Hi friends! How are you?! I am improved. Thank you for all of your kind words, warm wishes and much needed prayer. We just got back from a vacation in South Dakota! Yay! :) I survived our vacation. ;) With the help of percocet. Oh well. It took us 12 1/2 hours to drive there and the same to come home.
We went to Wall Drug, Mount Rushmore, Rushmore Cave, Cosmos Mystery Area, Custer State Park, Iron Mountain, Bear Country, Chapel In The Hills, an antique store and an antique mall. I think that about covers it?!
This was the view from our lodge & resort. Can you see George Washington off in the distance?! :)
The Black Hills of South Dakota! Wow! What landscape! So extremely different from our little part of Wisconsin.
The National Monument of Mount Rushmore was so very amazing. The night time ceremony was so very inspiring. We all sang "America The Beautiful". I am getting goosebumps all over again just thinking about it. So many Americans singing together in the dark. It was all so very patriotic. It ended with every person who has ever served in our military coming down to the platform. They all told their name, where they are from, and what branch of military they served in.
Custer State Park has 71,000 acres with buffalo, burros, big horn sheep and so much more. The roads! We have never driven such crazy roads! We drove through one lane tunnels that were blasted through rock. We made it to the top of Iron Mountain. This is the highest point in the U.S., east of the Rocky Mountains.
The kids did the Extreme Rushmore Cave Tour. They walked with their guide for 20 minutes total and CRAWLED for 2 hours. Talk about dirty?! And intense! Madeleine positioned herself between her two brothers. ;) Good for her. She did not cry til she saw Brian and I after it was over. She was brave. They all were. My goodness! There are rooms called the Spider Trap ( You crawl through a tunnel, end up in a small circle that is funnel shaped. You drop into the hole and climb back up! No thanks!), and the Book Worm (You crawl while on your back with your head sideways because the helmet won't fit otherwise. You go up and down bumps.). Their only lighting was from their head lamps. The kids were quite tired that night.
Bear Country is a Wildlife Preserve. We saw arctic wolves, badgers, beavers, bighorn sheep, black bears,
bobcats, buffalo, Canadian lynx, coyotes, elk, grizzly bears, mountain lions, porcupines, raccoons, red foxes, reindeer, river otters, Rocky Mountain goats, and skunks! ;) Needless to say you drive in and stay in your car!
At the end of the park they have "Babyland". Bear cubs! Too adorable. :) They are taken during hibernation from their mothers for their own safety (many are killed by male bears in the wild).
We did stop in a Ben Franklin in Rapid City. We just don't have one of those great stores near our home anymore. I bought some linen there.
See the Shirley Poppies?! They bloomed while we were gone. I sprinkled some seeds this spring and never expected them. =)
Guess where we stopped during our loooong journey home? At a NLNS. NOT local needlework shop! ;)
Crosse Stitchery in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Right across the border from Minnesota. We all really wanted to get home, but you know
I got psyched up! :) Me, being me, bought purchases from the sales bin. I just have a hard time spending money on myself. Here's what I got.
I couldn't resist that Bent Creek Littles Uncle Sam. :) I have him half done right now. I will be passing that little chart along. Watch for it!
Check this out!
Like my new t-shirt? It came in pink too! Not in my size though! Wah wah! :(
My brother Michael stayed at our home and took care of our poodles. He is 13 months younger than me. He was born breech with the cord wrapped around his neck. He was blue. His leg was sticking out when my mom arrived at hospital. So Michael has always been "slow". He has lived with my mom all his life. He loves animals like I do. The two poodles love Uncle Mike. =) It works out very well for us all. Mike gets a bit of a break from the same house for almost 44 years now, and we get excellent care of our precious poodles.
That is everything for today my friends. I look forward to hearing from you!
Have a great day in the Lord!
Stitching and praying,
Vickie
