tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86986281557154816902024-03-13T09:47:47.225-06:00From This Front PorchOur days and years are passing, spent as a tale that's told.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger784125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-16012751396207538302016-01-31T22:31:00.001-07:002016-02-01T22:21:15.144-07:00Month of Music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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December was definitely a month filled with music at our house. There was a lot of practicing going on and multiple performances. We'll start with Kyla and her Holiday Choir Concert. It was amazing. It included all the choirs in her high school and the orchestra as well.</div>
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Below you can see Kyla's choir performing. She is on the right side of the girls who are standing, about the third row down and right behind the mice pole. I'm glad we'll have a lot more of these concerts to enjoy...</div>
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Also Kyla had her voice recital performance. This was her first time ever to sing by herself in front of a whole bunch of people, not very easy, but she did great...</div>
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Colter's musical performance for the month took place at a restaurant where they had a performing stage. His teacher jammed all his students up on stage and they entertained us with some Christmas songs. It was fun to hear all those instruments playing together...</div>
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Colter at the guitar...</div>
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Maya's school holiday very enjoyable. Her school has a new music teacher and he is outstanding! Here is Maya's class getting their percussion instruments...</div>
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And singing...</div>
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Last but not least, we enjoyed Melita's little music program at the assisted living community. It was ADORABLE! Here she and her classmates are singing one of their songs....</div>
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And singing another...</div>
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After they were done singing, they passed out a piece of fruit and a card that they made to each of the residents at the home. :)</div>
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We missed our last music event of the month... playing Christmas carols on the piano at Sykes in town. We just weren't able to fit it in too, so we had to miss out but it was still fun to hear them play their songs at home. </div>
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Yikes, it was a lot of running, but it was worth it. I think enjoying music performed is one of the greatest gifts we can share with one another. And it's a great reward for all the times I've had to remind them to practice, practice, practice...</div>
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Have an great week! Alison</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-29265049037649966782016-01-25T22:07:00.001-07:002016-01-25T22:23:46.379-07:00All of November 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to the past, November 2015 is on the blog...</div>
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At the beginning of the month, Grandpa and Colter went hunting together and Grandpa brought home a deer. Colter spent some evenings at G and G's helping cut it up with them, because that's just what he enjoys doing these day...</div>
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Maya being a clown...</div>
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Melita takes a music class on Mondays and here she is holding one of her teachers puppies. They were SO adorable...</div>
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Singing with her music class and Teacher Michelle, who was my piano teacher when I was young...</div>
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And doing her music homework. It's fun to make quarter notes out of stickers...</div>
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In November Kyla made two huge sugar cookies to replicate an animal cell and a plant cell for her biology class. This was LATE on a wednesday night when she got done. The next day they ate it in class. YUM...</div>
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Here is a picture of the kids in their Thelma Strong sweatshirts that we bought. The story behind this is that these kids' 2nd grade teachers' daughter is fighting kidney cancer out in Seattle. Her name is Thelma and she's just a precious little 2 year old. Our hearts go out to her and her family...</div>
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Here are Kyla and her "twin" friend at a speech meet. Kyla claims that these meets can be more tiring than her cross country meets. I think I see what she means...</div>
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Randy and his dad took their annual elk hunting trip into the Missouri River Breaks. It was SO muddy this year. You can see the mud built up on their tires...</div>
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Crazy way to try and clean out the mud...</div>
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A picture from the hunting trip...</div>
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And another...</div>
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These girls being funny at the store while waiting for me...</div>
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November was a good time to go through clothes in the basement and get out a few hand-me-downs. It's worth noting that Maya is really growing taller these days... and she's also getting goofier all the time... ;)</div>
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Then it was Thanksgiving time and we headded to the farm as usual. Making pie...</div>
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Playing with cousins!</div>
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More playing with cousins...</div>
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Fun playing games with everybody...</div>
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Colter shot a grouse on the farm...</div>
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A good day bird hunting...</div>
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And a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner...</div>
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Something I'm very thankful for is friends, family and all loved ones. Because of recent experiences in our lives, I've learned that life and time spent together is precious! Love to all, Alison</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-65249714966412080822016-01-18T22:20:00.002-07:002016-01-18T22:33:47.253-07:00The Rest of October...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In October, Highlanders Cross Country started for Maya and Melita. Kyla got to be a coach for Melita's team along with Kyla's Cross Country friend McKenna who got to coach her little sister Taylor! What is really fun is, that my sister and I went to school with McKenna and Taylor's Mom, and the girls Grandma Judy went to school with these girls grandma Marcia! </div>
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Below is Melita coming into the finish line at her race with Coach Kyla encouraging her on...</div>
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Here is Maya running her race. She has really started to enjoy running this season...</div>
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On our way home from Kyla's CC meet in Butte, the girls and I stopped in the neighborhood where I lived when I was about Melita's age. This little convenient store hasn't changed much over the years...<br />
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This was these girls first time riding at the Pig Farm trails...</div>
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One afternoon during break time, Colter made these carrot whistles. They sounded just like a whistle until they dried up...</div>
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Sarah and Kyla working on cookies for their State CC team send-off...</div>
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Maya had Sabrina over for her birthday and they got to go swimming...</div>
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Kyla making birthday cake for her father and sister!</div>
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And Maya and Melita made these cute party hats...</div>
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Also in October, Kyla had her first Choir concert...</div>
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Love the rich sounds of a good high school choir...</div>
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Maya and I got out one evening for some time together...</div>
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And here I'm brewing some tea as I give Colter his weekly spelling test. I love my job...</div>
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Made Cave Oatmeal Cookies. They are the best!!! You can find the recipe <a href="http://countrykitchenrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-post.html"><b><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">here</span></i></b></a> on my long-lost recipe blog! :)</div>
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Sometimes waiting for Kyla at school involved walking/running around the track...</div>
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Speech and Debate started in October. Here is Kyla (in the black skirt suit and green shirt) at one of her first meets. I love seeing all these high school kids dressed up in there best. It was fun to judge too...</div>
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For Halloween, the kids carved pumpkins...</div>
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Hard at work...</div>
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And then trick-or-treated from bedroom door to bedroom door...</div>
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Randy took this beautiful October sunset (or sunrise) picture from our front yard. Hmmm, it's looking Northeast... ?!?!</div>
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And that made a really long, throw it all together, October post. But, I'm in catch up mode right now. Just November, and then December... and then January to go.</div>
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All for now.<br />
Alison</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-84216276769775587162016-01-14T22:56:00.000-07:002016-01-14T22:56:11.346-07:00Hunting Season-October 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Randy took Kyla out on the first Saturday of Hunting Season and she got the little buck above.</div>
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It was Colter's turn next and both he and Randy hung up deer in the garage...</div>
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Processing meat time around the kitchen table...</div>
