Casazza

Montana June 28 - July 3, 2005		Back to Home Page

We made our annual trip to Montana in June this year. The weather was a bit less reliable than when we go in late July, but we had mostly nice weather. We got a chance to see everyone in the family and had some relaxing time as well so the trip was a success.




Here we are with the "airport greeter" crew - about to go in for a big group lunch


First stop, a look at some investment property we bought with Dan & Jeb. The land was beautiful, but shortly after we arrived the weather turned ugly.


Little Eric braving the rain		Rose, Eric, and Nixon scouting the area


Kristi & Nixon watch the two Erics, always out in front of the pack		Lucas even drove up just to say Hi to us

			Kristi looking happy, as she always does
Deep thoughts...




We got a short break from the rain, but then it started in again. Eric was not trying to make that pouty face, it came to him naturally.

		Next stop: Eureka to Dan & Rose's new home. We tried out all the couches in the new house and found them to be nap-worthy. Then we got a quick tour. Here's Dan waving to us from the porch as seen from the Master Bedroom. The house is really beautiful and very well designed.

On Wednesday, the first item on the agenda was a visit to our land on Costich Lake.

Eric, coming back from fishing on Costich with Nixon.		The view from our future home.


Dallas & Eric - looking more alike with every hair that Dallas loses		Here Dallas, Eric, and Jeb make plans to slay some fish


Coulter is pure cowboy and is never far from that hat


Here we visit Trevor and Amber, who already live on Costich. Actually, it wasn't so much a visit as it was stopping by to take Trevor's boat.
A very nice view of Costich as seen from Trevor & Amber's house
This is nearly the same view, but with the intrepid fishermen in the lower left corner.
		Amy & I went for a walk before lunch. Here's a shot of the wildlife we saw along the way.



Grandma Rose had planned a tea party for the girls and had given them play makeup. Here they are getting their hair fixed for the party.


Here they are all bejeweled and beautiful for the tea party.


Bring on the tea!		Coulter & Jeb were into quieter persuits



		The awesome view from the deck. They will be putting in their yard very soon. It was lucky they hadn't planted it before all 11 grandkids arrived to trample it!


Here we see a demonstration of the, "Hold still and take it" method of makeup application.


		We got to see a beautiful double rainbow that afternoon.

		I thought Rose would get a kick out of this: It turns out that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is actually her new house!


Here I tried to get a good shot of a beautiful blue bird, but I got three poor shots instead.


		Scandalous - Eric and Nixon caught in bed!


A slightly better shot of the blue bird.
		The view from our bedroom window.


This is what we saw over the tips of our toes each morning.		This was the bedroom where we stayed.


This is the loft area upstairs, where the kids like to hang out.		A shot from the back of the loft toward the living room.


The other upstairs bedroom.		Looking down over the living room from upstairs.

		Nixon spent every night on the front porch. Well, until the screaming baby ended up too close to that porch, at which point he migrated around to various other porches during the night.
Yes, these are yet more pictures from our land at Costich lake. We don't get tired of looking at this view.


		I startled a deer when taking this picture and she got angry with me. She stood and snorted at me until I got out of her space.

		Two pictures of an Eagle that was circling overhead. It was beautiful.


One of my favorite views from our land amazingly doesn't even include the water. I love these trees.
OK, I think this is the last of the Costich pictures.


Looking down on the living room where Ada visited with the boys		Looking out on the porch where Nixon & Dan spent a lot of time (Strangely enough this was also where the beer was located, hmm...)

		Larry's cake. Pay no attention to the dent at the top. It was the result of a minor transportational mishap involving a sleeping Cody and a misplaced knee.
We were having a surprise 40th birthday party for Larry - here preparations are underway.

Here Cody entertains Uncle Eric. Eric looks entertained, doesn't he?
		Sadly, we could not wait for Larry - we finally dove in on the food.


The birthday boy has arrived!
A covy of Casazzas fills the living room



		Braden slept pretty much all the time and in almost any position.






		Larry getting his big gift- an Alaskan cruise with friends & family.


More gifts!


		Jeb & Dallas sharing some brotherly love. I don't think Jeb realized the space had opened up beside him.






I'm not even sure I ever saw this kid with his eyes open!		We were kind and only made the old man blow out one candle.

		Here we are, trying to get a picture of Dan & Rose with all seven boys. These boys all have many wonderful qualities. Patience is not one of them.
Ta-Da! All of them in one shot, and most of them are even smiling. What a feat!

		Since we accomplished that, then we decided to go for all 11 grandkids. Here we have 10 of them.
Now we have them all - Dan & Rose with all 11 grandkids. Amazing, isn't it?
These are the six married brothers behind their corresponding wives.

Saturday morning we went out to breakfast, then on a hike to Link Lake where the boys fished for trout. Mark was all out of clean clothes so he started a new fashion trend by spending the day in his pajamas. It was a very popular ensemble at the breakfast restaurant, I assure you!


Views of the lake


Fishermen in action





They had very, very red bellies. The fish, I mean. Thankfully I didn't see any other bellies that day.











Eric caught a very big fish here but despite (or because of?) all the coaching he was receiving, it got away.		Here's me at the lake. We stayed about 20 minutes too long as cold, windy weather came in on us at the very end.


On the trail heading back down the mountain.


We came down to find a flat tire on the truck. Luckily, Eric entertained us with tire balancing tricks so we didn't get bored while Dan & Mark did all the work of changing the tire.

	Is he doing the "Hustle"??!	Later Jeb, Eric, and I went with Larry to hang at his house for awhile.


		Then we went down to the cabin on Glen Lake. I have always loved that place. Jeb & Amy now own it, the bought it from Dan & Rose this year.
A view from Glen Lake.




Therriault Pass as seen from the cabin on Glen Lake
The sunset as we headed back toward Eureka
Poker night! We played a 10-person game of Texas Hold-em in which most of us lost it all in the first 12 minutes. Jeb was the big wiener of the evening. Oh sorry, I meant winner.

Sunday, our last day. It looks like they are solving the problems of the world.


		Here Coulter finds a very attractive way of wearing a ball cap backwards.
Now the problem solvers are joined by Dan & Tipper.

Here we have some very lovely girls.



Dillon with his complicated fireworks setup.		Dillon & Cody playing in the fire


The house from the back side.		Dillon & Cody again, tossing fireworks into the fire.


Time to go - here we are saying our goodbyes


One last view of Eureka before we head back to Oklahoma.

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