On To Lawton OK!!

That's one proud papa!!!!

And a very handsome soldier.

Dad & Mom...with him all the way!

 This picture was taken on the day of Reuben's Graduation.

We went to Outback Steakhouse with Reuben!

Wow...that's a large sandwich Reuben!!

 We took Reuben bowling. This was JoAnna and Esther's first time bowling. So......

...Reuben had to teach Esther how to play!!  (Did I mention that she got a strike her very first game??  She must have had a great teacher!)

Rachel.

Caleb.

 "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 
 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life;
 that he may please him
 who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
2 Timothy 2:1-4

Reuben with the three musketeers!

Reuben and I.

Brothers!

Reuben and Rachel.

Reuben and Esther.

Mom and Reuben!

And headed for home!! It was awesome getting to see Reuben! He is now going on to study radiology.  Please pray for him as he is in AIT now.

Our Trip Part 2- to the Zoo!

Sisters!! While we were in SD we went to the Zoo with The Hanson's, Em And Cedric! It was really fun!   God is so creative!  We loved getting to see many of the unique animals He created.

 Caleb really enjoyed having Josh along!  They are great buddies:)

 Ellie and Dad!

Cedric really enjoyed all the animals. He was saying 'wow' at everything he saw:)

A bunch of us going for a ride on the lions back! (I don't think Esther likes being squashed between Abby and I :)

Cedric!!

Cousins!

Abby and I wore the same skirt! We were Bobbsey twins for the day! {Well, the skirts are close to the same}

There must be something interesting over there!

Caleb and Josh!

Yep...I was standing right there when the fight happened!  {in case you can't tell...these are some of the stuffed animals...:) }

So we had a fun day at the Zoo! Check back soon to see pic's from Hannah+Sean's house and Reuben's grad!!

Our Trip {part 1}

 Well...I guess its time to post about our trip! We did so much that it will take two posts to get it all. Hope you enjoy!! (Sorry if it isn't in order. I will be posting some of the things we did last first.) 

So...one of the last things we did was go to a place called 'Devils Gulch' with Ben, Em & Cedric. It was the spot where Jesse James jumped a twenty foot gulch on his horse when a posse was after him. (at least that's what the legend says:)

                             

There was a lot of climbin' so the guys (especially Ben and Caleb) enjoyed it a lot.

                                         

Of course it wouldn't have been half as much fun without this little guy!!

  

                                              

We also visited Falls in Sioux Falls. 

And we visited De Smet. In this picture Esther and JoAnna are driving a pony cart.

Esther...making a jump rope.

JoAnna grinding flour in a coffee grinder. Just like the one Laura Ingalls and her family would have used during the 'Long Winter.'

Playing horseshoes.

On a stagecoach. Looks rather dangerous with who is driving!

Um...How does this thing work?

There was an old church there with a pump organ. Its a lot of work playing that thing!

Can you get us all in the air? Guess not.

We celebrated Esther's ninth birthday with cupcakes! (Who gave her that candy stick?!!

The first day we were there the Hanson's/Hauguard's and Hannah Mustian were there as well. When they left we stayed behind and slept in the bunkhouse. It was super fun.

Siblings are amazing! It was such a blast traveling with some of my siblings. We really missed not having Elizabeth and Matt with us. But since they couldn't get time off they couldn't join us.

JoAnna...in a covered wagon.

Esther washing clothes.

Me (Marie) riding a horse.

We visited the school house and got all 'dressed up'. I can't see out of my bonnet!

Caleb driving a real covered wagon!

Gotta love this picture of Esther! Shes got no legs! (actually shes trying out her new jump rope:)

Nice horse.

Another pic of Esther on a horse!

That's a lot of people in one stagecoach!

Libby and I on a pony cart.

We also visited the Maclary's. JoAnna is holding a goat at their place.

All of us! It was super fun visiting them.

Hi guys! (Back at Ben and Ems)

And back to Devils Gulch. (yep the pic's got mixed up)

                                                                                                   

The best dad in the world!

Climb Cedric, Climb!

And Ben...Just being Ben!  Well...hope you all enjoyed geting a glimpse of what we did on our trip. Check back soon for part 2. (If I get around to blogging it...:)