TravelingMel

Normally I try to keep the processed sugar and the artificial colors restricted to special occasions. But then I saw this website. Unfortunately I saw it two days after Anders' birthday.

Anders' loves rainbows. We sing the rainbow song he learned in daycare all the time and he refers to all colors as "rainbow colors". (You can hear him sing the song here.) So, to find the perfect birthday cake recipe days after his birthday was a big bummer for me.

We made it anyway. The result wasn't quite as picturesque as this, but it was pretty cool.

Anders mixed the food coloring into the batter.

Rainbow cake in the oven.

Finn watches Anders take his first bite.

Anders digs in. He loves the rainbow cake.

If big brother is eating, then little brother better get on it!

Half the cake getting prepped for the freezer. I had to put it away before I ate the whole thing.

It's kind of weird, but it sure is a pretty cake.

Friends of ours recently purchased an outfitting company called Willow Ranch Outfitters. They will take you and your friends or family hunting, fishing or horse packing. Peter and Brooke are awesome folks and their horses are oh so pretty.

(I stole some tiny photos from their site...that's how it goes on the internet sometimes...)

Norwegian Fjord horse in Montana wilderness.

Hunting isn't really my thing, but if it is yours, you should go on one of their trips. Even if you don't want to hunt, you should go on one of their trips. Why? Because the places they go are drop-dead gorgeous (you won't actually drop dead on one of their trips). You get to ride a horse, stay in a super comfy wall tent and have someone cook you delicious meals. Sounds great, doesn't it?

Just slightly nicer than my backpacking tent. If there was a cute Malamute in there it would be the perfect place.

Now that I am taking horseback riding classes, this sounds like an amazing adventure.

Here is what they say about the business:

Operating for over 30 years, Willow Ranch Outfitters has created hundreds of hunters, fishermen and families a true Montana wilderness experience. Outfitted by the legendary Storrs Bishop, Willow Ranch is one of the last outfitted hunting camps in the area. Willow Ranch offers quality Montana elk hunts and full service fly fishing trips throughout South Central Montana.

Our big game hunting and fly fishing services are done with the highest skill, passion and respect for the unique resources of the landscape. We pride ourselves on the friendliest, highest quality guides and camp staff in Montana. We believe in a well-rounded experience for all our guests. Not only will you see big game, big fish and big skies; you will also enjoy our camps, boats, and guides. Your guides and staff will help you experience a big game, fair chase hunt or fly fishing experience of the highest caliber!

Willow Ranch’s hunting terrain is one of a kind, located in the heart of the Taylor-Hilgard Basin of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. In our outfitted area you will find resident and migratory elk from Yellowstone National Park and you have a good chance of seeing LARGE bulls!

In the summer, our clients experience full service fly fishing trips on the famed freestone rivers, spring creeks, and lakes of Montana. You will be hard pressed to find a more majestic, wild or magical hunting or fly fishing experience anywhere.

With Willow Ranch Outfitters, you will get the best hunting and fly fishing trip of your life - a trip of a lifetime and a true Montana wilderness experience.

Montana is pretty.

Now get out of here and go book your trip. Go shoot something. Tell your friends! These people have a baby and need the income...plus it would be an amazing trip. Tell them Melynda sent you. Now git!

Now, where did I leave off?

The next morning we slept in until 7 am, which is super late for us. It was light outside when we got out of bed. Thanks, Anders!

The boys and I started the morning off playing in the snow while H did dishes and stoked the fire. Thanks, H! The cabin had finally started to warm up.

"Does this snowsuit make my butt look big?" asked Finn.

Finn sitting down to hide his snowsuit butt.

"Mom, can you help me get up?" said Anders, clearly in distress.
"Sure, sweetie," said his loving mom. "Just let me snap a quick photo first."

Snow play in front of the cabin.

Then we headed down the road a couple miles to the Silver Crest Ski Trails. It had snowed for several days prior to our arrival (the woman at the Forest Service office said they got three feet) and then the storm moved on and we enjoyed bluebird sky perfect days.

The only downside to all that snow is that it made pulling the Chariot a lot of work. The ski trails are only groomed once a week (on Saturdays) so we had 5 days of snow to plow through. No problem.

Finn has a little snack before we go skiing.

Off like lightening!

We stopped at an overlook. All we could see were trees. So much for wide open spaces...pretty, though.

Shelter on the ski trail.

