Our Haycation: Part III {The start of a happy week!}

June 1-June 3 This week was very special!  Joseph and Diane, Kenneth's sister and brother-in-law, adopted 4 children just last week and June 1st the 2 older boys were baptized. June 7th they were all sealed in the temple.  It was so wonderful to be here to be a part of these special events.  Also, Kenneth's other Brother, Dennis, arrived as did his other sister, Karen.  So, now all 6 Larchar children were in New York.  It was wonderful!
Besides the travel and family time for the special events, we also spent some wonderful days on the farm, visited Chittenango Falls, went to story time at the library, and to the nature center.  It was busy, full week!  (Oh, and Kate got a stomach bug, too.  Not great, but not as bad as it could have been.  It actually went through the family a little.  I think 7 people ended up getting it all said.)

Here are the wonderful pictures (Get ready for some beauties!  I love New York!!!!!!!):

After church on June 1st we ate a picnic lunch at Colgate University before we drove to the baptism of Connor and Andrew.

The others congregated in the shade

I mostly chased Kate around.

She sure keeps me busy!

Goose family in the pond

The kids enjoyed seeing them

Why not catch a family picture?

 After the picnic we traveled to Fayetteville for the baptism, which was lovely.  We were also able to see many people we knew when we were newlyweds in that ward (it was a branch when we were there).  After the baptism, we all headed over to Diane and Joseph's home for dinner and to hang out in their piece of heaven on earth (a.k.a. their backyard!).

Lilly, Emma and Arianna

They had so much fun being together!

These little ones did also!

Kate 'bit it' in the parking lot after the baptism.  That poor little head!

More fun in the backyard

The fun continues- it was hard to pull them away!

 Back at the farm:

Grandpa found a turtle and brought it up for the kids to play with.  Arianna's not so sure about touching him!
 

Lydia and the turtle

The turtle's new home- how fitting- a turtle sandbox!
 

These next pictures are taken at Chittenango Falls.  Kenneth and I lived right near here when we were first married, so it was fun to go back and show the kids.  Grant actually chose to stay home with Dad this day and ride the tractor all day.  It is also right near the town where L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, was born.  I love this place!

 



Some of the cousins hanging out before the hike.

Emma, Lydia, and Arianna heading down the trail

Gorgeous falls

Surrounding beauty

The kids with Aunt Jenni on the bridge

Another shot from the bottom

Kate and I at the bottom

Arianna wanted her picture taken

Emma, too!

From the top of the opposite side.

After the hike, it poured for a little while and the kids had the time of their lives getting soaked and going down the slide.  Good thing I had dry clothes in the car!

After the falls, we all went over to Diane's house again and Lily opened up her beauty shop.  She painted all the girls' nails.  They were in heaven!
 

Our Haycation, Part II

May 26-May 31        Kenneth's brother and sister-in-law and their 2 girls, who live in Arizona arrived at the farm just a day after we did.  It was actually the most time we had ever really spent with them and it was great!  The kids had so much fun being together.  Usually when we go to the farm, Kenneth's mom is very busy milking both ends of the day.  This time, things were a little different.  A couple of weeks before we got there she actually had open heart surgery!!  So, she was resting and recovering.  I actually couldn't believe how well she was doing.  I felt like I was more of a wimp after a simple appendectomy!  She is an amazing woman.  One thing is for sure, we enjoyed being able to spend more time with her- since she was at home and not at the barn.  It killed her not to be able to pick up the kids and play with them as much, but at least she got to see them! Kate warmed right up to her and wanted to give her kisses before each nap and at bedtime.  So cute!
Kenneth was out and about doing field work, fixing tractors, weed-eating and generally having a good time being at home with his brothers. 

Here are the pictures:

The girls helped plant flowers for Grandma, who is unable to do it herself this year.

Arianna with the seed packet

Let the tractor rides begin!

These girls had so much fun together- Emma and Arianna with Lydia

Hello cows! (And that sky!!!  And the green!!!  I'm in love!)

