BJ, Kaylee and I- along with my family (mom, dad and little bro) are going back to my mission next friday!!! I am excited and a little nervous. For those of you that don't know. I served an LDS mission in Rapid City, South Dakota. Making a long story short...I had some pretty bad knee problems bringing me back from my mission a whole year early. I still have knee problems now. But I know how to take care of them and how to prevent them from getting really bad. I still to this day could not serve a full time mission with all the walking it requires and that is really hard to say. After I got back from my mission I served a service mission for about 6 months which helped a lot with the transition. It was really...REALLY hard coming home early. I felt like a failure and was in a lot of pain. When I think about it now- it brings me to tears still. Needless to say- going back to my mission brings back a lot of emotions. I am excited but it is a little overwhelming as well. ANYWAY enough of my emotions. :)

Here is our plan. And YES we are crazy taking a 5 month old on such a LOOONNNG road trip. Please pray for us :D

SOUTH DAKOTA VACATION:

Friday July 23rd
Head to MARTIN’S COVE 6 hours


MARTIN’S COVE ------ DAY’s INN HOTEL 4 hours


Saturday July 24th
7am: Go to Mt. Rushmore $10 fee for parking $0 for admission. Mt Rushmore opens at 8 am.
Bring Cash for Parking

Hotel to Mt. Rushmore: 30 minutes

10:30 am: Leave Mt. Rushmore and go to the Alpine 20 minutes

11am: LUNCH at the ALPINE. ONLY CASH or CHECK ACCEPTED--- Save room for Dessert 

12 ish: Leave the Alpine and the boys will go to WIND CAVE and the girls will go to JEWEL CAVE
46 minutes
1:30 pm: Candlelight Cave Tour at WIND CAVE.
Wind Cave:
$9.00 each for BJ & Dad
$4.50 for Nathan

Jewel Cave Discovery:
$4.00 each for Mom & Christie


4:00 pm: Take the BEAUTIFUL drive to Hot Springs, SD and see where I lived and take a walk around. Visit Sam and Dorothy? Tara?

6-7 ish: Have dinner with the Carrolls??
Sunday July 25th

FAMILY LEAVES TO IOWA EARLY!!! 11 hours 45 minutes
**** Recommend Stopping at Sioux Falls. It is about mid-point in the drive****

9:00 am Pack up and head to church

10:00 am Church
2:00 pm Leave for Brookings, SD Super 8 Motel ----7 hours

Monday July 26th
9:00 am: Leave for Fargo, ND Super 8 Motel 3 hours
12:00 pm: Eat Lunch at Space Aliens

** Visit People from Mission, Go to old Apartment**

Tuesday July 27th
8:00 am: Leave for Mall of America 4 hours
4:00 pm: Leave for Cedar Rapids, IA Marriott 4 hours 20 mins Marriott:

Wednesday July 28th
Watch Dad pitch and kick booty!!!!!!
12:00 pm??: Leave for Nauvoo, IL 2 hours