South Dakota Vacation

We had a wonderful time in South Dakota for our vacation.

This is the first vacation we have had just the two of us in over 3 years.

One of the best part was actually seeing Mt. Rushmore, this is

something we have wanted to see for years!

Mark it off the bucket list!

 

 

One day was spent riding the steam engine train from Hill City

back to Keystone which is where we were staying. hahaha

It was an hour ride to Keystone and an hour ride back to Hill City

with a 15 min potty break in between.  It was a cool experience.

I loved hearing the clacking of the wheels and the toooooting

of the whistle at each road crossing.  Jackson would have loved it.



 The scenery on the train ride was awesome.  I could almost envision myself

there 100+ years ago.  How fun to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

 After the train ride we drove down to Crazy Horse Monument.

Of all the things we did this was probably my least favorite. 

It has taken 77 years to accomplish this small portion alone.

I fear I will never see it finished.  You can see the

horse head "chalked" on the side of the mountain.

 After Crazy Horse, we were just a few miles from Custer State Park.

We decided to go ahead and drive through but it was getting late,

not the best of choices we made.  It took us THREE HOURS to get out of that park.

But I wanted to see a Buffalo "Bison" and I DID....with in feet of my car.

They had just had the big annual Buffalo Round Up so getting

to see any at all made me a happy camper!

 On another day we drove up through Deadwood and then on

to Spearfish Canyon Scenic Drive.  It was a very pretty

drive and a different type of trees.  I loved it.

 I loved watching the clouds come rolling in over the mountains. 

 This was Bridal Veil Waterfall....just brought back memories

for me when I visited friend in Georgia back in May. 

They also had a "Bridal Veil" fall.  ahhhhh

 As we were driving back to the lodge from Spearfish,

we saw a National Cemetery.  WHO KNEW!??

In the middle of NO WHERE is a beautiful

National Cemetery!

I met a lady there, wish I had gotten her name,

But she told me her mom and dad are both

buried there.  AND her son......I was in

tears as she told me that her son had served in two

"wars" ( I'm guessing tours) and then while in

Washington State visiting his brother who was also

in the Navy, was hit and killed by a drunk driver.

He was only 31 years old.  She and her husband

had just hours before, closed on a house in Spearfish

so she could be close to her son and family.  Her

surviving son and his family had just moved back also.

What a touching story.....

The sacrifices people make, and their families!

 The last day we headed home via the Bad Lands.

Oh my goodness....NOTHING like where

we had just come from.

 I was amazed at the stripes in the mountains.

 

 Of course there were Prairie Dogs.

Even though they are cute, they are HORRIBLE

to have in pastures.

 There was a group (?) of antelope which I thought was cool.

 More STRIPES! hahaha I don't know what they are

really called, but it fascinates me.

On our way to South Dakota, we stopped and stayed

with a very dear friend of mine.  I have known Linda and Gary

for at least 35 years.  They have a beautiful home in

Nebraska and I enjoyed seeing all of Gary's handiwork.



Gary has always loved birds and he had pens of doves

and pens of quail.  We watched the hawk trying desperately

to get into the pen.  He wanted a little snack of love doves.

I cant say how wonderful and happy  we were to spend a couple days with old friends.

Scott had so much in common with Gary and they talked as much as Linda and I.

We also had dinner with one of her sons, wife and three children.

The beginning of our trip could not have been more perfect.

After leaving their house on Monday we headed North to Hot Springs, SD.

 

 This is the visitors office of the Wild Horse Sanctuary

where we took a tour of the 13,000 acres.

I love horses you know!

 One of the little ones for sale.

 The view from one of the ledges.  Oh I could so easily live in South Dakota.



 This is the private herd of Quarter Horses the owner has.

He does sell them.

 This is one of the branded Mustangs.

 Some of the paints.

We had so much fun.  We also visited places called Reptile Gardens (loved it!) and we also went through Bear Country USA and it too was one of my favorites. I didn't post pictures just because I have tons of them.  I would love to go back, take Jackson with us or even just go and get a cabin.  I was so relaxed, so happy to enjoy the cool weather, and it was just a wonderful trip.