Lunch break.

After our ski we drove back to White Sulfur Springs for another swim and some dinner. We brought food to eat in the cabin, but by the time we were done swimming it was too late to go back and cook. Dinner was followed by playing in the cabin and another super easy bedtime.

Anders asked me to take his picture. Then he gave me this face.

Finn had to get in on the portrait action, too.

Anders works on the lacing cards before bed.

Coming in from the cold.

We've been talking about weaning Finn off the paci, but he finds it so soothing that it is hard to take it away from him. However, now that he is going two at a time, we might have to put our foot down. (That's right we only have one foot between us.)

Rigby and Diesel had special cabin privileges.

I made H come in and take this picture of us after we'd been in bed for awhile because even though it was dark, I knew the light of the flash would show Rigby's cuteness.

The next morning we went for a short ski, played in the snow, cleaned the cabin and restocked the woodpile. On the way home we stopped for our third swim in the hot springs pool (Anders' request).

Everyone pitches in. Except Finn who was sleeping in the Chariot.

Dogs panting away climbing a steep hill on a sunny day.

Rigby checks out Showdown, just across the canyon.

Big, flat snow crystals on my ski up Deadman's Trail.

Anders and I made a porcupine.

Last week we spent two nights and three lovely days at the Kings Hill Forest Service cabin. If you don't know about renting Forest Service cabins you can read more about it here.

The short story is that the Forest Service rents no-longer-used ranger cabins to the public. We are the public. We rented a cabin.

The Kings Hill cabin is in central Montana about 28 miles north of White Sulfur Springs. I'm sure everyone knows where White Sulfur is, right? The cabin is on Kings Hill Pass, the highest pass that remains open in Montana in winter. At least that's what I read somewhere.

We originally wanted to get the cabin on a weekend so I wouldn't have to take any time off work, but when I tried to get a reservation in October, it was booked every weekend of the winter. It turned out to be a good thing we didn't go on a weekend because there are a lot of snowmobiles up there on the weekends. I like snowmobiles as much as the next person who doesn't like snowmobiles, but man they are loud en mass. Wednesday and Thursday were peaceful, tranquil and wilderness-y. It started getting louder on Friday.

We drove up after story-time at the library and lunch on Wednesday. My grand plan was for both of the boys to fall asleep in the truck and stay that way for the 1.5 hour drive to White Sulfur Springs. Finn complied. Anders waited until we were about 15 minutes out to fall asleep.

You might want to check out the photos from our September 08 trip to White Sulfur Springs--partly to see how much the boys have grown and to note the new murals at the pool.

Pulling in to the pool in White Sulfur Springs.

H and the boys get in.

This is the face Finn gives us when he is looking to make some trouble.

This is the face Anders makes when he is looking to have some fun.

After the swim we drove up to the cabin. The log cabin is in the Little Belt Mountains in the Lewis and Clark National Forest. The cabin is about 300 feet below the 7,393-foot pass and across the canyon from Showdown Montana. It was dark when we arrived, but we spied the cabin through the trees.

Our first order of business was turning on the electricity and starting a fire. The cabin is heated by a wood stove and it was COLD in there. See-your-breath-cold. Keep-your-down-jacket-on cold.

The thing that most worried me about this trip was the thought of putting the boys to sleep in the same room. At home we STILL put Finn to bed in our room and then move him in with Anders when they are both asleep. It used to be that Anders was a real challenge to get to sleep. Now it's Finn.

Of course, what I think is going to be hard never is. Anders asked to go to bed at 7:30. We put Finn down at the same time and they both went right to sleep. What? Who are those kids?

Since it was so freakin' cold in the cabin we were a little worried about Finn. He doesn't stay under covers. His little hands were freezing. H kept waking up throughout the night and putting him back under his covers. I kept getting up to add wood to the stove. Finn survived.

There was no way I was taking off my hat or jacket to read Anders a bedtime story.

H reads next to the stove after the boys fell asleep.

That"s Rigby's unhappy ear position. He prefers to sleep at his own house.

Well, there is a lot more to share, but I got a little chatty here and I need to leave the house by 7 tomorrow to get to work. I'm taking an equitation class (that's horseback riding) so I've been going in early and taking a long lunch on horseback.

Henry posted some pictures. You can look at them if you want. All you have to do is click here. I mean here. Got you! Here. Ha ha ha...made you click.

Ok, seriously, click here.