The first day of school...

In August the girls started another year of school.  This year Julianne is in 4th grade and Katelyn is in 1st grade.  They both have awesome teachers that encourage learning and challenge them.  Julianne also has a student teacher in her classroom all year and I have heard it is nice to have an extra set of hands in the classroom.  Besides their classroom teachers, they also have great "specials" teachers (art, gym, music, library and computer lab).  Finally, Julianne started orchestra this year and is playing the Cello.  She is enjoying it and and has earned her bow.  The Brandon elementary schools had their orchestra concert mid-December and it was fun to see Julianne perform.  Here are some pictures from the first day of school for the girls.

Vacation - Day 2: 1880's Train

On Sunday, Day 2 of vacation, we headed to Hill City to ride the 1880's train.  We were all super-excited, including the adults.  On our way to Hill City we stopped for a picture opportunity for the families and for Grammy and Papa.

Mason, Josh, Rachel and Murphy

Julianne, Becca, William, Brian and Katelyn

Mason, Grammy, William, Katelyn, Murphy, Papa and Julianne

When we pulled up to the train depot we saw some gentlemen dressed up in 1880's clothing, the kids were curious.  The adults already new we were in for a special treat on our train ride...a little "train robbery and shootout" along the way.  I think all the Dads would agree this was a great way to spend Father's Day.

We are loaded on the train, waiting for the Engine to

reconnect after getting water and turning around.

And, we are off...

One of the "sheriffs" on board the train protecting the payroll.

A bandit, waiting for the train.

Some of the guys involved...

The kids getting a look at the action.

Murhpy holding on for the ride.

The gorgeous view on the ride!

Julianne and Aunt Rachel

Mason and Josh

William super-excited to ride the train!

William and Mommy

A picture along the way...

A glorious day it was!

A picture opportunity while waiting for the train:

 Murphy, Mason, Katelyn, Julianne and William

 The ride home...

Julianne and Mason

 Daddy and William

 Yep, a sideways picture.  

Murphy wore out and took a nap on Papa's lap.

Filling the engine with water...

The view on the ride home, the day was more than I could imagine!

The time we spent in Hill City, on the 1880's train and Keystone was FABULOUS!!!  I am so glad we had the opportunity to spend this time with Grammy and Papa and my sister (Rachel) and her family (Josh, Mason and Murphy).  It was only a month a go we were doing this, but I can't wait to go back and do it again.

Vaction: The Badlands...

... the start to a terrific vacation!

This year's vacation was one we were all excited about!  Julianne had been asking to go to the Black Hills for well over a year and we really wanted to take her (and the other kids too).  This trip turned out to be far more fun and full of firsts, excitement, laughter, and lots of playing!

Our trip started on a Saturday morning, however, the packing began on the prior Monday, and the list making began weeks before that.  For those of you who don't know, I LOVE LISTS!  They help keep me organized, they help me from forgetting items for trips, and well they help me feel like I've accomplished something when I can cross an item off the list.  Trying to pack for 4 people is easy and challenging at the same time.  The challenge I find is when I am packing all of us at once (without lists) and going from room to room I sometimes can't remember who I packed what for and I double up on one kid and forget for another.  Anyways, this is off the subject and another post sometime down the road.

The cars (my Suburban and my Dad's truck) were mostly loaded on Friday night to give us a head start on Saturday morning.  Grammy and Papa offered to take a grandkid or two with them and after a little thinking we decided to send William with them so he could enjoy some extra time with his cousins, Mason and Murphy, before the rest of us.  At least that was the plan....then plane troubles cut that time short.

Anyways, on Saturday morning we finished loading up the vehicles and Grammy, Papa and William took off.  Brian, the girls, myself and Grandma Kay (she spent the night after surgery on Friday - she is recovering and doing better each day) finished packing up and hit the road about an hour later.  On our way out to the Hills we stopped in Mitchell to drop off Grandma Kay and got her settled in before continuing on our journey.

 Stopping at the Lookout near Chamberlain.

Pictures like the one below always melt my heart!

We stopped in Kadoka so Brian could get Gizzards.

The Badlands....

 Katelyn and me....self portrait

 Sisterly love...or maybe not!  

 I took a lot of pictures during our drive and our "hiking" and picked a few of my favorites.

 Julianne and me....yep, another self-portrait.

It wouldn't be complete without a self-portrait of Brian and I.

 Brian and his girls!

 We didn't get a picture when we entered the Badlands,

so we stopped on our way out and took a few pictures at the sign.

I am sure William would have loved seeing the Badlands or better yet running all over, but I am POSITIVE I would have been a nervous wreck with him enjoying it all.  We will do the drive again when he is a bit older.  We all had a blast and decided we could have spend way more time there then we did, but alas we had to move on because we had others waiting for us and bigger plans for the week.  So, we piled back in the car and continued the drive to the cabin.