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Melita wanted to help too so we found her a plastic knife and she's cutting off some of the fat from the bones for Tober...</div>
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Still wanting to be a big helper!</div>
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Maya and Kyla helped wrap up a lot of meat for the freezer...</div>
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...</div>
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Then we made lots of snack jerky. Here is the seasoned meat, ready to be squeezed out on racks and put in the smoker. We are still enjoying jerky and when it's gone, we'll make some more...</div>
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It turned out to be a successful Deer Hunting Season!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-91457753225498863452016-01-10T16:54:00.000-07:002016-01-18T22:38:24.842-07:00October Birthdays 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another October and another year older for Randy and Maya! We celebrated together one Sunday evening. </div>
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I made an Irish themed meal for thier birthday and Mom and Dad came to help us celebrate, partly because of our Irish Heritage and partly because of Maya's gift...</div>
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Corned Beef, Scalloped Potatoes, Irish Soda Bread and Cole Slaw...</div>
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Kyla made this Chocolate Peanut Butter Stack cake for Randy and Maya...</div>
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Love these two...</div>
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Blowing out the candles...</div>
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Opening her gift from Grandma and Grandpa...</div>
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Happy Birthday!</div>
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Unfortunately, our gift to Maya didn't arrive till a few days after her birthday. We bought her an Irish <a href="http://www.killarneywhistle.com/"><b><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">Killarney Tin Whistle</span></i></b></a>, shipped straight from Ireland. </div>
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So she's been wanting one for quite awhile but it was a pretty big surprise to her when it came. We got an Instructional DVD to go with it for her. It's beautiful!</div>
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Here is a video of this exact whistle and what it can sound like...</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="169" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Nu3ih1RClTw?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0" width="300"></iframe><br />
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And another year of birthday's is over at our house!<br />
Alison</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-26621490487781847442016-01-09T15:03:00.000-07:002016-01-09T22:05:52.761-07:00Sisters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/September-2015/i-FqgT9Hr/0/XL/IMG_2532-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/September-2015/i-FqgT9Hr/0/XL/IMG_2532-XL.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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These September pictures deserve a post of there own. :)</div>
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One evening, Melita convinced Maya to take her on a little walk down the road. When I saw them coming back I grabbed the camera and snapped some pictures of them.</div>
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These pictures remind me of <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><a href="http://www.hugsfromus.blogspot.com/2009/04/sisters.html"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>this post</i></span></a> </b></span>that I did back when Maya was 4 years old, just like Melita is in these pictures...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/September-2015/i-PbBM4pj/0/XL/IMG_2534-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/September-2015/i-PbBM4pj/0/XL/IMG_2534-XL.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Because I have a sister, I always have a friend...</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> -unknown</span></i></b></div>
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This is not always the norm for these sisters. Although there is a six year age difference between the two, Melita has proven to be fiercely independent at times ("don't hold my hand") and she usually wants to keep up with her older siblings "all by myself" which can lead to some conflict. But there are these sweet, precious moments in our days as well, just as there has been all along the way on this journey of parenthood. Lets grab the memories!</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b><i>Learn to appreciate what you have before time makes you appreciate what you had.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i>-unknown </i></b></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-28229523001191940682016-01-08T23:00:00.000-07:002016-01-08T23:37:51.453-07:00The Rest of September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the beginning of September, I bought a new phone. Apparently I didn't really know what I was doing when I started taking pictures with it because most of them are blurry in September. So, you'll have to bear with me!</div>
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The picture above shows Melita with some gathered Doc McStuffins material, that she picked out at Joann's Fabric one day. She spotted it and wanted it so bad that I couldn't turn down the opportunity to get if for her and do our first sewing project together. She helped when she could and was so excited with the fact that she made her very own jumper! </div>
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Here is the (blurry) finished product! </div>
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Maya and I began cutting out and sewing a pioneer/prairie dress for her, similar to what Laura Ingals Wilder would have worn. Unfortunately it isn't done yet but we have a goal to have it complete by the time she does her Wax Museum Project on Laura Ingals Wilder for school this spring...</div>
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Maya also helped me make applesauce from the apples on our trees in September...</div>
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One of Colter's projects was making a propeller flying stick that would work. Here he is working on that and he actually balanced and sanded it enough that it worked pretty well! He likes anything to do with word-working and airplanes...</div>
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Guitar lessons started again for the year and are a highlight of the weeks. Here is Colter with his teacher Christian...</div>
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A special Saturday spent with Kyla one day in town. Gotta love these times as they are fewer these days...</div>
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We had special company in September. Barb and Leilani came to stay with us for a few days. Here are the kids doing Zen Tangle pictures with Leilani. Even Kyla got in on the fun too...</div>
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Mostly September was a return to school and routine, which is always a good thing...</div>
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Here is my feeble attempt at getting a picture of the stunning Supermoon Lunar Eclipse at the end of September. I will be nearing 60 years old the next time this happens again. Did you see it too?</div>
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Just this for now (blurry pictures and all)!</div>
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Hope all are well.</div>
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Alison</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-3482440143449111992016-01-06T23:06:00.001-07:002016-01-08T22:19:55.803-07:00High School Cross Country 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/September-2015/i-KNzxtFm/0/L/IMG_0227-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/September-2015/i-KNzxtFm/0/L/IMG_0227-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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The beginning of Kyla's school year actually started with the first day of Cross Country Practice. Here she is above with her team of girls (Kyla is fourth from left).<br />
To the left of her is teammate and inspiration <a href="http://usatodayhss.com/2015/top-5-cross-country-runner-annie-hill-is-5-2-95-pounds-and-faster-than-you-think"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Annie Hill!</span></a></div>
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Here are some of my favorite pictures taken throughout the season.<br />
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All smiles in Libby...</div>
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Running in Great Falls, I think... (Kyla is farthest right)</div>
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Flathead Invite...</div>
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You can't see it in the picture but it was snowing in Butte. Kyla's in the center of the pack...</div>
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Butte again...</div>
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The girls and I went to Butte to watch. Here we are warming up in the van...</div>
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And most of the team at Glacier Invite...</div>
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This was just a few of the meets they competed in. A highlight was Mountain West in Missoula were she saw many other runners that she knew from around the Northwest! Apparently practices were a blast too and much looked forward too. Kyla loves to run! It was fun to cheer her on... Go Kyla Go!!!</div>
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Before Cross Country was over, Speech and Debate started and it's still going on. She has been competing in the short prep events and continues this weekend with the Varsity Team. More of that to come...</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-11975696037545060912015-12-09T23:31:00.001-07:002015-12-09T23:31:33.613-07:00The Rest Of August<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was so fun to have our Wyoming cousins come in August to stay with Grandpa and Grandma (which only live a few miles from us) for a few weeks while their Mom and Dad went to Mexico. We did some fun end of summer things with them. We went swimming a couple times...</div>
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And we all slept in tents out in Grandpa and Grandma's back yard one night. Here are my two little tent buddies...</div>
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One day, Grandma wanted to make butter with the old butter churn that her mother used years ago. The kids all took turns turning the handle...</div>
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And then working the butter after it was done. We ended up with lots and lots of butter that day...</div>
