If you follow me on Facebook, you have learned that our camping trip came to an abrupt halt. I still plan to chronicle our adventure and bring you up to speed on where we are at. Here's a few more days of our travels.....
June 27: Arrive at KOA, Deadwood, SD
We pulled into the KOA around 1ish. We set up camp and explored. I'm not going to nay-say all KOAs....and the owners of Deadwood KOA were super wonderful and nice....but the sites at this KOA were very crowded. We had a cement slab between us and the next camper and it was tight. We also learned that at this particular KOA we were not allowed to have our own individual fires (due to the risk of forest fire). Needless to say, we were a little bummed. It didn't stop our attempt at fun, though. That evening, the kids and I went into town for some popcorn and a kiddie cocktail to give daddy some time to study. The Deadwood Trolley comes all the way up to the KOA and it costs $1/person to ride anywhere in town....how much fun we had!! The kids felt like they were on Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood :) All smiles! We found the old Saloon #10 and they gave out free popcorn and we ordered some cocktails. After that we tried to go to a few stores and we watched one of the reenactments of the old shootings that happened downtown. The girls thought it was fun, but loud. Liam was a bit scared. We eventually headed back to the campground for some supper and lights out.
June 28: Day 2 in Deadwood and Trip to Roughlock Falls
Thursday was a very nice day. We got up and ate breakfast, packed a sack lunch and headed out on a drive towards...well scenic stuff. We pulled up some stops on the map and found Roughlock Falls. It was beautiful and perfectly groomed for a nice hike with small kids. There were also many places where the kids could bend over and put their hands in the water, which they loved. We also saw many baby trout, which the kids thought was super super cool! After some lunch we drove into Spearfish and stopped at the Walmart to load up on some supplies, then back "home" to the camper. Once we got there, the hubby and little man stayed in the camper so little man could nap and hubby could study. The girls and I got our suits on and hit the pool. We had a blast! The girls learned how to "swim" in their life jackets without an adult holding onto them and E even went under water! They were so proud and we were proud of them, too! Eventually, we adults switched places so we could both have an opportunity to cool off. Little man then woke up and I took him to the pool, too. We played for a bit longer and then got dressed and the kids and I headed into town on the trolley for some supper so daddy could study some more. After supper we grabbed some ice cream and then came back for much needed sleep!
June 29: Day Trip to Mt. Rushmore and Hail Storm from Heck
Friday we got up and loaded up for a day trip to Mt. Rushmore. The drive was so pretty, though I'm pretty sure the adults were the only ones that enjoyed it. The kids wanted to watch a movie the whole time. We got there and explored the monument and visitor's center. The girls completed the National Monument's Jr. Ranger Activities and earned their Jr. Ranger Badges....very cool! They even got sworn in to protect all the National Monuments and Parks in the U.S. After some obligatory pictures in front of the monument we had a snack and headed back to the campground.
That afternoon, my sister, her husband and my sweet little niece came to visit. The weather wasn't awesome and Little Miss just had her shots, so she wasn't extremely happy, but it was still so wonderful to see her (and her parents ;) )
That evening brought rain. A warning came across our cell phones about a tornado warning and to seek shelter. We waited around about 20 minutes and then decided to head into town so we weren't at a campground when a tornado hit. We drove into town and started to park in a parking lot at the edge of main street with the intent to walk downtown and find a place to eat and seek shelter. We didn't really think a big storm was going to hit, but probably some heavy rain, so we wanted to be not outside. When we pulled over and started to get out of the vehicle some hail started. It hit us and it hurt, so we jumped back into the vehicle and I told hubs to drive towards the underground parking lot that I knew of and started to direct him towards it. I called my sister to tell her the plan and as I was on the phone with her the hail had broken their windshield and there were glass shards inside their vehicle. Not 30 seconds later our windshield broke. We were scared. It was unnerving seeing the hail continue to hit and break our windows...mirror....completely dent a vehicle we purchased 10 days prior. We couldn't get to the underground parking because that was everyone else's idea, but we were also stuck on the road from all the other cars trying to get into shelter....so hubby jumped a curb and we drove to a brick visitor's center and we got the kids out and all inside to safety. We no more than got inside when the hail stopped and the clouds began to lift. We called my sister and they had driven back to their hotel. We met up with them and assessed all our damage. Then, with nothing left to do but try calm ourselves, we went out to eat. After that we drove up to the KOA to see what our camper looked like. It had a lot of cosmetic damage, but everything worked and we were luckier than a lot of our neighbors at the KOA. Many people had their skylights smashed in, but we did not. After some visiting and calling around to some windshield repair people, we retired for the night.
