Labor Day in the Black Hills

We spent the long Labor Day weekend in Rapid City at my Grandparent's house. My parents, Cousin Melissa & family and sister Ashley & family were all there. It was so much fun. We spent lots of fun Family time and even play the part of tourists over the weekend.

Mom & Grandma Marge playing one of many games of Trivia on Friday while we waited for Ashley and family to arrive.

Dillon & Grandpa Leo

The Kids: (L-R) Haylee-5, Ryder-6, Dillon-10, Kole-8 BACK: Tysen-13 and Kannin-5 outside a Saloon in Keystone. Little Macy-2 is missing from the picture because she stayed back at the house with the Grandmas.

Getting a ride from Spiderman on the Boardwalk

Ooh!! CHOCOLATE!! The kids leaving their fingerprints on the homemade chocolate display case!

We went to the Presidential Alpine Slides at Tramway in Keystone, SD. We rode the chairlift up the mountain, had lunch at the Grill at the top and then took a couple of slides down the mountain. Above: Melissa, Haylee & Ashley take a ride on the chairlift to have lunch at the top.

Matt & Kannin riding their chair up.

Tysen, Ryder & I in our chair. You can see part of the slide in the background. All of the kids were so excited for this!! We have tried to make this a yearly activity for our boys.

What a beautiful view of Mt. Rushmore from our Chairlift Ride.

Kannin & Daddy jumping off the chairlift at the top.

The kids all BECAME part of Mt Rushmore!!! Above: Dillon Reede

Kole Reede

Haylee & Meliss rode the sled down the Mountain.

Mommy & Kannin's attempt at a self portrait.

This was Ryder's first year of riding the sled "All By Himself!!"

After visiting Keystone...we all headed to Mount Rushmore...

It was a VERY busy Labor Day Weekend at the Monument!!

And there they are........

The Presidents!!

The kids posing with the Presidents!!

After Mt. Rushmore...Melissa's family as well as Tysen & I, checked out the Mysterious Cosmos! Water runs uphill, everything proves level...yet you stand at an angle and things are just NOT what they seem! Kole had so much fun there...he laughed the entire time!!

Boyce trying to figure out how he is propelling away from the wall!?!

Melissa looking a little crooked!!

Dillon

Kole on the "Lie Detector Chair!" He passed!!!

Labor Day Sunday we went to Pirate's Cove Mini Golf! SO FUN!!!

Above: Tysen, Haylee & Ryder

The Reede Family at Pirate's Cove: Boyce & Melissa, Dillon & Kole

Birthday Buddies: My sister's little girl Haylee & Ryder share a birthday...a year apart. Haylee is 5 & Ryder is 6!

Ryder, Haylee & Kole in the Pirate's Dungeon

Dillon & Kole showing their stuff!!!

A trip to Dairy Queen after a long day of Mini Golf!!

I brought all the kids Glow In The Dark necklaces and bracelets. It occupied them for hours! The adults had fun with them as well!!

Ryder all A-Glow!!!


Sweet Little Macy~2

My parent's with my boys, Ashley's girls and my cousin Melissa's boys the morning we were all heading home.

After all was said and done...mom & Leo were both still all smiles so I would have to say it was a successful weekend!!!

Girly Cake for Tania!!

My friend Tania celebrated her 6th Anniversary of her 29th Birthday. I was out of town on the night they were planning a "Girl's Night Out" for her Birthday. I made her this cake and I think it turned out great. This is only the 2nd Fondant Cake I have made since college. I heard via the girls that it taketed GREAT!!

Pink & Girly!!

Complete with Rhinestones!!

Happy Birthday Tania!! Sorry I missed it!!

He FINALLY lost his first tooth!!

Ryder has been feeling REALLY left out for the past year!! All his friends and cousins Tristan & Sidney have lost teeth...but NOT RYDER!! FINALLY...he lost his first tooth on August 31, 2010.

Putting his tooth in his pillow

HE CAME MOM!! HE CAME!!!

I guess with inflation...teeth are worth $3!!

Early last week Ryder lost his second tooth. He is now missing his two front bottom teeth so his LISP is REALLY good now!! We had the following conversation...

Me: "Ryder. How much $ did you get for your first tooth?"

