Packing, and clothing in general, is always something I’ve struggled with. I am a notoriously bad over-packer, my usual go-to is to pack basically everything I own, since I never know what I’ll want to wear once I’m at my destination! The one thing I don’t struggle with packing though is accessories. Shoes, jewelry, etc, I usually know exactly what I want to bring, even if that means bringing 7 pairs of shoes for a 3 day trip. I am a firm believer in accessories making the outfit, those final touches can elevate your outfit to the next level! Therefore, when JORD watches sent me this gorgeous wooden watch, I immediately knew that it would be joining me on my upcoming trip to Montana with my husband.
This trip was to be our first multiple night trip away from the kids, and it was gloriously relaxing. We had a few people to meet up with in the evenings, but the mornings and afternoons were just the two of us, my best buddy and I, wandering hand in hand along the beautiful streets of Whitefish, Montana. We were alone together for the first time in nearly 8 years, with no agenda, nothing planned, and a brand new town to explore.
We arrived late Monday afternoon, after a long drive through mostly smoke infested highways, and went straight to our hotel (the Best Western) to check in. After we got cleaned up, we took the shuttle bus into town to find some dinner.
Wandering through the streets, hand in hand, we discussed where we should go for dinner. After one failed attempt where the wait would be over an hour, we decided to try this little restaurant on the corner called Latitude 48. Best decision ever. The food was amazing, and the service was fantastic. Even though we could tell it was busy, and had only managed to snag a table because someone had missed their reservation, we weren’t made to feel rushed in the least (despite the fact that we knew there was another reservation on that table after us). Our waiter was just the right mix of attentive and distant, he gave us our space, yet was always available if we needed anything. He was exceptionally informative and was able to answer all of our questions with ease. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal there, and will definitely go back if we are ever in the area again.
Following our dinner, J had this crazy never-before-done-by-us idea to pop into another restaurant, just to grab a little after dinner bite, or have something to sip on. We were in no rush to get back, so when we walked by this place that had a rooftop bar, in we went! The kitchen was about to close, and as we had just finished dinner and there was nothing especially appealing on an already full belly, we just ordered something to drink and sat and watched the sunset over the town, the nearby ski hill as a beautiful backdrop for the setting sun.
We wandered around for a little while longer, and then found a little bench to sit on while waiting for our shuttle back to the hotel. I feel like I should say we sat and discussed our hopes and dreams, but in reality, we mostly sat in silence, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze, my hand in his. We were content just being together, without any interruptions.
The next morning we ate breakfast while on the phone with our littles, saying good morning, discussing what we were all going to be doing that day, and answering all their questions about our hotel, what the town was like, and what we’d had for dinner the night before (these little details fascinate our kids, obviously they’ve traveled way too much! They know the drill well …!). After breakfast we went to the gym and worked out before heading into town to find a nice spot to sit and enjoy a coffee together while J caught up on some phone calls.
Someone had recommended we try Red Caboose Coffee + Frozen Yogurt, and as soon as we stepped inside we knew it was the right choice! The shop is adorable, the coffee is delicious, and they had a perfect little sitting area with couches and a fireplace and everything where we sat while J did his work. I took so many photos, and all I could think about was how much my kids would love it in there, and how we needed to come back one day with our littles so I could take them there.
After lunch we decided to take a drive around, see the sights, maybe go hang out at the beach for a bit. We drove up to the ski hill, had a look around, drove back down, checked out the super busy beach, and then headed down to Kalispell just to get a better look at the countryside. We got back in time to get dressed for dinner and go meet up with some friends to check out the local farmers market, where it was confirmed to us that apparently the entire town revolves around huckleberries!
We slept in like crazy the next day … apparently our bodies finally realized we had no kids to wake up for and caught us up on some much needed sleep! That afternoon we decided to walk from the hotel to downtown, about a 15 minute walk. It was beautiful, we ended up walking past this gorgeous clear river that I could barely resist diving into. The sun was hot, and the water was so inviting … I stood on the edge of the dock, debating with myself as to whether or not I should actually do it … in the end I decided not to, as I didn’t really want to walk all the way back to the hotel soaking wet!
That night there was a Dustin Lynch concert at the local county fair, and so we went, because why not! I had never really been to a concert before, and while the concert was great, I have to admit my favorite part was standing there with my hubby, his arms around me, swaying to the music together. It had been so long since we had last connected like that, normally we would have been interrupted by littles needing something, and to just be able to stand there, wrapped in his embrace with no distractions was perhaps my favorite part of our entire trip.
Truthfully, I learned a few things about life that week. One, I learned that we we’re doing a pretty darn good job at including our kids in pretty much everything, ie, there wasn’t much we did that trip that we couldn’t have done if our kids were there. Sure, it would have been a little harder, there would definitely have been more stress, and we probably wouldn’t have walked around as much as we did (because we would have gotten tired of listening to our kids go on and on about how tired and hot they were!), but we still could have, and would have, done basically the exact same things, albeit more loudly! The second thing I learned was that as much as I enjoyed the break, the quiet, I couldn’t wait to get home. They may drive me crazy and make me question my sanity, but in reality they are what keeps me sane. Did I enjoy being alone with my husband? Yes, more that I can ever say, but do I feel like we are missing out on certain parts of life because of having 4 kids? Nope, not one little bit.
Lastly, I learned that despite my perceived failings as a mom, my littles love me with a much deeper, more unfailing and unconditional love than I ever realized. The moment I was reunited with them I saw it written all over their faces, felt it in their embraces, heard it in their voices. They love staying at their Grandparents house, they have so much fun, and they were so excited to stay there, but the moment we walked in the door they dropped everything and ran to us. They wrapped their little arms around our necks as if they never wanted to let go. We are their world, and despite the hard times, the frustrating times, and the times of doubt, there is nowhere they’d rather be that with us, and nowhere we’d rather be than with them.
Our trip was amazing, so relaxing, and provided J and I a chance to enjoy being together, just the two of us again, and we loved it. We also loved the fact that we weren’t at all sad to come home, that coming home was every bit as wonderful as being away. It made me so thankful for our little family and how much we love each other and love being together.
Also, in case you were wondering , my JORD watch was the perfect accessory for the trip, it matched everything I wore, and perfectly suited the occasion! To get your own, click here to see the mens watches, and here for their womens, and here is the link to my specific watch! They have a ton of different options to choose from. I am also running a giveaway until September 10 for a $100 gift card for JORD watches, and as a bonus everyone who enters will get a $25 gift card! You can find the link to the giveaway here.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read !
~Lorissa
This Glorious Adventure 