Kent Falls Conneticut

I can't say it enough but we are so blessed to be able to see so many places.  I love the East Coast and it was so great to see the beautiful places.  Today we made our way to Kent Falls in Connecticut.  My boys are always so happy to be near water.

This is a very popular place to go but thankfully it wasn't too crazy today.

I love the rocks and forest.  Stefan and Luke were having a great time exploring.

The little swimming buddies.

The spent the whole day in the water.

I love this picture so much.  It is a perfect picture of the boys.

And this is where we spent out time.  Watching and enjoying some great laughs.

Darien and Keagan are off to do some climbing.

Of course there are those that always have to push the limits.  An absolutely beautiful day.

Happy Birthday Darien!!!

So our final destination for this trip was to visit with our dear friends Dave and Jolayne in Connecticut.  They are living there for three years while Dave goes back to school to specialize in his Dentistry.  We miss them terribly.  I was able to go down there last year just before Christmas for a short visit and loved it.  I was so happy that we were able to go and take the boys for a visit this summer.  We spent a week with our "family" and loved every minute of it.

This is a boys heaven.  LOL  Today for Darien's birthday we went to the local air museum and they had a big Lego display on.  Boy were the boys happy.  They were supposed to build something from space.  Luke and Rylan are just getting ready to start.

Stefan built something that could get to space.  LOL

Then there was Darien.  He is his fathers son.

Jolayne and my mom just enjoying some chat time.  It was so great to see the two of them together.  They really enjoy one anothers company.

That is a very large plane.  LOL

These little planes that they could drive were so cute.

Keagan planking.  LOL

I can hardly believe that Darien is now 14.  I mean really were has the time gone.  We are in those ever so important teenage years.  Life with a teen defiantly has its challenges but I am so thankful for Darien.  He is trying hard to make right choices and find his place in this world.  He is so hard working and motivated for what he wants to do in the future.  I wouldn't trade this boy for anything.  He is working towards becoming a pilot and can't wait to get back to Alberta so he can apply for his learners and get driving.  Oh my!!

Happy Birthday Darien!!!

It was so great to spend your birthday with Uncle Dave and Auntie Jo.  Nice face by the way.  I know it was just for the camera.  LOL

Welcome to Palmyra

This is the one part of the trip that we were all really looking forward to.  This was our chance to visit some the historical church sights.  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints a lot of our early church history took place in Palmyra in New York state.  

As a child I always wanted to go and see some of the places and so this was a great opportunity for us as a family to do that.

Here we are visiting the Hill Cumorah where Joseph Smith was first shown where the gold plates of the Book of Mormon where buried.

Of course we got caught in the biggest rain storm ever.

But that didn't stop us.  As you can see we were all a little water logged.  LOL

This the Smith Farm.  When Joseph Smith was a young boy this is where he and his family lived.  It was so great to see this site.  The church has done an amazing job at re-creating the site and how it was.

The have used very detailed journal entries to have it be just as it was.

The boys inside the small farm house.

Rylan enjoying the feeling inside.

This was inside their newer house just down the way.

I think it is amazing how they can recreate everything so accurately.

This is the Sacred Grove.  I am so thankful that I was able to bring my boys here and share some of the history of the church with them.  I am so thankful to be a member of this church.  I know that the things that we are taught are true and that I am blessed because of the way I live.  I don't often share my feeling about the church on my blog as it is so personal but this was such an amazing experience that I had to share.

After we made our way to the Palmyra Temple grounds so that the boys could see it.

Look at those clouds behind us.  We were pretty wet by the end of the day.  LOL

Family.  What can I say I am thankful to know that we will be together for ever and not just in this life.

Check out the hair on Keagan.  They can be the best of friends or the worst of enemies.  LOL

After going back to the hotel to dry off and have some dinner we made our way back to the Hill Cumorah so that we could watch the Hill Cumorah Pageant.  The boys got to hold some of the props.

I would say that is a pretty big sword.

Visiting with some of the cast before the show.

Waiting for it to start.  As you can see Stefan was getting a little impatient. I am so glad that my mom was able to come with us for this part of the trip.  I know that her and my dad had always wanted to come and see these sights.

They have to wait for it to get dark.

The cast is made up of members of the church who come from all over to stay for two weeks and rehears just to be a part of this amazing production.

The special effects were great.

My boys sat and enjoyed the whole shore.

I am so thankful for this opportunity.  What a great way to learn more about the church.

Welcome Grandma Hazel

So half of our trip is almost over.  We have had Grandma Penni with us for the first half and Grandma Hazel is now here to enjoy the second half.  Before we left we stopped at Penni's parents grave site so the boys could see where they are buried and to take a picture.

This is the first time that Grandma Hazel has ever been to Ontario.  Other than when they first came to Canada.  So it was great to share with her one of the Great Lakes.

The send half of our trip will be us heading across the boarder to the USA and visiting some great places.  We are very excited.

These are some pretty amazing pictures that Darien took while we were in Ontario.  We had such an amazing time visiting with Jamie's family.

There is always so much laughter and story telling.

Can't wait for next time.  Thank you to all the family for having us. :)