Pump It Up

Reagan blew through town and we had the Dickson clan for half a day. I knew just the place to get the kinks out between two long stretches of driving: Pump It Up! A few months ago, Ireland was invited to a birthday party there and she had a fantastic time. Last month on a day when I was just out of ideas to keep the girls from bickering with each other, we tried it out. 

Admittedly, the skirts were a colossally bad idea. Equally bad was my attempt at the huge slide. Mid-way down, I threw out my arms to slow my rate of acceleration, only to have my skin burned off by the rubber. The girls just ate it up, especially Brigitta who climbed and jumped until she was dripping with sweat. I still remember the 4 hour nap she took that day!

Now that the girls had some experience under their belt, they were able to eschew any trepidation and show their cousins how it's done. They tried a couple of new things too! Of course everyone started with the classic inflatables.

Brigitta and Rockwell played air hockey.

Well, they played their version of air hockey anyway. The goal is not to deflect the puck, but to aid it in getting into the little slot. 

Piper scrambled right up the rock climbing wall and triumphantly rang the cowbell hanging at the top. Paisley followed suit which made Liesel and Ireland eager for their turn.

This moment when Liesel got "stuck" and just froze was rather poignant. No matter how many times I repeated to let it go, her fear held her to that wall. When she finally did let go, she had a fun little ride down. Isn't that just like life? Sometimes we need to just let go of our problems and fears and enjoy the ride... even if it's not in the direction we want.

Liesel tried 3 times to reach that cowbell but got stuck in exactly the same place. When we left, she cried because she really wanted to make it. However, the Dicksons needed to get on the road.

Katrina told Reagan about Buffalo Wings & Rings so Reagan wanted to give it a try. We had a nice lunch before saying goodbye. I can't speak for Reagan's car, but there were definitely tears in mine.

My Hometown

When I realized how expensive swimming lessons are around here, I decided we'd head back to Iowa City for a couple of weeks to take advantage of the bargain swimming to be had there. Mom and Dad were eager to spoil the girls- starting with salmon and cupcakes for dinner the Sunday we arrived. 

There is something very healing about Iowa City for me, especially since the two long years we lived there while Mom and Dad were serving in South Africa. It's now considered home for the girls too and they had so much fun seeing their old friends and going to our old haunts. Some people summer in the south of France, some people summer in Martha's Vineyard, we summer in Iowa City (which we think is even better). 

Oh my was Brigitta excited for swimming! It was actually a major impetus in getting her potty trained. We were able to get special permission for her to be in the 3 year old class even though she just missed the cut off by a couple of weeks. They all worked so hard and I'm so proud of them. Liesel and Ireland were excited to jump off the diving board in front of Grandma and Grandpa on the last day.  

One of the parks we used to go to had a new rock climbing wall. Liesel and Ireland attacked it even though they were just in sandals.

I'm in love with the way Sydney kicks her foot when she's just hanging out. Seeing the girls crawl all over my dad made me cringe-- I just kept picturing the scars on his chest from the open heart surgery. He didn't seem phased by them though and really relished having little ones around.

Dad has a long history of entertaining the girls with electronic devices.

We were all SO excited to see Amanda! We stopped by her work to say hi (and ask if she could reprise her role as star babysitter) and Ireland flew into her arms. Oh how I love this girl! On Sunday Ireland was back in her lap and all was right with the world again. I almost didn't make it to Sunday School because I was so busy catching up with the good people of the ward.

Cupcakes were ubiquitous as we frequented both Scratch and Molly's.

Steve and Sarah came up for the weekend and we rented a pontoon boat on Lake McBride. Even growing up as a kid, we'd never done that and it was neat to experience something new and different in my old hometown. There were some beautiful homes edging the lake. Brigitta ate her weight in cheese curls.

She's so fancy! Big, Jackie-O-type sunglasses just cruising the lake.

I love how these two wear matching shirts. It's such a cute old couple thing to do!

Logan and Krystal were able to make a visit and Harley was the magical element that kept these two sisters from fighting. They were absolutely taken with her.

From the get-go, Mom and Dad wanted to rent these things at the mall which ended up giving us some insight into the girls innate driving abilities. Look out for Liesel (takes after Brent). She kind of drove looking over her shoulder despite Mom's directives to watch where she was going. Not long after her 10th reminder, she rammed right into a sign. As if that weren't bad enough, she didn't have the good sense to stop so she dragged it for a while with the sound of metal clanging on tile echoing all the way down the hall. Ireland on the other hand is a natural (takes after me). She practically floated around the mall on that elephant and deftly avoided collisions with a very distracted Liesel.

My honest little Syndey.

As a mom, it was so nice to have MY mom around. We always made sure to clear our places at meals and generally keep things clean. However, dishes were magically done. Laundry disappeared down the shoot only to reappear clean, folded and in tidy stacks. Meals, which are the bain of my existence, appeared hot and delicious on the table. I had many great conversations with Mom during swim lessons and gathered her insights on the girls.

