2026, October 19-25

Mike spent Monday and Wednesday visiting a couple of Montana's tribal colleges. Eliza got to go on a tour of campus for UM's Griz Preview. Landon celebrated another trip around the sun. Now it's Hallie's turn to have an adventure as she goes to Florida with Amanda to visit a famous mouse and his friends in time for Halloween!

Monday morning dawned bright and beautiful in both Browning and Missoula. Mike happened to catch pics of the sunrise up north.  

Here are mountain views toward Glacier National Park from his hotel window. 

Mike and the group from UM visited with leaders from Blackfeet Community College on Monday and Salish Kootenai College on Wednesday. 

We learned more about the students these colleges serve and discussed how we can be partners with them as the students matriculate through their programs. Mike also got to meet other UM employees and foster new work relationships. 

He thought this 3D-printed map (which happens to include our house) was pretty neat.  

In preparation for her trip to Walt Disney World, Hallie got her nails done in a fall Disney theme. 

Zeke got Landon and himself Spider Man masks for Halloween and Landon's birthday. Hard to fathom where nearly two decades have gone! Fortunately, we've documented quite a bit of it right here on the blog! Happy birthday, Sunshine!  

Mike is in love with the brilliant fall color all around us. From campus to our street to the mountains and the valleys, the whole of western Montana positively glows with the changing season. 

Eliza joined students from Missoula Connect at UM Campus for the annual Griz Preview Day on Friday. Mike was able to join her for part of it. We got rain, more rain, and still more rain all day long. Mike has a theory that Missoula in general (or just UM particularly?) tests people to make sure they really want to be there before letting them in on her bounty by throwing challenging weather their way. 

We got insiders views of the dorms, the Lodge, the arena, the stadium, and other key places on campus. Eliza chose not to use the umbrella she brought on occasion. 

After we got back home and the day ended, Ferg graced Mike with a lap sit. He also got caught blepping. 

Mike made a sticker of his earlier cowboy episode. 

Again, we're having an autumn turned up to full color this year. Here's a view to the west down 6th St E. 

Home sweet home (for now). 

And to the east. 

From the fifth floor stairway south of the education building looking west.

Looking north toward Snowbowl. 

On the Oval. 

Behind the house heading home.

A literal blanket of leaves. 

On Saturday, Mike and Hallie attended a health and wellness fair at the University Center. With the move, we're looking for new doctors and dentists. Hallie won an aptly-themed prize from a drawing at one of the vendors, Sunflower Counseling.  

After the fair, we came back home so Hallie could finish packing for WDW. She had jammies among her other outfits. 

And then it was Sunday morning and time for Hallie to take her flight! We'll miss you but are sure you and Amanda will have a magical few days in Orlando. 

Eliza, Mike, and Fergus held the fort at home. Mike got a couple more pics in. They don't do the colors justice. 

Mom sent the Missoula gang some information about Missoula Festival of the Dead activities. Mike read that one involving making small memorials was happening today downtown. We rode over just as the organizers there were about to pack things up due to no one having come. We're glad we came because it kind of made their day. While we didn't stay long, we did stay long enough to get a few things to make ofrenda boxes to carry in upcoming festival activities next week.

After leaving, Eliza suggested to Dad that we go to the Oval to fly his kite. While the day was sunny, it was quite brisk due to the very wind that made for good kite flying. 

Eliza thought it was funny to throw leaves at Dad. She convinced him to rake up a pile of them once we got back home. Dad convinced E to jump in the pile. Good times. 

Good thing Fergus stayed inside the house. The girl would have buried him, and we may never have found him. 

2026, October 12-18

Eliza won a riding competition on Saturday. She and Hallie had a couple of days off from school late in the week. Mike continues to be a man on the go, spending time in-state in Billings and Browning this week. 

Monday dawned with a dusting of snow on the local mountains. 

This is Eliza's normal school day with her study buddy. Mike had Indigenous Peoples' Day off from classes, but he was on campus nonetheless. Both Eliza and Hallie had Thursday and Friday off for MCPS professional development. Most states call it Fall Break.

Once the snow melted, full fall colors really began to show themselves on campus and around town. 

Speaking of professional development, Mike and his department chair John drove out to Billings on Wednesday to participate in the annual Montana Conference of Educational Leadership (MCEL). Here's the view from his hotel window. 

While Mike's away, the girls will abuse the cat, er, play. Yeah, that's it. 

Poor kitty. Poor, poor kitty. 

Hallie asked Mike for a pic. Mike obliged. Hallie thinks Mike looked handsome for his dinner.

Hallie really appreciates the kind people at Starbucks.

Fergus really appreciates a warm lap, even if that means trapping the person owning it. 

Hallie and Eliza went for a bra fitting at the local Dillard's on Friday. Wacoal sponsored the event, and the girls had a good time.

Mike and John drove back from Billings and got back in time for Mike and Eliza to take a walk up around the UM Oval. Look at those brightly colored maples and oaks!

Saturday morning dawned chilly and foggy. That didn't stop the gang from heading out to Big Sky Horse Park for a jumping derby. Eliza and Squirt faced off against 24 competitors, and Eliza won first place! 

Squirt had a roll in the dirt to finish out his day. Somehow, Drue kept asking Hallie to hold the horses. Drue is either trying to get Hallie in the horse business, or she really doesn't know how scared Hallie is of horses.

Later, Eliza and Mike went to participate in the Missoula No Kings rally. Unfortunately, they were late to the party. However, they did see some updated art under the Madison Street bridge. 

We did manage to see a couple of leftover signs from the rally at Caras Park. 

That's the place where Mike and Eliza parted ways. On his return home, he saw some Halloween art. 

"Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the . . . ."

Happiness is a sleeping kitty. 

Eliza is working off some of the cost of her riding lessons by helping out around Drue's. Hallie helped out on Saturday afternoon. Drue uses old fire hoses as part of her irrigation system. Watering is done for the year, so it was time to roll up the hoses. The girls have respect for Uncle Shad. It took a lot of muscle to get these rolled up. 

On Sunday, Mike and a group of faculty and staff from UM went up to Browning to participate in a tour of tribal colleges. Montana has a few colleges on the different reservations around the state, including Blackfeet Community College up past Glacier National Park on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The group was able to stop off in Polson to eat at Richwine's Burgerville before continuing on along the eastern shore of Flathead Lake and skirting Glacier National Park on their way to Browning.  

Katara is sleeping pretty regularly and outgrowing her clothes. Landon is not sleeping regularly and may be outgrowing his clothes. We know about his sleep because of the messages we receive at odd hours; we don't know about his clothes because he hasn't sent pictures in said messages. We miss being able to see Katara and her parents. They will be coming for Christmas, and we are so excited! Hopefully we can get Landon to join us as well.