Road to Hanover: Day EIGHT

DAY EIGHT: Niagara Falls, NY to Albany, NY

Day eight was one of the more relaxing days on our journey from coast to coast.  We had another lazy start to our day complete with random flower picking as we loaded up the car.  Miss M begged to bring these beauties in the car with us, but we compromised and took pictures "to remember them" instead. 

 {the cutest little piggy tail haired girl with braids}

We had debated going back up to Niagara Falls and sooo wanted to take a ferry ride across just like Pam and Jim do during the getting married episode from "The Office", but when we found out how expensive it was, we elected to postpone this activity to a later date.  Instead we decided to stop and visit a few more church sites in New York.  

Bubba kept pointing out how "high" the angel was on the statue.  Miss M wanted to know if it was "real gold" and all Eli wanted to do was run around like crazy with a big grin on his face :)

Our first stop was at the Hill Cumorah monument in Palmyra.  It was a small hike for the kiddos, but well worth it.  The view was incredible and the flowers were in full bloom!  My favorite part was when Jesse sat down with the kids on one of the steps and talked to them a little about when Joseph Smith received the Book of Mormon from the Hill Cumorah {the children kept interrupting him to talk about the grasshoppers, flies, and other insects that were flying around us}.  I am sure not a lot went into their brains during this talk, but it was sure sweet of Jesse to attempt to teach them.

Our next stop was a brief look and picture at the Palmyra, New York Latter Day Saints Temple.  We had already realized that we are not a "tour type family" in this stage of our lives.  Instead we elected to stop for a minute, snap a few pictures and then move on.  

Our next stop was just down the road at the Smith Family Farm which is right next to the Sacred Grove.  We took the kids on a walk through the Sacred Grove, which unfortunately for others meant that their walk was much less quiet and sacred than they anticipated.  The only way Jesse could get them all to stop running was to pretend like he could see squirrels way up high in the trees {that's why they are all craning their necks in the picture above....they are trying their best to find those squirrels}

We had a run in with our favorite new friends the Laytons and the kids were beside themselves with excitement.  They all went running full speed and yelling for little Miss Ribbons.  

 --Maddie couldn't quite figure out why she never saw any squirrels when she would gaze way up high in the trees.

After finishing up at the Sacred Grove I so wanted to go and tour the farm a little more.  I was a little sad that it just wasn't plausible to do anymore touring.  I did take a few pictures before jumping back in the car.  J was excited to find out that one of his Father's cousins is actually serving a mission at the Smith Farm visiting center and did go in and talk with him for a bit!

*I love the old school fences that were built around the farm*

The rest of our day was rather relaxing.  We drove for a bit and then stopped for dinner at Moe's in Albany, New York.  We got out and the kids ran and played in a grass field for awhile.  Miss M impressed us with her gymnastics floor routines while the boys picked out the biggest sticks they could find, so they could pretend like they were Ninja Turtles.  We ended the night with swimming at our hotel= Perfect Day!

 After our last scare with eyes burning while swimming, there was no messing around this time with Miss M. She was prepared for anything!

As we went to bed, we almost couldn't go to sleep we were so excited to finally be in our new home the next day!