Just a Few Thoughts

        Well it has been an interesting week.   Jackson just can not get to feeling better.  We have been to the doctor about six times in the last few weeks.  This last visit to the ENT Doctor says the tubes are trying to come out and causing him discomfort.  So if he continues to have pain they will do surgery again.  Taking the old tubes out and putting new ones in.  I hate this on many levels.  First he does not do well coming out of the anesthetics, it was a horrible experience with him screaming and fighting demons in the room.  Secondly, it is so expensive and Beth is trying so hard to get ahead so of course this will be a huge setback.  I know it's just part of life but darn it.
     Another thing this week was Scott's daughter who married the guy she's been having the affair with for six years and beat her up a couple years ago, well he got mad at HIS son and hit him in the face backhanded.  Bloodied his nose with a couple hits, and I guess the third hit came after the 15 year old ran to the bathroom and locked himself in.  His dad got in and continued the fight, hitting him and shoving him backwards causing him to trip over the tub and falling.  The Sheriff's dept was called from what I hear but Sarah works for them so nothing happened.  I don't know any of this to be factual, I am just repeating what I was told.  But what makes me mad is Oklahoma is 3rd in the US for domestic violence and I don't understand how he gets away with this.  I do NOT understand how no report is made until later after questions are asked.....I do NOT understand under what theory, ANY theory it is ok to hit a kid (even a large 15 year old boy) in the nose with a backhand...three times, bloody his face up and NOTHING is done......You can imagine the stress this has caused me.  I hope and pray DHS or Law Enforcement does SOMETHING.....but I won't count on it.  This happened in front of my grandson and Sean's other son, I sure would like to know what DHS is doing. 
       But on the positive side.....Scott and I are planning our trip to South Dakota.  I am EXCITED.  We are stopping by a friends house in Nebraska for a couple nights then heading on to see a lot of stuff in just four days, maybe five days.  Mt. Rushmore is top of my list.  I want to see it lit up at night too.  We are riding the train, going to Bear Country USA, Crazy Horse, Bad lands, Wild Horse Sanctuary, Deadwood, Custer State Park, and more.  Doesn't that sound like a ton of fun?  I am so excited.  I will miss Beth and Jackson so much.  I begged and begged for them to come also, but she doesn't have vacation time for it.  Darn it.  I hope to have a bunch of pictures to show for it, I hope the weather will be nice and cool, I hope the leaves are changing and the scenery will be beautiful.  I am counting on a very nice, quiet, peaceful trip....uneventful.  I get nervous traveling now after Scott and I were in the accident a year ago that resulted in his truck being totaled out.  I think we will stick to back roads, well at least roads less traveled and no big cities. Maybe I will feel a bit more relaxed about our traveling.  Beth is house and puppy sitting for me which I am grateful.  As much as I miss Rudy, it is nice having only one dog to have to worry about.  And Abby is not as spoiled as Rudy, Callie and Zoe were.  She and Rex will be fine together and Beth will do a lot of work from home (ie, my house) so that will be even better yet. 
     Ok, that's it for now.  A lot on our plate, but not so much that we can't handle it.  I am grateful for my blessings God has bestowed upon us as I am learning to remove stress from my life, one stressor at a time.  Well sometimes more than one at a time. hahahaha
        

My Little Fireman

 

Jackson The Littlest Fireman

The neat thing about these pictures to me is that it was

nearly 100 degrees outside and Jackson wanted to play

with this new outfit that he found in my spare closet.

You see his Papa is a retired Fire Fighter and

in case you didn't know it, Papa walks on water...

ALMOST.

 

 Jackson loves his Papa and is constantly wanting

 to do what ever he is doing.

 

This boy just has so much expression he cracks me up!

This serious look is one I get often....

 



 

And then he look at you and say...."Really?"

Like you ask him to do something,

"Really?" in that little high pitched voice!

 

 He is such a mischief little guy with a huge laugh.



 

But don't bother him right now, he's busy fighting .....fire,

(not Really!)

 

 



First Day, New School.....

Good Morning Class....



 

Today was Jackson's first day of Mother's Day Out at his new location.

We were not "unhappy" with his other school, in fact loved them to death, but this one is much closer for me and I appreciate Beth changing just for that reason.  I don't know if it is larger, smaller, better or worse, but so far I know that I LIKE IT....

 

 

I followed Beth and Jackson to school today so I could take just a few pictures, not anything fancy, but just wanted to have it documented that he did go! 

 He was so happy, he loves going to school and playing with the other kids.

Miss Chris told me this afternoon that Jackson had already stolen her heart.

She was so in love with him.

That made ME happy!

 Miss Jeanne is the main teacher and she said Jackson was awesome today.

He did NOT pee outside (thank goodness, we talked about that just before class!)

She said he was sooo polite and had the best manners!  I was beaming...

Said he was so kind and helpful to the other kids (he is the oldest in his class)

and when they were "resting" on the mats and reading books he leaned over to her

and said "you make me so happy". 

So all in all I think today was successful. 

I had a hard time getting him to leave, he was "working" on the

very neat work bench they have.  Then he picked up all the little

toys laying around.

He is such a good little helper and I sure do love him. 

Got him home, had a snack and a drink and then down

for a nap with Papa. 

I think he is going to do great !

And yes, I teared up just a tiny bit when Beth dropped him off today.

I'm BACK!!!!

Well hello my few friends....I am looking at maybe blogging again.  I have gotten to where Facebook is just toooo much drama and I want my "old" friends back.  I haven't been here in two years so I don't even remember how to upload pictures....but I'll figure it out because I have got to show you a couple more pics of Jackson.   Any maybe some others...So let's see if I can figure this out!

Jackson at ALMOST 3 !!! isn't he just sooo cute?

 We were at Pretty Water Lake

and what boy doesn't love his rain boots?

 

 

Or playing in the water?

 

 

Or walking on the curbs (sidewalk curb not street!)

 

 It cracks me up that my last posting was of this little boy....at two months of age.  And look at him now!  I sure do love this boy and he is the light of my life.  Beth is so blessed to be his mother even if he DOES give her a run for her money.  (something about paybacks I've heard!)