By Rachel - 6/30/06

Today, we went to Mt. Rushmore and the Gutzon Borglum Gallery. First, we went to the Gutzon Borglum museum. There were these sound sticks that you used to hear about each exhibit. We watched a 22-minute movie about carving Mt. Rushmore, and then we went to Mt. Rushmore. When we got in, we got booklets for the Jr. Ranger Program. We walked down to the Lincoln Borglum Museum and saw the exhibits there and watched another movie. We walked down the Avenue of Flags. We walked on the Presidential Trail to hear a Ranger talk on the presidents, and continued walking to the Sculptor’s Studio for a ranger talk there, and then did a children’s program. I got a pin for doing my Jr. Ranger booklet. I got 1 baseball, 4 postcards, 1 T-shirt, 1 pressed penny, and 1 magnet.

By Amanda - 6/30/06

Today we went to the Borglum Story and Museum and we toured Mt. Rushmore National Monument. We also went to Landstrum (Black Hills) Gold Jewelry Store and factory. Mt. Rushmore was carved by Gutzon Borglum and his crew of over 450 men. It took 14 years of hard work, failure, and perseverance to make the great statue come to life. Did you know that the scale models were revised over nine times, and that Jefferson was supposed to be on the left of Washington instead of the right? When they started carving Jefferson’s face, the rock had cracks in it and they had to blast his face off with dynamite and start again to the right. Also, Roosevelt’s face is receded 100 feet behind the others because when it was being carved, the rock was not suitable for the project. No lives were lost in the project, and only one man had an injury (but he was still back to his job within a short time.) These men climbed 600 stairs (carrying their tools) to get to their jobsite, and worked an 8-hour shift each day. Some used the dynamite to carve 90% of the monument’s surface, and some worked with chisels and jackhammers to smooth and shape the surface. After visiting the monument, we went to the Landstrum Jewelry Store and purchased some of the Black Hills Gold jewelry there. Tomorrow, we are just going to do some local things, and come back to the motor home to take it easy for the rest of the day.

By Rachel - 6/29/06

Today we went to Rushmore Black Hills Gold factory and did a tour. We got to see a lot of the stages of making jewelry. We also looked in the retail store, and then we went to a Sioux pottery factory. We actually got to paint pottery. Mine has one butterfly and two flowers on it, plus my name. We also went to The Journey Museum in Rapid City, SD. There are areas on archeology, Indians, and pioneers. My favorite area was the pioneer area. One of the things I liked in that area was the two saddles that you could get on. The two saddles were a regular western saddle and a side-saddle. The side saddle was not very comfortable, but the western one was comfortable though. It was a high back one. There were many other kinds of saddles, but we could not get on them. In the evening, we went to the Circle B Ranch for a chuck wagon supper. My sister and I had chicken. You also get a “smashed” potato, ginger cake, applesauce, cowboy beans, biscuits, and lemonade. About 15 minutes later, there was a show where three out of the four sons were there to sing with their dad. The guys that sang were Todd, Nick, Zach, and there dad was Dale. I got 1 bookmark and four postcards.

By Amanda - 6/29/06

Today was our first day of touring in South Dakota. We visited a Black Hills Jewelry store and took a tour of their factory. We also went to a Sioux Indian Pottery factory and went to a chuck wagon supper and show. The jewelry factory showed us 12 of the 30+ steps that make the signature Black Hills Gold jewelry. There are actually five different companies that make the Black Hills Gold jewelry. Each piece is handmade from the molds to the signature leaf-and-grapes design. After this, we headed to a Sioux pottery factory and got to see first hand how pottery is made. Then we got to paint our own pottery and etch our own designs into it. Finally, we went to the Circle B Ranch for a chuck wagon dinner and show. We had chicken, baked beans, baked potatoes, applesauce, ginger cake, and biscuit, and we watched a show of old cowboy songs. It was a fun (& tiring) day!

By Rachel - 6/27/06

Today we went to Fort Seward Interpretive Center, the National Buffalo Museum, and Frontier Village in Jamestown, ND. We took a tour of the museum. There was a thing where you stick your hand in a box and then you can feel what that animal’s fur feels like. We got to go in a teepee too. We brought Grandpa’s stuffed dog, Samuel, along into the museum with us and out to the buffalo viewing area. Then we went to see the big buffalo statue – the biggest buffalo in the world. Then I took a pony ride. The pony went faster than the horse I ride at horseback riding lessons. Then we walked around in the buildings. There were also two train cars that you can go in. My sister and I went in them and we hid, but my Grandpa found us. We went in many buildings. One of those was a Sheriff’s office. My sister and I locked Grandpa in jail. We saw White Cloud, which is a white buffalo. That is very rare. Surprisingly, all four of her babies are normal color. I got a magnet and four postcards.

