DeSmet

Today we visited the homestead of Ma and Pa Ingalls. We started listening to Little House on the Prairie when we drove to Michigan last two weeks ago and fell in love with it. Since we realized that our trip out west was traveling much of the same route as the covered wagon we picked up a few more for this trip. They have been such a blessing to us! They are exciting and keep everyone interested (read quiet) as we drive so many miles. DeSmet was the final resting point for the Ingalls and while it wasn't really on the way for us today, it was a 2 hour detour. In the big scheme of things two hours is not such a big deal right now. (It practically took us an hour just to get across the campground!) So it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! We listened to the stories On the Banks of Plum Creek, and By the Shores of Silver Lake after finishing Little House. Today we started Farmer Boy which is the story of Laura's husband Almanzo Wilder in his youth. Many of the things we saw today were in the stories we've been hearing such as the surveyors house, the town Pa filed for the homestead in, the stove Caroline used, the whatnot that Mrs. Boast showed them how to make. The kids (and we) were totally enthralled by it all. We took a guided tour through several buildings and saw the cottonwood trees that Pa planted outside of their property (we just heard that story a couple of hours before we saw them!!) There are still three books we haven't heard and we can't wait to get them from the library--maybe we should be planning another road trip! :)

Tonight we're in Jackson, Minnesota. Last night and tonight we've skipped the natural splendor of state parks and opted for the convenience of KOA campgrounds which are right off highway exits. Almost as good as a hotel, but a fraction of the cost. Tomorrow we're throwing around the idea of a day at the Dells and then heading for home on Thursday.