Trip to South Dakota

We had a Richards Family Reunion in South Dakota a week ago. We rented a huge, beautiful cabin outside of Lead S.D and all 18 of us stayed there. It was great fun and in the afternoons we would drive into Rapid City and take the kids on various excursions. We had a wonderful time and were so glad to see all of the family, especially those from Michigan and Kansas that we see so seldom. So here are a few of the events that took place. ( I tried to put them on a slide rather than showing a billion pics in a row, but I can't figure it out so we get to see them the normal way on the blog. Maybe someone who knows how to do a slide show can give me some pointers.) ENJOY!

We visited Storybook Island, a fantastic place for children. MyKenzie thoroughly enjoyed this place. You'll notice that Niah is not in the pictures. She was not willing to have her picture taken and was less than thrilled to be there. We have decided that someday Niah is going to ask us if she went on the vacations with us and we'll have to explain to her how she was there but not willing to get in any photos, she is opposite of mom. I'm always looking for someone to take the picture to include me in and she is always running away from the camera. What a goofball.

Raggedy Ann and Andy

MyKenzie made a stop at the 100 Acre Woods as well, where she climbed in Poohs play house and sat on Eeyore's back!

Next we moved on to the 3 little pigs,where MyKenzie got to go play in the brick house.

We did so many things in Storybook Island that we don't have room to show, but I suggest that if any of you visit Rapid City and you have children, this place is a wonderful place to take your kids. And the best part of all is that it's FREE!!!

More from the trip to South Dakota

We made a stop at Reptile Gardens where the girls got to see an 86 year old tortoise.

As you can see we "Squeezed in a lot of fun" on this trip!

We took a trip to the one of the funnest waterslides I've ever been to. We all had a ton of fun, we managed to convince MyKenzie to go down the slides with us, she was very reluctant to at first. She kept saying she wasn't having fun and she didn't like the slides, but now at home when she talks to her friends she of course tells them how much she loved the slides. Mom and Dad had so much fun, we love to go on waterslides. Niah was a real trooper too, she actually went down with George and had a good time until they went super fast on this one and went under at the end.

This slide had a bump at the end and it was inevitable that you catch air coming down. Super fun slide. We happened to go on the windiest day of the year in South Dakota so there were virtually no lines on the slides. It was our family plus about 10 others, it was a tab bit cold but when you forced yourself to bite off the chill and get back in line, it was well worth it.

Family Pict at an old Fire Truck, We can't pass those up!

The Girls

Niah's First Pigtails-FINALLY!!

Grandpa Mayes found a gigantic beetle and decided to show Niah because she is obsessed with finding bugs. Every little spec of something on the floor or ground is a bug in Niah's eyes and she has to show them all to mom. So we decided to see what she would do when Papa put it on her. She handled it so well, not even freaking out, while in the background MyKenzie was screeching about how disgusting it was. It was so funny, she was completely calm until it got closer to her face. Way to go Niah!!

MyKenzie and Brityn. Boy is she growing fast!

"Listen here young lady!!"

Niah thinks it's fun to sit in the babydoll carrier and rock back and forth. It's pretty funny!