Mt. Rushmore

A lot had changed in eight years, but it was still hot and crowded, at least this time I wasn't carrying a crying newborn.....and we were able to walk the President's Trail. Last time we didn't do it because of the crying baby, but also because it was too dang hot and it was a dirt trail. Now the trail was paved half way and stair cased the rest. It gave us a chance to get a lot closer, and to work up a good sweat.



When this family asked Joey to take a family picture for them, it took all I had to control myself from ripping the camera out of his hands, instead I captured the moment, which became my favorite photo of the day.



After that a woman offered to take a photo for us so naturally I jumped at the chance, but I was bummed to see the results. So after that when I'd see a family minus one I'd offer to take it for them, and I made sure I gave them picture postcard photos. I had so much fun doing that, I could have done it all day, but it was getting hotter by the hour.........So we headed South and found ourselves on the Iron Mountain Highway which is a mountainous route thru the Black Hills that has three strategically placed tunnels that were built specifically to frame Mt. Rushmore. What a nice wrong turn.

Traffic Jam in Custer State Park

That's how they roll in the SD.

Directly below Custer is Wind Cave National Park where we finally got to see prairie dogs.


We didn't go to the cave, just stopped periodically to view wildlife, trying to make it to Joey's brother's family in Cheyenne. We stopped in Hot Springs, SD for a fabulous Mexican lunch. If you find yourself in Hot Springs, we highly recommend Mi Cocina, directly across the street from an unexpected waterfall and cute little creek.

It was dark, but we made it to Johnny's. We hadn't seen each other in almost four years so it was a much needed visit. John had just taken his family on the road a little over a month ago so we're so excited at the prospect of being able to do a lot of traveling together in the future. It's really good to reconnect, love you guys!

Badlands National Park

One thing about tent camping...we're up at the crack of dawn! It was fun to see how the other side lives. The city campground in Sanborn, Iowa has a really nice bathroom, but it was the first time I had to pay for a shower. Two quarters got me eight minutes, all of which I didn't need, but since the water ran regardless if I used it or not, I soaked up all eight minutes greedily. (It's nice to have a powerful hot shower once in a while.)

I think we were actually on the road by eight a.m.! Wow, what kinds of mishaps, I mean adventures, can we get into today? The kids were not as bright eyed, they continued sleeping while we drove. They woke up somewhere in South Dakota, enough time to play even more Nintendo DS. We stopped at a rest area along I-80 and the Missouri River that happened to have a nice Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center, or some such name. We ran around outside some, taking in scenic views of the river, before heading inside.


While Jonas and Jewel were in the rest room with me, brushing their teeth, a lady came in and said "no baths in the sink" and then walked into a stall. What the heck? Was she serious? I said, kinda snarky, that they weren't taking a bath, just brushing their teeth. When she came out she said that's what they tell the kids in school, because they come out with water dripping down to their shoulders. School humor, so over my head.....

On our way to Mount Rushmore, we realize The Badlands National Park isn't far out of our way so we decide to do the scenic drive all the way thru the park before camping at the other end. The Badlands is not a name that brings to mind beautiful scenery, but since it's a national Park, it has to be good, according to my book. Even as we pay and pass thru the gates, I'm not seeing much, but then it's non stop surprises, mile after mile.

Our first stop was the White River Valley Overlook, and is definitely named appropriately.
White:

River:

Valley:

Overlook:




Honestly, I'm trying to cut down on the pictures. It's so hard! If you're a photo junkie like me, you can see a slideshow of the whole day here, for the rest of you, I'll try really hard to keep it condensed.

These Yellow Mounds were among my favorites.

As was this grassy valley among rocky mounds:


Jewel overlooking the Pinnacles Overlook:

There was a lady freaking out that Jewel was so close to the edge....clearly a city gal.

We missed our turn to Prairie Dog Town and the campground so when Joey realized this he quickly backed up to turn around. Only, remember that welder he didn't want to trailer back? Ya, he forgot about it. The trailer didn't hold up well to a jackknifing.


Someday I'll tell the tale of how we lifted a five hundred pound welder, but first I must get thru the day. Joey was so sick over the accident we decided against going back into the park and focused on a hotel room instead, preferably one with a water slide. All along this stretch of I-80 are billboards for indoor waterpark hotels, so when we get to the turn off for Mount Rushmore and two hotels with waterparks we get online and check their prices... Back on the road, we look for a hotel with just an indoor pool, and the signs are blinking $49.95. Only turned out it was PER PERSON! So we head towards a campground, with a heated pool, but we so do not want to camp. They have a cabin available, and it's right across from the pool. After a long day in the sun, that was just what we needed.


The Badlands were fun, but tomorrow we meet four President's.