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Then the kids wanted to try and grind wheat into flour with Grandma's old fashioned coffee mill. They ended up grinding quite a bit of flour and we thought it would be fun to make bread with it, but we didn't get that done...</div>
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When Keith and Melinda got back from Mexico, they brought us all back something... </div>
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John and Karrie and Family also came over from Washington and we had a houseful of fun for the weekend...</div>
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A walk to the park and some grassy playing. Here they're getting ready for a race...</div>
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Finally we enjoyed looking at Mexico Trip Pictures before everyone had to leave then next day...</div>
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In August, we also made a stop or two at the library...</div>
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And both Kyla and Colter took private swim class...</div>
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Maya enjoyed have her friend Sabrina over one day and they made a giant chocolate chip cookie...</div>
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We even had some quiet down time...</div>
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Our 18th Anniversary was in August. This picture wasn't actually taken on our Anniversary but it was a picture with both of us, so it'll work...</div>
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Before August was over, we were back into school and busy routine days again, with only our summer memories left.</div>
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September coming up...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-57117083629980574622015-11-14T11:52:00.001-07:002015-11-14T12:08:12.784-07:00Keep Calm and Happy Birthday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The next birthday in August was Kyla's. <br />
For her birthday, Maya and I decided to follow an English theme partly because we've learned that the kids have an English Heritage,<br />
and partly because we've enjoyed learning about English food and culture lately. <br />
And Kyla LOVES tea...</div>
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So for dinner we had Piccalilli, Chuck Roast with Yorkshire Pudding with Gravy and a Fruit Salad...</div>
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We found some cute little crowns for everyone to wear in their hair...</div>
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And I made this Chocolate Peanut Butter Stack. From what I found on the internet, this is an English Recipe. And then we had tea from, you guessed it... England!</div>
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Opening presents...</div>
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Maya painted the English Flag in the background and printed out other English paraphernalia for the party...</div>
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Grandma looks good in a crown...</div>
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Thank you Grandpa and Grandma and Auntie Mary for joining us. And thanks for sharing your pictures with me too as all of mine got erased somehow.</div>
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Are you as confused about the whole English/Ireland/Great Britain/United Kingdom thing as I am? Here is a video that can clear it all up, or not...<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ACOlry6zgWg?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0" width="640"></iframe></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-75905684655602803532015-11-13T10:07:00.002-07:002015-11-13T10:09:41.333-07:00Birthday Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now it's time to post about our August Birthdays. My birthday was first...<br />
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For my birthday this year, Kyla fixed me a wonderful meal... Fruit Slushie, Bacon-bite Appetizers, Spinach-strawberry Salad, Green Beans and Baked Tilapia, and Homemade Chocolate-Mocha Cheesecake with Vanilla Ice-cream. It was wonderful! Thanks Kyla! Turning another year older isn't so bad when you have these nice moments to look forward too...<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-90433315779952787262015-11-11T21:46:00.000-07:002015-11-11T21:47:11.817-07:00School Begins Again, and Again, and Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here we were today,</div>
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attending parent/teacher conferences,</div>
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and dealing with report cards,</div>
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and we'll do it tomorrow too.</div>
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And I haven't even posted,</div>
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First Day of School Pictures!</div>
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So here they are</div>
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Already a quarter of a school year old.</div>
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We have a high-schooler,</div>
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a home-schooler,</div>
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a grade-schooler,</div>
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and a pre-schooler!</div>
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And the school year is off to a GREAT start!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-11866419735261814032015-11-06T22:24:00.002-07:002015-11-13T09:40:00.866-07:00Out Family Trip 2015 - Home For Harvest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Harvest Crew 2015!</div>
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After our windy drive across North Dakota, we reached Grandpa Larry's Farm on Wednesday, July 29th, the 13th day of our trip. All along, our hope had been to be at the farm for harvest, but earlier it had looked like we would be too early to get in on it. When we got there however, plans soon changed and harvest was in full swing. That's the way it is with these things and we were so happy to be able to experience harvest again, after several years of missing it!</div>
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We found another resting place for our trailer in Grandpa's yard...</div>
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This was Melita's first time to experience harvest as we hadn't been back since she was born. She loved every minute of it!</div>
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Getting a ride on the dune buggy that Daddy built years ago...</div>
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And a ride in Grandpas combine...</div>
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And another ride in one of the grain trucks!</div>
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Soon the big combines got to work on the fields and we enjoyed riding and watching...</div>
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Harvest Days...</div>
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Beautiful fields of wheat...</div>
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My girls and I kept busy in the kitchen when we weren't out in the fields. Strawberry shortcake by Kyla...</div>
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And Chocolate Chip cookies by Maya...</div>
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Supper out of the back of the pickup every evening...</div>
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Another meal and Melita looks tired!</div>
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Enjoying the last days of our trip together...</div>
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Colter was mostly out in the combines and trucks with the guys this year. I'm so glad that he gets to experience this every now and then... </div>
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The girls and I also found time to go on several four wheeler rides around the country. It was an awesome and beautiful time together with Melita and myself on one and Kyla and Maya on the other. <a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-7xZnWjJ/1/XL/IMG_9561-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-7xZnWjJ/1/XL/IMG_9561-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Every time we go back to harvest, I search for this old farming equipment, abandoned out in the field long, long ago...</div>
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If only they could talk...</div>
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The stories they could tell!</div>
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Besides all our fun on the farm, the girls and I also headed into town and went school shopping. Who would have thought we would find such great shopping in WP? Well, we did! We found lots of quality, name brand items at great prices in a couple stores we visited.</div>
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More fun on the quad with Maya! This was her first time to drive one. :)</div>
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The guys worked late into the night. The evening before we had to leave, the wheat was all in the bins and harvest 2015 was complete. It's always special to see harvest finished! It was simply a wonderful time.</div>
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On Sunday Morning, August 2nd, day 17 of our trip, we headed down the road going west. About and hour down the road we stopped for a Sunday Morning Fellowship Meeting with some of our dear friends. It was so good to see them a long the way. Then we got in the pickup and headed home. It was a long trip that day and we were so glad to get back to our side of the mountain. Here we stopped for a little break after going over Marias Pass...</div>
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We enjoyed our trip so, so much but I think we were all ready to be home at last. I think this last picture of Melita sums up how we all felt as we faced the last few miles of our trip leading home. Happy but a little crazy...</div>
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And that sums it up. The kids just enjoyed looking through all these trip posts tonight and I was reminded of why I spend time and do this blog thing. They LOVED it!</div>
