Theodore Roosevelt National Park-North

 
Over Labor Day weekend, we were pretty much still getting used to family life of four since Gram had gone home.  Since I handled the work week solo, and Mason had late evenings at work, we spent a lot of the time relaxing.  That Sunday at about noon, Mason looked at me and said, "let's go somewhere."  There were a few places we'd talked about going to but they were all a decent drive away, but Mason said, we're going to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  30 minute later we had 4 people packed in the car with snacks, milk, overnight bags (in case it was so awesome we wanted to stay overnight), my pump, a boppy, stroller, carriers, and cameras. 

The drive was about 3 hours, give or take a little bit.  The road had some construction at some points so we had to slow down.  But we got to see a wider, prettier part of Lake Sakawakawea, several missile sites, oil "areas", and sunflower fields.  We got to the park around 3:30pm and got in free (thank you military discount).  The park was beautiful!  We drove throughout the park and stopped at a few pull-off points. 

Theo and Mason went exploring first, while I fed Woodrow in the car, and I joined up with them.  There were several hiking paths, that I think we'd definitely go back to explore again, but this time it was just a little difficult with Theo who would just run ahead, and me feeling unstable hiking with Woodrow in the carrier.  Plus it was late in the day.  The temperature was perfect, and we got to see a herd of Buffalos.  Theo was VERY excited about seeing the buffalo and grasshoppers!  He talked (cried) about seeing them the whole way home. 

We walked around for awhile and around 6:00pm Mason suggested heading down to the Southern part of the park which he thought was about a 45 minute drive.  I have to feed Woodrow again, so he hiked some more with Theo while I was able to look up directions on my phone to the Southern park.  It was showing it more of an hour and a half minimum drive, since there was only one park entrance and it was in the Southern most part.  The Southern Park seems like the more popular park, with actual places to eat and stay, but we decided not to take that drive so late, since we didn't really want to stay overnight. 


Theo cried the first hour and a half home.  He didn't want to be in the car anymore, and he wanted to see trains, and buffaloes, and he was not interested in the snacks I had brought for him, and there was NO OTHER FOOD along the way.  What the heck!  Even though I had brought the ipad to entertain him in case this situation should arise, it was in the back of the car, so I let him play games on my phone and he settled down really fast.  About a half hour from home Woodrow got hungry and voiced his opinion that he should be fed.  We pressed on and while we were all very tired, and hungry by the time we got home we had a good time and would definitely go back.