tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49370252840732201732024-03-21T19:40:56.786-07:00Our Traveling TribeThis is the place where our full-time RVing, littl' ole tribe of 14 (12 On The Road), jots down the fun memories we make on our cross-country trips. We love to check out new destinations, meet new friends, and hope to eventually collect Jr.Ranger badges from every National Park as we roadschool our way across the country!
Feel free to join our adventure!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.comBlogger470125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-68613780294736435192012-06-13T21:49:00.000-07:002012-06-13T21:49:31.883-07:00We have a new website address! Going to blogger will automatically redirect you to TicknorTribe.com, but you probably won't be receiving notices when I've updated the blog. The site is still a work in progress... :)Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-33308236564819155652012-06-09T15:39:00.002-07:002012-06-09T21:23:51.446-07:00keeping busy...Things have been hopping around here. I suppose it is just a mixture of being camp hosts, and having big kids, (having kids at all!)! The littles keep us busy, but the big kids keep us even busier! The last 2 weeks, Eli and Beth have had a booth at our local Farmer's Market. Last week was their first morning of the year, and they did OK - Eli sold about 5 of the survival bracelets that he and Greg have been making, and Beth has been taking her LillaRose hair clips ( <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/medievalmaidenhairwear">http://www.lillarose.biz/medievalmaidenhairwear</a> ) - she traded several the first week, selling only one. This morning Eli sold 9 bracelets, and Beth 5 hair clips! They are really enjoying it, and it's a great lesson in business - we've been talking about keeping inventory, reinvesting, and suggestive selling. I haven't even been there this year, so I'm hoping to be able to escape the campground next weekend so I can get a picture of their stand :) One of the clips that Beth sold at this morning's Farmer's Market was to a lady from Canada who is camping at the campground right next to ours! She told her hubby to drop her off this morning, and while she is touring our Capital City, her hubby drove back out to the lake and is fishing... Beth told her we were right next door, and how to find us, so maybe they'll stop by! :)<br />
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Speaking of the campground, it seems that the new host MIGHT start helping us in the next few days. It would be nice to have an actual, whole day off where I don't have to worry about the park. I can usually take off Mondays, since the ranger is still here, but not always for the whole day. I'm still being hopeful that he is willing to help out and not just be a squatter. But if he's not willing to pull his weight, I want my view back!!! (he is parked between us and the entrance to the park) LOL!<br />
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The ranger is a morning person (or at least doesn't need nearly as much sleep as I do), so he watches over everything in the morning while we get going and I work with the kids on their schoolwork. I usually clean the bathrooms around lunch time, and then do rounds at 5ish, and final check at 10. But that isn't the end of the night. (thank goodness I'm a night owl!) Take last night... neither the ranger or I did 10:00 rounds since we had a family in the park that we were having issues with. Sometimes you get folks that you give a wide berth to... this family is homeless and living out of their van. When they first arrived, I asked my kids to find out some info from theirs (like do they have enough food), but we try to keep a certain distance from the campers (buddy-wise), and their situation is exactly why we do keep things mainly at a (friendly) professional level. There are some very unusual circumstances in play, and they have some serious issues that put us on high alert. We ended up having to evict the family (via LEO Ranger and backup) because they weren't going to adhere to the 14 day limit, but they had one more night, last night, and the LEO asked us park employees to keep our distance, thus the lack of doing rounds at 10. But, when I went outside about 10:30 to check on the boys who were down at the dock fishing, I heard a generator. I grabbed my own personal MP (Greg), and we hopped in the golf cart to go ask them to shut it off. We like to take the golf cart because it is so quiet - they can't hear us coming (people often shut if off then turn it back on once we go back inside), and we can hear the gene over the cart to distinguish exactly which site is running it. We got down there and found that 2 sites had their generators running, so I had to go up to each camper and ask them to shut them off since it was quiet hours. It's funny how you can't really judge how people are going to react when you confront them, no matter how nice you are; the older guy that I thought would be so nice was a jerk, and the group that I worried would give me a hard time couldn't apologize enough for losing track of time while they were talking! LOL!<br />
The boys have been busy cutting grass, installing fencing, staining gazebos, and weed eating. I taught Jake the protocol for cleaning the bathrooms and checking/bagging garbage cans this past week, and Beth will tag along this week. I want all the bigger kids to know how to do it, and then sometimes they can double up and substitute for me :) That is one of the main reasons that we like to camp host - it gives the kids responsibilities, chores, and people skills, the first two which are hard to find enough of on the road (at least for a tribe like ours!). <br />
One of the things that we were able to do at our last host job was to let the littler boys put out recycling bins to collect cans. They then will collect and turn in the cans for recycling, and make a little bit of money for their effort. There are a LOT of beer cans that fill the garbages in this park, so with gloves in hand, they are becoming my companions - when I do bathrooms, they can dumpster dive for cans (well, not in the dumpsters, just the regular garbage cans!) - the garbages aren't located in the bathrooms, but throughout the park and they just check them while I clean. :) The ranger said that we were welcome to put out bins specifically for recycling here, we just haven't gotten to it...<br />
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I'm still not able to upload pictures, and I'm not sure why! I'm going to take the laptop and mifi card with us to church tomorrow and try to upload pictures while we are driving - the internet service here is pretty much nonexistant, and maybe, even though we have the booster, it's not good enough to put pictures on.?.? ...Thanks to our cell booster, the other day I came back from doing rounds and found a truck parked right in front of our 5er. There was a guy standing on the truck bed talking on the phone. Seems that they drove around the park looking for service, and found a few bars when they were parked right in front of us - the booster is set to work 'upstairs' in our 5th wheel, and apparently it works good enough that it carries out the nose cone too! LOL!<br />
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We are sure enjoying the bits of nice weather that we are getting out here on the lake, and hope that you are getting a bit of summer sunshine too! We're waiting for the weather to warm up enough that the park gets hopping busy - there is good and bad to that, but since we really enjoy the 'people' aspect of hosting, we love it when the campground is full of families playing together! :)Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-35664941354555092432012-06-05T14:52:00.005-07:002012-06-05T17:29:30.568-07:00this is just a quick note to say that we are surviving out here at the lake...flourishing even :) It's been crazy busy, both with things to do as camp hosts, and just being us.<br />
I tried to blog the other night, but I wrote up the blog twice, and would try to save or publish it, and it would be blank. I gave up and finally went to bed at 1:30.<br />
So, here's a peek into one of our evenings as camp hosts...not a typical night, but stuff like this happens much too often...<br />
<br />
Sunday night - We have different jobs that we do at the campground, and one of those is a compliance check at 10 pm. It is basically when we drive through the campground, in the park truck, a golf cart, or the gator, and make sure that everyone's generators and stereos are off, and that the park is reasonably quiet for all the campers. It was all good, and we sat to talk with Greg and the big boys for a few minutes.<br />
A bit later, while we were saying goodbye to Greg, a truck drove past our site WAY too fast, with it's music thumping, and it started to head through the campground. We figured it was a drive-thru, so, since our site is near the exit to the campground loop, Vaughn started to walk it on foot to catch them on their way out. They didn't come back out, and in the meantime, I could hear someone's generator. I will admit that I have issues with cowards that wait until we do 10:00 check, give us half an hour to get in bed, and then start their genes figuring we will sleep through it (and then when we show up, they are so surprised to learn about quiet hours!!! LOL!). It happens much too often (we seem to attract lots of campers who think that rules are for everyone else...). I started across the little field that separates our section of the park with the campground, climbed down the bank to the lower level, and started to walk through the lower half of the loop. I eventually met up with Vaughn, who was talking with the people running their generator, and between the two of us, we had to hit 4 sites - the one about their generator, 2 to shut off their stereos, and the site that the truck had stopped in.<br />
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Lots of times we can tell if it's going to be a long night, and as soon as Vaughn started into the site where the speeding truck had parked, he knew it was going to be one. Walking up, he was met by several underage kids; when he asked about the driver, the kids turned and pointed to another kid who was relieving himself next to the fire ring. really. He claimed that he had no idea that we had public restrooms even though they had to drive right by one on their way in, and their site was very near another, both very well lit.<br />
Vaughn talked with them, and they told him how sorry they were, how they were just out here to camp over night, and they promised to be considerate of their neighbors. yeah.right.<br />
We had just got back to the camper, HOPING that was it for the night, when another truck and a car sped past, doing their best to share their choice of music with the entire lake too. (sigh.) Another walk across the field showed that of course these 2 stopped at the same site. <br />
Instead of unloading sleeping bags and tents, they started to unload booze. Vaughn and the boys just stood in the shadows and watched, waiting for enough action to start to interfere. That was about 30 seconds later - when they took their 'normal' campfire and added a bucket of some sort of accelerator to it, and threw in a bundle of purchased firewood. They didn't even bother to unwrap it. They now had a HUGE bonfire that extended well beyond the limits of the fire-ring (which led to a destruction of federal property citation). Eli headed up to get the ranger, (who was NOT happy to be drug from bed! LOL!), and Vaughn went to talk to the group a little more.<br />
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The kids these days are getting quite bold about demanding the right to do what they want whether it's legal or not. These kids were angry that we wouldn't let them stay for a few hours to have their party right in the midst of families camping (and then we were supposed to just let them drive home!), and then kept asking where they could go to make a campfire, have a few drinks, and party for a few hours. They didn't like it when Vaughn told them the smart place to go would be home. Some of the kids quietly split as soon as the ranger showed up, but two in particular were extra defiant. One kept throwing his mom's name around - after all, he's a state senators son.?.?.? (wanted to tell him to cut the apron strings and make his own name!) and the other exchanged names with the ranger. That one really should have shut his mouth and been glad that he had been offered a chance to leave without punishment. Instead, he pushed it, and while he thought that when he finally left it was with the upper hand, before any law enforcement showed up, his employer called the main park office on Monday wondering why a Federal LEO was looking for him! :) Last I heard, they were going after at least 3 citations, and that didn't even include the underage drinking. <br />
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Personally, I bowed out about half way through, and instead, took some pictures of Jake and Thomas fishing off the dock (Thomas in his pajamas ;). Thomas caught a very nice walleye, outfishing Jake, who is the one that wanted to go in the first place. The guys finally got to bed about 1.<br />
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The park is picking up, and I love it. I love to see the all the families getting out to relax together. I love the quiet during the week (which is soon to end as school gets out here this Friday). and I love that our kids are able to help out with the park responsibilities too!<br />
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The newest excitement is that the other camp host finally decided to show up on Sunday night. He pulled in to his full hookup site (the campground is dry camping except for hosts), demanded a fire ring and picnic table first thing and right away the next morning too (we gave him one of ours just to stop his sniveling), and to know where the free laundry was. He then informed the ranger that he wasn't working for the next week, all while expressing his disappointment that this park doesn't have bait dispensers (vending machines) and boat docks for him to slip his port-a-bote in! I'm trying really hard to stay civil; I think that it is a major case of RV site freeloader. We'll see. I'll keep you posted...LOL! :-DDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-9971483006146692612012-05-26T22:31:00.000-07:002012-05-26T22:31:37.434-07:00hibernating...Things are going so good around here! Greg's RV is now situated in a nearby RV park - he can literally walk to 'our house', and we get to see him every day (he doesn't cook! LOL!). Yesterday we met Vaughn, Greg, and Eli for lunch. They were already at the restaurant, and after we pulled in and Molly was released from her car seat, she stood up and saw Greg through the window. She squealed (quite loudly), and yelled, "there's Greg! THAT'S MY BOY!!!" :-D ~he eats it up ;)<br />
We are getting to see our Hannah quite a bit (well, not quite enough, but still...), and hoping that she won't be so busy at work, on a different lake, that she won't have time to come visit us lots these next few months while we are in town!<br />
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The kids are all pretty glad to be on the lake for the summer. Now, if summer would just get to the lake too.<br />
We have been in our camp host site for a week now. While we are still getting used to the logistics of this particular park, and don't have everything quite pinned down as to when our days on/off are, and a set list of responsibilities, I think that this will be a good fit. It will be much different than the last park, where it was just us over 77 sites. Here there are only 35 sites, but there is a fulltime ranger that stays here most of the week, and there is supposed to be a second camp host coming in also. Seems a little like overkill, but we'll see as the weather warms and the park gets busy...<br />
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The weather for the last few days has been downright cold here in Montana (AZ is sounding really nice right now!), but it should warm up later this week and then I think we will be able to get out and start in on more of our duties, and get together with the ranger to just figure out what duties are ours. I've been hibernating the last few days - it didn't take me long to acclimate to those southern winters, and I'm not liking this freezing weather. I think I would like it just fine if I were in a sticks and bricks with a roaring fire, under an afghan, and having a 'read-aloud' afternoon with the kids; but in the RV, while it's nice to just stay inside, we are already getting a little cabin fever. We have too many irons in the fire right now to call everything off and just have a read-aloud afternoon in front of the electric heater! ;) Doesn't help that we pretty much tore the upstairs of the RV apart starting a new mod in the master bedroom (took out part of a wall for a built in entertainment center - entertainment center for us consists of TV, blue ray, and a bookshelf ;), and I have been going through the RV little by little purging (which means bags and boxes here and there, all for different destinations). Nothing like a little mess while 12 or 13 of you are confined to 400 sq. ft. together!!! The kids aren't minding the cold weather so much: we let them get our gaming system out of storage - it hasn't seen the light of day for at least a year. Our 'gaming system' is a Nintendo 64. Really, an N64. And while it may be obsolete in most of society, the kids are good with that --- which is a very good thing since we won't buy them another/newer system, and have axed their offers to buy their own! LOL! (good with that=agreeing that an N64 is better than nothing, which is the alternative ;) I hate gaming. Especially when Bethy always beats me at Beetle Battle...she is ruthless. (reminds me of her dad at Monopoly. i hate monopoly too.)... :P<br />
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When I figure out why my laptop is freezing whenever I try to download pictures, I'll work on catching the blog up to date, but for now, we are just hanging out trying to stay warm and counting down the days till the weatherman puts us in the 70s. <br />
It's 34 degrees out right now. Time to break out the parkas from storage I guess. :(Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-40931752142308450582012-05-24T14:22:00.002-07:002012-05-25T21:30:18.224-07:00back when....during the last 2 weeks that we were on the road for the winter, Eli made a little flick to show some ways that we save money when we travel. He made it for a coupon blog film contest, and while he didn't make it in to the top 3 finalists like he hoped to (the winner won an Apple laptop, which he would like to work on more film stuff), I thought that he and the kids did a great job on their first ever project! I thought you might enjoy it too (tho probably not as much as this mom does! LOL! ;)...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eli mentions the daily deal sites that we use - if you are interested in them, you can find our links in the comments... :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">~ let Eli know what you think, would you? :-D</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">oh, and there is a typo in the address for the best reciprocal membership (thanks for noticing Stacey!). The address should be:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.boonshoftmuseum.org/">Boonshoftmuseum.org</a></div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-54592830369255499392012-05-18T23:39:00.000-07:002012-05-18T23:39:41.774-07:00missing the road...While we don't like to move every day when we are traveling, we do like to change up the scenery every few days. We've been 'home' since the 2nd, parked at my (Dana's) sister's house; and while we have been loving every minute of catching up with their family, it has also been a time of adjustment. It takes some getting used to to be staying in one spot for any lenth of time. <br />
