In the best way I know how, I will attempt to share the adventure our crazy family had in the beautiful / crazy state of New York.
Friday May 27th we flew out of Phoenix at 11:15 pm and began our journey back east to NY. After a three hour layover in Detroit (at 3 am our time) the kids were both excited and exhausted by the time we finally arrived in Rochester at 10:45 am NY time.
After renting two cars, we set off for Niagara Falls. By the time we arrived, everyone was tired and hungry so we decided to get lunch at the Rain Tree Cafe.
Carlee LOVED all of the animals. She went exploring with Shannon while the rest of us waited for our food. Since this was Sara's birthday weekend, we decided to embarrass her and ordered the birthday Volcano!
Once everyone had eaten, we walked down the street to the falls.
If you haven't had the privilege of ever viewing Niagara falls, these pictures hardly do them justice. I can't even begin to comprehend what it would have been like to discover such a powerfully majestic wonder. Some good friends had recommended we take the boat ride around the falls and that was probably the best advice we could have been given.
Because it was memorial day weekend we had to wait for two hours in the intensely hot, humid weather to get on our boat. The kids were bored and so I taught Carlee how to make necklaces and headbands out of flowers.
Once we finally made our way onto the boat and next to the falls, the long hours in the heat were forgotten. Everyone had the time of their lives.
Soaking wet, we made our way back to the cars and drove to our hotel in Palmyra, NY. It was already 9pm by the time we checked in and so Chad and I drove over to a local grocery store, picked up some food and we all went to bed.
For the past several weeks I had been praying that our experience in Palmyra would be a memorable one for all of us. Sunday, we woke up and went to a 9 am church service. That particular day happened to be the one time that year the youth would spend their sunday school hour in the sacred grove. Chad went with the older kids and had a really neat experience listening to the testimonies of members. Later that day I was able to go with the kids and feel the incredible peace of that holy place.
As I sat and reflected upon the miracle of a 14 year old boy communing with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, I felt the love of God. Not just because he came to this place, but because I have come to know that He cares about each one of us in very personal ways. We may not see angels, or experience heaven on earth the way prophets of old have, but God hears and answers our prayers. Walking through this beautiful grove of trees I felt peace, and knew that what happened here was real and I am forever grateful for that day.
The church has done an incredible job of restoring and recreating the home Joseph Smith lived in and the printing press where the Book of Mormon was first published. The stories surrounding all of these events were just fascinating to hear as I became aware of circumstances I had not been aware of. I find it interesting that the lives of prophets and their families so often parallel one another. If you are familiar with the Bible, Joseph's experience reminds us that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He works with humble men and women, to bring about his work. On Monday we were able to visit these and other places of religious significance including the temple just across from the sacred grove.
The David Whitmer Farm where the translation of the Book of Mormon was completed and the church organized was another beautiful place. Some new videos created from first hand accounts of the events that transpired in this beautiful place were only made available 7 days before we arrived in the visitor centers of this and the priesthood restoration site. We were really lucky to have been some of the first to view them.
Monday evening we also walked to the top of the Hill Cumorah.
I can only imagine what it would have been like to look over this valley and see the destruction of the entire Nephite people. To be Moroni and loose everyone you loved, and then years later restore the record of your people and their witness of Jesus Christ to the world. What magnificent stories this ancient piece of earth has held.
Tuesday morning we packed up and left the peaceful town of Palmyra. On the way into the city we stopped at the priesthood restoration site in Harmony, Pennsylvania. I could have spent three or four hours here, but we had a shuttle waiting for us in New Jersey, so our visit was cut short.
From here on out, life went from peaceful and serene to CRAZY!!!!!
Sara wanted to have her birthday dinner at the Stardust Diner in NYC so that is what we did. After over 5 hours in the car, we managed to make it just in time for our shuttle and after checking into our hotel we purchased subway passes and off we went.
Dinner was followed by a trip to Rockefeller Center and an elevator ride to the Top of the Rock.
Some of the kids are afraid of heights so the plexiglass windows on the roof of the building were not a big hit, but the room of glowing lights that moved with you was. After stumbling around to find a subway that was working and would get us somewhat close to our hotel, we called it a day and went to bed.
Wednesday we explored Central Park. After breakfast at Essa Bagel we decided to spend the morning in the park. We had tickets to a matinee, so it was the perfect place to go for a few hours.
We looked at statues, climbed rocks, explored the Belvedere Castle, and posed for pictures on a bridge.
Then we separated and I took Carlee and Joey to Wicked, while Chad took the older kids to School of Rock. Everyone loved their shows and Sara was happy to have chosen a show that was so much fun for her birthday.
When you go to NYC you have to eat PIZZA and so that is what we did.
After dinner and a trip to Dylan's Candy Bar, the kids settled into bed at the hotel and Chad, Sara, and I took a trip downtown to the Empire State Building. I love the view from the Empire State Building. I think its the fact that you can look one direction and see all the lights of the city, and then go around to the other side and see the harbor and Statue of Liberty that makes this particular view so impressive.
Thursday we hit up the museums on both sides of central park, The Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (No, the Night at the Museum was not actually filmed here. It was filmed in Canada, but the story was based on this museum.)
We got in trouble a few times at the Met because Carlee liked to touch things. In her defense it really is hard not to touch stuff that looks sooooooo COOL!
After Jake had been exposed to more naked statues then he could handle, we went to find a place called SMAC (which is a hole in the wall Mac and Cheese joint). Last year we were told that this was the place to go for Mac and Cheese, so we had to check it out before seeing our evening shows. The kids thought it was really great.
And then because we had time before our shows, we visited the Disney Store where Carlee was pronounced a princess and we were told that she must only be addressed as "Your Majesty."
Then it was off to the Lion King for most of us and Les Miserables for Chad, Becca and Jake.
By the end of the show, everyone was ready to go home and get some sleep. It had been a long, fun filled day but we were exhausted.
Friday, Chad took everyone to the Air and Space Museum while Rebecca and I had breakfast at Sara Beth's and went to a tour of AMDA, one of the fine art's schools Becca wanted to tour while visiting NYC.
When we met up after the tour, we got cookies at this cool 4 star cookie place (that only half the kids liked) and went on a cruise around the Statue of Liberty.
After the cruise, most of the kids wanted to rest at the hotel before we went to our evening show "Aladdin," so Chad and I took Jake to look at St. Patrick's Cathedral while Carlee got a much needed nap and everyone else chilled.
The rest was just what everyone needed, because Aladdin was AWESOME and we all LOVED it!!!!
After the show we went around back to the stage door and got autographs and pictures with several members of the cast.
Genie even held up Shannon's camera to take this photo of everyone.
Carlee was so tired, but managed to stay awake long enough to get Jasmine to sign her program. She was so happy. As soon as we left, she fell asleep holding her program on the subway ride home.
On Saturday our trip came to an end. Rebecca and Sara took a tour of Radio City Music Hall, Chad went to visit the 9/11 memorial, and the rest of us went back to Rockefeller Center to do a little NYC shopping.
Then it was time to get our luggage, hop in a cab, and catch our plane back home. . .
Until next time NY!!!!! It sure was a lot of Crazy Fun. . . .
