The Madsen Family: A Good Start to Summer

Brandan had a couple of weeks off between teaching school and starting his next Masters class, so we decided we better really live up our summer while we could.

Colt learned to ride his bike! And it only took about a box of bandaides.

Sport was suppose to be helping stain the fence, but he pooped out and took a nap in the sunshine. He paid for it though. See that patch of skin showing on his back? Yep, he has some seriously funny tan lines.

So comfy!

It seems Sissy has a real grudge against her mobile animals. She loves to scream at them and whack them with cooking utensils.

On Brandan's last Friday before his class started, we decided to take the boys on a hike. It was sort of a bucket list item of ours to hike Harney Peak, which is the highest peak in SD. Granted, we're talking about a state known for its praries and the hike is only 7 miles, but it is the Black Hills and it took some work. I couldn't believe how awesome the boys did. There was never a prouder Mama than I was when they finished hiking 7 miles!

At the top of Harney Peak is an old fire look-out shaped sort of like a castle. The last half mile or more is natural rock stairs and then the actual stairs surrounding the building. Both Brandan and I get a little vertigo so we had to really force a happy face and let the boys climb around a bit before we forced everyone out of the building and down to a flatter spot.

Brandan carried a child on his back for the entire 7 miles. On the way up it was Sissy and then Sport on the way down. We took turns carrying the child not in the backpack. It was worth it, but we were both pretty shot by the time the hike was done.

It doesn't look it, but this is high. Brandan just held it together long enough for me to snap a picture and then he insisted all the children come away from the wall.

I'm holding onto Sport for both our sakes.

The family outside Harney Peak.

The trail head starts at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. When we finished our hike we all headed over to the bank to soak our feet and scare the minnows.

Colt and Sport got a little over-zealous trying to catch the fish and ended up pretty wet.

Sis turned 7 months this last week. She is such a fun girl and we love having her as part of the family. Its probably not fair to accuse someone who can't defend herself, but the truth is Breeze is a major contributing factor to the excessive noise level in our house. She loves to talk and primarily does so at the very top of her voice. In turn, the boys have to talk louder or turn up the volume and that leaves Brandan and I shouting our conversations. It seems hard to believe, but while we really rarely yell in anger, in our house, we yell all the time.