Dunk Road Trip Day 4: Yellowstone

I loved Yellowstone, from the white capped Big Horn mountains to the bubbling sulpher pools. Our first stop was the Buffalo Bill Dam, an unexpected little destination on the road towards Yellowstone. We spent the majority of the rest of the day driving through the eastern part of the park, stopping to climb on the snow covered mountains, to hike at a very cool waterfall, and to eat lunch at Lake Yellowstone Lodge. Our destination in the park was a little cabin 1/4 mile from Old Faithful. We faithfully watched Old Faithful spurt and took a two mile hike around the sulpher pits.

Day Four Highlights:

OUR FIRST STOP OF THE DAY - BUFFALO BILL DAM

HEADING TO THE DAM

VIEW OF THE DAM

DAM WATER

WINDY AT THE DAM

BEAUTIFUL WYOMING

YELLOWSTONE!

BIG HORN MOUNTAINS

HIKING IN THE SNOW!

WATERFALL

HIKING AT THE FALLS

LAKE YELLOWSTONE LODGE PORCH

WAITING FOR OLD FAITHFUL

HERE'S OLD FAITHFUL!

SULPHER POOL

HIKING FUN?

WE FOUR

Dunk Road Trip Day 3: Wind Cave (Almost), Drive to Cody

We left the black hills and drove through beautiful Custer State Park to Wind Cave National Park. The drive took much longer than expected, and we decided to skip the cave tour and continue on to our Cody, Wyoming destination. The drive took us through amazing Wyoming and the Big Horn mountains. We saw deer, elk and buffalo. And, we saw one unbelieveable thunder cloud.

Day Three Highlights:

HELLO WIND CAVE!

ROADSIDE BUFFALO

CHECK OUT THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS ALEX!

MAMA AND GRACIE AND THE MOUNTAIN

PIGGYBACK

SLEEPY KIDS

Dunk Road Trip Day 2: Mt. Rushmore, Waterpark

Day two took us to Mount Rushmore. Gracie was really excited to see one of the four presidents. For some unknown reason, she's developed a crush on Teddy Roosevelt. It was all about Teddy today for her. After some presidential gaping, we went back to the hotel to enjoy the attached water park. During our two day stay at the hotel, we visited the park three times!

Day Two Highlights:

WE STOPPED BY THE PRESIDENTAIL PARK TO CHECK OUT THEIR BUSTS!

HERE COME THE PRESIDENTS

THE FAMILY AT RUSHMORE

WHERE'S TEDDY?

I THINK WE CAN SEE HIM!

OFF TO THE WATER PARK

ON THE LAZY RIVER

ALEX CHECKS OUT THE FUN

TIRED KIDS

Dunk Road Trip Day 1: Badlands, Wall Drug

On our first day we travelled from our home in Minneapolis to Rapid City, SD. We stopped to hike in the Badlands and enjoyed some play time in the big backyard of Wall Drug (a crazy tourist emporium with gadgets, goodies, and oddities).

Day One Highlights:

DADDY AND GRACIE CHECKING OUT THE SIGHTS ON THE WAY TO THE BADLANDS

WE'VE MADE IT TO THE BADLANDS!

HOLY BADLANDS BATMAN!

BADLANDS THROUGH THE BINOCULARS

WATCH OUT FOR THE RATTLESNAKES ALEX!

HIKING THE BADLANDS

PLAYING IN THE WATER FOUNTAIN AT WALL DRUG

WALL DRUG WATER GIRL

RIDE'EM COWGIRL!

RIDE'EM COWBOY?

WATCHING THE FIREWORKS OUT THE HOTEL WINDOW

Five

Gracie Girl is five years old today. My baby is now a big girl. We celebrated over the weekend with a rather coolish pool party (weather wise). I love my girl!

Here's Gracie's Hulk Cake. Hulk Smash.





And here are some shots from the party:

Present time!


The Batman playset draws a crowd.


Mr. Monkey Mac.


Maya, Gracie's new American Girl doll. She's wearing her soccer uniform. Maya also has a karate outfit, complete with every belt color. She's posing with Alex and Gracie, Gracie's twin dollies from her 4th birthday.


Ninja warriors.


Batgirls with the new Batman playset.


Slip and Slide!


The bathing beauties.


Every five year old girl's dream gift: a skull and crossbones skateboard.


Daddy tries the skateboard.


Cake on a stick, Minnesota style.


Hulk, the birthday girl.