Stay tuned for the next installment.
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Friday, June 29, 2018
The Journey Begins
I had grand intentions of writing about the preparations of this big trip we decided to take between the hubby finishing up training and moving to the Iron Range to start his “big boy” job, but as someone who does everything last minute and works best under pressure - I did not make the time to do it. SO...a week into our trip and you get to hear about how the first week has gone, and maybe someday I will share how I prepped for this as well.
June 21st: Graduation Day!!
Both my parents and inlaws made it to celebrate the big day, as well as hubby's aunt K and uncle R from his mom's side. The kids did fairly well - nope...just kidding. E had many complaints right from the get-go "This is SO BORING!" "I just want to go PLAY!" "When is this going to be OVER!". L fell asleep in my mom's arms, thank goodness! Little man needed a nap! E and I escaped to the lobby area for a bit and G was entertained by Grandma K most of the time. Hubby said some really nice things about how I have mainly parented solo for the past 5 years and I felt very appreciated. It also rained like crazy - all day! Despite the rain, we enjoyed a delicious steak dinner made by hubby's parents, complete with decorations and all! A dear friend of mine made us a couple of delicious cakes - carrot and chocolate - YUM!!!! We ate on them for 3 days! Thursday was also our first night in the camper. Little man hardly slept and was elbowing me in the face for most of the night. E had a potty accident in her bunk and it rained.
June 22nd: Move Out Day!!
Thanks to hardwork from my parents and inlaws we got a bunch of stuff packed up and cleaned Thursday. We still had some more to do on Friday morning and the hubby and my parents did a bunch of work, while the kiddos and I ran a couple errands. When it was finally all done, we headed back out to the campground and were blessed with Ryan's brother, wife *well soon to be, they are engaged, it's easier to say it this way, plus she's been family forever at this point* and little boys visiting. The kids had an absolute blast, despite the heat and crazy fast river current preventing us from swimming. The kids played a lot at the park and at the campsite with water balloons and squirt guns. Night two in the camper went slightly better, with little man sleeping more, but still in our bed....but then E puked. Best to get it all out of the way before we leave town ;)
June 23rd: Visiting Day
I dubbed Saturday, Visiting Day, because we were so lucky to have so many friends come say "See You Later" and bring us road tripping tricks and treats. It was such a beautiful day of friendship. I was excited for my parents to still be there to see all the wonderful friends that stopped by and get another glimpse into the amazing place that is La Crosse because of the PEOPLE of La Crosse. We still had much prepping to do for the trip and we didn't get nearly as much done as either of us had hoped, but it was a nice day. Night 3 in the camper and we got smart - set up the Pack n Play - Little Man finally slept!
June 24th: On the Road Again
We got up early and got straight to work getting the camper ready to officially hit the road. My parents left really early for their long drive home. We finally left La Crosse around noon, heading to Rochester to drop off the pickup at my inlaws and get in some last quality time before our summer trip. Hubby, the kids and camper took off before me. I put some stuff in storage and ran through Moka one last time :) When I arrived in Rochester (well Zumbro Falls country if you wanna get technical) the hubs had showered and the kids were in full blown play mode - it was so nice for them to get out so much energy before our long leg. Hubs and FIL checked over all the wires and hoses and made sure we were in safe, working order. It was so much appreciated, but I have to admit, I was ANTSY....lets go!!! It poured all the way to Brandon, SD where we pulled into Jellystone Campground. We were lucky with a quick break in the storm just in time to set up camp. Night 4 - all is well!
