a little choo-choo train

This is another one of those posts that has taken a little while because I was hoping to do some red-eye removal ... but I'm just going to post it anyway ... and do that ... later???

On our last night in Rapid City, we went to a local park where they had a kiddie train ... and hot cocoa and cider ... and oodles of lights. Foofie is in the front of the train -- on this ride -- and Buddy is in the orange hunting hat :) This was Buddy's only turn, however, as he quickly decided he was a bit too macho for the kiddie train ...
Even Halo had a turn ...
And a few pictures of Ezzie and Luke ...
Although Luke looks a little stern in this one ...
They were having lots of fun together :)
Little Trooper LOVED it. I think he went on four rides. We had done a fair amount of walking around as well and so ... while we were heading back to the car ... I said, "You are such a trooper!" "I'm a choo-choo train rider," he replied matter-of-factly :) I think this is the smile of satisfaction ...
Back at the house ... Macho Buddy modeled his new spy glasses ...
And I visited with my sweet sis-in-law :)

a little Black Hills sight-seeing

The day after Christmas, Grandpa offered to show us some of the sights. We had not been on the road for very long when I noticed a tired kiddo in the back seat ...
Make that TWO tired kiddos ...
Actually THREE!!!
Even Daddy was tired!
And it was only 10:30 in the morning!

This fellow, however, wasn't missing anything!
Everyone woke up -- or was woken up -- when we reached Mount Rushmore ... except Little Sleeper.
Little Sleeper's slumber was disrupted, however, by cold, gusty winds -- so his peepers were open for our family Mount Rushmore picture :)


Next on the agenda was lunch -- at the Crazy Horse Cafe -- I'm not really sure what it was called ... probably something similar to the Crazy Horse Cafe ...
Foof used the camera and took about twenty-three pictures of this. I didn't think to take one ... so we get to enjoy this upward angle due to Foofie's small stature :) This is a model of what the Crazy Horse monument will eventually look like ... in another hundred years or so.
Here it is from afar ...
And a little less far ...
See Halo's shoes??? I mean ... slippers??? Dear Halo was helping get things out to our van on Christmas morning in her ... jeans ... and her fancy, black, high-heeled shoes. She never changed out of her dress shoes and forgot to bring any other shoes with. So ... she did her South Dakota touring in a pair of Grandma's slippers :) It's best to borrow slippers {instead of shoes} when you wear a size 9.5 in casual shoes and a 10.5 in running shoes. She doesn't think it's so funny just now ... but I assured her we'll all laugh about it in a few years :)

a little Rapid Christmas

We did something different for Christmas this year. We visited my husband's side of the family in their relatively new location of Rapid City. We left for the airport a little before nine in the morning. Little Blondie was thrilled! {Read the following line to the tune of Jingle Bells, please ...} Oh, what fun it is to ride ... in an air-plane ... on Christ-mas day-ay ... Daddy was a little less thrilled about flying and security and being stripped of our rights -- but he's a good sport :) These two were highly excited as well ... And we were pretty tired ... but happy :) After our safe arrival and unloading a host of bags and belongings ... the kids immediately ventured down to the creek in search of adventure ... and ducks. So ... I ventured down too ... to take some pictures :) Feeding the ducks. See them??? I don't know how Halo got this apron on so fast ... I don't think she wore it on the airplane ... she's an apron kind of gal :)
Daddy just fished this kid out of the creek ... Smile :) Yes, this is not our usual Christmas ... that's Buddy in his stocking feet and shorts ... in the snow ... He just scared all of the ducks away ... Time to warm up in the hot tub! Here you can see some of their "view" ... and a couple of neighboring homes ... and how close their deck is positioned to the creek ... Me and Little Guy :) A little while later, the aunt and the uncle {that would be Jeff's only sibling} and the cousin {little boy on the right} arrived :) If you notice the cousin's shirt ... you will deduce -- correctly -- that there will be TWO cousins by next Christmas! Little Button-Pusher hardly ate any lunch or supper. He was too busy pushing buttons on all of Grandma's many ornaments/toys/decorations ... Oooh ... more buttons!!! Not only was he too busy to bother with eating ... but he was also too busy to look over at the camera. Needless to say ... he was pretty hungry by 5:30 the following morning. While we were still in bed, Little Button-Pusher woke me up and said, "Mommy, do you have any food in your pocket??? For me???" I told him I didn't have any. "I don't ever want to be here again," he replied. That's Grandma -- of course -- and Buddy ... and I think some important business was going on here ...

a little Christmas Eve *by Halo*

Merry Christmas Eve!! Our tradition is Christmas Eve at Grandpa & Grandma's house!!!

A great feast!! {courtesy of G-ma!! Extra special thanks to her!!}

See those HUNGRY faces? All the GREAT food is beckoning to them ;) Me and MOST of my cousins...WAITING...WAITING...WAITING :)
Isn't she cute???
Why the silly face, Daddy???
Having fun!
Little Dude was taking pictures too ... with a toy blender base ...
Family Christmas photo :)
See ya!!
Halo Jean