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I'm not ready this year for that adjustment. Traveling this year went by way too fast. I'm missing the road. Or maybe I'm just thinking that I'm missing the road - it's a rose colored glasses thing; do I<em> really</em> miss hearing Emma's little high pitched voice screach out, "how do you spell 'what's your problem???'" to her brothers over the din of them purposefully trying to annoy her? (actually, I might have really ROFL if I hadn't been driving! ;) or having Peanut ask her typical,'how much longer?', or have Molly ask for yet another snack from the 'snack box' we keep in the van because she never eats breakfast? ;)<br />
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I feel a little disloyal. I am enjoying being back 'in town' but I also miss the road. I love both. I love the familiarity of 'home', I love seeing my family and BFFs, and I love Montana.<br />
I miss exploring new places, I miss meeting new friends that share gypsy blood, and I miss having my whole family 'home' all day every day doing everything together.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow we will be moving to the RV spot that we will call home for the next 3 months (except for the 2 weeks we sell fireworks). I will miss seeing my sister every day, the kids will miss their cousins, but Vaughn won't miss the drive to work. LOL! Beth even said that she is excited to move to the lake.at least for a little while.<br />
I'm excited for the challenge of hosting again. It really is unlike any other job out there. And we will have our work cut out for us - at least at first. We are new to this campground this year (at least as hosts), and the other campground host is also new to this campground, so a few of the 'regular' campers will push the rules to see what they can get away with with the new hosts. It should be interesting.and fun. I'm always game for a battle of the wills...I have 12 kids.I.always.win.<br />
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I'll post some pictures of our spot and campground once we are out there. While there will be some 'paperwork 101' happening, I think that the big adjustment will be having to be 'available' during certain days of the week - not sure how that is going fly with us...but I'll keep you posted!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-75573134400903815372012-05-15T22:01:00.001-07:002012-05-16T08:23:41.277-07:00pretending to be 'normal'...While we are 'home' for the next few months, we will pretend to be 'normal'.<br />
We will do things like:<br />
Visit Gramma...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0fHaWy_zyOB18N2W3ISFYy0PqNzPrwmNkeWVYhZmCf4JvJNgPsBSPY123ol2CKE4u6JVQNvksxcm8PzZvcb3xjPNxp0khXieKFWX9u29pugAoadxJWx1oYIkVO_tIF57T19Y65YIko0/s1600/mt+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0fHaWy_zyOB18N2W3ISFYy0PqNzPrwmNkeWVYhZmCf4JvJNgPsBSPY123ol2CKE4u6JVQNvksxcm8PzZvcb3xjPNxp0khXieKFWX9u29pugAoadxJWx1oYIkVO_tIF57T19Y65YIko0/s320/mt+107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>who we missed oodles and oodles.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25q83dwrH_a1B35gjDXJZD_uwGXYjzvYuc-n6Z_DLkxw5ru7fHMiF3bALFJi0R3vcf36HKPV9bQee6OELHUjMVAXyVA3G_Oqg9_tb_PN7DeeU5rjNPewpWgrG5g9jh_SdVZa3kADLPZw/s1600/mt+123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25q83dwrH_a1B35gjDXJZD_uwGXYjzvYuc-n6Z_DLkxw5ru7fHMiF3bALFJi0R3vcf36HKPV9bQee6OELHUjMVAXyVA3G_Oqg9_tb_PN7DeeU5rjNPewpWgrG5g9jh_SdVZa3kADLPZw/s320/mt+123.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
We will have 'typical' birthday parties...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcTg_UvTp6hknU9xz2LazCddiKxh9ZhtGRRo3UrmxwMsK4G5UkCfarJBHug6zvLfqzFxBiujnndAqx7-YWmzsEO4Ik1-tMBWSxMs-moaHAKSTQpocp_iY-8XZnsawsd9m3nvxPx22B2o/s1600/mt+135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcTg_UvTp6hknU9xz2LazCddiKxh9ZhtGRRo3UrmxwMsK4G5UkCfarJBHug6zvLfqzFxBiujnndAqx7-YWmzsEO4Ik1-tMBWSxMs-moaHAKSTQpocp_iY-8XZnsawsd9m3nvxPx22B2o/s320/mt+135.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>that include typical gift for the typical 11 year old, like high powered airsoft guns that say 'keep out of reach of children'...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z3z3wPH-F5PCzmLd8xyB1wl6Mbb5c1L_EGB-lMPs9hpbira_HHkYW9PXv5GACnuZlYkixsnDrYMh4vm0fCOrQrqIfr55rkeCvowX-B5igDNUbSob70o5a3fsNXWRUQZP-ywctCcjcEg/s1600/mt+161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z3z3wPH-F5PCzmLd8xyB1wl6Mbb5c1L_EGB-lMPs9hpbira_HHkYW9PXv5GACnuZlYkixsnDrYMh4vm0fCOrQrqIfr55rkeCvowX-B5igDNUbSob70o5a3fsNXWRUQZP-ywctCcjcEg/s320/mt+161.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Like the 'average' family, we will plant spring flowers...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_cXA3Af8dnv4GdDpKLadp-bWzMJqn6Aglhc4AcYY1-2fl7k6D-64I2K5NPTqPsBRs8Ji5zfIyHbY-bkoY39D6k5aOralaUVWxFJd6wMLTBfvWS_1D9AvH_QeyvoiF7anSmyZolIS1Xo/s1600/mt+223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_cXA3Af8dnv4GdDpKLadp-bWzMJqn6Aglhc4AcYY1-2fl7k6D-64I2K5NPTqPsBRs8Ji5zfIyHbY-bkoY39D6k5aOralaUVWxFJd6wMLTBfvWS_1D9AvH_QeyvoiF7anSmyZolIS1Xo/s320/mt+223.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>even if they aren't in OUR flower beds. (because gypsies can't have flower beds...)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfxLlAq2yMj6TnOzpZw3nj-39km1o-bQmDTqi1nopIyVFeo0VpS3IB6bhFmZtkQwF_B_nN-9WHXRQWg-qO2O1HFabdiUaDIGmE-ML3lVTHp6Ov_deDtIxh4WiwNlyET97WYQdOvOSQoE/s1600/mt+219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfxLlAq2yMj6TnOzpZw3nj-39km1o-bQmDTqi1nopIyVFeo0VpS3IB6bhFmZtkQwF_B_nN-9WHXRQWg-qO2O1HFabdiUaDIGmE-ML3lVTHp6Ov_deDtIxh4WiwNlyET97WYQdOvOSQoE/s320/mt+219.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>so instead, we will plant Aunt Gayle's, and she will be happy that she didn't have to do them all herself,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg641hNY9npWytiA5wbcELf-tK1-hveTjmnpAggk0vcgd1rkeZpsCsLTw4Z4Wi6eEV1qkOmOCR3C2YL2Jh32zOE9PvPTMZbiMth5gmD6E3gwt_nEpCNkmBKUKCHkee7dAtEhAQPM0trtg4/s1600/mt+251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg641hNY9npWytiA5wbcELf-tK1-hveTjmnpAggk0vcgd1rkeZpsCsLTw4Z4Wi6eEV1qkOmOCR3C2YL2Jh32zOE9PvPTMZbiMth5gmD6E3gwt_nEpCNkmBKUKCHkee7dAtEhAQPM0trtg4/s320/mt+251.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>and we will be happy that we just got to plant flowers like those other people do!<br />
We might even get to break one of the chainsaws out from it's 3 year hiatus in storage, and trim the bushes like the everyday suburbanite (only we aren't in suburbia, we are camped in a horse pasture, and they were taking out trees! LOL!)...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYBgRQPa7vlwxRAYiOPV7TMlpBEJT_qGQUaiVEg_1TaGyRj2tHDxE_0FEOxzzPYHWk0cxyawXNZQBY9gZU8nk1e-X39hNxiFSNyWe74IphcDDzK6yHmg5Ko7Y2P82n4CpfuQAYH5mPmM/s1600/mt+247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYBgRQPa7vlwxRAYiOPV7TMlpBEJT_qGQUaiVEg_1TaGyRj2tHDxE_0FEOxzzPYHWk0cxyawXNZQBY9gZU8nk1e-X39hNxiFSNyWe74IphcDDzK6yHmg5Ko7Y2P82n4CpfuQAYH5mPmM/s320/mt+247.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj727tVA7E9Nup4ijuyp7zxNCoQmYY3ogyG-p1OW-EN15F-ZzIz54whr9zuNc6E3MtWom1JOiZhUyGFJRLcT6IzNOz_eH7RgGzbgHqDZYHmsFkGOT7OzTRW-eAd2JdP18QTYsKogeaJKAw/s1600/mt+254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj727tVA7E9Nup4ijuyp7zxNCoQmYY3ogyG-p1OW-EN15F-ZzIz54whr9zuNc6E3MtWom1JOiZhUyGFJRLcT6IzNOz_eH7RgGzbgHqDZYHmsFkGOT7OzTRW-eAd2JdP18QTYsKogeaJKAw/s320/mt+254.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and we might do a few normal things like horse back riding...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxp2ovxJ99_losWmyzR3nAYqvg6vmHl6BzgWbjM97pYuKx6n2rORCBoNvf-TG5Y9vtomvda9ul5E0GuLResL41ta7nnnBPCmL20haNh7_C6_inWzWJ8NEz3vEw6qeJsZSkN_JloOrM7A/s1600/mt+284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxp2ovxJ99_losWmyzR3nAYqvg6vmHl6BzgWbjM97pYuKx6n2rORCBoNvf-TG5Y9vtomvda9ul5E0GuLResL41ta7nnnBPCmL20haNh7_C6_inWzWJ8NEz3vEw6qeJsZSkN_JloOrM7A/s320/mt+284.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>even if it is on 'borrowed' horses. But it will be with our very own <strike>cowboy</strike> cowGIRL boots, because going with Aunt Gayle to the co-op to buy flowers means coming back with sparkly Ropers because riding her horses in Keens just doesn't fly. ...that and that's just the way she rolls...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRh_Bn2GRcd_HTr5S9VaaR9igScIepYcit31WSCvWwzzhTYzwemfOgyD3yOvnQ0cLCEGkDKd5YC17Sk5TE2qlIxopOqA0wkNbHM5awArFzZjhPCnRv4cRdvXBF2wNQnS2a4CAscQs04A/s1600/mt+280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRh_Bn2GRcd_HTr5S9VaaR9igScIepYcit31WSCvWwzzhTYzwemfOgyD3yOvnQ0cLCEGkDKd5YC17Sk5TE2qlIxopOqA0wkNbHM5awArFzZjhPCnRv4cRdvXBF2wNQnS2a4CAscQs04A/s320/mt+280.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>we even do things like wear our cowgirl boots to church. because that's how it's done around here, in our temporary 'hometown'...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIawU-rd-9k0P6TS9HqeP4NwME5CvN256UDPXq8Fl4-majFnLb0Wy0Oveuy0H_cCw_C0GhpKmSDZX8N7Wmmto8EWc7M0jSk_2YSVSUiSyfuiNY3sgG1LKo_zv9YOIDmpziDKmWf8QQYMo/s1600/mt+264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIawU-rd-9k0P6TS9HqeP4NwME5CvN256UDPXq8Fl4-majFnLb0Wy0Oveuy0H_cCw_C0GhpKmSDZX8N7Wmmto8EWc7M0jSk_2YSVSUiSyfuiNY3sgG1LKo_zv9YOIDmpziDKmWf8QQYMo/s320/mt+264.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>And while this may not be anyones everyday occurrence, we even get to whip out the spray paint and do a little sprucing up...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8ddCKkfJiK8Hqu2begpOmwl7dla2z0RaHq6Rzr_oDlc1xTHHa4DdDxkSZQvdxlhtV08SEhnqEY3aMagwLX585JNgXRP0Mlm0Q_Zl50kJgfSHpM2XmGqJ1ErKITfHlscNdNn8yH1_8QM/s1600/mt+292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8ddCKkfJiK8Hqu2begpOmwl7dla2z0RaHq6Rzr_oDlc1xTHHa4DdDxkSZQvdxlhtV08SEhnqEY3aMagwLX585JNgXRP0Mlm0Q_Zl50kJgfSHpM2XmGqJ1ErKITfHlscNdNn8yH1_8QM/s320/mt+292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>that may be followed by a huge squirt gun fight with the cousins. or a soak in the hot tub, or a jump on the trampoline with a sprinkler running under it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kdzJFYc17HwKG77PdAx-yVrUb8rteZhny8gY5UqxGEk4wreWeBvKOB8pGdjlbOF6IwYTqEC3OqAfudjjeyaOwzLBtOtgkhB3CoJnBC-5CNOOBUCS8rLNLx2YsO8cbTdVBYWJFaOAXDo/s1600/mt+296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kdzJFYc17HwKG77PdAx-yVrUb8rteZhny8gY5UqxGEk4wreWeBvKOB8pGdjlbOF6IwYTqEC3OqAfudjjeyaOwzLBtOtgkhB3CoJnBC-5CNOOBUCS8rLNLx2YsO8cbTdVBYWJFaOAXDo/s320/mt+296.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Moving in on family does have it's perks! For us, we are loving being parked right next to the cousins (if only that thing called school didn't get in the way of all their plans!), and are enjoying doing quite a few things that we really don't get a chance to do while we are on the road. Things like hanging the laundry on the washline, taking advantage of having a (mechanical) dishwasher, and endless-hot-water showers (without the limiting water usage of having it drain into an 80 gallon grey tank). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But, we are not settled for the summer yet; this coming weekend, we will be moving to a campground on a river, and we will be campground hosts once again (and they even know how many kids we have! ROFL!!!). We are sure going to miss being with the cousins, but we are excited for yet another new adventure! If we have to be 'parked' for the summer earning fuel money for next winter, it'll be nice to have full hookups, meet tons of new people, and be on the water. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Vaughn and the biggest boys will be working (and our site is close by! yeah!); they have already been busy pouring concrete for the local college. The other kids and I will be responsible for keeping all those walleye fishermen in line (we are actually pretty excited as this is more of a fisherman's campground as opposed to one that attracts partiers...), cleaning bathrooms (oh the glam of it! LOL!), and moving sprinklers (which is wonderful because then the kids can run through them! I mean really, who is going to tell the camp host's kids they can't run through the sprinklers?!? hehehe!). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We will still be doing our laundry at the laundrymat, buying groceries 3 days at a time, and NOT visiting goodwill (TOO often ;) because, hey, we live in an RV - where would we put it all???</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We will still be doing school, trying to get ahead this summer so that we don't fall behind next fall when we get back on the road and take most days off for field trips.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And we will still be doing most everything together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Because whether we are stationary or gypsy, parked or hauling, together is our normal. And RV or sticks and bricks, together is how we roll. :)</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-1192627570045839572012-05-13T23:08:00.001-07:002012-05-15T22:03:10.521-07:00putting down jacks (2 weeks ago! LOL!)...sometimes, life just needs to be enjoyed, not chronicled behind a camera... After we left Wilson Lake in KS, we had a long day hauling to visit family in Colorado! A long day for us is anything over 3 hours.LOL! We left Wilson Lake around noon, and pulled into Uncle Stan's house just before 10pm (we have to make lots of stops:potty breaks, stretch your legs breaks, fuel fills, and dinner making...). We squeaked into their driveway in the dark, and stayed up way too late visiting; it was so good to see them again!<br />
We ended up spending 3 nights there, and loved every minute of it! It was fabulous to see Uncle Stan and Aunt Leah again, along with other aunts and cousins!!! We spent a day at the indoor water park, had a get together with more family, and the kids and cousins played non-stop!<br />
I didn't take one single picture while we were there! Makes me a little sad now, but at the time, it was nice to just enjoy everyone!<br />
<br />
We left on a Sunday morning, and drove out of Colorado and into Wyoming.<br />
Spent Sunday night at the Walmart in Casper (like we did last year). This year we had all sorts of company there, and since it was cold, we fired up the generator (it's hard work to push that button from inside the coach!) and watched a movie thanks to RedBox.<br />
Next morning, it was onward and upward through the rest of Wyoming...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT9yF5Dmt38XkJbtkzEm0swahEJS6OzU1yPymcN4VA0Me3nl6x0eC1DHon2fhPGSjJzvzXf4Z7OeGWKPBzcZxpKV4ma4ODKemvuEA0QSffXNgbvicvCF_0nGk7K8l3ALnou2X8PxLiYM/s1600/mt+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT9yF5Dmt38XkJbtkzEm0swahEJS6OzU1yPymcN4VA0Me3nl6x0eC1DHon2fhPGSjJzvzXf4Z7OeGWKPBzcZxpKV4ma4ODKemvuEA0QSffXNgbvicvCF_0nGk7K8l3ALnou2X8PxLiYM/s320/mt+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We saw hundreds of Speed Goats (antelope), and drove into farm country. Saw some sheep...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgQrUn6VV4tERhda2rKyikxzZatUVzwSjs8_PY4eolvRTL1W5hVcO1td9ehQpoSrd9bAN8WYTRzRDqJX8CNixUVcGEpchL3k0OsyVcdtAWx8TPyWdojenwN3hwOpxZe6xX9jyjaxWfn0/s1600/mt+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgQrUn6VV4tERhda2rKyikxzZatUVzwSjs8_PY4eolvRTL1W5hVcO1td9ehQpoSrd9bAN8WYTRzRDqJX8CNixUVcGEpchL3k0OsyVcdtAWx8TPyWdojenwN3hwOpxZe6xX9jyjaxWfn0/s320/mt+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and stopped at a big rest area right inside the northern border of WY so Eli could take some footage for a project that he was working on. While he filmed the inside of the visitor's center, the rest of us took over the playground...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixda8aJBwliZBzqf11Xr2UbKFxuEmg_ZYMt7LCIFGbdhPy8k7C1f6-4qmjXQtDtM1L7zHvg7QvUTl8IHXNb5XfZyFnDgBpFZot9Yf7U3VdcoUcj_hc9TPW-EXknixdRRzub2onJcHcC_k/s1600/mt+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixda8aJBwliZBzqf11Xr2UbKFxuEmg_ZYMt7LCIFGbdhPy8k7C1f6-4qmjXQtDtM1L7zHvg7QvUTl8IHXNb5XfZyFnDgBpFZot9Yf7U3VdcoUcj_hc9TPW-EXknixdRRzub2onJcHcC_k/s320/mt+025.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>there wasn't anyone to take it from, so maybe it's just that we used the whole thing all at once ;)<br />
Caleb enjoyed his first big boy swing here... loved it; made mom sad...he's not big enough for that!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2IpCT9XQnsNtENzSUx-YycIMwVx1B2dhvGVzdQj99WRYptOKNgn4hyphenhyphenn6HBbjJfR0ajoABdFF37MjS0fRRbUwKlxXswiCcQBxDHPMtGeGw_o22xSxf8JPHMuSjN06KOtRIzuD8E3kcKU/s1600/mt+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2IpCT9XQnsNtENzSUx-YycIMwVx1B2dhvGVzdQj99WRYptOKNgn4hyphenhyphenn6HBbjJfR0ajoABdFF37MjS0fRRbUwKlxXswiCcQBxDHPMtGeGw_o22xSxf8JPHMuSjN06KOtRIzuD8E3kcKU/s320/mt+042.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>the other kids were glad for a break too! ...that whole 'anything more than 3 hours is a really long day' thing...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWjbrGzTbRrIJhb_gmS48d2PrJfTKvZIez3KX0529IhCAx3S0K6hY8cCp3nvehAqvlLnnhf24yiRg14QHxrWAVr-7gH_GSyvOYIKFletflI0I6GsrAYttGTvOqqmh45-06A3wn0RmjOw/s1600/mt+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWjbrGzTbRrIJhb_gmS48d2PrJfTKvZIez3KX0529IhCAx3S0K6hY8cCp3nvehAqvlLnnhf24yiRg14QHxrWAVr-7gH_GSyvOYIKFletflI0I6GsrAYttGTvOqqmh45-06A3wn0RmjOw/s320/mt+052.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>then it was on for a stop at the Little Bighorn Battlefield (Custer's Last Stand...). (HELLO MONTANA!!!) We stopped here last year to do the Jr. Ranger program, and were pleasantly surprised at how tactfully the whole Indian/soldier conflict was handled! We stayed much longer than we had planned last year; since Greg wasn't with us last year, we took him through the park this year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA0mNI8fIEBc_0JmKlOsrT2_rcJPjYUDo2AMGu9pZ8h0ERYwzkV1uhw-OM71uRWEpsr_X5t-2NeMQnTBghemGHsJB6UD6suAUwVuXk2hsl5ZiIqavC_JhJIWgfTHoMNp3BTqI3wW3fBw/s1600/mt+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA0mNI8fIEBc_0JmKlOsrT2_rcJPjYUDo2AMGu9pZ8h0ERYwzkV1uhw-OM71uRWEpsr_X5t-2NeMQnTBghemGHsJB6UD6suAUwVuXk2hsl5ZiIqavC_JhJIWgfTHoMNp3BTqI3wW3fBw/s320/mt+074.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The kids did the Jr. Ranger program last year, but Joel wanted to do it again. He remembered all the answers except one, which he remember where to find the answer, and I wondered if the ranger who swore him in noticed that he already had a 'Little Bighorn Battlefield' badge on the front of his vest! LOL!!!<br />
And Thank Goodness we stopped!!! This year, they had bumper stickers!!! (didn't have them last year :()<br />
<br />
We drove through the park, part of which is on private land, and watched half a dozen cowboys herd the horses out of the park.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZ0lT3UE1SWB8A2xWMK4HJxmLs35x41sLZJRpJJoVhk7OxcoEuQ1U_JU49m4HvKpB46Zu4aT2LhRVYJhMUoj6EeNvxCCv9LsqojlWhkUsr2G3u6PrT7tr0rCMGc1BM0WgxFPm-ySk3fE/s1600/mt+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZ0lT3UE1SWB8A2xWMK4HJxmLs35x41sLZJRpJJoVhk7OxcoEuQ1U_JU49m4HvKpB46Zu4aT2LhRVYJhMUoj6EeNvxCCv9LsqojlWhkUsr2G3u6PrT7tr0rCMGc1BM0WgxFPm-ySk3fE/s320/mt+069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After Little Bighorn, we drove to Billings, where we camped at Cabela's for the night! <br />
We had a very late dinner at the Cracker Barrel in Billings, thanks to some very dear friends of ours who gave us a ginormous gift card to C.B. for Christmas!!! We had saved it for after we had rescued Greg from government ownership, and realized that we were quickly running out of road to use it (no C.B. in our hometown). It ended up being the perfect topping to yet another long day in the van/truck!!! It was a little weird of a visit tho! We got lots of stares, and there were 3 managers that stood by the kitchen and watched us for the longest time; I have no idea why - the kids were good and their hair was combed, we were (somewhat) quiet, and we didn't make any odd food requests! LOL! Yummy food anyway - I had grilled catfish (missing Texas catfish! hehehe!). :P<br />
<br />
This Cabela's has a dump station, so after dumping our tanks from the last few nights of boondocking (thus lightening the load and hopefully improving fuel mileage...), we put the pedal to the metal for that last bit of road between us and 'home'.<br />