By Amanda - 6/27/06

Today we visited the Fort Seward Interpretive Center and the National Buffalo Museum and Frontier Village. The Fort Seward Center, the site of retired Fort Seward, is a memorial to the fort. It was a place for soldiers to train, as well as help to keep the North Dakota frontier safe to live in. It was retired after 5 years of service, in 1877. At the Buffalo Museum, we saw White Cloud, an albino buffalo. She has had 4 calves, all of which have been average brown buffalo. She is very old, aged at 10 years old. Overall, it has been an interesting day, and tomorrow, we are driving to South Dakota where we will see Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills.

By Rachel - 6/25/06

We went to Mall of America in Bloomington, MN near Minneapolis. It was awesome! There is an amusement park in the mall and there are tons of rides. I had a great time! My mom bought us points which are like tickets. My sister and I rode two roller coasters. They were the best roller coasters I’ve ever been on in my life!! We walked around for awhile and looked in some stores, including a NASCAR store. Did you know that the mall has four stories and is on 78 acres of land? That is including parking though. We ate at Johnny Rockets. One of the employees gave me a hat. When we got home, we watched the rest of the NASCAR race, and then Grandpa took us to the pool. The pool was not very warm at first, but then it got warmer.

By Amanda - 6/25/06

Yesterday, we didn’t write an entry because we drove 530 miles from Michigan to Minnesota, but we are writing today about Mall of America. This is, by far, the largest mall in the US, with four floors and an amusement park in the center. It contains at least 15 amusement park rides, as well as over 500 stores, and an aquarium. It has food courts on every level, two roller coasters, all of your regular mall stores, and some exclusive stores (or at least some I’ve never seen before.) You can either buy a wristband, purchase tickets, or points that can buy so many rides, depending on how many points each ride costs. We rode two roller coasters, and played in the Lego Imagination Center. You can build anything that you want to, and even buy specialty Lego bricks to take home. Rachel and I built cars to race on a provided track, and since we raced with other kids, we both won our races. We had a great day, and tomorrow we are going to drive to North Dakota.

By Rachel - 6/23/06

Today we went to Whitefish Light Station. We went into a couple of buildings, and then watched a short movie about the Edmund Fitzgerald. The Edmund Fitzgerald was in use from 1958 to 1975. The lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard now, so we couldn’t go in the tower. We did get to go in both the light keeper’s house and the assistant light keeper’s house. The reason there were two light keepers is because there was so much for the keepers to do at this station. Then we went to Jenny’s Cranberry Farm. I got 9 postcards and a magnet.

By Amanda - 6/23/06

Today, we went to the Whitefish Point Light station, located on the northern peninsula of Michigan on Lake Superior. The light station includes: a shipwreck museum, a gift shop, a fudge shop, the keeper’s quarters, and a museum of different boats and artifacts that were used to rescue people from the waters of Lake Superior. My favorite was probably the shipwreck museum. It contained articles from different ships that were lost in the lake, as well as different details about each wreck. Probably the most famous of all wrecks is that of the Edmund Fitzgerald. One of the largest ships of its time, it was lost in a once-in-a-century storm. The story is that the ship, carrying 26 tons of iron ore, acquired some topside damage. Water started leaking in, and then both radars were lost, causing the ship to need readings from a ship 7 miles behind it. Finally, after a chain of terrible events, the ship sank in 1975. Its bell was recovered from the wreck in 1995, and a brass bell with all of the crew’s names inscribed on it was left in its place as a memorial to the crew and ship. It was very interesting. We are leaving Michigan for the area of Minneapolis and St. Paul tomorrow.

