Our Trip to WY and UT

I guess that is it has been a long enough time that I can put up the pictures from our visit home this summer.  I didn't want to do it to soon after the trip in case I actually remembered what happened there. 

After we got on the plane to leave and pushed back from the gate we were told that we would have to wait for an hour before leaving, and that they would open the cockpit if anyone wanted to go talk to them.  Well we let the kids get up to walk around and they ended up in the front.  They were given wings (which made Jamie cry when they were offered to him) and cards with a picture of the plane that we were in on it.

The first night there we stayed with my family and had a dinner together and celebrated Brian's Birthday.  It was great to see most everyone again!!

Matus sure liked the cake.  What a cute little boy!!

The next day we drove up to WY to be with Brian's family and again celebrate his birthday.

The next day we went over to the lake and tried out boating, Lizzie was not impressed, but Jamie almost enjoyed it.

Thankfully they enjoyed the beach a lot more!!

With it's endless supply of rocks, how could they not enjoy it!!!

Jamie even found that the water wasn't so bad.

He actually got very brave.  He will be a good fish some day!!

Lizzie loves playing with bubbles, and  asked so much that I finally took her out on a colder, rainy day to play with them on the porch.

While there we got to celebrate Pioneer Day by being in a parade for Brian's cousin's drug store.  Lizzie wanted so much to help make the posters.  I brought my camera to take pictures of the parade, but sadly the battery was left behind in my rush to leave.  

After the parade we joined the Stake for a dinner and a concert by Jon Schmidt.  The concert got Brian in the mood to play the piano.  Lizzie wanted to join in as well.  Isn't it a cute picture.

The morning that we left WY we decided to take the four wheeler for a ride.  Jamie cried when I left him, until he saw what I was doing and said "weee".   I decided to see if he really meant it.

Well he did seem to enjoy his little ride.  My kids often amaze me at what they will or will not do.

On the way back to my parents house we joined my family at Lagoon for a few rides.  

After the rides Jamie throw up.  They spent most of the next week either throwing up or having diarrhea.  Which made them want to sleep a lot, not do much, not eat much and not want to be around people much.  They were a bit grumpy when people were around.  So we missed out on some of the fun of the week, but were able to see the family most of the days for dinner including one at my brother's new house.

Thankfully, they were feeling mostly better for my early birthday party at the end of the week.  it was great to see so many of my favorite people, who I don't get to see very often, because I live so far away from them, and to be able to catch up with them.  I also missed many people who were not able to come.  It is hard with so little time to see the many people who have influenced my life for such good.

It was a good night and my dad even made a new friend, with a common love of cars.  

We had a great trip and were glad that we got to see and have fun with all those that we did get to see, hopefully next year we will have happier kids and get to see even more family and friends.  We love you all!!!

Palmyra Trip Part 3 - Letchworth State Parkts

I have finally decided that I should get around to update my blog some more.  Since I have a whole other trip to write about also.  Well I guess I had better get started with it! 

On our way home from Palmyra I had decided that we should go to Letchworth State Park which is known as The Grand Canyon of the East.  We were so close that I could not go to see The Grand Canyon of the East, I love The Grand Canyon after all.

So we took a little detour and saw great sights as these ones.

I must admit I was a little disappointed.   Not much compared to the real Grand Canyon.  but as we went on I was able to see the beauty of it.  We finally got the some waterfalls.  You can't see any waterfalls at the Grand Canyon without hiking to them.  I like waterfalls, so it made up for the differences for the Grandest Canyon I know so well.

Lets see that a little closer.

We liked it so much we even took some pictures of us in front of the waterfall.

Here is a picture that I found of their website that I really like.  I don't think we got to see this view of the canyon.

We enjoyed our visit to this great canyon, that is better then any other in the east, but not much compared to the true Grand Canyon.  It is a beautiful place and I wish we would have had more time to see the waterfalls and someday it might be fun to go and hike around.

We then left the park and had a long drive home.  We were very happy when we got home.  We were very tired and ready for bed.

Trip to Palmyra - Part 2 Palmyra

After a fun night at the red house (which Lizzie still asks to go back to) we headed up to Palmyra, NY.  We got there with enough time to see the Joseph Smith homes. . . 

and the Sacred Grove before lunch time.

After lunch we went to our B&B to see if the kids would take a nap as it would be a late night for them, it didn't work.  Brian took a walk while the rest of us pretended to sleep and got back later then I expected and it made me very worried as I had no way of contacting him.   We got to the pageant later then I thought we should but hours before we needed to.  Happily we got there at just the right time as we saw Brian's sister Linda and part of her family while on our way to claim our seats.  It was fun to get to talk to them for a short time then and let the kids play a little together.  We were also able to find out when we would see them later in costume.

We claimed our seats, . . .

