Day 45 - Mount Rushmore

Yep. That's right. Next stop: Mount Rushmore!! Why wouldn't we stop since we were already in South Dakota? Actually, Mount Rushmore was the reason we took longer to get to our destination. It was the main reason we drove to South Dakota. The Corn Palace and the Badlands were just fantastic places to go while we were already there!


Mount Rushmore is everything you have heard of, and way more. It was so cool to be able to see how it was made and to see actual pieces of the practice piece...which, although not nearly as large as the real thing, is still huge! I was absolutely fascinated by everything in the museum and the facts. It's hard to believe that the faces were formed by blasted rock. The workers blasted exactly the right amount of stone to form the facial features. I just loved looking at the masterpiece...even though it's not finished. 

As you can see in this picture, there are a lot of flags. They are the USA State Flags! Each pillar has four flags on it. On the side the flag is mounted on, etched in stone is the number each state is (for example, Michigan is the 26th State admitted to the Union), and the date the State was admitted into statehood. There are also flags from other countries as well.


All in all, Mount Rushmore was definitely one of the coolest places I've been in my entire life! 

Day 44 - Another Sunset

Yes, I know. I've already blogged a bunch of sunset pictures...but why shouldn't I? They are gorgeous! 

This is a picture of the sunset at the Badlands...beautiful isn't it? A picture of our next stop will be posted tomorrow...and that picture is pretty cool. Not the photo, but what it captured. :)

Day 37 - A 4th of July Sunset

July 4th is a special day. Families usually gather together to celebrate America's freedom. This year my family went to our friends' cottage. We watched the sun set while in a boat. It was beautiful. Sunsets on water are absolutely stunning! 

This is how I spent my Independence Day, how about you?

(I didn't edit this photo at all. Like my previous sunset pictures I wanted you to see the true beauty of our world! Also, if you click on the photo, you can see it enlarged. It is that much more beautiful bigger!!)

Day 33 - Bead and Button

Yesterday, my mom, one of her friends, and I drove to Milwaukee for a HUGE bead show. It is, in fact, the largest in the nation. It is called, simply, Bead and Button Show. My mom is teaching three classes! THREE! These are her first classes she's ever taught to adults, and she's teaching at this huge show! YAY!

I came to help her with the classes. I'm just the young apprentice, but I get to come to this amazing event! This picture is of me and my mom before one of her classes today, and may I say that she did awesome? Yes, I think I will. Her students loved her, loved the class, and learned to love jewelry making more! I'm so proud! :) Check out her blog post about the Bead Show BEFORE we left for it, and stay tuned for her blog post AFTER we are finished!