It's that time again! Time to load up the kiddos, pack up the tipi (yes, that's what I said) and take off down the road. As we drove to South Dakota, we passed the Mormon Handcart Historic Site. Chase slammed on his breaks and turned right around. I love impromptu field trips!
This was the perfect stop after a morning of driving. The kids were very excited to be pulling handcarts. They thought twice after we showed them on the map just how long the pioneers had to come, carrying those handcarts.
We took off down the trail together, stopping to read the plaques about the pioneers' experiences. It ripped my heart out, standing there with my healthy family thinking about all of our comforts and wishing I could give even just a piece to those that suffered.
Let my offering be teaching my children about their hardships and their reasons why.
Let me be the reason they never forget.
This map made me think about teaching the kids about the Oregon trail earlier than I had planned. I think we'll have to come back when we do!
Cute little cowboy. Fit right in.
The little museum was great. The kids loved identifying all of the Native American artifacts they know from the gatherings.
Ava took pictures throughout the museum. She's got a great eye for it!
Back on the road, we noticed that the truck's AC was going out. Chase and I reminisced that we bought the truck back before we left for the Yukon, which would be about 10 years ago now. After over 300,000 miles on it, this truck has "seen some things"!
As we drove closer to our campground in South Dakota, I was happy to see that the weather was cooling down a bit. That happiness soon gave way to anxiety though as the cool weather soon turned into a thunderstorm. I envisioned us setting up the tipi in a thunderstorm and tried my best to put on my "we-can-do-this-together" face for the kids.
When we arrived at the Crooked Creek Campground in Custar state park, I noticed that the thunderstorm was preparing to dump water like a child who drank too much from the hose. We had mere minutes to get everything we owned out of the tightly packed truck and basically just hope for the best.
I once again marveled at my husband who pulled up his bootstraps and (somewhat happily) got to work. I was reminded of when we were first dating and a guy in my ward asked if I planned to marry Chase. I told him I didn't know yet and he replied, "I don't know much about that guy, but I do know if the world starts crumbling down and the apocalypse comes- I want to hitch my wagon to his. He knows stuff and gets it done!" It was the strangest compliment I think I have ever heard, but it stuck with me and now I think of it often and am very happy that I decided to "hitch my wagon to his".
In record time (45 minutes to be exact), we (and by that I mean mostly Chase) got the tipi up and furnished just as it started to hail. At one point, the kids stood out in the hail so excited (we had often read of the stuff but not one had actually experienced it). That only lasted a mere minute and they quickly turned to look for cover.
As the kiddos laughed and took cover under the picnic bench, I had a moment of chastisement. I had been foolish to complain (in my head) about the comforts I was missing. Who needed air conditioning, dry bedding, and available showers? These memories and experiences are what we'll take with us when we die. Even if we do die in a hail storm.
Comforting thought.
One thing was true. It sure was beautiful after the hail storm.
Because it was so late getting the tipi up and waiting for the hail to subside, by the time we went to get dinner it was close to 9:00. We were tired and hungry and so out of desperation Chase announced we would be trying something the kids had NEVER had before for dinner....Gas station food. It was a first for them and a compromise for us. After all, you do what you need to when emergency calls.
The next day, we spent enjoying our campground. It had a wonderful little creek running through it that we were lucky enough to pitch right next to. The kids played in the creek, made friends quickly (but where do they get their socialization!?) and caught snakes together. I loved sitting and reading under the fly listening to them squeal with delight as they tried fishing (without poles), catching frogs and snakes and wading in the creek. It is the sound of a happy childhood.
One of Chase's friend, Ryan Black Cyote told us of a Native American expert that we needed to go see. He makes all of the tipis by hand from buffalo hides the way of the Navajo and has a traveling museum with some of the most amazing pieces you'll ever see.
I'll give you one guess who was in bone heaven...
The museum was amazing! You could tell he took good care of everything he came in contact with and had been collecting for years. Many of the things we saw and experienced have only been in places like England and Washington DC. What a privilege!
We loved seeing a very real "wintercount" and Kurt decided he wants to do one about our adventures in the tipi.
After the museum, we braved the heat in the truck once again and made our way to the Badlands. We didn't spend much time there- the thought of being one more second squeezed into that truck with little to no air conditioning felt like torture. We decided instead to head back to the campground and play in the creek.
I've said this before, but this boy is our rock hound (and bone collector). For the entire time we've been here at Crooked Creek, he has began collecting more rocks and hasn't stopped. I don't have the heart to tell him that I don't want to take all of those rocks home.
Each time he finds a new box he fills it up. We're up to three boxes now and it's only the third day! He loves that the rose quartz is all over here (it's his favorite rock) and we soon found out why- it's South Dakota's state mineral. He found some very pretty pieces and Chase and I are thinking it's time to invest in a rock tumbler. He'll make a killing selling and trading them at the gatherings!
We are going to work on identifying and labeling them first (always thinking with the teacher brain).
As we drove through South Dakota, the kids were quick to spy a bright sign that said, "Candyland". For years now, the kids have this imaginary planet that they call Candyland and they like to dream up ideas for candy creations for the pretend planet. For instance, the clouds are marshmallows and the stream is blue punch. The fish in the stream are of course Swedish fish, and the bears in the forest are gummy.
