Cziep Family

Watermelon

2010-08-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

Back home you can't grow'em this big.

This picture does not do it justice.

This melon is about 2 and half

feet in length. It didn't take us long to eat it.

The Peppers and melons are growing like crazy.

2010-07-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

The 4th this year was alot of fun, we spent the weekend in Townsend

(The Great Smokey Moutains)

We took the kids to a drive-in movie, Toy Story 3 what a late night.

During our camping trip we did a little bit of tubing, we floated the river 3 times

2010-06-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

Cooper and Sydnie spend the afternoon trying to feed the gators.

and Fudruckers. The kids had a great time in Dustin.(No OIL)

The Garden

2010-06-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

The Garden this year has done great. The kids and

I have picked sever bushels of cucumbers ,green beens,

Peppers and squash. This was a rare day having Sydnie

out in the garden. How dare she get dirty.

Cucumber bean and Tomatos

Toothless Sydnie

2009-04-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

After many nights crying that she was the only kid in her class that hasn't lost a tooth, it finally happened! Sydnie lost her first tooth.

Our tooth fairy left her a golden dollar, we have a very frugal tooth fairy

You've Been Egged!

2009-04-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight for family home evening we "egged" some friends home. The kids had a great time getting the plastic eggs filled with candy and planning for this fun evening.

We got in the van with our buckets filled ready to hit the first door.

Even Dad got into the spirit, as our "get away driver"

We left a note that said "You've Been Egged, now go egg someone else". Then the kids would knock and run.

Look Who Turned 12

2009-04-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know where the time has gone... Everyone has said that a time or two. However, today it really hit me, Hunter is 12 years old. Where has the time gone?

10 mos old

1 year old

Hunter 3 years old

Hunter Pre-K

Kindergarten

1st Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

Hunter, Happy Birthday! We love you!

Family that works together stays together!

2009-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

I guess you would like to know the rest of the story... the sheet rockers are done now down to the paint job! I think David has more helping hands than he needs.

We all know the old Primary song, "When We're Helping" we are happy... Tra La La La La La

Look at these bright eye! I am not sure which one was more excited, Cooper or David?

Hunter and I thought there were too many painters in the room, we just watched and enjoyed!

Next we will be painting the base boards, then off to pick out the carpet.

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

2008-12-24T12:06:00.000-08:00

We all know this famous story; Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even... oh what is that I hear above my head? David, nailing in boards up in the attic.

Yes, my wonderful husband is at it again! I thought that we were done with home projects for a while. Well, that lasted about a week or so...

David, feels that he need to have a "man cave", so off he went to Home Depot to buy 2X4 and started to pound away up stairs. He has been working every night this week until midnight or later, and then would start again at 5 am. Needless to say, I feel that I have had a constant headache for the past week.

Lets get back to the story, Twas the night before Christmas, when all throuh the house, the pipes for the heating and airconditioning were run. The sheet rock were hung by the window with care, in hopes that it would be done before Kristie pulled out all her hair.

Merry Christmas to all!

Down on the Farm

2008-12-19T16:33:00.000-08:00

Cooper petting the little one!

Hunter and Sydnie "wishing" they could take them home...

As many have heard me talk about our next door neighbor’s goats who love to eat my magnolia tree and garden, well there are more!

I got a call earlier in the week from our neighbor, Natasha letting me know they had 5 baby goats, and wanted to have the kids come over to see the baby goats and feed them.

I wasn’t sure how the kids would take to them, since they are so scared of any little animal that comes within 5 feet of them.

David came home on Tuesday night and I gave him the task of taking all three of them to go see the baby goats.

They all really enjoyed getting to hold and feed the “kids”, even Cooper enjoyed it.

Now they all want goats for Christmas, I don't think Santa will have enough room in this toy bag!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY SYDNIE

2008-10-31T05:17:00.000-07:00

Sydnie waking up as a big 6 year old!

Sydnie's 6th Halloween Birthday Party!

