Palmyra Falls

Rand's parents came to visit recently and we all went to visit Palmyra NY, and Niagara Falls. The kids could not get that straight and we finally just started calling it "Palmyra Falls" just to cut down on the arguments and confusion.

Palmyra NY, is just a short 5 hour drive from here and yes a 5 hr drive for us anymore is just no big deal. We spend a lot of time in the car around here and have done several little road trips and the kids have done well. Although, I will say that very recently Jane is getting to that difficult and busy age where another road trip will not be on the calendar anytime soon.

We chose to go to Palmyra the week after the Hill Cumorah pageant had finished, to avoid the craziest time of year. While we have heard great things about the pageant itself, we have also heard horror stories about the crowds, the lack of hotel availability, mosquito's and a very late night at the pageant with crying kids. We've even had friends who went all the way to see the pageant and ended up leaving half way through because they and their children were so miserable.

Anywho, I was happy with our choice because all of the sites we visited were quiet and we basically had our own personal tour everywhere we went. The weather was absolutely perfect and of course it was special to see the sites where the beginning of our church all started. It was really special to walk in the same places that Joseph Smith walked and even touch some of the things he touched.

The Palmyra temple was beautiful and now sits on part of the Smith family property. One amazing feature of the Palmyra temple is that while usually all the windows of the temple are covered with beautiful stained glass, there was one window in the temple that is clear that gives a perfect view out over The Sacred Grove. It is amazing and even a little strange to see the temple just sitting out in the middle of nowhere.
We arrived in Palmyra in the afternoon the first day and went straight to the visitors center. One of the biggest reason's we went to visit was also to see Rand's mission president and Mom who are now serving their 5th, yes 5th mission there. The are an amazing couple and have been such positive examples to us throughout our marriage. We have seen them a handful of times over the years and we are grateful that Rand has such a close relationship with them. When Randall was in Albanian and the missionaries were evacuated (twice) there were times that Randall and his companion were the only missionaries actually in the mission and not allowed to proselyte so he spent a lot of one on one time with President and Sister Lenker. They spent a lot of time playing Scrabble and just talking so they know each other very well.
While the Lenkers finished up some business we took some time to climb up the Hill Cumorah to see the spot where it is believed that Joseph received the golden plates. It was a beautiful day with a beautiful view. The kids were more than happy to get out of the car and run a round a bit.

The kids with Grandpa and Grandma Wilson

The is the view from the top of the hill. The "squares" in the grass are where the people sat to see the pageant.
The is the first of the Smith's home. It was a very small log cabin that had 11 people living in it. It is not the original home but was rebuilt on the original site as far as they can tell.
This picture is looking out the back door of the home onto The Sacred Grove. Joseph Smith walked out that door to go and ask God, which of the church's was true. This view held the most significance for me and left me with a deeper impression than at any other time while we were there.

This was the upstairs room Where many of them slept and where Joseph was visited by the angel Moroni several times. The kids surprisingly loved to walk through these homes and Anna kept asking to go back to "Joseph's house" . I wondered if they would enjoy this trip at all and if they would get anything out of it, but Ethan and Anna seemed to both understand and enjoy it.
This is a view of the Palmyra temple down the lane from the Smith home.

This is the second Smith home that was built, and it was actually a very nice home. I was surprised. It made me not feel so bad about wanting a nice home of my own someday :)

This is the fireplace where Joseph at one time hid the plates from the mobs that were searching for them.





I love this picture of the kids running down the road from the grove. When we went into the grove we weren't expecting anything miraculous, but what we did experience were large swarms of bugs and flies. Needless to say we didn't last long.

The second day we drove two hours to Niagara Falls. I was looking forward to this, but it way exceeded my expectations. It was so amazing and so. much. fun.
We all rode "The Maid of the Mist", a boat that takes you as close to the falls as the current will allow. If you don't wear your poncho, and even if you do you can get very wet. It was amazing to be up so close to something so huge and amazing. The power the falls generated was awesome. The boat was reving it's engine so hard just to try to fight against the current. The pictures don't do the falls or the experience any justice but it was something I will never forget and would love to do again someday. If you ever go it's a must do.





