Our Fall Road Trip

We had the pleasure to welcome Grandma and Grandpa Luke for a visit a few weeks ago. As always, we had so much fun! The time flew by, but we enjoyed every day. One of the requested stops included the Dutch Market. They spoiled us with delicious soft pretzels (including a new kind with roast beef and cooper cheese stuffed inside - yum!), imported dutch gouda cheese, and even topped it off with ice cream from Dairy Queen. It was a treat!



They brought little presents for each of the kids - including baby Eric. Grandma made some beautiful receiving blankets, burp clothes, and cute fleecy blanket for him, with a cozy outfit for cold winter days. The girls got new books (always a hit) shirts, flash lights, and calculators that sing a variety of songs (they use them like cell phones). They came in handy for the next day.

Friday morning, we started a weekend roadtrip to the North. Dane was able to come this time! Our first stop was the Hershey's chocolate factory. As before, we rode the tour ride not once, but twice. The singing cows are always very impressive! :)



We also stopped in Harmony, PA (which now goes by a different name), and we saw Joseph and Emma Smith's old homestead site and where the Priesthood was restored. We hoped to walk down to the river to see where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were baptized, but we actually had to drive down a dirt road with lots of big puddles of water. We did okay until a truck flew by and plastered the van with muddy water. Needless to say, it made our van very attractive for the remainder of the trip! It was worth the muddy excursion. There was definitely a special feeling there, you can tell that something special happened at that place!





The next day was Saturday, and we enjoyed a beautiful drive through the Adirondacs. The fall colors through the whole trip were SPECTACULAR! I never had to "kill time" with a book or anything like that because I was always looking at beautiful scenery. We drove through Lake Placid, NY where they have the Olympic training center and Ironman. There were many lakes, streams, and gorgeous trees. (Sigh), I LOVE the fall! I can see why Grandma and Grandpa like to visit us in the fall!







Sunday was special. We drove to Fayette, NY and attended church in a church building/visitors center adjacent to the Peter Whitmer home were the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was again restored to the earth. It was really neat. The girls enjoyed the tour, and got to answer a few of the tour guide's questions. I had seen pictures of the home many times, but it was the first time I had seen the site in person. Again, there was a very special feeling. It's amazing to think that such a significant event happened in such a little secluded spot on the earth. Janae was so funny - it was lunch time, and hadn't eaten anything yet. On the little table, there was a plate with dried lentels and beans, she saw it when we were taking pictures and said, "Mmmmm, that looks good, can we eat them?" Do you think she was hungry? Later, the Sister missionary asked Jacey and Janae to help sing "I am a Child of God," when they were about to begin, Janae piped up and said, "No, High on the Mountain Top!" (that's something we sing before bed time and has become one of her favorites for some reason). We all got a good laugh at that!



Later we enjoyed a fun pinic by a soybean field. I think ladybugs like soybeans because they were landing all over us and making Grandma jump! It was fun, and very memorable. (A couple of weeks later when Janae was looking through the friends magazine, Janae pointed to a picture and said "Hey, we went there with Grandma and Grandpa" It was a picture of the inside of the Peter Whitmer home. I'm glad she remembers it!)

Then we drove to Palmyra. I had been there before, but it has changed quite a bit. We saw the Smith farm and the little house where they lived and where the Angel Moroni visited Joseph. It was special to look up from their farm and see the new Palmyra temple. I bet they never figured that one day, they would have a temple on their plot of land! Then we walked in the sacred grove. There is definitely a very special, sacred feeling there. It felt a lot like the temple: when you're inside, you really don't want to leave because it feels so good. When we asked the girls what was their favorite site to see, they both said "The Sacred Grove." I think they felt the Spirit there too!





Then we drove to the Hill Cumorah, it was such a beautiful time of the day to see it. The sun was starting to set and it made the statue glow so bright. Standing up on the hill, you could see all around at the beautiful landscape. It was really nice. Dane decided to take the girls down the hill (at Mom's protests :) - I thought it was a bit too steep for them). But they made it down and now they can say that they walked down Hill Cumorah. We spent some time in the visitors center and then decided to call it a day. It was a really neat Sabbath with some testimony-building experiences we all hope to remember.





Monday morning we drove a short ways to Niagra Falls. It was a little rainy, but still worth the drive. The falls were so impressive! Dane took a lot of pictures - I think he could pick up photography as a hobby some day! The girls enjoyed holding the umbrellas! Then we made our way from New York all the way back to Maryland and Grandma and Grandpa's hotel for the night. They flew out early the next morning. We had such a great time!