While it's nice to be back home, and we are loving catching up with the cousins, there's snow in them there hills, which means we should still be down south!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZktK7K7S86WXRGeuFKz0HBq9vsfcOvtKgdIHOEweL74uGuKiMTJwrMPnr5atlzit8SHWmENySS24-6QZQ4NHyzto3VelXGV0SGwTCl53szr5N80gMCrNFyp0Cd2BRW2pHv7a-2kLoSA/s1600/mt+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZktK7K7S86WXRGeuFKz0HBq9vsfcOvtKgdIHOEweL74uGuKiMTJwrMPnr5atlzit8SHWmENySS24-6QZQ4NHyzto3VelXGV0SGwTCl53szr5N80gMCrNFyp0Cd2BRW2pHv7a-2kLoSA/s320/mt+082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of these years we are going to get the hint and stay away till at least the middle of May.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This year went by way too fast!!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It sure is nice, though, to be home, with jacks down, even if they will be coming up for a move next week: it's fabulous to be playing with the cousins, visiting with the sister, and seeing our biggest girl again. <3</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-51074674913116091312012-05-10T23:02:00.000-07:002012-05-10T23:02:59.409-07:00more Wilson Lake...just some random pictures...<br />
since Greg got released from boot camp, the boys have been bugging him to show them some of the moves he learned in Military Police training. He's happy to show them...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfvk4LceoiYwiRTRNy81u4OFvKH27cvJUTX5ozmACQac-deH5OZ_430Qi1Ikor4g-UXGpUnYAujVLazbg2ssoxddKwt2TJ9j7ltvxLuw9YUid7f0QpSyf0lWhFGuTysjjxVTfgNG22I4/s1600/ks&co+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfvk4LceoiYwiRTRNy81u4OFvKH27cvJUTX5ozmACQac-deH5OZ_430Qi1Ikor4g-UXGpUnYAujVLazbg2ssoxddKwt2TJ9j7ltvxLuw9YUid7f0QpSyf0lWhFGuTysjjxVTfgNG22I4/s320/ks&co+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>tho for the record, he said that boot camp was lame. He thought it would be more physically challenging, and a little less political. He was so done with getting smoked (extra physical fitness for punishment) for other soldiers screw-ups; especially the repeat offenders that never seemed to learn or care. He was also so done with being told what to do with every second of his day like a little kid, and having 4 minutes to eat.<br />
<br />
Anyone who feels sorry for the littles in a big family has never been around a big (or middling, like ours) family very much... it would be impossible for 'the boss' to get any more attention...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TXRQv9h1mDm9UoR2hRagtPhokMY__Hjw3o6XK5vxqSSITpjGZ6uWBxKFn0Sw7y9wi81nNMHougwZaydSaFzBVCoX-38CplMSUG0KEqZ36mnV_SMGX0QVACQhVOnl5CXNfpOrJ5DYWX8/s1600/ks&co+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TXRQv9h1mDm9UoR2hRagtPhokMY__Hjw3o6XK5vxqSSITpjGZ6uWBxKFn0Sw7y9wi81nNMHougwZaydSaFzBVCoX-38CplMSUG0KEqZ36mnV_SMGX0QVACQhVOnl5CXNfpOrJ5DYWX8/s320/ks&co+021.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Kids under 16 can fish in Kansas without a license, including non-residents. Course we didn't start fishing until the morning we were leaving, which is why we ended up not leaving until noon.<br />
that's kind of how things work around here...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqJZAO4w51YAjB6an7f-xk9kfzBm-jceOZv3Qdco4RRAydDNbWfcEAgslLEotbo7p-dfaJ2TZnWUTjouiAWJyoGRCQPv1DLFYaM56pbPCzf7BctZ7eS7pT_4bGUE0r0G6bqGmqcACjss/s1600/ks&co+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqJZAO4w51YAjB6an7f-xk9kfzBm-jceOZv3Qdco4RRAydDNbWfcEAgslLEotbo7p-dfaJ2TZnWUTjouiAWJyoGRCQPv1DLFYaM56pbPCzf7BctZ7eS7pT_4bGUE0r0G6bqGmqcACjss/s320/ks&co+031.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the we were off to visit Uncle Stan and Aunt Leah on our way through Colorado to home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lIAaGaZadXmQeFxiDINp23DhMzc5qxgH5DM-PXSMSCCCrFQN4nzqcXDAEaBy2eeklF63DJCn9Ka8n838XZEtxcjd-S5ePd4ZyAL39yMh7VSRN879jwd7WrgG7L2I7xpiFiUqC4OBPAU/s1600/ks&co+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lIAaGaZadXmQeFxiDINp23DhMzc5qxgH5DM-PXSMSCCCrFQN4nzqcXDAEaBy2eeklF63DJCn9Ka8n838XZEtxcjd-S5ePd4ZyAL39yMh7VSRN879jwd7WrgG7L2I7xpiFiUqC4OBPAU/s320/ks&co+040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We passed right by the big storm that was making it's way right towards Wilson Lake and right by dozens and dozens of huge windmills...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWeDTn7e4UdUtAR6WtpQqa62bIUFqa1Noain5CyrwrlybXhIEm7QTUpFEBp527QPDMMgDZuCBOdx-y5ZaeUCYS23auNHydrqpI28y4Lvdm8jbmQt5dK9Nq73Knb5VaehOPrrLt_2KkDk/s1600/ks&co+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWeDTn7e4UdUtAR6WtpQqa62bIUFqa1Noain5CyrwrlybXhIEm7QTUpFEBp527QPDMMgDZuCBOdx-y5ZaeUCYS23auNHydrqpI28y4Lvdm8jbmQt5dK9Nq73Knb5VaehOPrrLt_2KkDk/s320/ks&co+049.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and I was loving my view the whole way...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCCandqwAIDdmARVB3THqQ-wCT09x-iDKUvM_Y8nFg0qEuA8xCRg2a9aXl-dRxCcQS7TcjsXkUEUPK2kpy1AZWChsB9IEGXgqJ9T-5IOecMC7i4zR07bYwOqGmxodk8iHmyKixqVUVk4/s1600/ks&co+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCCandqwAIDdmARVB3THqQ-wCT09x-iDKUvM_Y8nFg0qEuA8xCRg2a9aXl-dRxCcQS7TcjsXkUEUPK2kpy1AZWChsB9IEGXgqJ9T-5IOecMC7i4zR07bYwOqGmxodk8iHmyKixqVUVk4/s320/ks&co+062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> I am awfully blessed to have 2 handsome chauffeurs to chose from (or spell each other while mom takes pictures, hands out snacks, surfs the net, or nods off through all that flat land ;) Haven't seen this view for 2 years (Greg had a job last year and didn't go with us).<br />
~ with my kids in tow, either one of my biggest boys driving, and looking out at the back of the 5er...<br />
God has given me my happy place ;-DDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-45950081953000925262012-05-09T23:38:00.000-07:002012-05-09T23:38:23.118-07:00Wilson Lake, KS...We had never been to Kansas before. Had heard that it was flat, barren, nothingness. But I LIKE flat, barren, nothingness...as long is it's green :) So, I was glad that we were driving through in the springtime!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5cvzEatBZMfgZQeZeGu9ZDPB4uAVLaLaax9Al-bqg6fa5nCqj18J2IHIiZvckwu8N2H1DDA1RTqYPFLxChMezy9rtFyz84zvjvRfkiwEhmsj63PJ595Z-zC23_fBVUVQOuCiTkvRxas/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5cvzEatBZMfgZQeZeGu9ZDPB4uAVLaLaax9Al-bqg6fa5nCqj18J2IHIiZvckwu8N2H1DDA1RTqYPFLxChMezy9rtFyz84zvjvRfkiwEhmsj63PJ595Z-zC23_fBVUVQOuCiTkvRxas/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+270.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Personally, I thought Kansas had some lovely areas! And, driving through meant we got to put our Kansas state sticker on the 'where we've been' map on the back of the 5er ;) <br />
<br />
The weather was supposed to be record breaking hot for a couple of days, and we really didn't want to be driving through it. Vaughn seldom uses his air conditioning when he is pulling the camper because it just tanks his fuel mileage. While I could run the a/c (and maybe even prefer to be in it), the kids would love to have some water time in the hot weather. We scrutinized the Kansas state pages in our atlases, and decided to give Wilson Lake a try. Mostly because it is a COE park, and COE park hosts never care how many kids we pull in with.<br />
<br />
We pulled in to an empty check-in booth; the park was open, but since it wasn't the 'busy season', it was unmanned except for a host, and we got a w/e site for $8. Really! EIGHT dollars a night for water and electric. (remembering that one for future reference!)<br />
...and right by a super snazzy playground...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9lZkjmsujHX3OMUl5QYzD712SDbFepgoQxxyM9VQ9dYveDBcHOOIiehv0MMKd_ccmIVdihdAx8K7Da6KUdEVim1rroMYjATixxbEQCrk-MB6IGI3ugrcrNZn65WFo-UxN0coiCDyKBM/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9lZkjmsujHX3OMUl5QYzD712SDbFepgoQxxyM9VQ9dYveDBcHOOIiehv0MMKd_ccmIVdihdAx8K7Da6KUdEVim1rroMYjATixxbEQCrk-MB6IGI3ugrcrNZn65WFo-UxN0coiCDyKBM/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+301.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Savanna and Molly were over the moon. (they are pretty easy to thrill ;)<br />
<br />
The campground was very nice; quiet and well maintained. <br />
And the littles were super excited for a day where we did absolutely nothing. We had been driving and visiting and Jr. Rangering so much, that they were a bit burnt out. We pulled in here on a Tuesday afternoon, and the kids spent the rest of the day exploring, playgrounding, and just doing nothing. <br />
One thing that we loved about this park was the bathhouse with the showers. 9 showers on each side! The boys didn't have to wait in line for each other! When they got back from the shower house after about 10 minutes, I figured they ran out of hot water and would go back later in the evening. Nope, they were just all done!<br />
On Wednesday, we just hung out in the park all day - it was a record 95, so we got wet to stay cool...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JKzgJgchQk9nEsYxaETtQQT2F6Nv1rxonSEpGoZWYc_A_RIlhW13v_WHnM5QkYCVBJinFY2BRT8Jk5vYEv9OzwHDAN03mvdUFYgLA6MLAZ125BG3mvD1XefJGvl7pa8q3d0M90cje6k/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JKzgJgchQk9nEsYxaETtQQT2F6Nv1rxonSEpGoZWYc_A_RIlhW13v_WHnM5QkYCVBJinFY2BRT8Jk5vYEv9OzwHDAN03mvdUFYgLA6MLAZ125BG3mvD1XefJGvl7pa8q3d0M90cje6k/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+273.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Lake camping is different than ocean camping. We love ocean camping, and had been on the coast several times this trip, but we are most used to lake camping with it's lack of sneaker waves. It was nice to be back... :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYoTY216RQoEyw4RMULZFwfWU2mKqTfw8H9xfQBsPbeElYRL4H5nXYMIFKspop2IrGcVSt3iqWwGzjssUk93mf1b84XgG7F089HkEGFeX7tKZCld_uwdGejRH3JqDrCiFs0u29jo7THA/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYoTY216RQoEyw4RMULZFwfWU2mKqTfw8H9xfQBsPbeElYRL4H5nXYMIFKspop2IrGcVSt3iqWwGzjssUk93mf1b84XgG7F089HkEGFeX7tKZCld_uwdGejRH3JqDrCiFs0u29jo7THA/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+282.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Still so thrilled to have our soldier with us... our Happy Camper is extra happy to have his biggest bro home to spoil him...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfZJ2BKdKUzAZy-GK_RiI5duPhIeWp6vBGKHonHwWRbmHPqcXdMrsl9-7gvA7xC2yJtonB5JKnQ08dXiTSxq5nSfqN2AbktjzwEmfSkkdXTQD6hz0hb9KRy1xRSFlc0oPdRY8KKeJfPs/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfZJ2BKdKUzAZy-GK_RiI5duPhIeWp6vBGKHonHwWRbmHPqcXdMrsl9-7gvA7xC2yJtonB5JKnQ08dXiTSxq5nSfqN2AbktjzwEmfSkkdXTQD6hz0hb9KRy1xRSFlc0oPdRY8KKeJfPs/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+288.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We were so glad that we could park right by the playground - there weren't any other campers in this area of the park, so we let the little kids run back and forth all they wanted...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInNAldRYfDhahlrbXljlG8vgoUnISExn4yfqNqliVf5KSYfxdIf0pSjmhgVRmQTJNz0XfuIg0CXkmy9fCEIiGR8645q-QypolpzXGKjRSEsUV9CimFVQw1GBpe6cUGhQxfgdUlL6fVeg/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInNAldRYfDhahlrbXljlG8vgoUnISExn4yfqNqliVf5KSYfxdIf0pSjmhgVRmQTJNz0XfuIg0CXkmy9fCEIiGR8645q-QypolpzXGKjRSEsUV9CimFVQw1GBpe6cUGhQxfgdUlL6fVeg/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+291.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And we had campfires.<br />
And roasted Peeps. (because we have brilliant friends who think of things like this and then we copy them because we figure that's the next best thing to having been there when they masterminded it in the first place) ...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf-0kjpSKUgc0_v0h1u8xkwgloMYVmcNP1kJu_21jy4Hj2ssodTwICQgulTEM2ejRglSZF03sAklFnu-MYop6jmt_-zl63Ag7auduyVlN_0iFsqdvqZP3Oj_yAR88qx31OkM3W8So8g8/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf-0kjpSKUgc0_v0h1u8xkwgloMYVmcNP1kJu_21jy4Hj2ssodTwICQgulTEM2ejRglSZF03sAklFnu-MYop6jmt_-zl63Ag7auduyVlN_0iFsqdvqZP3Oj_yAR88qx31OkM3W8So8g8/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+295.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Molly talked my ear off telling me about how she was going to roast her peeps and which colors she was going to pick. She's not an asker... she's a teller... pointing finger and raised eyebrows and all.<br />
<br />
The big kids were busy doing their own stuff. Eli got the kids to help him make a short film for a contest; the top prize is a Mac laptop that he would like (to win!) to pursue more film making with...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nOXtqgmuy4JknCo80ePr2yRdxDy_tUM5MHoUcFZWcxDh4Q5-IMcKz2cHOdXdEm5i-3YL9sE_jPvuHgnOt6l2V4YY2y9vzJTU7ENF8YYyYGfCZl34SGtQM8GeZqeNzBK6Tmm9WHGCRAY/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nOXtqgmuy4JknCo80ePr2yRdxDy_tUM5MHoUcFZWcxDh4Q5-IMcKz2cHOdXdEm5i-3YL9sE_jPvuHgnOt6l2V4YY2y9vzJTU7ENF8YYyYGfCZl34SGtQM8GeZqeNzBK6Tmm9WHGCRAY/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+307.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Beth helped him film some of the takes that he wanted to complete at this location, and he took some pictures of Beth. Beth wanted a picture to put on a website for a new project she is undertaking. I love the picture that she chose...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYa2TlJIMfPk54YkzBvo-HDL7OEyKUwpM3rkq_w7Q6ONtU-lAgtY1pu3sn9DTJ-IqBSxcRfK8qPoX5hT2A6u42XaG96anN9QoDf90wBhkkxigzfOHLe3GKqIFhElF4x3q43x_LaToAZ7U/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYa2TlJIMfPk54YkzBvo-HDL7OEyKUwpM3rkq_w7Q6ONtU-lAgtY1pu3sn9DTJ-IqBSxcRfK8qPoX5hT2A6u42XaG96anN9QoDf90wBhkkxigzfOHLe3GKqIFhElF4x3q43x_LaToAZ7U/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+317.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>I love it, but at the same time it makes me a wee bit sad. My baby girl is all grown up.<br />
Beautiful, isn't she? ;)<br />
<br />
The little girls practically lived in the water while we were here. Savanna found this (dead) Monarch floating in the water while we were there, and had to save it to show me...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrHOg5Vc_Gs06qC-QRyEd22O3EVBzHns4As3efURN1oKEkeB7GdtB946x-l92pmkAUusq_NGJ3Oiu9Y4CrH8_VbGMltplYr98LmD3JXYRIkSw_0DufokAIPXyGl8p2KVjtiXqn2rpZzE/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrHOg5Vc_Gs06qC-QRyEd22O3EVBzHns4As3efURN1oKEkeB7GdtB946x-l92pmkAUusq_NGJ3Oiu9Y4CrH8_VbGMltplYr98LmD3JXYRIkSw_0DufokAIPXyGl8p2KVjtiXqn2rpZzE/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+321.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and we found lizards too...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzygDqlofdfnR2pEdHdj9GHLIse_iujFHBYR7hefIcIAoQFimXMeXX5SeK4xxS_JLSYOSEFsyS0DmeBXn3lp5AHMrzjwgNcSWDqqd2mSRZnGwaoiIRw10SkJ2ju_5Lcm08_QSoQsEx68/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzygDqlofdfnR2pEdHdj9GHLIse_iujFHBYR7hefIcIAoQFimXMeXX5SeK4xxS_JLSYOSEFsyS0DmeBXn3lp5AHMrzjwgNcSWDqqd2mSRZnGwaoiIRw10SkJ2ju_5Lcm08_QSoQsEx68/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+325.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
It was nice to have a 'down day' where we just hung out and didn't go anywhere or do anything. The weather was just lovely for lounging!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since we were on a schedule, we ended up pulling out Thursday even though we would have loved to stay longer. At the same time, we were glad to be getting out of flat-land country the day before a big storm was to come through. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We really loved the chance to soak up some rays and put our feet up for a couple of days at Wilson Lake, but time was ticking down quickly, so we had to pull out Thursday around noon; we still had at least one more 'must do' on the road.</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-69261741801039218942012-05-07T23:29:00.000-07:002012-05-07T23:29:01.238-07:00Fort Scott National Historic Site, KS...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">ok, so I was wrong when I wrote yesterday that Pea Ridge was our last National Park for the trip. I hate being behind on this blog, because I forget what we did when - if it weren't for pictures, I would have forgotten half our trip by now!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After visiting Pea Ridge NB, we drove that night to the town of Fort Scott in Kansas. We spent the night in a quiet little Walmart; the only negative/odd thing was that there was one other RV in the lot, which we parked right next to - they had a flatbed trailer behind their RV with some sort of statues/figures/not-really-sure-what-kind-of-'art'-they-were on them, and nearly every car that came into the lot would drive over to the side of the lot, right past our RVs, and do a very slow drive by. At first it was a little creepy as we couldn't tell why all these cars would come over and drive by the 2 RVs very slowly - maybe they really didn't want Rvs in their Wallyworld parking lot??? - but once we figured out why they were driving by so slowly, we didn't blame them one bit. We spent quite a bit of our own time contemplating just what was those works of art were, and what they were for....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next morning, the kids ran in and got donuts (but, mom, Greg hasn't had donuts for breakfast yet... not since he left for bootcamp...) I don't complain too much when we have donuts for breakfast - as long as the kids don't forget my Bavarian creme one (or two) ;)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Then it was off to Fort Scott National Park. We left the 5er and truck in the parking lot at Walmart, which was just a couple of blocks away, and spent the morning at the park.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The littler kids did the Jr. Ranger program, while Eli got Beth and Jake to help him with a project that he was working on.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Much of Fort Scott is still intact. One of the buildings has been turned into a museum with displays on both levels, and a short film about the role of the fort in the area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsoVMwy1qvApFCvTP9EwZEwr142vqv8Zz82nRieBbSxojzs-0s-BWURceOeDumDOuMsZBUYW77w5tm7xtSq2tUz73q5lb0KMdjvxe9-Gw4JgbhkgC_mUgOsbSptVhp-ZCw9OTJM_zPcE/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsoVMwy1qvApFCvTP9EwZEwr142vqv8Zz82nRieBbSxojzs-0s-BWURceOeDumDOuMsZBUYW77w5tm7xtSq2tUz73q5lb0KMdjvxe9-Gw4JgbhkgC_mUgOsbSptVhp-ZCw9OTJM_zPcE/s320/PeaRidge&KS+217.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The littles enjoyed the program here for several reasons - Joel was young enough that he got to do the easy booklet, and he and Emma and Savanna got to check out haversacks full of little doodads to help them complete their booklets. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The upper level of the museum had some neat displays.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uc7SqoP3lDHSKjgkFL1f8pye6xORJ57Vi0KR61RhNPiqwGZM0SlF83iLLC9ZDsuhFAB36aw0c-IS2XJxWWu3WuChSt6IjzSQUtT8PzmnjIO0mLGMuR8GP3P_4Nzl6YBKBfJLuTUvn7I/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uc7SqoP3lDHSKjgkFL1f8pye6xORJ57Vi0KR61RhNPiqwGZM0SlF83iLLC9ZDsuhFAB36aw0c-IS2XJxWWu3WuChSt6IjzSQUtT8PzmnjIO0mLGMuR8GP3P_4Nzl6YBKBfJLuTUvn7I/s320/PeaRidge&KS+219.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>The stables were still there, and still house horses when there are special events going on at the park.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0l49G-sRb7682wE-YQ8geu4qF4FNkdFocgHLXLXOMIGndRFu3W44yLh7wyZbf7JQm1-CTmPnuleH9TpDj-YfXteWghqdMRYYjBUygIOajP6DHz4jjv_L_KbvEa2pC0YJEuHmqhVnV0nw/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0l49G-sRb7682wE-YQ8geu4qF4FNkdFocgHLXLXOMIGndRFu3W44yLh7wyZbf7JQm1-CTmPnuleH9TpDj-YfXteWghqdMRYYjBUygIOajP6DHz4jjv_L_KbvEa2pC0YJEuHmqhVnV0nw/s320/PeaRidge&KS+221.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>The haversacks that the kids checked out were nearly too big for Peanut to haul around without dragging on the ground... she loved packing it around anyway.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanSUOhOCPN9F9wCWj0wfak68CYzqGz-HrA13paN82Zcy8yyJzJFJpzCfCTEPVuiCvfAoGUszBuprJ8ZOkuhuxieytojjtHB1uGd9c7qBQkKexqU7oxXMfzTA1esvnRTrQuDutZnQgRpI/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanSUOhOCPN9F9wCWj0wfak68CYzqGz-HrA13paN82Zcy8yyJzJFJpzCfCTEPVuiCvfAoGUszBuprJ8ZOkuhuxieytojjtHB1uGd9c7qBQkKexqU7oxXMfzTA1esvnRTrQuDutZnQgRpI/s320/PeaRidge&KS+228.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div>One of the activities was to find the 'horse' in the stable and to use the comb in the haversack to groom his tail...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWCf9McBnHLhtCUp56_wTPdsuHz4amFtGqJCcr7xXjl9g7IUf5rKt6EJfq5EyQIRdSGpN_cNe6cu3ANGaTZWGW7GXIjf6vOCA59iFtN7vlOtz-euZi0EgEI46uz4uRG4SLHBzB6d1nmc/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWCf9McBnHLhtCUp56_wTPdsuHz4amFtGqJCcr7xXjl9g7IUf5rKt6EJfq5EyQIRdSGpN_cNe6cu3ANGaTZWGW7GXIjf6vOCA59iFtN7vlOtz-euZi0EgEI46uz4uRG4SLHBzB6d1nmc/s320/PeaRidge&KS+231.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div>-the bigger boys, Daniel and Thomas, had a packet of documents that they checked out to help them with their upper level book. They had to find out how many hands tall the 'horse' was. Daniel was measuring his 'hands tall' by holding his hand vertical to measure :) Thomas set him straight on how to measure how tall a horse is!<br />
