Road Trip!

This past weekend we went on a road trip. Claire did amazingly well for as long as we were in the car. It turned out to be a great vacation. You will see a lot of pictures. Consider yourself warned.

We started off by heading up to Kirtland, Ohio to see some church history sites.

Our tour guide was Kevin from Australia. I liked him and his accent. He even took us upstairs when he didn't have to. Then he played photographer (he's keeping his day job, since none of them turned out.) We had someone else take this very nice picture though.

The temple was amazing! I can't believe the poverty stricken Saints could build a building that massive. The inside was beautiful as well. The Spirit was there and I am grateful we were able to visit. 

My lovely solo shot in front of the welcome sign. It was so humid! My hair frizzed as soon as I stepped outside. Oh well.

We went through the Whitney Store. Awesome.

Joseph Smith used that table right there. Yep, that one. He translated, received revelations, all right there.

This is where the School of the Prophets was held. 25 men crowded in here. Great visions occurred here too.

Then we headed south to the John Johnson Farm. It was arguably my favorite. The house was awesome. Turquoise paint. Feather painted doors. Old. Fantastic.

This is the room where Joseph received Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!   For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God."

After we finished visiting the sites in Kirtland, we visited Niagara Falls.

This was before we got on The Maid of the Mist and voluntarily soaked ourselves.

The beautiful blue ponchos. They worked better as a greenhouse than a water guard.

Claire 200 feet from the bottom of the Falls.

Leaving the mists.

Now we come to the most exciting part of the trip for Claire. The water tower outside our hotel room.

Claire thought it was a ball and flipped out every time she saw it. Then she asked for more when it was no longer in sight. Ah the simple joys of childhood.

On our way home, we stopped in Pittsburgh to visit my beautiful friend Margaret. 

She made us a delicious Sunday dinner. It was so good to see her after 1 1/2 years and catch up. 

Too bad I didn't get a picture with her. This is an archive photo from the RA days...

We got home safe and sound.

Fabulous trip, but we all felt a little like this last night.