There were a lot of great things about growing up in Montana.
I'm sure you're imagining hiking, camping, boating, lakes, mountains and all the amazing outdoor brilliance that Big Sky Country has to offer.
No?
Maybe you're in the camp where Montana brings to mind teepees, indians, prairies, gold miners and one room school houses. You're outdated by a good 60 years or more but... sure, we had some of those things too.
No?
Are you one of "those" people who thinks of moutain lions, bears, rattlesnakes, avalanches, fires and floods? We had those things too but c'mon! That's why they teach survival skills in Montana public schools.
(p.s. that public school education has made me rock at this game:
)
Well, it's none of the above.
Having a store within walking distance of my house is what made me relive my childhood today. I have been eagerly anticipating the opening of this store for well over a year:
Today was the grand opening and blessing ceremony (FYI we bless all our new buildings in Hawaii) The Kona winds were a blowin' (this means hot sticky voggy valley of sun filled death IMO) but my sister and I braved the weather and took my 3 boys for their first walk to the neighborhood store.
I'm sure you're imagining hiking, camping, boating, lakes, mountains and all the amazing outdoor brilliance that Big Sky Country has to offer.
No?
Maybe you're in the camp where Montana brings to mind teepees, indians, prairies, gold miners and one room school houses. You're outdated by a good 60 years or more but... sure, we had some of those things too.
No?
Are you one of "those" people who thinks of moutain lions, bears, rattlesnakes, avalanches, fires and floods? We had those things too but c'mon! That's why they teach survival skills in Montana public schools.
(p.s. that public school education has made me rock at this game:
)Well, it's none of the above.
Having a store within walking distance of my house is what made me relive my childhood today. I have been eagerly anticipating the opening of this store for well over a year:
Today was the grand opening and blessing ceremony (FYI we bless all our new buildings in Hawaii) The Kona winds were a blowin' (this means hot sticky voggy valley of sun filled death IMO) but my sister and I braved the weather and took my 3 boys for their first walk to the neighborhood store.
Pretty walking path right? :)
In 20 short minutes we made it to the jam packed madhouse that was our local Longs Drug Store. We had free ice cream, free chocolate covered macadamia nuts and each bought a drink to have on the walk back. Sound magical?
It might not sound amazing, but it was. I relived the first place I remember living. A big two story house in uptown Kalispell, MT. I was only about 3 or 4 at the time but our family would walk to the local mini mart and get gigantic sodas, red nuts, boston baked beans candy and 5 cent gummy worms. The butcher shop called "Meat Supply" was another favorite place to walk. They had a candy corner and the prices ranged from 1 cent to 50 cents. I felt so rich going there to spend my money and never regretted a single Now and Later pack that I purchased.
When I started preschool we moved to Evergreen, MT and lived on my grandparents property in a yellow and brown trailer. This is the home where I grew up. I lived there until I left home at 18 to go to college. There was a gas station a short 15 minute walk from my house. It was across the 4 lane highway from the Jr. High School (this Jr. High was for 5th-8th graders). You knew you were trusted when mom & dad allowed you to go the gas station. Candy is about the only thing I ever purchased there, but it was awesome candy. They had the soda flavored gum with the liquid center, warheads that I would feed to my dog to see his reaction, 5 cent candies that tasted gross but were so cheap that you bought them anyways, Cows tails and most importantly Zotz. This was also my skittle supplier. I needed skittles as soon as my friend April taught me that if you fill your mouth with them you can spit the rainbow. This was often our ladylike activity as we wandered the neighborhood.
Growing up in Montana with my family was great.
Most of my memories are not of candy and shopping but all the ones that are are happy memories that make me smile for days. I can't wait until I can trust my boys enough to let them walk to the store alone. I look forward to family walks together with a little treat of some kind from our neighborhood store. I envision using less gas and walking or biking to get those household sundries that run out at the most inopportune times. I have high hopes of awesomeness for our new store but no matter what I will hold today in my heart forever as an amazing memory and important moment where I relived a piece of my childhood with my boys.
These pics are unrelated to my sappy story but still should be shared. Have you ever seen an ice cream sundae section? Yeah, apparently we have that.
Also, the grand opening sales consisted of rice, soda, bottled water, vegetable oil and feminine pads.
Weird opening sales right?
But people were buying the stuff by the cart load and there was an entire aisle for each sale product. I had to snap a picture of the most rice and vegetable oil that I have ever seen!
Crazy right?
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