I have always bought my daughter educational gifts and toys. And books. Oh, so many books. At times some of my purchases may not have been age-appropriate, but she has always been an old soul. So, I never really worried about it.
Once I was in Target perusing the dollar bins up front. There were some flash cards that looked interesting. They featured famous landmarks from around the world. They were for ages six and up. Josie was four. Close enough! I bought them.
I gave them to her when I got home and she immediately started sorting and organizing them. She would look at the picture on the front and then, if she liked it, she would have me read the details of the landmark on the back.
After she made it through all 50 cards, she grabbed the one for Mount Rushmore and put the other 49 back in the box. She carried that Mount Rushmore card around for weeks. She never left home without the card, her favorite Beanie Baby and a few books. It mystified us.
Fast forward a few months. We had just moved to Wisconsin and we were trying to figure out where to go on vacation. After much debate, I said, “Fuck it. Let’s go to Mount Rushmore. This is the closest we have ever been, if not now? When?” We packed up the family truckster and headed for South Dakota.
Even though Josie had been carrying around a picture of Mount Rushmore for months, we still feared this might be a boring vacation for a four-year-old. So, we planned a day at Nickelodeon Universe and the Minnesota Zoo on the way to ensure she had some age-appropriate fun. She enjoyed both of those stops greatly.
Then came the big day—Mount Rushmore! Josie was pretty pumped. During our long drive we discussed all four presidents pictured on the mountain and their historical significance. We were still pretty sure her excitement wouldn’t last longer than five minutes after she saw it. We were incorrect.
As we began our approach to the mountain, we walked on a path lined by flags from all 50 states. About a quarter of the way in, Josie broke out into a run. This caught both Brett and I off guard and he began to chase after her. She was fast. By the time I caught up, the monument was in sight. Josie was screaming, jumping and pointing. Never has a four-year-old been so excited to see some old guys carved into a mountain.
Brett and I just looked at each other and shrugged. This kid has never ceased to amaze us.
We hiked every trail, watched the movie about its creation and bought several books. She loved it. Oh, and the mountain goats were a major bonus.
We were in Keystone, South Dakota for four days. Josie insisted we go back to Mount Rushmore every day. She could not get enough of it.
The highlight was a night visit to see a program and watch the illumination of the monument. They asked for volunteers of people who served in the military to lower the flag. Unbelievably, they didn’t get a ton of takers. My husband who served in the Army for six years said, “Fuck this. I will take the flag down at Mount Rushmore.” Off he went.
This perplexed Josie greatly. Thousands of questions ensued, much to the annoyance of those sitting around us. “Where is Daddy going?” “Why is Daddy on stage?” “What is he doing to that flag?” “Is he keeping the flag?” “Can we take it home?” “What if he drops it?” “Is my Daddy famous?” There were many, many more. She was relieved when her dad returned to our seats unscathed.
Josie is 18 now. We have had lots of wonderful family vacations, but Mount Rushmore will always hold a special place in my heart. We are a family of weirdos. I really love my favorite little weirdo thought four old guys on a mountain was the best thing ever.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
