Summer Vacation

Yes, I realize that it is now November and I am JUST getting to writing about our vacation this summer.  One day I will be timely with these posts.  That would be the day you wonder who has taken over this blog!!!

As you might know (if you follow either of us on Facebook) Mason is a bit "into" presidents and presidential knowledge.  You might even have been one of the lucky few who has heard him recite the presidents along with some facts about them. So, when we were debating where we wanted to go this year, Mason thought that Washington D.C. sounded like the logical best place to go.  After some convincing, he decided that he could settle for South Dakota and Mount Rushmore.  So, we packed up and drove north.

Yup, if you decide bring one harmonica, you had better bring two!

If it has been a while since you've been to Rapid City, they now have statutes of all of the presidents gracing the corners of their downtown area.  Mason was able to name them and facts about most of them entertaining fellow tourists.

A handshake from John Adams

Directing with General Eisenhauer

Our great first president

High fives for Jimmy Carter

Listening to Abe's story

Going on adventure with Teddy Roosevelt

Taking a break with Martin Van Buren

Trying to hit Taft's fastball

Mason with his favorite, Andrew Jackson

 (yes, I had to have Mason help me remember who all of those were)

We finally made it to Keystone and Mount Rushmore

The future of America

We've arrived!!

We found the Nebraska pilar

The boys

Beautiful at night

We stayed for the ranger talk and lighting of the monument. Before they light it up, the park ranger wanders around and asks questions of the crowd.  Guess who could answer almost all of the questions...if you guessed Laura, thanks for the compliment, but guess again. He even got called on to answer the question "Which President was born on the the 4th of July?" Do you know?  Mason did.  I'll include the answer at the end of this blog.

We spent the next morning at Bear Country USA.  The boys (all 3 of them) loved seeing all of the animals.

Yes, they have bears at Bear Country

Wolves taunting the mountain lion.  Scary to think that there are reports of both of these not far from home!

Sam decided that since we were going very slowly he would help out as a driver. 

We decided that we hadn't had quite enough so we returned to Mount Rushmore for one more visit before we left.  

After a fun weekend away, it was time to head home.

Two worn out guys!

We had a great time.  It is a great time and we will probably be back.  With the presidential election right around the corner, we have had lots of discussions about presidents.  Who knows you might know the president of 2048!!!

Did I mention that he knows all of the presidents in order?  If you don't believe me, or would like to see it, check this out: 

***The answer to the presidential trivia question was Calvin Coolidge.