Summer 2015 Vacation--Part 5 (Church Sites)

Let me just say, my hubby did a fantastic job planning this trip!  After we left Ontario, on our drive to NYC we stopped at some amazing church sites.  

First we went to Joseph Smith's childhood home (rebuilt) in Palmyra, NY.  The countryside was absolutely beautiful!!

Inside the house was set up similar to how it would have looked in Joseph Smith's time.  We put Summer in the old fashioned highchair and put a fake potato in front of her and called her "Baby Joseph", she thought it was pretty funny.

 Posing in the barn...not sure what's happening here, but Summer's face is priceless!!

We walked through The Sacred Grove.  It really felt sacred and special, knowing that this was the actual place where Joseph Smith went to kneel and pray.  So grateful to have the chance to be there in person.  Surreal.

 

We took a quick trip out to see the Palmyra temple and I forced all four tired babies out for a picture.  I am so blessed to have these kids sealed to me!!

We also went for a tour of the printing press where the Book of Mormon was printed!  We learned all about how much work it took to print books back in Joseph's day.  Kya listed this as one of her top 3 things we did on our vacation!!  It was pretty cool... 

We stopped at the Hill Cumorah...where Joseph Smith found the golden plates that later became The Book of Mormon.  Pretty incredible.

Here is the part of the hill that is all cleared for the Pageant.

We heard about this great little ice cream place nearby called "Grill and Chill" so we had to stop.  Holy Cow it was amazing!  The small was four giant scoops!  Some of the best ice cream we've ever had. 

We also headed out to The Whitmer Farm (where the church was organized).  There was a really great visitor's center there where we watched a video about the growth of the church (from only 6 people in 1830 to more than 15 million now)--amazing.  

 

I feel so blessed to be able to visit the places where the church began.  It strengthened my testimony of the gospel and made me feel so grateful to belong to such an amazing organization.

Summer 2015 Vacation--Part 4 (Marineland & Bird Kingdom)

Since we had a few days to spend in Niagara Falls, Mike really wanted to take the kids to Marineland...not because it is the best theme park around, but because he went there as a kid and has fond memories of it.

I don't think the animal exhibits were this great when he was a kid!  I could not believe how close you could get to the bears and the deer!!  So cool.  You could actually feed both the bears and the deer.

The marine show was great too...almost as good as SeaWorld.  

Summer went on her first roller coaster...can you see her little head sitting next to me?  She was way too small and I shouldn't have taken her on...she didn't like it one bit.

 There were no lines for some one the rides, so they could just run off and then right back on again.  They loved the swings, and we had to force them to leave after 4 times!  I think they rode the "Tea Cups" ride about 4 times too!

 And then there was this one...Jordan had to find someone to go with her because we were all too chicken, but Dad finally agreed.  They LOVED it--crazies!

 

We also did The Bird Kingdom in Niagara, which was a little less exciting...but we got to hold birds!!

 

Summer 2015 Vacation--Part 3 (The Hike)

When Mike suggested we go on a family hike while in Niagara Falls, the entire group of us were slightly hesitant.  It wasn't that we don't like to hike...I actually LOVE hiking.  BUT our family has a long track record of less-than positive hiking experiences~when Dad's in charge!!  Just about every hike we've been on that Dad has planned 1) takes about twice as long as expected AND 2) at some point during the hike we are lost! 

Our hike in Niagara was no exception:  Instead of 1.5 hrs, it was at least 3 hrs (although Mike claims he knew it was 3 but just told us it was shorter so we would still want to do it--not sure I buy it).  We had to ask other hikers how to get back up to where we parked.  And even after walking up an eternally long hill, we realized we were way further down the road from where we parked.  I had to walk and get the car, then drive back to pick everyone up.  But the worst part about the hike was that we had no backpack for Summer!  Since we flew, we didn't want to check it on the plane (with the stroller and the car seat and the playpen) so she had to walk or be carried the Entire. Three. Hours.  But...it was BEAUTIFUL!!  And guess what?  Jordan listed the hike in her top 3 things of the entire vacation!!

Summer really wanted to walk to entire time, but her idea of walking was sitting and playing in the dirt.

 

 

 

 

 And somehow, I'm the only one that looks completely exhausted in all the pictures!!  It must have been because I was holding Summer so much...or at least that is what I will tell myself:)

Summer 2015 Vacation--Part 2 (Niagra Falls)

I think our trip to Niagra Falls was one of my absolute favorite parts of our trip!!  We got there Sunday evening and after checking into our hotel...headed straight to the falls for fireworks. 

 

Mike and I went to the falls back in 1999 right after getting married, so it was awesome to be back and this time share it with our kids!  They were amazed!!

The next morning we took a boat ride out to the falls!!  IT. WAS.AWESOME.  I think all of us listed the boat ride in our top 3 things we did on the trip.  The boat took us so close to the falls that we all got drenched from the mist (Summer didn't really like that part).  When we were walking off the boat Tyson said "that was the best thing I've done in my entire life!"  It made my heart happy that we could give him that awesome experience. 

Summer 2015 Vacation--Part 1 (Family)

It has been WAY too long since we have been out east to visit Mike's side of the family...11+ years too long!!  So when his Dad, then his grandma passed away, we decided we simply couldn't wait any longer. 

The day we arrived, we met Mikes brothers and sisters and his Mom and Step Dad at the park.  It was POURING rain, but luckily we had a huge covered area for the grown ups to visit...and the kids just played in the rain...they didn't mind one bit!

The kids got to meet all their cousins (12 in all)!!  Tyson and Bradley really hit it off!  After a day of playing they were begging for sleep overs and very sad to say good bye:(

We all got to hold the newest cousin...Michael.  So sweet!!

Summer was a little shy...here she is warming up to Auntie Jessica...

...and she loved Uncle Jeffrey's necklace:)

 It was great to spend an entire day with Mike's mom at her place...some cousins and Aunts and Uncles stopped by too...

The kids also got to meet their only living Great-Grandparent!  It was wonderful to go to her house and visit with her and Uncle Tom.

 

The third day we were able to see all Mike's Aunts, Uncles and a lot of his cousins from his Dad's side of the family.  It was so nice to visit with them and meet a lot who we only really knew from Facebook:)  

Here is a picture of all Mike's Dad's siblings that were there...

And here's the group of us...minus a few of our kids who were playing in the rain and a few others who had already left.  

                                   

It really was such a great and special thing to spend time with Mike's family.  I am really looking forward to staying in touch and visiting more often!

And Jordan said we didn't do anything...

This past week my niece Becca came to stay with us while her sister Manda was at EFY.  This is the second year we've done this and I am kinda sad that next year she will be old enough to go to EFY too, because we absolutely love having our Becca stay with us!!  

When the week was over, I said something about how many fun things we did and Jordan (in true teenage, party animal form) said "we didn't really do much".  What?!  Well, judge for yourself...here's what we did:

The first day, Jordan and Becca went to see Jurassic World and then had Panda Express at the mall...

The next day we took a trip to Michaels to get all the stuff and made shirts for the One Direction concert...

 

 The following day we headed to the beach with friends (it was supposed to be Jetty Island, but when the boat over was full, we headed to Camino Island)...

We went for Menchies, and the kids slept in the tent in the backyard...

The final day we went to Alki beach in West Seattle...

 

We rented a Surrey...

...and had a bon fire to burn homework and make smores.  

We also got Cafe Rio take out, watched a different movie every night, and made memories to last forever!  I'd say that was something!!!