custer's last stand

"Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument memorializes one of the last armed efforts of the northern plains indians to preserve their ancestral way of life.  here in the valley of the little bighorn river on two hot june days in 1876, more than 260 soldiers and attached personnel of the u.s. army met defeat and death at the hands of several thousand lokota and cheyenne warriors. among the dead were lt. co.l george armstrong custer and every member of his immediate command.  although the indians won the battle, they subsequently lost the war against the military's efforts to end their independent, nomadic way of life."

great for lettling everyone get out some energy on a long roadtrip.

colorado cousins, doing their thing

josh's soccer photography by johanna.

the montana kiddos' first skyscraper, downtown denver.  we made it to the 48th floor and looked out.  logan was standing on the window sill, while johanna was so overwhelmed by her first look down, from that dizzying height, that she would only look out from across the room!

thank you aunt dana, the hostess with the mostess (and stashes of the best kid toys ever!)

 

colorado cousin time!

Red Lodge, Montana

no hotel visit is complete without a game of crossing the daddy bridge.

logan celebrated his 3rd birthday with a visit to red lodge mountain, then on to colorado....more pictures to follow.

wolf encounter

this picture was taken on our road at the far corner of our 19 acres.  its the best place to cross country ski, our stroller has skis and johanna can hold on the the handles for balance as i pull through the fluffy white powder. 

 a few weeks back,  at this same place, the kiddos and i started noticing really big dog-like tracks in the fresh snow.  i've been told 4 1/2 inches is the secret number for a wolf track.  length and width of the track will not excede 4 1/2 inches if its a dog.  an adult wolf track will not be smaller that 4 1/2 inches.

these tracks were so big, i called bob at the house.  max, the most wonderful guard dog in the world, all of a sudden took off into the woods to the left of the photo.  we heard multiple canine growls and barks and the sounds of a fight.  i screamed for max to "come!"  he did after a few minutes, and was in front of the kiddos and i guarding us for all he was worth.
bob showed up about then and gave us all a ride home.
that night about 9 pm, the whole pack was in front of our house howling and calling for max.
max ate hot dogs on the couch for a few days.
love that dog.

Bob's Birthday at Big Sky

the annual birthday tradition to honor the day of my wonderful husband's birth, is to explore a montana ski area.  this year was big sky and moonlight basin, between bozeman and yellowstone national park.  it was awesome.

lone peak at big sky, best skiing in montana.

after a great day of skiing in the sunshine, this is what bob wanted most.... and then his steak dinner with friends and family!

we met up with 5 cousins and their 9 kids from 3-10 years old.  johanna and logan were in HEAVEN!