2008-10-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

This year Sydnie wanted to have a birthday with all her friends. So off I went to plan a Halloween Birthday Party, with the help of my Aunt Ann (she always has the coolest ideas)

I sent the invitations to all of Sydnie's class mates, a few of Hunter and Coopers friends planed all the activities: hay ride, pinata, outdoor games and lots of food! This year has been a very dry year, in the month of October I think it has rained twice and yes as you already guessed one of those days was the night of Sydnie's birthday party...

We had a great time, even though I had to stuff about 30 people in my home.

Sydnie's first field trip

2008-10-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

Mr. Rust's Kindergarten Class

The Fruit and Berry Patch

Sydnie, Michelle and Jordan

This year is a first for a lot of things for Sydnie. Her first year in school with lots to learn, her first play date with her friends from school and best of all her first field trip.

All the kindergartens went to the Fruit and Berry Patch in Halls, TN (this is also the farm we get our fruit for canning). The owners do a great job for the local schools.

The kids got to go on a hay ride, minus the hay, go thru a corn maze, pick an apple from a apple tree, feed goats at the petting zoo, and last pick their own pumpkins.

Sydnie and her friends leading the way thru the corn maze

Sydnie had to find the just the right apple!

It's the great pumpkin Sydnie!

It was great to see how excited the kids were about this trip.

Mom and Sydnie

Picture Tag

2008-10-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

For this tag you are supposed to go to your picture folders and go to the 4th folder over and pick the 4th picture out of it and post it.

Here is the picture.

Oops! Hunter has his eyes closed
This picture was taken at Custer State Park summer 2008

I tag Jennifer S, Melisa L, Michelle, and Maria C.

SHOPPING WITH IBU

2008-10-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

The best gifts are the ones you get to pick out yourself.

Sydnie wanted a Hananna Montana Bear from Build a Bear Workshop for her birthday, so we set a shopping date with Ibu. At first my mom told Sydnie that I wasn't invited, that this day was just for her and Ibu and no one else (I was feeling a little left out) but Sydnie said that if I didn't go then she wasn't going (she is so true blue to me).

Our day started out with a Cinnamon roll and hot cocoa from Panera Bread, then off to the mall to pick out that special gift.

First Sydnie picked out the bear, the heart then the voice box to go inside the bear...

Then it was off to give the bear some stuffing, not before you make a wish and then put the heart in your bear.

Sydnie really enjoyed giving her bear a bath but could not wait to get her all dressed up!

As you can see Hannah got all the accessories she could possibly wear... Sydnie had a great time shopping with her Ibu!

Eaton Elementary Rocket Romp

2008-10-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

Sydnie's school holds one fundraiser each year call the "Rocket Romp"

I really like this fund raiser, for the fact that the kids have to be involved not just the parents going to everyone they know to buy stuff they really do not want or need. The best thing about this is that 100% of the money goes directly to the school.

The Rocket Romp is an 3K event where the students collect donations for their participation. All the students will walk/run around the track and we had a DJ on the field playing music to motivate the students. (I sure could use the DJ every morning at 5am when I am walking my 3 miles)

The ROMP as two goals: to raise much needed money for the school, and to promote physical fitness.

I went this year with Sydnie's class and had a great time. Sydnie even ran two laps and walked 5 more with me... she may pass PE after all!

Home and Family Personal Enrichment Ideas

2008-10-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if I am living right or not...

With that said, I have been asked to be the Second Counselor in Relief Society. I was the First Counselor, which I loved. I had great teachers and I didn't have to do a lot. I guess you could say I might have gotten a little too lay back.

So now with my new calling, I sure could use some great ideas. If you have any that you would be willing to share with me I sure could use them!

Our latest project

2008-09-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

I thought that summer was coming to an end, and that meant no more yard work... boy was I wrong.

When David and I bought our 5 acres a few years ago, I thought we bought it for the plush trees.

