Adults Only Dining

With no kids for the Ayers or Peavys this week, we took advantage and went to Frascas in Boulder. This restaurant is continually rated one of the best in the U.S. (Glad we have friends to tell us that).  

We started the night with drinks at our house on the patio and then took an Uber to Boulder. It was a fun evening and the food and wine were delicious.   

We even got a tour of the kitchen and wine cellars afterwards. Definitely a great non-kid outing! 

State Number Four

The boys were excited to hit state number four on our trip - Nebraska! 

After the geological park, we headed to Fort Robinson and got there just a few minutes before Nana and Pop and the Geiserts arrived. We walked around the grounds, had ice cream, and the kids took a stage coach ride. 

They have a lot of fun things planned this week - fishing, tubing, horseback riding, swimming, crafts, cookouts, and just being with each other. 

Ice cream 

Stage coach ride 

The "cabin" 

Ready for the adventure! 

The Roads Less Traveled

Today we said goodbye to the Smileys and headed to Fort Robinson in Nebraska. We took the Wilderness Road in Custer State Park and then hit a couple of single lane gravel roads to arrive at our final destination. We saw mule deer, bison, mules, prairie dogs, and pronghorn deer. In Nebraska, we ventured to Toadstool Geological Park which allowed boys to do some climbing. It definitely was nice to take the roads less traveled. 

Bison at Custer State Park 

Mule saying hello 

Boys at Toadstool Geological Park 

Spending my Birthday with the Presidents

And my wonderful and dear friends. We had a much more casual day on Sunday. Marshall, Rachel and I all went running (not really sure how I can conned into that) and then we headed to the local football field where some threw the lacrosse ball around and some just messed around. 

We grabbed Subway and headed on a scenic drive through Custer State Park on the Needles Highway. 

Needles highway 

Needles Eye 

Custer State Park 

Ice cream in downtown Hill City 

We grabbed drinks in downtown Hill City (kids got ice cream) and then came back to the hotel to relax a bit. We enjoyed a yummy steak dinner for my birthday and then headed to Mount Rushmore. It was a nice ceremony and it was impressive to see Mt. Rushmore at night (something I had not done). What a great way to spend my birthday. 

SD Stage 1

A Friday night drive got us to Hot Springs, SD around 10pm. We enjoyed some cocktails in the lobby of the hotel with Dave and Rachel after we arrived.  On Saturday morning we had donuts, enjoyed Evans Plunge natural mineral springs pool, and followed it up with lunch at JP's family restaurant. We then toured the mammoth site and the Wind Cave National Park. Kids really enjoyed all the outings. 

Sunset over Wyoming 

Donuts in Hot Springs 

Great memories from this place as a kid 

Lunch at JP's 

Mammoth dig 

Wind Cave National Park 

We drove past Crazy Horse on our way to Hill City where we stayed for two nights. We headed to Prairie Berry winery for a yummy dinner and some wine tasting. It was a great way to wrap up a very nice day. 

Crazy horse (still in progress) 

Wine tasting 

Kids messing around under the rainbow 

Birthday Selfies

End of School Wrap Up

The 2015-16 is in the books. Nothing says summer is here like freezing cold weather, a fire on, and turning the heat back on. And an ice cream social, of course! Hard to believe the school year is over. 

Dressing as an Outsider for language arts 

End of 6th grade! 

Ice cream! 

Recorder (and Baritone) Concert

After dinner tonight, T-man performed a few songs on the recorder for us. It was so cute and it made us smile even more when the boys decided it would be fun to play together. Having them play music together definitely warmed my soul. 

T-man continued practicing after the concert and even learned a few more songs tonight! 

Here's an attempt at a duet. 

https://youtu.be/S8ABkOYZOXA

T-man's recorder concert 

Attempting Mary Had a Little Lamb 

Feels like Summer

Adult-only BBQ on Friday night at the Ayer's house. Sports all day Saturday. Golf for Marshall on Sunday and time with friends for the boys. BBQ tonight with Darin. Summer is almost here. 

Showing Marshall what he was missing during his long commute to the BBQ 

Impromptu baseball in the open space (love this!)