RoadTrip!

We're baaaaack!! Last Friday we left Seattle for Brainerd, MN where our family met for a reunion! Mom couldn't make it this year (we really missed her!) She was helping her parents move in Colorado. This was one of the smallest reunions we've had so far (there were about 60 people) but we still had a really great time! We stayed at Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake.

Grandma and Grandpa with their four kids and grandkids!

My beautiful cousin Malyssa!

Family softball game




After the reunion we took Kelsea to Minneapolis to fly home, then Erik, dad, and I drove south to Belmond, IA where my aunt and uncle live.



Belmond is a darling little farm town. My aunt and uncle have lived there over 30 years!



After a few rounds of golf (dad played 3 in one day! haha), we got back on the road and headed west to Mt. Rushmore.

This guy rode alongside us: I heard he's a big-time history buff...



One day Erik...one day.


After Rushmore we drove to Crazy Horse to see the carving in progress.



Then we went back to the visitor's center to see a group of Lakotas perform a tribal dance.



From Crazy Horse we drove ALL NIGHT to Yellowstone National Park. Since all of the rooms were occupied, we parked the Tahoe in the Snow Lodge parking lot and slept there. As tired as I was, I couldn't stop laughing because my dad was laid back in the driver's seat covered by nothing but a pair of jeans. The next morning we awoke to lodge guests coming out to their cars and peering at us through the windows. It was...memorable. Let's just say it was a good thing mom wasn't with us. haha. Then we went to see Old Faithful!



We drove the "Grand Loop" and saw all kinds of cool things (including Erik's long lost twin- pictured below).


Yellowstone was gorgeous! It was great to be out in the middle of nature with the two guys I love most!