Our trip to the Hills actually stated a full day before these photos. We left home and drove to Sioux Falls and spent half a day there unwinding before making the trek across South Dakota.
On the way we stopped at the usual: Al's Oasis and Wall Drug. Mac got a new puppy at Al's and Mom purchased some delicious Butterfinger fudge at Wall.
The boys and cousin Abbi got antiquated with the cabin right away and made sure to have some fun in the hot tub.
The next morning the kids got up bright and early and we hopped into the car again for a trip to Jewel Cave. Along the way we stopped at a beautiful observation center and park. We went on a short walk on a trail but it was cut short due to flooding over the trail. Also after several hours of driving to the cave, we came to find out that there are scheduled tours of the cave and it would be several more hours before we could go threw the cave. So we drove back to the next closest town for a tourist priced lunch and let the kids run around at a school playground. We drove back to the cave for a cold, but amazing, hour long guided tour. Then it was another long car ride back to the cabin...I was literally sick and tired of riding in the back of the van!!!
The next day was actually the main day for the Taller (Neil's Mother's-Father) family reunion. We met and played games with lots of people we have never met before, but then we also made time to duck away and visit Deadwood. Deadwood was only a 20-30 minute drive from our cabin, so by far the closest place we had gone to in days. The boys picked out some fun cap guns, ate some cold ice cream, went to an amusement park and even watched an old west reenactment in the middle of the road.
The next day the rest of the family made there way back across South Dakota while we staid and really got to explore the beauty of the hills. We rented this 6 seat'er ATV and drove the trails for hours. We stopped and got out for a short trek up a summit and looked out to the forest surrounding us. We also went into a valley and stopped for a snack break...chocolate and M&M covered Twinkies!!!
After our fun in nature we made our way back to our swankie hotel room and got cleaned up for a night out in Deadwood. Jack, Ty and Mac and Mom enjoyed Rockie Mountain Oysters for the first time. Jack thought they were chicken nuggets and he ate almost all of them! The next morning we swam in the infinity pool of the hotel and packed up to go to Chamberlain, our next stop.
Once we got to Chamberlain, we quickly got our swim stuff on so we could go hop into the pontoon Neil had rented for the day. Jack tubed all by himself while everyone else took turns with mom or dad and everyone had a blast on and in the river. When we got back for the night, the boys still wanted more water time, so we swam in the pool at Cedar Shore as well. If you are counting...we all swam 3 times that day. (Once in deadwood, once in the river and once in Cedar Shore.)
After a great nights sleep, we started the trip back home. We stopped in Sioux Falls for lunch with a gaggle of Rezac's and got home safe, sound and exhausted!
This was our first official family vacation and I think we learned a lot about ourselves along the way.
7-9-15--7-14-15