<br />
One of the items in the kids haversack was a cotton shirt that they were to take out when they got to the laundresses room. There they were to pretend to wash it in the tub with the washboard and see what hard work it would have been to scrub hundreds of uniforms. The kids thought that was fun, but, oh, those shirts were the bane of my existence for the day... they made it hard for the kids to get their stuff in and out of the haversacks and keep everything neat. Emma even broke her Kansas flag trying to stuff her shirt in that haversack. I tried to buy a new flag to replace the one Emma broke, but they wouldn't take it.<br />
Fun activity, but maybe they should just stock the shirts there or something...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JvtNFMhIoEQW88jl6xNvW087KQbIz2V8Oo0QQgzCY1EEnsh33a8IzXY6gnFBR__1wdymm9J-5fVLsL3Zph5MeDzSUD4BEtdyvrMbHMs6I5KXUg7rjg1XLijiJPi4VDL3XzPH1v5bi8Y/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JvtNFMhIoEQW88jl6xNvW087KQbIz2V8Oo0QQgzCY1EEnsh33a8IzXY6gnFBR__1wdymm9J-5fVLsL3Zph5MeDzSUD4BEtdyvrMbHMs6I5KXUg7rjg1XLijiJPi4VDL3XzPH1v5bi8Y/s320/PeaRidge&KS+244.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div>We checked the cannons...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8NW6Nwt7UfUoma2PoroZq4XP70PRxoG1PqddUi5bbwnLhB2XtSCkMJWpoyOz9_YbH02EKOyrcGwHLF7xN4VQd1qCSrwwDFXgsOkFP-IAo1pe5B674fPBsj34F4LjWJgOjuGaOMmMuzs/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8NW6Nwt7UfUoma2PoroZq4XP70PRxoG1PqddUi5bbwnLhB2XtSCkMJWpoyOz9_YbH02EKOyrcGwHLF7xN4VQd1qCSrwwDFXgsOkFP-IAo1pe5B674fPBsj34F4LjWJgOjuGaOMmMuzs/s320/PeaRidge&KS+247.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>and, of course, the ammo...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0nXNv0ddvX1qcOcJbPMOhhkJyCazo8R9DAN00CSjKoqLhbqnoZeg61Od2CPXNYFliILlUd0EzEPraLGhmSCOc54C8qiGQfNY5mie_-D9qwJwt1OAd9opLITqhDHiqqMlTkJMchqWaVM/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0nXNv0ddvX1qcOcJbPMOhhkJyCazo8R9DAN00CSjKoqLhbqnoZeg61Od2CPXNYFliILlUd0EzEPraLGhmSCOc54C8qiGQfNY5mie_-D9qwJwt1OAd9opLITqhDHiqqMlTkJMchqWaVM/s320/PeaRidge&KS+249.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> and while that was only halfway through the park, that was about the end of my pictures! LOL! The kids' favorite part of the fort was the jail, but it was such close quarters that I didn't get any good pictures!</div><div style="text-align: left;">Fort Scott had such nice rangers, the buildings were neat and clean, and their Jr. Ranger program was an interesting one. The kids love it when they get to check out extras, and they really liked that so much of this park was outside (which means they could run!).</div><div style="text-align: left;">Didn't see much of the big kids while we were here (OK, really, I did know where they were; I could even see them, but they were doing their own thing.) love that they have interests that they are pursuing, and that they work together to help each other achieve a common goal!</div><div style="text-align: left;">We finally wrapped up the Jr. Ranger program thingy to find Dad and the big kids waiting on us. Apparently they were starving...</div><div style="text-align: left;">So we drove the little bit back to our parking lot site, ate quickly, and hit the road. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Walmart, here we come. Again.</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-23126592100433637562012-05-06T21:42:00.001-07:002012-05-10T22:38:20.880-07:00Pea Ridge National Battlefield, AR...After spending the night in the Joplin, MO Walmart, we got up the next morning and drove down into Arkansas to visit the Pea Ridge National Battlefield. This would be our first time stepping foot (or driving tire) into Arkansas, but since we were only going for the day, and not spending the night, we haven't put the AR state sticker on the USA map on the back of the 5er... saving that for next year ;) We did however, buy a Pea Ridge bumper sticker, which we DID put on the back of the toy hauler :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthL5ZT2IYmhBeHQPurDnd-kpAAU4r134T_2-G1XH6qKeI2e-4-2uU_61RecPIxosP33y9a_fjJj_PF3rSuK2G-dypU1NJEkxicPeDKQiF1m0WvYe5xGTlk2o9sDohr3vMKsDd7WMi9Ck/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthL5ZT2IYmhBeHQPurDnd-kpAAU4r134T_2-G1XH6qKeI2e-4-2uU_61RecPIxosP33y9a_fjJj_PF3rSuK2G-dypU1NJEkxicPeDKQiF1m0WvYe5xGTlk2o9sDohr3vMKsDd7WMi9Ck/s320/PeaRidge&KS+187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We packed a lunch, and spent most of the day visiting the park. <br />
There was a nice, but small visitor's center, which had a neat theatre featuring a flick about the battle that happened at Pea Ridge, and there was also a gift shop.<br />
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There were neat displays...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQu4g8vVVY_V5nRZBACcIYRYq22Go5Lhn3KVlnaC-HZEuBq1kfCgk6W0w-JfRS4yNM_GOthSrP4rqN0i-X51p7JG8GQLfZlXAPF7ZToZMUElv2OQKJNHJjajkGK1br2S3rzmfSvYaCVNQ/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQu4g8vVVY_V5nRZBACcIYRYq22Go5Lhn3KVlnaC-HZEuBq1kfCgk6W0w-JfRS4yNM_GOthSrP4rqN0i-X51p7JG8GQLfZlXAPF7ZToZMUElv2OQKJNHJjajkGK1br2S3rzmfSvYaCVNQ/s320/PeaRidge&KS+137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And we can't forget the powerful hand dryers in the ladies room... it pasted Molly's hair back, and after she got over the initial shock of how powerful it was, and got her breath back, it was her favorite part of the visitor's center... I'm sure the ranger was wondering just what was going on in there with all the Molly squeals coming from the bathroom!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JMQiUrZhAFSZr9Fr1KLPGBfwoWEEMipJmO91hzvEbBROeCQ0aZ0f7jEvCaQENUvOpvViqo9pCgVNE-kmQ_G92K61PrqX1wka7jVj4nDjAiX-TbwlOGHvapl4LQYPc7Icm2g8_wIrDxs/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JMQiUrZhAFSZr9Fr1KLPGBfwoWEEMipJmO91hzvEbBROeCQ0aZ0f7jEvCaQENUvOpvViqo9pCgVNE-kmQ_G92K61PrqX1wka7jVj4nDjAiX-TbwlOGHvapl4LQYPc7Icm2g8_wIrDxs/s320/PeaRidge&KS+145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After finishing the part of the Jr. Ranger booklets that the kids could do in the museum, it was off to take the driving tour...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOA0aCRqn75bVqBhZFkXu0mQxL_NUdyQGmAaS9W6PUQZ634xxfdX-EQZS4h8CPfN4JE8Sn6QNoZkbCX7m5JteGYA1Qfyl8eRrKEcfoTimewMc7wbIESESC077WxvGQxHhXWUxKWAHQKPc/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOA0aCRqn75bVqBhZFkXu0mQxL_NUdyQGmAaS9W6PUQZ634xxfdX-EQZS4h8CPfN4JE8Sn6QNoZkbCX7m5JteGYA1Qfyl8eRrKEcfoTimewMc7wbIESESC077WxvGQxHhXWUxKWAHQKPc/s320/PeaRidge&KS+149.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There is a short (very short) walk out to an overlook...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLCsrIL116DfAXwGFB_mhVWZbwVUzOJJOdjdu9TBgbPMB5y0OQ_7RxKjRXlDMvEXmyuNAU-ggaMrTMPBWS0WROTeP9oS_Yxj6ICnBB1I4NO4CgXKOXe43z49a7-MVaa8cp9dEHXiJqLU/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLCsrIL116DfAXwGFB_mhVWZbwVUzOJJOdjdu9TBgbPMB5y0OQ_7RxKjRXlDMvEXmyuNAU-ggaMrTMPBWS0WROTeP9oS_Yxj6ICnBB1I4NO4CgXKOXe43z49a7-MVaa8cp9dEHXiJqLU/s320/PeaRidge&KS+155.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Which we would have never guessed was there... and it was a neat stop with a beautiful view!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAxtsWn_iU3nac_Lwyy1ci3ePdyc45CtkM8s-s1ifxRhCikh6ZqQyLh8KNYhlTjNSqublWbbXOToeguTkAgoNPo6QHsN-mk9X0_cJYBHVoOBK9ZQ4OqSTwW1tV1BkFNO5iccA4Y6o0KM/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAxtsWn_iU3nac_Lwyy1ci3ePdyc45CtkM8s-s1ifxRhCikh6ZqQyLh8KNYhlTjNSqublWbbXOToeguTkAgoNPo6QHsN-mk9X0_cJYBHVoOBK9ZQ4OqSTwW1tV1BkFNO5iccA4Y6o0KM/s320/PeaRidge&KS+159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There were several information plaques (sponsored by no others than Walmart and Sam's Club - who knew they cared about preservation???), one of which told how some soldiers took refuge in the rock labyrinth below, which then became a death trap.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetioc925DDPTMIF0wHUwIArv7LY-BUeeXqkArjO9y8k74sM5iPNuMa6q7S_KEgCTpUIERzSLM9MoV9cVHz57LNomQhQ9XhVcFREwjabHygDppJ50j5iWvHOQ4W1_em-e4iJQKvllD9Xg/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetioc925DDPTMIF0wHUwIArv7LY-BUeeXqkArjO9y8k74sM5iPNuMa6q7S_KEgCTpUIERzSLM9MoV9cVHz57LNomQhQ9XhVcFREwjabHygDppJ50j5iWvHOQ4W1_em-e4iJQKvllD9Xg/s320/PeaRidge&KS+160.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>The kids had to do an activity on cannons. Guess Emma found her answers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujEpeyiUZ1Pl8btA9lSkK8Lyjv_hjOet154TdzHQ88swUIgAiDRYCm8AXBYviAfrjyyqv8Fxn7LOSW7fph7GiL1kXNXM47ScXqBYY-LSmmulaSAc1cw7NLFq78Xc0gndSui7SNqV911A/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujEpeyiUZ1Pl8btA9lSkK8Lyjv_hjOet154TdzHQ88swUIgAiDRYCm8AXBYviAfrjyyqv8Fxn7LOSW7fph7GiL1kXNXM47ScXqBYY-LSmmulaSAc1cw7NLFq78Xc0gndSui7SNqV911A/s320/PeaRidge&KS+172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And there is an old home on the property. Looked neat on the inside; don't know if it is permanently closed or if they open it up for ranger-led tours during the busy season...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitcnzi3ekW62isYrLyWKJoyj8hELZ5KeKzWxntMasql0AzIwbiMsvYRMpqJv2u9ztBq5VIwaLVwE2g97QDoKq8_Q4ddH8K38taazJepNYLHnlwsz6_IYsCxe7gvkUY97IyipERa0VSfU/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitcnzi3ekW62isYrLyWKJoyj8hELZ5KeKzWxntMasql0AzIwbiMsvYRMpqJv2u9ztBq5VIwaLVwE2g97QDoKq8_Q4ddH8K38taazJepNYLHnlwsz6_IYsCxe7gvkUY97IyipERa0VSfU/s320/PeaRidge&KS+173.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We love all the green! This was such a beautiful park. 'Course, this whole part of the country is beautiful. well, except the ticks. ALL those ticks. they can keep the ticks. ticks aren't so beautiful...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiWKPNUVEbAoA6Be7hpq5BdY8pFrWCVOh0bPw6TVMfhWj0KANoHrZSUD6k7EaVbypAp4G3viB7zUqLKq8uUfFN7qy5JeuTVL6m1c0vckVyy2tieZlVjqdqIKAxWXOHrf4ZH7onAu7yAQ/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiWKPNUVEbAoA6Be7hpq5BdY8pFrWCVOh0bPw6TVMfhWj0KANoHrZSUD6k7EaVbypAp4G3viB7zUqLKq8uUfFN7qy5JeuTVL6m1c0vckVyy2tieZlVjqdqIKAxWXOHrf4ZH7onAu7yAQ/s320/PeaRidge&KS+180.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Wished we had more time here - we (well, I) would have loved to walk the park more than we got to.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTMM6c9gsqFdnKBiWPeAmG5NMp15qF4hT_D_XR1KKcnkW8u0Vrq9_JePFVwFdmi96majvc0FDfYJFhAKgoNsNrhxmmFi7mmgSFDaZ7KB2Ajo_UCJkOHN1l8W7sADatuoaSrqNPAqKUBg/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTMM6c9gsqFdnKBiWPeAmG5NMp15qF4hT_D_XR1KKcnkW8u0Vrq9_JePFVwFdmi96majvc0FDfYJFhAKgoNsNrhxmmFi7mmgSFDaZ7KB2Ajo_UCJkOHN1l8W7sADatuoaSrqNPAqKUBg/s320/PeaRidge&KS+185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
The kids turned in their booklets back at the visitor's center and earned their Pea Ridge badge, then we hit the road again. <br />
Little did we know that Pea Ridge would be our last National Park of the trip. :( <br />
But, we had our soldier boy, and we were determined to have a fab rest of our trip before we parked for the summer! (which we did! - have a nice drive that is)<br />
<br />
Currently, our dilemma is: to Camp Host, or Not to Camp Host---that is the question.?.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-57000419316871898922012-05-04T23:13:00.000-07:002012-05-04T23:13:51.083-07:00Joplin, MO...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Our next stop would be Joplin, MO. We wanted very much to visit and show the kids the tornado devastation. Joplin was actually our first pick for a Samaritan's Purse rebuild, but the roster for Joplin is full months out (and we now know that God wanted us in Tuscaloosa!). We were actually on the waiting list for Joplin for the week after Greg's graduation from Fort Wood, but they never called, which was OK since Greg had to be home earlier than we thought and we would not have been able to join the build crew there anyway.<br />
We spent the night in the Joplin Walmart, with another RV. If there are other RVs in the parking lot, or one pulls in, the kid always remark on how many 'neighbors' we have :) The next day we left the truck and 5er in the parking lot and traveled down to Pea Ridge National Battlefield in Arkansas (but that is another post), and on our way back that afternoon, we drove through the destruction that still covers a wide path through Joplin.<br />
This was the hospital. There are still hospital beds hanging out windows. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4v0WjTz-LnPBG6hYiL31848Ncv82XXSnaV5lWwUdUgxdrqlo-575V3Nxwx6L3HRbIm5F-zKXgRdKjQx2Bz7gwV5cnOMli9NTDncwTQTUAFxEgSYAfwpOobAdaD27Pu0SHxPGKwIsKv3g/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4v0WjTz-LnPBG6hYiL31848Ncv82XXSnaV5lWwUdUgxdrqlo-575V3Nxwx6L3HRbIm5F-zKXgRdKjQx2Bz7gwV5cnOMli9NTDncwTQTUAFxEgSYAfwpOobAdaD27Pu0SHxPGKwIsKv3g/s320/PeaRidge&KS+201.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Some lots have been cleaned off, and some were just walked away from. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We always wonder if the people/businesses did not have insurance, or if they did and just started over somewhere else.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cko2aayFcwlf5brFngr-ggHyk1H9LqU_wr_VEi5MY14C186HSJJhLO2q93W2_kvM9pdBcEYFAtVAbFsi-38S0FDgI8q-e9GZDKmJjHtNitNsIyBPEJord5oki-pdPdgSGhpBSKnRLac/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cko2aayFcwlf5brFngr-ggHyk1H9LqU_wr_VEi5MY14C186HSJJhLO2q93W2_kvM9pdBcEYFAtVAbFsi-38S0FDgI8q-e9GZDKmJjHtNitNsIyBPEJord5oki-pdPdgSGhpBSKnRLac/s320/PeaRidge&KS+193.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The swath is literally a huge scar. There are a few new construction homes, but mostly just empty lots with foundations or driveways still there. A few empty, storm beaten homes that are uninhabitable, and lots of lots with debris scattered over them.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yveltVODhZk2kkI9_NPaKXI2zz11m-sDCTbpv1sQnUeHdy3EgkWlEdYoxwPPNQ7TNzQu-5m1JYkfEWKRQSWOyDWyLw3K_d4TNWWmqmKd7prA545m7XXPBkD_e9BgnakVDDzeo8mIouA/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yveltVODhZk2kkI9_NPaKXI2zz11m-sDCTbpv1sQnUeHdy3EgkWlEdYoxwPPNQ7TNzQu-5m1JYkfEWKRQSWOyDWyLw3K_d4TNWWmqmKd7prA545m7XXPBkD_e9BgnakVDDzeo8mIouA/s320/PeaRidge&KS+203.JPG" width="320px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkfa6h0fZQw6zpQBU1va9nq9KGQyMhdhzq7_YrL9n0hGa1cg4ZxJH6wH4Z-pj2_dsg8fK9WG6DTUoRaP2VfOrI8r4iaCUtnMbXXXHqDKpfqjrCMT8QW9EbkOsAXw8FUI3t0D9b8oIOog/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkfa6h0fZQw6zpQBU1va9nq9KGQyMhdhzq7_YrL9n0hGa1cg4ZxJH6wH4Z-pj2_dsg8fK9WG6DTUoRaP2VfOrI8r4iaCUtnMbXXXHqDKpfqjrCMT8QW9EbkOsAXw8FUI3t0D9b8oIOog/s320/PeaRidge&KS+206.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"> It was extra interesting to Greg since he wasn't with us for Tuscaloosa, but we all are intrigued with the huge paths of 'nothingness' that the tornadoes leave behind. Our visit here was a short one, but we are hoping to do more Samaritan's Purse builds next year (next 'travel' year, that is), so maybe we will make it back to Joplin again. </div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-69970026766458790312012-05-03T23:28:00.001-07:002012-05-03T23:28:00.386-07:00Bass Pro Shops, Springfield, MO...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlrU9cmby9m4ChsoFHzl_Ya40n1At-rSp36QINHADjImcBoPXtjf4qYq_Xn8Bu-a_nbm0zgs8uXesP6cua2PeE2otQ6OJHcgmCObvxLzv4wlNZLXfSVNBLVQhTzNk3NaDp3zzAVCbb1U/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlrU9cmby9m4ChsoFHzl_Ya40n1At-rSp36QINHADjImcBoPXtjf4qYq_Xn8Bu-a_nbm0zgs8uXesP6cua2PeE2otQ6OJHcgmCObvxLzv4wlNZLXfSVNBLVQhTzNk3NaDp3zzAVCbb1U/s320/PeaRidge&KS+011.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After heading out from Fort Wood and Waynesville, MO, we didn't get far - just to Springfield, MO, where we found THE Bass Pro Shops.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbz5WdCj5UMMe8b3k2h9CqIPKRVDXSfsS16_hPvNgTL4PxLFvOaryfDZJRRJbBkXWbOrPij5qnv_iVCqMTIqW3BqnxN5HOuEuKI0ojAPd1TtFT1YyjBxvxTu3OGFbY84tadtWL06OPFU/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbz5WdCj5UMMe8b3k2h9CqIPKRVDXSfsS16_hPvNgTL4PxLFvOaryfDZJRRJbBkXWbOrPij5qnv_iVCqMTIqW3BqnxN5HOuEuKI0ojAPd1TtFT1YyjBxvxTu3OGFbY84tadtWL06OPFU/s320/PeaRidge&KS+009.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>A fun stop to see all sorts of mounted animals and interesting 'shops'...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbbhf2d5RVLv3bSOc-4O1wINmcmxwhUq-_4HJEabFjOCiVI3iiRoV8H8V5yqnzWvafuT1xayeseN3amyUubWhkeWiUt22Ctkmfub9eaeieB_VfL1l9qZkjQSp1fZ2o0R5enD0vzhTZMA/s320/PeaRidge&KS+012.JPG" width="212px" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and all underwater!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I loved the part of the store that is designed to make it look like you are underwater. The ceiling is painted like water, there is the bottom of a john boat sticking down about a foot, and there are all sorts of mounted fish, ducks, alligator, and turtles hanging from the ceiling. I loved the bare legs and little bare feet of a boy hanging down into the water - you can faintly make out his cane pole in the reflection shown on the water, and his bobber rests on the water with a hook and worm hanging down 'underwater'; with a fish about to take the bait.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-4rn6bJmRmepmxZjMzvq88tGkikIJ4pQR972fYBDq_zi6MKIim_hofLUbKN_5SFzQ1j0AdzXOSerfauPuK-diYmXJYCyvFp6quCF4UeRNwEgAfVu2GICU0lqw0oaaQdY5yZXlOyyNVA/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-4rn6bJmRmepmxZjMzvq88tGkikIJ4pQR972fYBDq_zi6MKIim_hofLUbKN_5SFzQ1j0AdzXOSerfauPuK-diYmXJYCyvFp6quCF4UeRNwEgAfVu2GICU0lqw0oaaQdY5yZXlOyyNVA/s320/PeaRidge&KS+013.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>The littles loved the turtle tank...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTud59hlXY3FeKTdu0wyOnX237W-zz-Fz1-RH6d1Aoum8YHO9nO2hyphenhyphenX_4nD-rUlCQMPfAEdKiypinPTbsQoN-nXtW5U5LCcnz_QzyMUCFiQvyHx1-BjyO1qLaywwV-uD7htvAm7QrnzWo/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTud59hlXY3FeKTdu0wyOnX237W-zz-Fz1-RH6d1Aoum8YHO9nO2hyphenhyphenX_4nD-rUlCQMPfAEdKiypinPTbsQoN-nXtW5U5LCcnz_QzyMUCFiQvyHx1-BjyO1qLaywwV-uD7htvAm7QrnzWo/s320/PeaRidge&KS+030.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>even these soft-shell turtles - they look like they have pancakes on their backs! LOL!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6EPaAn2F6PrjVnoc8TUVs6GinI5t8tRxisqFQlx_RtK3oEESu-y-fIb59oLJtCTkzefXbItxWi7ItCZMrQl9yE_py76DW2kRYpoJRps61xyJxHZROQi5SNlCo9Gl7QMceCl21AWN2p8/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6EPaAn2F6PrjVnoc8TUVs6GinI5t8tRxisqFQlx_RtK3oEESu-y-fIb59oLJtCTkzefXbItxWi7ItCZMrQl9yE_py76DW2kRYpoJRps61xyJxHZROQi5SNlCo9Gl7QMceCl21AWN2p8/s320/PeaRidge&KS+034.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div> Fun stop - more interesting boondocking than Walmart ;)Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-70451049909317646062012-05-03T17:06:00.003-07:002012-05-05T14:15:40.160-07:00Wilsons Creek National Battlefield...