Day at an Iowan Farm

After spending the night with friends in Iowa we all decided to go with them the next day to do chores at their friend's farm. Originally the guys weren't going to go but Angie convinced them we'd get them done in half the time if they helped, so they loaded up all the kids in the back of their truck, and us ladies took the air conditioned, non dust swirling, van, and we were off. Last time we'd been to Kathy's farm the kids got yelled at for chasing the geese and ducks, and for just plain running around. This time, Kathy is gone and the kids can go wild. Jewel starts up right where they left off...


Turned out to be a really good thing the guys came, there were seven goats on the lamb! It was hilarious watching everyone chase the goats, but ended up turning our one hour chore into three hours. Still, it was quite an adventurous time! This goat tried to eat me:


While "Guard Goose" attacked anyone that neared the feathered babies:


Joey ended up standing guard so the kids could capture the baby ducks that had just been born hours earlier.

They were catching them to protect them from the cats, and to eventually be adopted by our friends. Our friends that will soon be moving into our old farm house that my cousin is currently living in. That is one popular piece of property!

Jewel was in heaven with those baby ducks! She was holding one the entire time we were on the farm!


Joey grew up on a ranch and he swears this is how you walk the cows.

He did other questionable things with the milking machine, but I'll spare you that picture.

Jewel wanted to hold a big chicken so bad, that our friend's boy nearly collapsed from exhaustion, but he caught her a chicken.....but there was no way she was going to hold it....but isn't she perty?


Then Jonas had to test his chicken chasing skills, and proud to say he came out victorious!


Jake didn't have as good of luck with the cow, but he had fun trying.


Jewel doesn't care about anything, she's in duck love.


Goat Girl taking a break from milking:


And when we finally let her out of her cage we went back to their place where more friends came over to see us.


It was a good day, and while we had planned to stay another night we ended up heading out just before dark. We had another friend to meet in NW Iowa so we met him at his campground, and slept in a tent! I was actually looking forward to tent camping for a change, but after the insanity setting up the tent caused, and the horrendous musty smell of a Vietnam era tent, it may take a while to get me back in one. We're not even half way home yet.....tomorrow, South Dakota!

To see the rest of the pictures click here.

Thinking Outside the Welder

Towing the welder turned into a blessing when we found ourselves dead in southern Iowa, late in the evening, on Father's Day.

Escaping the Texas Heat

Despite the heat and sunburns, we had a really great time in Texas. Our quick business trip turned into a really nice visit with family, and even an unexpected visit with old friends. Joey's old high school girlfriend, to be exact. I was a little nervous to meet her, but she was as great as Joey always said she was. I felt instantly comfortable, and turns out we have a lot in common. Not only do they also homeschool their three kids, but they've often dreamed of selling everything and hitting the road in an RV. We're looking forward to many family vacations together.


The sun finally went in hiding and allowed us a couple cool days before heading back home. My brother's family came over often and we bribed him almost as often to just leave the kids with us.


Jonas wore himself out chasing butterflies.




We won the bid for the welder, and Joey couldn't have been happier. He barely slept all night in anticipation of picking up his new machine, and it turned out the ol' guy that had completely rebuilt the '59 Lincoln, was just as excited. He worked meticulously on the welder, and it showed, but he had no idea what to expect, so he was thrilled to get what he did for it......he deserved every penny.

So we decide to leave the old welder in Texas, putting it up on eBay, when our friends back in Colorado call and say they want to buy it. We really don't want to tow it back, but he's offering full price, and he's a friend, so Joey mounts it on a small trailer and we haul it back. Oh yeah, we also decide we're not going straight back, we're going to pay a quick visit to Iowa and then go back to Colorado.

We couldn't leave without some excitement first. I talk Mom into making those big onion blossoms that we've been talking about for years now. Only let's not make sure we don't overflow the deep fryer as Mom drops the onion in. Holy crap, I managed to turn the electric burner off but we couldn't put out the fire so I ran out to Joey screaming for the fire extinguisher. He grabbed it off his welder, since their kitchen extinguisher was nowhere to be found, and ran in and saved the day. Actually my Dad had Joey give it to him and then had to ask how to use it, just details, but he did save the kitchen. :)

Reality check

Hanging out in the jacuzzi with Jewel yesterday:

Jewel: What's that? (pointing to my chest)
Me: A mole
Jewel: What's that? (pointing to my chin)
Me: Since it's on my face, it's a beauty mark. That means I'm beautiful.
Jewel: Well....you're not really that beautiful.
Jewel: You're just kinda beautiful.
Me: Oh, are you beautiful?
Jewel: Yaaaaaaaaaahhh

And I thought I liked her.

