Mount Rushmore, and More!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Our first planned destination was Mount Rushmore. As we were driving through Keystone, SD we found a little street full of shops, a helicopter giving sight seeing rides (for a hefty price), and a ski lift to the upper part of the mountains. We decided to give it a try, and were very pleased with the outcome!

Here's Justin and Cutter waiting on mommy to pay!

First family photo of the weekend!

Rylee and I on our first ever ski lift ride!

There's Cutter and Justin somewhere down there!

Being silly, trying to side track her mind from how high up we were!

I present to you, President Rylee Keesee!

My little girl!

All of us on this huge rock!

My not-so-little baby!

After the photo shoot, we climbed on top of the big rock!

Terri, Rylee, Andy, Cutter and I

Justin found his own rock to climb. Poor Cutter wanted to go so bad!

Rylee is all the flowers!

Daddy and Cutter patiently waiting for us to quit taking pictures!

When I bought tickets to take the lift up, you had to choose whether you would take the lift back down, or take this awesome slide down. Rylee didn't want anything to do with the slide, so Rylee, Terri and I took the lift down, while all the boys slid down. Cutter wanted oh so badly to go again, but the day had just begun!

Next on the agenda was Mount Rushmore. It was such a neat experience. You see it in pictures all the time, but you don't see all the detail, the enormous scale! This is the one thing I hope the kids remember for their entire life. To see something so spectacular, that took decades to complete, an important landmark in the United States...we got to see it up close and personal, with our very own eyes!

This is an amphitheatre built to sit and observe the sculpture. However, it didn't do for us, we wanted to go closer!

Here's Rylee with Mount Rushmore!

Cutter's attitude is explained on his face. He honestly didn't want anything to do with Mount Rushmore. He just wanted to see the bears.

We made it! This is as close as any visitor can get to the sculptures! It was probably a two mile hike to get there, but we did it!

This is a granite bust of the original sculptor, Gutzon Borglum.

Walking back to the entrance, Roo and I stopped for a picture! She was so excited to get to go back to school and tell everyone what she saw!

Finally, Bear Country USA. This is the only place Cutter cared about. He could not wait to see the bears! The exhibit actually had several different animals, Antelope, Wolves, Llamas, Deer, and more that I can't think of.

He's ready to shoot the bears! Only a boy from Texas brings his gun!

Getting the perfect aim! Wormie would have been proud of him!

Here's one of the silly bears on top of the tree trunks!

After Bear Country, we headed to Deadwood, SD. Terri and Andy had went the night before, and suggested we go during the day. I'm so glad we went! The kids dressed up and took a western picture (which I haven't scanned yet). It is SO cute! We shopped at ALL the little stores, and the guys gambled in several different casinos. Which by the way, were in almost every store.

Andy couldn't wait to see where 'Wild' Bill Hickok was shot! Here they are outside the murder scene! I hate to admit this, but the non history buff I am, still has no idea who this Hickok man is/was. Sorry, I guess I'm doomed to repeat history!

One of the shops had lots of cool hats! The kids had a blast trying several on!

Cutter kept wanting to go in this Casino and get Daddy and PaPa. I told him he couldn't because you had to be 21 to get in. He was trying to convince my by pointing to the sign, and told me, "You have to be three and go in, because mommy, I'm three now!

Terri and Andy bought Cutter a red truck, and this is how he played with it most of the time we spent in Deadwood! Yes, he did block walking traffic, but luckily most people kindly walked around and smiled!

I laugh at this picture because it was the THIRD time we got pulled over on our trip! Andy was driving all three times, and some how managed not to get a single ticket. All three were in different states, and all the police men were very nice. The first one was a speeding, but turned out to be a seat belt sting (we were all buckled, including the two sleeping children). The second and third were all because of a headlight out...hahaha! The third police man finally told us to keep the warning ticket and show it to any future police men to speed up the process! He also liked Texas football, so we had something to chat about! We did stop at a Wal-Mart before we headed back to Texas to buy a replacement light! Sorry Andy, but you knew I was going to post about this! Look at the bright side...it didn't cost us anything!

Eighteen Hours Later!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Eighteen hours later (that includes all our stops), we finally made it to our destination, Rapid City, South Dakota! We stayed at a Laquinta Inn that had the WaTiki Indoor Water Park attached. It was such a great idea! As soon as we got all our stuff organized in our rooms, I took the kids downstairs to the Water Park. Terri and Andy went and took a much needed nap.

Here are the kids before trying anything out! I think they were both a little overwhelmed and excited in the same breath.

They wouldn't even try the orange slide by themselves. They were scared. So, I had to join them in the oh so cold water! After I tried every slide with them several times, they were ready to be let loose. I happily let them run wild, and boy did they!

There's Cutter!

Rylee Roo

The park had a separated pool with basketball goals, lilly pads, and a huge water gun! Rylee mastered the lilly pads after a few tries, and continued doing it until Cutter wanted to go slide!

Here we are after our nap break! I was so exhausted, and made the kids go upstairs so I could rest. Cutter and I ended up napping, but Rylee and her dad's hard head wouldn't cooperate!

I love my silly babies!

Finally, at 10:30 pm Friday night. Justin arrived from Cooperstown, ND. What he thought would be a three hour drive ended up being a seven or eight. Anyhow, the kids were SO excited to see their daddy. We went downstairs to the parking lot and chased him around in our jammies!

Both kids know, especially Cutter, that you can only hit daddy! That's what we say to keep him from wrestling everyone else. So, after a few hugs, the kids went to town. They won by the way too!

South Dakota Here We Come!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

After a two year streak of perfect attendance, we washed it away on the second week of 2nd Grade. It was a good cause though, we were driving to South Dakota to see Justin! I had mentally prepared myself for the trip, made goodie bags, bought presents, food and drinks, but nothing would compare to Nanny's Big Blue bags on the eighteen hour quest! Cutter tried to dig into his while we were still in the drive way packing the car. We told him that he couldn't get anything out until we got on the highway. So, as soon as we pulled onto the Winters Freeway, things started flying, packages were being ripped open, and candy was being devoured!

You don't believe me...take a look for yourself!

Our first of MANY stops was at a road side park on the Abilene side of Childress. All the candy and drinks made Cutter had to go potty, so he and PaPa ventured off, over the fence, to the unknown!

Gran made some yummy Chicken Salad for sandwiches.

Here are the kids and I after three hours in the car. Just think, only sixteen to go!

Not long after our first stop, I gave the kids one of two goodie bags (keep in mind I had ten for each kid, but Nanny's were better). Rylee got a DS last year for Straight A's all year long. Her present was a Little Pet Shop game. It served it's purpose, and kept her busy for part of the ride.

Cutter's 3rd birthday was on Sunday (our drive started on Thursday), so I let him open two of his presents early.

Yeah, a DS, just like Roo's. I know he's a little young for one, and doesn't really understand how to play an actual game on one. However, this kept both kids busy with their own DS, and not fighting over Rylees. He was so excited!

Hahaha...this picture was at 4:43 am in Holyoke, Colorado! Cutter was wide awake, and had been since 2:30. We had originally stopped for gas, but as most stops, we ventured inside, used the bathroom, and bought a few things. Cutter picked up a bad of Funyuns and shared my coke! After we got back on the road, he happily ate his bag of chips, and then crashed until our Monday breakfast stop!

This journey was so much fun. I thought I'd have been bald by the time we made it, but it wasn't so bad. I'm so thankful for Terri and Andy, I couldn't have done it by myself. It is truly something that I'll never forget, and I hope the kids don't either.