<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ0vx9KT7xgw8KpFrpZaMCCZX86ASDZOYt9bCWDCjQHy53UCdVw8jl1cShnA9-55Il452y6oievebhsiBinHzTnFZIFlqA1ieneZ5V4YH88zU-K3sp_RVjoVrHOTmQZ9XmuMNpg-eY2A/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ0vx9KT7xgw8KpFrpZaMCCZX86ASDZOYt9bCWDCjQHy53UCdVw8jl1cShnA9-55Il452y6oievebhsiBinHzTnFZIFlqA1ieneZ5V4YH88zU-K3sp_RVjoVrHOTmQZ9XmuMNpg-eY2A/s320/PeaRidge&KS+004.JPG" width="320px" /></a>After picking up Greg from basic, we spent the next day at the park just taking it easy which included running down the road just a couple of miles and catching up on the laundry. After that, it was time to see a few sites on our way to take Greg back home for his next Guard weekend.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Wilsons Creek was the location of the first major battle of the Civil War to happen west of the Mississippi River. Located in southwest Missouri, it was the perfect place to reintroduce Greg to our Jr. Ranger fetish.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAIPVnGt7SJ2fW1u6ksZ1WAlj3VEtJ3Ib1H027U5vp3pwEpoV58Q-0etBbAfMk_XGaL6PDCuVckXTkhYslfE8Cw1B6u-MKpl_YICQ0DhP_NOf20FRGIuFo_G91n2aG34JgHXw4Wcw4Aw/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAIPVnGt7SJ2fW1u6ksZ1WAlj3VEtJ3Ib1H027U5vp3pwEpoV58Q-0etBbAfMk_XGaL6PDCuVckXTkhYslfE8Cw1B6u-MKpl_YICQ0DhP_NOf20FRGIuFo_G91n2aG34JgHXw4Wcw4Aw/s320/PeaRidge&KS+063.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">For this stop, we were back to parking lot squatting, but this time we went a little classier.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Bass Pro Shop World in Springfield, MO. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">There is a large parking lot behind their catalog outlet (woohoo! love outlets! LOL!)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">we parked along the fence line. Right after we arrived, we left the 5er and truck in the lot, and ran out to Wilsons Creek so the kids could pick up their Jr. Ranger booklets. Often times, there are activities that the kids can do off site, like word searches; completion of these would make our visit to the park shorter the next day (miles to go you know...).</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">After we took a peek at the visitor's center, and watched the 20 minute film, it was 5:00 and closing time so we headed back to Bass Pro Shops, where the guys and Beth checked out the store. I don't think that anybody bought anything, and we then had a quiet night in the spacious parking lot with only one set of neighbors (one other RV ;).</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The next morning, I really wanted to check out the outlet, and after we walked in, the guys all wondered why they had even been shopping in the retail store! LOL!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We DID find a few things in the outlet, like Caleb a Columbia winter hat that looks like a dragon tail with spikes for $3.50, and a shirt for myself, and Beth bought a sweater - they had racks and racks of clearance that were an additional half off. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We were really glad that the kids had gotten a head start on their Jr. Ranger books since we had gotten such a late start from Bass Pro Shops!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVfPryJAYveniPi5zx0NP5F5Pt0TPLiEukQY8_tlvACq1RTp8vCjAJOPcbc3-WPpw5EdnKvPC641dp_-UsrWrYzd5alPC2t26yq0QW0xeMy5ar5KhDdvLFicesx5VglZ1PySo5j8WOSE/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVfPryJAYveniPi5zx0NP5F5Pt0TPLiEukQY8_tlvACq1RTp8vCjAJOPcbc3-WPpw5EdnKvPC641dp_-UsrWrYzd5alPC2t26yq0QW0xeMy5ar5KhDdvLFicesx5VglZ1PySo5j8WOSE/s320/PeaRidge&KS+070.JPG" width="320px" /></a>Once we arrived at the park, we had to check out the cannons of course. We're all about firepower you know...</div><br />
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Even Molly... (who is really glad to have her strong biggest brother back to humor her every whim of 'me see it too'...)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrxjPwGWolkpofPOaxZ7TIy8aIgsId5QIqjfLuum_-hZCTs3GbzJHJ1B8X9Fh383xN-c21tgT8ZLhogGvp8ZGJcqDEJfiqEHDBN-idAmKT7HG2VtRhxQKjSSnmmowZDFX-zPMSWMP8Cw/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrxjPwGWolkpofPOaxZ7TIy8aIgsId5QIqjfLuum_-hZCTs3GbzJHJ1B8X9Fh383xN-c21tgT8ZLhogGvp8ZGJcqDEJfiqEHDBN-idAmKT7HG2VtRhxQKjSSnmmowZDFX-zPMSWMP8Cw/s320/PeaRidge&KS+080.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After the kids completed the parts of their J.R. books that had to be done in the museum, we took the driving tour around the park...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LkXB66-VfbLwddV2V7W1n4WSxLxaaANkJ5GjVfZq5UvQUZZXWLnHdbdqoLeJE8d99y-Y_dysy7aVWNpV677Wiw2A_SuKdyUJ5TewKHc0btp83iecBC1RgINDDNrAih6mKypQIju67vw/s1600/PeaRidge%2526KS+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LkXB66-VfbLwddV2V7W1n4WSxLxaaANkJ5GjVfZq5UvQUZZXWLnHdbdqoLeJE8d99y-Y_dysy7aVWNpV677Wiw2A_SuKdyUJ5TewKHc0btp83iecBC1RgINDDNrAih6mKypQIju67vw/s320/PeaRidge%2526KS+084.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and stopped at the Ray farm, where the body of the first Union General (Gen. Nathaniel Lyons) to die in the Civil War, was place after his death; they even have the actual bed his body was placed on in the house, on display. The Ray farmhouse became a hospital during and after the battle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZeQEID0QOLPGjSsfMrqFalSJZk1HmI0-3XSZlzhwRln4bMGaQ07nIbSoSDslA0GDhTbWBAOH9I8cK7wnKIQ2yTnpUB3NioztEuNa1svUa4bOaiieH1OpQUdlUwi0LB7WX6A-92kqnqc/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZeQEID0QOLPGjSsfMrqFalSJZk1HmI0-3XSZlzhwRln4bMGaQ07nIbSoSDslA0GDhTbWBAOH9I8cK7wnKIQ2yTnpUB3NioztEuNa1svUa4bOaiieH1OpQUdlUwi0LB7WX6A-92kqnqc/s320/PeaRidge&KS+097.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>The ranger that was staffing the house to give the tours, was great - he even pointed out things to the kids and reminded them of what they would need to know to complete their booklets. We got a more thorough tour because we were doing the Jr. Ranger program ;) (the tour wasn't just us tho!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4aDGlFDqOVV_1UrRuGnj_2bw-0mrbQC4lexaIQs0pnvctwh2mUSsU45XANg6OFTrqZQDo86LAG4mkPR4qoiXJE4gwEusjx7nKzSMP2JK4Cm5MxQpN_xovZRb1HPH_foIFf4iPl1sZ0g/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4aDGlFDqOVV_1UrRuGnj_2bw-0mrbQC4lexaIQs0pnvctwh2mUSsU45XANg6OFTrqZQDo86LAG4mkPR4qoiXJE4gwEusjx7nKzSMP2JK4Cm5MxQpN_xovZRb1HPH_foIFf4iPl1sZ0g/s320/PeaRidge&KS+093.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then we walked across the road (NOT circa Civil War), and down to the spring house where the kids checked out the spring and the cool, naturally insulated room built into the side of the hill...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4u_ZgPIm4V33TNHzogwQtseDXbahNhll7PZoKvq8spRRu86k9jaINBAbHo_tUHw9eOelYcjVEybue5pbH2qzZ35s2on67JHa9P5emUdj7uYbb7DDFHycfp7e9Y-dmlV4yoZ-Pmcx6Lo/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4u_ZgPIm4V33TNHzogwQtseDXbahNhll7PZoKvq8spRRu86k9jaINBAbHo_tUHw9eOelYcjVEybue5pbH2qzZ35s2on67JHa9P5emUdj7uYbb7DDFHycfp7e9Y-dmlV4yoZ-Pmcx6Lo/s320/PeaRidge&KS+117.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Then we toured the rest of the park, making a few stops at the more interesting locations, especially where there were cannons (the kids had activities to do referencing them so that was the excuse they used to make us stop there).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvYFy7hT4Ayseycvpi4zpeh5qXWJgeUTnIQKrrKpFeIUyNs5U65CqlAWkQ0CnRgfmMSl_t6hOcvEO_y50y45NMHQNtloG_2aVcT65lV0KbZ5r3ccdJ_OsjgcRes7jL5HB4vg0zF9wUx8/s1600/PeaRidge&KS+132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvYFy7hT4Ayseycvpi4zpeh5qXWJgeUTnIQKrrKpFeIUyNs5U65CqlAWkQ0CnRgfmMSl_t6hOcvEO_y50y45NMHQNtloG_2aVcT65lV0KbZ5r3ccdJ_OsjgcRes7jL5HB4vg0zF9wUx8/s320/PeaRidge&KS+132.JPG" width="320px" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We had brought the truck and 5er with us, so once the kids turned in their booklets and received their badges, we were on our way! We had put our imaginations to work to envision the destruction of life that occurred here during the Civil War. Our next location would also be a place of destruction, but of a different kind, and one where we would not have to use our imaginations to envision the destruction that happened there...heading to Joplin, MO next...</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-46904853348022563042012-05-02T19:21:00.000-07:002012-05-02T19:21:25.739-07:00Picking up our soldier...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Last summer, Greg signed his life away to the National Guard, and he scheduled is Basic Training for mid-November. The plan was that our family would leave in our RV around the beginning to middle of October, and take a leisurely road trip and take him to boot camp at Fort Wood in Missouri. Then, we had all the trouble with the 5ers frame (would never buy a Gulf Stream again!!!), and the RV was in the shop...for 3 long months. The repairs weren't completed until after he had to leave; Greg ended up flying down to Missouri, where he has been ever since. Until April 19th anyway. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On the 18th, was Family Day. We went to the base in the morning, and after a safety brief, the families got to have their soldiers for the day! We could stay on base, or we could take them off base, but we had to stay within about a 20 mile radius. Since we were about 6 miles down, the road, we took him home with us (he'd had enough of the base! LOL!).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The soldiers could not change into civilian clothes - Greg couldn't even change into his contacts. He really hates Army issue glasses! LOL! But Caleb sure didn't mind. He was so glad to see his bro again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcJR1XjxRpdZjCUsS0XFNnAZD-dvMHISnHveFiwCkcPCcMt6mPWmM9aOh571vH13xaR6YICsIlvNklsxMS7pUNC6-f5B9D8YHHc39jwXK9dwuJh61uimIptlJVCk3e2najwm5zfABYDs/s1600/greg!+221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcJR1XjxRpdZjCUsS0XFNnAZD-dvMHISnHveFiwCkcPCcMt6mPWmM9aOh571vH13xaR6YICsIlvNklsxMS7pUNC6-f5B9D8YHHc39jwXK9dwuJh61uimIptlJVCk3e2najwm5zfABYDs/s320/greg!+221.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We had a lovely day hanging out at the camper and just enjoying talking with Greg.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next morning, we had to be on the base, and ready for graduation at EIGHT A.M. Yeah, 8. My littles aren't even up at 8... but, we would do anything for our boy, and wouldn't miss this for anything, so we got everyone up at 5:30 so that we could be ready, drive to the base, and make it through the crazy, miles long line of cars trying to get onto the base for work at 8 also. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We made it and were at the auditorium by 7:30.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjNKmA4Yorf_xnp42vuNQZ8qkE4_MGPgo7cvJkLgBbL1O_ZjY_OMBtT0d9Ng7UN6kSJKLjoHcFCS9A9sUQY8s6L0yGhjShTgIkwNeX2Mc3B0BsLJbN2xpwk2zf5ZtD2fUcCWMSSFtI10/s1600/greg!+252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjNKmA4Yorf_xnp42vuNQZ8qkE4_MGPgo7cvJkLgBbL1O_ZjY_OMBtT0d9Ng7UN6kSJKLjoHcFCS9A9sUQY8s6L0yGhjShTgIkwNeX2Mc3B0BsLJbN2xpwk2zf5ZtD2fUcCWMSSFtI10/s320/greg!+252.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It was a long morning, when all we wanted to do was take our boy home :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHREkvFvsnhqKSyoSQvrhXZB02Cv2H10KP5xhku_UQX9dcqiT6RJGqQOoNP1cX2liI5kNab599f-owrY_2G9J5oQrFnTj9uJPF8I4uy483DkEq3E3gHPrzz53-lKWEZI1d1PSuLDkUEnI/s1600/greg!+256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHREkvFvsnhqKSyoSQvrhXZB02Cv2H10KP5xhku_UQX9dcqiT6RJGqQOoNP1cX2liI5kNab599f-owrY_2G9J5oQrFnTj9uJPF8I4uy483DkEq3E3gHPrzz53-lKWEZI1d1PSuLDkUEnI/s320/greg!+256.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>The graduation took a couple of hours, and we didn't get a good picture of Greg accepting his Expert marksmanship award for his score of 50 out of 50 on his 9mm qualification.<br />
Afterwards, he wasn't quite so anxious to get off base as he was the day before. This time he knew that he was free to go and didn't have to come back! :) So, he took us on a tour of the base, picked up a few things at the store (but they were out of the T that he wanted; it said "Been there, done that, I'm outta here. Fort Leonard Wood"), and then took us on a tour of the Military Police museum on base...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1QEJVEE2F30abJOG7ODOJCY74txFdYDsi0l-4z9z2Q4Lbiwn0dV9iy2Em-d7tlbkNdamHIfc9dLy3LnO_8xV-FzU_cLHEWxyEV7C_IYRlqFCeh3J7JE66AzKFEtbd4BXXfJoK-agIKY/s1600/greg!+280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1QEJVEE2F30abJOG7ODOJCY74txFdYDsi0l-4z9z2Q4Lbiwn0dV9iy2Em-d7tlbkNdamHIfc9dLy3LnO_8xV-FzU_cLHEWxyEV7C_IYRlqFCeh3J7JE66AzKFEtbd4BXXfJoK-agIKY/s320/greg!+280.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Caleb was his constant companion...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn2zUE46bXjmL44tY6mc7jnG1PMrtGHDlpzXaY0xYMZ7i7dFQx5Vt7vYvZGxGH0zJGbtIt7kusEXejPBo7o9PbVrb2OTQQKB_cKPL6ixZK5k-hjyZcrukcaJdvcCrcK_ADLbOOlL7Wjk/s1600/greg%2521+285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn2zUE46bXjmL44tY6mc7jnG1PMrtGHDlpzXaY0xYMZ7i7dFQx5Vt7vYvZGxGH0zJGbtIt7kusEXejPBo7o9PbVrb2OTQQKB_cKPL6ixZK5k-hjyZcrukcaJdvcCrcK_ADLbOOlL7Wjk/s320/greg%2521+285.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Peanut was naughty... (JK!;)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuwTarfwdDzEwRieumvWf6XkfCFXDEBtULzdJmxKnQMb1yOHy0SfMese-RU__bsuuXr-sEGOLJY4cRrjltcGHmuv7jU2fBAV8XpCkZ46SW3jF-2HgVWljoifk3c423LAlp8tVthaj9tw/s1600/greg%2521+289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuwTarfwdDzEwRieumvWf6XkfCFXDEBtULzdJmxKnQMb1yOHy0SfMese-RU__bsuuXr-sEGOLJY4cRrjltcGHmuv7jU2fBAV8XpCkZ46SW3jF-2HgVWljoifk3c423LAlp8tVthaj9tw/s320/greg%2521+289.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>And we all enjoyed the tour...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCS-OHpAvF_rK0EKuA4L9Ug-GZOgHqoRisDrordHCEArydsD6SPZP9omSkJp9hkDK5H4upcacUGbNbAMi00z78Zb1NWBvwIVQLz_86uu3ab4j66qu_okdiTYed-F1ctpokVmxb2sx2Ji8/s1600/greg%2521+296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCS-OHpAvF_rK0EKuA4L9Ug-GZOgHqoRisDrordHCEArydsD6SPZP9omSkJp9hkDK5H4upcacUGbNbAMi00z78Zb1NWBvwIVQLz_86uu3ab4j66qu_okdiTYed-F1ctpokVmxb2sx2Ji8/s320/greg%2521+296.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Greg has always had 'the touch' - if we want a baby put to sleep, Greg is the man.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even after 5 months of basic, Greg still has 'the touch'...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFgNA-ws113is3X_tjcHaJjWSh-mEDIpP9QrN6stG02WYsbHewOhFHaHmEOfhiqN6PDf-FuvCIYvmSGRK6B4yDLN9TJrYSokyJ55R9ymgUKrXDgUb_se67EY_nucXIH7zO314_7CkmYU/s1600/greg%2521+315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFgNA-ws113is3X_tjcHaJjWSh-mEDIpP9QrN6stG02WYsbHewOhFHaHmEOfhiqN6PDf-FuvCIYvmSGRK6B4yDLN9TJrYSokyJ55R9ymgUKrXDgUb_se67EY_nucXIH7zO314_7CkmYU/s320/greg%2521+315.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div>then we toured part of the engineers museum, just so Greg could show us how much better the MPs are... ;)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvUi6qrf03Cj49_zZzwu6v6feTKtdFv88NpMaiM9aV9LXzvL-SPiCUBTJrFogVntJr6SXag1K6euvFYh4D0HFjGCyXVexa11G497Z6wVDYlP-OyYCVsjYFus3bnCvikbKHcJ-8u0c1gg/s1600/greg%2521+328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvUi6qrf03Cj49_zZzwu6v6feTKtdFv88NpMaiM9aV9LXzvL-SPiCUBTJrFogVntJr6SXag1K6euvFYh4D0HFjGCyXVexa11G497Z6wVDYlP-OyYCVsjYFus3bnCvikbKHcJ-8u0c1gg/s320/greg%2521+328.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Then we all went home to the camper and took a few pics of our soldier in his dress blues...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-baqDGGEsDP6Ew9f_oEPcvvmlimpL60QeWGzxxpvRsabs74Fjal5Ajg1sHmjhLr4cWf1de-n1aDSX2rVXz6p0P-en5pjXuaRBL1xuFqTuu4AWsvxrQ617DzQYxtZ1uez1fhh6j1QCL7c/s1600/greg!+359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-baqDGGEsDP6Ew9f_oEPcvvmlimpL60QeWGzxxpvRsabs74Fjal5Ajg1sHmjhLr4cWf1de-n1aDSX2rVXz6p0P-en5pjXuaRBL1xuFqTuu4AWsvxrQ617DzQYxtZ1uez1fhh6j1QCL7c/s320/greg!+359.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>We are so very, very glad to have our boy back. Proud of our soldier, but sure enjoying having him back with us.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglO3b3zvMP3QMn9awqQLgpNoZJ-gR-ckGGeSp9SsxoYGw4krR40V7A5Y8BM9hyphenhyphennm-YDzwRxbvIlNcpLk8-dKzqa744Gzo2jUf6hsXrFea4KwE9fUlvhFSptyd50yqP5rtJryjli4PBqio/s1600/greg!+339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglO3b3zvMP3QMn9awqQLgpNoZJ-gR-ckGGeSp9SsxoYGw4krR40V7A5Y8BM9hyphenhyphennm-YDzwRxbvIlNcpLk8-dKzqa744Gzo2jUf6hsXrFea4KwE9fUlvhFSptyd50yqP5rtJryjli4PBqio/s320/greg!+339.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There is something special about having him back traveling with us, even if it is only for a week and a half, after he didn't go with us last year. When the kids grow up, while I know it will never be like it used to be when they were all home, it sure is special when they come back...even if it is for just a little while. (we are starting now trying to talk him into going with us next year! LOL!)</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-26796065689241415082012-04-30T12:48:00.000-07:002012-04-30T12:48:11.358-07:00The Arch National Monument, St. Louis, MO...We couldn't go to St. Louis and NOT visit The Arch, now could we? Actually, I expected it to be a dud, I mean, how interesting could a big metal 'thing' be?<br />
But, it ended up being a nice stop!<br />
