Road Trip

We did a road trip while in New York upstate to see the church pageant at Cumorah's Hill in Palmyra, New York. 

Getting to stay in a hotel is the best as a kid! 

Actors in the pageant! I love how they make the stage right on the hill. Right outside the gates there are all these people protesting the Mormons and it is just amazing to feel the effects of the Spirit as you enter through those gates and feel at peace and safe compared to right outside when you feel terrible because of the protesters and the lack of the Spirit. 

Ellie was shocked, she thought these were the real gold plates!

All the kids sat pretty well during the show chowing down on candy and snacks! Late night for these guys but very worth it. It was a great experience to get to bring them here and see this awesome show. 

The next day we saw some sights. This was Joseph Smith's home.

Outside Joseph Smith's home, when I asked Ellie to smile for the pictures she said "Cheese, Nephi's house!" She was close!

We were all pretty hot and sweaty and gross, I thought we wouldn't get that after we left Houston!

That house is the Smith's larger house they moved to. In that house the mob came in looking for the gold plates and he had to hide them in the bricks around the fire place once and once in-between his sister who pretended to be sleeping. 

We got the special experience to visit the Sacred Grove and walk around there guessing where the spot was that the First Vision took place. 

Outside the Palmyra Temple. Great trip together, I'm really glad we got to do it!

Next we headed to Niagara Falls. What an amazing sight!

We took that boat ride and Ellie was so ecstatic to see a rainbow!! The lines were a hassle and it was so incredibly crowded but it was a great experience for the kids.

We got soaked and much better views of the falls from down here!

Ellie

Rachel

Colt and Livy

Maiden of the Mist! Good times! We drove halfway home that night and stopped at a hotel. Livy is the friendliest kid around and made a friend in the pool there. When she got out she told me "we were talking about having a play date and there is only one problem, they live in Canada." Yeah, I'd say that's a problem!

The drive back was beautiful!