By Rachel - 6/22/06

Today, we went to Mackinac Island. We rode a ferry there. There are no cars allowed on the island. The main part of the day was at Fort Mackinac. Instead of Redcoats, there were American soldiers at this fort. We went on a soldier’s tour, and the man who was leading it told us a little bit about a soldier’s life. Then we did a cannon firing. About 15 minutes later, we went to a gun firing, and then about another 15 minutes later, we did a children’s tour. We got to play 1800s games. Some were like from the Colonial period, but they also they had Jacob’s ladder. Later, we explored the houses and buildings. We left the fort and we walked along the streets looking for postcards and other kinds of souvenirs. My Grandpa bought us two soft pretzels and a Coke. I got a souvenir penny, a magnet, and six postcards. I’m going to play on the playground soon. I had a good time at Mackinac Island.

By Amanda - 6/22/06

We visited Mackinac Island today, the location of Fort Mackinac. We saw a rifle firing, cannon firing, musical demonstration, and uniform displays. We saw how the fort has changed over the years, with modern implants and landscape changes. We saw the schoolhouse, barracks, storehouse, bathhouse, assorted officer’s houses, and a building with different toys from that time period. Near the end of our tour, we watched an informative video about the island itself. Fudge is one of the largest candy items on both the mainland and the island, and there were over a dozen fudge shops just on the island alone. There are no engines allowed on the island because the sound of them startles the horses, and it takes away from the historic character of the island. Carriage rides are a large industry, which is why there are so many horses. The air is definitely cleaner, but it “smells” a little bit more than a big city!

By Rachel - 6/21/06

Today we were at Historic Mill Creek. The weather was not very nice. In fact, we wore jeans and sometimes had long sleeves on. In 1972, an old man found two mill stones. He had no idea what it was from. May people set out to find out what mill it was from. They found out that it was from Mill Creek. People had never head of Mill Creek. They found many things from the 1700s when they dug in the ground. We walked up a little bit of the mountain for just some ideas of what the forest is like and listened to a Naturalist Program. I got six postcards and a magnet.

By Amanda - 6/21/06

We had originally planned to go to Mackinac Island today, but it is raining a bit today and they are calling for more showers today. Instead, we went to an 18th century sawmill, an old saw pit, and a naturalist talk at Old Mill Creek. The saw mill was used for cutting logs to make log cabins. Mill Creek, the creek that the water-powered mill runs on, was the largest creek for miles which is why the mill was built far outside the town. There was also a saw pit demonstration which Rachel got to volunteer to help with. It showed how logs were cut and split into boards before the invention of the saw mill. Logs were cut, and then axes were used to chip the bark off of the 12-foot log. A broad axe was then used to cut the log into a square shape, and then it was cut into roughly 1-2 inch boards. It was a long process, and 2 men could cut about 18-20 logs a day. The saw mill could do many times that. Then we went to a naturalist talk, and learned about the beaver, raccoon, skunk, deer, and bear that inhabit the park. Three forest types are actually fighting to be the dominant type, and in about 300 years from now, we will be able to find out which one wins! In the evening, we went into Mackinaw City and walked the streets and Mackinaw Crossing area to shop for souvenirs and get ice cream. Despite the rain, we were able to have a great time.

By Rachel - 6/20/06

Today we are in Mackinaw City. We went to Fort Michilimackinac. We went to see a cannon go off and a rifle firing. (They were really loud!) We went in lots of restored homes and buildings. We even saw a fake wedding and we got to play with old 1700s toys like the cup and ball, hoop and stick, and "graces". Then we went to Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. We got to go up to the top of the lighthouse, and then we walked on the shore of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. I got my picture taken with a British soldier. I got three postcards and a magnet. I had a good time.

By Amanda - 6/20/06

Today we came into Mackinaw City and toured Fort Michilimackinac, as well as the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. At the fort, we saw restored buildings similar to the ones that were used in the 1700s. This is also an archeological site -- the longest ongoing dig in the US. After they complete the dig of a certain building, then they erect a close replica of what the orig. building was like. They are only 2/3 completed. We also saw a cannon firing, a flintlock rifle demonstration, a re-enactment of a wedding, and participated in an after-wedding party/dance. We also saw other interpreters telling us about the different buildings and people in the fort. The fort was moved to Mackinac Island later on because the island would be easier to defend and the stone wall would be more solid than the wooden fort on the mainland. After visiting Michilimackinac, we headed to the Point and got to see five different lighthouses and four islands all from the same spot! We are very tired, and are going to bed early. Tomorrow, we are going to Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island.

By Rachel - 6/19/06

We went to the Kellogg factory museum today. We did a tour and we watched a short movie. Then we learned how to make Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes, and tasted fresh Corn Flakes. (They were really good!) We also got our picture taken with Tony the Tiger. They had an indoor playground with a really big slide. It was a lot of fun! I got a collectible baseball, magnet, scrapbooking kit, six postcards, and pictures of me and Sis on a cereal box. The Kellogg Factory Museum was very fun.

