National Park Trip 2016 {Badlands}

We couldn't be all the way in South Dakota without making a stop in the Badlands.  We were only there for 2-3 hours because we had to get on the road (and it started to rain).  I was a bit sad to leave before getting in a good hike.  But I'm glad we made the effort to drive through the park.  It's beautiful because of its massive views and the stark contrast of the green meadowlands next to the giant mounds of dirt and sand.  The boys LOVED climbing on the structures.  It was fun for them to be so high but it wasn't scary high because the worst that would happen is that you would slide down some sand.

See Nathan way up there!

These are some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

And last, but not least, Nathan's shoes, with his toe poking through.  Poor baby.

From here, we started our trek south :(

All good things must come to and end.  We left tired, but full of memories from all we had experienced.

National Park Trip 2016 {An Afternoon at Custer State Park}

My friend bragged on Custer State Park and so I had to copy her and go there.  We didn't get to stay in the park because everything was crazy booked when we were there due to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  We asked the front desk guy at our hotel what his favorite thing to do at the park was and he said it was Sylvan Lake.  Again, it didn't disappoint.  After our afternoon, I put it in my list of places to return.  

Our boys swam out to that rock... how fun is that!  Nathan looked like a little European in his swim team suit ;) 

On top of the one of the rock formations.

Love this one of him, he's laughing at something his dad said... it's like you can almost see the admiration in his eyes and I love that.

Nathan literally rolling in the sand.

Lots of accessible rock adventuring.

Their true selves.

Maybe one of my fav pics of us ever.  Only wish Chris weren't the one taking it, so he could be in it too.

My very first baby... amazing how grown up he is.

Stopping to see a crawdad.

I found lots of these photos on Chris's phone.  Thanks babe, for capturing me doing my thing :) 

National Park Trip 2016 {Mount Rushmore & Wind Cave National Park}

The trip through Wyoming to South Dakota wasn't a short one, but it was beautiful.  

Sometimes you have to get out and stretch.

We got to Mount Rushmore just as the sun was going down.  It was perfect timing because their evening program is at 9:00 each night.  We hadn't eaten dinner and our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were wearing thin.  We snapped a few pictures and got some dinner in the cafeteria.  

Don't let these pictures fool you... there were lots of people.  I just waited for awhile as to not get them in my picture ;) 

During the program, they show a movie which tells you about the history of Mount Rushmore and why each of the presidents was chosen to be on the monument.  So interesting.  I honestly had no idea.  Then the Ranger talked for a bit and allowed every person who had served in the military to come up front and take down the flag.  They all said their name and rank and years they served.  The whole thing was inspiring, and sitting there with all five boys, made me wonder if any of them will choose to serve our country, and how it would make me scared and proud at the same time.

When the program ended, we were walking up the steps and Asher said to me, "I haven't felt good about America in a long time, but I feel good about America tonight."  Sweet boy.

I wasn't sure if Mount Rushmore was going to be worth it.  After all, it's just some faces carved in the side of a mountain.  But again, we left feeling inspired and proud to be Americans.  So I say it's worth the stop!

The next day we headed to Wind Cave, just a short drive.  It was Graham and Nathan's favorite stop.  It's not much to look at when you drive up.  It's just a big, vast prairie.  Underneath the ground is a system of caves so vast, they haven't even been able to explore more than 10 percent of it.  You can sign up for tours and we thoroughly enjoyed ours.  Graham wants to go back and do the four hour crawling tour (you have to be 16 to do it).  I told him he'd have to go on that tour by himself!  But the walking tours are super cool.  It's dry and cool down there and it's simply amazing.

This is the only picture of us I took, as we were descending.  It's less creepy than I thought it would be, but I can't say I wasn't happy to see the light of day after being down there an hour! :)

It's a must-see if you are in the Black Hills area, in my opinion.

National Park Trip 2016 {Upper Falls & Artist's Point}

We packed up and headed toward Cody, Wyoming.  But on the way... we had to see some of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.  We decided to hike the path between Upper Falls and Artist Point.  The hike is family friendly but with lots of drop offs.  We had a "one child and one adult" policy, meaning that you could go peer over the ledge, but only with supervision.  

It's hard to see in the picture, but you could completely plunge to your death here.  We opted to always be behind a tree limb.

My dad laughing... something about standing on the edge of such treachery makes you giggle ;) 

The views along the way were spectacular.

On this trip, Graham discovered his love for hiking.  It's fun to see him in his element.

Artist Point.  I guess I can see why many a painter has wanted to capture this.

It's *kind of* beautiful.

Enjoying the view.

All of us.  A once in a lifetime view and experience.

On the way out of the park we saw some more wildlife.

Yellowstone Lake is massive, and so untouched.  I half expected to see dinosaurs roaming around.

Taking in the view, for the millionth time on this trip.  It really doesn't get old.

We stayed the night in the left two teepees, our first glamping experience.

Super comfy inside.

On the way out of Cody, we got a flat tire, about 1 mile from the best tire shop we've ever seen.  $15 later, we were on the road heading toward the Black Hills.