Road Trip! Summer 2011

Earlier this summer we were supposed to go to Bismarck to hang out with family and attend my nephew's graduation. But because of the flooding in that area my brother advised us not to venture that way. So we had already planned a mini vacation so we decided to just drive and see where we ended up.  I LOVE these kinda road trips! Yes even a planner like myself can enjoy some time of pure "fly by the seat of our pants" We ended up driving into South Dakota (Andy's favorite state in the whole country) and followed I29 south...we stopped in a few different cities..There's lots of pics so be prepared :o)

We see a giant duck....and we must take a picture by it!

We went to a couple different zoo's...each one had neat animals to see

The penguins were so fun to watch! waddlin all over the place!

Momma monkey feeding her baby...

I'm speechless! Yes this my child!

This little baby was just born this spring...so cute

They went in a tunnel and popped up inside the turtle enclosure

Bayleann has a love of carousels...everytime we see one that she can ride she wants to.

The next few pictures are from the USS South Dakota...a war ship that is on display in Souix Falls..It was cool to go through the museum and then around the boat...seeing the kids next to the anchor, propeller & chain you realize how big they really are.

We stopped at the Terry Redlin museum in Watertown.  This is one beautiful building-the whole inside is marble with crystal chandeliers. It is 3 levels and it is full of his art.  At first we were leerly of taking the kids inside but they had a game they could play as you walked around. They gave them a sheet and they had to find 20 different objects in the art work as we went along.  They had a blast.  Unfortunetly we couldn't take pictures inside.

We stayed at the Ramkota in Souix Falls and it was a very nice (and reasonable) hotel..The kids loved the pool and slide.  There were a couple smaller slides, a mushroom water fountain, snakes in the water and a section of logs & lily pads that you had to try and walk across while holding a rope above your head as people were spraying you with water cannons...But the BIG slide was the best! Even mom & dad went down it a few times :o)

Look who is shooting her brother as he's trying to make it across...& lovin it!

The next group is from the 'Falls' in Souix Falls...the city was built around these falls. They are very neat to see up close, they run very fast and the kids thought parts of the water looked like root beer with the foam.  It was a dreary day with light mist so we didn't venture too far out on the rocks since they were slippery.  But still a very neat experience!

One of the last stops in our adventure was a Children's Museum in Brookings.  We decided to stop for lunch and saw a sign that advertised this museum. The kids had a blast! It was an old school that was converted into a Children's Learning Museum. Each room had different themes and things to learn & interact with.  Cars, farms, air, space, electricity, water you name it they had a room for it.  If this place was closer we'd be there all the time!

Little Ms. Gear Head!

Life sized Lite-Brite Board

Sand patterns on a moving board

Milkin a big cow...liquid did come out of the cow

Surf boards inside a big fish net that went from floor to ceiling that you could climb in and around on.  They got pretty high before thinking they were alittle too high :)

Ah the Farm Section...

Austin's favorite! He was in his glory. They had a barn, animals, corn, flowers, bags of grain to get weighed at the market etc..

Meet Sue the HUGH dino that was outside..she moved, breathed and roared whenever someone walked by. Austin loved it...Bayleann not so much! She thought Sue was real...I will admit that she was very realistic but she wouldn't eat us!

Little Sue

Diggin for Dino bones..they did find a bunch too!

We stopped at the SDSU Agriculture Hertiage Building on the college campus...they had a bunch of old farm stuff inside...again Austin was in his glory!

The End!