Summer Vacation 2008

Ben and I got back a few weeks ago from an amazing summer vacation. We had a blast on our ROADTRIP! We drove about 2000 miles round trip and put the Saab to the test. I must say that it is a great roadtrippin' car!
Our trip started with a drive across Missouri to Nauvoo, Illinois. We were amazed at the flooding in northern Missouri and Illinois. Here are a few pictures of a road that dead ends because there is water covering it.


Nauvoo was amazing as usual. I love the spirit of Nauvoo and all of the attractions. The temple is a sight to behold, I stare at it everytime we go to Nauvoo. We camped at Nauvoo Stake Park which is sort of a tradition now when we go to Nauvoo.


We left Nauvoo on Saturday afternoon and started the long haul to Livonia, Michigan. We were excited to get there to see our friends the Jamiesons. They blinked their porch light at us when we got there around 2:30 a.m. We were very excited to see their new home and just hang out with them again. Ben did some home improvement jobs from his Bennie-do list: tiled the backsplash in the kitchen, replaced a pipe, installed new outdoor lighting, put a new lock on the garage door, and a few other minor projects. He was glad to help the Jamiesons and they were grateful for his expertise. I got to play with Naomi and Stella and visit with Leslie. We made a trip to Ikea!!!! Love that store. We also went to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.

Ben and Naomi eating Timbits from Tim Horton's. Yummy doughnut holes.

Me on the Rosa Parks Bus. (The actual one!)

Ben helping build a Model T at the Henry Ford Museum.

Ben installing the tile backsplash.

Ben and I at Greenfield Village.
We were sad to leave the Jamiesons on July 2nd...But we needed to get driving across part of Canada so we could get to Niagara Falls. We camped at a really nice state park near Niagara Falls. It was right on Lake Ontario and was very beautiful. Niagara Falls was awesome!!! Ben and I spent the entire day walking around, taking pictures and checking out the American and the Horseshoe Falls (on the canadian side). We walked over the bridge from America to Canada...and then from Canada to America. I had to talk Ben out of going over the falls in a barrel a few times. I made sure he never left my side because I did not want to be on the evening news or make a visit to the Niagara Falls correctional institute to pay a fine. We went on a guided bus tour and learned a lot about the falls and the surrounding area. We also went on the Maid of the Mist and we also got to go behind the falls. We saw the falls illumination...that was beautiful and we also got to see a pretty great fireworks show. We had a great time spending time together and taking hundreds of pictures of the falls.

Ben and I with the falls as a backdrop. (On the American side)

The falls from the American side.

Ben on the border line. In two places at one time...America and Canada.

The American falls from the Canadian side.

The Horseshoe falls from the Canadian side.

Bridal Veil Falls in Sepia

American Falls in color.

Canadian Falls in blue.

We left the next morning and drove to Palmyra, New York. We saw the Hill Cumorah, the temple, the Smith Family Farm, the Sacred Grove, and the Printing Shop. Each sight had a really neat spirt and we really enjoyed going to each place. That night we drove up north to Lake Ontario and found a really great restaurant on the lake. The food was delicious. Then, we drove and found a really cute lighthouse. This was en route to finding a campgroud...on July 4th. We found one...the last site in the campground.

Hill Cumorah

Palmyra Temple

Beautiful First Vision Statue

Smith Family Home

Sacred Grove

Restaurant where we ate on the 4th of July. Really yummy and as Ben kept refering to it...really romantic. (Because he picked it and acted like he had planned it all along.)

Cool lighthouse that we found on our hunt for a campsite...next to Lake Ontario.

Sunset on Lake Ontario; July 4th

Our campsite...minus the tent. I remembered to take a picture after we took the tent down.

The next morning we woke up and had breakfast at a great diner. We then headed to the Whitmer Farm where the church was organized. After that, we continued our journey and headed for Kirtland, Ohio. After paying many tolls!!!! We made it to Kirtland, Ohio. Unfortunately, we did not get there in time to go inside the Temple there, it closed at 4:00 p.m. But, we got a really great tour of the sights that our church owns. We got to see the saw mill, the ashery, the Whitney home, the N.K. Whitney store and other historical buildings. I did not realize all of the great things that happened in Kirtland. There was a special spirit there that strengthened my testimony of the restoration.

The diner where we ate breakfast...Magee Diner.

Whitmer Farm...where the church was organzied.

Church and visitor center on the Whitmer farm

Whitmer Home

Newel K. Whitney Store in Kirtland, Ohio.

The Sawmill in Kirtland

Whitney Home

Kirtland Temple

Kirtland Temple

We then made the long haul home. We stayed in a hotel south of Chicago and the next day we drove the rest of the way home. It was nice to be home after 10 days...but we had an unforgettable trip.