8 thinks all about meme

I saw this tag going around yesterday and while I was hoping others would think about me, I really didn't want to have to do it. Not that I have to do it, but now what kind of virtual friend would that make me? I don't tend to give things much thought before I post, pretty much like how I talk, so I'm afraid I may not be very interesting. Here goes nothing:

Rules first, always rules.

~~~Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.~~~

1) I had a severe allergic reaction to red ant bites once and had to spend over a week in the hospital. Because of this I've always been afraid to get stung by a bee, and I did in fact get stung by a bee a couple days ago and while it's about the size of a baseball right now, I don't think I'm going to die.

2) While living in Korea as a tiny toe headed long haired child, a man in an open air market snatched me up and ran off with me. He was trying to get me to his house so he could show me to his family. After that my mom had to get a nanny for me so she could do the daily shopping. Also while sitting in front of our apartment building a man with a fu man choo mustache tried to light my hair on fire with a lighter. I spent the rest of my days there playing on the roof.

3) I also lived in Germany as a kid and accidentally set two big hay wagons on fire, causing thousands of dollars in loss. While I stayed back to get help all my girlfriends took off running. After I got help, I ran, but it was too late, I was the only langly long haired blond in our tiny farm town so I couldn't hide. That was my first brush with Johnny Law.

4) I went to college against my will. I hated every day of it, and knew I was the only person that was there that didn't want to be. The only class I liked was Health lab, and that was because the instructor demonstrated how to put a condom on by using a banana. THAT is the only thing I learned in college.

5) I met my husband in a country western bar and knew the second he walked in the door that he was the man for me. We didn't make eye contact all night, until I was leaving, when he grabbed me by the arm and said he couldn't let me leave without meeting me first. It was love at first sight and we were married six months later.

6) I met my best friend on the schoolbus in eighth grade, it was also love at first sight. I never even knew how she'd been burned until a friend of mine asked her a few months later while we were smoking his parents' weed. Her brother had accidentally set her on fire when she was five years old. She's the most beautiful person I know.

7) I wanted to be a gymnast, and by the age of five I could do back hand springs, front walk overs, cartwheels, with and without hands, all self learned, but my mom was too shy to take me to gymnastics classes, so I'd break my bones trying new things on the school yard. Then I was going to be a Solid Gold Dancer, but again having a shy Mom, I didn't get to dance classes. I did become a cheerleader in high school though and loved everything about it, but knew my dancing career ended there.

8) La Leche League saved my children. In reality, it saved my first born from having me succomb to the pressure my in laws were putting on me to stop breast feeding, but overall I believe it saved our relationship. I hate to think about all we'd have lost if we had stopped. I had no support, my family lived far away, and just the short time I was in LLL I learned what being a mother was really about. I can't explain it, but if you were a long term nurser, you know what I'm talking about. If you were a bottle feeder, I'm really truly deeply sorry, you don't know what you missed.

Hmmm, now who can I tag that hasn't already been hit? Peg, Jody, Kathy, Amy, Dee

Slacker Mom

We were going to head to Washington State, so why are we now in Texas? Well, when Joey told people that we were leaving they came up with a dozen reasons why we shouldn't. My one new friend, Shirley, even gave me big puppy dog eyes and a pouty face, actually making me feel guilty for leaving! This is why we don't like to make new friends. Dammit.

Everyone else in camp is still working building the new gas plant, and with a lot of them being rig welders like Joey, he was able to gain invaluable information from them regarding welders. Then there were a couple rig welding trucks that came thru camp looking for a spot so Joey decided to go meet them, and in doing so he mentioned to them about a welder he was watching on eBay. They came inside to check it out and then told him all about it, and what a great welder it is. The next thing I know, we're in the truck and heading to Texas. Now the bid doesn't end until Tuesday evening but Joey's determined to win it, no matter what, so we may as well surprise the family and go hang out with them until it ends.

This is where the slacker mom part comes in. I don't even pack, I load up the last nine days of laundry and figure we should have more than enough clothes for a few days. What I didn't realize was that over the last nine days about eight of them had been cold, as cold as forty four degrees. It was NINETY TWO when we got to Texas! Good thing I did throw in swimsuits last minute, since we've been living in them the last three days.

We are having such a great visit, though. We got here around two in the afternoon, after driving straight thru. We planned on stopping but it just didn't feel right leaving at 7PM, and getting a hotel half way, around, ummmm, 4am. What is wrong with us? Who leaves for a thousand mile road trip at 7pm when we have at least four days to get there? Hi, nice to meet you, we're the FuhKaui Family.

We were obviously exhausted when we got here, so we opted not to go to the Texas Rangers baseball game with everyone, except Jacob, he went. It was kinda strange not having him with us, but he had a blast. Then on Sunday my brothers family came over and spent the day, while we grilled, swam in the cold jacuzzi, played Bochi Ball, Tether Ball, and poked fun at each other.

Today I forced eveyone to go to a waterpark,

and they all thanked me later. It was another fantastic, yet exhausting day.

