Yellowstone to Rushmore

The night before leaving Yellowstone, James mentioned that we should wake up and get an early start for our eight-hour drive.  I humored him for a moment, but being that our children have not been falling asleep before 10:30 every night, I didn't think we would have any early risers. 

8:50 AM and all are still asleep!

 Cody, Wyoming

We ate lunch in the small town of Greybull, Wyoming.  We have learned to eat, potty and gas up while you can because you never know then you might next approach civilization.  We stopped at CC's pizza.  Thank goodness this wasn't the chain restaurant.  It was a quaint little locals' place that had great salad and pizza!

 Watch out:  sheep crossing - herds of sheep crossing!

My car project.  I can't just sit and ride, so I knit on road trips.  I normally do not knit blankets but I knew I needed a long project for this long trip!

We arrived in Rapid City, SD around seven.  Against my better judgement, we ate at a Japanese steak house.  I love these places, but I always get a stomachache.  The meal was great.  SE was very nervous but our chef was able to get some smiles from her.  Hibachi restaurants have always freaked her out.  One time when she was six months old, we had to turn her high chair around so she couldn't see the chef cooking.  

We checked into our hotel just in time for a major thunderstorm to start.  It didn't matter as I was in the potty the rest of the evening.  SE asked if I was okay and if I was contagious.  I told her no that I always get a stomach ache when I eat Japanese.  She said, "well then don't eat it anymore."  Yes, child, I believe you are right.  I am officially done with hibachi!

Today was a long day.  We are starting to get a little homesick.  It doesn't help that Kami and Richard are staying at our house for a few days and sending pictures of Daisy and the marsh.  We began contemplating cutting the trip a few days short to get home sooner.  We certainly don't want to cheat ourselves of anything, but I don't think we would be by cutting off our last two stops of St. Louis and Nashville. It would make for a grueling last two days of driving but could be worth it to get home sooner.  We are missing our family, friends, church, Daisy, bed and yes, even Sylvester.  We would force ourselves to continue the Sabbatical in Charleston - resting, reading, beach, paddling.  Most importantly we can ship the kids off to the grandparents for a few days.  WOOHOO!!!!

Charleston, you may just see us before the sixth of August.