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And as I wrap this whole thing up, I was reminded of some thoughts that I wrote down after we went on our last family trip. They perfectly sum up how I felt about this trip too. Here they are...</div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">I've been away for a while.</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">We've all been away for a while.</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">In fact, this is the longest outing we've ever taken since we've been a family.</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">It's been wonderful. It's been rich. It's been epic.</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">It's been all of the above.</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">Tonight I find myself struggling with the fact that tomorrow we will return to r.e.a.l. life.</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">I'm going to miss every minute and every mile, every special place, and every special face we've left behind us,</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">I'm going to miss the adventures each new day brought,</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">I'm going to miss the map in one hand because the GPS didn't always know the way; and I'm going to miss the camera in my other hand.</span><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #516264; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25.6px; text-align: left;">But most of all I'm going to miss the 24/7 time spent with my family, all 5/6th's of them.</span></span><b style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></b></span></div>
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Thanks for following along! Hope you enjoyed the trip.</div>
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Alison</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-71009022623087248532015-11-02T22:17:00.003-07:002015-11-02T22:34:22.107-07:00Our Family Trip 2015 - Overnight in The Bakken!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Day 12 of our trip found us traveling west on Highway 2, through the upper half of North Dakota. As I mentioned before, our goal was to make it Grandpa Larry's farm in Montana before night, but as we battled stronger and stronger winds that day, we soon realized we could go no further. As we saw gusts over 70 miles per hour, and heard of trucks and trailers being flipped on there sides, we finally decided to stop in Minot for the night. After an exhausting and worrisome day of travel, fighting the wind and only able to go around 40 miles and hour all day, we had to find a place to pull the trailer into for the night. Lets just say that's a difficult thing to do in Minot, North Dakota! Anyway, after lots of calling and asking around, we were able to find a place to park for the night at the Minot State Fairgrounds. The fairground officials where very kind and good to us!</div>
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After we got our trailer unhitched, we found a Perkins to eat at for supper. Can you sense our relief in the picture above? Then we walked around at the mall a while, and ran into Randy's cousin Lyle who farms in the area. It was another unexpected but welcomed highlight to talk to him! Then we went back to our trailer and spent the rest of the night snuggled up as the wind ripped and tore at the world outside our little home on wheels...</div>
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Randy is probably talking to Grandpa Larry as the wind rocked the trailer back and forth...</div>
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And here we are the next morning, getting ready to go again! As we left the camping area, we saw many blown over trees and branches. We even had to weave our way through some of them. But We survived!!! It was still pretty windy but much less than the day before...</div>
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Minot is well inside the borders of the Bakken Oil Patch, likely the reason it was so difficult to find a place to stay the night there. As we got on the road again, and moved further and further west, we saw more and more oil activity. Even though things have slowed down there, in the last year, there was still a LOT going on when we came through that day...</div>
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Our first look at man camps...</div>
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We tried to count oil wells but soon lost count. We saw hundreds and hundreds just from the highway...</div>
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We'd heard a lot over the last ten years about "The Bakken" and the Oil Boom in North Dakota. But like I mentioned before, it had been at least 10 years since our last North Dakota trip, so we hadn't seen anything of it for ourselves. It really was quite something and although I didn't take many pictures of it, I still felt like it was something I had to share in a post. It was kind of sad to see the difference from what I remember North Dakota to be, especially the Williston area. Anyway, we were very thankful to get through it all safely and on to our next destination... </div>
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Grandpa Larry's Farm! :)</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-66665885481590451302015-10-30T10:31:00.000-06:002015-10-30T10:33:51.374-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 - Maple Lake, Minnesota! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another Highlight of our trip was a half day spent in the Land of Many Lakes! We were kindly invited to enjoy time at the cabin on Maple Lake, Minnesota of some of Rob and Aleta's friends. We had a wonderful time there. Just feel like we received so much more than we can ever repay in all these experiences on our trip...</div>
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A beautiful evening...</div>
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Kyla's first time on water skis!</div>
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After the beautiful evening, we drove back to Rob and Aleta's to spend one more night, and then we packed up our trailer and started down the road again. We left Tuesday morning, July 28th, and planned to go all the way to Grandpa Larry's house in Montana that day. It would be the longest day of driving so far on the trip at about 9 hours. Long before our trip began, we had hoped to go to the farm right during harvest so we could get in on it and help out if needed. To our dissapointment, it looked like harvest wasn't going to take place for another week so then our plan was to stay with Grandpa for a couple days and then go back into North Dakota to see and experience Medora! We got all our plans and reservations made and headed down the road. Then the wind hit us...</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-68067228947691698032015-10-29T09:35:00.003-06:002015-10-29T09:44:58.179-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 - The Red River Valley!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our next destination on the trip was Uncle Rob, Auntie Aleta, Cousins Evan and Lana's house in North Dakota. We hadn't been here for far to long. So on July 25, we pulled into their yard and enjoyed the next few days with them. </div>
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Welding with Evan...</div>
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Lots of swimming (picture from Aleta)...</div>
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This pool was a hit!</div>
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Some quad flying...</div>
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A beautiful evening in the North Dakota farm land...</div>
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Sweet new friends...</div>
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I had to include this picture of Melita in her pajamas, the same ones that Kyla and Lana wore (in the picture below) the last time we visited their home, maybe 10 years ago. I told you it had been a very long time! (picture from Aleta)</div>
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We loved Auntie Aleta's garden and we enjoyed eating good things from it too...</div>
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Surrounded by farm fields...</div>
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Something that really stood out to us about this visit, was the beautiful farms and lush fields on the table-top flat landscape! We also noticed the humidity of this place. Never have I been in a more humid climate than this. A definite contrast to our more arid climate. We also had the added bonus of being able to go into Minnesota for some lake fun one day which added another state visit to our trip! Pictures to come...</div>
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We can't thank you enough for all you did to make our time so special Aleta and family! Thanks for sharing your pictures too!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-44993139338762549402015-10-21T13:22:00.001-06:002015-10-29T09:38:42.820-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 - The Ingalls Homestead!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"I've got some news. I've found our homestead," Pa announced. </div>
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"Oh where, Pa? What's it like? How far is it?" Mary and Laura and Carrie asked excited. </div>
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Ma said, "That's good, Charles." </div>
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"It is just right in every way. It lies south of where the lake joins Big Slough, and the slough curves around to the west of it. There's a rise in the prairie to the south of the slough, that will make a nice place to build. A little hill just west of it crowds the slough back on that side. On the quarter section there's upland hay and plow land lying to the south; and good grazing on all of it, everything a farmer could ask for. And it's near the town site, so the girls can go to school."</div>
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-excerpt from By the Shores of Silver Lake</div>
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by Laura Ingalls Wilder</div>
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In the late afternoon, we stopped by our trailer at the RV Park that was located on the road that runs from town out to the Homestead. I liked to think of Laura and her family walking right by where our trailer was parked on their way into town. We got our snacks for the afternoon and then drove out to the homestead. None of the buildings on the homestead are original. They are all reproductions or historic buildings that have been moved onto the property for preservation and historical display. Some of the trees that are still standing were planted by Pa many many years ago...</div>
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Below is the entrance of a dugout in the hillside. The family lived in one of these when they were at Plum Creek...</div>
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Here is a replica of the claim shanty the family lived in when they first moved to the homestead...</div>
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"The little claim shanty was as full as it would hold. Everything must be carefully fitted into the space. Laura and Carrie and Ma lifted and tugged the furniture this way and that, and stood and thought and tried again."</div>
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excerpt from On the Shores of Silver Lake</div>
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Below is a picture of the barn with a slough grass roof...<br />
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A brand new baby calf in the barn...</div>
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Next we went into the homestead house...</div>
