Road Trip!

Helloooo!!

I am alive and well, exited about school, and back in the blogger world!

A couple of weeks ago my family and I took a trip up to Montana for a Eucharistic Conference.  It was held at Corpus Christi parish in Great Falls, MT.  It was completely and utterly AMAZINGLY INCREDIBLE!!!  In the evening there would be Mass, dinner in the basement, a talk, then Eucharistic Adoration.  On three of the days we were supposed to go to the park, but were able to only one of the days because of the weather.  We still had fun, though.
I also had time to go crazy with one of my best friends about the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.  Because really, we're not the crazy ones. ;)

During the conference we had a Forty-Hours devotion.  Simply speaking, the Eucharist was left on the alter for forty hours, even during Mass and the talks.

Click on the pics to see them bigger.

The alter was completely amazing!!!  I think someone said there were over 120 candles.  Really the pictures can't do it justice, and I pray all of you will get to experience something like that in person.

We also had a Eucharistic procession.  Everything was so amazing, and being a part of it (opposed to seeing on the computer) was even amazinger!!!! ;D

I'm in the blue maxi "next to" the candle stick by the line.

The entire church was full of priests in cassocks!!  I'm not sure I'd even seen one in real life until then!  Most of them were young, and we got to talk to a lot of them.  My friends and I even got to sit with one during dinner!  A couple even came to the park and played frisbee with us.  It was truly an incredible experience.

On our trip we found some pretty good places to eat that I will highly suggest in case you are ever up that way.

2K's Kafe: Amazing food and service!  Tiny, but completely small town feeling.  My sister got the cinnamon roll french toast.  Definitely the favorite in my fam!  

The cinnamon roll french toast

Culver's: They now have some in Utah!  I know this is probably a common fast food place in the mid-west, but for us westerners who never get to eat their amazing fried chicken and custard, it was a treat!

Yesterday's Calf-A: They have amazing burgers and pie!!!  I would highly suggest the coconut cream.  We found out about this place from our friends in MT, and definitely worth the stop.  Keep an eye out when you're traveling on the 95, though, this place is literally in the middle of nowhere.

 

The coconut cream pie.  I'm getting hungry just looking at it!

Florence Coffee Company: It's only a small shack in Helena (one of three locations there, I think) but their drinks were REALLY good!  I got a coconut smoothie and would highly recommend it.

Em's Restaurant:  We went here after Mass at the Cathedral in Salt Lake City for brunch.  The smoked salmon eggs Benedict was amazing!  My sister got it for her birthday brunch.

Snyder Drug: This is a cute Catholic gift store, convenience store, and soda fountain all in one!  They have everything from odds-n-ends, ice cream, home decor, and chocolate sodas!

My mom's chocolate soda at the soda fountain in the back.

While we were driving up to MT, we passed through Butte at night.  There was something really bright up on the mountains beside us.  There was a big discussion as to what it really was.  My mom said it was a statue of Mary.  On our way back home, we passed through Butte during the day and saw that she had been right!

Our Lady of the Rockies.

We also saw an overlook with a sign that explained who she was and why she was there.  It was pretty neat!

We also stopped on our way back in Helena to see the Cathedral.

Note:

If you're anywhere near 50 miles of the place, stop by!!!

It is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The church was huge!

 

The Stations were beautiful!!

Most of all the stained glass windows were gorgeous!

 St. Helena and her son, St. Constantine

 The Last Supper and St. Pope Pius X

The Transfiguration and the Crucifixion

A few things have been redone over the years, but those and most other things in the Cathedral are pretty much original to 1914, the year the building was completed.  The cornerstone was laid in 1908.

All in all it was an amazing trip!  I know I will definitely miss the scenery and the Toy Story clouds :)

God bless, and Namárië until next time!

An Idaho sunset.