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Cheers
Give a Cheer
Give a Cheer
Journaling reads:
Anyone who knows me well would tell you that I am a control freak and when I travel I like to plan things well in advance! I like to know where we are going and what we are doing so I can pack accordingly. So when our trip to Minnesota did not go as planned and we decided to just drive north to wherever we ended up, I was pretty darn nervous. I was on the verge of an anxiety attack as we filled the car up with gas, but I let go and just enjoyed the ride. Terry was in charge! Scary! But exciting too!
After stopping for lunch in Sioux City, Iowa we decided to visit a museum that overlooked the Missouri River. It had a very interesting display about the Lewis and Clark expedition. We saw the statue of Lewis and Clark with their dog, Seaman. There were also many photographs of World War II veterans and Black Feet Indian children. We read about how the Missouri River has changed over the years to accommodate better travel and deal with the flooding. Amazing to see how high the water got!
We decided to head toward Vermillion, South Dakota and visit Valiant Vineyards and stay at their Bed and Breakfast. We toured the winery and saw where they make the wine. Terry has recently started drinking wine and has actually enjoyed moscato so I was able to convince him to do a wine tasting. We really loved the sangria they had made in the slushy machine. It was sweet and fruity! We enjoyed a few glasses of that on the balcony.
We stayed in the frontier room. It had two queen sized bed and a Jacuzzi tub. There was even a buffalo skin rug on the floor. It was nice to get away and spend time together without the children. We do not get away just the two of us often, okay more like never, so it was extra nice! We enjoyed another glass of slushy sangria on the balcony as we watched the sunset over the Missouri River Valley. It was a little hot but there was a nice breeze to keep us cool. It was so quiet and peaceful!
It was a gorgeous morning so we ate our breakfast on the balcony. The temperature was not too warm and there was a really nice breeze too. We had fresh squeezed orange juice, blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash brown potatoes. We had a nice visit with another couple who was staying at the winery too. I love staying at bed and breakfasts because it reminds me of our stay in Julian, CA when Terry proposed. Hard to believe how much things have changed since then.
We visited the National Music Museum, which includes more than 13,500 American, European, and non-Western instruments from all cultures and historical periods. It is among the world's most inclusive collections with many of the earliest, best preserved, and historically most important instruments. Terry had never been there before. I had visited as part of a Music History class in college but loved seeing it all again. Music and history, two of my favorite subjects, in one museum!
Another couple staying at the bed and breakfast recommended we go to Martinsburg, Nebraska for a big burger and cheese balls. Since it was on the way home we stopped. WOW! The plate of cheese balls was as big as ducky! And the burger was as big as the plate with a giant pile of pickles. Yummy! Terry’s favorite part was taking the hilly gravel road into town and watching me practically get car sick. But I survived and kept my food in my stomach! It was so green up there! Colorful green hills!
We stopped at the Missouri River overlook between South Dakota and Nebraska. There were lots of wild flowers and you could see the sand bars in the river we had read about at the Lewis and Clark Museum. We would have stayed longer but it is HOT! I loved taking a picture of the South Dakota sign. Kadie LOVES the “Four Guys” ever since she took a vacation to SD with my parents, so she was excited to see Ducky with them. I love that my DSLR camera snaps pictures so quickly. 
I have to admit that my favorite part of my trip away from the kids was seeing them again. They did not expect us to get there until Sunday so when we showed up Saturday evening they were surprised and excited. Reagan did a double take and then ran into my lap. Kadie was close behind her. I love my girls! While at the grandparents Kadence lost her first tooth on top. She sure looked funny with her toothy grin. I called her pumpkin head. It was so fun to share everything we had done.
We had breakfast at a restaurant in Neligh. Kadence ordered French toast but was shocked when she received pieces of bread. She was expecting sticks like we eat at day care. Her face was priceless. She decided she liked this French toast though, because you could put lots of syrup on it and it sucked it up like a sponge. Terry was not so pleased with his biscuits and gravy though. Sadly he said it was the worst biscuits and gravy he had ever eaten. He did not even finish it.
We visited the Ashfall Fossil Beds. A volcano erupted in Idaho about 12 million years ago and many animals died due to the ash. Their bodies were covered in ash and preserved as fossils. Seventeen species of animals, including horses, camels, and rhinos have been discovered by paleontologists. Presently over 350 skeletons have been collected in the ash and we watched as they dug up even more. It was tedious work carefully removing the dirt without harming the skeletons.
Kadie and Reagan loved pretending to be paleontologists digging for fossils. They used trowels and paint brushes to remove the “ash” and reveal the bones. Kadence enjoyed trying to figure out what part of the body each bone was. After not seeing them for a week, I really enjoyed sitting and watching them play together. As great as it is to get away and spend time with my husband, I sure did miss my girls! It was great to spend a little family and watch the girls explore and learn.
Thanks for spreading positivity!
May 08, 2015
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July 21, 2013