David grew up in Idaho, where nothing grows for years, and now that we live in a state where everything grows like weeds, he wants to cut it down . As you can see in the pictures he has cleared a lot of trees off our land. I guess you could say I have my own personal "Paul Bunyan"

We have been working on our landscaping, and I thought it would be a great idea to plant a perennial garden in between two walkways down to the play area or aka "The Cziep Park" But as always I took more than I could chew. I am still working on my perennial garden, but it became a lot bigger project, and I never knew there were so many types of plants, it is hard to choose.
I guess when you own a home the work is never done!

Not on my list of things to do

2008-09-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

For those that do not know me that well, my famous last words to my children "be careful, going to the emergency room today is not on my list of things to do." I always tell them this when we are getting ready to do things around the yard.

Well, like any other Saturday, David had a long list of things to do outside in the yard. For those that know my kids, know that Hunter and Cooper love to be outside, however, Sydnie our "drama queen" loves to stay inside with her cool glass of water and her TV remote on the couch. When she has to go outside to help, it last no more than five minutes and she starts to cry that she has a "heat rash" and that it is just to hot to be outside. So, of course she bats her big blue eyes at her daddy and he then tells her to go inside to cool down.

However, this past Saturday the humidity was low and it was a beautiful day, and Sydnie was having a great time outside, until she tripped over a tree stump and fell down on a tree branch that pierced her right thigh.

Pictures are worth a thousand words...

I was on my way to Home Depot to pick up more bushes, when I got a call to come back home to pick up Sydnie to take her to the emergency room. When I got back to the house Sydnie was crying and saying "my beautiful skin" and "I told you daddy that being outside wasn't a good idea." I asked David what happened, he said she is fine, but she will need to go to the emergency room, and don't look at her leg. I just grabbed Sydnie and drove off.

It wasn't until we got into the emergency room that I finally looked at her leg with the nurse, Sydnie had ever right to be upset, she had a gaping hole in her thigh.

After 8 stitches, and lots of hugs from mom, she was good as new.

I am not sure if her daddy will ever get her to go outside to work now...

Need your input

2008-09-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

I need your input... does anyone have or know anyone that has used a Cricut Machine or the QuicKuts Silhouette? I would like to know what your thoughts are on these two machines.

Thank you for any input you may have to offer.

Memorial Day Camping Trip

2008-09-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

We just back from our weekend camping trip, at Canney Creek RV Center in Harriman, TN (for those not around East TN it was only 20 miles away) We didn't get to far from home due to Hunter had a football game on Saturday.

We went with another family and had a great time. The kids love to be able to ride their bikes and go swimming (our pool in our back yard isn't good enough for them)

Our family has really enjoyed our camper, it is a great way to get away so David can kick back and relax and not worry about the yard or the business.

Sydnie's first day of kindergarten

2008-08-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

I am a little late getting these on my blog, I had a problem with my camera, I deleted by pictures, Oops!

So I finally got her to stand still long enough to take these. She really loves school and is doing well, but she does not like GYM or Recces. I keep telling David she is not my child, those where my to favorite subjects! LeAnn, I think she is more and more like you! :)

Your it!

2008-08-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

Rules: list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current goals, 3 current obsessions, and 3 random facts about your self. Then tag at least 5 people at the end.

3 Joys:
1) family
2) friends
3) a good book

3 Fears:
1) spiders
2) loosing my sight
3) not being able to do for myself

3 Current goals:
1) to follow thru with losing 10 pounds
2) to get my kids on a schedule after school
3) to walk 3 miles a day

3 current obsessions:
1) cleaning
2) reading, have to find a new book - any good ideas?
3) cereal

3 random facts about myself:
1) I love camping (who ever thought I would love the outdoors?)
2) I have lived in 11 states
3) I love chewing gum

I tag, Jennifer, LeAnn, Michelle, Janet and Maria

Influence of mothers

2008-08-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Sydnie didn't see the humor in this, but I really had a great laugh at the situation, after she left the room.
Have you ever really sat down to think how much of an influence we are as mothers to our children... Yesterday I went to get my hair cut, I usually do not take any of my children with me, to me this is my time to get pampered after I have pampered everyone else. This time I had to take Sydnie with me, since she will not be in school for a couple more days. While getting my hair done I also got my eye brows waxed, and little miss "I don't miss a thing" must have been
watching very close.
Today she thought she would give herself a eyebrow wax with her Barbie band aids... she came down the stairs crying in despair... it hurts mommy please take them off! This was a picture moment that I could not pass up, so after a quick hug, I told her she would be OK and to just smile for me... I can't believe she was patience enough for me to get my camera.
I know that after this ordeal she will wait a long time to wax her eyebrows...
.

