Mount Rushmore

On Sunday we drove into rapid city where we picked up kelly, Gavin, Owen and charlie at the airport.  Early Monday morning we drove down to Mount Rushmore. It's a really pretty drive, lots of trees, hills etc. then we got to Rushmore. Because it was early, the lines to get in weren't too long.  It's fantastic.  Amazing that  someone came up with the idea to do this carving.  Amazing that they dynamited most of it!! We wandered around for around an 1 1/2 hours, then jumped in the car, headed for the airport, and Chicago!

On the go

This morning kerry, austin, cedar
and I left pinedale for the trek across the state to South Dakota. At the reunion, everyone said we needed to see devil's tower.....so that's where we headed...it was actually going in a diagonal across the state..from one corner to the other











the drive was pretty and we listened to a book about Chicago, most of the drive...cedar is a great traveler...we ran into a pretty big rainstorm, saw some beautiful scenery....


then got to the devils tower...it's a huge rock, looks sort of like a huge stump...it's beautiful! Well worth the drive!
It was sort of raining when we got there, and the drive was a bit longer than expected, so we didn't stay too long...then, back in the car..drove through some really gorgeous scenery...drove through the black hills,


drove through the famous sturgis where in two weeks thousands of motorcyclists will descend....then, into rapid city.....I picked up kelly and her kids at the airport...tomorrow we will see Mount Rushmore and the area and then fly to Chicago! Fun times!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Rapid city, south dakota

pinedale,wyoming

on our drive here 

on friday, kerry, austin, cedar and i left slc to drive up to pinedale wyoming...it's the start of our road trip!  cedar did great...it took about 5 hours to drive there...nice scenery...we came for uncle mel's family reunion....mel is my dad's younger brother (89) and had decided about 6 months ago that we needed to get together...his whole family all have houses in pinedale...some live there full time, some part time....we arrived...went to mel's for a little get together and dinner..went to see bobbi's house...it's gorgeous....visited with cousins, nephews, nieces etc...tom and julie came, polly, jim and all of their kids except abby and her family...mel's side was...mari and chris, nancy and her kids, hawley and her family, bobbi and her family...mel and his wonderful mae...mae cares for mel and is a wonderful friend and part of the family....we're all lucky to know her...

                                                        me and uncle mel
today we went to see mari's beautiful home....it has a gorgeous view...then, we went out to mel's property where he has a lake...it's about 20 min. away from pinedale...he stocks his lake with fish...they have a little sort of shack where they set up the party...mel is alot of fun and you don't sit around when he's in charge!  there were all sorts of games....frisbee golf, a pitching (golf) contest (the whole family are great golfers), a hammering contest, a fish pond for the little kids, a frying pan throwing contest!  that was fun! trivial pursuit, people fished on the lake, caught a few....

clayton modeling his spiffy tie and hat

                                                                    julie and tom

                                                              austin, kerry and cedar

                                                           singing after the treasure hunt

                                                              polly, me, and wren

                                                              hawley cutting up the fish

                                                            jamie going off to fish

                                                           nick with his cool hat that he won

mari, showing us all how to golf

 then, he had a treasure hunt where we looked for the clues...then, had to follow the instructions....we ate, sang, visited, roasted marshmallows...then, they handed out the prizes...the winners got cute little gifts...he gave us all a dollar for singing...gave away silver half dollars for a drawing that they did....he gave all the girls necklaces...all the guys got ties...and they were funny...flag tie, bear tie, football ties...then he gave the little kids flashlights and some of them got pocket knives...it was a fun time...mel, mae, and his girls did a lot of work to pull this off...it was great fun and best of all we got to reconnect with our family!

fun,fun,fun

this summer is zipping by so fast....it's been fun and so busy....i feel like i've not really just enjoyed the summer...too busy having a great time....it started off with cedar being born in june...i came up to slc for 10 days...got to know him....what a darling baby....kerry and austin are becoming great parents...so loving and kind....i went home..worked on my kitchen for 2 weeks...then, came back to slc....russ and kristen came up for the 4th...we had a fun time at sugarhouse park with austin's family...hung out with alot of friends...willie and kelly came for cedar's blessing that sunday...that was really nice...then, kerry, austin and i flew home...austin stayed a week...kerry and cedar for two...we went to the beach, saw kelly and the kids in a failed attempt to go to 'little india'  (who knew it was closed on mondays?)....just had a good time....kerry and i flew back to slc last sunday night....on monday was my mom's family reunion....we went to that...it's always fun to see aunts, uncle, cousins....we met some actual swedish cousins that are here visiting...heard about how my grandfather came over from sweden when he was 17....he met my grandmother and waited 14 years to marry her...she was 12 when they met!  it's always fun to see friends...family etc...hang out with alot of babies lately...and they are all so sweet....so, today, we're off!  kerry, austin, cedar and i are driving up to pinedale, wyoming...my uncle mel (dad's brother) is hosting a family reunion at his summer ranch....it will be fun to see that side of the family!  from there, we are driving to mount rushmore...it will be a short visit, because we changed our trip and decided to fly from there to chicago....that will be really fun....i've never been and i know it's a great city....so.....we're off!!!!

july 5...retrospect

14 years ago tom died....i think of him and miss him daily...it gets easier...but, not...i have missed him at all the big events in my life...in my kids life..graduations....weddings...births....grandchildren...and the daily stuff...i have wished he was here when i didn't know how to handle a child...when i had to make a big decision...or just to go to the movies with him...it will probably always be that way....you learn to live with it...but, i do have the joy of seeing tom in my kids...they have his looks...his sense of humor...his hard work ethic...his athletic ability...his smarts....so, i do get to see him...
r.i.p. tom...i'll always miss your big smile!
i had to pick a lot of pics....it's so fun to see them....