4th of July

Just a few pics from the past week. Missoula has a great farmer's market on the weekends, and we generally go there. Someone brings hula hoops and just lays them out for anyone to use, and kids of all ages grativate to them. The other pictures include Annie on a hike up the "M", Mount Sentinel. We made it 2/3 of the way (400 feet elevation gain out of 600 feet total), which is decent. You can see the town and the Grizzlies stadium in the background. The other pics are from a trip to Montana Snowbowl, a ski area about 20 (?) miles or so from our home. It was chilly enough on the mountain top to justify a small fire in the ski lodge. The kids weren't phased by the chair lift, and we all go to see a black bear foraging for food.

Weekends in Missoula

After what felt like a month of constant rain, summer has arrived. Last weekend, we enjoyed the new playground across the street, went for bike rides and took Jacob & Dad fishing at the stocked kids-pond. No fish, though. Then Annie & Jacob had their camps all last week, which kept everybody running. Jacob enjoyed drawing camp at the local art museum in the morning, which is right across the street from dad's office. So Brian picked him up each day and had a picnic lunch with them. Then I gathered Annie from gynmastics, grabbed Jacob after his lunch and drove to sports camp. During sports camp, Jacob got to play football at the University of MT Grizzlies stadium one day. (Each day had a theme and a field trip.) This weekend we went camping with the kids. It was sponsored by Outdoor Missoula, which tries to encourage kids to spend time in nature. We don't really have trouble with that, but it was a good excuse to go. We stayed at state park in Lolo, an actual rest stop of the Lewis & Clark expedition in 1805 & 1806. They determined that via archelogical remains of their camp. The kids enjoyed the activities (it was nice to sit back and someone take care of most everything) and the weather was perfect. Then today, we went to the water park here. Not too bad....

Brian's trip to Alaska

Brian spent over a week in Alaska for work. I don't have much to write about, since I wasn't there. But I did download these pictures, and they looked quite spectacular.

Missoula

Here are some pictures from our new home base, Missoula. (None of the house just yet!) My dad endured the drive to Montana with the kids and me. Then we had several days together in Missoula while we settled in. Thanks dad for everything --coming to do the drive, spending time with us, our great housewarming gift and watching the kiddos for us so we could get out. The pictures are of a day we went out to browse fishing spots with Grandpa for when he comes back. I think the river is Rock Creek. The other one is of the Rattlesnake wildnerness trailhead, which is located about 2 miles down the road from our house. Our neighborhood and the kids' elementary school (Rattlesnake) derive their names from the Wilderness Area & Creek that runs through it. It's been rather chilly and rainy; certainly not what we are used to! Other than that, it has been quiet. Kids here are still in school, and we are waiting for summer camps to begin. I've signed them up for lots of things -- gymnastics, swim lessons, all sports camp, nature camp and even drawing lessons with the local art museum. That's it for now. I hope to be a better "blogger" now that we are settled.

At Home in Missoula II

The Fiesta Mexicana music channel has struck within me a need to write, so I turn to Carrie's neglected blog to offer an update on the comings and goings of the Sweatland family.

Carrie and the kids, with her dad in tow, arrived on May 18. Very happy to see them. The movers had arrived the day before, so I pretty much had the furniture situated and the house set up for the family's arrival. We've settled in nicely.

Missoula is just like we remember, if only a little larger. Downtown is still fun, with lots of markets and festivals and live bands and the like. There are summer activities galore for the kids (they're at the indoor pool as I write), so they're sure to have a busy summer. I've got some home improvement projects lined up. Carrie is enrolled in atleast one teaching course so she can get her Montana certification in a few subjects. Everything is falling into place nicely.

We have a new cat. She's actually like a year old, but she's new to us, is what I mean. We picked up Miranda at the local shelter. She's a very pleasant and friendly cat and gets on well with Jacob and Annie. We'll have to post a picture at some point.

No big summer plans yet. I travel to Alaska next week for work (looking forward to that), and we head home in mid-July for my sister's wedding (also looking forward to that). Other than those two engagements, our summer looks free, so if anyone wants to visit, this may be a good summer to do it.

I'll sign off for now, and I'll bug Carrie some more to update the blog. Adios.

At home in Missoula

I've hijacked Carrie's blog since she's been a bit remiss in her postings of late. Besides, I have loads of fascinating things to write!

I ran a slow 10k this morning with 1,000 other Missoulians. A lot of people passed me. People with strollers passed me. I think one lady was pregnant. A guy with only one arm left me in a cloud of dust. Next time I run a 10k, I commit to outrun the stroller pushers and the pregnant. That guy with the one arm probably has some equilibrium issues, so a gentle nudge should send him hurtling into oncoming traffic. I should finish a little higher in the order next race.

The beer in Missoula, I have found, is excellent. May I recommend the Kettlehouse Cold Smoke Porter should you find it available in your locale. The coffee is also quite enjoyable. Also, this is a very bicycle friendly town. Missoulians bicycle everywhere: to the grocery store, to work, to the bar, and of course to the coffee houses. Everyone bicycles to the coffee houses. This is mandatory.

I move into my new abode on May 3. I shall be quite glad to quit the hotel living. It's a nice hotel; the ladies clean my room every day! But I'm rather anxious, or eager - the one that means I'm excited, not the one that means I'm afraid - to live in my own place. Plus I have loads of pent-up house remodeling energy. I'm quite eager, or anxiuos, to rip something up for no good reason, like a floor or a shower, and to put it back together in only marginally better condition than that in which I found it.

Carrie and the kids should be arriving about a month from now. That's a long time in the future, even for old people. But I suppose the delay is unavoidable. Carrie assures me she is still coming.

And the fishing here sucks lately. Too much runoff and all that. Thanks for inquiring though.

Well, that is my update from Missoula. I shall sign off for now. May God bless the beer-brewers great and small!

Snow to Early Spring (?)

It has been a bit since my last post. We've moved into our new home down the street. As with any move, it was a pain. However, it went smoothly overall. The house is nicer, though much louder as it is all tile/laminate flooring. We need carpet to absorb the sounds of home with kids!

Pictures above are from a recent snow storm, by Page standards. Another is a walk to the Hanging Gardens with a friend, Adam, in the unseasonably warm weather. Kudos to Annie who walked the entire way without complaint. A definite first, and we hope not a last.

What's been going on the past several weeks? Snow days, moving, school, work, homework, playing with friends, taking another certification test in Flagstaff, and the miscellaneous of life that keeps us busy. Things of note: Jacob tested out of Kindergarten math at semester. So, they moved him to 1st grade for math lessons (1/2 day in Kindergarten and 1/2 in first grade). His homework now requires him to think a bit more, and he's not sure what he thinks of that. It's a challenge for him, and so far he'll stay in the placement. He's been drawing a dinosaur book. He got a "How to Draw Dinosaurs" book for Christmas. I think he's got about 20 dinosaurs done, and he works regularly on finishing the rest. He is quite proud of it and brought it in for show and tell. Little Annie is also very good. Her hair is finally long enough to put into proper pony tails and barrettes. She is loving pre-school, playing with her friends and trying to keep up with her brother. Annie is anxious for homework!

More news here is that we are likely on the move yet again. This time it looks like Missoula, Montana. Big Sky Country. We've lived there before, so this isn't as much of a blind move as others. Brian will head out in March or so. I'll finish out the school year and head out with the kids in late May.

That's it for now. I'll hopefully get pictures up a bit more regularly.