The day after Aunt Ayana and Uncle Justin got here we decided to go to the wildlife loop in the evening. While it was fun it wasn't nearly as successful as our early morning trips had been.
The kids all loved riding in the Jeep. Until I picked up some medicine it was actually the only car Dillon wouldn't get car sick in.
Once we actually got to the loop the kids all switched to the back of the truck with Daddy.
It is not usually this green but I love the movement of the land. There were so many wild flowers blooming (again not normally as much) and the openness really calls to me. Kayda really loved it there and often talked about how "free" it made her feel. Grandma and Papa G live in a more forested area. I personally would love to be at the edge of the forest bordering up to something like this. It exists in that area. Though they are in the trees they have a beautiful view from their back patio!
"Gimme a cracker!!!"
I know they're hard to see but we finally saw the Rocky mountain Elk!
We made it over to Mt. Rushmore. I wasn't real impressed. I expected a lot of people. What I didn't expect was a huge, full, parking garage. There were gift shops and ice cream shops and museums and book stores and, and , and... It was all too much for me. By the time we were done my patience and tolerance for crowds was gone. The kids had a great time though. They were even wanting to go on to see crazy horse afterwards.
This is what the completed Mt. Rushmore was supposed to look like
This is crazy horse. They are just getting ready to start the next phase, which will take 50 years and won't finish it. Daddy, the kids and Grandma actually went. After experiencing Mt. Rushmore I just didn't want to.
One day we decided to visit Bear Country USA. Daddy had heard that it was really neat. So we took of with Papa to go drive through the wildlife. It was actually laid out really well so that no matter where the animals were sitting you could see them. We saw elk, reindeer, mule deer, antelope, bison, bears (so many bears), mountain lions, mountain goats, big horn sheep and more.
Kayda went to sit on this bench only to discover it was very hot. She cleverly convinced Papa to sit on the bench. He proceeded to proclaim how hot it was.
She tried to rescue him but he wouldn't budge.
Finally he gave up the show and the whole crew moved in.
Shortly after Bear Country (same day) we went to reptile gardens. Dillon's sandal decided to break while we were in Bear Country. Fortunately they super glued it for us in reptile gardens.
This is a real sea turtle!
Of course the kids loved the birds. They even had eclectuses there. It made us all a little heart sick for Mingo.
We got to watch the bird show with the cousins too, Kayda got to be a volunteer and have a baby pheasant take a dollar from her (it was later returned). This macaw actually took donations from people!
They got to touch a python.
At this point we left so that we could go take Carson in to have his arm checked out so the pictures after this are from when we went (with Papa) after Daddy went home.
We got to see both the snake and the alligator shows this time around. They were both really good but you just can't top actually watching a guy drag an alligator around by its tail, jump on top of it and hold its mouth shut.
The kiddos got to touch a baby alligator. Very smooth.
The giant tortoises. Unfortunately the only one out where they could actually get to it jammed itself head first into a corner so I couldn't get decent pictures of them touching it.
One of the days Grandma was kind enough to watch the kids so that Daddy and I could go drive the needles highway. We figured a long, windy drive just wouldn't be enjoyable to them.
I LOVE that around the black hills there are areas where there are tiny, sun flower-ish flowers that grow wild!!!
There were several man made granite tunnels we got to drive through.
The drive was simply stunning. I couldn't help but think about how much Papa H would enjoy riding his motorcycle along this highway. All of the black hills would be fun to ride (I would imagine) the roads are all gently winding and it is absolutely beautiful to look around. I might not mind being a passenger here if Daddy every wanted a motorcycle. I love how along needles highway the rocks seem to erupt from the forest. All around it will be forest not much different than the rest of the black hills and suddenly there will be these large spires of rock. It is simply magnificent.
Needle's Eye Rock.
Another tunnel!
From the other side.
So. Beautiful. If there was any way for me to magically have my home there today I would do it.
I love the way the hills roll out into the distance.
In case you can't tell I fell in love with the black hills. I can see why Grandma and Papa G decided o make it their home. I have been discovering that I am a country girl at heart, I have never enjoyed how busy the areas I grew up have been. Even the town we live in now is too big. There is something different and magical about the area out there. Kayda would thrive there with how in tune she is with nature and animals. The boys loved it there too.
