Another Eventful Week

For any of those not aware, Jacob is leaving for Iraq in just a couple of weeks. The days are limited and so are the funds (after our vacation), and so we are finding as much to do as possible close by and for free. This is what we did this week.

We found an incredible hike that starts at Moon Lake on post. It's beautiful, and challenging. I think it's our favorite Kansas hike so far.

The only problem with it is that a tree has fallen down right in the middle of the path, and you can't go around it because of the poison Ivy, so you have to go under it.

On Saturday we went to Homestead National Monument. It's just over the border into Nebraska, and it doesn't charge admission. The monument was set up in the 1930's to honor those who took advantage of the Homestead Act, and is situated on the first homestead under that legislation. It was really interesting, and we all learned a great deal.

Camilla under the windmill.

The one room school house, which is also part of the monument.

You can also see the kids earned yet another Junior Ranger badge.

I took this picture while Jacob was talking to the Ranger about the possibility of him becoming a National Parks Ranger. I guess being a veteran is one of the best ways to get in. So who knows in 15 years when he retires . . . :)

I don't know what those red ferns are, but they sure are pretty. I never knew how beautiful the prairie was until we moved here.

On the way home we stopped at all those places we see on the way to the temple but never have time to stop and explore.

This is another one room school house in Marysville, KS.

Camilla and the little red schoolhouse.

A demonstration sod house. I can't imagine how they lived in these tiny little houses. This one was complete with the spiders and everything.

The more places you go, the more random things you see. I only wish I had been there to see that thing come traveling down the highway.

Here we are in Waterville or Blue Harbor, I can't really tell when one ends and the other begins. We had to stop, a real teeter totter! It's been years. Unfortunately, none of us could play on it for long, as there was a yellow jacket's nest in one of the metal holes. We all played on it, but pretty soon they started coming out, and I thought it best we leave. Oh well. Camilla took the picture, she's getting quiet good.