Vacation

We arrived home yesterday afternoon after our ten-day vacation loop through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota. It was a work (for Dave)/family vacation - and we had such a great time. Here are some of the highlights. (I'll forewarn you this will be long!)

SIOUX FALLS - Regrettably, I didn't have my compact digital camera yet, and I didn't want to lug my big one around. So unfortunately I don't have any photos of Aden in the space shuttle flight simulator, the hand-gliding simulator, or the tornado simulator at the Kirby Science Center. Let it suffice to say that the place was an ideal afternoon excursion for this mom and 7 year old! We had lots of fun while Dave went to work appointments.

RAPID CITY - Old Macdonald's Farm - Again, while Dave went to appointments, Aden and I hung out at Old Macdonald's Farm, an animal mecca that included baby goats, pig races, and bottle fed lambs and calves. Aden has always had an inexplicable interest in chickens, which previously left him disappointed that he could never catch or handle them. This time, however, Aden met up with "Salt and Pepper" the chicken known at Old MacDonald Farm as the poultry who believes he is human. Aden spent most of our time at the farm handling this chicken and carrying him around. This special rooster was a content cuddler, even falling asleep in Aden's arms. Aden begged to use his own money to buy this friendly chicken, but this popular addition to the farm was not for sale. RAPID CITY - Bear Country - We visited Bear Country, where Aden was thrilled to see the bears, badgers, mountain lions, wolves and a real bobcat (namesake of our sweet feline!).
TRAVEL - We traveled from home to Sioux Falls, then to Rapid City, then to my hometown of Cody, WY; a total of about fourteen and a half hours. We passed the time in the car listening to Harry Potter. The time flew by, and Aden was a delightful traveler. Evenings in motel pools helped too! (Aden is a bit of a fish!) Between Rapid City and Cody, we passed over the Big Horn mountains, a camping destination during my growing up years. Aden was interested in the mountains (including the wild deer and birds we saw here, of course) and he was fascinated by the sight of snow in July. We captured this shot of Aden in front of the snow-patched mountaintops:
CODY, WY - Wow were we busy in Cody! Dad and Patty treated us to great meals, all of the traditional Fourth of July festivities I remember as a kid, and some fun games at home. Not even the sewer back-up slowed us down! Peppered throughout our activities were the visits from my aunt and cousins. It was great to see everyone. We also took in the Fourth of July Parade, and Dad and Patty took Aden to the fireworks.

The Fourth of July in Cody, Wyoming is incomplete without the rodeo. It was Aden and Dave's first rodeo, and a lovely first one because the Cody Stampede Rodeo is held against the beautiful backdrop of a lovely Wyoming sunset and Carter and Rattlesnake mountains (photo of the mountains by talented photographer Dewey Vanderhoff). We had the best seats in the house. Aden's favorite part of the rodeo was the bull riding. Dad had lots of fun telling Aden all about the rodeo.

Dave and I spent Monday afternoon in Powell with my Aunt Jane and Uncle Charlie. It was such a lovely afternoon of visiting and packing dishes. Before our trip Jane had contacted me to see if I might be interested in taking possession of my grandmother's dishes - a very exciting surprise for me! Grandma Webster loved dishes, and loved entertaining. I remember these beautiful dishes, and the many delicious meals she served on them, from my childhood. I can't wait until we can use them and have the space to display them (what is now our "Someday House") :)
We enjoyed the barbeque with Patty's family at her house (where Aden also went on his first Harley Davidson). Patty and Bob got him geared up, then away they went! Harleys have radios, I learned! Dave, Aden and Dad went four wheeling in the hills around Cody, and we visited the Buffalo Bill Dam, where Aden found my grandparents' memorial stone.On Sunday we took a rafting trip down the Shoshone River. We saw the beautiful scenery, wildlife, and pictographs down the canyon, and it was such fun getting soaked (and the front row gets soaked to the bone!). The leather wallets and cell phones even made it through. Luckily we had thought to put the cameras in baggies... We missed having Patty along, but she had been rafting before. One of the guides was a boy I babysat when I was about fourteen years old. The last time I saw him he was sucking his pacifier looking for his fuzzy blankie... No experience has helped me realize my age quite like that one.On the way home we stopped in Fargo and Bismarck. A couple of movies and evenings in the pool finished out our trip. Boy were the cats glad to see us when we walked in the door!