Richards getaway- Fairmont hot springs

Thursday morning the families all said goodbye to each other. Most were going to drive all day home. But I still had the next day off work, and we still hadn't been to a hot springs, so we found a room at Fairmont Resort near Butte Montana and drove there. First we stopped in Missoula for lunch.

James choose a peanut butter/nutella sandwich in the car. Then we played at the same castle playground from the beginning of our trip.

We got to the hotel at 3 pm to check in, and then we swam and swam and swam. 

At some point Millie changed swimsuits.

James felt a lot more brave by borrowing one of their life jackets. Then he went down the big slide on JB's lap and then my lap multiple times. He and I also stayed longer than the others into the evening.

Andrew went down the slide on my lap twice, then I told him he ought to just try it alone. He was nervous -- look at that face -- but then realized he was just fine, and did it a few more times alone.

Friday morning we didn't have to checkout til 11, so we ate cereal in cups in our room (no breakfast in hotels any more these days), and went back to the pool. We tried the outside pool this time. The water everywhere was just perfectly warm and the hot part was perfectly hot (these two boys loved the hot).

Max didn't want to put his cut finger in the water too much, though it was pretty much healed. Also, cool shot from JB's iphone!

Wake up early enough and the pool is pretty much yours. Millie insisted we play dolphin momma and dolphin baby. The boys were constantly trying to drag each other under.

Then, guess who got brave and did the slide all by himself? This 7 year old. That saved my legs from doing all the stairs, and helped Millie not scream when I left her side. I did take her down twice. She buried her face in my chest and gripped by swimsuit straps. 

Then it was back in the van and 3 or 4 movies later, we were back home again. Back to mowing the lawn, doing laundry, etc. But what a great week.