New Settlers Scenarios

Over the weekend, Rebekah and I tried out some new Settler of Catan scenarios from the University of Catan (Mayfairer) website. Dave and Melissa Hendricks even tried one out with us. We all LOVED the Pirate's Isle scenario, which adds some cool variants, including a volcano.

I have now decided that this is the greatest game ever made. There are so many different ways that you can play it/change it that it never gets old, and each way adds some fun variables to the gameplay. If anyone plays Settlers and wants to know the rules for Pirate's Isle, I can send them to you.

Mayfairer has a contest for the best new scenario created by gamers so I am now working on my own scenario, which is a variant of Pirate's Isle but more of a challenge. So far, it's only a two-player scenario and each player controls a raider (robber) that they get to place on their opponent when they roll a seven. The raider then collects for that player whatever his opponent would have produced off of that hex. The raider can only be moved by playing a soldier card and banishing him to the desert isle. There are two pirate islands and each player must build on one before landing on his opponents island. The pirate ship is activated when two sevens are rolled in a row. The person who rolled the second seven is then attacked by the pirate. One die is rolled to determine how many cards the pirate will steal. Lots more ocean to sail in this scenario, too.

On our pilot run, Rebekah sunk me bad. I would no sooner get the raider off of me than it would be back again. *groan* Beaten at my own scenario.

Here is a pic of the gameboard for a small two-player setup, using the volcano and jungle.



I also bought two new rivers to use in the Prospectors scenarios.

A Day With The Pigs (take that how you will)

Ok, everyone. We went and got pigs on Saturday. Bro. Ted took us out to eastern Montana and south from Browning to a place called Rockport Colony (middle of nowhere). That's where we got our pigs, which Bro. Ted will raise until fall and then have butchered for us. It's been a couple of years since we did it, but it is some of the best pork you'll ever eat. Here are some pics of Elijah and Bro. Ted's children with the pigs.

Elijah and Gabe. (These are day-old piglets, not the ones we bought.)

Bro. Ted overseeing the pigs. T.J. in the back, Elijah setting in front of Gabe.

Elijah and Gabe, again.

Here's Gabe, Elijah and Megan after unloading the pigs.

Our pigs, getting settled in the back of the truck.

Here's a picture of our pig. His name is Corky. Sis. Loren gave him a black eye (j/k).

Elijah giving Megan a ride. Can you believe it, Elijah's already picking up girls.

Victory, Sweet Victory!

Last night, we played Settlers, while we waited for Bro. Adams and Bro. Barker. They missed their turn and ended up driving to Missoula before they headed back our direction. Anyway, I challenged Rebekah to a game of Settlers, and the outcome is clear by looking at the board (I was blue). It was a really good game, but I prevailed and built my trade route across the entire board. It felt good. REAL good. (Especially since I got tromped so royally when Micah and Megan were here. lol)

Rebekah, admitting her defeat.

A close-up of the board.

Trip to the National Bison Range

On Saturday, we took a trip out to the National Bison Range, between Moiese and St. Ignatius. I was covering a story there and figured it would be a great opportunity to take Bek and the children for a family outing, afterward. The range had a 19 mile loop of ascending and descending road that wound through the hills and eventually came back to the visitor's center. Along that whole drive we only saw three or four bison, out of a herd of 300-350. Finally, near the end of the loop, we came across a group that must have contained the vast majority of the herd. Here are some pictures:

At the visitor's center, with a stack of elk horns behind me. Moriah has her usual "I'm too cute for pictures" look. I must have been rolling my eyes. Josiah went off exploring, as usual.

Artwork From Elijah & Alana

Tonight, Rebekah and I started painting the new walls on the outside of the house. Grandpa will probably come over tomorrow and start on the trim. After we came back inside, we ate dinner and put the two little ones to bed. Then, it was art time for Elijah, Alana and myself.

I told Elijah that we could make a picture and post it for Uncle Micah. Of course, Alana wanted to make one for Megan. So, we all colored together.

Elijah wanted to make Ninja Turtles. He wasn't sure how to do so, though, so he kept asking me to help. Daddy got to help with the Ninja Turtles and Elijah made the bad guys by himself. Elijah did help some with the turtles, too.

Alana just wanted to make a pink flower for Megan, so we did. She made a lot of other things, too. Rebekah wrote what they are so that you can identify each part.

Enjoy:

Oliver North

Guess what! I got to see Lt.Col. Oliver North, today.

I can't believe this guy is 63 years old and still embedding with troops in Iraq. He's pretty amazing. In fact, the whole reason that he came out here was to speak at a fundraiser for Stillwater Christian School.

He is a strong advocate of preserving moral absolutes in America and the rights of both individuals and institutions to teach the uncensored Word of God.

What's more, he told the students that fully half of a person's life is determined by the people they choose to associate with. Most young people today waste the majority of their lives because they choose to hang out and associate intimately with those who influence them to live for them moment but never help them to strive for anything eternal or significant in life. Consequently, young people spend their whole lives searching for fulfillment but never find it. They get to the end of their lives and look back with a deep sense of emptiness, feeling wasted and unfulfilled. They have neither experienced or achieved anything truly meaningful.

"I'm a firm believer in the fellowship of believers," he says. He again pointed to the Word of God and examples like Timothy and the Apostle Paul, whose influence shaped Timothy's life and ministry to others, inspiring him to be a truly great and effective man of God. He added that the importance and positive effects of surrounding oneself with mature Christians could not be understated.

Proverbs 13:20 says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."

Here are a couple of pics from a cameo appearance at a Bible study in Bigfork, immediately before he flew out to another speaking engagement:





For more info, check out www.olivernorth.com or on War Stories With Oliver North on the Fox New Station.

Bullrun Pictures

Last year, I covered a story for the newspaper about the race/reality TV show, "Bullrun," which filmed the first episode in Whitefish. I took a ton of pictures, got to talk to the drivers and also interviewed Bill Goldberg and his wife.

The start of the race.

Goldberg checking out the cars.

Goldberg reviewing the script.

Goldberg during filming, hosts the show.

Goldberg getting wired with a mic.

One of the cars (my favorite).

The official Pace Car (above) and another shot of the race's start (below).

Being a reporter has its perks, like meeting all the drivers and checking out their cars.