We found easy parking, for only $6/day, just a short walk from the arch, and the day was pleasant, so we had a lovely walk through the park to the arch...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcK6KJcTQ_nPV9AaxPn7ACjeWoeVugwdyWmdisinZDDAb793rBpji9Zw0GBmfnomTOjBzicxvP44nrfnFpkjllg1Cs1UM4erXrCJZnd3uRrXTjlOZ0mBiTOCVKqBWfxWx532DEJOHF2v8/s1600/greg!+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcK6KJcTQ_nPV9AaxPn7ACjeWoeVugwdyWmdisinZDDAb793rBpji9Zw0GBmfnomTOjBzicxvP44nrfnFpkjllg1Cs1UM4erXrCJZnd3uRrXTjlOZ0mBiTOCVKqBWfxWx532DEJOHF2v8/s320/greg!+086.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>The visitor's center is located UNDER the ground that the arch sits on, between the 2 sides. You enter via a sloped walkway down either side into a secure area which is much like going through security at the airport. We had to take off any metal, and you are not allowed to have knives that are spring loaded or over 4 inches. We started to unload (boy's) pockets, and 5 bins later, one of which the bottom was literally covered with pocket knives, we got to walk through the metal detector. They hand-searched the double stroller instead of making us unload it (I think it had something to do with the line forming behind us! LOL!), and it took us about 10 minuted to get through security. The officers were super about it, and we did find it very funny after, but at the time it was a little crazy trying to hurry kids to unload pockets, double checking the little girls (for what, I do not know...), and making sure that everyone walked through the gate right, or even at all! It was pretty funny!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Nr9dCBpFlcS-jeyO04AfuDk31LQlFvc1yWnwf3GMkavuWPORsHbkMswzx8HeP1UGt_ZLWvnjRQgN4BAy5T_YZjcFogI_s8zNahgQ42vYLqik2yXMAD_rMP_4lOUbGQXYE9yACFFUSxU/s1600/greg!+109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Nr9dCBpFlcS-jeyO04AfuDk31LQlFvc1yWnwf3GMkavuWPORsHbkMswzx8HeP1UGt_ZLWvnjRQgN4BAy5T_YZjcFogI_s8zNahgQ42vYLqik2yXMAD_rMP_4lOUbGQXYE9yACFFUSxU/s320/greg!+109.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Once past security, and down the rest of the ramp, the area opened up into a very large room that contained a gift shop (bumper sticker! Yeah!), a eatery, and information desk where we picked up Jr. Ranger books, and a large museum!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2kyrNCyNuhuvN_kMLPmVqtUwsAmWz_XO4tey3eD5vFBxlZvk972qRzwvMZyL9E8VUk2iJ0_n4kt6ROPsP3Xga8FkVHbb-UXoyGUxsv9iaH_Tx5kgT9u40CNlIgW-FIIHkkdqAKiEgiY/s1600/greg%2521+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2kyrNCyNuhuvN_kMLPmVqtUwsAmWz_XO4tey3eD5vFBxlZvk972qRzwvMZyL9E8VUk2iJ0_n4kt6ROPsP3Xga8FkVHbb-UXoyGUxsv9iaH_Tx5kgT9u40CNlIgW-FIIHkkdqAKiEgiY/s320/greg%2521+090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The museum had a collection of medals that the government would give to the Indians as a sort of peace treaty,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxcO3ydv2YqDgIykM_V0TdDxtaWTkSj4xCnNLVF3f_MLa9uLyPIrSISocKF5orBn__V1NKp2abYmjgjscK0cPOnFRSOPUZBUNfGPm2L4e-d1CEA4ekKfhbbWG_IG7GYE6YltvXy8e-_M/s1600/greg%2521+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxcO3ydv2YqDgIykM_V0TdDxtaWTkSj4xCnNLVF3f_MLa9uLyPIrSISocKF5orBn__V1NKp2abYmjgjscK0cPOnFRSOPUZBUNfGPm2L4e-d1CEA4ekKfhbbWG_IG7GYE6YltvXy8e-_M/s320/greg%2521+091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and there were lots of animated characters that were motion activated so they each started when you walked by...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8dcRRQkjBsLbI27FavnzjLRzXkMNN7_JpJtnEnnCZol0a74CXbGGY9X29J9UFIn07kbWXkih5ZE9iJuZhJtlyF25YNhoZJpSbBT864wjMZvvGcGNCtdDARPXIfjSjEAlAoVUE8Xk-gA/s1600/greg%2521+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8dcRRQkjBsLbI27FavnzjLRzXkMNN7_JpJtnEnnCZol0a74CXbGGY9X29J9UFIn07kbWXkih5ZE9iJuZhJtlyF25YNhoZJpSbBT864wjMZvvGcGNCtdDARPXIfjSjEAlAoVUE8Xk-gA/s320/greg%2521+092.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The museum covered the history of the land that Lewis and Clark would be exploring. Emma learned why a bull boat is called a bull boat - once she saw the cow/ox tail still attached to the hide and hanging off the back of the boat like a little rudder...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gYQ7kbSLdpj0ZuqGJc8KvtKuf_ai4A0aINMAE_9rwRNXYBbXUvDaWee84ascswu7q9DBf1M4u3ikLgOtH6NGvFBMNBzz7menYc13PLePyLvMi7cMyZ0fPHIdCyDhplR9cOAI8fcm6Lk/s1600/greg!+097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gYQ7kbSLdpj0ZuqGJc8KvtKuf_ai4A0aINMAE_9rwRNXYBbXUvDaWee84ascswu7q9DBf1M4u3ikLgOtH6NGvFBMNBzz7menYc13PLePyLvMi7cMyZ0fPHIdCyDhplR9cOAI8fcm6Lk/s320/greg!+097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There were mounts of a horse, bison, longhorn...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-XmHv4ykGct-WKR3WgZN_Icp3W9fwaYBhO6LTXUM3UHxPxdxZU4TfhD1RsveglH_I7-iMvsIiUnrH1dE5nwfld2H17E0hYGY_q7wnKtLX4nUVmqLVXtEzp1HDAER1pv5EQf003TeUjA/s1600/greg!+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-XmHv4ykGct-WKR3WgZN_Icp3W9fwaYBhO6LTXUM3UHxPxdxZU4TfhD1RsveglH_I7-iMvsIiUnrH1dE5nwfld2H17E0hYGY_q7wnKtLX4nUVmqLVXtEzp1HDAER1pv5EQf003TeUjA/s320/greg!+100.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and everything from the Indian encampments that were on the land before L&C came through to the dust bowl migrant workers...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWZsB20fFTpTlnPob0w9j8_X5vmMCNsBrZO-2v_BdEDC1i7Fz4RXNeks6O6PNAov_iW2MnvtUz3q3EsfBhf2RcU0kgltRf_chF7g5RsWl61BkHEx6ljIS7cxztGGpeJiicDg_Qsi4VHI/s1600/greg!+106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWZsB20fFTpTlnPob0w9j8_X5vmMCNsBrZO-2v_BdEDC1i7Fz4RXNeks6O6PNAov_iW2MnvtUz3q3EsfBhf2RcU0kgltRf_chF7g5RsWl61BkHEx6ljIS7cxztGGpeJiicDg_Qsi4VHI/s320/greg!+106.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>tip: if you do the J.R. program here, one of the ?s is about a statue of Thomas Jefferson, and it asks what the statue of him in the entrance of the museum is looking at...to find the answer, stand behind him and look along his gaze, or you will miss it (they had to redo that one! ;)<br />
After touring the museum, and turning in their books, we headed outside to check out the stairs that lead from the river walk to the arch.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXimAfPpCH3f14RPts5A8KHhFyRLpUMznCi2iO-rgnlwPMC895GXfWxQ6y-K82l3Ncc6aEd_yKvo6mBb-9ypeOQAH5ttNQ0P7YGT2rqAB8pE9FRZhWZ00Khu8X787GYf5UUWuruh4qSI/s1600/greg!+122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXimAfPpCH3f14RPts5A8KHhFyRLpUMznCi2iO-rgnlwPMC895GXfWxQ6y-K82l3Ncc6aEd_yKvo6mBb-9ypeOQAH5ttNQ0P7YGT2rqAB8pE9FRZhWZ00Khu8X787GYf5UUWuruh4qSI/s320/greg!+122.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>We met Ranger Breese again - we had talked with him for some time while we were by the visitor's desk. He is a security park ranger here, and he gave the kids park service patches for on their vests! Some of his shift he works below ground around the shops and museum, and part of his time he spends patrolling the 90 acres of ground that make up the arch park and The Old Courthouse park together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8wbA51ge_VRO3BFKQg6v3xtymvTspBP83pM_94hJhbJsu_L8dpSHZ9CqK7LVV99caaX1dfgtksSEZZJTFGKyyn1ntz3KWkp_eKAhZc-SHChcRuZQBUy2fqkfcP8M-OVi6vnCYTtklV0/s1600/greg!+129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8wbA51ge_VRO3BFKQg6v3xtymvTspBP83pM_94hJhbJsu_L8dpSHZ9CqK7LVV99caaX1dfgtksSEZZJTFGKyyn1ntz3KWkp_eKAhZc-SHChcRuZQBUy2fqkfcP8M-OVi6vnCYTtklV0/s320/greg!+129.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then we walked across the street(s) to The Old Courthouse, which we couldn't see much of the outside of because of restoration efforts...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYwxAJOiG3PBaRU0csS5whbAjYbNvs0rjz_TAqoj-wjGeeBZdWoGgvUlwukBYderYorBtQL7_Qk4UuvRLCE3o2Vrb0Ulguten6-dKdgy9tdrj3L0BV_nux2_knynAsfISHM5lGeAI8Fk/s1600/greg%2521+138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYwxAJOiG3PBaRU0csS5whbAjYbNvs0rjz_TAqoj-wjGeeBZdWoGgvUlwukBYderYorBtQL7_Qk4UuvRLCE3o2Vrb0Ulguten6-dKdgy9tdrj3L0BV_nux2_knynAsfISHM5lGeAI8Fk/s320/greg%2521+138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We didn't have time to do the Jr. Ranger program here; it takes longer than the arch and the badge is the same, so we felt a little guilty, but we just enjoyed the architecture instead...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxV21DMS_SI8DSMcA4g2UwMR05GI-feh65-w3hkWIxCUoyakTO1J6LmzwExme6DiKAC-h4ULndRoIBj7yEbUfuA8WPwy9n-EdFeMPDdgZjg0X3oT8MHmMftKS2nNXtGaeDmXLcn8v-Tmg/s1600/greg!+148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxV21DMS_SI8DSMcA4g2UwMR05GI-feh65-w3hkWIxCUoyakTO1J6LmzwExme6DiKAC-h4ULndRoIBj7yEbUfuA8WPwy9n-EdFeMPDdgZjg0X3oT8MHmMftKS2nNXtGaeDmXLcn8v-Tmg/s320/greg!+148.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>It had some interesting dioramas...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsZcS5_Ryy7TbAxOGBVdW2f_gnnjFo690mm3LMM67ZqFizpZW_Mbk-zPXCD-Q_Mox3HzBW9ETRmWrncNr0tC6XZlSeTA9L4Z35Q8bdP8DKhLErt9yMJlcPJ4VgbXuFJs8NyHEdNo31xY/s1600/greg!+144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsZcS5_Ryy7TbAxOGBVdW2f_gnnjFo690mm3LMM67ZqFizpZW_Mbk-zPXCD-Q_Mox3HzBW9ETRmWrncNr0tC6XZlSeTA9L4Z35Q8bdP8DKhLErt9yMJlcPJ4VgbXuFJs8NyHEdNo31xY/s320/greg!+144.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and covered the history of the St. Louis area...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IdN3tQvL19mrByawC0_m3ied9t-y956N2TAQMLDb6Af0cyxElGGEyMhYJPOY_MzWnLFW_4OkKbNcm8CYQ9mfvfeh0TuA4lJUSvIOPB6u54pWM_S65sPDns1R8u6GK5-hKPCEXRUzK_Q/s1600/greg!+157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IdN3tQvL19mrByawC0_m3ied9t-y956N2TAQMLDb6Af0cyxElGGEyMhYJPOY_MzWnLFW_4OkKbNcm8CYQ9mfvfeh0TuA4lJUSvIOPB6u54pWM_S65sPDns1R8u6GK5-hKPCEXRUzK_Q/s320/greg!+157.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The kids played a little 'National Treasure'...<br />
a bunch of the tiles were broken and not glued down, so they were checking out what was under them...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClvyZCXnC7qg8pkyuhdfrg2Uo3OUgnJ9n4TG0TNIqbpizREYMroZ0jU7-K-W4qzeIkroaD_zC3hY9UnQIh6AM7sKR97X0zEOemKkoE6foCGlE1VyZbjUm6GnkilW-QrOjJvLyCuHMrs0/s1600/greg!+161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClvyZCXnC7qg8pkyuhdfrg2Uo3OUgnJ9n4TG0TNIqbpizREYMroZ0jU7-K-W4qzeIkroaD_zC3hY9UnQIh6AM7sKR97X0zEOemKkoE6foCGlE1VyZbjUm6GnkilW-QrOjJvLyCuHMrs0/s320/greg!+161.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We did end up spending a few hours at the courthouse as Eli is working on a short film, and he and Joel took some shots about the Jr. Ranger program, in the museum there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMjT-8wTSBwsoV4QHrvGelwpwlYWSHl8N3nJ_mhJD_QkRIMYxf5I_AaeR1O5_d3TqYsIZG2SmvT2gIF6hMi6sl63ZXhPmQgJ67iLUnZVyV_rVU672cLgsqLnXCIpIsyxFJ6gNECZbg-U/s1600/greg!+173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMjT-8wTSBwsoV4QHrvGelwpwlYWSHl8N3nJ_mhJD_QkRIMYxf5I_AaeR1O5_d3TqYsIZG2SmvT2gIF6hMi6sl63ZXhPmQgJ67iLUnZVyV_rVU672cLgsqLnXCIpIsyxFJ6gNECZbg-U/s320/greg!+173.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Then it was a beautiful walk back through the park to the parking garage.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKfZ25B9zII_zY7I85tyJ6IPWNb6D16vmYri4WLZEcbTeJuGFPmiE7VSVRPD0zGTW0ggUYuO0w-tfrPYqFA7rJoWILvA-8k6dTmnjMnxnOx9dQhfVkSy00nDLnnRuoQmWDo_5_le8uJ4/s1600/greg!+184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKfZ25B9zII_zY7I85tyJ6IPWNb6D16vmYri4WLZEcbTeJuGFPmiE7VSVRPD0zGTW0ggUYuO0w-tfrPYqFA7rJoWILvA-8k6dTmnjMnxnOx9dQhfVkSy00nDLnnRuoQmWDo_5_le8uJ4/s320/greg!+184.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>While we had been under the arch, Eli and Jake took the tram up to the top (and it's cheaper if you show your annual park pass). The rest of us weren't really interested (it's only 680 feet! LOL!). At the top of the arch are viewing windows, and you can stand at the top and look out on St. Louis.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZXijuykb5bJVrTqRmydUhwrIbO8tILB_BJ5DsVpC1oAOvi5iGRoLjshZfYJS1wrdMkOni046j2_TDLrMgd5_wjRLHrn0oYLt8gwyF3VPBRgD6bQvZvz0VSlxoBtBSNl_Ml3kk7S31Y4/s1600/greg!+194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZXijuykb5bJVrTqRmydUhwrIbO8tILB_BJ5DsVpC1oAOvi5iGRoLjshZfYJS1wrdMkOni046j2_TDLrMgd5_wjRLHrn0oYLt8gwyF3VPBRgD6bQvZvz0VSlxoBtBSNl_Ml3kk7S31Y4/s320/greg!+194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Caleb is growing too fast - he has a great personality...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8TCURFcqP1vastXy6hhI4xSHtf3D0TGCK1DHTf-1ULAIzcm3QbdON_u7GK-dfOtzVnchn2PY_rZxut18mhrFTx124m0Z0zO5W176oJ0pyGaUDuA0h6CXIa6pWxmD5plP44ruWLhbzCk/s1600/greg!+198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8TCURFcqP1vastXy6hhI4xSHtf3D0TGCK1DHTf-1ULAIzcm3QbdON_u7GK-dfOtzVnchn2PY_rZxut18mhrFTx124m0Z0zO5W176oJ0pyGaUDuA0h6CXIa6pWxmD5plP44ruWLhbzCk/s320/greg!+198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We had a great visit to the arch...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqqqGQlghTGdis9k9SYZnZSGBIsMEWXvv8DFmfIozFrcG2phQoFFPs26XBJ77QTQcsBBWRW-G7kqGAkQCjniIkRi7gmwXEvlKBISrXass7jBlFf9WooSjOwFlkc7rKZCnGdWLjkL6w24/s1600/greg!+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqqqGQlghTGdis9k9SYZnZSGBIsMEWXvv8DFmfIozFrcG2phQoFFPs26XBJ77QTQcsBBWRW-G7kqGAkQCjniIkRi7gmwXEvlKBISrXass7jBlFf9WooSjOwFlkc7rKZCnGdWLjkL6w24/s320/greg!+115.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>and afterwards, we headed back to the RV that we had left in the Walmart parking lot. <br />
That afternoon we excitedly hit the road and drove about 2 hours down the road to Waynesville, MO. We moved into a city park there (who didn't care that we had 10 kids with us, and were soon to pick up another!). We were pretty excited - the following day would find us spending a marvelous day hanging out with our biggest boy after not seeing him for over 3 months!!! Life is good! :)Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-39404519630507924802012-04-28T22:44:00.002-07:002012-04-28T22:51:46.807-07:00St. Louis, MO...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We still had 2 days left until we could spend a day with Greg at Basic, and then pick him up at graduation the day after. We pulled in to St. Louis and spent the night at a Walmart on the southwest side. We won't talk about the homeless man that kept asking us for money and Vaughn finally giving him a ride to his 'brother's' house (which was a very nice house in a very nice neighborhood...) just because then he wouldn't be coming over to chat with Vaughn all night... it was that or we were going to move as we had visions of waking up to slashed tires in the morning... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A storm was moving in, so we got out the weather radio to find that the area was under tornado watch until the wee hours of the morning. We decided that from now on, (after this watch and Alabama warnings) that we wouldn't be caught in tornado country without a SAME weather radio. If there is a tornado in the area that you have the radio programed for, an alarm will sound so that you have some warning that they really are there. Next day, it was Radio Shack first thing in the morning. Surprise, surprise, they were sold out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That day we pulled in slides (yep, we put them out at Walmart, say what you will... ;), and hauled the RV to the Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site just a few miles away. I had called ahead, and they had room for the RV, and since we weren't terribly fond of the Walmart that we had spent the previous night in, we didn't want to leave the RV there while we were at the park.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The kids were stoked to go the the U.S. Grant park...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuJFxG67Eahjpn-C7X-54Hz8-q3z8NxFvogm6RvUoiH90qBFcrSe0EAtXZs4IdS3a2yL17ZS1POuq3GFNFjn1TRy9exfBglHooRTn6igRnaA3Ek60faTcXhfEmNPuWCqXBhNcSCq8wNg/s1600/greg!+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuJFxG67Eahjpn-C7X-54Hz8-q3z8NxFvogm6RvUoiH90qBFcrSe0EAtXZs4IdS3a2yL17ZS1POuq3GFNFjn1TRy9exfBglHooRTn6igRnaA3Ek60faTcXhfEmNPuWCqXBhNcSCq8wNg/s320/greg!+018.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>(for the record, I didn't have the camera, or Jake wouldn't have made the face - I figure putting it on the blog will cure his camera attitude... ;) and you can tell Eli was SO excited!!! :) actually, we were all pretty tired between the bum and the storm and the not-so-great parking lot camping the night before.<br />
<br />
The park is a beautiful, tho small National Park, and the rangers there were super!<br />
The ranger that gave us our grounds tour told the kids about the kids that lived here when U.S. Grant first visited the farm; the farm belonged to the parent's of a military friend of Grants - when the friend, who was to be stationed elsewhere, found out that Grant was going to be stationed close, he made Grant promise to visit his family. (Grant would later marry his friend's sister)<br />
The very first person to greet Grant on his very first visit to the farm, was 6 yr. old Emma, little sister of his soldier friend. The ranger really got into telling our 6 y.o. Emma about that 6 y.o. Emma, and from then on, Emma was quite vested in this particular Jr. Ranger program! LOL!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaRG43f9NQkazBVE41tra1WtxxtfPUpEnE3oJAkWeUyb5hxwFBt2VuFmw-NX-7cqKyq2lHxvGzQfLhztSDt5Tz8xK7oSOxsM4dEZtnlcMdiT_30AQOEZryUcI7nnd4UmRNAML1t8I89w/s1600/greg!+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaRG43f9NQkazBVE41tra1WtxxtfPUpEnE3oJAkWeUyb5hxwFBt2VuFmw-NX-7cqKyq2lHxvGzQfLhztSDt5Tz8xK7oSOxsM4dEZtnlcMdiT_30AQOEZryUcI7nnd4UmRNAML1t8I89w/s320/greg!+032.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>We got a tour of the house (quite personalized I might add!). The park was very quiet this day, so we got the red carpet treatment!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN-m3M7ruJoME321MMtAMQsr7eep-AjDSCDRTm85pqMB1yVNUAVE7pCdDksHaCzYECIcdwLV_AUCJaVXAqQENGQYW7ldfhCRXqEeD7NTrqFyz5ais3kmwDr3Mb4ABk99KwSkoqQbbYqE/s1600/greg!+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN-m3M7ruJoME321MMtAMQsr7eep-AjDSCDRTm85pqMB1yVNUAVE7pCdDksHaCzYECIcdwLV_AUCJaVXAqQENGQYW7ldfhCRXqEeD7NTrqFyz5ais3kmwDr3Mb4ABk99KwSkoqQbbYqE/s320/greg!+034.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div>Inside 'White Haven', which is what they called the home on the Dent farm, there are several rooms on the main floor that are open to the public. In one of the rooms, there is a picture frame hanging on the wall above the fireplace - the frame is really a tv, and it's where you watch a short little film about life in White Haven during the time that Grant, and Mr. Dent both lived there. Mr. Dent was a slaveholder, and Grant was, of course, against slavery. The 'magic mirror' showed a lively dinnertime conversation that might have taken place in the home at the time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ndZbum0b3MjtXG_RxM6vuMUucObIyiW_41OtgFD9soH2-f7DyqoL63yqaGKHkcAFfgdtsd9eSW17lA15fPRicFcwEiWnZa_aGtIi9F4NkoEwE94uKmnySVOO6L3-yTCkLqXUIoLFU2k/s1600/greg!+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ndZbum0b3MjtXG_RxM6vuMUucObIyiW_41OtgFD9soH2-f7DyqoL63yqaGKHkcAFfgdtsd9eSW17lA15fPRicFcwEiWnZa_aGtIi9F4NkoEwE94uKmnySVOO6L3-yTCkLqXUIoLFU2k/s320/greg!+036.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>We were given insight into the running of the farm, and the work that Grant might have done in the farm office... the park has an original blotter used by Grant, and you can even distinguish part of his signature on it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L-m3aB3HzxDp9FGpkW2kHCX2YF-Xj1z4Fy2cnCGgegMYxa-lYWyQzB9hyphenhyphenvlPTmLoukhuEVknjNRhdD5ApCFwDN1fPhmXaDfJqvJUg_UumC-2As9zjwTCVXUjKuew0Kh1XPgpJcn-ikQ/s1600/greg!+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L-m3aB3HzxDp9FGpkW2kHCX2YF-Xj1z4Fy2cnCGgegMYxa-lYWyQzB9hyphenhyphenvlPTmLoukhuEVknjNRhdD5ApCFwDN1fPhmXaDfJqvJUg_UumC-2As9zjwTCVXUjKuew0Kh1XPgpJcn-ikQ/s320/greg!+039.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>This is the winter kitchen. Located under the house, the heat produced while the slaves cooked the day's meals, would have risen and helped to heat the house during the daytime.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFh-VlysY9MalEbJyZe6NazCkqwo8bMwMNuK0jlMcec1dWxNLe0UCbr0nS30OOjYymBocdpoVBfWtFgk41Qzui6IN2ic6sI3uHHKAiK4Z101npyQPSo5D31rOg9pLKcJgy9x7nQ4oC00k/s1600/greg!+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFh-VlysY9MalEbJyZe6NazCkqwo8bMwMNuK0jlMcec1dWxNLe0UCbr0nS30OOjYymBocdpoVBfWtFgk41Qzui6IN2ic6sI3uHHKAiK4Z101npyQPSo5D31rOg9pLKcJgy9x7nQ4oC00k/s320/greg!+040.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We also checked out the laundry, the summer kitchen, the ice house, and the chicken coop... the little girls checked out the nesting boxes, but really were enamored with the little access door. Made me miss having chickens! LOL!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7-WW5mvdbov4R2ISMUhZA4rM-MSOllbmRldF0PQmSkQ9dlojq7qGEAmE9arFkGAxWHKNLvwJrVzLwILxKaWsRtpvL_BKfkZFtAnCzPsH2iMihLArFpK9oauwSMPVxPl2ErKFJxKXpoM/s1600/greg%2521+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7-WW5mvdbov4R2ISMUhZA4rM-MSOllbmRldF0PQmSkQ9dlojq7qGEAmE9arFkGAxWHKNLvwJrVzLwILxKaWsRtpvL_BKfkZFtAnCzPsH2iMihLArFpK9oauwSMPVxPl2ErKFJxKXpoM/s320/greg%2521+044.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The park service took the barn that used to be located in what is now the parking lot, and moved it over a few feet, rebuilt the parts of the barn that needed it, and it now houses a beautiful museum. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When you first walk into the barn, it looks like an ordinary barn, with stalls and tack room...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zE-_qjL1uuTWecJvhnfKQzPDDieHuZ0t0eYt62aAxW22K-Ft8dep7rf7y0WVtet_rSmZSnrYa8dRPYErEFBD4z8oBwNPFMJEWP8fW0ZsV5Z242HbAjfPMZHG5HnbRm67ic112Ih4MHI/s1600/greg%2521+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zE-_qjL1uuTWecJvhnfKQzPDDieHuZ0t0eYt62aAxW22K-Ft8dep7rf7y0WVtet_rSmZSnrYa8dRPYErEFBD4z8oBwNPFMJEWP8fW0ZsV5Z242HbAjfPMZHG5HnbRm67ic112Ih4MHI/s320/greg%2521+049.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">and then, behind glass doors, is a beautiful museum. I thought that it must be very new, and asked one of the rangers. He said that while the museum is several years old, it's a small park and the rangers don't have a lot else to do but to take care of the buildings. Well, they do an incredible job - the museum is spotless, everything is in great shape, and every display, touch screen, activity worked! (that's unusual! LOL!