Franci and Josh are living in Michigan for a few months and when I found out that we would have family living within a day's drive of us I was pretty excited. We didn't waste any time before planning and executing a road trip to see each other.
We left on Thursday morning for our ten hour drive to up-state New York - we only stopped once and we didn't even watch a movie (because I couldn't figure out how to make it play on our new mac). Our girls are such good road trippers.
Aubree does this hilarious face while saying, in a deep voice, "Aubree" - pretty funny!
(I just found this photo on my camera.) Carly taking pictures at the hotel - she posed Aubree and everything.
The best part of the trip for Aaron and I was to surprise our girls - two times! We surprised them the morning we left to tell them we were going to Niagara Falls and staying in a hotel (the hotel was more exciting than Niagara Falls to them). Then, the next morning we surprised them with COUSINS!!! Franci and Josh and co. met us in Niagara Falls and the girls were all surprised Friday morning to see their cousins at the same hotel as them.
We went to the Canada side to see the falls. I got my first (adult) passport for the occasion. Niagara Falls was beautiful and I'm glad we got to see it, but it was
way better to see Franci and Josh (and Kaylie, Anna, Suzie, and new baby Lucy whom we hadn't met yet).
Kaylie (8) and Carly (8) - They are just the bestest cousin friends!
Me and Franci - bestest sis-in-law friends
With the falls in the background (which you can't see because it's so misty)
A partial view of the falls
This bird was seriously posing for everyone - he even lifted up his leg one time in a perfect arabesque. You could tell he was just thinking: "They always love it when I do this." (And I'm pretty sure he thinks in a British accent (even though he's in Canada))
cutie-patootie
Anna and Carly
Ellie and Suzie
Camile and Aaron - just for the fun of it!
A view of some fall colors (with Franci's fancy camera)
The nature trail just down the river from the falls. The girls played in the leaves and had a blast!
They were having so much fun that Aubree didn't want to leave - surprise, surprise - she rarely wants to do what Mommy wants her to do.
Josh served his mission in up-state NY and would often come to this
bar restaurant in Buffalo, NY after district or zone meetings. This very restaurant is where buffalo wings started.
Here's our girls in order from youngest to oldest (minus Lucy) - Suzy (3), Aubree (3), Anna (4), Ellie (6), Carly (8), Kaylie (8). I can't even count how many times people would stop me (without seeing Franci or Josh), and with a look of amazement (or terror), ask if all of those girls were mine. (You can tell they're all related.)
Little girls in my car (I want to eat those toes!)
Big girls in the other car
Joseph Smith farm in Palmyra (I wish I had a camera like Franci's!)
A man who was on the tour with us made such a great comment. (He wasn't LDS) "As Americans we need to do better at respecting another's beliefs. If this is real to you and sacred to you, then I need to treat it as something sacred." Not word for word, but it really struck me. Especially now that we are out here making more friends of other faiths, I want our family to focus on the good of other people and their faiths.
The Sacred Grove
Hubbies taking pictures of wifys (Don't mind my wrinkles - I am 30 now)
Cousin Love
1 comment:
So so fun! Everyone looks so happy! How awesome that you had an experienced NY tour guide with you--Josh I mean. I love that picture with the kids lined up tallest to smallest! And love all your funny comments with the pictures. Hope it was awesome!
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