Another place we visited on our vacation is where the Ingalls family moved to in DeSmet S.D. back in 1880. They actually only lived in Walnut grove (TV Show) for a short time and several other places before settling in DeSmet. They stayed in several places for short time before moving to the homestead  for about 6 years. We visited that land, and though none of the original buildings exist, they built replicas of everything and the kids had a blast going to a school session, riding horses and driving a cart, making homemade skip ropes, doing chores at the house, and tons of other stuff. I wish I could show the kids faces but I don't put them on..but I will have some other shots below. We also saw the home in town where they moved to in 1887 and stayed until Charles and Caroline died. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside homes they actually lived in. Mary stayed with her Mom until then then moved to near Mt. Rushmore to be with her sister Carrie until her death. Carrie married a widower with 2 kids and raised them as her own...the son actually helped carve Mt. Rushmore. Sister Grace got married but never had kids. Pa nad Ma also had a son who died in infancy. (The TV show took a lot of liberty with the truth.) Mary did go blind and went to a great school of the blind and played the organ at Church faithfully. Laura got married to Almanzo and eventually moved to Missouri until her death. Her daughter Rose got divorced in San Fran and was a great writer..she actually encouraged her Mom to write about the prairie life..Mary never got married...so there are no Ingalls left. We had a scavenger hunt looking for postcards all over historic spots and it led us to their gravesites. When I am allowed to download photo's in my photo section I will have pictures of all this, but for now here are some shots of the day. 

This is actual house they moved to in town in 1887.

Here is the homestead and the land they got for free for moving to the area in 1880. There was no trees back then..and those houses are just replica's.

 here is Kayla driving the wagon with the help of our wonderful guide Katarina.

here is a replica of the pump organ that Mary played. Kayla tried playing it and it was very hard!

 here I am after the horse cart ride.

here is the teacher that led a 20 minute school session..all the kids got dressed up in 1800's clothes..wish I could show you!

finally, here is the gravesite of Charles and Caroline.

Hope you enjoyed this tour of the Ingalls homestead!

Hi everyone..I just finished my trip to Mt. Rushmore and I wanted to post pictures, but right now I have problems posting pictures so I will start blogging about the trip with some of the photo's.

Lots happened before and after we got to Mt. Rushmore, but my first blog will be about that since that's what most people know about. When you first arrive there it's just overwhelming as you enter the park and see the presidents through all the flags of the states. Here is what you first see:

you then get to the spot where everyone is looking and taking the most pictures..above the amphetheater: Here is a shot of me then just a close up of the presidents!

I'll have another blog when I have time!

I haven't blogged in weeks! summer time is busy! My niece just came through on her honeymoon..her husband does hip hop..his myspace is :http://www.myspace.com/wordzmusic

Now we go out to see her in Chicago on the way back from Mt. Rushmore. If you don't hear from me in the next month we are busy getting ready, be away, then will have a lot to do when we return! I'll have tons of great blogs and pictures when I return. I've posted some cool pictures in the last week as well.

My new mail route after the adjustment starts Monday..I'm praying it doen't take too much longer and maybe even less time. I had to say goodbye to a the customers they are taking away today. They are making us start at 8 instead of 7:30 and geting back too late if I stayed on the overtime list..like 7 o clock! We never get caled in for overtime on our days off anymore..so I took a leap of faith and got off the overtime list, my sensational wife is working more as a nurse this summer to pick up the slack.

Well, gotta run..love y'all!..Jimbo