July 2, 2006

We just returned from a two week vacation. The first week we were in Dubois, Wy. We rented a cabin in the mountains with my brother Dave and his wife Tracy, and my sister Dee and her husband Mike ..and kids Casey, Allie and Chris. It was a great spot, with beautiful views and smells. We made frequent treks to Yellowstone National Park and The Grand Tetons. It was wonderful week filled with hiking, fishing, horseback riding and sight seeing. I got along great despite the high altitude. The uphill climbs did make me cough a bit more, but was not limiting.

The second week we all went our separate ways. The Curleys traveled on leisurely to Thermopolis, Wy where we spent the day soaking in the hot mineral baths. How relaxing. We made our way across Wy and the breath taking Big Horn Mountain range. A route I would definitely recommend. We spent the remainer of our week in South Dakota. We saw many of the sights there, but one of our favorite spots was the Spearfish canyon in Spearfish, SD. The streams were so clear you could see the markings on the trout that inhabited the waters. We also visited Mt. Rushmore, what an accomplishment! We drove through Bear Country, USA and saw some of the wildlife we missed in Yellowstone, though the setting was not quite as majestic. The Badlands were quite impressive too. Our last night in SD we stayed in Sioux Falls and then we headed home. It is nice to be home. Our neighbors kept things going here, despite the heat. We are grateful for the time together and the many special people in our lives. Happy 4th of July!!!!!

Many blessings,

Denise