Zootown

We recently spent a few days visiting with Ryan's mom in Missoula, Montana... which is also apparently known as Zootown to locals.
We've been to Missoula before and basically stuck to our old favorites but saw a few things we're excited to check out next time too.

Trip favorites:
-Ryan really liked the decaf iced mocha at Loose Caboose and the Java Chip Frappe at City Brew... and you know I love a good chai =]
-Both Silver Summit and Dragon Hollow parks for the kiddos, and also the carousel which is basically part of Dragon Hollow.
-Snagging several books from The Good and the Beautiful's booklist for $.69 each at the Missoula Goodwill!
-A and Daddy had a quick hiking date to hike the M
- gluten-free dairy-free donuts and some kind of tasty parfait thing from The Good Food Store
-watching the third season of Alaska: The Last Frontier on the laptop at night (ugh, I really wish that dang show would come out on DVD. I was tearing up listening to those men talk about their father's legacy, really touched by August and the idea that teenage boys can be good and kind humans, intrigued by their ingenuity, impressed by the strong work ethic that runs through the entire family...)

Trip least-favorite:
-Sitting in the bathroom while my husband and mother-in-law burned and then tweezed a tick out of my neck! I've never had a tick or leech on me before and I have always been so freaked out by the idea. I truthfully didn't even feel that thing (and still don't feel any tenderness in the wound) and am so thankful Ryan saw it! So gross. After carefully researching it (also... google "snake infested by ticks, Montana" if you want to be intrigued + disgusted) I'm fairly confident that nothing will come of it... otherwise I will die suddenly in a few days. Wish me luck.

Things we hope to check out next time:
-Missoula Museum of Natural History (we were so excited about this one, especially for the kids' discovery area, but it turned out to be closed the weekend we were there)
-Lucky's Market
-The Book Exchange
-The Flying Squirrel