Last week we got a chance to visit Missoula. Its been four years since we've dropped in. We were in town for a fundraiser for Special Olympics Montana.
We took a walk around our old campus and reminisced.
Griz ears, not Mickey Mouse.
The picture below is from May 2007, same location as above. Tuff graduated from undergraduate studies and his big brother Jay graduated from his masters program.
The graduate, 2007.
Fast forward again five years and here we are as a family in front of the bear. Classic photo at the oval of campus.
Outside our hotel room looking across the river at campus. The first night we stayed with Tuff's old teammate Justin Green and wife Meghan. Forgot to take photos but their place has great views!
After four years we were reunited with Gordon and Joyce Cummings. We spent multiple Thanksgivings with them and they became our family away from home. We also went to school with their daughters.
In the photo below is the whole Cummings family from a Griz football game back when Tuff played.
Fast forward again. We ate at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Tuff's favorite, with Gordon and Joyce.
More cuteness around campus. And yes, to all the Minnesotans with feet of snow left on the ground late April, that is real grass!
Saturday, Tuff went north with the football team to their spring scrimmage and I went to a friend's home in Potomac. It was actually a nice day but decided to snow for our photos.
No surprise here. Grace loves dogs. Puppies as she knows them. Anytime she hears a dog bark or sees a dog she says, "fffff." That's "woof." These two loved her back, which was especially fun.
On our way back to Billings from Missoula we stopped in Belgrade to visit our friend Richie and family. They have a bunch of farm animals and have about a dozen little lambs. They are so eager to eat!
Baby chicken.
A goat. The lambs follow you everywhere. No wonder they need a shepherd.
Back in Billings for at least a month. Grace and I are travelling to Minnesota mid May for an eleven day trip to visit family. In the meantime Tuff is travelling across Montana for speaking engagements.
Among the ear infection chaos, we managed to make a trip to Pittsburgh over Easter and Grace's first birthday. It was an incredible time with incredible people. Grace is feeling great and after three months of chronic ear infections, she is like a new little girl post tube surgery. So full of life all the time. We are all feeling refreshed!
First plane ride. Waiting to board. Billings to Salt Lake City.
Made it to Pittsburgh after three flights and rocked every one of them.
We had a gathering Saturday and I got to see all my former coworker girls! One year ago none of us had children. Now Debra and I have ours, and Brittany and Laura are expecting very soon.
Our dear friends Jay and Jen Simon.
The after party whipped cream birthday smash.
Video from the first "cake" experience. The birthday girl finally woke up. She slept nearly the entire party. It was over before we remembered to sing happy birthday. :
Family Easter photo. Quite blurry but the best we got.
We joined our friends Mark and Meaghan for church and Patron's Mexican Restaurant afterwards. Their son Charlie and Grace enjoyed each others company.
Video below of Grace trying a lemon for the first time at Patron's:
Grace and Charlie again Easter morning at Mark and Meaghan's.
Their oldest son, Austin dyed some Easter eggs.
They cooked us a spectacular Sunday brunch that rivaled any restaurant brunch I've been to.
Grace's Easter "hat."
Easter dinner at Matt and Jenny's. This really brought us back. We spent about three nights a week at their place when we lived in Pittsburgh.
Some of my ladies at Matt and Jenny's. Jenny is the hostess with the mostest (back left).
On April Fools Day we celebrated Grace's true one year birthday. It also happened to be my friend Kacia's sister Kaitlyn's birthday. She made her niece Harlow and Grace matching dresses. She is so talented!
I wish I could sew. This dress is perfectly adorable.
The girls checking themselves out in the mirror.
We took some video of Harlow and Grace enjoying their new dresses and plastic egg bows (especially around second 43):
The same night we had our small group reunion at Doug and Amy's house just like old times. Their son Koen made a cute sign. He is so thoughtful.
There was more singing and this time a cake.
The picture below was taken after Grace tried to grab the flame when we prompted her to blow it out. She doesn't know that trick yet.
Amy snapped these pictures. Our camera was out of batteries.
Grace stayed up late with everyone from small group. Towards the end she got a bit loopy but managed to stay sweet.
Here is the crew with just a few missing. It was so good to see these faces again.
We spent one night with Andy and Kacia. More precious time with loved ones.
We got to eat at one of my favorite Thai restaurants (Nicky's Thai Kitchen) with one of my favorite people, Shari. She was so encouraging as always and I cherished our visit. Stopped at North Park to take a photo with downtown Pittsburgh in the background. Windy day so don't mind our hair!
Of course we drove by our old stompin' grounds on Troy Hill.
We also drove through Fort Pitt Tunnel one of the days for a classic view of Pittsburgh and decided to capture it in video:
The last day in town we met up with my old boss from the YMCA at US Steel Tower, Brandice. We ate breakfast at Pamela's in the Strip District. Its one of those must try places to eat in Pittsburgh. Brandice was so sweet to take time out of her schedule to hang out with us.
Afterward we walked around the strip district and did a little shopping.
A rare sunny day this time of year in Pittsburgh.
Nate, Debra and Max hosted us three nights on our trip. So grateful and miss them already. It was our first time meeting their little dude Max who is now three months old.
After about 20 attempts at this photo, we had to settle with this one. Just terrible quality but better than nothing. Haha.
Our road warrior is growing weary.
Owl hat from Nate and Debra, rain jacket from our Minnesota neighbors the Israelsons.
Headed back to Billings and in a good mood to fly. Minneapolis bound on the connecting flight.
Fueling up on applesauce.
Slept on her pillow pal the entire second flight.
From one week to one year we reflected on our little Goodie and it is good. Thank you God.
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