Fun in the sun

2008-08-13T12:35:00.001-07:00

Cooper's First Day of Pre-school

2008-08-13T12:11:00.001-07:00

Cooper had his first day at his new pre-school Camp Central at one of the local United Method's churches. As you can see he was all smiles, and ready for his big day.

Cooper 3 years old

His backpack is bigger than he is :)

Rewind back to summer

2008-08-12T11:45:00.001-07:00

Where has the time gone, the kids just got out of school in May and now we are already into our third week of school.

I thought I would rewind the clock and look back at our fun summer... so if you would please stroll down memory lane with me.

Destin Florida ~ our family trip with my parents and my sister and her family

Hunter's 1st Day of 6th Grade

2008-08-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

Well it is officially, I have a 6th grader, that wears a size 7 1/2 men's shoe. Where has all the time gone. In most school systems 6th grade is the beginning of middle school, but in our backwoods part of the South we start them early in 5th grade. With this being said, Hunter thinks he is just like all the older kids, COOL... until I kiss him on the cheek and tell him good by in front of all his friends, the joys of being a mother!

Sydnie will be starting kindergarten this year, but they will not start until next week, so stay tuned for her first day.

Football Time in Tenneessee

2008-08-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

It is football time again, it seems like we just had the playoffs. Hunter is in his 4th year of playing, and getting better and better ever year.

Between now and November we do not have a life, football is 3 nights a week for 2 hours and all day on Saturday. We just make it a family thing and we all get into it. Sydnie and Cooper are great sideline cheerleaders for Hunter, they are always there to tell him great job and go get 'em!

Getting Ready for the Winter

2008-08-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

We decided to try our hand at canning this year. In June I got this crazy idea that I would do some freezer jam, but as always got a little over excited this year and over did it with the strawberries. I bought 3 flats and by the time I got into my second flat I was so over strawberries, I did not want to see another one ever! My family laughed and wanted to know what we were going to do with all that freezer jam... they sure haven't had a hard time eating the jam :)

Last week David went to one of the local farms and got corn and peaches. The kids thought is was fun to shuck the corn, but they sure didn't like the mess they had to clean up afterwards. My dad helped by watching the corn on the stove, needless to say we picked a very hot day to do so... he is just a great sport about our wild ideas. David and I peeled peaches until we couldn't peel any more. I think we may have eaten as many peaches as we canned. Needless to say our tummy's were a little upset a few days later. They sure were really good peaches.

Day Twelve

2008-08-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Again we were back on the road, heading home. We could not go home with out seeing my Uncle Lyle in Rocksprings, WY the fire Captin.

The kids were excited to see a real fireman, and not only him but the fire truck too.

Day Eleven

2008-08-06T19:09:00.000-07:00

This is the day Sydnie had been waiting for our whole trip, Making Cookies with Grandma! Sydnie is always reminding me that I do not make cookies as good as grandma. We decided to stay an extra day to spend with Grandma and Grandpa and take time to do a little shopping in Idaho Falls and Rexburg. I found some great ideas for the house and new stuff at the book store. For those that do not live around Idaho/Utah you know how hard it is to find church things, and trying to pick things from the Internet is hard at times.
Well this was our last day in Idaho it was time to start heading home, we sure had a great time!

Day Ten

2008-08-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

We are finally getting to our last days in Idaho.

Sunday we went to church with David's family. Cooper thought it was great that when it was time to be quit in church, he was able to get away from David and go see his Aunt and Uncle and tell them, "now daddy can't get me."

Sunday afternoon we had took time to visit my Grandpa and Granny, it was good to spend some time with them and catch up with them.

