Fathers Day, Fort Mandan,History, Chinese food and the Zoo.

For Fathers Day we decided to venture off and go do something different and fun! So we ended up here at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. It was very interesting and they did a great job of taking you back in time, very educational although more educational if you didn't have a 3 year old with you, or at least our 3 year old with you!

The girls walking with our guide out to the Fort. They gave her the run down on their new shoes and us visiting from Idaho...

*Lewis and Clark built Fort Mandan and stayed there for the Winter, Chief Sheheke welcomed them with a promise of friendship in 1804/1805*

Lexi barely holding up the baby pack. Sacagawea was one strong woman!!

taking a nap on one of the bunks.

The girls in front of the interpretive center

Me and Lilly

Preston very excited to see a playground!

trying on some Buffalo.

Here's my 7 month belly shot, perfect pic, I'm covering my 5th chin!!

*Lewis and Clark discovered 122 animals and 178 plants that were new to Science. So we walked the Fort Mandan history and nature trail to see the world as they saw it 200 years ago!*

Lexi and Dad

Must have shoulders of steel, I could never carry them!

Along the walk.
There was a park on the way out that we stopped at and let the kids run wild, even Uncle Robby got in on a game of tag!

This picture shows exactly how everyone was feeling, Preston was so done and ready to go get some food!!

Chinese, Chinese, Chinese... what can I say it's the best!!!

Happy Fathers Day Chris!

Our kids are unbelievably lucky to have someone they think hangs the moon, reaches the stars and is Superman all in one night! Your their world and I know they are yours which makes me the happiest girl ever!


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Last week my mom and I took the kids to the Bismarck Zoo, they loved it! They had a great variety of animals and it was very interactive. I love that my kids love the zoo so much! We were very happy to cross another Zoo off our list, very exciting for them to have went to the Salt Lake Zoo, Bismarck Zoo and hopefully the Minot Zoo all within a few months time!

Me and Lexi inside the discovery center!

Preston and a Donkey.

The cutest baby Spider Monkey!

Ridin' a tractor.

The girls on the train!

Lunch time

Preston feeding the Deer.

Lilly loved all the goats.

Lexi with the Golden Tiger, 1 of 13 in the world!

We got our monies worth it alone just being able to pet the Deer, they had a pellet machine by the exhibit and that Deer just let the kids pet him til their heart content as long as they were feeding him! Only Lexi could touch his antlers though, which was neat!

Great week and now I'm tired!

The past few days in pics!

Yesterday we took the kids to the next little town over, they were having their "Old Settlers Days" The kids had a blast with all the blow up toys they had!

Preston loved this Baseball game they had. He went through the line 5 times in a row.

Lilly got quite the gathering of little boys in awe when she was showing off doing flips on the bungee thing!

Looking a little dizzy after 5 minutes of continues flips, no joke she must have did at least 75. We had been in line for at least an hour and maybe 2 kids did 1 flip and then here goes Lilly doing one after another. It was hilarious, everyone was dieing laughing just watching the determination on her face and she just kept going and going and going!
Then here's our Lexi who just gracefully jumped up and down!
Preston on the big slide!
My girls!

Lilly on the slide!

Lexi getting on all her gear!

Friday evening we made Chris get off the roof and walk to the park with us, while we were there an old man stopped us and asked if we were from here, we of course said no, he then asked where we were from and how many kids we had, we told him and he said "I'll be right back, I've got souvenirs for you guys to take home with you". The kids continued to play and sure enough the guy came back and gave each of the kids and hand made puzzle and Chris and I a clock,lol. It was nice and the kids loved the puzzles!

Prestons was a train, Lexi's a Chicken and Lilly's a Squirrel.

They played lots of football that day! Lexi loved tackling Uncle Robby!

Preston filling his sisters shoes with rocks!

Heading to the park, I guess this is their new pose for whenever I ask them to take a pic together!

Friday day was filled with playing on the tramp with the sprinkler on under it and yummy sandwiches and watermelon! My mom had to run to the Dr. the other day and Preston was one happy guy with a Dilly bar, watching Superman on his lap! Mind you theres a tv built in on my headrest right in front of him but apparently that's not close enough cause he insists on holding a portable!

We also had went out to dinner one night last week and I'm happy to report all chillens were good!! Woohoo!

The girls signed up for the summer reading programs for while we're here, so this is them on their first day! They loved it!

Lucky Girl!

Yesterday we dropped my sister off at the airport so she can make her way to Europe! She's been planning this trip for the last year and the day finally came! She was soooo scared yet excited! She'll be gone for 3 weeks having the time of her life!

Melanie this is for you!!