June 25th: Day at Jellystone
Rain, Rain, Go Away! It rained almost all day...there were a couple minor breaks in the weather where we jumped on the inflatable pillow that they have there. We also partook in craft time and a scavenger hunt. I would say the main highlight was meeting Yogi, even though G and L were pretty scared of him . Jellystone in Brandon is set up very nice for families, especially if you plan to take in the activities. Some downfalls - right next to the highway, so it's loud with traffic and the sites are pretty small. If you are planning to hang out around your campfire/camper, it's not set up for that. Pros - clean, free showers, expansive campground store and pool looks awesome.
June 26th: Travel to the Badlands in Interior, SD
It was a nice warm day for traveling. I was grateful for my AC and built in DVD player. I made sure we weren't traveling more than 5 hours in any given day on this trip, but even with that kids get a little bored. We stopped in Mitchell, SD at a beautiful city park and had a picnic lunch. I think the kids really enjoyed that. My only complain there- sand! Nevertheless, it was a perfect stop.
We showed up to the Badlands Motel and Campground early afternoon, with plenty of time for a swim and even a trip into the National Park for some kid rock climbing. The swim was just what the kids needed. They had been begging for a pool since we were in La Crosse. While in the pool, we also met our camper neighbors...a little boy who was 9. Later in the evening the kids all caught toads together and did some sketching. It was so fun to find some friends on the journey. Back to our trip into the National Park.....we stopped at the visitor center and found out that the whole Badlands Park is free to just climb and walk around - you don't have to stick to the trails! SO....we ventured out just next to the center and let the kids climb. All 3 got nice and dirty and enjoyed "rock climbing". Back at the camper, the girls and I stayed up visiting with the neighbors, while the boys went to bed.
Okay, that's all I have time for this session. The kids are playing at the park right now while hubby studies. We have to head into town for supper soon.
June 21st: Graduation Day!!
Both my parents and inlaws made it to celebrate the big day, as well as hubby's aunt K and uncle R from his mom's side. The kids did fairly well - nope...just kidding. E had many complaints right from the get-go "This is SO BORING!" "I just want to go PLAY!" "When is this going to be OVER!". L fell asleep in my mom's arms, thank goodness! Little man needed a nap! E and I escaped to the lobby area for a bit and G was entertained by Grandma K most of the time. Hubby said some really nice things about how I have mainly parented solo for the past 5 years and I felt very appreciated. It also rained like crazy - all day! Despite the rain, we enjoyed a delicious steak dinner made by hubby's parents, complete with decorations and all! A dear friend of mine made us a couple of delicious cakes - carrot and chocolate - YUM!!!! We ate on them for 3 days! Thursday was also our first night in the camper. Little man hardly slept and was elbowing me in the face for most of the night. E had a potty accident in her bunk and it rained.
June 22nd: Move Out Day!!
Thanks to hardwork from my parents and inlaws we got a bunch of stuff packed up and cleaned Thursday. We still had some more to do on Friday morning and the hubby and my parents did a bunch of work, while the kiddos and I ran a couple errands. When it was finally all done, we headed back out to the campground and were blessed with Ryan's brother, wife *well soon to be, they are engaged, it's easier to say it this way, plus she's been family forever at this point* and little boys visiting. The kids had an absolute blast, despite the heat and crazy fast river current preventing us from swimming. The kids played a lot at the park and at the campsite with water balloons and squirt guns. Night two in the camper went slightly better, with little man sleeping more, but still in our bed....but then E puked. Best to get it all out of the way before we leave town ;)
June 23rd: Visiting Day
I dubbed Saturday, Visiting Day, because we were so lucky to have so many friends come say "See You Later" and bring us road tripping tricks and treats. It was such a beautiful day of friendship. I was excited for my parents to still be there to see all the wonderful friends that stopped by and get another glimpse into the amazing place that is La Crosse because of the PEOPLE of La Crosse. We still had much prepping to do for the trip and we didn't get nearly as much done as either of us had hoped, but it was a nice day. Night 3 in the camper and we got smart - set up the Pack n Play - Little Man finally slept!
