” on our receipt.   I think it probably becomes very obvious to the workers at this particular Chick Fil A, who is a UCLA student and who is a patient at the neighboring medical center.  I’ve gotten very good at identifying who are the other parents of these warrior children who fight childhood illnesses.   I could pick out the mom of a sick child out of a police lineup.  It’s one of my talents that I would gladly trade for the ability to sing on key.

A few months into our new routine of receiving treatment and visiting Chick Fil A, I got an email asking if I wanted to be on the Chick-Fil-A's Mom's Panel.  I have never written about Chick-Fil-A on my blog and I have no idea why Chick-Fil-A picked me.  How did they know I had an undying love of Chick-Fil-A? 

Every so often I would receive an envelope with gift cards to eat at Chick-Fil-A.  From that point forward, our meals at Chick-Fil-A became more affordable.

About a year into our treatments, we were eating lunch at Chick-Fil-A and noticed they were running a contest.  So on a whim, we entered and we won!  We won 250 free milkshake coupons.   As someone who never wins, I couldn’t believe it.  We were presented with a giant stack of coupons.

So over the next two years, everybody we met with during our visits to UCLA, from the person at the check in desk, the nurses, the lab tech, all received coupons for Chick-Fil-A milkshakes.  

Then during our lunchtime visits to Chick-Fil-A, we would pick out one or two people who looked like they could use an act of kindness and give them a free milkshake coupon.  For me, it is the highlight of what was usually a challenging day.

Why would I devote most of my talk to talking about Chick-Fil-A?   Because Chick-Fil-A has been an unexpected blessing in my life during a really hard trial.  It is an example of God’s love for me and a testament of God’s tender mercies.  Chick-Fil-A is my tender mercy and I know that God knows me and has provided this blessing in my life. 

My experience with Chick Fil A has blessed me in the following ways: 

-A cheap lunch that helps me feel better about the outrageous parking fee and the stack of medical bills that accompany each appointment.

-The ability to brighten those that help us during our visits.  I love hearing the staff whisper “Here comes Miss  Chick-Fil-A” when we walk in to check in.  People are eager to help us. 

-It’s been so fun to scan the restaurant to see all those faces of the other customers to find the person who we should give a random act of kindness to. 

 -Chick-Fil-A has brought me relief from the trial we are facing and has been a bright spot that has helped me cope.   

I like to think Tender Mercies are kind of like little love notes from God.  Kind of like when you find a love note in your lunch.  They are reminders that he is there and no matter how tough the challenge, he loves us.  Could we all look back on a challenging time and recognize the tender mercies God blessed us with during the trial?   

When my son was first starting to have health challenges, we were told from the beginning that this would be a long trial.  I sought out a distant cousin who was facing a similar trial and she told me, “It’s hard, the appointments get overwhelming, but keep your eye out for the tender mercies and blessings you will receive.  It doesn’t make the trial worth it, but it helps to realize, you aren’t alone, God is aware of your trials.”  I took her words to heart, and God decided to show his love to me via a restaurant named Chick-Fil-A.