South Dakota

On May 29th we took a trip to South Dakota to visit Grandma and Grandpa Ireland who just returned from the mission in Moscow Russia. We were having a family reunion and celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Since Doug's parents had been on an 18 month mission and we didn't go to the farm while they were gone, it had been over 2 years since we had been there. Jacob was only 2 at the time and Brynlee wasn't quite 1. So they didn't remember much and were so excited to go to their Grandma and Grandpa's house who has cows and horseys. I was a little nervous about the trip for me, since it was a 12 hour trip and I am 8 months along, but it actually went really well. The worse part of the whole trip for me was during family pictures and I had to stand for 20 minutes or so. I about passed out and felt bad for a while after words, but other then that it went great. We arrived on Friday, May 29th. Before we left I had baked a huge cake for an open house we were putting together on Sunday to celebrate Doug's parents 50th wedding anniversary. So all day Saturday I frosted and decorated the cake and got decorations together. Sunday morning we did our family pictures, and then held sacrament in the family room. Because Doug's family are the only ones that are members in that area, they have always had church in their house and Doug's dad has always been the Branch President. After sacrament we all headed to a new activity center in town where we held the open house. Everything went really well. It was good turn out and I think everyone had a nice time. It was a fun celebration!

Monday we just all hung out on the farm! Jacob and Brynlee had a blast playing with the baby kittens, checking out all of the animals, riding tractors, and going fishing!

Tuesday morning we all headed out to the Black Hills. Some of us went the Wind Cave and toured that. We then went through Custer State park and Needles Highway. After that we went to Mt. Rushmore and hiked around there for a while. The most fun thing for Jacob and Brynlee was the nice water park that was connected to our Hotel called WaTiki water park. There were lots of slides and fun things to do. We did that Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. On Wednesday we headed back to the farm. We stopped at Wall Drug on the way and saw a small part of the Bad Lands. I enjoyed our Black Hills trip. I hadn't been through there since I was about 3 so I didn't remember much.

The rest of the week we just played on the farm. Brynlee and Jacob were in Heaven with all of their cousins and doing lots of fun things. There were baby calves to feed, kittens to play with and bull snakes to chase around. They were sad to leave when we took off on Saturday. We all had a blast and are excited to go back for Christmas!

Jacob holding some of the kittens! They loved playing with them!

Brynlee with Grandpa Ireland driving a tractor.

Jacob, Jamon, and Brynlee in front of a huge tractor.

Brynlee with one of the kittens.

Brynlee, Dad, and Jacob going for a four wheeler ride.

Jacob and Dad in the middle of a flag football game.

Brynlee making a birthday cake in Grandma's garden.

Brynlee fishing.

Brynlee with the fish Jacob caught.

Jacob fishing or catching something.

Jacob with the fish he caught.

Jacob holding one of many bull snakes they found.
Our family in Wind Cave.

A buffalo we saw at Custer State Park.

A donkey at Custer State Park that enjoyed eating crackers out of our window.

Our little family in front of Mt. Rushmore

All the cousins at Mt. Rushmore.

Brynlee playing in the water at WaTiki water park at our hotel in Rapid City.

Jacob and Brynlee at Wall Drug in Wall, SD.

Video of our Trip