June 24th: On the Road Again
We got up early and got straight to work getting the camper ready to officially hit the road. My parents left really early for their long drive home. We finally left La Crosse around noon, heading to Rochester to drop off the pickup at my inlaws and get in some last quality time before our summer trip. Hubby, the kids and camper took off before me. I put some stuff in storage and ran through Moka one last time :) When I arrived in Rochester (well Zumbro Falls country if you wanna get technical) the hubs had showered and the kids were in full blown play mode - it was so nice for them to get out so much energy before our long leg. Hubs and FIL checked over all the wires and hoses and made sure we were in safe, working order. It was so much appreciated, but I have to admit, I was ANTSY....lets go!!! It poured all the way to Brandon, SD where we pulled into Jellystone Campground. We were lucky with a quick break in the storm just in time to set up camp. Night 4 - all is well!
June 25th: Day at Jellystone
Rain, Rain, Go Away! It rained almost all day...there were a couple minor breaks in the weather where we jumped on the inflatable pillow that they have there. We also partook in craft time and a scavenger hunt. I would say the main highlight was meeting Yogi, even though G and L were pretty scared of him . Jellystone in Brandon is set up very nice for families, especially if you plan to take in the activities. Some downfalls - right next to the highway, so it's loud with traffic and the sites are pretty small. If you are planning to hang out around your campfire/camper, it's not set up for that. Pros - clean, free showers, expansive campground store and pool looks awesome.
June 26th: Travel to the Badlands in Interior, SD
It was a nice warm day for traveling. I was grateful for my AC and built in DVD player. I made sure we weren't traveling more than 5 hours in any given day on this trip, but even with that kids get a little bored. We stopped in Mitchell, SD at a beautiful city park and had a picnic lunch. I think the kids really enjoyed that. My only complain there- sand! Nevertheless, it was a perfect stop.
We showed up to the Badlands Motel and Campground early afternoon, with plenty of time for a swim and even a trip into the National Park for some kid rock climbing. The swim was just what the kids needed. They had been begging for a pool since we were in La Crosse. While in the pool, we also met our camper neighbors...a little boy who was 9. Later in the evening the kids all caught toads together and did some sketching. It was so fun to find some friends on the journey. Back to our trip into the National Park.....we stopped at the visitor center and found out that the whole Badlands Park is free to just climb and walk around - you don't have to stick to the trails! SO....we ventured out just next to the center and let the kids climb. All 3 got nice and dirty and enjoyed "rock climbing". Back at the camper, the girls and I stayed up visiting with the neighbors, while the boys went to bed.
Okay, that's all I have time for this session. The kids are playing at the park right now while hubby studies. We have to head into town for supper soon.
Friday, June 22, 2018
My Corner of the World
Hello!
Welcome to my little corner of the world. I'm a wife, mama, entrepreneur, reader and amateur writer (read I have lost everything my beloved English teacher taught me about grammar...shh). The hubs and I have moved many times throughout our, almost 10 year, marriage. We have 3 adorable, smart kiddos and are about to embark on another moving adventure - this time to Great Northern Minnesota's Iron Range! This will hopefully be our last move to a different state or even part of the state. Follow along as I share our journey to making the Iron Range our forever home. I hope to pepper in some recipes, funny stories and DIY home projects. I also run a small business called With Love, Randali, so you will hear alot about that as well. Enjoy!
Welcome to my little corner of the world. I'm a wife, mama, entrepreneur, reader and amateur writer (read I have lost everything my beloved English teacher taught me about grammar...shh). The hubs and I have moved many times throughout our, almost 10 year, marriage. We have 3 adorable, smart kiddos and are about to embark on another moving adventure - this time to Great Northern Minnesota's Iron Range! This will hopefully be our last move to a different state or even part of the state. Follow along as I share our journey to making the Iron Range our forever home. I hope to pepper in some recipes, funny stories and DIY home projects. I also run a small business called With Love, Randali, so you will hear alot about that as well. Enjoy!
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