White Buffalo!!!

On our way from Bismarck, ND to Minneapolis, MN we stopped in Jamestown, ND and visited their pioneer town and Buffalo museum.

The World's Largest Buffalo!

The kids got a kick out of this sign...

Here is a picture of the white buffalo information. There are only three White Buffalo on the planet and they all live in North Dakota. The Native Americans revered the White Buffalo as being sacred because they were so rare and usually only heard of through legend.

There they are out in the field.

Some North Dakota Beauty

I am often asked, "What's in North Dakota anyways?" Here are a few answers...

Farmland...

Sunflower fields...one of my favorite things!

And beautiful sunsets...

A couple special visits in ND...

We went to the Veterans Cemetery where my brother, Christopher, is buried. We brought him flowers and spent some time with him. It was a very hard day for me, but I am so glad we went. I miss him terribly...His birthday was last week. He would have been 26 years old. I cannot believe it. It still feel like a bad dream most days, a cruel reality others. He passed away after fighting leukemia for nine months. He is my baby brother. I have felt him with me in many ways and on several occasions, as real as if he were standing next to me. He has been in my dreams, my thoughts, and he is still a big part of my life. I hated "visiting him" and yet not being able to see him. Being reminded that he is indeed gone from this life.




Before leaving Bismarck we stopped in and visited with my dear friends, the Schwarz family. I went to school with their daughters, Jessica and Stephanie. They both have MS, Jessica has other medical complications as well. I volunteered in Junior High to help Jessica during my free period and lunch. I fell in love with the "special needs" kids and soon had a job being an in-home health care attendant. Jessica was of course one of my first patients. A few of us volunteers went with the special ed class to Glacier National Park in High School. That was a trip I'll never forget! I also lived with her sister, Stephanie, for a while as her roommate. Stephanie was higher functioning and only needed a little assistance preparing meals and keeping house. Stephanie died a couple years ago. Jessica is doing well. It was very good to see her and her parents. You simply cannot work so closely with people like them and not become friends, and you simply cannot become friends with people like them and not have your life changed forever.

Holly's Wedding...lotsa dancin'!

We went back to North Dakota in August for my younger sister, Holly's, wedding. It was a nice ceremony. Holly and her husband, Wes, were married in that little white pioneer church you see in the background of this first picture. Very sweet setting. I didn't get any pictures of the actual ceremony or even the wedding party. I guess I was too distracted and busy. Oh well, she has plenty and that's what matters.

The kids posing my an old truck near the chapel. The place they were married is called "Buckstop Junction".

I did get a lot of pictures at the dance afterwards! Here is Ben with his Great Grandpa Bud.

Ben looks like he is break dancing here. He kind of was, but what he was trying to do was catch the colored lights from the DJ station that were flashing onto the floor.

Andrew toddled around and stole the show for much of the night.

Lots of Dancing!!!

Nick with his Aunt Holly...

Tatiana with Aunt Holly...

My sisters, Holly and Kim, and me. Not sure where Becky was???

Oh! She was dancing with Andrew!!!

Andrew with my cousin, Crystal...

Tatiana and Andrew...quite the dancers!

Tatiana with the groom, Uncle Wes...

Tatiana with her other uncle, Uncle Brandon. He is married to my sister Kim...

Tatiana, her cousin Makella, and Grandpa...

Tatiana and Grandpa cuttin' a rug...

Tatiana and her daddy during the "Daddy-Daughter Dance". My sister, Holly (the bride) and my dad are dancing in the back ground and then beyond them there is my Uncle Marc and cousin Crystal...

Here I am dancing with all three of my sons during the "Mother-Son Dance".

Swinging with Nick...way to go Nick!

Dancing with my Dad...

Dancing with my Grandpa... I could hardly keep up!

And dancing with my favorite man...my Nathan! I love you sweetie!

We left the dance early to take the six kids (our four plus my niece and nephew) to bed. It was a good night and lots of fun and dancing. Congratulations Holly and Wes!

Our trip to North Dakota

At the end of August we went to North Dakota for my sister's wedding. I will post pictures of that next time, but here are some pictures of the fun we had visiting with my family in ND.

Here are the kids in front of the state capitol.

We visited the Heritage Museum.

I think one of Nick's favorite parts was going inside this Mandan Indian Earth Lodge. Now he wants to build on in our back yard! "But not until we move into the country." Well, at least he has thought this through!

We visited Fort Mandan, where Lewis and Clark stayed. It was actually pretty cool to see things at the beginning of their trail (or at least the beginning of their journey after picking up Sakakawea), since we now live at the end of their trail. Kind of a neat connection there.

The kids love acting out things. Here they are being Lewis and Clark at the museum.

We also had a lot of time to spend at my parents house. It is not the house I grew up in. They have moved out in the country to a nice place with a beautiful view of the Missouri river.

Andrew and his cousin Makella love each other very much!

Here Makella is trying to give Andrew kisses!

Andrew also played with his other cousin, Carter. Because I am so much older than my sisters, they are just starting to have kids. So Andrew will be the only one with cousins his age on my side. But that is okay, because I think the older ones liked being the "cool, older cousins" and played very nicely with everyone.

Andrew and Carter took a bath and had fun splashing around.

We hung out in the yard and enjoyed the nice weather.

This is "Bear" their dog. He is such a sweet gentle dog. Ben really liked him, all the kids did.

My dad let the kids all take turns running the front loader. Here is Tatiana's turn. We don't have "big toys" like this at home!

And here is Ben driving the tractor. Happy boy!

Ben found my brother's old Tonka Trucks. He was on a mission!

Mission accomplished! Just look at how dirty those boys are! Grandpa and Grandma had a great dirt pile to play in and we let them. You're only young once and boys will be boys!

Andrew had fun with my brother's Tonka trucks too!

This is my very favorite picture!!! There is my sweet youngest, Andrew, standing in front of his Great Grandpa Bud. I love my Grandpa Bud! He's the best! Aren't they the cutest together!!! Oh, I can't stand it!

More coming soon...