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkc83gLjm_Y4Iw9XRobg1STwAB-MFtf8wxrX54XZ8hfCqFQdS5r2BJgWzNhtwCMCf_JE3VeZNzmyGWffEz6x2iGWJav9NA0qTBd3p7LbjGU0tdeu8V7UiVV-N4f9VyRqad2UG1IXLwQQ/s1600/greg%2521+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkc83gLjm_Y4Iw9XRobg1STwAB-MFtf8wxrX54XZ8hfCqFQdS5r2BJgWzNhtwCMCf_JE3VeZNzmyGWffEz6x2iGWJav9NA0qTBd3p7LbjGU0tdeu8V7UiVV-N4f9VyRqad2UG1IXLwQQ/s320/greg%2521+057.JPG" width="212px" /></a></div>Molly liked this activity in the kids area - it's right next to a bunch of dress-up clothes - clothes that the Grants (Pres. U.S. Grant and his wife Julia) would have seen on their around the world trip.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmKpKr_YQ_H54aM9hLodi84ccrZdRvEn8gWOHiaKQVz2qSglwgwMfCzMmjDY1Kwqk_hnK_AQE0wX1GOBTtWk8xB_gYqUKpuH_E60aYsIYVd8TbCz1p-8_yuiIn4orVfA3iIBGpw54xvY/s1600/greg%2521+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmKpKr_YQ_H54aM9hLodi84ccrZdRvEn8gWOHiaKQVz2qSglwgwMfCzMmjDY1Kwqk_hnK_AQE0wX1GOBTtWk8xB_gYqUKpuH_E60aYsIYVd8TbCz1p-8_yuiIn4orVfA3iIBGpw54xvY/s320/greg%2521+059.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, of course we did the Jr. Ranger program!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9OZtjAC4aHrydRt4DZHxs75F75HM1WQPUXEfiXlr5AcftWldXGZVUbZG9M99hUqV6zIYOK6DLgUs36yNApxhxMqpVopU41gokVhoYBSTByk0N6eeFil4e6Zp8g51lTcD15CzfLetmgg/s1600/greg!+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9OZtjAC4aHrydRt4DZHxs75F75HM1WQPUXEfiXlr5AcftWldXGZVUbZG9M99hUqV6zIYOK6DLgUs36yNApxhxMqpVopU41gokVhoYBSTByk0N6eeFil4e6Zp8g51lTcD15CzfLetmgg/s320/greg!+073.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We had a lovely visit to this beautiful farm, and were super impressed by the professionalism and the friendliness of the rangers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Across the road from the National Park, is an attraction called Grants Farm. This time of year, it is only open on Saturday and Sunday, and we didn't get to St. Louis on Sunday early enough to come out here. Since we were now visiting ULSG park on Monday (a day later than we had planned), Grant's Farm was closed, but I hear that it is a must see. And it's cheap! Run by a beer company, admission is free, but there is an $12/vehicle parking fee (which is a screaming deal for our family! LOL!). Buses are $30, so not sure what they would charge for an RV.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aptly named Grant's Farm, it is the location of the house that Grant built for his wife Julia, named Hardscrabble.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy471_gyFXwFyO77p90oKm4oYq6dPEavhC66-o4aYTidlSHK3tUt1KEUbbxoF4zU7VCJaDEJDTgxRrWte7UZuFxEwXGESMPhjNo4vR70naaQNqsnuu4R91htFbKN5Lg0vE5QN7eza1MfY/s1600/greg!+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy471_gyFXwFyO77p90oKm4oYq6dPEavhC66-o4aYTidlSHK3tUt1KEUbbxoF4zU7VCJaDEJDTgxRrWte7UZuFxEwXGESMPhjNo4vR70naaQNqsnuu4R91htFbKN5Lg0vE5QN7eza1MfY/s320/greg!+077.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grant's Farm is now a 281 acre wildlife preserve, home to over 100 different kinds of animals, including the A-B Clydesdales. It is supposed to be a wonderful family-friendly attraction. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After a day at the U.S. Grant NHS, we pulled the 5er to yet another Walmart. A very nice one that was located on a bluff, and in a much nicer part of town. It was also surrounded by other stores (including a Radio Shack where Vaughn and the boys found the radio that we had decided on based on internet research). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bethy (and Caleb) and I told the kids they were on their own, and we left them in dad's care and went shopping! It was fun - don't remember that either of us found anything worth buying (funny how living in the limited space of an RV squelches any desire to buy stuff we don't need), but we had a good time together eating at Sonic (not a lot of food choices), visiting Beth's fav store Cato, my fav store TJ Maxx, and a few others there. We found our way back to the RV once all the stores had closed for the night.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And we all slept peacefully and happily that night in the side parking lot of the Walmart on the bluff. :)</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-19076976514540987532012-04-27T14:38:00.000-07:002012-04-27T14:38:02.347-07:00Thomas' photo shoot...Believe it or not, even my kids, with all our new destinations, get bored sometimes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I try to keep them busy, so, last week, when Thomas couldn't find anything to do while we were waiting to visit Greg on Family Day, I sent him to take a few pictures for me. Peanut was out picking flowers in the field next to the RV, and this is what he came back with...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGaBF-1DEQNakTpdrFzGXhsthhGgBkl_lyfNjoO0-UfI12tmUdlwSvZADJOy86C1eXR5XhQR3_6F4d7xB3xMjlVzTmKPiEjtNy_qbhyphenhyphen2nVTpUH4yCR7CyVS5SYP_IcPErTaPxKgTrY6E/s1600/greg%2521+247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGaBF-1DEQNakTpdrFzGXhsthhGgBkl_lyfNjoO0-UfI12tmUdlwSvZADJOy86C1eXR5XhQR3_6F4d7xB3xMjlVzTmKPiEjtNy_qbhyphenhyphen2nVTpUH4yCR7CyVS5SYP_IcPErTaPxKgTrY6E/s320/greg%2521+247.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQu96eYiVb7RN9YrDLhrURE56uOFuLEGX1klTTuCNNohcnEae7nVxcS3YFfJ5DYjYYqjmdBZz3CKWLErfFIKEKukS44O73YOcpknuDxFSi4eTtXBG3hRTA411dmCXvp1OSVYrkgZEPgU/s1600/greg!+245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQu96eYiVb7RN9YrDLhrURE56uOFuLEGX1klTTuCNNohcnEae7nVxcS3YFfJ5DYjYYqjmdBZz3CKWLErfFIKEKukS44O73YOcpknuDxFSi4eTtXBG3hRTA411dmCXvp1OSVYrkgZEPgU/s320/greg!+245.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Guess it's time to get that boy his own camera.</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-17643739295115649432012-04-26T13:33:00.000-07:002012-04-26T13:33:19.442-07:00Fort Donelson, TN....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After we left Diamond Caves RV Park, we headed west. Our next destination was St. Louis, MO, but on the way we stopped at Hopkinsville, KY, dropped the RV at Walmart, hopped in the van and headed nearly an hour south to visit the Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Tennessee.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When we arrived, we wished that we had gotten going earlier in the morning (thus arriving at the fort earlier). We arrived just in time to hear the last 2 songs from a group performing Civil War era music in commemoration of Shiloh's 150th anniversary. The music was beautiful, especially the bagpipes. We so wished that we had arrived about an hour earlier to enjoy the whole show.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_LWT-xRirGYvUFCQxieAmNaII3a41qn991_6S44DQA8rbk6GZyIELMP6iemLczn4RSKlszDhgkROh-VxqZC5PXGVmgdLYQqtbhHkSkqW4lk90gvAYJPZgxI6IHPkU3A_v7Jn7c4A-hk/s1600/KY+163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_LWT-xRirGYvUFCQxieAmNaII3a41qn991_6S44DQA8rbk6GZyIELMP6iemLczn4RSKlszDhgkROh-VxqZC5PXGVmgdLYQqtbhHkSkqW4lk90gvAYJPZgxI6IHPkU3A_v7Jn7c4A-hk/s320/KY+163.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After the show was over, we were cornered by several rangers. We have found that most park rangers LOVE their jobs and they love their parks. When they find kids/families that are truly interested in the park and it's history, they love to discuss the park we are at and all the different parks, especially the ones that both we have been to and they have worked at. <br />
Ranger Doug stayed and talked with us for quite awhile, and Ranger Tripp talked with the kids about park rules, tickets that she has to give out in the different parks, and being an enforcement ranger. The boys thought her 4 stacked mags and body armor were pretty cool, and she gave them special badges that are exact replicas of her Ranger badge except that they say 'Jr. Ranger' instead of 'Park Ranger', and they are smaller; the kids have a fetish for metal badges, and they were pretty excited (and thankful) - Ranger Tripp had them made up special, and Fort Donelson is the only park that has them (so far ;)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHtrdpeOnk8CVqwBrGFgvYe5f1b9_FZ4mMr1KQPvMc-_QRzDd8n6G86RADDTH2UhVLFCAde1-Mkw55IogCesCPZ5k1f6TvXnkVikGsY0UEOdFpESVt8P0_WLQBQPpq5AfVEZjX2KIXYk/s1600/KY+166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHtrdpeOnk8CVqwBrGFgvYe5f1b9_FZ4mMr1KQPvMc-_QRzDd8n6G86RADDTH2UhVLFCAde1-Mkw55IogCesCPZ5k1f6TvXnkVikGsY0UEOdFpESVt8P0_WLQBQPpq5AfVEZjX2KIXYk/s320/KY+166.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There was a small museum that told the story of Fort Donelson...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQt_sfW66VapznBcvBwXQJiPa4lct2ZPh9mujykyND-WoIswARD8kSHLsopHo6nNdErCqwdYDzP8EnhCWeHhIW9ag17YdOrDLPFSSGwlg5RfdfvfJGFnklb7hE91twNCdJFe9lXrIA_m8/s1600/KY+177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQt_sfW66VapznBcvBwXQJiPa4lct2ZPh9mujykyND-WoIswARD8kSHLsopHo6nNdErCqwdYDzP8EnhCWeHhIW9ag17YdOrDLPFSSGwlg5RfdfvfJGFnklb7hE91twNCdJFe9lXrIA_m8/s320/KY+177.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and the surrounding area...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_VBObU_ENJ6_e6LWTTzJVY1QmahEhx9ElyHMBs4OWpGO3nWiqzood5okc36f_8no0JpomnCYWH419O48320u6iauiqpdvjFINBFbGkeO45dNVtSAImZMRf_pz0k1MCBCr60e2BXGzls/s1600/KY+181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_VBObU_ENJ6_e6LWTTzJVY1QmahEhx9ElyHMBs4OWpGO3nWiqzood5okc36f_8no0JpomnCYWH419O48320u6iauiqpdvjFINBFbGkeO45dNVtSAImZMRf_pz0k1MCBCr60e2BXGzls/s320/KY+181.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Then we headed out for a drive around the park...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVSz4HcY8VPpOdtLy2kK4gRolq6X0uz769Q1ZwQB4yRo8lHqiKJ5MZJQPE4D5bzhN2j9vjxuVCcw8rlu9VailjMLIA-W9WXGRbncZxQNdv8gOmi96-PqbHWPrRffqLLG4DOw-TAmkCvU/s1600/KY+185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVSz4HcY8VPpOdtLy2kK4gRolq6X0uz769Q1ZwQB4yRo8lHqiKJ5MZJQPE4D5bzhN2j9vjxuVCcw8rlu9VailjMLIA-W9WXGRbncZxQNdv8gOmi96-PqbHWPrRffqLLG4DOw-TAmkCvU/s320/KY+185.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our favorite place was the point on the river where the cannons were set up to fire on incoming ships.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvq5yFBCUyZ-zr-raiobJzPYklUoLDb7qrTPw73_-zJl7Rk0ZNz-VX6R_x-zWl0WJ1g1XT9lkPMUq7bPyVGahg3aUc8gDE6re4ijOxM6MRiUHfJqBvxknxGmCkQ4ikpMLJdPx5pZW-VM/s1600/KY+200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvq5yFBCUyZ-zr-raiobJzPYklUoLDb7qrTPw73_-zJl7Rk0ZNz-VX6R_x-zWl0WJ1g1XT9lkPMUq7bPyVGahg3aUc8gDE6re4ijOxM6MRiUHfJqBvxknxGmCkQ4ikpMLJdPx5pZW-VM/s320/KY+200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The kids worked on there booklets in the sunshine, on the grass...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nePSFRc7nZDSUsSKhOG5Wy87N0IhLLhC1Agzl4Vg0_AEgRP-TslD0lQPJfaiQ0YoWyjgp-hi92xt1Dakon7F3UtJ7y-A5a3OqwWZ26l3hk8c3D_BN93-6Vq2H_OISiLeYsdYtLI41O4/s1600/KY+190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nePSFRc7nZDSUsSKhOG5Wy87N0IhLLhC1Agzl4Vg0_AEgRP-TslD0lQPJfaiQ0YoWyjgp-hi92xt1Dakon7F3UtJ7y-A5a3OqwWZ26l3hk8c3D_BN93-6Vq2H_OISiLeYsdYtLI41O4/s320/KY+190.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It was such a beautiful area! The kids turned in their Jr. Ranger badges, and since this was their 3rd Civil War battlefield, they earned a special Junior Civil War Historian patch besides the cool metal Jr. Ranger badge they earned for the park program.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-TyrWT6Ffb1rJy6PFUi7XK6MgFtdKQipD86hW7oXZHstJYGDoIRPs1ug_wxjbqkRlvWyQIsgzIHHOeNDU3ENg55R0rn4cxpMDdi1P9vwDOCC97J3VLU51FqfDAN48b0QIblTkELdt70/s1600/KY+213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-TyrWT6Ffb1rJy6PFUi7XK6MgFtdKQipD86hW7oXZHstJYGDoIRPs1ug_wxjbqkRlvWyQIsgzIHHOeNDU3ENg55R0rn4cxpMDdi1P9vwDOCC97J3VLU51FqfDAN48b0QIblTkELdt70/s320/KY+213.JPG" width="320" /></a>For the next couple of years, if your Jr. Rangers do the ranger program at 3 participating Civil War parks, they can earn a special sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) badge. For the southeast region, the participating parks are:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Andersonville National Historic Site</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fort Donelson National Battlefield</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fort Pulaski National Monument</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fort Sumter National Monument (includes Fort Moultrie)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Shiloh National Military Park</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stones River National Battlefield</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Vicksburg National Military Park</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did Shiloh and Stones River, and then Fort Donelson was our 3rd C.W. park! If you have a Jr. Ranger that can't make it to 3, you can do 2 parks and an online activity and mail in the activity and a special card that you get from the parks. Be sure to get the card at the first park you do the program at, and have a ranger at each park sign the card when you turn in your J.R. booklets. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't know if there is a program for the northeast region, but I'm sure going to find out ;) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fort Donelson was such a beautiful park! The rangers were all so friendly and helpful, there was a great movie about the battle that happened here, and, if you have time, there is a great area to visit, right by the park, Land Between the Lakes recreation area (we didn't have time).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After we were done at the park (they closed...) we drove back to Hopkinsville and spent the night in the Walmart parking lot. Next, a day or two in St. Louis biding our time until we can pick up Greg from Basic Training!</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-60809162431750831542012-04-25T18:26:00.000-07:002012-04-25T18:26:57.784-07:00In person - kinda...Last November, just a couple of weeks before Caleb was born, Dugald Maudsley from Infield Fly Productions sent a cameraman out to spend a day and a half with us. We weren't even in our RV - it was in the shop in Tacoma; in fact, Vaughn and Thomas drove out to Tacoma to 'check on the RV', which Vaughn really did want to do, but it was mostly to meet Marc, the cameraman so they could get some footage of the RV. After Vaughn and Thomas came back, and Marc flew in to Helena, we went up to my sister's cabin, hung out with Marc, and just did our everyday stuff. <br />
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Dougald was kind enough to send us a copy of the pitch they had put together, and he said that we could share it! It's been extra fun for us to see it (even if we aren't traveling in it), especially since the first production company didn't let us see any of the footage from their shoot. We all got a good laugh out of seeing ourselves, but still wonder, 'do we really sound like that???' :)<br />
For those of you on limited usage, the film is about 160MB and 6 min. long.<br />
(and I'm so tickled to have figured out how to post it directly here!!! ;)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/41047458?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/41047458">TicknorTribe</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user11396089">Eli Ticknor</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-43616122958036156852012-04-24T21:54:00.001-07:002012-04-24T21:57:09.996-07:00Lincoln's Birthplace National Monument, KY...The day after we visited Mammoth Caves, we took an hour drive north to visit (and do the Jr. Ranger program at) Lincoln's Birthplace National Monument. There was a lovely visitor's center where the kids picked up their Jr. Ranger books, and we found a little bumper sticker :) .<br />
The park has a reproduction room showing what Lincoln's birthplace may have looked like when he was born...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rIqkz28ms8kWakiXZg8TVRbXadqQsW81KvyYn7Ismdb4MSf0qSBiVmJ3nAToWo7N-83TMofCMDzqpJmQwqrCGLu9VxkIgQdknZEj3ifU26pEccvSqmzqtizIj3Dr46FPhG3YLzWcINY/s1600/KY+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rIqkz28ms8kWakiXZg8TVRbXadqQsW81KvyYn7Ismdb4MSf0qSBiVmJ3nAToWo7N-83TMofCMDzqpJmQwqrCGLu9VxkIgQdknZEj3ifU26pEccvSqmzqtizIj3Dr46FPhG3YLzWcINY/s320/KY+071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I love the simplicity of it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTzsRfuG-u1g3m3DLTRnAvOEAq2_0SHDntuBKNfnrTkWiYCfhKqZHhCx6WCx-XYeaIQRXjzIs8uitixvzAqktNzNBk7CmkuU-tFoTt7iAVY9LBRN_bsNk7zXzJ-UsTZ4e_kaFZGptbMg/s1600/KY+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTzsRfuG-u1g3m3DLTRnAvOEAq2_0SHDntuBKNfnrTkWiYCfhKqZHhCx6WCx-XYeaIQRXjzIs8uitixvzAqktNzNBk7CmkuU-tFoTt7iAVY9LBRN_bsNk7zXzJ-UsTZ4e_kaFZGptbMg/s320/KY+073.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I thought the Jr. Ranger books here were adorable!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktkUuamrE8PZp_MCrXkiIPlOyxOpDZfIGPl7jCcptt0hWM7hsjgsi2-lAKvhMhiXLmnAeod0I-gTlvWFVA_K3AgQa3X_qFbUTmVF6tK-yS910r6yWkdIA__gow43D1pEkwGP7X2RNjXg/s1600/KY+083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktkUuamrE8PZp_MCrXkiIPlOyxOpDZfIGPl7jCcptt0hWM7hsjgsi2-lAKvhMhiXLmnAeod0I-gTlvWFVA_K3AgQa3X_qFbUTmVF6tK-yS910r6yWkdIA__gow43D1pEkwGP7X2RNjXg/s320/KY+083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and the littles dug right in...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqeJhEvDH6RTb84x4ywBt-QbeWngDCgxo-OzLALFsVsG4xpjlB7u-TgFD0xTNM40IZYKWTSFBx-g-c1OJfj4ILkycB0Ff85bEvbVSum-KmlsCAjmwJbiwPKUeKkRtf2YD8Gyn6N8M4KI/s1600/KY+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqeJhEvDH6RTb84x4ywBt-QbeWngDCgxo-OzLALFsVsG4xpjlB7u-TgFD0xTNM40IZYKWTSFBx-g-c1OJfj4ILkycB0Ff85bEvbVSum-KmlsCAjmwJbiwPKUeKkRtf2YD8Gyn6N8M4KI/s320/KY+074.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>except Molly, who was more interested in the table of Lincoln Logs...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZSdvB8OQpiDrFZt0R8UXXfmkqDDkYi_Tuj46anU-q2ZpxEvW6NNpUzsZZhCias5DHMS6Tlr_2NIzMD8zIBkH35njaW2CTcIOcN8AlOt7lhf0H4bzPV6VP5AgUhz3yZI9m19vrW24sbE/s1600/KY+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZSdvB8OQpiDrFZt0R8UXXfmkqDDkYi_Tuj46anU-q2ZpxEvW6NNpUzsZZhCias5DHMS6Tlr_2NIzMD8zIBkH35njaW2CTcIOcN8AlOt7lhf0H4bzPV6VP5AgUhz3yZI9m19vrW24sbE/s320/KY+076.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once again, the visitor's center was very well done, tho small. I always come to these type of parks expecting more than what the park is preserving. Here, I guess I expected to come and find a large museum that covered Abraham Lincoln's entire life, but this location is his birthplace, so mostly covers just information about his few early years here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzhAnn9KYeYvhPCOWfkAMYR3-wXufUuOQCZeYcoSZ_3xATgURYGqGH0inhuPplMKCXYdoStXGg0J6i941RgPHa7Q53F3MUpn5Zs49lgF1oR7xlZ752y7h7vNK5QPTwhZvtVMn-G9zdp8/s1600/KY+145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzhAnn9KYeYvhPCOWfkAMYR3-wXufUuOQCZeYcoSZ_3xATgURYGqGH0inhuPplMKCXYdoStXGg0J6i941RgPHa7Q53F3MUpn5Zs49lgF1oR7xlZ752y7h7vNK5QPTwhZvtVMn-G9zdp8/s320/KY+145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There is a memorial here, with a large staircase leading up to it. There are 56 steps - one for each year of President Lincoln's life.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrK9KLo3oT2zXjKLqZPaxMv2yLNHWG6nAylV_UVEfjXoW7Fo2MJDubDSfybOdhweuju9bIHdu6wJTVU6qFGBfgI9FlBkbBSU_r46NkFUpUajaeWRgVG6-JG_6GZbVYBvw5FrCXii1F9DI/s1600/KY+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrK9KLo3oT2zXjKLqZPaxMv2yLNHWG6nAylV_UVEfjXoW7Fo2MJDubDSfybOdhweuju9bIHdu6wJTVU6qFGBfgI9FlBkbBSU_r46NkFUpUajaeWRgVG6-JG_6GZbVYBvw5FrCXii1F9DI/s320/KY+081.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Just to the left of the staircase in the above picture, is a natural, underground spring, which now has steps leading down to it. Abe would have probably been too small to fetch water from it, but he surely drank water from it. His family would have lived here from before his birth to when he was about 3 years old.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBj7fdypyLTWsgwTPCYueFIQMLWqARBB13fsdb4Q8QtAjId5pk6feYL0vEYVZuxEA6hwMexZccYWiPn5b0FSj1wCVDrcEtWFA7ujZ_Tm1UFPlzwmBKMzRbuOLqhk-2-Q1LFieowI5IVro/s1600/KY+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBj7fdypyLTWsgwTPCYueFIQMLWqARBB13fsdb4Q8QtAjId5pk6feYL0vEYVZuxEA6hwMexZccYWiPn5b0FSj1wCVDrcEtWFA7ujZ_Tm1UFPlzwmBKMzRbuOLqhk-2-Q1LFieowI5IVro/s320/KY+092.