A couple of months ago, Trav found out he'd need to be going to
North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana
to look at a bunch of Church parking lots for the FM guy over that area.
He knew that due to the snow, he wouldn't be able to go until the end of March
or first part of April.
As he looked things over, he realized it would be close to 2500 miles he'd have to cover.
During Ty's wrestling, he was able to get a huge chunk of it finished,
but would need to go back up to finish.
I have always wanted to see Mount Rushmore.
Trav had to meet the FM guy right there in Rapid City.
Being Spring Break, he talked to his boss and got special permission
to take our family with him to meet with him and to look at the churches,
so that we could be together as a family for Spring Break and to visit
all of the historical sights around that area!
I was so excited and so grateful!
As soon as the kids opened their baskets Easter morning,
we loaded up the car and took off because bad weather was supposed to
coming later in the week.
We also wanted to be able to have time at Martin's Cove along the way.
We made it to Martin's Cove around 4 p.m. Easter afternoon.
What a beautiful place to spend part of our Easter Sunday.
The Mission President and his wife took us on a tour of the visitors center there,
shared with us some stories, gave the kids a necklace and let us push a cart close by.
It was so windy, cold and late, that we didn't have time to walk the mile
into the Cove, or to walk over to Devil's Gate,
but the time we spent there was special.
We were able to walk over to the Sweetwater River and get a family picture.
I loved being able to share some of my experiences
from Trek there 6 years ago with my family.
We all took turns so each of us could experience pulling the cart!
We carried on from there and made our way to Rapid City, South Dakota
by around 11 p.m. that night.
Austy was so proud of the fact that he could fit in Ty's old Nike Socks,
that he insisted on hiking his pants up so everyone could see his cool socks!
The lady at the Marriott's front desk made a big deal out of his socks....
Austy LOVED that!
We woke up the next morning, ate breakfast and took off to the Church FM Office
so Dad could meet with him about the buildings he needed Dad to bid.
While they were meeting, the kids and I played around in an empty field next to the FM office!
When Trav was finished with his meeting and measuring that parking lot,
we drove to Walmart and loaded up on lunch stuff and snacks and took off to Mount Rushmore.
Of course, we had to stop at this cool T-Rex off the side of the road on our way!
Austy LOVES dinosaurs right now and thought this was so cool!
Of course, we had to stop at this cool T-Rex off the side of the road on our way!
Austy LOVES dinosaurs right now and thought this was so cool!
What a beautiful drive through the canyon and the cool old mining towns!
It is the coolest sight as you wind through that pretty canyon,
to come around a bend in the road and see Mount Rushmore from the side!
We had to pull over for a pic!
Loved it!
to come around a bend in the road and see Mount Rushmore from the side!
We had to pull over for a pic!
Loved it!
(We had no clue who he was until we googled)
a tv and movie actor,
was there filming commercials for Walgreens and their Red Nose Day Special
to help kids suffering from poverty.
Garrett and Ty walked in to one of their shots, so we had to sign Release Forms
allowing them to use them in their commercial.
We had been there a while just looking around in gift shops and the museums,
when they came back and asked to interview Austy.
Well.....Austy wasn't going to have any part of that!
He grabbed my leg and hid and told me he didn't want to talk to them.
I offered Sis and she lit right up!
Next thing I knew.....we were all apart of it.
I had to act like I was taking pics of the kids with Mt. Rushmore in the back,
while Ravi Patel photobombed them with his red nose.....putting one on Julia as well.
After that.....he sat down and interviewed with Sis for a little bit!
She was so excited about all of that!
They told us to check Walgreens Red Nose website in a few weeks and it will all be on there....
as to what airs on tv, there are no guarantee's!
That added a little excitement to our trip!
So many people had told us, "It's just a rock.....don't be disppointed!"
I don't think I would describe it as that.....It's truly beautiful
and there was a special feeling there.....at least for me!
I loved Mt. Rushmore!
but by the time we made it there....it was only open another hour and they
wanted $28 to get in! We thought that was silly and could see it mostly from the road
anyway, so we took a couple of pictures and turned around!
We ate dinner and took off to the pool and water slides!
We had the best time there!
I was so surprised at Austy.....He couldn't get off and on those slides fast enough!
He loved it......we all did!
We took turns riding with each other and had a blast!
We left all of our cameras in the room.....so I grabbed some pics online to remember!
We woke up earlier the next morning and took off to see Sturgis and Deadwood.
We had heard that Casper was going to get 2-3 feet of snow.
When conditions are like that.....freeways usually get
shut down in that area and you become stuck!
We did not want to be stuck in Casper!
So....we hit Sturgis, Deadwood and then headed to Bozeman Montana.
As Grandpa Davies would say.....Sturgis "Wasn't anything to write home about!"
I don't get the draw there for the bikers.
To me it was like getting off in Beaver Utah! Ha ha!
