So Aaron was still in Texas when we finished our Kansas vacation so I decided to see some of the sights on our way home. Two places I particularly wanted to go were to Winter Quarters in Nebraska and The Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD.
I've noticed that sometimes when you go to a Visitor's Center the people there have their "schpiel" that they usually say. I've also noticed that no matter how often you tell them you don't have a ton of time and still have about 8 hours left in your drive, you are going to get the entire "schpiel". Thus our visit to Winter Quarters went from a quick 30 minutes to 2 hours. The kids only complained as I went through the cemetery but did stand long enough for a picture or two.
By the way, for those of you who don't know Winter Quarters is the place where the pioneers stayed over the winter in really terrible conditions before their trek west to Salt Lake City. Most there had been forced out of their homes previously so food and supplies were scarce and there was a lot of sickness so many, especially kids, died there.
Kids pulling a handcart. Alex mentioned that this was so easy that pulling it to Utah would've been no problem.
Kids loading their wagons.
Memorial to children who died at Winter Quarters. You can almost feel the enthusiasm.
Although long, it was a great experience and the kids actually learned something so we have that going for us...which is nice.
So back in the car and 5 hours later we pull up to The World's ONLY Corn Palace. That's right, there's only one and lucky us it's in South Dakota.
Since none of you know, The Corn Palace was built to advertise that corn grows in South Dakota and to entice farmers to either move here or stay here instead of relocating to Iowa or Nebraska because hey...we have so much corn we're building palaces out of the stuff.
Apparently it didn't take because to this day South Dakota still does not have 1 million people in her borders.
They start decorating for the next year in July so it's not as corny as it could be.
World's Only...too bad I didn't get in there myself.
So our summer vacation is only half over and already the kids and I have traveled 3830 miles (by van). Since we have been all over doing and seeing different sights, I am attempting to do separate blog posts for each "vacation".
Aaron recently started the Flight Medicine training and was sent to Texas for his first two weeks of class. Since I was on my own I decided that now was as good a time as any to go visit my brother Scott and his family in Topeka, Kansas.
There are a few things to know about Kansas before you go to visit:
1. Kansas has humidity and if you are pregnant and haven't been in humidity in about 4 years (since Ohio) you are going to sweat... A LOT! Your kids will also complain that they are"hotter and hotter and hotter than ever!"
2. Kansas has no regulations concerning the 4th of July. Anything and everything is legal right there outside your front door so long as you are exploding your fireworks during the approved days (this year June 27 - July 5)
3. Kansas gets a bad rap about being boring BUT there was a ton to do and it was gorgeous! We were there a week and literally ran out of time before we got to everything
Here's a peek at what Kansas had to offer the Petersen Family:
Sydney playing with the puppies at the libraries bookmobile
Camryn at Shawnee Lake park
Sydney at the Topeka Zoo - she almost got bit on this one
Camryn and cousin Skyler fighting over the Bear Chair. Gotta love 2 1/2 - 3 year olds! I mostly picked this picture so you can see how hot Cammer was!
Sitting in "school" at the Deanna Rose Farmstead in KC, KS. Although we did end up in KC, MO by accident on the way home.
Alex riding the tractor track at Deanna Rose Farmstead in KC
This is the other side of Shawnee Lake. They've built a beach with water slides, sprinklers, and basketball hoops.
Alex, Sydney and Cam with cousins Skyler and Carson.
So even though the U2 concert wasn't part of our weekend (I still think Bono is faking a back injury/surgery in order to watch the World Cup in peace - a little too convenient in timing) we still had a great time in Ft Collins visiting the Rasmussen Family.
Let it be know that any house that has a PA system including tape deck, to play all your mixed tapes, is something special.
Sunday June 13, Camryn asked to wear panties. We had had one day of unsuccessful potty training before a few weeks ago and since then has avoided her panties like the plague. Since she was asking, I thought it only right that I accommodate her. Even wore them to church and stayed dry. Monday June 14, she was wet 3 times and pooped once. Tuesday was even worse as she wet her pants 2 times during my doctor's apt. By Wednesday, I was done and she was back in diapers.
Alex is probably the only 1st/2nd grader who has yet to lose a tooth. Granted, the fact that his first tooth didn't even come in until a week after his first birthday should have been a tip-off that losing the teeth wouldn't be easy. Finally 3 weeks ago he discovers that he has a lose tooth! but even with constant wiggling the blasted thing won't come out.
So what happens this weekend at the Rasmussens? Camryn becomes fully potty trained, pee and poop, even through the night and Alex loses that dang tooth! Apparently our house doesn't have "IT" but so long as we have access to the house that does, I think we'll be okay.
In other weekend news, we enjoyed hiking around Rocky Mountain National Park
watched a lot of World Cup,and visited the Budweiser Factory and learning all about the making of beer. The kids payed surprisingly good attention and even memorized the 5 ingredients to making beer (says Sydney: water, yeast, rice, barley and "jumps" aka hops).
Today was Alex's last day of school! Yeah for summer vacation, sleeping in (for me) and hanging out at the swimming pool (not for me, my white legs and pregnant belly...but I'll do it anyway). I'm the afternoon carpool pick-up so I cranked the High School Musical song "What Time Is It?" (answer: summer time) and headed home. It was a gorgeous day, 75 degrees with a slight breeze and a few scattered clouds. I thought to myself, "what a day for a Slurpee!". There's a gas station a few blocks down from our neighborhood so I thought "what a great day for a walk!". So the kids and I headed out for a great school's out walk to get our Slurpees.
Sydney and Cammer were busy smelling flowers and Alex was telling tales of lost teeth and reading tests when we can upon a dead baby bird in the middle of the sidewalk. It had fallen out of its nest in the tree above us. It was brand new, still yellow with a little peach fuzz. I called the kids back to look at it - hoping to answer any questions they might have (being the bird expert that I am). We looked at it's beak, saw the little wings, and noticed that it's eyes weren't yet open. We soon exhausted all bird talk and turned to leave. We all stood to leave except for Camryn who was still looking at "the baby". I called for her to come and without hesitation she exclaimed "bye baby bird"... and then stomped it !
I can still hear the squish beneath her sandals and see the squirt shoot out the side. It's kinda funny now that I'm not dry-heaving over it.
Although Alex is a great brother to his sisters, we recognize the need for more testosterone in the home. Baby's ETA is October 6 but I've had the other three early so we are planning on late September.
So before Sydney's broken arm fiasco she turned 5. It's sometimes hard to believe that she's only 5, there's enough hands on hips, eye rolling, and sighs of exasperation to fill a junior high, but she's 5 none-the-less. She invited a few friends over for a swimming party at the Rec Center and then we had dinner at Burger King. Always a great party at the Petersen's.
Sydney has a ton of personality, as you can see from her pictures, and confidence and kindergarten can't come soon enough. I'm finding that she' more and more like me so we've had a few power struggles where we both act like 5 but mostly have a lot of fun. She love to sing and dance and lately has discovered a talent for soccer.