We also got to see Uncle Rogers tractors, these are future want to be farmers, but these city kids do not know how to work.

Day Nine

2008-08-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

Let's go fly...

We made it to Menan, ID home of David's Family. No longer did we park the camper we were head to Idaho Falls, to see Gram and have Matthew take us flying.

Matthew has his license to fly single engine air planes, and

The kids had a great time flying, Cooper thought it was cool to be able to talk to everyone on the headset (I don't think he looked out the window once)

The kids waiting for a ride in the plane

After we went flying, we headed to Green Canyon

Eight Day

2008-08-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Clark Family Reunion

Let the games begin... 2008 Clark Family Olympics, The Games That Rednecks Play.

We have not been to the family reunion in three years and the kids were so excited to get to see all their cousins. We got settled in, and I did not see my kids I think for two days, except to tell me, "this is the coolest mom, can we stay forever!" The first night we rode horses (this is all that Hunter to could talk about for the last three years, "when can I ride Uncle Rogers horse?"), played golf, volleyball, softball and sat around the camp fire and were entertained by Cris and Jayme, playing their guitars.

When ever I need to find Cooper, I could always count on him out behind the cabin, fishing. Sydnie and her two cousins Haley and Kennedy were like the three amigos.

After a restful night, the games began with some great events: Javelin throw(straw throw), standing long grin(who had the biggest smile), the foot race(who had the longest foot), boxing(who could put the pillow in the pillow case first with boxing gloves on) and many more fun games. After games we had lunch and made ice cream in a bag,(you can find the recipe at famiyfun.com) and visited with everyone. After dinner each family did a skit it was a lot of fun!! We stole the song "Granny had a altered farm" we had heard at the Bar J and turned it in to "Roger had a altered farm". It was a hit. John's kids did a cute skit about a fly, thank you to Roger's family's song they sang, "Were from the country and I like it that way", Sydnie is still singing it and now I can't seem to get it out of my head. The next morning we ate breakfast, did the pinatas, which my kids love, since we do it for every holiday (we have been practicing). We took a big family picture out in the middle of the wild flowers, and cleaned up and headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We had such fun time.

Ann you rock, you always have great ideas. Thank you for the great food, games and making it such a success!! We are already saving our money for next year.

Day Seven

2008-08-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

July 16th

We Found Gold!!

(to pay for our fuel back home)

This day we meet up with our cousins to spend the day in Virgina City and Nevada City. MT. We toured a small town in Nevada City, this was an eye opener for the kids... they thought it was crazy to have a bathroom outside...

We road the local train a mile and half to Nevada City, Cooper thought it was great! There was a little rain, so we found shelter in an ice cream parlor. We all enjoyed ice cream for David's birthday.

We had just enough time left to go pan for gold. The kids really enjoyed this, they found how just how much hard work it was, for only a sliver of gold.

Day Six

2008-08-02T04:05:00.001-07:00

Yellowstone National Park

Like all our days on our trip, we started out at 4:00 am, packed the camper and headed to Yellowstone.

What a day, I think we saw every animal that you could see in the park that day...

We decided not to go see Old Faithful, but to try to see everything else in Yellowstone. We visited the following:

West Thumb Geyser Basin

Mud Volcano

Artist Point

Tower Fall

Mammoth Hot Springs

Again, Cooper the Trooper walked the paths with us... he even did the stairs down to Artist Point to see the breath taking view of the Lower Falls, mom wanted someone to carry her by the time she made it down the 300 steps.

We all had a great day seeing the beautiful lands that Heavenly Father had created.

This picture is just for David, every time I took a picture of a bison, he kept telling me not to get a picture of the bottom end... Here is one just for you David!

On our way out of Yellowstone, we stopped in West to see an old friend... Ann, we have known her for 8 years now, but have never meet. She has been a great asset to our company and family. We were only able to stay for a couple of hours, we had a great dinner with her and she showed us her home town of West.

The kids even got the chance to ride a buffalo, and buy candy from the local candy store.

