Boy, have we done a lot of traveling in the past year! May 2014, Kate and I traveled with Kenneth is California. September 2014, the kids and I took a quick trip to Aurora, Colorado to get my passport (yes!! a 6 1/2 hour trip one way trip just to get my passport!) Luckily, I have family in the area and was able to see and stay with them. Then, in the end of September, I joined Kenneth in
Germany and Austria. What a wonderful trip that was! Then, in December, we traveled to Utah to visit my mom and Kenneth's two siblings who live there. And in March, we went out to Utah again for Kenneth's brother's wedding. Whew!!!
We said goodbye to Kansas on a Friday afternoon (Our 11th anniversary!) and drove 3 hours to Kansas City, Missouri. We checked into the hotel and then Kenneth went to the temple.
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| Kansas City, Missouri temple |
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| On Kenneth's way out of the temple |
The next morning, I went to the temple and then we took off for Cincinnati.
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| All four napping at once! Nice break for mom and dad! |
We stayed with Kenneth's cousin, Phil and his family. It is always fun to see them. The girls were so glad to be with their cousin, Tessa, that they were up before 6 am - after going to be at 10 pm! They ate cereal together out on the back deck (with blankets wrapped around them because it was still chilly) and also painted their nails. They had so much fun!
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| The girls all slept together- until we checked on them and moved Arianna onto another bed since she was falling off onto the floor! |
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| Emma, Tessa, and Arianna |
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| Kenneth and Phil |
Sunday after sacrament meeting, we got back on the road. On the way we stopped at Kirtland, Ohio. We have really enjoyed stopping there the last couple of years as we made the trip to NY. We couldn't pass it up this time since it will no longer be on our route.
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| In the visitors' center |
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| Looking at the creek |
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| It is so beautiful here! |
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| The lumber mill |
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| The Ashery (the only standing ashery in all of North America) |
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| Arianna and Kate checking out the ovens |
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| My little ladies going to check out another building |
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| Grant looking at the map/model of the Kirtland area |
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| Kate was glad to have some time out of the van on this 10-hour-long-car-trip day! |
After that break we continued on to my brother's home outside of Syracuse, NY. Memorial Day we went with them to their ward Memorial Day Picnic. It just so happens that they live in the same ward we lived in when we lived there, so we got to see our old friends. I am glad my brother got that day off so he could be with us.
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| Swinging at the picnic |
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| Daddy and Kate |
The next day we went on an outing to Chittenango Falls State Park. Jenni's kids had school off, but the rest of the cousins still had school this day. We were glad to have Diane and Heather with us even though their kids couldn't be there, too. I love that place! We went last year also, but this year Kenneth and Grant were with us, too.
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| Kate was a Daddy's girl for most of this outing. She wouldn't even let me push her on the swing- ONLY DADDY! |
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| Grant and Isaac had fun digging in the dirt. |
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| Chit-chatting while the kids played |
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| The girls on the slide |
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| Our little band of hikers |
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| Gorgeous! I love New York! |
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| This little lady screamed most of the way down the gorge. She did NOT want help, but it was not safe to let her do it all on her own. |
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| Daddy with his Daddy's girl |
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| Arianna loves the water |
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| I think these two were happy to be together! |
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| My handsome little guy |
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| Adventurous Emma |
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| Caleb |
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| I really enjoyed being here as a family! |
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| We had some raindrops on the way up, but it wasn't too bad. |
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| The Larchar bunch minus Lydia, who wasn't up for a picture. Thanks for taking it, Heather! (Diane had already gone home at this point) By the way, Grant is happy in this picture and acting goofy, not sad! |
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| Kate liked going up the other side better; no one kept trying to hold her hand. She is an independent little thing! |
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| Climbing on the rocks |
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| View from the top |
Kenneth went to the farm after that outing and the kids and I went back to my brother's home and stayed until Thursday. I always have fun hanging out with my sister-in-law, Heather, and the kids had fun playing with their cousins. They also have cats and a dog, which the kids love!
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| Nutella baby! Heather, my sister-in-law made pancakes a couple of mornings which we all really enjoyed! |
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| Playing at a park with the cousins |
We said goodbye to them and spent half a day with Diane and her kids before driving the final stretch to the farm.
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| Painting nails again! This time with Lily. |