I don't know how much more fun I can take.

That's me in the bottom right, looking dazed and confused.

Did I also mention that all that swimsuit wearing has now turned each of us into lobsters? I have no idea how I'm going to sleep tonight.

Gamer kids

We figured it out! Joey can just forget welding. We can still travel. We'll let the boys support us. Check it out. Oh yeah, we're gonna be rich.

Pictures, Contests, and Boredom

I never win anything, well I should take that back. I did win a ski weekend in Flagstaff, AZ...while I was pregnant! I didn't really win it though, I earned it. I was the top salesperson at the bank, and I'd like to say I worked hard for it, but it was something that came easy to me, talking to customers. I liiike to talk.

I also like to take pictures, and my kids never fail to give me some great shots. Until lately, that is, when all I can get is the back of their heads while they run away from me. But back when they just ignored me I got this shot:



Now it has won me my first photo contest! I'm so giddy, I feel like a raver on X. I don't really know how that feels, but they look like they want to hump everyone they see. So, yep, that's how I feel. I didn't win anything per se, it's just knowing my picture beat out serious professional photographers with big expensive cameras, that it just kinda makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

******************************************************************************

I also don't have anything else to post because we're still sitting here, changing our minds faster than the weather.

Light at the end of the rainbow

I finally hear back from the insurance company as to what they're going to do with my car. They're totalling it out. It's a complete loss, they say. Not only are they not going to fix it, but they're only going to give me half of what I paid for it, only seven months ago. Things are not looking so perky anymore. While driving back to our side of the mountains we see a storm brewing:

Pretty much like what's happening to me on the inside.

But then out pops one of the largest rainbows we'd ever seen


I never noticed before how dark the sky is above the rainbow, and how light it is under. There really is a light at the end of the rainbow. How cool!


Our light came the next morning when we asked ourselves what do we really want to do? I mentioned that with as much as Joey's homesick for Hawaii, and our love for water, that it makes perfect sense for us to head to the coast. So while I went to the post office and grocery store, Joey lined him up a job near the coast! Joey's building a tow bar for his truck and we're taking the next few weeks to get there. I'm not saying exactly where we're going, because our plans tend to change with the weather, let's just say, we won't be needing air conditioning.

A Nation of Frogs

This article came across my email today. The author hit it right on the head, and I couldn't not pass it on:

A Nation of Frogs


I am increasingly perplexed about how the people of our country can stand aside while gas prices go to record heights, a questionable war goes on longer than the second world way, and the planet heats up to record temperatures. It reminds me of the classic way that a frog can be boiled to death without complaint, by very slowly increasing the temperature.

My field is alternative education and here we see the same thing: How can millions and millions of parents hear their children say that they hate school without concluding that something is wrong with their schools? Wake up! Children are natural learners. If they say they hate school, something is very wrong with their schools.

How did things get this way? Perhaps it was the education system itself. Far from the original intent of building our democracy, it is a system without a shred of democracy, a system that is totally authoritarian, and with No Child Left Behind, is forcing good teachers our of education and making children hate school even more.

There is an exception to this. It is the small but growing movement of democratic schools, schools in which children have rights, dignity and choices. It is in the unschooling movement of homeschooling. These approaches start with the paradigm that children are natural learners and follow that where it leads.

To find out more about these movements go to www.educationrevolution.org
www.AEROconference.com

Jerry Mintz (jerryaero@aol.com)
Director
Alternative Education Resource Organization

Trapper's Lake

A few days ago we took a drive into the White River National Forest, via a state observed Scenic Byway. It followed the White River, which we're camped on

Past Meeker

Past Sleepy Cat fishing lake


We saw mountains, streams, trees and wildlife.




When we finally got towards the top we hiked a short distance on a dirt path, expecting to see the typical lakes we've already seen here in Colorado. But Trapper's Lake seemed to have appeared out of a movie.


The Sound of Music, perhaps?


After this I did something really amazing. So astonishing, yet so appreciated by everyone....I put down the camera. I wanted to be a part of this, not the outsider annoying everyone by shoving a camera in their face. It was different, it was good...I was more present.

Jewel rewarded me later.

Trappeur's Lodge on Dwellable

Doing nothing, doing everything

That's about what the last week feels like. We've been mixing a little exploring with what feels like a lot of nothing. I may not have finished painting the kitchen, or the living room. We may not have built that bunk for Jewel. I probably didn't get my website online yet, but I have determined that I wouldn't rather be doing anything else. We may not have a big house, or fancy cars, stock options or even a big savings, but what we do have is TIME. I sometimes feel like we should always be doing something, but I haven't completely forgotten that what I used to want more than anything else was TIME. Time to ourselves, away from work, away from obligations, away from doing things. So sometimes I have to remind myself that even time spent doing nothing is exactly what I need.