Mt. Rushmore

A few years ago we were looking at a map and realized that Mt. Rushmore was only about 650 miles from us, which is about the same that we drive to Southern California and it would only take a day to get there and a day to get home. So we decided that we really wanted to go, it was only a question of when. Dan and I love planning road trips and some happen sooner than others. Last year we didn't make it on any long trips so we were determined to go somewhere new this year. As we planned, it started out a lot longer, but then reality checked in, along with expenses and we decided it was just to South Dakota and back, not a huge trip like we dreamed. But that will happen someday. Dan's work has just been so busy he didn't have a lot of time to take off either.
This is as you walk up to Mt. Rushmore. On a side note, we had started playing the out of state license plate game, which is great to do when you go to a National Park, especially one like Mt. Rushmore. We kept track and saw so many plates from different states and from different places in Canada. More on that later.
This was our first real glimpse of Mt. Rushmore. We are just on the other side of the entrance and right next to the Information/Visitor Center.

Dan & the kids. Me and the kids.

Getting closer. This is by the Avenue of Flags. Our state of Utah was near the end closes to the memorial.

I thought this was a pretty good picture for our little camera just on the viewing terrace. The morning was a little overcast and drizzle would start every now and then, but overall really nice because it wasn't hot.

Dan and the kids.

Me and the kids. Megan wouldn't turn around because she had already taken one picture in front of it and she wanted to keep looking at it.

We kept getting comments on how Nytis had the best seat being carried around all day. We also got lots of comments on how cute he was. I'd have to agree.

There's a long walk you can go on and getting closer to the monument. I think it's called the Presidents walk or tour. We got some really up close pictures of the statues. It was really cool. This is as close as you can get unless you're a worker helping with the upkeep of the monument.

Overall, very cool to see and I would highly encourage everyone to visit it at least once in their life. After we left, the weather turned very wet and it poured most of the day. We really went at the perfect time. As for the overall out of state license plate game, by the time we got home we were only missing 4 plates, which were Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire and Kentucky. Yes, we even got Hawaii and Alaska. It was a lot of fun.

Nytis on our Road Trip

We went to South Dakota for the weekend and Nytis spent a lot of the time in his carseat. He traveled really great. He slept. and he played with Jonah's dinosaurs. He was so cute because if he was grumpy at all you could give him one of these dinosaurs, especially the brontosaurus and he'd hold it and start growling. Sometimes we'd have to growl and then he'd start growling and he'd just sit there in his seat and growl.

Such a cute boy.

Jonah had to join in the dinosaur fun.

The other thing is, we'd be driving around and Nytis would get very tired and just sit there zoning, but when we got the camera out to take a picture, he'd perk up and give us an adorable smile.

4th of July fun

These pictures are in no particular order. We went to Grandma's annual 4th of July party. There was sponge races. A ring toss to get tootsie pops.

A pie eating contest. Jonah did not actually participate in the contest but after watching everyone eat their pie this way he decided to also.

Megan did participate in the contest for the first time.

This was Catherine's first year participating also.

A waterballoon toss.

A three legged race.

Jonah and his grandpa. He absolutely loves his grandpa and gets so excited whenever we go to grandpa's house.

We had to include Nytis in the pictures.

And the giant water slide. These pictures were supposed to be first.

Love this picture with the braids going wild.

We also watched fireworks at Dan's brother's house that night. Fourth of July was a lot of fun.

Birthday's this year

Nytis just turned one and loved eating cake for the first time. He's so cute. He's crawling and growling all over the place. He also loves his dad, actually prefers him to me. I think it's cute. Jonah turned 3 and is a very loving little kid. He loves to have "I Love You" fights with me and he yells it at me in a very angry voice, but smiling and a twinkle in his eye. He's all boy with wrestling and playing with cars and trains and dinosaurs.

Megan and Catherine wanted a combined birthday party this year so they had a "Super Mario Party." They are getting so grown up. Catherine loves to help take care of her siblings and Megan is still very cuddly. They all had fun birthdays.

King Nytis

This is the crown that Catherine made Nytis so he could be King. So very cute.

Sleeping baby

I never know how I'm going to find Nytis sleeping when I walk in there. Half the time he's pulled the blanket over his head, but I thought this was super cute with the blanket almost wrapped around him. Usually he's under it, not in it.

Cute pictures

Nytis is 7 months old now. Can you believe it?

Jonah loves his ice cream and cupcake.

Cute Catherine

Cute Megan

Sleeping baby

Proof that at least of my children will sleep on his back like he's supposed to.

Picking Pumpkins

Dan found this family owned pumpkin patch that we took the kids to so we could buy some pumpkins.

They had a cute little kids corn maze to go through.

Catherine so proud of the pumpkin she picked. Our rule is they have to be able to carry it, which she did, though not very far.

Mom & Nytis

They had old tractors the kids could climb on. Jonah was in heaven.

Catherine on a tractor.

Megan on a tractor.

Our family picture at the pumpkin patch.

This is Halloween

Here is Dan & my (and Nytis') costume for our party this year. Dan and I actually won best couple, though this is also the first year we coordinated outfits. Also, Nytis won the cutest costume (though I didn't mean for him to be in the running). His outfit did turn out so cute though.

A day at the zoo

I know I can fix the lighting on these pictures, I just haven't yet and I was so excited that I could post pictures to my blog (which I haven't been able to lately, for some unknown reason). On the elephant trunk.

Jonah didn't want to go near the gorilla.

The cute baby giraffe.

Jonah would sit on the tigers though. They did have a cute baby tiger, but it was asleep and hard to get a good picture of.

Three of my cute kids. Did you notice the animal print on the girls? They insisted on it because we were going to the zoo.

The girls on the Rhino.

The cute baby elephant.

It was actually "Talk like a pirate day" at the zoo, so we had Nytis in his cute pirate hat.