The old west was dirty. Everything isn't like home. If everything were like home, there would be no reason for leaving home.

The stars aligned and the Tolys and The Van Fleets had the same spring break. It also happened to land on both Ryan and Beth's birthdays, so we felt like we had to be together. Our original plan was to meet in Yellowstone but we realized, just a few days before we left, that Yellowstone is not really open year round. So we changed our plans and decided to meet in Cody, WY instead. This is the family, minus Grace who is taking the photo, in front of Buffalo Bill Cody's hotel, The Irma. I made sure we booked nicer hotels in the towns we stayed in so the kids could swim. Give kids a nice swimming pool and they are happy. Our adventure begins...

After a night in Cody we drove to Charlotte and Mike's ranch in Shell, WY. This is one of our family's favorite places so I was excited to share it with Monti and his family. A few minutes after we get there, Mart (Mike's brother) takes the kids out on the 4-wheeler and lets them drive. These are city kids Mart!

You don't see the fear in Mart's face.

This is what I love about farms. Kids can do whatever they want. The girls are building something here and Bubba is ever watchful. He's wishing one of them would throw one of those sticks.

Brother and sister fo eh va!

Ethan and Becky

Grace took this photo of Hanna and Bubba.

Mike took us on a walk to look at calves and try to find arrowheads. We didn't find any but Mike showed us his collection when we got back to the house. Impressive!

The homestead.

We were sad to leave. Char was a great host. She made us a yummy Easter meal and even had baskets, hunts and crafts for the kids.

The girls love these guys.

I don't know what is going on here but it made me laugh.

We drove through the Big Horns to get to Sheridan, WY where Ryan went to High School for grade 11 and 12, then two years of college. Ryan said he had climbed the rock under my arm.

Ryan's home in Story, WY. His parents sold the place a few years back but I have a lot of good memories at the house.

These buffalo were crossing the road. My western experience is complete.

Yes, I made the family get out of their cars for this photo. We learned that Hanna can't take photos into the sun...ever.

Gracie at Devil's Tower with her King Ropes hat she bought in Sheridan.

Hanna wanted to look like she was holding the tower up. Almost.

Hanna bomb!

I really wanted to stay in the same cabins we stayed in when Ryan and I went to Rushmore in 1995. They were $20 then and only $50 now. These were the highlight of Hot Springs, SD. I'm still baffled by a town named Hot Springs that has a indoor pool with no hot tub.

Me in 1995. Classic Girbaud sleeveless shirt.

It's Christmas all year at the cabins.

This is me saying, "Go away!" to Hanna. Last day of road trip=kids on my nerves.

My favorite discussion we had at Rushmore was about why they didn't carve nostrils. We speculated that it wouldn't look very presidential to have bird boogers coming out of your stone nose.

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I'm pretty sure the kids were thinking about "Thomas Jefferson ice-cream" the entire time we were looking at the monument.

Perfect ending to a great trip.