Alyssa and I at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. |
Alyssa and Steve at Scottsbluff National Monument in Nebraska. |
Alyssa and I at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. |
Alyssa and Steve at Scottsbluff National Monument in Nebraska. |
Family picture at Denver Botanic Gardens in 2017 at Amy & Corey's wedding |
As we were preparing to move to Minnesota, going through
decades of “stuff”, I came across past family Christmas letters. The oldest was
written in 1995 with a yearly series through 2001, then the letters began to
falter. There was a sprinkling of letters with the last one found in 2014. They
were all printed on holiday stationary and sent with cards. I did a final check
on my laptop and found one more recent letter written in 2020.
Those letters provided a
wonderful summary of each year, with many details that were buried deep in my memory
bank. It was fun to remember those memories as our daughters grew up and left
the nest, the places we traveled to each year, and fun events with family and
friends.
Life gets busy, especially at the end of the year with Christmas approaching, and many years those letters did not get written. I’ll summarize our year later in this blog, so keep reading. But first I’ll share a few of the past memories that I enjoyed remembering.
The first two letters in 1995 & 1996
1995, Letter #1 – We had recently moved from Hanover Park IL to Gurnee where we loved our new neighbors, preschool and babysitter. Jaime was 5 and in preschool, and Alyssa at 17 months was always on the move after starting to walk at 10 months. “Her latest feat was falling with a can of paint in the family room. The result was a paint-covered toddler, a puddle of paint on the new carpet and a hysterial mom. Steve who is always buying a new gadget came to the rescue with a new shop vac!”. Steve started a new job in sales with Roseburg Forest Products out of Oregan, and I was working at Johnson & Quin promoting direct mail printing.
Lauren, Jaime, Kelli and Alyssa at Drunken Jack's Restaurant in Murrells Inlet SC - the best hush puppies! |
1996 – Our summer vacation
found us going to Myrtle Beach SC with Fred and Vicki Behr and their daughters,
Kelli and Lauren. This included the infamous afternoon when the upcoming tide
washed Steve, Fred and Vicki out of their beach chairs after an afternoon enjoying
Strawberry Hill wine (our beach Kool-Aid). It was one of many trips with the
Behrs and so many wonderful memories!
1997 – This year’s summer
road trip was to Yellowstone National Park with the Behr family. We enjoyed the
Badlands and Custer State Park, Devils Tower, Grand Teton National Park and all
the wonders of Yellowstone. “It was a wonderful trip, just a little too much
driving for a week, and too much camping with young children (all but one
night!).”
Jaime and Alyssa with Mickey Mouse at Disney in 1998
1998 – Alyssa was 4 and her
favorite Christmas gift was a large toy horse and the Barbie that went with it. Jaime was 7 and got a Magic
Attic doll from Nana and Grandpa. Steve with all his home projects was
finishing a room in the basement and added a patio in the backyard. My comment
on my job was “The Internet will have a profound effect on a lot of businesses as well as everyone at home.” Yikes, little did I know what the digital world
would be like today! Trips included Disney World in Florida with Steve’s entire
family, a road trip around Lake Michigan, and the annual 4th of July
camping trip to a friend’s farm in Ridgeland WI.
1999 – Prep for Y2K was the
big scary topic in 1999, but the world didn’t implode when January 1, 2000
rolled around! The big events were a trip to California to San Diego and Los
Angeles, skiing in Lake Tahoe and moving into a new home in Gurnee! Our old
home sold quickly so we lived in an apartment for the summer while the new
house was built. We loved that house and our neighbors and lived there for 23
years.
Jaime and Alyssa at Gooseberry Falls in 2000
We recreated this photo in 2021!
2002 – Two trips to Colorado
included skiing in Breckenridge, as well as a summer trip to Rocky Mountain
National Park, Pikes Peak and more Colorado sites.
Fast forward to 2006 – Jaime is now a freshman in high school and Alyssa is in sixth grade at the Middle School. Both girls are on the Blue Devil Swim Club, along with various other activities. The big trip this year was spring break in Florida with Steve’s parents making the rounds of Disney, Universal and Sea World.