Ryder: "Three Dollars"

Me: "How much do you think you will get for this tooth?"

Ryder: "I think a couple dollars. Oh...my friend told me that if my teeth are really clean I will get more money. I am gonna go in the bathroom and wash it!"

OK...I think he is missing the point!

Oh Jeez!! NOT AGAIN!!

We were hit with hail AGAIN!! Not as devastating at the Father's Day storm...but I lost flowers and plants AGAIN!! Thank goodness we had not replaced our hot tub cover yet!!

Holy Crap!! The force that this water was moving...it would have washed one of my kids away!!

Flooding of the street!!

August Trip to South Dakota

The little boys and I made a trip back to SD in mid August to pick up Tysen for the School Year. Our "week-long" trip back included a trek to Bismarck to school shop, picking up Tysen, visiting all the Grandmas, picking corn at the Biegler Farm and a trip to Rapid City to paint for my Grandma. What a nice trip to make before school starts for the year.

These Wind Turbines just facinate me. I pass them everytime I head home. I actually got out and took some pictures on this trip and the sound they make and the speed that they move at are amazing!!

As soon as I hit South Dakota, EVERY AUGUST, I know I am HOME! The rolling & beautiful Sunflower Fields make me smile!!

I had to pull off the road, drive down a gravel road, open my sun-roof and stood on the drivers seat to get these pictures. These beautiful Sunflowers were taller than me!!

BEAUTIFUL!!

This is my FAVORITE picture!! It is my wallpaper on my computer and I LOVE waking up to this beautiful view EVERYDAY!!! Makes me feel like I am home!!!

Of course...it wouldn't be a trip back to SD without a little weather!! I ALWAYS seem to bring it with me! The evening of my arrival my mom, Grandma Marge & I headed downtown to "Ladies Night" at the Bar. We had a few drinks and then it started to RAIN...and RAIN HARD! The Bar lost power and someone mentioned (in the dark)..."Is Beki Lawien home? That would be the only explaination for the power outage!!" Well...this rain that I supposedly brought with me was enough to bring the farmers out of the fields and they all came to the bar!! ONLY in SD are the Farmers as bright yellow as the Sunflowers!! Tim Schweitzer & Jiggs Biegler showed up after the power came back on.

On Friday August 13th, Ryder, Kannin, & I headed to Bismarck with my parents. My mom had a Dr. Appointment and we tagged along to do some School shopping. We took the boys to Space Aliens for lunch. The food was fabulous and we hit the JACKPOT playing games in the arcade.

Ryder & Kannin taking another long car trip. We headed to Bismarck just a day after we arrived in Timber Lake. Thank goodness that they are such cood travelers!!

FINALLY!! We had told Ryder about Space Aliens a few weeks before our trip to Bismarck. He told EVERYONE he came in contact with that he was going to Space Aliens for WEEKS before our trip!!

While we were waiting for our food to come...we played games in the arcade. I dropped my first token in a dumptruck game and I guess the token hit the flag just right and dumped the Jackpot of tokens. I didn't know I had even won anything until I felt something on my foot. It was tickets pouring out!! It took 25minutes or more to dispense all the tickets I won! Our food arrived so we took turns collecting the tickets.

All in all...we won about 3500 tickets! The boys had fun picking their prizes at the end of our visit to Space Aliens!!

When we arrived back to TImber Lake from Bismarck...Grandma Marge & Grandpa Leo were there waiting!! Ryder was trying to immitate Grandpa Leo!!

Movie Night: We watched "BIG" , had popcorn and smoothies! (Tysen, Grandma Marge, Kannin, Ryder, Grandma Kris & Grandpa Roger)

We invited ourselves out to the Biegler farm to pick some corn on our way to Rapid City. My "City Boys" were a bit aprehensive...but loved it once they got their hands dirty!! Above: Ryder picking corn!!

Mmmm. Fresh Biegler Corn!!

Janal giving Kannin a "Husking Lesson!"

I can't believe that Tysen is taller than the corn!!

Thanks Jiggs & Janal for letting my boys come out and pick some fresh Biegler Corn! We had fun!! (Notice all my boys are sporting their Panther Pride with their shirts!!)

Bye Biegler Farm! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!