The third day, we went E.B. Grandin's where the first Book of Mormon was published. The church now owns the site of course and it is a beautiful visitors center with the original brick and floors from when The Book of Mormon was first published. It was amazing to walk on the same floors that Joseph did and see the original ink spills on the floor. The kids were taught how the pages were printed, folded and cut. They even each made their own "signature" copy, the first 16 pages. Again we were the only ones on the tour. We then spent a little more time with the Lenkers before we filled our bellies and headed home.




Randall with President Lenker. He and his wife are both converts to the church. He was an LAPD motorcop and a tough dude. He was special ops in the Marines and has done some amazing stuff. One time in the marines he and some other marines were released from a submarine under the water and had to swim to the surface, from hundreds of feet below. I don't know how they did it. He still runs about 6 miles each morning and lifts weights and his wife walks an hour and a half each morning to keep trim and fit. See? Amazing people.





The trees in the far back of the picture are "The Grove"
This is the view from the temple, to what would have been still part of the Smith Family farm.
The kids with Grandpa and Grandma Saturday morning before they left for the airport.
We were glad that Rick and Shelley joined us on our little trip. We hope that while the kids may not remember everything they saw, or understand the significance that they will remember that it was important to us that we go and see where some of the most significant things happened in our church's history.

4th, Freedom, and Fireworks

You may be wondering what pictures of homes have to do with the 4th of July, but to me walking down the street and seeing all these beautiful Eastern homes with their flags posted is quintessential America. These are all homes along the path we walk the kids to school so it will be fun in the future to look back and remember. And, if I just happened to have a million dollars (or two) lying around I would snatch up that white house quick as a flash.




Okay, so this house doesn't have a flag, but it's cute and the blue color reminds me of the home I grew up in that went from yellow to this blue.
Miss Jane wanting in on all the BBQ'd goods
The fixins
This bridge is on the kids school property and I couldn't help but make them pose for a quick picture...or two.


It was one of the most humid and hot days we've had so the kids enjoyed a lemon Italian ice. I wouldn't let them have any other flavor because they had just all be cleaned up and dressed so I wasn't going to let red snow cone ruin them right out the door :)


Our handsome boy. On a side note, Ethan's feet are now just as big as mine and he's 8! How did that happen?!?
Brayton School is where both Ethan and Anna will attend this Fall. Finally having them at one school will be so nice for me.
Just past the school is Memorial Field and baseball diamonds. They kids loved running around and getting their energy out before the fireworks. There was a beach boys type band that played for awhile and I really think music is what makes the holiday.
what

Watching the firework show Jane initially let out a scream and I realized this was really her first year with fireworks. Last year she was soundly asleep in bed and missed the whole thing. Last year this exact weekend I had just had hernia surgery, we were showing our house looking for a renter, and knew that in exactly 4 weeks we would be getting on a jet plane to come to New Jersey. The times has quickly passed and I'm sure glad it's this year and not last.

The City of Summit put on an amazing show. The fireworks lasted about 30 minutes and we were as close as I've ever been. Almost too close. The booms and blasts sounded like we were in a war zone.

Admittedly I think I missed Utah the most on the 4th than I have since we left. 4th of July is my favorite holiday with Thanksgiving and it's hard to move and have to start all of your traditions over again. I missed the balloons and the parade and going out to breakfast and the stadium of fire fireworks and BBQ's with family. Things were pretty low key around here and in the stores there was NO 4th decor or anything like that. It's also very illegal to set off any kind of fireworks of your own so there were no snap its, ground flowers, or sparklers. While I get that it's dangerous and I appreciate that, I missed driving down the streets and admiring the fireworks in each individual drive way. I was kind of waiting for that "Sandlot" nostalgia of 4th of July and it was a near miss. I think that's why I'm realizing that it will be nice to soon settle down and start traditions that we know can last.