Several pictures included in the 2014 letter
2014 – Alyssa wrote the letter this year since Mom hasn’t gotten to it for a few years. Alyssa is at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Jaime is in Physical Therapy School at Northwestern in Chicago. No big trips this year, but we spent time as a family in Chicago at a Cubs baseball game and visiting museums.
The final letter in 2020 – After
the first covid year, I finally wrote another letter on New Years Eve as Steve
and I spent the evening at home. We had been vacationing in Breckenridge with
friends in March when the pandemic hit, so we quickly headed home. I then
started working remote at home. In October Steve and I took a trip to Colorado to
see Great Sand Dunes National Park, old mining towns and other sites. It was
great to get away from home and be out in nature in Colorado, even if all our
meals were take out.
This year’s 2023 highlights:
Our grandson, Xander, is 16 months old and so fun!!
In August 2022 we moved to a
new home in Dundas MN, the same week our grandson, Xander, was born! At the end
of 2023, we are feeling pretty settled in our home, and are enjoying living in
Minnesota close to our daughters and friends. Steve is building a shed in the back
yard, and next year we plan to add a deck off the family room. It is really a
safety issue since currently you would fall a story down to the patio if you
stepped out the sliding glass doors!
Eating beignets in New Orleans.
I retired from my job of 38
years on February 3. Two weeks later we took off on a five week trip south to
get out of the Minnesota winter. We spent time in Canyon Lake TX, New Orleans,
Clearwater FL, Nashville and stops in between. This year we have a six-week
trip planned back to Clearwater, as well as visiting friends who are also
wintering in Florida, driving to Key West and a cruise to the Bahamas.
I enjoyed golfing with the Wednesday Wonder Women each week.
We joined the Northfield Golf
Club and I finally golfed more than one round a year. We both met a lot of new
friends and had wonderful groups that we golfed with each week.
Playing Mexican Train Dominos in Crosby
This summer the family spent
a long weekend in Crosby MN by Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. It was
great spending extended time with Alyssa and Jaime, Mike and Xander!
Alyssa, Steve and Kay with one of the amazing views in SW Colorado.
In August Steve, Alyssa and I
took a road trip West and visited many national sites in SE Colorado including Great
Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Canyons of the Ancients, Chimney Rock, and Black Canyon
of the Gunnison. Plus many other planned and unexpected sites along the way.
Cocktails at Glacier Distilling near our rental house
In September, we joined the
Behrs and Goldsmiths on an adventure to Glacier National Park and Banff National
Park in Canada. It was another amazing trip with great friends seeing beautiful
country.
This year also included trips
to Milwaukee to see Steve’s mom who lives in an assisted living facility. In
2024 we hope to make more trips to Wisconsin and Illinois to see family and
friends.
Before we knew it, the holidays
and end of the year are approaching! We hosted family for Thanksgiving at our
house. Jaime, Mike and Xander plan to go to New Mexico to see Mike's parents for
Christmas so we’ll celebrate with them when they return. We’ll enjoy Christmas with
Alyssa and family friends.
Do you send Christmas letters or cards? We enjoy receiving them if you do!
As 2023 winds down, we wish
you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2024!
We rented a lovely VRBO condo in Canmore which is south of
the town of Banff. After very long lines at Safeway and limited inventory on
some items like hamburger, we settled in for the night to a spaghetti dinner and
unpacking.
The next morning, we were up early to head to Lake Louise. I
was a bit stressed about parking in the town of Banff, but luckily there were
plenty of free spots at the train station. It was an easy walk to the Banff
High School Transit Center where we picked up a shuttle bus to Lake Louise. With
advice from a friend, we had bought shuttle tickets the month before and the shuttle
system worked smoothly. The weather had gotten colder but we were prepared with
layers to keep us warm in the 30- and 40-degree weather.
We enjoyed two beautiful blue lakes that day – Lake Louise
and Moraine Lake. From Lake Louise a second bus took us to Moraine Lake. There
we took a short climb to the top of the Rockpile – which literally looks like a
pile of rocks – for a spectacular view of Moraine Lake with reflections of the
mountains in the calm blue water. We hiked along the lake before returning to
Lake Louise. After a chilly lunch in the bus shelter, we hiked along the shore
of Lake Louise to the far end of the lake. It was a wonderful hike with views
of the lake, mountains, and glaciers in the distance. Both lakes are fed by
glaciers and are a beautiful turquoise color due to the rock flour carried by
the meltwater. The lakes attract up to 15,000 visitors a day in summer!
