Day 3 (Thursday, June 13th): Another cool morning, but not as cold as the first night. Cal was a sleeper on this trip! She just kept a snoozin' long past the rest of us had woken up and left the tent (and on the last day packed up everything around her!). My, she's come a long way since her infant/toddler days! ;) We had yummy breakfast burritos made by the Herzogs, and while we were eating, Nate and Evy arrived! Hooray! (Shelly and Bradley stayed home this trip - long car rides just don't work well with them.) We helped them set up their tent, explored the campground and surrounding area, rode bikes, read books, played games, and just enjoyed the pleasant morning at a slow pace.
By mid-morning, though, we were ready for an adventure. Off we headed to Mount Rushmore (only about 30 minutes away). We enjoyed the trail, the ranger talk about the sculptor, and filling out the jr ranger booklets. We came back to camp for a late lunch and a nap or two. More reading, bike riding, and game played occurred in the afternoon. Then, after much begging and pleading, the kids (and Michael - the biggest kid), enjoyed the brisk waters of Sheridan Lake for an afternoon dip. Gregg and I made Greek Chicken Gyros (ish) for dinner (with leftover birthday cakes for dessert - we're so fancy like that). We sang songs and roasted mallows and listened to shaggy dog stories from my mom for a delightful fireside evening. And then we hit the sleeping bags.
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| Sleeping Beauty. |
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| Hello there! |
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| Grumpy gills McSammykins and his cute dad. |
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| OJ helpers extraordinaire! |
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A rather large mushroom Gregg and I found
on our hike from the campsite. |
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| Another "date" with my dishy! |
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We found and followed the Centennial Trail
for a little while. |
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| Big bumble. |
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| Looks like an iris to me? |
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| The view of our camp from the top of the hill next door. |
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| Exploring with Grandma. |
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Heather's reading - and documented for me
and Gregg for future reference. |
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| The first sign we saw at Mt. Rushmore. |
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| Looks smaller than I imagined! haha |
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| The gang at the Mountain. |
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| Hi Abe! |
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| Hi George! |
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Lots of stairs on the loop back to the visitor's
center. Also, Sam was SO tired and crabby.
But still adorable. |
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Lots of hugging happened on this day. Some
hugs were calmer than others (Grace hug-tackled
Sam earlier and knocked him flat on his back
and he bonked his head - it got intense!). |
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| Cousins in a teepee. |
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SO tired! He fell asleep on the way back from
Rushmore, stayed asleep when Gregg laid him
down in the tent, and didn't wake up till 2 hours
later! |
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And while he slept, Evy got to learn how to
ride his pedal bike without any interference! |
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| Chilly folks in a lake. |
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| But they played there for a long time! |
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It helps to have a water-loving, fun-loving Uncle Mikey
playing with you. |
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| Chow time! |
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| Chat time! |
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| Dishes time! |
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| Uno time! |
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| Story time! |
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How many grandkids can Grandma hold on her
lap? |
Next up?
Rapid City!
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