Looking back two months, I am still tired thinking about this trip. We picked the kids up early from school on Friday, Ryan luckily was able to leave a little early, because it took us 10 hours to drive to the house we were staying in with my college roommate Jennie and Family and their friends the Taylors. It was the 3rd Swa-Preece vacation, and the first Swa-Preecelor trip. Madeline was the oldest at 8. The car trip there was adventurous, the definition for not as fun as we hoped- lots of tempers spiked. We listened to books on CD, played Mad Libs, listened to music and watched a couple of movies.
Sam in the Visitors Center at Jewel Cave. His motto was "If I can't see you, then, I can't hear you, and I can't be responsible for what you say".
Several of the happy and unhappy participants in the cave. Ella had a standoff that was noteworthy. We found out that Max becomes claustrophobic in caves, as he cried begged to leave "right now" for the last 30 minutes. Sam ran away from us when we put him down and screamed when we picked him up.
Jennie with Kate and Sammy and Max and Sam near the end of the beautiful yet torturous cave walk.
Ryan enjoying a little peace in the cave.
Madeline enjoyed feeding the horses at our Cowboy dinner and show.
She has dreamed and researched all summer about buying a horse. Her and Ella decided they could board it at our neighbors since our rental agreement bars any animals.
Ella practices roping.
Max and Sam loved the horses as well.
Sam tried to feed the horses everything, an experiment to see what they would eat. They ate the grass he offered but refused the rocks and boards.
All the kids minus Max and Sam outside of Crazy Horse.
Ryan and Mike enjoyed each others company.
At Custer State park, the kids all rushed to the toilet, several of them hit buffalo pies on the way.
Everyone made it in the picture, a scenic view along the scenic drive through Custer State Park.
Ryan proudly gazing at Madeline as she tries to catch a fish. One of the more memorable quotes was Madeline explaining as she drove with the Taylor family that she couldn't help getting mad, and she finally understood that she got mad often because she was born in the year of the goat.
Max had multiple falls on the trip, he acquired several facial wounds by the end of the trip.
Mt. Rushmore. The girls have been wanting to come since we moved to Minnesota, and here we all are. Max's biggest fall was down the stairs that are directly behind us.
Madeline rode home with Carter, and they stopped for a buffalo viewing and for pie at the Purple Pie Palace.
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The grand finale the night before we left was roasting marshmallows around the fire. The kids all happily wandered the near woods to gather brush and sticks for the fire. After putting the kids to bed, we adults chatted around the fire for several hours until we became too cold.
Max with his battle wounds and the remnants of his Smore.
One more picture of most of us.
Here are the four oldest. Madeline and Ella had so much fun with Carter and Kelly.
Carter took a picture of the adults, proof of our existence and the great company we enjoyed in the midst of the fun kid chaos. We were excited to be heading home, Ryan and I like to get back home, especially when we have a garden that needs to be watered. The kids were tired, and we listened to a theatrical version of The Horse and His Boy, which everyone loved except for Sam.
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