North Dakota Trip -part I

Oh, where to start. We had a really nice time on our vacation to North Dakota. We were worried about how Miss Lauren would cooperate with a 750 mile roadtrip, but it turns out she is a good sport. More like her daddy than me.  We split the drive into two days, and stayed in the Comfort Inn in Valentine, NE both ways. It was a very nice hotel with an indoor pool, so Lauren got to swim at the end of the day, and then again in the morning.  We also brought along her walker and let her burn off some energy walking the long halls at the hotel. The ladies running the breakfast thought she was so cute when she walked with her walker down to breakfast in her fuzzy jammies. Casey was not exactly welcome at the hotel, but no one noticed and he doesn't leave a trace. Whew!

I have been struggling to find Lauren a H1N1 flu shot in Colorado, and it hasn't been working out. I keep finding clinics offered by the health department, but then they are cancelled due to lack of vaccine. So, Grandma Karen was helpful and got Lauren a flu shot at her clinic on Friday, so I feel so much better about her risk of the flu (which incidentally is starting to taper off in Denver).

The weather was beautiful while we were there- in the 60's and 70's most days -these first pics are of Lauren playing with her 2nd cousins out at the family farm house.  They have a really nice swing set and the kids had a great time playing outside. Lauren got her first taste of sand, and didn't like it (although she went back for a few more tastes just to be sure.

On Friday night I was able to join Jeff and his friends at the annual Turkey Shoot.  I have been hearing about this for years, but have never been there myself.  What I found out- it is really not that thrilling (to me anyway). There are no turkeys- well except frozen Butterball turkeys- and definitely no shooting. What they do have? Lots of men in camo and carharts playing (weird) gambling games to win bacon, frozen turkeys, frozen ham, or homemade sausage.  It is a BYOB event, and just plain strange, if you ask me. But that didn't stop me from playing a strange version of poker to win 4 pack of bacon (yummers....). Grandma and Grandpa were nice enough to take care of the little petunia for the night- THANK YOU!! Unfortunately, I got a little to excited about this freedom and had a few too many beers, forgetting that Lauren wakes up at 5am rearing to go. That was a bit tough...