Summer Dancerella!

I think we might have a problem on our hands! What do ya think?!! Today was Summer's first day of her dancing class. She loved it!
Proud owner of tap shoes!!
Her first day of Ballet
Isn't she love-ly?

Dancing Summer!

dancing Summer from Kelli Melin and Vimeo.
Today was Summer's first day of dance. She loved it and is still wearing her ballet clothes and tromping around in her tap shoes 3 hours later! I loved watching her.

Our 1,000 mile weekend!

I know, we're crazy, but it was fun! I told Jess that I wanted to go to the "Medora Musical" and see Mt Rushmore before we moved from North Dakota. We decided to pack it all into one really full weekend the summer before we move. We had a wonderful time seeing the Black Hills and the South western part of North Dakota! It was breathtaking! There were so many pictures from our trip that some of them are under "older posts" already. be sure to check them out, too.
What is that picture you say? Well you know how sometimes when you are driving and you see something and you ask your travelling partner," Did you see that?!" Well this one was so odd that I actually let Jess turn around and take a picture of it! (that never happens!) This was in New Town, ND!
The bridge across Lake Sakakawea.

Camping at the Coolest KOA Ever!

T jay said that this was his favorite thing from the whole entire trip! They had a great time jumping!
The campground also had a playground, a splash park, a pool, horse back riding and recumbent bikes! There was so much to do that we could have spent three days there with out leaving.
They looked forward to S'mores all week! They were yummy!!

Crazy Horse Memorial

A real live Tee Pee
Crazy Horse Memorial is in the background.
In the front is a completed model that is 1/34 the size of the future one. The face is all that is completed on the mountain. Construction began in 1948. The face was unveiled at the 50 year anniversary.
Crazy horse said," My lands are where my dead lie buried." He is pointing to the Black Hills.
Plans for finishing. The original sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski knew he wouldn't live to see the project completed, so he and his wife made 3 books of detailed plans so it could be finished.

Mount Rushmore

Isn't it grand?!!!
Posing
Trying to take a closer look!
Matthew doesn't want to go! He had a strong grip on the railing.
Profile of George Washington. We got T Jay a shirt from Mt Rushmore that he wore to school today. He said, " I can't wait to see my teacher's face when she sees this!" referring to his shirt!

Medora Musical & the Pitch Fork Fondue

T Jay posing in front of the pitch fork fondue pots. That was some of the best steak I have ever had!!
Medora sun set while we were eating dinner. It was so beautiful.
Waiting for the show to start.
The set.
T Jay playing during intermission

Laughing Hyena

Laughing from Kelli Melin and Vimeo.
This video is so funny. T Jay is laughing at this comic who did juggling during the "Medora Musical." It was so funny to watch T Jay get such a kick out of him.

Camping in Medora

Summer helping take the tent down.
We didn't get back from the musical until about 11:30 pm. T Jay did not want to get up. Summer and Matthew had no trouble getting up at 6:30! Here, we are packing up the tent around T Jay.
Jess trying to get things put away so we could go sight seeing.
Matthew contained in the play pen.

Chateau De Mores

I read a series of historical fiction books by Lorraine Snelling (Ruby, Pearl and Opal) that were staged where Medora was founded by the Marquis De Mores. In the story, this mansion was being built. It was really fun to see all of the places and things mentioned in the books
This is the mansion, now referred to as the Chateau De Mores
This is the kitchen inside! One of my favorite things is to see things set up as they would have been in the past. I love museums and such for that reason. I am completely intrigued by the things that were used and how. I was surprised how simple everything is, even for a family that was so lavish in the late 1800's! I could definitely learn a lesson in simplifying...now how to implement it!!!
T Jay being silly in the hunting room. The house was built as a summer home/hunting "cabin." They had a bunch of things on a table for the kids to see.
This was their extremely modern bathroom! The white box is similar to an earth toilet you would find out in the woods. That big round thing is the tub! Hmmm... I am glad that I don't have to haul my bath water!!

Teddy Roosevelt National park-South unit

Teddy Roosevelt Came west to Medora for a hunting trip before he was the President. He liked it so much he partnered with someone on a cattle ranch, then bought another one of his own. His visit out here brought him concern over the use of the land and his idea of land preservation and conservation was started, thus we have a national park right here in North Dakota!
Buffalo roam free. There are also wild horses in the park, but we didn't see them.
T Jay and Summer both had to go potty while in the park, so Jess took them on a short "hike" over the hill out of site from the road! Hey, the animals pee there, right?!!
T Jay on his way back from his "hike!"
Buffalo herd

Medora

Medora is a wonderful town geared toward helping the tourist enjoy the west! We had lunch and enjoyed looking at all of the old buildings. There are 4 that were in existence when Teddy Roosevelt lived here.
I think that this is the cabin that used to be on Teddy Roosevelt's ranch. If this isn't the one, it looks just like the one in the brochures.

This sign shows the "skyline" of Medora in the late 1800's. I loved seeing all of the historical sites!

North Unit-Teddy Roosevelt National Park

The north unit is about an hour north of Medora. The views were beautiful.
I couldn't stay awake for all of the 30 minute drive. I was tired out from all of our late nights. Boy, vacations are a lot of work! Just kidding!
Hello Mr. Buffalo!