Monday, November 5, 2012

New York Trip, Oct 16-23, 2012

Chicago airport

Buffalo airport













This boat ride to the very base of the falls gets everybody wet.











The birth place of Jell-O, Leroy, New York







 Mendon, New York at the home where Brigham Young lived.





Graveyard in Mendon, NY



Grandpa came here with his scout troop and dug to find this grave site back in 1943 or so.
Now there's a nice newer headstone.







The next day we went to Palmyra, New York


E. B. Grandin Print Shop






Palmyra Temple
From the temple you can see the sacred grove (just over Erika's shoulder)






On the Smith Farm looking back to the temple
This is the home Grandpa lived in but it has been restored to the condition as when the Smiths lived there.
Path from the house to the sacred grove















On the top of the Hill Cumorah




On to Fayette, New York where the church was organized





The next morning, we drove to Susquehanna, Pennsylvania (formerly Harmony).
The white poles in the grass behind me mark the foundation of the Joseph and Emma Smith home where most of the translation of the Book of Mormon took place.  The church is about to begin a big project to moved the highway and restore the home and build a visitor center here.
Grave of Joseph and Emma's first child



We found our way down to banks of the Susquehanna River adjacent to the Smith home site.
The river was considerably deeper right here so it seemed obvious that this is where Joseph and Oliver were baptized.







This is the quaint little town of Susquehanna very near the priesthood restoration site.





Next day, we went to Albany and saw the New York State Capitol Building.




This beautiful place is called the Corning Preserve.  It's at the site where the Erie Canal emptied into the Hudson River.






On our way to Sharon, we saw this totally awesome, obviously haunted building in Bennington, Vermont



Across the street was a pretty cemetery (and Amy can never pass up a chance to walk through a cemetery). 
 
Turns out, it's were Robert Frost is buried.









Birthplace of Brigham Young (in Whitingham, Vermont) is marked by this monument with a very interesting inscription.



Had to stop to see this covered bridge.



Then we even got to drive across one!

Our Bed and Breakfast in Chelsea, Vermont

We went to the monument at the Sharon, Vermont birthplace of Joseph Smith on Sunday and went to church there.





This is Hampton Beach near Exeter, New Hampshire







We drove across the bridge to Portsmouth, Maine for Lobsters.



On our way back to Syracuse, we drove through Massachussetts and then Connecticut





On our last day we went to the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, New York


Great trip!  Glad we got out of there just before Hurricane Sandy hit!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Snow Canyon Half

Before Amanda decided to try to have her babies, we signed up for the Snow Canyon Half Marathon.  We felt kind of  funny about leaving town while she was in the hospital.  But we knew if she had the babies, we wouldn't be able to hold them, and Amanda told us if anything happened she would give us a call, and we would only be 5 hours away....so we headed to St. George.  Caitlyn went down with us.

 It was freezing at the start line!

 At about mile 3, I "ran" into an old friend of mine, Betsy, and I decided to run the rest of the race with her.  Good choice!  It was so fun to catch up with all that is going on with her and her family as we ran through the Snow Canyon State park.  What a great way to spend a Saturday morning!  Betsy, I think we should do it again sometime!

 Here is a picture of our husbands:  Bart and Dean

  Betsy and I were in PTA together about 17 years ago!


After the race, we decided to go hiking in Zion National Park.  Thought that would be a great way to keep our legs from tightening up on us.
This is my idea of hiking....make Caitlyn carry me!
Caitlyn (on top) Ej, Dean, Leah, Montana, Connie, and Rob
The colors in the canyons were awesome!

  After hiking in Zion, we got to have dinner with Connie, Rob, and Leah.  Then we headed over to St. George to watch Shelby's last soccer game of the season for Dixie College.  Then to bed!  Long fun day!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

This is what content looks like

Home is where your mom is.