Day Five

2008-07-31T13:04:00.001-07:00

July 13, 2008
On this day we were not going to have to do any driving, YES! We set aside for this day go go see the Grand Teton National Park. Our plans where as follows: to take the boat across Jenny Lake and hike up to Inspiration Point, then to Snow King ski resort to slide down the mountain, and last to meet up with the Cziep Family for dinner and a show at Bar J.

Jenny Lake

Cooper our youngest, now better known as Cooper the Trooper, hiked all the 2 miles up to Inspiration Point. You know that old saying "smell the rose along the way" I think Cooper skipped and kicked the rocks along the way. He was always smiling and when there was times I didn't think he could go any further, he said, "no, mommy let me walk, I can do it".

Cooper found a new friend

I sure wished Sydnie was more like him. She thought she was going to die! She kept telling us she had "heat rash" and that she could not go any further and she was going to sit on a rock and die... she is our drama queen. However, we were not going to let her quit, we kept telling her not everyone gets this opportunity and that she can do it, just a little farther... and that once you have done it you can tell everyone you did! She wasn't sure if she cared that she could tell everyone she did it, but after we reach the top, she told us, "there I didn't, now can we go back!"

On our way back to the boat launch we lost Hunter, he got ahead of us, and so David started back tracking to find him. There was a moose, near the boat launch. David asked for us to come over to see the moose. For those that know Cooper, he does not get two feet in front of my parents little dog, you could only imagine how big his eyes got when he saw a 8 foot moose. Before I could even turn around to tell Cooper to look, he was already down the trail and hiding behind a gentleman saying, "it is scary to my eyes!" After a quick lunch we were on track to our next event of the day.

We headed back into Jackson Hole, and decided it was time to go up to Snow King and ride down the hill...

Sydnie thought this was the coolest, she raised her hands up in the air as if she was getting ready to ride a roller coaster. All the way down she kept telling me fast, no slow, ok go faster, no that is too fast...

After two times down the hill, we started to run out of time for dinner... and we still had to go into downtown Jackson Hole to ride the famous stage coach and take a picture by the Elk Arch.

Bar J dinner with the family

We finally made it to Bar J to meet up with David's family. This is a great place to dine when in Jackson Hole. They have great food and better entertainment for the hole family.

The cousins taking a ride on the train before dinner.

Day Four

2008-07-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

July 12, 2008

On the Road Again

Another day driving to Jackson, WY. Again our day started out at 5am, we had a lot of road to cover and wanted to get to our next camp site at a descent time. We were rolling along the two lane road, we came to an area of the road that was "chipped sealed" for those don't know what that means (as I didn't) they put tar down and then put rock chip on top. We had rocks flying all around us and David kept saying I hope no one passes us and flips a rock on to our window, how ever he didn't think to say I hope that we don't flip a rock on us either. Yes, as you are already thinking, we flipped a rock and hit the passenger side mirror, you can see the mess that it made. Lorraine, my mother-in-law said, "that if you look at it, it looks like the route we took out west and the route we took back home." David had said other things to say about it...

A funny thing about this day, and for those with little kids you can relate. Sydnie had to use the restroom and it seemed the further West we headed the few and farther the rest areas seemed to be. David was flustered with the road, and Sydnie kept saying, "but daddy I really have to go." David hoping to surpass her for another few miles, said, "I will find a potty just for you, hold on a few more minutes", knowing that we had about 10 more miles to go before we even got off the chip sealed road. To our amazement around the next corner just for Sydnie, there was a port a potty. As always, David was quick to say, "look Sydnie, Daddy said that I would find one just for you!" As you can see from the picture, Sydnie thought that this potty was just for her. Once again dad came to the rescue.

Grand Teton
The sights coming down to Jackson, WY were just breath taking, to see the Grand Teton from this view and with all the wild flowers... oh, words just can not describe them.

We made it into Jackson, WY around 4:30pm that night, and had time to visit with David's parents and his brother Matthew. What a great visit and Lorraine brought up a cake with her, she always knows the right things to bring with her.