Shelby's itinerary!
Receive an Ambassadorial welcome from a European official.
Meet with a monk (or nun) in Italy to learn what life is really like inside a monastery (convent).
Make friends with European students during a stay with an Italian family.
Highlights
Be floored in Florence by Michelangelo’s impressive David.
Experience the world-famous Louvre Museum and its treasures.
Step into the Square of Miracles, site of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Help citizens protect endangered sea turtles near Athens.
Take your confidence to the next level as you challenge yourself to rappel down a castle wall in Assisi, Italy.
Stroll through the Forum and visit the Colosseum like the ancient Romans.
Enjoy a language lesson to help you communicate with your home stay hosts.
Cruise to a Grecian isle, and take a dip in the warm Mediterranean.
Explore Venice by gondola, and take in the opulent St. Mark’s Cathedral and Doge’s Palace.
special insights into:
Renaissance art and architecture
World War II history
History and architecture of the Roman Empire
Program Destinations
Paris
Take in a thrilling view of Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
See the landmarks of the Louvre Museum: the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory.
Stroll the Champs-Elysées and admire the elegant Arc de Triomphe.
Explore the inspiring Notre Dame Cathedral.
Experience the bohemian feel of the artistic Montmartre district—a great place to purchase a painting.
Sample famous French delicacies, then return to your roots during a meal at the Hard Rock Café.
Understand luxury at the gilded Palace of Versailles.
Board an overnight train to Venice.
Venice
Experience Venice’s charm as you float in a gondola through the city “streets.”
Watch a glassblower demonstrate his or her craft.
Drive through picturesque Tuscany on your way to Florence.
Florence
Discover the fantastic art and architecture that mark Florence as the birthplace of the Renaissance.
See Michelangelo’s 17-foot-tall David in the Accademia Gallery.
Stroll the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge, lined with jewelry shops and art galleries.
Explore Pisa, home of the famous Leaning Tower.
Take the Full On challenge as you rappel down a castle wall with experienced instructors.
Honor the heroes of World War II at the American Cemetery and Memorial.
Rome
Step into the Colosseum and imagine the spectacles that millions watched within its walls.
Walk through the ancient ruins of the Forum and learn about this heart of the city in the time of the emperors.
Explore the Vatican, home to the Pope, complete with insight from a priest or a Vatican official.
Examine Michelangelo’s brilliant Sistine Chapel masterpiece.
Toss a coin into the legendary Trevi Fountain.
Naples

Walk through the once-affluent city of Pompeii, and observe what remained in the wake of the volcano that destroyed the city.
Drive and hike to the top of Mount Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii in 79 C.E.
Bari
Enjoy an overnight ferry ride to Patras. Ferries regularly bear travelers to Greece—appropriate for the city whose name (from the Greek) originally meant “burden”!
Patras
Launch your discovery of Greece from Patras, the country’s third largest city.
Olympia
Explore the relics of the original Olympic Games, held here in 776 B.C.E.
Epidaurus
Visit the Greek theater, which has been incredibly well preserved since its 3rd-century construction.
View the Canal of Corinth, an engineering marvel.
Athens
Experience the Acropolis, built in the 5th century B.C.E.
Stand in the famous Parthenon, once home to a 40-foot statue of the goddess Athena.
Aegina
Swim and boat in the azure waters that surround this stunning island.
Enjoy one of the world’s most spectacular sunsets here in the Aegean Sea.
Dance as joyously as the Greeks during a lesson at the Dancing Theater.

My Lilly soooo sad that Shelby left her!

Shelby after a years worth of hard work, stressing, $9,000 and lots of planning, I hope you have the best time ever! I can't wait to see pictures!!!!

Just hangin out in ND.

We left Idaho once again to head up to my mom for a visit, bring my brother home and for Chris to paint and re-roof her house. We drove straight through even though just a few short months ago we said we'd never do that again! It was a long 16 hours and my Kankles sure showed for it the next day! The weather has not been quite on our side, as it has decided to rain all but one day so far. Chris has really put the term "rain or shine" to use so far as he has pressure washed and done most of the prep work in the rain. He actually got to get in about an hour of painting today before it started to sprinkle, so here's to hoping it'll clear up soon!!! Other than that we've just been hanging out, went to Bismarck twice, helping get my sister ready for Europe (she leaves Thursday!) and just trying to get my moms house crazy stocked up like mine with all my coupons I brought! So far I've had great luck here with couponing, they must not have any crazy ladies here yet that stalk the sales, yay for me!

The kids enjoying some ice cream on the tramp last night!

Poor Lilly struggling to keep up with everyone on a bike ride, she's way too big for that bike!

Lexi stopping for a pic on her bike ride!

OHHH the Bat... This little guy was waiting for Chris behind one of my mom second story shutters, my mom and the neighbor kid are the only crazy ones who touched it.


We put it in a box with an orange and it flew away a few hours later.

Preston torturing my moms dog.

My mom lives across the street from an old school, so the kids are driving us crazy to go over there to play 24/7, so far they've only been once due to the rain!

The girls

Lexi!