A Night of Fire

We got invited to join some other couples on a group date tonight. We tried out this little downtown Helena restaurant called Toi's Thai Cuisine. It is a super tiny place so you can only get in with a reservation. Thai food is not my favorite but it wasn't bad. Brett was brave and tried out their Green Curry. He was pretty much on FIRE the rest of the night. LOL The friends were fabulous and the owner came out to meet us. She's had this restaurant for 18 years here in Helena. She was a hoot!!!  She called us "Thai Virgins". We were laughing at how loud and sassy she was. Fun times!

Then we headed to a showing of The Hunger Games: Catching FIRE. They did a fabulous job at making the movie close to the book. But it still ends at the most irritating time! Grrrr! Now we have to wait another year or so to find out what happens!

Fusion Grill & Dancing

Brett and I went on a double date with the Paynes tonight. We tried out the Fusion Grille. I liked it a lot!
And it's always fun to hang out with friends!





THEN...

we headed to the Church building [6th Ave Bldg from 8 pm-11 pm] for a

 Tri-Ward Spooktacular Adult Dance! 

Everyone was asked to "bring a treat to share and have some fun". It seriously was the most fun I've had on a date in years!!!! (Not that I don't enjoy all my dates with Brett but tonight was sooooo fun!)
They had prizes for standing on certain shapes on the floor when the music ended. Brett and I won a DVD of Casablanca. We played a dangerous round of Musical chairs (almost peed my pants it was so funny!) in which Brian won the IronMan gift bag! They also had this group game of popping balloons and building little lego men. Our team totally got jipped!!! LOL There were quite a few Line Dances that we even got Allie to join us in. And they played a game or two of Donuts on a String! Brett and I got to practice our Swing Dancing which we haven't done for years! And the Morey's (the cutest older couple ever!) taught Brett and I some moves. WHAT. A. BLAST!!! Can't wait for the next one!

Philipsburg, MT: The Sweet Palace

The real reason we made the trek to Philipsburg was for the Sweet Palace. Who wouldn't drive almost an hour to visit the "prettiest candy store in the West"? LOL I'll tell you--It did NOT disappoint!
It's a little on the expensive side but we set a weight limit for each family member and everyone went to town. We all got to pick out our favorite candies to try and even took home some fudge for the family to share. Gotta love a sugar high on vacation!

Philipsburg, MT: Doe Brothers

We went on a day trip to visit Philipsburg, MT today. It's about 40 miles northwest from the Fairmont Resort.
We heard about and decided to try out Doe Brothers for lunch. "Doe Brothers Old Fashioned Soda Fountain and Restaurant is a family owned and family run small business located in the Historic Doe Building in Historic Downtown Philipsburg."
It was the owners that took our order, made our lunch and served us at the bar. They were way nice. They have the BEST Huckleberry Soda ever!!!! They also make their own potato chips- Delish!!!
What a fun experience!

Montana Pasty LOL

As an explanation for the PASTY:

"First things first: Pasties, pronounced PASS'-tees, are the meat and potato pies introduced to Montana by immigrant miners more than a century ago. 

Its meat, onions and potatoes are enveloped in a golden-baked pie that resembles a brick in both shape and weight. They come dry, smothered or injected with gravy and even covered with chili. The perfectly cooked pasty will have tender chunks of beef, sauteed onions and diced potatoes spilling out of its flaky enclosure with the first bite. It was standard fare of the Cornish and Welsh immigrant miners, who brought the recipe with them and toted them in lunchboxes thousands of feet below the earth's surface. 

But a visitor is best advised to pace himself when sampling Butte's gastronomic delights. As the old miner's saying still popular in Butte goes, "Tap 'er light."

Fairmont Hot Springs: Take Two

We split our Fairmont Hot Springs Timeshare Vacation in two because we didn't want the kids to miss school. So after finishing up our short school week, we headed back down south for another fun weekend away.
** We are thinking about getting a week down there just because it's so close. We'll see how it goes after the government decides to reopen. ;) **
The Fairmont condos are older but have everything to make for a relaxing Seamons weekend. What good memories!!
The condo had enough space for us all to sleep, with a loft, a big screen TV, a fully stocked kitchen (for making pumpkin pie bars in. Yum! Thanks Teri for introducing me to them), a out door patio with a BBQ and a fireplace. We were in heaven!

You have to drive down the street a little ways to enjoy the Fairmont Hotel & the Hot Spring Pools or their Gift Shop. But not a big deal!

One night we ate at their Cafe'. We got to experience our very 1st PASTY along with a Buffalo burger! Not bad!

It was a perfect little get-away! Loved it!

Relief Society Broadcast

Date night with the Payne's was to the Montana City Grill & Saloon. A little expensive but way yummy food! And so fun to have started a little tradition of going out with Brian and Allie. We love hanging out with them.


