Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Bird Family Reunion 2016: Wind Cave, Custer State Park, Needles Highway, and lets not forget Mount Rushmore

We had such a great time on Wednesday enjoying the many beauties of the area!
First, we took a tour of Wind Cave.
It was beautiful and we learned a lot about caves. 

 A few pictures from inside. 
 After the caves we ate lunch and played a bit and then headed to Custer State Park in search of the mighty buffalo. 
 We saw some, not as many as we would have hoped but they were majestic. 
 We drove through Needles Highway and it was one of the most scenic drives I have taken in my life. 

 And the crazy tunnels carved out of the rock were a bit intense. 
 Next up, a short (1 mile) hike around a beautiful little lake. We are pretty sure it is the lake that is used in the second National Treasure movie. 
 This little girl hiked most of the way herself including a bunch of stairs. 





 The kids were all over the rock formations. I tried to not be too nervous. That is Joseph in the blue and Jon in the red shirt. 
 Arabella was not going to be outdone by her brothers. 

 Lily was a bit more cautious but she was not far behind. 
 And of course Mount Rushmore. Here is the picture from last year. Oh my word, my kids have grown so much! I love seeing them growing and learning! 
Samantha fell in love with Grandma and Grandpa, especially when she realized they would hold her hands and carry her down most of the stairs at Mount Rushmore. 
 Jon has really missed being around his cousins. 
Check out that crew! 
We had such a fun day with everyone! I am so thankful for the memories we made and the time we spent enjoying one another and some of the beauty of this great country. 

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