Trav had to look at a church there, we got a pic of the kids by the sign and left!
We originally wanted to stop there to take the kids through a mine they showed online,
but once I called the city office, we found out that doesn't open until Memorial Day.
I asked if there was anything else to do in Deadwood and she told me to go down old Main.
She said we had to see Saloon 10 and some of the other fun shops.
So....we parked at the old Train Station, which is now the City hall, and picked up some
pamphlets and walked through the little town museum in that building.
Many of the townspeople didn't want him there, because they thought he was going
to come and make them behave and get rid of some of the things they enjoyed doing.
One day while Wild Bill was playing around of cards at Saloon 10,
a man walked in and shot him in the back of the head and killed him instantly.
Saloon 10 has the chair he was sitting in above the door,
and his last round of cards in a frame on the wall.
Such a lovely story! Ha ha!
We really loved the Saloon. So cool!
The sign out front says "Families with Children welcome til 8:30!"
We had the whole place to ourselves.....so we walked all around it,then sat at the bar and ordered us all a Sasparilla.
I used to love to go with Grandma and Grandpa to Robintinos and get Sasparilla.....
Deadwood Sasparilla didn't taste much like Robintino's.
It was a little pricey too, for the little plastic cups we got.....but for the experience of it all,
we'd probably pay that again!
Hopefully it's the kids first and last Saloon!
We learned there that Calamity Jane was also a member of the community
and passed around rumors that she and Wild Bill were a thing.....
Wild Bill continually denied that rumor.
After seeing her pictures.....I'm guessing it was just a rumor too! Ha ha!
Her dying wish was to be buried next to him.....she got her wish.
From the Saloon, we traveled up to Mt. Moriah Cemetery to see their graves.
Marth Jane Burke.
Julia is convinced we are related.
One of the Sheriffs in town at the time, was best friends with Theodore Roosevelt.
When Theodore passed away, that man made a tower dedicated to him across the town
and up a little canyon over looking the valley.
That tower is known as Friendship Tower.
We read about that in a pamphlet while walking around the cemetery and decided...
what the heck! Let's go check it out!
We wound up that hill for quite a ways.....only ones in the area!
We had to park at one point and hike through a little snow to find it.....
but it was kindof a cool little find off the beaten path!
The view was beautiful from up there!
I hated to leave Deadwood.....that was such a fun day exploring!
I felt like we had stepped back in time!
The whole trip to Bozeman was filled with rain and snow.....
but some really beautiful spots along the way!
We were starving by the time we pulled in....but we all wanted something different.
We hit KFC and Panda Express and took off to the hotel.
The kids loved this place because the only room that fit us was a mini-suite!
Garrett and Ty had their own room and bath,
Julia and Austy shared the sofa bed in the living room/kitchen area,
and Trav and I had our own little peace and quiet in our own bed and bath!
It was still snowing/raining a little for our drive, but wasn't bad.
The canyon we drove through to get to Yellowstone was gorgeous.
The river and snow covered pine trees were so pretty!
We FINALLY made it to the gates of West Yellowstone, only to find this......
Apparently everybody but the Burke's knew that only the North entrance of Yellowstone is
open year round.....which we had passed the night before!
3 hours out of our way to take the kids there and they were closed!
All we could do was laugh and feel a little disappointed!
DANG!
I was excited to drive through there again and let Austy see all of that!
We turned around and got back in to town, when I decided that was too funny
and we needed to go back and at least get a picture by the sign!
Trav indulged me and drove us back!
When we pulled up, another family was at the sign getting a picture!
I offered to take there picture and as they handed me their camera I said,
"Were you guys hoping to get in to the park today too?"
Their reply????
"Oh heaven's no! Everyone knows the park isn't open this time of year!
We just stopped in for a quick picture by the sign!"
Yeah......us too! :)
Everyone knows.....whatever! Ha ha!
Then they left without offering to take our pic.....in their defense....Trav was on the phone,
but still.....I thought that was a little weird not to offer!
Good thing we brought the selfie stick!
We drove about 3-4 more hours and stopped in Logan for Dinner with Gma and Gpa Hale.
We made it to the cabin around 9 p.m. that night and boy did it feel good to get there!
We had beautiful weather and fresh snow.....the kids played in the snow,
made snowmen using Easter candy for his face, and we snowmobiled.....even in to the night!
and relit the whole thing while watching conference!
Always Christmas at the Cabin!
That Sunday, before we went home, we stopped at our Burke Cousin Easter Party!
The kids always love getting together!
Grandma had a great egg hunt ready for them all!
I loved this Spring Break!
Fulfilling a Bucket List item felt really good....
and loving it as much as I had hoped, felt even better!
Even though we were a little tight in the car for long periods of time,
and may or may not have had a few little arguments here and there....
I love the time we get as a family when we're all together like that, day in and day out!
Cannot believe Spring Break has come and gone.....School will be out before we know it!
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