a not so spiritual experience.

We are home! we finally made it back safe and sound and I'm going to attempt to blog our adventures. It may take quite a few days to get it all in.

Our first full day in New York included a trip up to Palmyra to see the sights and go the the temple! Kent had never been to the Sacred Grove or the Hill Cumorah so I was excited to go with him! Our experience started out all smiles. We decided to take shifts and so we (kent and I)watched all of the kidlets while Laney and Taylor went to the temple. For some reason Laney scheduled our temple shifts at dinner and bed time. These cute little smiles turned to all out tantrums right in the middle of the sacred grove. I think the whole experience became not so spiritual for every person within a five mile radius.For a little while in the Sacred Grove- everything was great. We got some good pictures- and the kids were pretty happy. The sacred grove is such a beautiful and amazing place- but not the greatest place with three little babies. I think the worst part was the looks we got. I wanted to tell every person we walked past that ALL three were NOT mine. Luckily the grove was relatively empty because it was near closing and a week night.


Zeb thoroughly enjoyed himself until we tried to buckle him into his stroller to go. All the kids were exhausted and had already been buckled into the car for almost two hours so the crying was a chain reaction of sorts. It's a good thing we were near the end of the grove trail and could make a semi speedy exit. We finally made it to the car only to somehow completely bend (at a 90 degree angle) our car key in all of the chaos. Luckily we got it straightened out enough to get into the ignition and start the car.

Even with the screams and crabby kidlets we really wanted to go to the top of the Hill Cumorah. It was ridiculous getting to the top with the two strollers and the baby bjorn. The hike is quite short but REALLY REALLY steep. By the time we made it to the top Kent and I were both all sweaty and gross and two of the rugrats were moaning. At the top we also made the discovery that there is actually a side road that you can DRIVE on to get up there. And to make matters the very worst-I discovered that I'd left the camera in the car. Sorry- no pictures from the Hill. We did make Laney and Taylor stop and take this one for us that night on our way out though! It was late and chilly- but I wanted some sort of picture proving we'd been there. This is at the bottom of the Hill by the visitor's center.

The hike down was the most treacherous but we made it in one piece. Afterwards we met up with Laney and Taylor at the temple and handed over the crabby banshees so we could go in. It was a nice break from the whines and chaos of the three baboons! We didn't get any good family pictures until AFTER our session- and by then Ike was dead asleep so it's just the three of us. The stained glass windows throughout this temple depict images from the sacred grove and are amazing! the temple is actually located directly across the street from the grove as well. The area is beautiful.

Zeb LOVED being at the temple and looking at it. He's learned about temples in nursery- and we've had family home evening lessons about them so it was fabulous for him to actually see one. We even ran into his nursery leaders there! He loved seeing them.












Ike just figured out that he has a tongue so was preoccupied with it ALL evening- and was therefore an angel baby as usual.

All in all-our evening was memorable but the next time we make the trek to Buffalo, Kent and I are going to go to Palmyra by ourselves!

More to come tomorrow!