Summer Trip - Day 3

Day three we left Lusk and traveled into South Dakota!!  The pictures above are from the drive out of Lusk.  I thought it was really pretty.

When we entered South Dakota, all of my boys (including Jeremy) got to add a state to their list of states visited.  I had already been to South Dakota, so I didn't get to add a state to my list.

Once in South Dakota, we decided to visit Spearfish Canyon.  It is really beautiful.

We stopped and saw Bridal Veil Falls.  You can see this from the road, so it is an easy stop.

We then took a hike to see Spearfish Falls.  Here are my little guys on the trail.

More pictures from the hike.  This was really fun, and beautiful!

Finally, at the falls!

Then we took another hike to see Roughlock falls.

Pretty scenery from the hike.

Roughlock Falls!!

And to prove we were there - - here are the boys in front of them.

A picture from the hike back.  All of the boys loved these hikes - except Drake.  He loved them until about the last mile of the last one, and then he decided he had had enough.

I took this picture just so I could remember how clear the water was here.  So pretty!!  We loved Spearfish canyon!!

From there we headed to Belle Fourche, SD.  The geographical center of the nation (including Alaska, and Hawaii).  This monument isn't the exact spot.  It is actually located outside of town on private land, but they took advantage of their proximity, and it is a fun little stop if you are ever in the area.

The boys at the monument.  It is nice and very well kept.  There is also a good little museum that is free there.  

After we left Belle Fourche, we headed into North Dakota!  This time the whole family got to add a state to their list!!

That night we stayed in Dickinson, North Dakota.  The hotel was nice.  It also had a large suite that would accommodate our whole family, and it had a fun little waterpark that all the boys loved.

It had a full sized waterslide that was FAST!!  Tad wouldn't go on it at first, but finally agreed to go if Jeremy held him.  After he did that a time or two, we couldn't get him off of it.  He was a watersliding fanatic!!

Here is Drake coming down the slide.

The boys also had fun in the bigger pool on these ropes and floating discs.

Day 3 was a great one!!

Summer Trip

Last Christmas, Jeremy and I decided that our kids had enough "stuff", and that we wanted to provide them with experiences rather than things. So, instead of buying a lot of stuff (they all got a little present or two), we told them that they were going to get a fun family vacation in the Summer.  The kids were, luckily, on board, and so they looked forward to our upcoming vacation for six months.  We decided to head north to Mount Rushmore, and other surrounding sites, and we had a ball. We have been back for a little over a week now, and I am finally getting around to looking through our pictures.  I will break the trip up into days, so you won't suffer too much picture overload.

First up - day one.

We left Taylor early, early in the morning and headed East on I-40 into New Mexico, then headed north into Durango, Colorado.

We stopped there for lunch and the kids had fun at the little train park where we stopped and also seeing the pretty river that flows through Durango.

We then continued North through Ouray.  I don't know why I didn't take more pictures here, The drive into Ouray from the south is beautiful, and I think Ouray itself is such a pretty town.  Oh well, at least I got this picture of my boys at the waterfall.  We took a short little hike up to see it and the boys loved it.

From there we continued north into Grand Junction and spent the night there.

Day 2

We left Grand Junction and traveled east on I-70 to Denver.  I love this stretch of I-70.  It is one of the most beautiful freeways I have ever traveled.  Here are a few pics . . .

From Denver, we headed north to Fort Collins, Co.

We stopped and saw the beautiful Fort Collins temple.

We also spotted Drake Rd., so of course, we had to stop for a picture.

From there we went to Cheyenne, WY, and saw a few of the sights there.

My kids especially loved the little wading pond and stream at the Children's village.  It was a good place to take a break and cool off.

After we left Cheyenne, we headed north to a cute little town called Lusk, WY.  

The kids really liked where we stayed in Lusk.  It had a fun outdoor pool and it also had bikes that you could borrow for free.  Jeremy and the three older boys took rides in the evening, and again the next morning before we left.  I liked the fact that it had a large family suite, that could accommodate all seven of us with room for more!!

We covered a lot of miles the first two days, but we saw some new things, and made some good memories as well.

Six!

My little Tad just turned six!  He was soooooo excited about his birthday this year.

He requested cherry chip cupcakes with white frosting, and told me I could surprise him with how they were decorated.  I found this cute idea on Pinterest and he was thrilled.  The kid loves suckers. (In fact, they were they only thing that he would work toward when he was potty training years ago.)

After cake we opened presents.

He and Drake had the front room all set up with special guests and a chair for the guest of honor.  (Notice how all the guests (Angry Birds) are facing towards the chair, ready to watch the present opening.)

He had requested two things for his birthday.  A fidget spinner - because really, what kid can be without one these days?

And more Angry Birds plushies.  Grandma Teichert obliged and gave him a set of plushies from the Angry Birds movie.  In addition to the ones above, he also got Chuck, Bomb Bird, and Red Bird.  I know we have a crazy amount of these things, but my boys play with these things for hours every day.  They are worth every cent.

We also gave him a giant Mustache pig.  It makes sounds and everything.  He was very excited.

Tad is such a fun kid.  I love our conversations, playtime, reading time, and just hanging out together.  Plus he is such a good helper to me. I am going to miss him so much when he leaves me every day for Kindergarten.

Happy Birthday Tad!  I know you will make a great six-year-old!!