Palmyra, Kirtland, Niagara Falls, and "The North Coast"

This past week we got to take a much needed vacation. We first drove to Cleveland Ohio and stayed with Steve's Uncle Earl and Aunt Sharlene Mortenson. We visited and waded in the waters of "America's North Coast" as Uncle Earl calls it (Lake Erie). We then drove to Palmyra, New York and visited various LDS church history sites, including visiting the Sacred Grove, seeing the Palmyra Temple, climbing the Hill Commorah, and touring the E.B. Grandon bookstore where The Book of Mormon was first printed. We spent a night in Palmyra and "ran into" an old friend from Steve's home ward in Utah. His old friend (John Giles) is living in Hawaii with his wife and 3 kids and was on vacation too. After Palmyra, we drove to Niagara Falls and stayed a night there. The next day we drove home, stopping in Kirtland for half a day to visit sites there too. The following are pictures from our trip:


Uncle Earl and Aunt Sharlene Mortenson's house in Clevelend




America's "North Coast"



The Kirtland Temple



Larry and Annette Giles (from Steve' home ward) are currently site missionaries in Kirtland. Also pictured is John Giles (their son) and 3 of his kids.



Allison found a bag of markers and was "really quiet" for a while in the backseat before we found up what she was up to. She told us she was a pirate.



Allison in the Sacred Grove.



More Sacred Grove.



The Hill Cumorah is steeper than it looks. Jamie enjoyed watching Steve struggle with the double stroller with the kids.



Lindsay and Steve at the top of the Hill Cumorah



Lindsay and Allison did not like Niagara Falls. They thought it was noisy, misty, and cold.



Steve, on the other hand, loved Niagara Falls.
He also loved blogging this post. Jamie is taking a break from blogging and is now eating bon bons and relaxing in a bubble bath.