Going forward, we are definitely making summers in Iowa City a tradition.

This Old Car

As Brent and I made our departure from Iowa City last year, Dad was gearing up to have a new transmission put into the T-Bird. More than once he'd described what a new driving experience it was and I was eager to try it out. Dad drove first and as he sped down Herbert Hoover Highway with the souped up engine, I blurted out, "Dad slow down! This car is OLD!!!" He laughed, pulled to a side road and let me have a try.

Dad taught me to drive stick on the T-Bird which is still among the most stressful events of my life. But in his wisdom, Dad prepared me to be able to handle any stick. With the new engine, the clutch was entirely different and I immediately stalled out. Dad gave a slight frown... the exact same frown he gave when he initially schooled me in manual driving and I emotionally flew back to a 15 year old me. Eventually (and thankfully much faster than the first time around) I got the hang of it and we enjoyed a leisurely drive.

As we headed home, it occurred to me that the T-Bird and my dad have something in common. They both were a little broken down albeit still running and they've both had some upgrades that will significantly improve their lives. As I gripped the familiar steering wheel I realized the car was my Dad- writ large. That I was able to experience this- driving (and yes, stalling out) on the car he loves so much brought tears to my eyes.

I had to stop by Dane's Dairy. The guy who took my order admired the car and I quickly told him about learning to drive as a teenager. He smiled at me, "Did you stall out?" I laughed and told him about how I did and it had a new engine so here I am, decades later and I'm still stalling out with my dad to witness it all. He handed out a large chocolate malt and told me he upgraded the size since we had the nicest car he'd seen all day. Just as he said that, a new Corvette pulled around and Dad and I just smiled at each other. No matter how flashy they make the new cars, nothing compares to a classic.

It was perfect. Just perfect! Someday when my dad eventually does go the way of the earth, I will remember that day when I got to have a drive in the old car with my old man.

Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse Monument

For me, the best part of the trip was hearing Brigitta get so excited to see "Mount Mishmore!". She never truly got the name right. It's been several years since I've been to the Black Hills so I'd forgotten how incredible it is to see those faces on the mountain. 

As we walked up from the parking garage, Brent let Sydney hold the hand railing which had her giggling up a storm.

We stopped briefly by the pillar with Illinois on it to represent our home state.

In photos it looks so far away but being there it looked so close!

The motley crew known as the SNCP- Solid Nucleus of Cool People. They are so very cool! We are lucky to have these friends, especially Janeal who spearheads our reunions.

Due to the angle of the sun, it was a challenge to get a good picture of the girls. Sometimes a bad picture is a good picture in a way. This kind of speaks to everyone's personality. Liesel is trying to mother Sydney and she wants none of it. Brigitta is happily off in her own world and Ireland seems to be suffering from some injustice and looks like she needs a hug. Those are my girls!

Apparently because I'm a middle child, individuality and fairness are especially important to me. As such, I wanted each of the girls to have an individual photo with Mount Rushmore in the background.

Just behind this stone wall is a drop off for an amphitheater and even though there's ample space on top, Ireland was nervous. Brent is just off camera holding her hand.

Seeing her sister, Brigitta felt the same way. She was shaking when I put her on the wall but was all smiles with just a couple of Dad's fingers to hold.

Sydney didn't care, she wanted to sit right on the edge by herself. She was kind of on an independent streak all day-- she didn't want to be held or carried. Sydney actually walked much of the trail herself.

Pushing Dad away and trying to grow up too fast, that one.

Down a short and level trail, we were able to see this beautiful vantage point.

The girls were enchanted with how "sparkly" the dirt on the Black Hills is. Each of the older girls had picked out one special rock as a memento when a ranger spotted them and ordered them to drop it. Hearts were broken as they were told, "If everyone took a rock, then there would be no rocks left". I'm pretty sure it's harder than that when you're talking about a mountain, but whatevs. 

Some time in the gift shop and cooling off with ice cream were divine after being in the sun with my vampire-pale children. At this point, everyone was swapping kids for the drive back and it was particularly fun to see the little ones become such good friends with the kids of our good friends. Lots of us SNCP members have ancestors who lived in the Logan area of Utah around the same time and I've often wondered if they were friends and are heartily entertained when we hang out. This friendship is definitely a generational thing.

The group broke up from there but Dave and Janeal expressed interest in the Crazy Horse Monument not too far away and we decided to tag along. Oy vey was that a bad decision! While admission to Mount Rushmore was a mere $11 per car for parking (the park itself is actually free), to get into Crazy Horse with a car full of kids it was a whopping $28. As we queued to get in, Janeal rolled down her window and yelled this fact to us, encouraging us to turn around. Janeal is not subtle and I think she was on the verge of discouraging more than just our 2 cars for business and one of the cashiers overheard. Turns out, there was a rodeo so admission for the day was reduced to $11-- a fact the cashier practically screamed for all the cars in queue to hear. We decided to take a spin.

