Well, I would definitely call our first week of camping a huge success. The kids have done a great job of getting along (most of the time, it's South Dakota, not Heaven), and nobody is broken. Suzy had a lame leg for the morning, we're not sure if she got kicked in the pool or slept funny or if it's just growing pains, but it was fine by this evening so we're going with it. Today we did the Jr. Ranger Program at Jewel Cave. It was great and it was free! We all learned a lot from it and the kids earned Jr. Ranger Badges and Patches. They have the program at Yellowstone too so we'll be checking into that when we get there. We even found a Museum of Woodcarving for Mike and Jillian today. It was different than what I originally expected, but very cool too. It was the collection of the guy who developed 3D animation (using his woodcarvings) and who was then contacted by Walt Disney to design their stuff in Disneyland. Who knew?
We are packed up and ready to roll after breakfast in the morning. the kids all have their one outfit for tomorrow (we have realized that this procedure works best for us). it's been a good and relaxing night except for the screaming when we used Aloe on the kids faces. Whatever they use in their pool here has really made the kids skin sensitive. but their faces aren't as pink, so they are seeing that they needed the aloe. Fortunately no one is very badly burned (name that movie...)
Here are a few pics, some compliments of Ali as she has started to take an interest in taking the pictures.
This was a test space for the people going on the super crazy caving tours. We saw a not very large man get himself almost stuck and heard later that the cave goes on about that size for 700 feet. Um, no thanks. I told the girls that Miss Beth would take them caving someday in KY when they are old and I will just stand at the entrance of the cave and cry till they come out. it will be super fun.
The bookstore at Rushmore. We're good Mom, no need to buy it, we'll just go ahead and read it here.
Off to bed, hopefully the new arrivals will settle down soon. They are a bit scream-y compared to all the other neighbors. Noobs.
PS we've also created a new word. Famping is fake camping and it applies to the RV that moved in that has a separate outside kitchenette, in addition to its inside kitchen. When you bring your whole house with you, you are a fake camper. that is all.
