Random Dog Pictures

Rowan

Rosie

Raven

Making Cookies!

Fire Safety and Fire Building Badge

The girls got together with their American Heritage Girls Troop to work on their Fire Safety and Fire Building badge.  It was pouring rain*, so we did most of the requirements indoors and we'll finish it up outside on a more pleasant day. 

*Pouring Rain:  On our way to the meeting(in Sioux Falls) it was raining so hard that many cars(including ours) AND trailer trucks were pulling over on the interstate.  There were flash floods in Sioux Falls that afternoon. 

Double Rainbow

Another Day at the Lake

Friends!

Roasting Marshmallows

S'mores!

This game was called run out from under the shelter, screaming "out of the rain"

I tried to take pictures of the children and was only partially successful, I captured some shots of the littles and the middles but the biggers escaped!  They spent most of their time hiking and geocaching.  Thank you friends for driving to meet us and spending a drizzly day in the park.  Maybe we can meet again in August before everyone goes "back to school".

and back under the shelter screaming "in the rain."

Lake Shetek State Park, MN

 We made plans to meet up with some friends from when we lived in MN at a park halfway between there and here.  We arrived before our friends so my children played with each other for a while!  And I took their picture(s)!

A couple of hot, dry days

and the farmers are baling the hay. 

Fun Fundraiser

Remember the pictures I had of the Tour de Kota overnight camping stop in Madison?  Well, if not, it is a six day, 430 long bike ride through the countryside of South Dakota.  This years Tour de Kota stayed mainly in South Eastern South Dakota.  The girls and I participated with our American Heritage Girls Troop in a fundraiser at a comfort station along Thursday's route.  The tour sets up a porta potty and then groups apply to set up a food/drink table.  We brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, homemade goodies, water and lemonade.  The riders stopped to use the facilities and get some energy for their remaining 13 miles of the day.  It was cool and overcast with a few downpours.  We were just packing up when the skies opened again and brought forth thunder and lightening as well.  We enjoyed meeting the riders, one of whom had recently had a knee replacement! and another who had lost a young friend and was riding in his memory. 

Barber Shop

While we utilized an old fashioned barber shop during the winter months for the boys' haircuts, when it was time for a buzz cut for M and C I got out my trust razor and off came the locks.  The birds had a heyday with their new nesting supplies!