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"It was exciting to see the shanty being made into a house. When it was done they had three rooms. The new part was two tiny bedrooms, each with a window. How the beds would not be in the front room any more."</div>
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excerpt from Little Town on the Prairie</div>
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below is a picture of the front room...</div>
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"Then Ma and Laura scrubbed and scoured every inch of the...front room. It was spacious now, with no beds in it, only the cook stove and cupboards and table and chairs and the whatnot."</div>
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excerpt from Little Town on the Prairie</div>
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Here is a picture of a bedroom...</div>
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"They washed the window curtains and all the quilts and hung them out to dry... Ma and Larua set up the bedsteads in the new rooms all made of fresh clean-smelling boards. Laura and Carrie filled the straw ticks with the brightest hay from the middle of a haystack, and they made up the beds with sheets still warm from Ma's ironing and with the clean quilts smelling of the prairie air."</div>
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excerpt from Little Town on the Prairie</div>
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Inside the house making button spinners...</div>
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Outside the house doing the wash...</div>
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Melita hets her hands wet...</div>
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Walking around the homestead...</div>
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An old barn that is turned into a museum with old farming implements, etc...</div>
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Cute little baby colt...</div>
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Onto another building where we got to make corn husk dolls...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-M6DbWxg/1/XL/IMG_2252-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-M6DbWxg/1/XL/IMG_2252-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And make ropes...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-q5NwL4F/1/XL/IMG_2255-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-q5NwL4F/1/XL/IMG_2255-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And learn how to twist slough grass into logs for the stove...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-7gwGWqV/1/XL/IMG_2257-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-7gwGWqV/1/XL/IMG_2257-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then we took a covered wagon ride across the homestead property to another school house...</div>
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Another one room school house that was moved to the property...</div>
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Little pupils...</div>
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We headed back to our trailer after the homestead tour. After a quick supper, we headed back to watch the pageant, "On the Shores of Silver Lake."</div>
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Watching the play...</div>
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Under the Prairie moon...</div>
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And that was the end of our day on the South Dakota prairie. It was a wonderful day and left us with the feeling of thankfulness for all that we have and enjoy, but also a desire of a simpler life.</div>
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Side Note: A couple of weeks before we left on our trip, we were at our Wednesday evening bible study and we met a young lady from South Dakota who was in our town for work. When we realized where she was from, we told her that we were going to South Dakota soon on our trip and that we would be going to De Smet and the Ingalls Homestead. Imagine our surprise when she told us that she grew up near this place and that she had worked here, at the Ingalls Homestead, while she was in high school. Sure enough, we asked many of the folks, working at the homestead if they knew "Allison" and they knew her very well and missed her!<br />
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De Smet truly is a LITTLE TOWN in a very SMALL WORLD! :)<br />
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After a good night of sleep in our trailer home, we had breakfast and headed north...<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-13005661836142440432015-10-16T10:28:00.000-06:002015-10-16T10:28:04.081-06:00Our Family Trip : De Smet, South Dakota!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-GVgHWM4/1/L/IMG_2186-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-GVgHWM4/1/L/IMG_2186-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Suddenly, there on the brown prairie where nothing had been before, was the town. In two weeks, all along Main Street the unpainted new buildings pushed up their thin false fronts, two stories high and square on top. Behind the false fronts the buildings squatted under their partly shingled, sloping roofs. Strangers were already living there; smoke blew gray from the stove-pipes, and glass windows glinted in the sunshine.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">-excerpt from </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>By The Shores Of Silver Lake</b></span></div>
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Day 10...</div>
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We traveled along the next morning to our next destination, De Smet, South Dakota. As we traveled I read more from our book, Little Town on the Prairie because after all... that's were we were going.</div>
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This "little town" was the town of De Smet that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about in several of her books -the little town near Silver Lake were Laura's family settled so many years ago.<br />
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We pulled into De Smet later in the morning, found our RV park and got settled in. Then we headed into town to look around and have a tour. Here we are in the gift shop waiting for our tour...</div>
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Our tour started with The Surveyors House (below). We were not allowed to take any pictures inside the house. This is the actual house, moved to a location in town so that it can be on display for the public.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It would be fun to see the surveyors' house all by herself. It stood up in front of her suddenly. It was a big house, a real house with two stories, and glass windows. Laura opened the door and peeped in. then she pushed the door back... and she went in.... the largeness of the empty house seemed to wait and listen. It seemed to know that Laura was there, but it had not made up its mind about her. It would wait and see...</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">excerpt from</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>On the Shores of Silver Lake</b></span></div>
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Next we went into the original De Smet school where Laura and Carrie both attended school.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Carrie took hold of Laura's hand. It helped Laura, to know that Carrie was even more scared than she was. Bravely they crossed wide Main Street and walked steadily on along Second Street. It seemed a long, long way to the schoolhouse that stood on the open prairie with no other buildings near...Laura and Carrie came nearer and nearer. Laura's throat was so choked that she could hardly breathe...There was no time to say anything more, for the teacher came to the door with a handbell, and they all went into school.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>excerpt from </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Long Winter</b></span></i></span></div>
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Pictures taken from inside the original school house with some of the wall pealed back to show the original walls and blackboards...</div>
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Our tour guide and Melita in one of the front desks...</div>
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Maya was the one who researched and planned our time here at De Smet. She did a great job of putting together a packed, fun filled day for us. Because of our need to travel in the morning to get here, we had to rush things a little more than we wanted to. But it all worked out fine. Thanks Maya!</div>
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Grinding wheat to make flour in a coffee mill, hard work...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"We have a mill," Ma replied. She reached to the top of the cupboard and took down the coffee mill. "So we have," said Pa. "Let's see how it works." Ma set the little brown wooden box on the table... The black iron hopper in the top of the mill held half a cupful of the grain. Ma shut its top. Then she sat down, placed the square box between her knees to hold it firmly, and began turning the handle around and around. The mill gave out a grinding noise... "Can you make bread out of that?" Pa asked. "Of course I can," Ma replied "But we must keep the mill grinding if I'm to have enough to make a loaf for dinner."</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>excerpt from</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>The Long Winter</b></i></span></div>
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Melita with a hay twist that they used to heat there home during the long winter...</div>
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Here is the Brewster school, the first school that Laura taught at when she was just 15 years old. They moved this schoolhouse into town to so they could include it on their tours to the public...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The board wall were not battened. Streaks of sunshine shined though the cracks upon a row of six homemade seats and desks that marched down the middle of the room. In front of the seats stood a big heating stove... and standing around it were the scholars that Laura must teach. They all looked at Laura. There were five of them, and two boys and one girl were taller than she was.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Excerpt from</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>These Happy Golden Years</b></i></span></div>
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Inside the Brewster school...</div>
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Laura's stove and blackboard...</div>
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Stepping into the past...</div>
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Our next stop was "the House that Pa Build in 1887" after the family moved off of the homestead and into town. We couldn't take any pictures inside...</div>
