I wish the pictures uploaded in order. I’m just so far behind that I can’t take the time to sit and rearrange them all. So I guess just having them all under October will just have to do. This particular month will always go down as my favorite of all time because we went on a trip with my sister and we did a family trip that will forever be one of the very best we went on together.
First was a trip with my sister. Just her and I decided to go to the San Juan Islands together and it was just the best 3 days EVER. The first night we stayed in the greatest little cabin on the planet right off the water on Orcas Island. The next 2 nights we stayed at a little in on San Juan Island. We ate the best food and just laughed and relaxed and observed wildlife and shopped at farmers markets and gift shops and just lived our best lives. That place is PURE MAGIC. We went whale watching twice. The first time was an absolute dream. We came out on a whole pod of Orcas who had just taken down a minky whale. We got to sit for over an hour just watching them celebrate and swim all around. I didn’t get to see one breach but I saw some tale flips and a spy hop and honestly it was just breathtaking. I love my sister. I’m grateful that she shared her love of this place with me. The cabin was my favorite and I loved spending time with her so much. She’s so special and I’m just grateful she’s my little sister. She took me to all of her favorite spots and I fell in love just like she did. I’m already dying to get back.
Next, It was kind of a dream of mine to be able to take my whole family to New York City. It’s a place that Toby and I have loved to go together but to get to take all the kids was just beyond incredible. The plan was to spend the first three days in Manhattan doing all of the things but then the last 3 were going to be extra special as we drove up to Upstate New York to go visit all of the Church history sites up there. I’ll start with our 3 days in the city. Day one we got there pretty late at night and somehow we got dropped off at the wrong hotel so we had to figure that out and when we finally got to our right one and walked in I didn’t know wether to laugh or cry. I knew it would be small but it was even tinier than I imagined. I don’t know how on earth we made it work. We couldn’t even open our suitcases at the same time, we had to stack them. It was hilarious. We had to make these make shift beds on the floor for the little boys but then we had no where to walk. But I was SO proud of how the kids handled it. They were awesome. Never complained at all. The first night we walked to Halal Guys and got the best food. The next morning we walked through Central Park with all of them on the way to the Temple for Church! And wouldn’t it be our luck that it was Stake Conference and an hour earlier than was on the schedule. So we didn’t make church but they got to go in the temple and we met the coolest guy there who used to be a professional boxer. That was cool. Then we walked back through Central Park, my favorite, and on to Serendipity where we had the BEST Nachos and Frozen Hot Chocolate. We laughed and laughed and had the best time there. After we came home, rested, and got ready for Wicked. My goodness that show is amazing. I felt so bad because at the very end Kemp was just in tears saying his stomach hurt so bad. Toby had to take him out during one of the best parts because he was crying so hard and we weren’t sure if he was going to throw up or not. He’s such a good dad. The next day we spent down at the south end of Manhattan. We did the Stattan Island Ferry to the Statue of Liberty, walked to the 911 Memorial, and the Brooklyn Bridge. We met the cutest little homeless man named Jose and he walked around with us for awhile. Such a cute little man. Then we made our way up to the Vessel and walked around the high line. We did so much walking this day. The kids were so awesome. We ended the day doing one of Toby’s bucket list items…going to a knicks game at Madison Square Gardens! Poor Kemp was pretty sick the whole time. At one point down during that day Toby took him into a bathroom at McDonalds and gave him a blessing. He was just crying a lot in pain with his stomach. It just broke my heart. We got him medicine and tried hard to help relieve some of it. At the game he kind of just rested in my arms. Toby absolutely loved it and it was fun to go as a family. The next day we spent more time in Central Park which was just INCREDIBLE. We got 2 boats and went out on the lake and I just thought I had died and gone to Heaven. We also went to the Central Park Zoo which all of the kids really loved! Then we walked 5th avenue together and did some shopping. I love 5th avenue:) Then for dinner we went to one of my favorite restaurants in NYC The Stardust Diner. Gosh I love that place. It’s so fun. We had the best time listening to the music and eating yummy food. After that Elle and I took off for the broadway show MJ and Tob took the boys back to the hotel. Elle and I ABSOLUTELY loved MJ. Like one of the best nights of our lives. We laughed and cried and were just completely blown away. I’ll never forget the feeling we had after…we were on such a high. Then we had to get home. That part was terrifying. We tried to walk part way home so our Uber was cheaper but it was dark and scary and we got to a crappy part of town and my phone was almost dead so I barely got an Uber called and it was just awful. But I protected Elle and got home safe and so all was well. We did everything I wanted to do in NYC except the next day when we were planning on going to the top of the Edge it was foggy and I was totally bummed we didn’t get to do that. Next time I suppose. And next time I’ll take the whole family to MJ. We’re all fans of Michael Jackson’s music.
