Racing Across America

First time ever...the girls in the family finally made it to Mt. Rushmore...FANTASTIC!!!



Alicia along side the bust of the brainchild of the 4 presidents at Rushmore

Captial City Band of Pierre, SD...the longest running municipal band in South Dakota.

The director of the band gave the ALPHA Junior High Band the cornet he started out playing as a kid.

Alicia "rock climbing" at Byron Bible Camp north of Huron, SD

What's a Hayroll?!?!

Finally close enough to touch...Anabel is posing beside a real live "hayroll".

Times have changed. When I was a kid, people baled square hay bales, threw them on the flatbed and then hauled them up into the hay loft of the barn. Now the bales are these gigantic round things that are left out in the fields and fascinate kids who have grown up in another country/culture. Never having seen such a sight, Anabel asked what all those "hay rolls" are for. Sorry, can't answer that...I think they are just for lookin' at. :)


A real live "hay roll" machine!

An Unforgetable 4th of July

A PINK barn????

This 4th of July is one we are not likely to forget. I don't ever remember a day so full of surprises as this one. After taking off out of Waconia, MN, we headed west to South Dakota. I was shocked to see some REALLY PINK buildings at a farm along the way. We stopped at this farm and visited with the owners who informed us that the entire farm has been painted pink since 1904!

The ex-pats at the Watertown 4th of July parade.

In Watertown, SD we caught up with friends who have lived in Australia for the last two years and were visiting relatives in the US. It was fun to catch up and find out what their life is like living "down under".

The color guard and the National Anthem brought everyone to their feet and tears to my eyes. This is still the greatest nation on earth.

This poor clown couldn't put a smile on his face even with these funny kids posing beside him.

Ken (from Brazil) riding along with Keith (from Australia), who drives his Camero in the parade every year...entry number 100!