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After our tour was complete, we headed to Main Street. We parked in front of where Pa's original store was located in town and were the Ingalls family live during the Long Winter. Of course none of the original buildings are here any more but it was fun to see the location of all the places that we read about in the books...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Pa's store building was one of the best in town. It stood by itself on the east side of Main Street. It's false front was tall and square-cornered, with one upstairs window in it. Downstairs there were two windows with the front door between them. "Can we put up the curtains now?" Laura asked. The two windows were like strange eyes looking in. Strangers went by in the street, and across the street the staring store buildings. Fullers Hardware was there, with the drugstore beside it...</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>excerpt from'</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>The Long Winter</b></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-Ww5pDd6/1/XL/IMG_2197-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-Ww5pDd6/1/XL/IMG_2197-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We crossed the street and ate at this place (below). This was the spot of Pa's first building in town and the family lived here for a short time before they moved out to there new homestead. Then Pa sold the building and it became Couse Hardware.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Laura thought, "I would rather be out on the prairie with the grass and the birds and Pa's fiddle. Yes, even with wolves! I would rather be anywhere than this muddy, cluttered, noisy town, crowded with strange people." And she said, "Pa, when are we going to move to the homestead?" "Soon as I sell this building;" said Pa.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>excerpt from</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>On The Shores of Silver Lake</b></i></span></div>
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Waiting for lunch and donuts. Sitting not far from where Laura's family would have sat to eat their dinner...</div>
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Still a "little town" atmosphere...</div>
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Then we walked up and down Main Street, enjoying reading about each building and what used to be at each location. Below we are in a store that used to be Bradleys Drugstore.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Laura was given a package which surprised her so much that she was sure there was some mistake. It was a small black leather case lined with blue silk. Against the lovely blue shone, all white, an ivory-backed hairbrush and comb. Laura looked again at the wrapping paper; her name was plainly written on it, in a handwriting she did not know. "Whoever could have given me such a present Ma?" she asked. Then Pa leaned to admire it, too, and his eyes twinkled. " I could not swear who gave it to you, Laura," he said. "But I can tell you one thing. I saw Almanzo Wilder buying that very case in Bradley's Drugstore," and he smiled at Laura's astonishment.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>excerpt from</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>These Happy Golden Years</b></i></span></div>
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Taking the reins...</div>
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We also saw the locations of the Loftus Store, Harthorns Store, Beardsley Hotel, Wilder Feed Store, Whilmarth Grocery,Hinz Saloon and Clancy's Store...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As Laura sat sewing for Mrs. White in Clancy's store on Main Street, a great commotion aroused her attention. A man had come out of a saloon on the opposite side of the street. He apparently had to much to drink. He took one look at the door and stuck his foot through the mosquito netting, tearing it. He met up with a short little man and together they marched down Main Street, sticking there feet through every screen door until they reached the saloon next to the Mead Hotel. Arm-in-arm they went into the saloon. The screen door slammed shut, but that one door's mosquito netting stayed smooth and whole. Laura thought it was quite funny but Ma and Pa had a different opinion.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>from</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Little Town on the Prairie</i></b></span></div>
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(location of Clancy's store)</div>
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(location of Whilmarth Grocery, Mead Hotel, Hinz Saloon, and Wilders Feed Store)</div>
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Finally we ended our town day driving around and going to the cemetery where many gravestones mark the graves of the family and townsfolk. It was interesting to look around...</div>
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Here is the grave of Mother Ingalls, near Pa's and Mary's and other's of the family. I couldn't help but think that they should have put her and pa's well-known quote on her gravestone...</div>
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"All's well that ends well."</div>
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There is so much more that I would love to share but this has gotten way to long, and I must END it. I guess you'll just have to read the books and visit this place. I highly recommend it!</div>
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This wasn't the end of the day for us, though. Next Maya's plan was for us to go out of town to the Ingalls Homestead! Coming soon...</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-69204010598609368962015-10-05T16:18:00.001-06:002015-10-29T09:50:00.265-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 : South Dakota Air & Space Museum!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Thursday morning, July23rd, we got up ate some breakfast, did a bit of laundery, hooked up the camper and headed down the road. The first stop of the midmorning was at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, next to the Ellsworth Airforce Base near Rapid City. The above picture shows our "road home" underneath the wings of a plane. Here are some more pictures from our visit, It was neat!<br />
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Kyla just finished reading the book "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand on our trip. This airplane below, had special significance in the book so I took her picture by it. Like I've said before, I love it when what we're learning about shows up right in front of us in some unexpected way...</div>
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Inside of the museum...</div>
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This was a favorite place of Randy's on the trip...</div>
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The day was hot, hot, hot!!! We made lunch in our trailer and then had a picnic out in the shade of the huge airforce jet we were parked near. After that we took off down the freeway going east. Our trip was long that day, and after turning North off the freeway for a while we turned back east. The picture below is a spot along the way, looking east. We were headed toward this storm cloud that afternoon...</div>
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It was a beautiful afternoon of travel through farm field after farm field and little praire town after little prairie town. And these clouds...</div>
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Finally as we were nearing Huron, South Dakota and I was reading out of the book "Little Town on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the family, Randy's iphone started buzzing and beeping and jumping around on the dash. He grabbed it and read the message "Tornado Warning, seek shelter immediately!"</div>
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We looked out the window and there it was!!!</div>
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(Congrats Rob and Jeannie for getting the closest in your guess of where we saw this tornado. I'll be sending you both a Starbucks gift card in the mail soon! :)</div>
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We kept going for a while but when we reached Huron, South Dakota we pulled in at the UPS. The wind and rain was whipping around us and the town sirens were going off. We ended up waiting there for quite awhile. Our destination for the night was about 34 miles further, but we decided to call around and see if we could find a place in town for the night. We ended up finding a place on the other side of Huron. So when the sirens stopped and the storm died down, we went and found our spot at the city park with hook ups. We ate a bit of supper and went to bed...</div>
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Here is our trailer the next morning. The sky was clear and the weather wonderful! We found out that the tornado had touched down in an area about 9 miles away. Property damage but no lives were lost. What an experience it was. But it wasn't to be our last experience with severe weather!!! Not at all!</div>
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Next stop... that "<b>little town on the prairie"</b>!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-37994866203749031422015-09-26T21:54:00.000-06:002015-09-27T06:14:39.278-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 : Reptile Gardens!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our next stop that Wednesday afternoon was Reptile Gardens near Rapid City, South Dakota. Don't let my smile fool you, I wasn't overly excited about being here, but all the flowers were very pretty! Reptile habitats are not my happy place either, but... for the sake of seeing this world renown place and since my family had been so good about going to the wax museum with me, I agreed to go...</div>
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Okay, it wasn't that bad, it was a beautiful day to walk through the gardens filled with beautiful flowers...</div>
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Okay, it WAS that bad... I would never dream of letting my 4 year old touch a snake in real life, I mean a real live snake, I mean, uggg whatever... it happened, they all touched it...</div>
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And don't let all these happy family trip pictures fool you either. We had our share of problems and squabbles and disturbances...</div>
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All four of our kids got themselves in trouble while we were at the Reptile Gardens that day...</div>
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Anyway, back the the flowers! It really wasn't all that bad...</div>
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eeeeek.....</div>
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nice....</div>
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interesting....</div>
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eeeek, it's one of the longest crocs in the world!...</div>