Day Three

2008-07-31T06:55:00.001-07:00

Day three, July 11, 2008

Crazy Horse

Our first stop was Crazy Horse, the dedication of this family and those who donate. The power of ones vision.

Mount Rushmore

Our second stop, Mt. Rushmore. quick note: the average size of a 6 story building.

Question:
Who are the 4 presidents that are carved in the mountain and why they where chosen?
Answer:
George Washington represents the struggle for independence, Thomas Jefferson the idea of government by the people. Abraham Lincoln for his ideas on equality and the permanent union of the states, and Theodore Roosevelt for the 20th century role of the United States in world affairs.

When we asked Sydnie after our tour if she could remember the Presidents name, she said: Washington, Lincoln and President Monson, we all laughed, then she reminded all of us that he a great example to us too. There are too many times we learn more from our kids they I think they know or realize.

We had a great visit to Mt. Rushmore, and enjoyed the tour and walking thru avenue of flags, which displays flags of all 50 states. Hunter was our lucky winner and found Tennessee state flag.

Custer State Park

Our Third stop was Custer State Park. This park covers 71,000 acres in South Dakota's Black Hills. We saw most of the park via our truck. We drove on Iron Mountain Road, there are three granite tunnels that frame Mt. Rushmore Perfectly in the distance. Needles Highway, the name "Needles" come form the slender granite peaks. As you can see there where times that I was not sure if our truck was going to make it Thu some of the tunnels.

Our Fourth and final stop for the day Hot Spings, SD to Evans Plunge. What a great way to end the day.

Day Two

2008-07-31T06:53:00.001-07:00

July 11, 2008

With very little sleep we started off again at 5:00 am, to Wall, SD home of Wall Drug Store. This was a must see per Gary Andrews a guy from our church. About 200 miles out from Wall, SD we started to see small bill boards advertising for "Free Ice Water" - from this point we would see these every 10 - 20 miles along our route.

Badlands Petrified Gardens
Before we could make it to Wall,we stopped by the Petrified Gardens, to stretch our legs. At first I wasn't sure if it was anything to stop and write home about, boy was I surprised. It was a great place to let the kids run around, and we found out some very interesting things.

The Badlands of South Dakota
While at the Petrified Gardens the store keeper said that we must drive threw the Badlands, it was was only 20 miles out of the way but would lead us right into Wall, SD. We thought we have come all this way, why not... We were sure glad that we did.

The views were breath taking, the kids really enjoyed seeing how the land has changed over the millions of years. David said, imagine how Lewis and Clark felt when they found this land, how different from the prairie lands." After 2 hours of getting out and walking around and seeing all the sights, we where back on track to Wall, SD.

Wall, SD

(home of the world famous Wall Drug Store)

This little town, is know for its Drug store. To read more about it go to http://www.walldrug.com/. When ever you are in SD you must stop by to get a world famous bumper sticker and "Free Ice Water"

Finally after a long day of driving and sight seeing we finally made it to our first campsite, at the Custer/Mt. Rushmore, KOA. The kids where glad to get out of the truck again, and as you can see they found a jumping pillow and I thought I would never get them off to come eat dinner.

Day One

2008-07-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

July 10, 2008:
Our first day started at 4:00 am, with everyone loaded in the car ready to head "West".

Little did we know that this day we were going to drive over a 1,000 miles. With only a couple of short bathroom breaks and stopping to fuel, we made it to Sioux City, IA. We tried to stop at a rest area to catch some zzz's but with the temperature being 85 that night it was hard to sleep and Cooper was to hi per to sleep at 1am, so David loaded us all back into the the truck for another two hours of driving, before we all crashed in the cab of the truck. we didn't want to miss anything in SD.

Cooper's 3rd Birthday

2008-05-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that Cooper is already 3, where has the time gone? This year he is really into Cars and Thomas the train.

A friend of ours made his Thomas the Train cake, Cooper loved it!

Cooper, had the chance to see Thomas in Chattanooga in May.

As You can see this was Cooper's first train ride, and he wasn't sure what to expect, but soon all was OK on Daddy's lap.