Our Summer Vacation 2010 Day 4

Day 4-Monday July 5

Happy Birthday Sumner!!!  We checked out of our hotel and after picking up breakfast items and the local Dakotamart, we headed to the Crazy Horse Memorial.  This was so cool!  The kids liked seeing the museum with all the Indian artifacts.  The girls especially liked the beaded stuff, and seeing the basket weaving and the loom work.  Halie kept saying “I don’t know how they can do all that stuff with their own hands”.  Bridger was wild!  The kids kept stealing coins out of the little pond. 

Next went to Mount Rushmore.  It was raining like crazy by the time we got there.  Rex took the older kids in and left me waiting in the car with Bridger, Sumner and Lander, who were all sleeping.  After he got them settled watching a movie, he came back for us.  We joined up with the kids and took some pictures.  Saw a big horned sheep next to the amphitheater.  Some of the kids went on a little trail with Rex that got them to some cool viewing spots. 

Proof that Rex was actually with us

Tyler said, “Now that we’ve seen Mt Rushmore, what’s the point of the rest of our vacation?”.  I just about died laughing.  Good to know that on day 4 of a 10 day vacation, he was done.

Checked into the Comfort Inn and got a suite.  Ran to the market and got frozen pizzas and little cupcakes and ice cream for Summie’s birthday.

Rex and I went to the Chute Rooster's for dinner.  Rex had the buffalo steak, and I had the regular steak.  I just couldn't try the buffalo.  Ick!

Chute Rooster's Restaurant

Took the kids back to the Crazy Horse Memorial to see the laser light show against the Crazy Horse mountain.

Our Summer Vacation 2010 Day 3

Day 3-Sunday July 4

Happy Independence Day!  Visited Rebecca Winters' grave in Scottsbluff, NE.  I hadn’t seen it since they had moved it, and the kids had never seen it.  It was amazing.  I got very emotional, as I do any time I hear pioneer stories where they suffered.

Historical Marker

Descendants of Rebecca

Mattie

Bridger

Sumner

Halie

Tyler

Annie and Lander

Lincoln Heights Elementary School

Went to Sacrament meeting at the Scottsbluff Ward.  Due to 35 years worth of changes to ward boundaries Rex didn’t know any one there.  He really enjoyed seeing where he had gone to church as a child, and shared his testimony about being baptized in that building.  He had a great time touring the town and pointing out places of interest to the kids. We drove by his grade school, his old house, and some of his friends' houses.

Drove to South Dakota.  It was a long drive that seemed to take forever.  We tried to see the Wild Horse sanctuary, but didn’t want to get on the school bus and take the tour.  Halie was very sad to not see the wild horses, but we did get to see some Bantam chickens and some horses in a pen.

We finally arrived in South Dakota.  We decided to stay in Custer, SD because it was late, and it was close to both Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt Rushmore.  We tried several hotels, but found no vacancies.  Finally, we found a little motel that had 2 units next door to each other.  Kind of a little dive, no hot water, but clean.  We got to watch fireworks on the front lawn.

Our Summer Vacation 2010 Day 2

Day 2-Saturday July 3

We visited the Wyoming Frontier Prison in Rawlins.  Rex really wanted to do the hour long tour, but by the time we got all the kids out of the car and into the building to pay, we discovered they only took cash...which we didn't have.  The tour was starting in 5 minutes, which was not enough time to try to get cash from an ATM.  So we toured the little museum they had.  It was very interesting, and the kids enjoyed being prisoners, even if just for a moment.

Next we drove through Laramie and saw a giant dinosaur scultpture on the University of Wyoming campus. Bridger thought it would be “Awesome if the T-Rex ate us!”   Rex wanted to see the stadium, so we drove around War Memorial Stadium.


Went to the Iron  Skillet truck stop for lunch.  Got lots of looks when the kids came in.  The manager brought a bag of salt water taffy to give to the kids.  Someone paid for one of our adult and one child’s meal.  Funny stuff.  It may have been the couple sitting at a nearby table.  They commented on the fact that we had 8 kids.  As they left, they said we were a bit nuts.

Our Summer Vacation 2010 Day 1

So after a pathetic attempt to keep a blog, I am trying again.  Here is some stuff from our recent family vacation.  More pictures to be added soon.

Day 1-Friday July 2

Left home WAY late.  Tried to leave at 8:00 am.  Failed miserably, despite my staying up all night. Oh, well.  I should know by now that I am a terrible judge of how much time my projects take.

First stop, Fort Bridger, WY.   Fort Bridger  had some interesting exhibits.  There was an old building that was set up kind of like a mercantile might have been, and had quite a bit of old authentic stuff.  There were some hats and shawls, as well as old cans of food.  There was an old cash register and several pistols and rifles. 

The family at the Ice House

They had the carriage house, the ice house, the old school, and the old guard house/jail.  There was a recreation of the trading post that Jim Bridger started.  It had a gift shop that the kids went gaga in.  They wanted everything they saw.  The boys really wanted one of the toy wooden rifles and pistols that they had.  I took one away from Bridger about 10 times.  There was another building that was a museum and small gift shop.  They had a replica handcart and the kids were amazed at how small they were.  “We wouldn’t be able to fit our stuff in this”.  They had a couple houses set up to show the officer’s quarters, and the commanding officer’s quarters.  They lived so simply.  Makes me want to get rid of half of the stuff we have in our house so our house can look so clean and streamlined.  Seriously. 

Bridger at Fort Bridger

Bridger thought it was “awesome” that he could see his name on some of the signs.  Of course, I think he can really only recognize the “B”, but it was so cute to see him so excited.   On our way East on I-80, hit some extremely slow traffic due to an accident, and spent the night in Rawlins WY.

Sumner update

So, Sumner the little porker gained 6 pounds since his appt 3 months ago and is finally getting the hang of the army crawl. Look out world, here he comes.

Finally! Cabo pictures

Many of you know Rex and I spent a few days in Cabo at the end of January and early February. We had so much fun! Mom kept the kids (bless her!) and Melanie stayed with her to help out. I finally got the pictures off the camera and onto the computer, so I can share them. Here is Rex ready to drive the Rhino Jeep. This Jeep tour was a blast! Rex got to drive at break neck speeds through rough terrain and then across the beach. I spent the whole time holding on for dear life screaming! This is Rex and me with a few of the "locals", and then on our Sunset Cruise, with the actual sunset.

New Family Pictures

Here are finally some updated pictures of the kids, including Sumner!