(we were there longer)

1. Count casinos. Johnny got to 60.

2. Know that there are no such thing as American Buffalo. They are all BISON. Buffalo are in Asia and Africa. While in Montana, you should eat some bison. If you are not veggie-tarian.

3. Find out that the pictures are real. They all look photoshopped because we are not used to seeing colors that real. Glacier National Park is majestic. It made me hurt to look at, it was so beautiful.

4. Buy things. No tax in Montana! For the most part, no service (on my cell phone) either.

5. Own a truck. Montana was made for trucks. If you don’t have a truck, fill up with gas at EVERY gas station you see. There won’t be many.

6. Say hey to the grizzlies, and fight off the friendly flies with spray sunblock. It worked for Faith.

7. Gain “Glacier-spotting skills.” I have them:).

8. Try Huckleberries. They have everything from candy to chapstick to sunblock flavored sun block. For those of us who eat sunblock.

9. Get free stickers from visitor centers. They are super nice and know all there is to know.

10. Find the end of the rainbow. We did it! it came across the trees and ended in the valley. No gold.

1. Sioux Falls may be my next favorite place (after Brazil–pais do meu coracao–and home–lugar que captura meu coracao). Mostly because of good company. But the falls is pretty too, with good ice cream and lots of art. Artistic people live in Sioux Falls.

2. Hear weird noises happening on the car in the middle of a rain/wind storm. Nothing shakes your feeling of control faster than weird noises. Especially when your car skills are a. checking the oil b. checking the…I forget what it is called…fluid. and c. checking the air in the tires. The wind/rain will blow you away, and exits are spaced liberally. But you will get good pictures and a good story to tell later. I found out I had one more skill: tightening the lug nuts on the tire. No more scary noises!

3. Stop at the Corn Palace. It is freeeeeee and sells cool things like tattoo arm sleves.

4. Read every sign OUT LOUD for Wall Drug. Then stop there and buy abolutely nothing. Get free water.

5. See if you think Taco Johns beats Taco Bell (we vote yes.)

1. Count how many colors the road changes (pink, red, black, brown, gray so far…)

2. Count and name the variety of road kill (This works in South Dakota, Minnisoda, and Wyoming too. Probably more places as well.)

3. Eat at the Fainting Goat in Waverly, just because it is called the “Fainting Goat.”

4. Stop every two hours or so. No matter what. Small towns are fun, and then get out of the car and wander around some random neighborhood.

5. Listen to books on tape. Like “The Last Lecture.” Then make up a list of things you would say if it were your last lecture.

1. Never use the air conditioner. This is a waste. Besides, with the windows down, you can keep count of good smells and bad smells. (current count: 1 good smell, 2 bad.)

2. Stop and eat a picnic lunch in some random person’s yard. With a lake between you and the house.

3. Choose an official song for the trip. Sing at the top of your lungs (reminder: no air conditioning. must have windows down for full effect.)

4. Stop to use the restroom at places called “trading posts” and don’t realize until after you enter that it is a bar. Especially good when traveling with minors.

5. Stay with friends! Free food and even better company!

I could get used to this. The not working, no school stuff. Went camping with family last week, and tubing with friends over the weekend. I went to the car doctor and got a clean bill of health to drive to way far away.

Today was the bestest. The first International School United States trip is going on: seven of my students,  and four parents from the International school in Brazil are here! They went to the creation museum, Disney World, and today–the Indy 500 speedway. They will then go to the Children’s museum and Chicago before heading home to Brazil this Thursday. I met up with them at church and helped translate/order lunch. Then I stole three students and brought them home with me for cruel and unusual punishment of picking fresh strawberries and raspberries from the garden, and eating blueberries for the first time. They jumped on the trampoline for almost 2 hours until exhausted, when I showed them the infamous $1 store. They kept telling me I was lying. “Mentira!” they cried, “This could not be $1!”

But it was. And it was a great day.

Tomorrow is new adventures. Open road that I call my own. John (my lil brother), Faith (a friend from church), and I are going on a road trip. Plans:

1. Marvelous company in Peoria with amazing friends

2. Ditto in Souix Falls

3. Goodbye nice beds–hello sleeping in the car/tent. Goodbye nice food–Rachel doesn’t cook, she opens cans.

4. The “most ecologically diverse forest in the Northern Region” or so says http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/custer/

5. Meeting Faith’s family

6. Seeing my crazy-haired girl in her natural habitat: Glacier National Park. ohhhh yeah.

7. Celebrating 100 years of good park-ness. For drooling-with-envy pictures, visit http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm

8. Wildlife spotting. All the mammals native to the USA…all of it…are seen in Glacier. Including grizzlies. Animals outnumber people in Montana.

9. Weather changing. It can fluctuate 100 degrees in a day. Hurry to see Glaciers–they are supposed to be gone 2020.

10. Can-aaaaa-dia. And the unknown. I heard the word CRUMPETS?!

11. Find the dragon in his den at Yellowstone: http://www.uptake.com/blog/family_vacations/ten-cool-things-for-kids-in-yellowstone-national-park_3773.html

12. Wave at Old Faithful: http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

13. I have been half in love with the Grand Tetons ever since I read “Wild at Heart.” Hats off to you, Mr.John Eldredge! http://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm

14. Empty, Barren Wyoming is calling me back…I didn’t see enough of it last year. http://www.stateparks.com/medicine_bow.html

15. By this time…whatever else it takes to get home

Please keep us in your prayers, and send some happy adventures our way. Pictures are sure to follow:).