Boise - Happy New Year!

Between Christmas and New Year's, we flew out to Boise for a week with Tiffany, Tony, Jessica, Anthony and Annie. Grandpa Ed and Great-Woman Lynn drove down to join in on the holiday action! For New Year's Eve, we ordered Thai food, played games and had too much fun!

Ice skating for the first time.

 I'm just like Elsa!

 Winter shopping downtown

 Afternoon hike

 Quiet hills

Snow blossom

Tiffany's trunk seat!

Best. Invention. Ever.

And We're Off...

This morning we got up early, packed up the last items in our apartment, packed up the baby and off we went.  We spent the last 3 days saying goodbyes to friends and family, packing and planning.  We met up with dad and Lynn in Colville for a cup of coffee, then we hit the road en route to DC.  Butte or Bust!

Starting the day off right with one more world's-best-cookie from Super One in Colville.

Our first state line.  Looking gorgeous out there!

We stopped for lunch in Couer d'Alene, ID at Cafe Carambola, and were not disappointed.  Tortas (sandwiches in Mexico), soup and salads.  It was AMAZING.

The sun is shining bright at the top of Lookout Pass, the part of the trip I was most worried about snow.  Not a flake in sight!

Entering Montana, state #3 of the day.

Wait, Montana is how big?!

 Borg Park?!  This park is threatening to assimilate me!!

Enjoying some fine cupcakery at Bernice's Bakery in Missoula.

We met up with my niece, Jessica, for dinner in Missoula.  It was really fun visiting with her, and she chose a great restaurant!  We made it to Butte tired, but in one piece.  Much more to come in the morning I am sure...

Coeur d'Alene Lake Cruise

This morning we drove out to Hayden to have breakfast at Rustler's Roost (a childhood favorite of mine). Everything was exactly the same as I remembered, and it was delicious!! After breakfast, we returned to the hotel and took a cruise around the north end of the lake. 

We had to make a mad dash back home since the bridge was closing at 7:00. Even Kylie cooperated, and we made it home with time to spare.

 YUM! I love any restaurant that includes biscuits and gravy as a side dish to EVERY menu item!

We also had to get the massive cinnamon roll that included approximately 14 gallons of "butter sauce".

Recipe for "butter sauce":  Melt butter. Done.

 Cruise time!

 Our trusty ship!

 Ms. K napped almost the whole time, and was cutely bundled in leopard print.

 The aptly named S.S. Coeur d'Alene!

 We're on a boat! Haha!

 Lookin' good! Yeah!

 Kid Island Bay!

Jacquelyn and I used to go play on this island for hours when we were kids.

 The best house perched on a rock that we saw all day.

@ Arrow Point

Goodbye Coeur d'Alene

Thanks for a great birthday!

Coeur d'Alene Day 1

We started off the morning with room service, followed by massages at the spa. Kylie and I walked the boardwalk, beach and city park while Autumn was being pampered on her birthday. Afterward, we had lunch at Toro Viejo (the Old Bull lol!) and shopped our way through downtown. Autumn finally got to have SUSHI for dinner at the resort. Here are the photos!

 Views of the hotel and floating boardwalk.

 Tubbs Hill!

 Me & Miss K!

 Deserted beach views

 Mexican lunch!!

 We didn't actually eat here, but the Maple Bar-ger piqued our interest! 

What we shoulda did was find out when this place was open and gone back there!

 Our planned cupcake stop was CLOSED!! 

AKA "the saddest thing I have ever seen" according to Autumn.

Luckily, there was another cupcake shop across the street!

 Cuties!

Mysterio predicted that Kylie will be the mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey when she grows up!

Sushi! How I've missed you!

Yum-O @ Bonsai Bistro!

 Goodnight!

To Coeur d'Alene

For Autumn's birthday this year we headed out to Coeur d'Alene for a mid-week stay at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. It was a welcome retreat from country living complete with massages and dining out!

We took our time and stopped for coffee at Miss B's Haven in Kettle Falls, and again at Paul's Coffee in Chewelah, and had a side excursion to the Spokane Valley Mall.

We checked into the hotel, had dinner and settled in for a quiet night.

Photo booth fun!

 Welcome to Idaho!

Kylie's first state outside of Washington.

 View from the hotel.

 Say cheese!

Sunset from the floating boardwalk.