(The seating area as seen from the top of the hill.)

went to the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center, and ate dinner and still had a few hours before we could even see the family again.  Thankfully, as we wondered around we found someone with bubbles.  The kids loved running after them in the big field.

After all of that running around they were a little tired and laid down in the grass while waiting to see the family again.  

At least for a short time before they started to pick it and throw it at each other.

Finally, Linda and her family came out to great people all dressed up.

The youngest three returned to playing happily with their cousins.  Reminds me of "Tennis Shoes Among The Nephites".

We sadly had to let them get to work after visiting with them for a time. 

We really enjoyed the pageant, expect Lizzie who just wanted her blanket for the first half of it.  She did calm down and enjoy the second half.  We had good instructions of when to look for the different members of Linda's family, but the people were all so small on the stage that the only one we could pick out was Kenny, who was John the Baptist.

The next day we were planning to got to Niagara Falls, but found out that Linda's family had the morning off.  They suggested going for ice cream and Brian found himself incapable of refusing ice cream.  It was very good ice cream, too and a lot of it.  We then found ourselves in Palmyra for an extra day and went to the printing shop where The Book of Mormon was printed.

Just before getting there the heavens opened and this is what the back of the building looked like while we were waiting, under a tent, for the tour to start.

And here is Lizzie in front or the printed papers of The Book of Mormon that are drying.

Well after that we went back to the B&B to see if the kids could get some rest.  I left and went on a super fast tour of three of the Palmyra Historical Museums, which took about an hour.  The kids didn't have any luck getting to sleep so we decided to go for a drive and ended up in a park by the Erie Canal listening to a book on tape while our kids got some sleep.  Then off to dinner at Chill & Grill, the same place that we had gotten the ice cream, they do pretty good burgers as well.

Trip to Palmyra - Part 1 Ithaca

Last week Brian took off Thursday and Friday so that we could go up to The Hill Cumorah Pageant.  We left early on Thursday morning and got to Ithaca, New York about lunch time.   We stopped by the information center to find out where some good waterfalls were and where we could eat some lunch.

We then headed to a beautiful waterfall only about a mile away.

Then we headed to a nearby State park where we were able to eat our lunch before going on a 3/4 mile walk/hike to the next waterfall.   There were places where you could walk down by the river or at least put you feet in, which was fun but very slippery.  We mostly stayed on the path where it was shady!!

I think that they said it was the highest waterfall in the east falling something like 180 to 200 feet.  

I was very amazed with Jamie who walked most of the way to the waterfall, while Lizzie rode in the stroller.  By the end of the way back he was getting quite tired of walking so we kicked Lizzie out of the stroller and onto her dad's back.  Aren't they cute.  It is hard for kids to walk so much in the heat.

That night we spent in a bed and breakfast in the national forest near Ithaca.  It was a fun first day of our travels.

Fourth of July Fun

Well I a once again a little late in the posting of pictures but hopefully I can catch up today.

We started the Fourth of July with the parade in our little town.  It was a very interesting parade.  There were some marching bands (but not from the high school), some nice old cars, but mostly fire trucks.  There seemed to be about 7 to 9 different fire departments each with an old fashion and about 3 or 4 other trucks.

This is one of my favorite old fashion trucks, with a hose carriers and buckets.

Jamie and I in front of that same truck.

Brian watching the parade and Lizzie enjoying some of the candy.

This was one of my favorite cars, it is an old farmer truck, for the Chatham Borough Farmers Market which I had been helping with!!

To mark the end of the parade they lit a little house on fire in the middle of the street . . . 

and then these fireman clowns put out the fire.

After the parade we went to two bbq, one at our neighbors and one at a friend from church.  We had a great day and tired the kids out very much.   It was a great day.  My last parade was at the Grand Canyon, five years ago, before that I can't remember when I went to my last parade.  It is good to be able to celebrate such a holiday again!!!

A Cute Video!!

I took this video a few weeks ago, but I have been very slow in getting it up here.  This is something that happens many nights.  I thought this most funny as Lizzie is calling Jamie Georgie Porgie.   I hope that you you all enjoy it also.  Please don't notice the messy kitchen.

Noah's Baby Blessing

This past weekend, for Father's Day, we loaded up the kids and headed to Richmond, VA to be with Brian's sister Rachel and her family as they blessed little 

Noah John Baldwin

Lizzie was very excited to see her cousins.  She was very good during the seven hour car ride as we kept promising her there would be cousins at the end of it.

The kids were also able to see Grandma and Grandpa Hunter.  

Here is Grandma with all of the kids!!

I just love this picture with Grandma, Hunter and Noah.

And finally mother and son.

We had a great time being with the family.  It is so nice that we are close enough to be able to drive down for things like this.  We were sad to have to leave right after dinner, just as Chris and Emily were arriving.  But it was another long drive back, and Brian had to go to work the next day.