GETTYSBURG, Pennsylvania

Kirk's brother, Nat, brings a group of FFA students to Washington DC each year and this year Janet and Raven got to come also. They spent the 4th of July in New York and so we met them in Gettysburg to do some sightseeing.

We went to the new visitor's center where we watched the movie and saw the cina-rama. The cina-rama was a 360 degree mural depicting the battle of Gettysburg. They used lighting to make it practically come alive. If you ever go there, this is worth seeing.

Nat and Janet on the observation tower overlooking the battlefields.

I wonder if this was what they would have seen from the tower back then?

The 3 students from Oregon (including Raven & Nellysa)

Just a "cannon and grass" as Kirk would say.
Raven & Kelby trying to look cool.Raven & Nellysa

The property divider on a battlefield.

Gettysburg Cemetery where Pres. Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.

Arteus Kratzke's headstone caught Kirk's eye. He passed away the same year and day Kirk was born.

The group taking a breather under the tree that Kirk is holding up.

Speaking of tree's, there are a lot of old tree's in the cemetery, but only one that actually stood through the battle and is still standing.

There are rows of flat headstones like these. Many of them just have numbers on them and many are marked as unknown.

In Loving Memory ...

The Rest of the Idaho Trip

While we were in Idaho, we got to stay with and visit family.

This is Kirk and the kids with my parents, Dee & Nellie Boyce.

This is Kelby on my Dad's 1949 John Deere "crawler" tractor (the first tractor I drove).

Just a friendly game of Chinese Checkers. The pond where I used to swim (when it was cleaned out). The water-Lilli's in the pond.

Listening to Levi's fascinating story. (Calahan, Clancy, Dad, Nellysa)

Uncle "Bob" talking Kelby into saying "uncle".

Levi's first garden (Oh, and Shakeara's rose) in front of his apartment. It consists of ingredients to make salsa.

The Boyce family picnicking at Shoshone Falls Park.

Shoshone Falls is called the "Niagara of the West".

Jerry, Marilinda & grandchildren (Jason, Dallen, Tessa, Braden, Carissa)

Kirk & Mom at the Samaria Cemetery.

The headstone on the grave of Benjamin Waldron ...

... and the rest of the story....

This is the headstone for Uncle Ben's leg. Uncle Ben lost his leg in an accident and they buried his leg in the cemetery. He continued to have "ghost" pains and felt like his leg was bent and so they dug up his leg which was bent in the box, and straightened it out. After they re-buried the leg, he no longer had pains. The only problem with the whole thing is that Uncle Ben is buried on the West side of the cemetery and his leg is on the East side. Hope he can hop :)

This is Kirk's Mom, Aunts, and Sisters tying quilts for the family reunion.

Dillon & Dallas giving Uncle Kirk a tattoo.

That led to Uncle Kirk giving Dillon a USN tattoo. (his Army Dad wasn't too impressed)
POPEYE!!

A relaxing Sunday afternoon nap! (notice Blair's pillow - what a good daughter you are Aubrie)

Clancy learns the downside of playing golf on the farm.... gathering golf balls.

Faye, Lucy and Kalan

Blair said "I am going to miss you guys this much!"

The day we said goodbye and flew back to Maryland.

Brush 'Em if ya Got 'Em!

The day before we left Idaho, I had an emergency visit with the dentist and he gave me some toothpaste that relieves pain. When I got home, I was doing my hair and Jasper was sitting on the bathroom counter (being clingy because we left him for 2 weeks). He was getting into my travel bag and grabbed my toothpaste and then jumped down and I had to chase him through the house to get it back. By the time I got it back he had bitten holes in it.

I guess he needed some toothpaste for these pearly whites.
Since I took it away from him he won't smile and show us his pearly's.