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I can't believe I'm actually posting this picture. My blog has always been a positive place to share the things that make me feel happy and good. This did not make me feel either happy or good. In fact, the only thing I feel happiness about when I see this picture is that I don't live in the same place as these creatures do...</div>
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AND, I don't live in the same place as these creatures do either...</div>
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or these ones...</div>
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While we were there, we watched a crocodile wrestler. Here we are waiting for the show, and my husband seems to want to pet one of them...</div>
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wrestler in action...</div>
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my children petting a baby crocodile...</div>
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it's name was "Fluffy"...</div>
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And then we went and petted the giant turtles. These guys were over a hundred years old!</div>
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They weren't so bad at all...</div>
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Hello to you old fella...</div>
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And the flowers weren't bad at all either!</div>
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It really was a very interesting afternoon at the Reptile Gardens. A "must see", even if you are a little squeamish, like me, about these types of things. The amount of poisonous, venomous, and otherwise dangerous snakes, spiders, lizards, crocodiles, and other reptiles in this place was staggering! I was very thankful for thick walls and windows!!! No joke!</div>
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After we were done at the Gardens, we headed back to the RV park. We threw together taco salad and my Aunt Connie stopped by to visit while we ate dinner. It was so fun to see her for a little bit while we were there. Then we headed to Gospel Meeting in a nearby town. More special faces and memorable places on the trip... a highlight for sure!</div>
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After Gospel Meeting we hit the grocery store to stock up and then headed back the long way around so we could see the faces of Mount Rushmore lit up one last time! It was another day to remember!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-898075797635239692015-09-24T15:20:00.002-06:002015-09-24T15:22:25.309-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 : National Presidential Wax Museum!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The next morning, we got up and headed to Keystone, South Dakota to visit the National Presidential Wax Museum. I remembered being there as a child and thought it was amazing so I wanted to go back with the family.</div>
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It was neat to see all the life size wax Presidents and learn about how they were made. Its a major process that goes into making each figure. Each of us had a electronic devise we held to our ear and it would tell us about each scene in the museum. Here are a few pictures but so much, much more to this museum...</div>
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Like I mentioned, an amazing amount of work goes into making these wax figures, but what I was reminded of again was what each of these men was really made of... </div>
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I love museums and history and it was alive and well in this place!</div>
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Onward we went to the edge of Rapid City and ate lunch at Sonic. We don't have Sonic around us so it was a bonus to eat there...</div>
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The Shakes were a "treat" too!</div>
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Next Stop... snakes, spiders and crocodiles, Oh My!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-91309924134622639632015-09-17T23:23:00.000-06:002015-09-24T15:23:09.368-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 : Mount Rushmore!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-m7WM4bp/1/XL/IMG_2039-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-m7WM4bp/1/XL/IMG_2039-XL.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahamlin385030.html" id="qt_385030" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.</a></span></div>
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~Abraham Lincoln</div>
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After an already wonderful first day in the Black Hills, we topped it off with an evening visit to<br />
Mount Rushmore. Both Randy and I had been here in our youth and we were excited to return with the kids all these years later. The faces on the mountain did not disappoint.</div>
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On our drive from Needles Highway to the Mount, we looked for a place to grab some supper but didn't find anything. Then our hope was that we would find something at Rushmore. Here we are, after we parked in the elaborate, multi-level parking area, walking toward the monument mountain...</div>
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Happy but hungry...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-WD2bZ3j/1/XL/IMG_2022-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-WD2bZ3j/1/XL/IMG_2022-XL.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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We did find a very nice, very large food cafeteria with all the food and treats you could ever want. We took turns getting our food and while we waited, we kept looking up at those faces...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-drBBB4Z/1/XL/IMG_2025-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-drBBB4Z/1/XL/IMG_2025-XL.jpg" width="590" /></a></div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/theodorero109913.html" id="qt_109913" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.</a></span></div>
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~ Theodore Roosevelt</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-fqLP429/1/XL/IMG_2023-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-fqLP429/1/XL/IMG_2023-XL.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/georgewash146819.html" id="qt_146819" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>~ George Washington</b></span></div>
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Enjoying a hot supper with a stately view...</div>
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Then, enjoying some cold ice cream cones on the Avenue of Flags, under Montana!</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-n5WBBqb/1/X2/IMG_2033-X2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-n5WBBqb/1/X2/IMG_2033-X2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Then we walked the presidential trail, a 0.6 mile hike around and under the faces. </div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #999999;"><em class="subheading" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px;">"The purpose of the memorial is to communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt."</em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">-Gutzon Borglum, creator</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">George Washington signifies the struggle for independence and the birth of the Republic; </span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-J6xrsQs/1/XL/IMG_2037-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-J6xrsQs/1/XL/IMG_2037-XL.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">Thomas Jefferson represents the territorial expansion of the country;</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-VRjHBZq/0/XL/IMG_2041-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-VRjHBZq/0/XL/IMG_2041-XL.jpg" width="454" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #999999;"> Abraham Lincoln stand for the permanent union of the States and equality for all citizens;</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-StW92W4/0/XL/IMG_2036-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-StW92W4/0/XL/IMG_2036-XL.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">Theodore Roosevelt exemplifies the 20th century role of the United States in world affairs and the industrial growth of the nation.</span></i></span></div>
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On the trail and looking back toward the amphitheater...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-GJHdKR3/1/XL/IMG_2040-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-GJHdKR3/1/XL/IMG_2040-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And back again to the Lincoln Borglum Visitors Center, learning about the creation of the faces...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-9jGNtV5/1/XL/IMG_2047-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-9jGNtV5/1/XL/IMG_2047-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #666666;">~George Washington</span></span></div>
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By this time of the evening, one little girl was very tired out...</div>
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But the evening wasn't over yet, time for the Evening Lighting Ceremony. We went out to sit down long before the show because people were pouring in in the hundreds and thousands...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-cZwBFF3/1/XL/IMG_2055-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-cZwBFF3/1/XL/IMG_2055-XL.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/thomasjeff120994.html" id="qt_120994" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.</a></span></div>
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~ Thomas Jefferson</div>
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This doesn't do justice to the mass of people that were there on that Tuesday night. The balcony was full, the stares and all the seats as it got nearer to the program. Currently an average of 2,500 people attend the Lighting Ceremony nightly according to the park service...</div>
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<a href="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-3DwhhFD/1/XL/IMG_2060-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/July-2015/i-3DwhhFD/1/XL/IMG_2060-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/theodorero103482.html" id="qt_103482" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.</a></span></div>
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~ Theodore Roosevelt</div>
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/thomasjeff120901.html" id="qt_120901" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>~Thomas Jefferson</b></span></div>
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It was truly a remarkable evening and one I hope to remember for a very long time. A very patriotic, touching tribute to our country and the great, virtuous men who founded it. It was a great lesson in history for the kids and a reminder for us adults of all we have to be thankful for. Then there was a tribute to all the service men and women in the audience. They were all asked to come down and there were rows of them on stage. They gave their name and what branch of Military they served in... very touching! And then they lit the faces. Breathtaking.</div>