By Amanda - 6/19/06

We toured Kellogg's Cereal City today, whcih we thoroughly enjoyed. We saw how Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes are made, tasted fresh Corn Flakes, saw Tony the Tiger, and got our picture on the front of a Frosted Flakes cereal box. We also saw Lego sculptures of Kellogg's logos Tony the Tiger; Snap, Crackle, and Pop; Tucan Sam; and Dig'em. The tiger sculpture was made with over 40,000 bricks, and over 8,000 on the Snap, Crackle, Pop sculpture. I saw Legos that I've never seen in stores. There were a lot of hands-on activities for everyone to do. We saw many old cereal commercials, and got to vote in polls for which Kellogg's cereal we liked best. Did you know that Post Cereal was started by a man who also helped start Kelloggs? He left Kellogg's and took the ideas he had learned, and started Post Cereal before Kellogg's started their production. Also, Yogi Bear started on Kellogg's commercials, and from there went on to be a major TV cartoon character on his own shows. We also learned that cereal has been a part of the world for centuries. It was a fun day. We are leaving lower Michigan tomorrow for Mackinaw City in the northern part of the state.

By Tracy - 6/18/06

Today is Father's Day. It's tough being away from Brian, especially today, but we all talked to him, and he also wished his dad a Happy Father's Day. We do email him and send him lots of pictures. The kids usually talk to him on the phone and explain each of the pictures to him. We went into Port Huron this a.m. The beach by Lake Huron is beautiful. There are also several very pretty parks w/ concrete walkways right along the waterfront of the St. Claire River. It started raining a bit this afternoon, but only passing showers. The kids have been outside playing between the showers...and sometimes between the raindrops! We had to be back to the motor home in time for Grandpa to watch the Nascar race. Tomorrow, we'll drive about 175 miles w/ the car to Battle Creek, MI to Kellogg's Cereal City. It's been really nice this year having the car that we tow behind the RV, enabling us to plant roots for a few days and do day trips. Rach is excited about tomorrow because Kellogg's is the sponsor for her Nascar driver. (we want her to choose a different driver because he has a bad attitude...but how cute is Tony the Tiger for a sponsor logo???) The kids are over playing tetherball, but I believe it's time to mosey over to the western village on the other side of the campground for some vittles (a/k/a...ICE CREAM!)

By Amanda - 6/18/06

We didn't go to the Kellogg's factory today because on Sundays it doesn't open until 11 a.m. We'll go there tomorrow (Monday). Instead, today we went into Port Huron and saw Lake Huron and the St. Claire River. We saw the Gratiot Lighthouse right on the beach, the Thomas Edison Depot, and the Huron Lightship. Then we came back to the campground. We did the batting cages, rode around the park on our scooters, jumped on the jumping pillow, and bought an Icee. This campground is huge. They have bumper boats, go-karts, and a large inflatible slide. We think it is going to rain today because we have had off and on showers all day, so we might have to stay in the motorhome for the rest of the day and play games.

By Rachel - 6/18/06

Today is Sunday, 6/18/06. We went into Port Huron. We went to the Thomas Edison Depot, the Gratiot Lighthouse, and the Huron Lightship. We came back to the campground, and we bought wristbands to be able to jump on a "Jumping Pillow" all day. I bought my sister a token for the batting cages, and then I bought her an Icee and a packet of gum. I am having a good time today.