We couldn't resist. As soon as I saw the sign, I knew we'd need to plan a trip there. Maybe invest a few hours in it. I'm glad we did!
Suckers bigger than our heads,
All colors of the M&M rainbow, and all sorts of other goodies. We each picked two of our favorite things (it was hard to decide!) and tried our best to get someone else to taste the chocolate covered pickles or the bacon-flavored soda. The kids were in heaven and I was just happy we got to go somewhere where they didn't fight for once.
After that, we toured around Black Hills and had a good time visiting all of the quaint little shops.
It seemed only fitting that we find a bigfoot sasquatch on our travels. I'm beginning to think he may need to be our family mascot.
The next day took us to Devils Tower national monument.
We couldn't come this far and not visit Sturgis. The big motorcycle group would be accumulating there the next week (oh DARN we just missed it) with over 500,000 people riding to this sleepy little town.
The shops and museums were quaint and entertaining....
and so were the crazy animals we took along with us...
Back at camp, Cash continued to find more and more snakes. I made them put them back in the creek (much to their chagrin) though we compromised and I said they could keep all of the snake skins they found.
Cash took that as a challenge and scoured the campground for days finding more and more (me and my big mouth!) and more. He even was bitten by a garter snake. I only found it because I noticed this funny V-shaped sore on his hand. When I asked about it, he casually replied, "It's ok Mom. It doesn't hurt. It was just a garter snake and they're not even venomous. I didn't even cry".
Well then. I guess that settles it.
After almost a week there on our own, we met up with our dear friends the Dana's as they made their way to Minnesota. We love any chance to hang out with them and being here in South Dakota just made everything that much more fun!
Next on the itinerary was Needles Highway.
It was a beautiful drive on a gorgeous day (or was I just overly cheerful because my husband the hero took the truck into town and got the AC fixed?!).
The needles highway is named for its many tunnels with very small openings. In fact, most large trucks and trailers can't drive through there. I found myself holding my breath as we entered the tunnels. It still makes me a little nervous!
Finally! We made it to Mount Rushmore. I have been wanting to cross this off of my things-to-do-with-my-family-before-I-die list for a while now!
Though it was under construction, we still had a pretty great view and since Dad brought along his extra strength binoculars (see- told ya, I'm glad I hitched up to his wagon!) and the kids and I were amazed at the amount of detail. For instance, did you know that Theodore Rosevelt is wearing glasses? And that his mustache is cross-hatched and oh so cool!
These kiddos brought a lot of fun and craziness to our adventure.
Another favorite of ours was going to the Reptile Gardens.
Alligators, snakes and turtles...oh my!
The boys were in reptile heaven!
We met birds who sang Beethoven,
pet snakes and a baby alligator,
and of course, humungous turtles!
...and maybe a mammal or two.
So many bones to see!
and huge viper pythons.
Friendly snakes just saying "hi",
and massive sea turtles up in the sky.
Lizards bathing in the sun,
and families having lots of fun (ok. That's enough rhymes now).
The next day, we went to church with the Danas and then one more stop before we parted ways. When Des was a little girl, she'd come here with her family on their way to Minnesota. She has very fond memories and when she told us about it, we all agreed we had to see it for ourselves.
It's a free park in Rapid City, called Storybook Island. The park is full of fun imaginative statues and slides and rides for the kids from all of the storybook characters you could think of. I personally enjoyed the songs they played from our favorite childhood movies and shows.
We played all afternoon. The kids loved racing from place to place chatting about what to do and see next. I love this one!
"That's a pretty little fruit basket, hey Booboo?"
And of course, we went back to the time we dressed up as the characters from the Wizard of Oz. My how they've grown since then!
Well, she's always wanted a unicorn.
What's so funny about putting your head in a lion's mouth?!
Don't try this at home, folks.
Ava is loving being the photographer lately.
And Kurt is perfecting the art of the photobomb.
Slow down Cash, we're hoping Ruby still wants to drive with you when you're both 16 because we've already betrothed you two.
*This is a bit out of order- this was actually after Reptile Gardens*
Another favorite adventure of ours was hitting the Rushmore Mountain Coaster together.
The kids have never been on an alpine coaster and only a handful of roller coasters in their lives period, so there was a lot of excitement over this.
Vance secretly told me that he was a little nervous, but more excited than nervous.
I can see a little bit of the nerves. But mostly excitement!
I was lucky enough that I got to ride twice- once with Cash as his adult driver and then again as Grant's. Cash wanted me to go faster (my first time) and the second time I went as fast as it could go and Grant mentioned that it wasn't fast enough.
It was great fun to ride up that steep, steep mountain and then back down as fast as our tracks would carry us. The kids all unanimously voted that this was by far their favorite activity and according to them we would be coming back next year and DEFINITELY needed a day pass!
Phew! Are you as tired as I am?!
What a great few weeks.
I love being with my family and traveling to new adventures. It isn't always easy and there will always be bumps in the road (like no AC and hailstorms) but now that we're back home, I choose to only remember the good parts and we are all already asking, "when can we go back?"!
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