View of Moraine Lake from a top the Rockpile |
On the shore of Lake Louise |
The next day was 34 degrees with rain forecasted, so we adjusted
our plans and headed to the town of Banff. First stop - the Cave and Basin
National Historic Site which was a delightful experience that wasn’t high on
our list of Banff areas to explore. It combined history, hiking, and nature. We
learned about the cave and natural thermal mineral springs that were found in
the 1880’s and led to the creation of the first national park in Canada. The
site also had a small Interment Museum on the people who were held in Canada
during WW1, as well as a boardwalk along the marsh that was created by the hot
springs. Driving back into town, we stopped at the Bow River and Falls, and saw
the majestic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Banff Gondola in the distance. We
had lunch at Three Bears Brewing and shopped in the many cute stores in
downtown Banff.
Cave & Basin Visitor Center with the thermal springs pool in the foreground |
The boardwalk over the thermal streams and along the marsh |
Paul & Leslie relaxing on the red chairs that are found throughout the Canadian parks |
Bow Falls with the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in the distance |
Our final day in Banff was spent driving north on the
Icefields Parkway, north of Lake Louise. That drive is a must-see when visiting
Banff. We were treated to spectacular views of the mountains, glaciers, and
waterfalls! Along the way, we stopped at the Columbia Falls Tent Campground to
have our picnic lunch. Not too many campers in late September, so we picked a
spot with a picnic table and enjoyed the warmer temperatures. We also met a
young family from Fort Smith in the Northwest Territory. Due to the smoke from
the wildfires and lack of groceries in their town they were traveling and
camping for a few weeks. Below are a few of the highlights from the Icefields
Parkway drive:
Bow Lake – a half mile hike provided a great view of the
lake, waterfalls, and glacier. It also had a coffee shop, so we enjoyed hot
chocolate, coffee, and pastries after our walk.
Peyto Lake – a short but steep trail leads to the overlook
with beautiful views of the lake and glacier.
Columbia Icefield – just inside Jasper National Park this area has 6 major glaciers. We took a steep path to near the foot of the Athabasca Glacier to get an up-close look. It is crazy and sad how fast it is receding – 5 meters per year.
Back in Canmore we forewent cooking dinner and had a wonderful meal at Tank310, a restaurant above the Grizzly Paw Taproom.
Alas, it was time to head home the next day. We stopped for
breakfast at Phil’s Restaurant in Calgary, a classic diner with all the basic breakfast
foods. We learned about chubbies - patties of pork (think breakfast sausage),
hamburger or chicken which came with the egg meals. We stayed in Moose Jaw for
the night. Of course, we had to take pictures of Mac the Moose, a large statue
near our hotel, especially since my Steve has been “Moose” since college. This
area of Saskatchewan also has many saltwater lakes. Sodium sulphate is mined in
the area, and we could see huge white piles of salt from the highway.
Windy lunch break at a rest stop in Saskatchewan |
Mac the Moose in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan |
The next morning as we headed to the U.S via Fortuna, North
Dakota we saw many oil pumps. I discovered that North Dakota ranks third in
the nation for crude oil reserves and production. In our quest to avoid nonstop
driving days, we had one more attraction to see before arriving back in
Minnesota. We stopped at the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Steve
and I had visited the South Unit but had not been north. The north section of
the park is more compact with a beautiful twist and turn scenic drive through
the badlands. There are two resident bison who often hang out at the entrance
sign. We enjoyed talking with the rangers about the morons who get too close to
the animals in a quest for the best picture! We drove along the 14 mile scenic
route and stopped at several scenic overlooks.
Cannonball Concretions – round rocks formed like pearls in
the butte.
Riverbend Overlook – provides a panoramic view of the North
Unit, with a stone shelter build by the Civilian Conservation Corps which
stands at the edge of the butte.
Paul photobombing my pic of Fred & Vicki |
Oxbow Overlook – at the end of the scenic road this spot has
beautiful views of the Little Missouri River and the valley.
Bison wandering along the road (pic taken from the safety of our car!) |
After a night in Bismark, North Dakota the last day of our trip was spent on the road with just necessary stops. This was another wonderful trip with great friends, experiencing so many amazing sites and beautiful country! On to planning the next trip!