The world is her sandbox!  She would plop right down on the road during our walks and play in the dirt road. 

More tractor rides.  Kate didn't get too many, but she liked the couple she did get.

Grant got to go out and see a brand new calf. (Can you see it way out there in the field with its mother?)

The boys and their toys (their DAD's toys, really)

A gorgeous day for haying!  (That barn belongs to a neighbor)

 


Beautiful windrows!

Grant spent a lot of time with Dad in the tractor this year.

It took him a little while, but after a week or so, Grant had it all figured out and would tell you the order of the haying: first the mowing, then the raking, then the baling, then the wrapping.  He was so proud of himself when he got it!

Beautiful clouds!

Bales waiting to be wrapped.

 

Jason, Scott and Kenneth taking a little break.

She's at it again!

Our Haycation, Part I

Every year, with little deviation, we make the trip to the farm to spend the end of May and the beginning of June.  I love New York during this time of the year.  It is beautiful!  Plus, we were married in New York at this time, so it hold special significance.  Every year, this is the time for the first cutting of hay on my in-laws' dairy farm and all the sons want in on the action.  This year, all my husbands siblings came home to the farm.  Here is the first part of our trip, not exactly the 'hay'cation part, but we'll get there soon!  (I think one of my sisters or brothers-in-law came up with that term and I think it is pretty cool, so I'm using it.)

We left home early on the 23rd of May and traveled that whole day until we reached Kenneth's cousin's home in Cincinnati.  They really do pretty well traveling.  Kate gets fed up with being in her seat for so long, but overall does okay.  It's just bad when she wakes up from her nap and realizes she is still in her seat- then she's not so happy for a while; until she accepts reality.  This trip I had really planned ahead and prepared lots of good, homemade, healthy food for our travels, so we only had to stop for gas and to go to the bathroom and we were all happy as clams.

Here is a picture of the kids in the van:

Arianna and Kate zonked out while Emma and Grant were enjoying Great Migrations (thanks, Betsy!)

  
After we arrived at Kenneth's cousin's house, we took a walk to get ice cream cones, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.  Their children and our children had a blast together and loved that they got to have a sleepover!  We had a great time chatting til too late, but it was great!   We wish we lived closer to them; we always have such a great time.
After a breakfast of delicious crepes at Phil and Lori's we traveled until Kirtland, Ohio (suburb of Cleveland), where we took a little break to see the Church History sites there.  Here are pictures of that:

Kenneth and Kate (and Grant behind him) in front of the Newel K. Whitney Store

Inside the store listening to the tour guide

The second story of the store, where Joseph and Emma lived for a while

Grant in that same room

The kids and I in the room where School of the Prophets took place

Walking around Kirtland- or shall I say, chasing Kate around Kirtland

In another historic home

Grant and Arianna standing at the corner there

Expending energy before we get back in the car!

Kirtland is so beautiful and lush.  I love it!

After that break, we drove the rest of the way to New York, first arriving at my brother's house in Clay, NY (a suburb of Syracuse- very close to where we used to live).
I also love spending time with my brother, Karl and his wife, Heather.  Too bad our time living there didn't overlap at all!  Here are pictures with them:

Kate had the time of her life chasing my brother's cat and dog around the house.  As for the cat and dog, I'm not so sure about that. . .

Here she goes again!

She found her cousin's sunglasses!

Fun times on the trampoline!



My sister-in-law, Heather, with her dog, Baxter.

Grant and Josh on Kenneth's lap while he takes his Sunday afternoon nap.
 

I guess I didn't take a picture of my brother at all.  I must do better next time!  It was great to attend church at our old ward in Liverpool, which happens to be my brother's current ward.  We love those people!  We also went to the Memorial Day picnic the next day and got to catch up with lots of friends.  It was great fun!   After the picnic, Kenneth went to the farm, while the kids and I stayed at my brother's house for a few extra days.  We mostly hung out at home, but did go out to the fabric store and got supplies to make circle skirts for my girls and a light blanket for Kate.  Fun projects!  (Heather did all the sewing, I'm just too slow!)