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We were all very tired as we made our way to our pickup out in the parking area with the masses of people. It was very late by the time we returned to our campsite and Melita was sound asleep. It didn't take us long to climb into our beds and fall asleep too. It had truly been a day to remember.</div>
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Please take your loved ones to Mount Rushmore sometime in your life! It'll be worth the trip, I promise. :)<br />
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahamlin101343.html" id="qt_101343" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>~ Abraham Lincoln</b></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-2299260526128631892015-09-15T11:47:00.000-06:002015-09-15T11:47:28.405-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 : Needles Highway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our disappointment at not being able to see Jewel Cave quickly turned into anticipation as we headed east toward Custer State Park. One of the things we wanted to see while we were in the Black Hills was The Needles Highway within Custer State Park. We had planned to fit it a day later but decided this was the time! So that's where we headed next...</div>
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This segment of Highway 87 reaches an elevation of 6402 feet. The highway is named after the high granite "needles" in winds among... </div>
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Deemed "impossible" to construct by it's critics, Needles Highway was completed in 1922 and included 14 miles of sharp turns, low one-lane tunnels and impressive granite spires...</div>
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The road has mostly the traffic of seasonal sightseers like us...</div>
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We decided to pull off the road and climb around a little on the rocks. It was a great little break along the drive...</div>
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Back in the pickup, we continued on our beautiful drive...</div>
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Near the end of the drive, we came across Sylvan Lake. We stopped for a quick picture...</div>
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Here is a very neat video of the drive...</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bpqgq3FsPGU?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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After we finished the Needles Highway, it was time to have supper and resume our evening plans that Kyla had made for us. And what a fantastic evening it was! </div>
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Coming soon...</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-46962068748862889602015-09-13T22:15:00.001-06:002015-09-14T20:21:53.547-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 : Wind Cave!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Tuesday morning, July 21st we got up, had breakfast and I headed over to wash some clothes in the RV park coin laundry while Kyla packed us some lunches. We got on the road and headed down to see the depths of the earth in Wind Cave National Park. Here we are in the visitors center waiting for our tour to start (above).</div>
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The map below shows the extent of windcave that has been discovered and mapped. As of November 2014, the cave has been measured at 143.16 miles long, making it the seventh longest caves in the world. They believe that it is still many times longer, due to the volume of air exchange from the cave...<br />
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Here we are with our tour guide at the entrance to the cave. She asked us how big we thought the natural entrance of one of the longest caves on earth would be...</div>
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And then she showed us. See that little hole? Would you enter there?</div>
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Finally we headed down into the earth from the man-made door entrance. I decided, as we descended over 150 steps down into the earth, that caves were not my happy place. It was all very interesting and fascinating however, and soon I got used to the cold, dark, claustrophobic, closed-in feeling. The rest of the family did great too. We ended up being about 200 feet under ground, almost 22 stories down!</div>
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We saw a lot of interesting formations including this boxwork (below). Wind Cave has the most boxwork of any known cave in the world...</div>
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Here are some other pictures of features and formations in the cave. All pictures taken by Kyla...</div>
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Wind Cave was named for the air exchange that takes place from the cave when the barometric pressure changes. At the natural entrance of the cave, the wind can be strong enough at times, to blow your hat off or to suck it into the cave, depending on the difference in pressure from the outside and inside, as it tries to equalize.<br />
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At the end of our tour an elevator brought us back up to the light and sunshine of a beautiful day. I was glad to put my feet back on the solid ground on TOP of the earth! ;)</div>
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Our plan for the day included going the Jewel Cave National Monument next. At 177 miles of mapped passages, Jewel Cave is the 3rd longest cave in the world and has many interesting features and formations...</div>
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Unfortunately, when we got to Jewel Cave all the tours were sold out for the rest of the day. We looked around the visitors center a bit and then we had to leave without seeing it...</div>
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We were a little disappointed, but we headed on down the road for our next adventure.</div>
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More to come...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698628155715481690.post-44356894901466771442015-09-10T10:32:00.002-06:002015-09-13T21:39:56.078-06:00Our Family Trip 2015 : Deadwood!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After we left the Devil's Tower, we headed east into South Dakota. For supper, we stopped in Deadwood, South Dakota. We found a place to park our pickup and trailer and then headed for Main Street...</div>
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Deadwood was definitely a "wild" west town. Mostly bars, saloons, casinos, hotels, theaters, saloons, lounges, casinos and more bars on Main Street. We were beginning to wonder if we would find a place to eat or not...</div>
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Deadwood trolley with a DQ in the background. Hmmm, maybe a place to grab a burger? :)</div>
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While we were walking around, we witnessed a shootout in the middle of the street...</div>
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All the kids gathered in the middle of the street to be sworn in as Deadwood Deputies...</div>
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Rough crowd...</div>
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The drama begins...</div>
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The suspense builds...</div>
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This was an actual enactment to a shootout that happened there years ago. </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Boone May/Prescott Webb Altercation - true Deadwood history colorfully comes alive in</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">front of Silverado-Franklin Hotel</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the first hold-ups Boone May was involved in was in
August, 1877, when a <a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/sd-deadwood.html">Deadwood</a> Coach
was held-up at Robber’s Roost. On this occasion, though May wanted to fight it
out, he lay down his arms, as a woman and child were in the coach, and the
robbers made away with the passenger’s money, weapons and personal goods. A
short time later, he ran into one of the bandits, a man named Prescott Webb,
in <a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/sd-deadwood.html">Deadwood</a> and
within no time, gunfire erupted between the pair. Though May was hit in the
left wrist, he returned fire as Webb jumped on a horse to flee. May’s shots hit
Webb in the shoulder, and the horse several times, bringing it down. Webb was
quickly arrested by Sheriff <a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-sethbullock.html">Seth Bullock</a> and
later that day, Webb’s companions who had aided in the robbery, were also
arrested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">In 1878, "treasure coaches” were running regularly
between </span><a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/sd-deadwood.html" style="color: #666666;">Deadwood</a><span style="color: #666666;"> and
Cheyenne, carrying strong boxes laden with gold, as well as the U.S. Mail.
These gold-rich stages became the often target of bandits and after one of
these coaches was held up on July 2, 1878, the U.S. Postal Service appointed a
number of special agents to bring the outlaws to justice. Boone May and ten
other men were soon appointed as </span><a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/law-usmarshals.html" style="color: #666666;">U.S. Deputy Marshals</a><span style="color: #666666;"> and
equipped with good horses and ammunition. You can read more about it </span><a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-boonemay.html"><span style="color: #76a5af;">here</span></a><span style="color: #666666;">. *</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Webb is down (without his horse)...</div>
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After the "show" we found a little outdoor place to eat supper...</div>
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And then we headed down the road again. We found our RV Park near Silver City, South Dakota and got settled in for the night...</div>
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The next portion of the trip was planned by Kyla. Everyone knows there is a lot to do and see in the Black Hills of South Dakota and it's best to have an organized plan so see and do as much as you can! It was great to turn the whole thing over to my oldest daughter and she did a great job of planning our next 3 days!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #666666;">*excerpt taken from </span><a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/"><span style="color: #76a5af;">www.legendsofamerica.com</span></a></b></span></div>
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