But for now, it is nice to be home and sleeping in our own beds.
References:
We shared food and beverages in many fun locations throughout the trip. |
In September we took another fabulous trip with friends from college – Fred & Vicki and Paul & Leslie. This time a road trip through South Dakota to Montana and Glacier National Park, then north into Canada to Banff National Park. The six of us have been planning the trip for about a year – deciding on the locations, booking accommodations (AirBNB, VRBO and hotels), reserving a large vehicle so we can ride in comfort, and researching attractions to see along the way and at the national parks. The SUV this year was a Jeep Wagoneer we nicknamed Ruby. She was roomy enough for all our luggage and the third seat passengers! We’re getting pretty good at planning the itinerary, so we have plenty to see and do, plus down time as needed!!
We pulled out of Northfield/Dundas on a Monday morning and headed West. We spent a day in western South Dakota which is a destination on its own. Below are the attractions we saw along the way and our day in the Black Hills:
Dignity of Earth & Sky, a beautiful tribute to indigenous women. |
These bison were having a dual in Badlands National Park |
Prong horn sheep hanging out in the Badlands at the end of the day |
The Presidents at Mount Rushmore are always impressive |
Friendly burros in Custer State Park |
A re-enactment on the historic main street of Deadwood |
The next day we stopped at Devils Tower National Monument in
Montana. After a long wait to get to the parking lot, we walked around the base of the tower – 1.75 miles. Devil’s Tower is
so impressive rising up from the flat arid land!
Devils Tower is amazing from all directions! |
One of the things we enjoy is meeting people along the way. While hiking at Devils Tower we passed a woman wearing a Bike Iowa t-shirt. Of course, we said hello and started chatting. Turns out they live by Lake Panorama, Iowa near my hometown and are good friends with one of my high school classmates! That day we had lunch in Broadus, Montana at a café in the cute Powder River Lanes bowling alley (not much in Broadus!). The owner was from Lawrence, Kansas. He had hunted in this area, loved it, and wanted to get away from the city. So, he bought this bowling alley and café.
The Cafe at Powder Lanes in the small town of Broadus MT was a fun lunch spot. |
The next day in Seeley Lake, Montana we had lunch at another local café, Pop’s Place, where we had delicious berry pie! We met the owner, a lovely lady with a black mohawk who was originally from Las Vegas. She told us about Gus, the largest Larch tree. It lived just down the road, so after lunch we took a detour to see Gus in a grove of trees.
Waiting on our pie and lunches at Pop's Place in Seeley Lake MT |
Gus, the largest larch tree was a bit hard to find in this grove of trees |
While visiting Glacier we stayed at a VRBO house just
outside Martin City, Montana. It was close to the west entrance of Glacier, had
a large kitchen and deck, surrounded by woods. But no TV, so we chatted and
played cards in the evening.
We spent three beautiful days in Glacier, sunny with
temperatures in the 60’s and lower 70’s. Highlights included:
Steve and I with the mountains in the background. |
At Logan Pass, hiking up the many stairs on the Hidden Lakes Trail. |
Vicki and I made it to the top at the Hidden Lake Overlook. |
Beautiful St. Mary's Lake with the fall foliage turning yellow and gold. |
The hikers made it to St. Mary's Falls. |
Swiftcurrent Lake with The Many Glaciers Hotel in the distance. |
Glacier National Park is a must see, and September was a good time to visit. The temperatures were still fairly warm, and the crowds were less. In the summer from late May until September 10 reservations were required to drive into the park. We visited after September 10, so no reservations needed. Parking lots were full at some overlooks, and we had to wait to find a spot at Logan Pass, but I’m sure it was much easier than in the summer. By mid-September the lodges are closing, so be aware of this if you visit later.
Cocktails at the end of the day at the Stonefly Lounge near our VRBO |
After three days at Glacier, we headed north into Canada and Banff. Look for my next blog soon on Banff National Park and our trip home. . .
Leslie also blogs and has written two great blogs on our trip, so check out her perspective at Ponderings of a Small Town GIrl in the City - Cyclones Westward Ho!
Hiking in Banff National Park What? I’ve been retired a year? Yep, I retired a year ago on February 3 from a 38 year career at Johnson &...