After dinner, the ladies left the men to pay the bill while we headed to the Church for the annual Relief Society Broadcast. We made it there a little late but I'm so glad we went. There is something about getting together with the women of the Church. And actually getting to sit and listen (who can do that at home with children or hubbys in the mix?) to a Prophet's voice. We also got to stay after and visit with some new friends over Ice Cream and brownies. What could be better?

A few things that really spoke to me this time were:
1- People need People! Being baptized means that I have covenanted to reach out to others and be an answer to prayers. I need to ask myself- Who needs me today that I could share God's love with?
2- I need to PREPARE to take the Sacrament each week.
   *Review my week
   *Repent of wrong doings
   *Pray to be prepared to be washed cleaned through Christ
3- The Lord allows us to be tried and tested. Even if we feel like we are being burned to the ground- God will not leave me in the ashes. He is building me in a beautiful temple! "After much tribulations comes the blessing"
4- Did you think to PRAY?  Prayer is one of the most powerful tools God has given me IF I choose to use it!

Breakfast GNO

Allie invited me to a daytime G.N.O. [Does that make it a GDO or a GMO? LOL] this morning with a couple of ladies- Loury and Kim. We met at the Park Ave Bakery for breakfast. Yum! I had the Quiche while the other ladies tried the scones and cinnamon rolls. All of it looked delicious! They also have way yummy treats there as well.
We had a great time visiting and getting to know each other.
After breakfast, we decided to take a walk down the Walking Mall and through Reeder's Village. (I haven't written about that  because my family hasn't made it there yet but we will!) We had a fabulous time! We found lots of things in common like school annoyances, Vampire Diaries, and breast cancer. We shall be great friends!!! ;) Let's do it again soon, ladies!

Meeting the Co-Workers

Brett's work situation just keeps getting more amazing here all the time! We are very lucky!

Another co-worker is moving here in a couple months. So, Brian and his wife Lindsey came to do a house hunting trip this weekend. We wanted to make sure we met them so we went out to dinner together. We tried out the Mackenzie River Pizza Company. It's a gourmet pizza place. It was pretty good food!

AND Brian and Lindsey are awesome!!!! They brought one of their kids with them (the baby) and my kids adored her. We had lots to talk about and they are so nice!

Then the night before they left, we went to dinner with everyone from the office. Let me tell you--- we are going to have a blast together! The kids all played and held the baby while the adults visited and laughed. The men talked sports and even came up with nicknames for each other. LOL
I am so excited for Brett and his work situation here. It's going be great!

P.S. I haven't quite broke into my "picture taker of everyone" self. I'm my normal self with my family but taking pictures of new friends???.......not quite there yet. Hence- no pictures of the Andersons. Soon enough, I'm sure. LOL

Latte's & Sundaes

Here we are at Latte's & Sundaes (http://www.lattesandsundaes.com/) for our FREE scoop of ice cream or a cookie! They had some interesting flavor choices. It was fun to try. We may have to come back and try out some of their lunch specials. 

Taco de Sol

Along the Walking Mall, we stopped by Taco de Sol (http://tacodelsol.com/) for lunch for our FREE fountain soda. We also all got some tacos. They were so good! We will definitely be going back sometime. Yum!

The Parrot Confectionery

We had to stop by The Parrot Confectionery (http://www.parrotchocolate.com/) for some hand dipped treats. We all picked a chocolate and some Turkish Delight. Yum! Yum!

On the 26th- the kids and I went back for a Tour through the kitchen. We were supposed to see them hand-dip the chocolate but the Dipper had called in sick. Bummer! Guess we'll have to go back again sometimes. Darn! It was pretty neat though because the man that took us on the tour was Brian Ackerman- who just happens to be the owner. Aren't we special? LOL

The Bagel Company

We left our washer & dryer with our house so we are slaves to the laundry mat for a while. Lucky us!!! On one of our trips, we decided to go to lunch at a little place next to the Clean & Coin while we waited.
The Bagel Company was awesome!!! Everyone got to pick what bagel they wanted and what they wanted to top it with. They had pretty much anything you could think of to put on a bagel. Yummy! And a fun toy corner for the kids. A definite place to go back to!

The Bagel Company

735 N. Last Chance Gulch

(406) 449-6000

OR

1421 11th Avenue

(406) 443-1900

The Donut Hole

As we were driving around town, we came across this little donut shop. It looked shut down (there was only one car in the parking lot) but the sign said OPEN so we stopped. We were a little leery- I mean afterall it's called the DONUT HOLE but we braved it. It was pretty good! Not a Sandy's or a Krispy Kreme but it will do! The worker said the mornings are crazy busy so we may have to come back sometime in the morning to experience that.
Thumbs up from the Seamons gang!

The Donut Hole

406.443.2325

20 East Lyndale Avenue