By Tracy - 6/17/06

We have the awesome blessing of traveling with Brian's dad in his motorhome. Last year, we traveled cross-country, visiting Cheyenne, WY; Yellowstone; Seattle; Portland;, Mount St. Helens; and venturing down the coast of Oregon on a "lighthouse hunt". We continued down the coast of Northern CA to Stockton where Dad lived before he moved to SC near us almost two years ago. We spent a week in Stockton and did some day trips to San Francisco and Santa Cruz. We then started east and went to Hoover Dam; Las Vegas;, Zion National Park; the Grand Canyon; Albequerque, NM; and Pike's Peak. This year, we spent a week visiting friends and family in York, PA and then traveled to Niagara Falls, Ontario. We crossed Ontario and have entered into Michigan at Port Huron. We will do some day trips from here including the Henry Ford Museum, Port Huron Lighthouse Park, and Kellogg's Cereal City, and then will travel to Mackinaw City for a few days. We'll be crossing the upper part of MI, WI, and going to Mall of America in MN. We'll cross ND stopping in Jamestown. Then we'll spend about a week in the Black Hills area of SD seeing Mount Rushmore and the Badlands, among other things. We'll stop in De Smet for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant, go through Sioux Falls, and eventually end up in the area of Louisville and Lexington, KY. We'll go to the Kentucky Derby Museum, Church Hill Downs, and the Louisville Slugger Bat Museum, along w/ going to the Kentucky Horse Park. Brian is joining us at two points along the way, as he can route himself to those destinations. It's a long time away from home and from Daddy, but the most amazing way to do "school". Our school year started the first day we started traveling, as it did last year. We can provide the girls with so much more than any textbook can offer....and we really enjoy seeing as much of this great land as we can. We hope you'll join us often!

By Rachel - 6/17/06

Today, we left Canada and came back into the States. We got settled in the campground, and then we went to the Henry Ford Museum. Ford was the first car company. Ford has left other companies use their engines for their utilities and equipment. One of the neat vehicles was the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile. We ate at the Weinermobile Cafe. I got five things at the gift shop -- 2 postcards, a keychain, a magnet, and a souvenier pressed penny.

By Amanda - 6/17/06

We crossed Ontario and entered into Michigan at Port Huron today. We hooked up the motorhome and then drove SW to Dearborn, MI to the Henry Ford Museum. Contrary to popular opinion, this musuem is not all about Ford cars. It is more like a large history museum, with different illustrations and displays on how Ford has influenced America. Since Ford engines came around, they have powered tractors, combines, threshers, and other farm equipment. Then you can try to build your own vehicle out of K'nex and test it out on a ramp. There is also an outdoor exhibit called Greenfield Village, but today wasn't a "normal day" -- instead of their regular activities, they had an antique car show. In the village, you can ride a Model T. Normally they have old time games throughout the town, but they had an above average attendance of cars, so there were no games this weekend. Overall, it was a neat experience, and we are doing more sightseeing tomorrow. Rachel is really excited, because she loves Fords and is also looking forward to going to Kellogg's Cereal City on Monday.

By Amanda - 6/16/06

We are still in Niagara Falls today, but we went souvenier shopping. We stopped at Souvenier City, but didn't find much there. We then headed to Clifton Hill to eat lunchand buy our souveniers. We ate at the Rainforest Cafe, which thrilled Rachel! It is a gift shop/restaurant that has a dining room modeled after a rainforest, complete with elephants, gorillas, snakes, and butterfly animatronics. Then we hit the shops and bought our T-shirts and "stuff". We also got our souvenier pressed pennies (we collect these from wherever they're available). Rachel also got a magnet. After we finished our shopping, we came back to the campground and played on the playground for a long time with several friends we met. Finally, we bought ice cream from the store.

PS -- have you ever seen milk in a plastic bag? They don't have gallon jugs for their milk here - it's in big plastic bags!

By Rachel - 6/15/06

Today we went to Niagara Falls. I had a good time. We went on the Maid of the Mist boat ride. Lilawana was the Indian Maiden who the boat was named after. Her name means "Maid of the Mist". The first boat was a steamboat and was named the Lilawana. We rode the Maid of the Mist VII. It was fun. Sixteen attempts have worked for people to go over the falls. Two of those were done by Dave Munday, and another was by a 63-year old school teacher in 1901. Annie Taylor set out for fame in a barrel. We went behind the falls and we went to see the IMAX movie of Miracles, Myths, and Magic.

By Amanda - 6/15/06

Today, we visited Niagara Falls. One of the falls is on the American side of the border, while Horseshoe Falls is on the Canadian side. We saw an IMAX Movie on the different people who have gone over the falls. We walked along the beautiful park beside the falls, and rode the Maid of the Mist boat ride which took us right up to both falls. We also took a walk through an underground tunnel and got to go behind the Horseshoe falls. My favorite part of the day was the theater. I enjoyed learning about the different ideas that were used for going over the falls and the motives for each person making an attempt. The earliest known plunge was made by a 63-year old school teacher, Annie Taylor. She made the plunge in a barrel and cascaded down Horseshoe Falls in 1901...and lived to tell about it. Tomorrow we will take some more pictures and go souvenier shopping.