They must call it Crazy Horse because you have to be crazy off your horse to waste your time there. As soon as you walk in, you are encouraged to ignore the severe lack of progress and just focus on the intent behind it all. Mount Rushmore took 14 years and was largely completed during the Great Depression. This is all they have to show for progress on Crazy Horse during the same amount of time: 

They give lip service to the fact this is not a federally funded project, but one has to wonder with the normally steep price of $28 who is auditing this whole thing. Where are those funds going? From what I've read, even the Lakota Indians aren't happy with the monument because Indians don't point (a fact not made known to the sculptor) so it's not even an accurate portrayal of Crazy Horse.

The kids who had been in the heat and sun already, pretty much had HAD it and were melting down left and right. Even with our discounted price, it just wasn't worth it. Should we ever return to the area, we are definitely skipping this one.

Bear Country & Storybook Island

Although it was already on everyone's radar, a member of our ward found out we were headed to South Dakota and recommended Bear Country USA. We were charmed by the bear bums and busts carved into the posts around the park:

You may be able to spot "Jonathan the Bear Man" carved below that last one, which piqued my curiousity. Turns out he's rather famous-- The Michelangelo of Wood-- and has carvings all over the US including Yellowstone. He's even done one that is recorded in Ripley's Believe It Or Not as the largest carving in the world. I didn't know all that when I snapped this picture of Ireland with one of the bears, but I'm glad I know now!

Although there were other animals inside the park, the bears were really the highlight. Seeing those massive animals lumbering around right outside our window was incredible. The only problem is that Sydney kept trying to get out of the car for a closer look.

Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.

The baby bears were so adorable, I just wanted to cuddle them. Apparently that's an option if you go at the right time of year. I was thrilled to find a Christmas ornament of a bear on a motorcycle in the gift shop. We missed the big bike rally but still it's a good representation of Sturgis- bears and bikes! 

Next was Storybook Island. After the hefty price tag at Bear Country USA (and no AAA discount!), it was lovely to go somewhere that was fun and absolutely free. Here is their mission statement: Storybook Island’s mission is to provide a free, safe, educational environment for those young in years, or young at heart, to experience the power of imagination. 

That's a philosophy I can fully support. The park was surprisingly big with lots of things to do. I love this sign near the entrance; such a lovely thought:

By far this merry-go-round was a favorite for Sydney:

Actually, for all the kids:

Maybe some of the adults too...:

This was one place everyone went back to because it was so perfect for the kids to play and mingle.

Sioux Falls

Our SNCP reunion began with a 3 AM departure. Brent insisted he wanted to get on the road early and I figured he'd sleep through his desired wake-up time. Nope, there he was, nudging me in the middle of the night. When I asked for 5 more minutes, he would have none of it and started making the bed with me in it. A little snooze was not going to happen. We planned to carry the girls in pajamas to their car seats and then make as much time on the road as possible while they slept. Well, they didn't sleep. They watched movies right through sunrise and by mid-day were still alert. 

Steve and Sara were coming up from Kansas City and noted our paths would coincide around Sioux Falls, SD. The suggested meeting up to caravan the rest of the way to Sturgis. Brilliant. Since we arrived a tad earlier than they did, we let the girls out to stretch their legs and explore. 

The falls were unexpectedly beautiful and the cool mist coming off of them was refreshing after being in the car for hours on end.

I was nervous about the girls scrambling around on the rocks but they each were sure-footed enough to navigate safely. Sydney needed help now and again but after a while even she refused help.

Egads Liesel is a little poser! The way she tips her chin down just a tad and looks up, the way she looks over her shoulder, the way she holds herself in general. I love taking pictures of her.

As our two well-balanced, yet neglected middle children, Brigitta and Ireland squabble more than any of the other sisters. Brent and I thought having them share a room would help which hasn't worked yet. This picture of them smiling and genuinely having fun together means the world to me right now.

I couldn't get enough of the red rock and exposed roots! The girls didn't keep their shoes on for long as they ran around, getting the kinks out of the long car trip.

This picture is SO Brigitta! This bridge made me nervous and she ran across it with no thought of danger. I asked her to slow down so I could take a picture and this is the one I got. So very mischievous that one!

Brent and his mini-me, right? He doesn't see it. HELLO!!! They are squinting exactly the same way!

Random bison statue. Random picture.

Running barefoot in the lush, cool grass was a highlight for the girls:

I love how getting a kiss from Dad is enough to make one almost cringe. I also love how my dear friend Sara is in the background looking perfectly calm and collected. She keeps me sane.

Family photo courtesy of the Thompsons. After this we were eager to get to the cabin and see the rest of the crew.

As we headed to the car, I had to snap a picture of this sign. Something about the slippery rock guy and turbulent water guy just make me laugh. Shadenfreude?

Mission accomplished! The little ones were finally tuckered out enough to sleep for a while.