Our family vacation has progressed fairly well.  We traveled through the Badlands...very pretty scenery, visited Wall Drug, and got to see Mount Rushmore.  They have really updated it since I was there in 1979.  You can take a trail down to the base of the mountain and look up at the faces  (I didn't spy any boogies ).  It was just a neat experience.

Yesterday, my brother became ordained as a Lutheran pastor.  It was such a special event.  My parents, sisters, and long time friends and mentors (Pastor Ledic and Pastor Obersat) were all present.  We were able to spend some time visiting and catching up on everyone.  It was a fun and relaxing time.

The kids still fight and complain (mostly Lizzy and Martin) but I guess they do it at home, too.  There is just more space for me to escape their fighting at home.  There is no place to escape in the van.

I forgot to mention...there was this darling little place in Redfield, SD (where Paul's sister lives) called Simply Charming.  It is a small coffee shop and decor store.  I think it would be fun to open something like that up someday.  Paul treated me to an iced coffee for all of my hard work last week while tending to the sick kids...it was greatly appreciated!