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe-sIe54PMArqnePTkgvDBTOu19bk11LyE5_09Fsi2KdnVZqy8zJlTjyy6rBI7NpvvBjWwq3zLXJ-r4X0Yw90jhi4TAePMWKe7D1GhLNRbZXEZ9QPoefKxdGH2a33UHi3Iz2vHf1WOaE/s1600/KY+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe-sIe54PMArqnePTkgvDBTOu19bk11LyE5_09Fsi2KdnVZqy8zJlTjyy6rBI7NpvvBjWwq3zLXJ-r4X0Yw90jhi4TAePMWKe7D1GhLNRbZXEZ9QPoefKxdGH2a33UHi3Iz2vHf1WOaE/s320/KY+085.JPG" width="212" /></a>The little spring was beautiful, except for all the money that people had been throwing in it.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuF2kef_-b9V3OZYTwMYDLglretTzxZcyi1PnGFRY0soBgSvYLEXiE4DKreAmpEQtr6BC-pL0-ARGpxzpm_GuY8ys7rD-rcy7Zf2DXjThlyVfE0UvZ5TAb0Xm-LKt6gdrAHypKGSZu9g/s1600/KY+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuF2kef_-b9V3OZYTwMYDLglretTzxZcyi1PnGFRY0soBgSvYLEXiE4DKreAmpEQtr6BC-pL0-ARGpxzpm_GuY8ys7rD-rcy7Zf2DXjThlyVfE0UvZ5TAb0Xm-LKt6gdrAHypKGSZu9g/s320/KY+087.JPG" width="320" /></a>The weather here has been gorgeous, not too hot, not too cold. We enjoyed a walk around the beautifully kept grounds. Everything here is so green!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And there are beautiful flowers everywhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqRS1C6Llo6sDlykihqpPpLK92AHt5_B7NJrRKmHeG1ZNizxxPUgahm7AEIUmbBov-wVXp2BjPe7VEeDUyWD2CW2DTgxdrq4ahRx8XrrFuJA2HB6c1Ry3Arx81VFTl1hICGbem98DABQ/s1600/KY+096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqRS1C6Llo6sDlykihqpPpLK92AHt5_B7NJrRKmHeG1ZNizxxPUgahm7AEIUmbBov-wVXp2BjPe7VEeDUyWD2CW2DTgxdrq4ahRx8XrrFuJA2HB6c1Ry3Arx81VFTl1hICGbem98DABQ/s320/KY+096.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Inside the memorial is a reproduction of the cabin into which Abraham Lincoln was born. There was some controversy over whether this was the actual cabin that he was born into, but it ended up being that the cabin was actually built when Abe was 39 years old (and he never lived in it). It is more of a symbol - which you are not allowed to touch even tho it's not the real thing...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYMwakcNetsARrRWQ2f35Nh_MrmhZ8XZNx82tUTzrc90mJlPy89ElaPAmUU-44rlsY-eWdd2ERv9YjJVxKykZRqFA7QZM2B_1eaziK7of_AJaqaf-sLwhMqy4VuGi1qqUrjbPA0olOEg/s1600/KY+102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYMwakcNetsARrRWQ2f35Nh_MrmhZ8XZNx82tUTzrc90mJlPy89ElaPAmUU-44rlsY-eWdd2ERv9YjJVxKykZRqFA7QZM2B_1eaziK7of_AJaqaf-sLwhMqy4VuGi1qqUrjbPA0olOEg/s320/KY+102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Heading back down to the visitor's center to turn in our Jr. Ranger books...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy0I_6C7HVyT-0O3ZWjy9sMPS_OR469PkiNinU6gWXYECT9xU057FYZHRWYoYpo9IvQE_S6xENni-X1KcoGXb_lgVF2AIv6gsO3aeUiRNwxR5GGYJTW0rhXwDkS-J8aXh3DilL28jvzI/s1600/KY+105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy0I_6C7HVyT-0O3ZWjy9sMPS_OR469PkiNinU6gWXYECT9xU057FYZHRWYoYpo9IvQE_S6xENni-X1KcoGXb_lgVF2AIv6gsO3aeUiRNwxR5GGYJTW0rhXwDkS-J8aXh3DilL28jvzI/s320/KY+105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Caleb likes Kentucky...(and check out those big boy teeth!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR33wKuq559J5K8KEKP-M6YvBoV9F8zFL9L9ZAbwmd8dPPSc9a8NvJOjwLIuXuLvB4JiA2lfC_x8M7jAxDvvtZ0bY6Ymlx3_wG0C1QNzCRM6_rSQOvK2VYUfp9sOhUedj0ep6ANv3INcY/s1600/KY+111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR33wKuq559J5K8KEKP-M6YvBoV9F8zFL9L9ZAbwmd8dPPSc9a8NvJOjwLIuXuLvB4JiA2lfC_x8M7jAxDvvtZ0bY6Ymlx3_wG0C1QNzCRM6_rSQOvK2VYUfp9sOhUedj0ep6ANv3INcY/s320/KY+111.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Peanut NEVER runs out of energy...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNd_Xd6aILLElbuMYgx4SYjp1EWE56G8CO_wrHlnrcSRKPiEsRmEdv2HCMP929QQO8AAIhN17ggXkE3gy2mz7bwcUg4B2YSEabttBUR1gc2dh5F0NQaqicNsqxu1ok-CZTV3lEToSs47w/s1600/KY+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNd_Xd6aILLElbuMYgx4SYjp1EWE56G8CO_wrHlnrcSRKPiEsRmEdv2HCMP929QQO8AAIhN17ggXkE3gy2mz7bwcUg4B2YSEabttBUR1gc2dh5F0NQaqicNsqxu1ok-CZTV3lEToSs47w/s320/KY+115.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyJxePMJPFK4HQeT9SeviUMYbi9NTO0x0vrUaXR-_YloMuGPj0e1m9K_NxIa6LuhBhn8-ma45TqYk39vlrtv0r1uuHNqNq7-hw-N_ps9ghv7xkSPWi5vxni1nq69YAlrLaxR26PRMfjc/s1600/KY+124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyJxePMJPFK4HQeT9SeviUMYbi9NTO0x0vrUaXR-_YloMuGPj0e1m9K_NxIa6LuhBhn8-ma45TqYk39vlrtv0r1uuHNqNq7-hw-N_ps9ghv7xkSPWi5vxni1nq69YAlrLaxR26PRMfjc/s320/KY+124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After visiting the birthplace, we drove a few miles down the road to the Boyhood Home of Abraham Lincoln (still part of the birthplace park, just different site). His family moved to this land after the dispute over his birthplace acreage meant that his father lost that land, and his family lived here for a couple of years before moving (to Ohio I think).<br />
His home here is no longer standing; there was a farmhouse, but it looked much newer, and the ranger station was closed up, so no info there. I was too busy helping the girls look at the pretty flowers...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebcBZg-FkGks88BxwEZnjkjub7hQVch2i6ryPUrImrS9u2fSHYE7_xBAYHXyySaOKSmSvY4RvXXFI_pVVdHGTdGmxdCa3ntBeaD_7sgOO5-r_qt2ak3UiiCiAYNHiosnclgh9Pxm0-44/s1600/KY+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebcBZg-FkGks88BxwEZnjkjub7hQVch2i6ryPUrImrS9u2fSHYE7_xBAYHXyySaOKSmSvY4RvXXFI_pVVdHGTdGmxdCa3ntBeaD_7sgOO5-r_qt2ak3UiiCiAYNHiosnclgh9Pxm0-44/s320/KY+125.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and catch caterpillars to read the plaques, so I couldn't really tell you about his boyhood home ;) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was pretty anyway.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97sGFxw2F3aEnlPpCLjpDanad-GujA66YNIITT8bFGcTVDUeHu-ebffC_tMfrGTN5PGX8y5c_fEG8Pi1c6zaV7mPLAWry5bCZjVL0PL6evQlPHo_n5gDdol5XVAadIQSGydpHF2hh0VY/s1600/KY+136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97sGFxw2F3aEnlPpCLjpDanad-GujA66YNIITT8bFGcTVDUeHu-ebffC_tMfrGTN5PGX8y5c_fEG8Pi1c6zaV7mPLAWry5bCZjVL0PL6evQlPHo_n5gDdol5XVAadIQSGydpHF2hh0VY/s320/KY+136.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>You'd think we didn't have caterpillars back home in Montana!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVETJuysBO38qdspfX7EO6h6P0_TxMusHLXrsxo3yGPHGsAHGqD5ldbEtyxW69DBdz_KgfIQcym3vCptKJqPhuYkX4K5EKLxi0h-e93VcfAp_BCLfAGfeEybwEYASzJFgIrMbK0nrohJg/s1600/KY+132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVETJuysBO38qdspfX7EO6h6P0_TxMusHLXrsxo3yGPHGsAHGqD5ldbEtyxW69DBdz_KgfIQcym3vCptKJqPhuYkX4K5EKLxi0h-e93VcfAp_BCLfAGfeEybwEYASzJFgIrMbK0nrohJg/s320/KY+132.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>The kids earned their "Lincoln's Birthplace" ranger badges, and we drove the hour back to the rv park. We made sure that our laundry was caught up (by the time it's done drying, there is always more in the hampers tho!) before hitting the road the next morning. <br />
Driving through Kentucky towards Missouri, we saw quite a few buggies - I didn't even know there was Amish country around here. I would have loved to stop somewhere and pick up some Amish made jams!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmBaDcR2_Bu86ftEvvWqhlKnA1uS499AOQCC4vTGAFo5oEMMJ5vQW_vMKfsSrsQ9HumjLisxgiUVYNC5Uw4ofjRxDH0oUdKg-rZw3p4xriqfN9khRTBf0ywv0tNw1tyaoBXKtxBrWJn4/s1600/KY+154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmBaDcR2_Bu86ftEvvWqhlKnA1uS499AOQCC4vTGAFo5oEMMJ5vQW_vMKfsSrsQ9HumjLisxgiUVYNC5Uw4ofjRxDH0oUdKg-rZw3p4xriqfN9khRTBf0ywv0tNw1tyaoBXKtxBrWJn4/s320/KY+154.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But, we only had a few days to do a few more stops before picking up our boy (who we are now thoroughly enjoying!).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We loved Kentucky, and the RV park was great - we are hoping to spend some more time in the area. Funny, it seems that we find that we enjoy nearly every place that we visit, and wish that we could stay longer. Too much country, too little time. :)</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-6314901576944787422012-04-23T19:56:00.000-07:002012-04-23T19:56:13.576-07:00Dear Gramma...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">10 Days...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioXSis9tyDJ_2XmY47SFmMWjKa02i4xxVnqwQalMjCg_Dps-q77-SRaLfIiUlgIdyTFLn_HZuJ-ZMFk4Vf_48UyiZNsYyFqzwMBqSjqW_wcSX504Q_Jw6Bni9zP8K9aBrcyRCyOkM6J8/s1600/greg!+367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioXSis9tyDJ_2XmY47SFmMWjKa02i4xxVnqwQalMjCg_Dps-q77-SRaLfIiUlgIdyTFLn_HZuJ-ZMFk4Vf_48UyiZNsYyFqzwMBqSjqW_wcSX504Q_Jw6Bni9zP8K9aBrcyRCyOkM6J8/s320/greg!+367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>:)Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-66000248267398031672012-04-23T17:39:00.001-07:002012-04-23T17:39:16.841-07:00Mammoth Cave National Park, KY...After our hours at Stones River NB, we got back in the van and followed Vaughn and the 5er into Kentucky. We pulled into the Diamond Caverns RV Park, which is located inside of the Mammoth Caves National Park. We stayed there for 3 nights.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWtk49KuJ7QAWhm4eiNJcqkC4dWx6SGr0v_XeVsztpJ3GLb021CQxv_i9fE89tBlHq09RArO_8LVpTUzkx9JVsIwCFJ-5btN48srcLvnFdQydpNkYiztT-vKOMAqtk8konofVDffO4-s/s1600/KY+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWtk49KuJ7QAWhm4eiNJcqkC4dWx6SGr0v_XeVsztpJ3GLb021CQxv_i9fE89tBlHq09RArO_8LVpTUzkx9JVsIwCFJ-5btN48srcLvnFdQydpNkYiztT-vKOMAqtk8konofVDffO4-s/s320/KY+002.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Living in an RV doesn't mean that it's always a picnic. We have to do all the same stuff that you have to do in a house. Sometimes there is a lot less of it (like vacuuming - we have much less space to vacuum, but probably have to do it more often). But we ARE blessed to have lots of help... :) Peanut and Molly are really into drying dishes right now, and Emma is really into doing them! &lt;3<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRdjbC7vrH-F25MoPthNtB2pNJJqH1_wLJ6_gYNJAEqLJMgXJhfjoY9a3NTnGxlyOyRu0IioRIvS16ISHdcMq1Iy4ntlJgVk1kqL_qaW7xHhP2lStltEdrbW4AhxroTeTyqlb6FrFQoA/s1600/greg%2521+395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRdjbC7vrH-F25MoPthNtB2pNJJqH1_wLJ6_gYNJAEqLJMgXJhfjoY9a3NTnGxlyOyRu0IioRIvS16ISHdcMq1Iy4ntlJgVk1kqL_qaW7xHhP2lStltEdrbW4AhxroTeTyqlb6FrFQoA/s320/greg%2521+395.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>While we were at this park, we went to Mammoth Caves National Park. The Jr. Ranger program here was really easy, so Molly did it too - well, she started, but never finished, so no badge for her. Course, they might not have given her a badge anyway if they actually checked her answers: Daddy was reading What Would A Ranger Do out of the booklet and recording her answers for her.. he asked her "if a rare cave cricket were crossing the path in front of you, would you tell everyone so they would be careful not to step on it?". Molly, "NO! I would squish it with my shlip-shlop, like this!" and stomps on the floor with her flip flops, several times, with gusto. Or, Daddy "if you are walking around in the campground, and you see some litter, would you just leave it so a family can use it to start a campfire with?" Molly:"yep, and roast marshmallows!" No badge, but we all got a good laugh out of it anyway.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiP_4yg0Icm6K0VXI7X-DZpY-GSdXfpioyWOzqqS3DeO9EKzqennpAEMFbAcAIvwAisFutBgvk0Wikg_QPIdfbBovqn8PJIGWmgK2o0bL3KxgPq842k5Bjk_IfJcEM9F69PjO9ppWWXuM/s1600/KY+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiP_4yg0Icm6K0VXI7X-DZpY-GSdXfpioyWOzqqS3DeO9EKzqennpAEMFbAcAIvwAisFutBgvk0Wikg_QPIdfbBovqn8PJIGWmgK2o0bL3KxgPq842k5Bjk_IfJcEM9F69PjO9ppWWXuM/s320/KY+005.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>We walked down the path...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQd0uP62ZsEibd-mnNie_HMlJGMkkk58KwAV1EpZVGmLZBu6S01pthFWlOGm32uFdFOqqmyAv086BmqTNIcqkx7OzPiO-_xVU9_Xm3hHl5c9I8w2NFwseM_psW6ALoii67BdnNcCN6fnw/s1600/KY+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQd0uP62ZsEibd-mnNie_HMlJGMkkk58KwAV1EpZVGmLZBu6S01pthFWlOGm32uFdFOqqmyAv086BmqTNIcqkx7OzPiO-_xVU9_Xm3hHl5c9I8w2NFwseM_psW6ALoii67BdnNcCN6fnw/s320/KY+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and into the entrance of the cave. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Jr6oNZT8ef9o9Eux504Y-P61TwJaE1XT3XeRUDnU7dD0H_vGtIMZf7IzrzLveCFYFrl1N4PDSK-RBgoztbLYvAF4y0D7LAJcfQMoVmdc2IwPp84rSHDiKuxf1PokMt9_Azx2y0RHixk/s1600/KY+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Jr6oNZT8ef9o9Eux504Y-P61TwJaE1XT3XeRUDnU7dD0H_vGtIMZf7IzrzLveCFYFrl1N4PDSK-RBgoztbLYvAF4y0D7LAJcfQMoVmdc2IwPp84rSHDiKuxf1PokMt9_Azx2y0RHixk/s320/KY+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There was moss and plants growing all over the walls down into the cave...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXa7nlkIaQBrcCmswA3qB7Mgjh7JKHLopvRu1ONIR7nfzUuyukTHbmWOxIO57T4Hwk9onBZtBjbfrDjFRnaZvlBopyTbBD30cIr3H9r_rLlqLtNrkraO68MUdn0FT6UKndTjlICf480wM/s1600/KY+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXa7nlkIaQBrcCmswA3qB7Mgjh7JKHLopvRu1ONIR7nfzUuyukTHbmWOxIO57T4Hwk9onBZtBjbfrDjFRnaZvlBopyTbBD30cIr3H9r_rLlqLtNrkraO68MUdn0FT6UKndTjlICf480wM/s320/KY+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The entrance to the cave was beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7NDvTrB6ZjopMWTJy98lU174gb4lkw7OPJG7WyGYVaWRE_1hWE-3nRGLM_DzHQzJXTaC1ZWwZh_fA3PfyBR-76CymvSGzjDMvrOAZFVJaysebxxep6h_Ly8W2s17MM8QXlYNiA7JxII/s1600/KY+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7NDvTrB6ZjopMWTJy98lU174gb4lkw7OPJG7WyGYVaWRE_1hWE-3nRGLM_DzHQzJXTaC1ZWwZh_fA3PfyBR-76CymvSGzjDMvrOAZFVJaysebxxep6h_Ly8W2s17MM8QXlYNiA7JxII/s320/KY+026.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>looking up from the sidewalk below...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJDD0VbS0aCAVTMVhHlgYmvY-zBzYHzhteRKVLotrht4TlGRsY6znVx1QzHD2lOhqRMbNECUcId3mO3pyhXfueZZ6YWRGtXFVSQ8iR10fpKxIKx6n3DdZd62-DkFEpvtygXQ6L0C0Lgw/s1600/KY+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJDD0VbS0aCAVTMVhHlgYmvY-zBzYHzhteRKVLotrht4TlGRsY6znVx1QzHD2lOhqRMbNECUcId3mO3pyhXfueZZ6YWRGtXFVSQ8iR10fpKxIKx6n3DdZd62-DkFEpvtygXQ6L0C0Lgw/s320/KY+025.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>we didn't actually take the cave tour. It was a little long for the littles, and we had been warned that if we had been to Carlsbad that this would be a let-down - it's just a long cave with lots of nothing... and at a later park, we had a ranger, who had worked at Mammoth Cave for years, tell us that we hadn't missed anything :) <br />
So that day, we opted for the shortened visit so that we could check out the rest of the park too.<br />
After coming up from the entrance, you have to walk through these little areas (below) which have a squishy pad that you walk over that is soaked with a disinfecting solution that will kill any bacteria on your shoes. There is some bacteria that they are fighting that will kill off the bats (white nose syndrome I think - didn't take notes and that was nearly 2 weeks ago ;). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwMfNhJYLq_wq2sKSp2OD57glzpVEKqBGglxdwC-esylVq0PNmvnOaiZv0TL35-fSTZ2RoQU2ZJQbjm1KLed2_QIzaJuKrgsfqtD1TnVx1O0G8q30oJzLnR2pD-dOu20qeDmdH-wQdMQ/s1600/KY+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwMfNhJYLq_wq2sKSp2OD57glzpVEKqBGglxdwC-esylVq0PNmvnOaiZv0TL35-fSTZ2RoQU2ZJQbjm1KLed2_QIzaJuKrgsfqtD1TnVx1O0G8q30oJzLnR2pD-dOu20qeDmdH-wQdMQ/s320/KY+035.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgMNPTa3KCTa5tyGtC0WlQ5k8NuXHqGCmRoTBw569n0eWPX_AmPL0nDgGY1NSOMF2r2oYICfy8rXCWxhFw_Vi6mTyX_PDaIM4JibayPB2MP5zKmFOimyUPa2ntTCpJ3D_M9AeE6Ag4XA/s1600/KY+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgMNPTa3KCTa5tyGtC0WlQ5k8NuXHqGCmRoTBw569n0eWPX_AmPL0nDgGY1NSOMF2r2oYICfy8rXCWxhFw_Vi6mTyX_PDaIM4JibayPB2MP5zKmFOimyUPa2ntTCpJ3D_M9AeE6Ag4XA/s320/KY+038.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>We drove through the park, which was beautiful. We saw lots of turkeys, but we didn't see any deer, which are supposed to be very prevalent also.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4R_Ic9LQvvsXjRlZKb9GPwdHpw35oFqKCg5BAnX1AChpeg6UtgF0yA2H5yZl4fg2VAqKY2V0Y-Vxj3CMdPpCOnCPpMOfdWiJa3GjhYb4sBaLCGQuikjFIhyphenhyphenXVlFQoeaNgjYOJompvNtY/s1600/KY+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4R_Ic9LQvvsXjRlZKb9GPwdHpw35oFqKCg5BAnX1AChpeg6UtgF0yA2H5yZl4fg2VAqKY2V0Y-Vxj3CMdPpCOnCPpMOfdWiJa3GjhYb4sBaLCGQuikjFIhyphenhyphenXVlFQoeaNgjYOJompvNtY/s320/KY+041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did, however, to the delight of Savanna and Molly, find all sort of caterpillars, which they think are much nicer than deer!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UoT9tDkUXZ8Fc5sFF0o76QwztCflQjRbYpJrr18v5yiZpdtq_Fjf5c3XUxT8XZr4WHsJoU4VCZaPPXkP2P7-BW6tJOtw7SZ4kFukdryiDkb1VjCMPCe6lYH5blnaeLEMmD50tfaPORs/s1600/KY+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UoT9tDkUXZ8Fc5sFF0o76QwztCflQjRbYpJrr18v5yiZpdtq_Fjf5c3XUxT8XZr4WHsJoU4VCZaPPXkP2P7-BW6tJOtw7SZ4kFukdryiDkb1VjCMPCe6lYH5blnaeLEMmD50tfaPORs/s320/KY+051.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We took a walking path and found inchworms, which the littles were enraptured with - I don't think we have many inchworms back home - at least not out in the country.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8X4-WZdWbMrA7-OnSkItYDWfyPTjcXenI1OsB6jS9WukMBaoTBLqDqIZJEAyVTzC-5ShCJq-kWLGkrEhvn2pCn0IOAx3J-QNUwrQyGb0AAdtsEPea4nHh_-L-mE31LuREgVfDF5poClI/s1600/KY+065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8X4-WZdWbMrA7-OnSkItYDWfyPTjcXenI1OsB6jS9WukMBaoTBLqDqIZJEAyVTzC-5ShCJq-kWLGkrEhvn2pCn0IOAx3J-QNUwrQyGb0AAdtsEPea4nHh_-L-mE31LuREgVfDF5poClI/s320/KY+065.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our walk (if you can call it that, it was .1 miles! LOL!) took us to this cave entrance, where years ago a caver had become stuck and later died. I don't remember if the cave was collapsed in by the rescue efforts years ago, or if this closure is from the park service to make sure the area is safe for park visitors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4LFMQGdUWBGqF_3C-hM4sWx2RTdZl9i2yqz8MvhvE6jfWPZyfOtD37k049wLs44RNa34KVrm028SIndEKKeLw47hLA4dftqqvA2X9Zd3uzuftZBZJX6_up-wmUQ5vTFU8Uin5lHwhSY/s1600/KY+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4LFMQGdUWBGqF_3C-hM4sWx2RTdZl9i2yqz8MvhvE6jfWPZyfOtD37k049wLs44RNa34KVrm028SIndEKKeLw47hLA4dftqqvA2X9Zd3uzuftZBZJX6_up-wmUQ5vTFU8Uin5lHwhSY/s320/KY+068.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All in all, we were a bit disappointed in Mammoth Cave, it was more like a tourist trap than a National Park. But, we did like our drive through the park since we think that this whole area of the country is beautiful! To be fair, there wasn't a lot to check out right now, but according to the rangers, the new wing of the visitor's center, a museum, is slated to open later this spring. From the floor plans, it looks like it will be very interesting and educational. We would like to go back once that is done, but not so much before ;)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We spent some time at the RV park each night getting the laundry caught up, and the littles thoroughly enjoyed the nice playground they had there. This was really our first visit to Kentucky; we went to the Creation Museum the first year we traveled, but didn't really spend any time in the state. We are loving this area of the country, and can't wait to get back!</div>Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937025284073220173.post-71807653011625699112012-04-22T15:28:00.003-07:002012-04-22T16:13:23.155-07:00WooHoo - it's here...Nearly a month ago, our family spent 2 weeks near Tuscaloosa so that Vaughn, Eli, Beth, and Jake could volunteer to help build houses for those whose homes were damaged by the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa nearly a year ago. It was an incredible opportunity for our family.<br />
Eli made a little slideshow of some of the photos that he took while there...<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/couchmode/user11396089/videos/sort:date/40829066">Eli's slideshow - volunteering for Samaritan's Purse in Tuscaloosa, AL</a><br />
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he would love some feedback on what you think :)Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281736132147444203noreply@blogger.com5