The Trip Back

Pennsylvania (Ducannon & Beaver Falls)

Wisconsin Dells WI

Minnesota - A State Park Stop to see the Mighty Mississippi

Sioux Falls, SD

The Black Hills, SD

We scheduled a short drive so we could spend some extra time in the Black Hills.  Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave National Park were highlights on the way out, so this time we went to the Crazy Horse Memorial and Custer State Park.  Custer State Park was gorgeous.   The park includes a wild-life loop, which didn't fall short of it's description.  We saw all kinds of animals, though many were less-than wild. The kids took a 20 minute dip in a sparkling lake with our pup to end our excursion.

Douglas, WY

Day Trips and Hanging in my Hometown

Saranac Lake Adventure

Gramma and Papa rented a pontoon boat for the day and off we went to Saranac Lake.  We had a great day swimming, island-hopping, loon-watching, and cruising around with 2 kids, 3 dogs, and 4 adults.  

This is a picture of one of the two sets of locks we had to go through on our adventure.

Turkey Vultures - They could be the very ones depicted in the "Jungle Book".

Papa Loon,  prior to this shot, he swam away from mom and baby pretending to have a hurt wing.  What a good dad.

The baby dove for safety...  this was a splash he made after coming up for air and  jumping back in.

SabhaLuna - best island ever (#74)

Lazy-Lola-Lopp (AKA Lola-Bola)

Santa's Workshop, North Pole, NY 

Aunt Tricia spoiled us with a trip to the North Pole, featuring the world's smallest, jerkiest roller coaster (which my kids wanted to go on repeatedly... Tricia and I decided once was more than enough for us).  

Comet's baby

Why do they have such crazy hooves?  Well... when they are not flying, Santa's crew doesn't want to sink in the snow, so their hooves spread out to act like snowshoes.

Home Away From Home

Hanging out at Gramma and Papa's house in AuSable Acres.  Our hometown excitement included a house burning down in the middle of the night one street over, a bank robbery (not long after we stopped there to make a deposit), and a few dog fights with injuries to both dogs and humans (specifically gramma, and Aunt Tricia... well, really Tricia's were cat injuries). 

Sabha-Baba-Luna and Foxy Loxy