Next…on to Upstate NY! Our first stop was Scranton Pennsylvania where we stopped to see where the show The Office takes place. Elle started feeling really sick on the drive there. Her stomach was killing her. It got to a point where it was hard for her to even get out of the car. We got a few pictures of some key places and just kept going. Next we went to the Susquehanna River where the Prophet Joseph was baptized and his and Emma’s home was. And the spot of the restoration of the Priesthood. I was immediately just blown away by the way I felt there. The missionaries were just awesome and did a beautiful job explaining the events that took place there. It was amazing. But poor Elle didn’t want to get out of the car. I wasn’t thrilled about this because I had been looking forward to this for so long but tried to enjoy it as much as I could. The River itself was incredible. We were there all by ourselves and it was so peaceful and I loved closing my eyes and imaging what I know took place there. Leaves were gently falling and a handful of times I just had to close my eyes and take a deep breath and take it all in. It was just beautiful.
On the way to our hotel Elle just couldn’t take the pain anymore. We ended up in an instacare where they told us to go to the ER because they did some blood tests and there was infection and they were 99% sure she was needing her appendix out. The rest of the night way awful. We ended up at pediatric hospital that I was not impressed with. Elle’s pain was at a 9 and they just would not get us back to see a dr. It was cold and crowded and they just left us in the waiting room with her sobbing for hours. I kept begging for help. Toby had taken the boys to the hotel. We ended up being there through most the night. Before they decided for sure on the appendix they decided to do an ultrasound and long story short they found it to be an ovarian cyst. They gave her some morphine to get her to rest and decided against surgery until we got home. Tob picked us up and we finally got some rest in a hotel. There was a lot more to it than that but that’s the short version and ultimately I was just so relieved to have my daughter out of pain. It was awful to see her like that.
The next day was just incredible. Our first stop was the Whitmore Farm. The place of the first Sacrament and where the church was first organized. Elle was still in a lot of pain and had a hard time moving from the car to the building. There were some of the kindest senior missionaries and one was able to give her a blessing with Toby. It was a pretty special moment. I loved the Whitmore Farm. There were some awesome events that took place there and i loved it. Next…on to my favorite place of all. The Smith home and the Sacred Grove. I’ll never forget after the missionaries walked us through their home opening the back door and us looking out to the Sacred Grove for the first time. I couldn’t stop the tears from coming. There was only one other family there and i just felt like we basically had the whole place to ourselves as they walked a different direction. After the missionaries shared a few stories of the place we were able to just walk into the grove our family. It was unreal. So serene. So peaceful. So beautiful. A perfect fall day. We sat together for awhile and discussed the first vision but then also took the time to separate and sit on some benches or wander around a little and just ponder. I know what happened in this beautiful grove of trees. I know that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. The quote “I had seen a vision and I knew it and I knew that God knew it and I could not deny it” just kept running through my head. I’ll NEVER forget the feeling I had there as well as in his home. I hope my children don’t either. It was neat to see a Temple of the Lord built on the Smith property as well. I didn’t want to leave. When it came time to leave we headed to the Grandin Print shop and learned about the printing of the Book of Mormon and then went to a delicious pizza shop and ate together there. Both very cool places. Then we left for the Hill Cumorah. Time was running short and it was staring to get dark and Elle still wasn’t feeling great. She really didn’t want to walk to the top of the hill but I wanted our family to be together up there so badly. We started the trek up there and were struggling a bit when a senior missionary from the Grandin Print shop who we had told about Elle’s condition showed up on a golf cart because he said he was worried about her making it to the top. He was an absolute answer to prayers and I was so grateful for him. He got us to the top and shared his thoughts and testimony and we got to be together and take pictures and be on the Hill Cumorah before dark. I loved it. So so grateful for the experiences we had visiting these church history sites and for the way it strengthen my testimony and hopefully my kids as well.
The next day we drove up to the Canadian Border and spent some time together at Niagara Falls. All the kids really loved it there and thought it was super awesome that we were in a different country. The rainbow bridge that walked us there was awesome and the falls were so beautiful. We hung out in the gift shop and ate some yummy donuts and then headed to the airport. I wish I could have written more about each day and given more details. Overall it was just the trip of a lifetime and my kids were all SO good and so happy and barely complained and got a long so well and I just felt like we made memories to last a lifetime. It was pure heaven to me.
So October was super busy. Lots of Halloween activities, parties, tennis, school activities and sports. The two vacations took up a big chunk of the month and just made it a month I will always cherish!
