Our Journey West

Yes, I finally got around to posting . . . we just got a bit settled (I've actually been working on this post for a while, but just finished it). Lily is enjoying her preschool and Scott is doing well with getting his business started. We  (Scott and I) just received callings (positions) in our ward (congregation). I am a Relief Society (the women's organization in our congregation) instructor/teacher and Scott is now an adviser to the 12/13 year old boys at church as well as the assistant Scout Master. So, we have definitely made ourselves busy while establishing ourselves her on the West coast. 

Anyway, the whole month of August brought our very own journey to the West. We packed up very late on Monday (July 30th)  night. Movers came on Tuesday (July 31st) and Wednesday (August 1st). It was on Wednesday that we said to good-bye to all of our stuff (except what we were taking on the trip). Our good friends the Foster family graciously let us stay the night at their house. Then Thursday morning we were on our way to Virginia.

A big thank you to everyone who helped watch our kids and helped clean our house (Toni, you're awesome!!!) while we got ready to move!!!

We got to Virginia on Thursday night and stayed with the Sampson family (Scott's long time friends . . . thank you!!) while we went to Busch Gardens.

Here we are at Busch:

Both the girls loved their fairy tale show.

The next day, we went to Mount Vernon (home of President George Washington).

On Saturday morning, we headed to Washington D.C. We spent time seeing some of the sights we missed the previous year (before Maggie was born).

(The Capitol)

(Botanical Gardens)

We stayed with my brother Sean that weekend after seeing D.C. It was such a great visit with them (we hadn't seen them for a long time). And the girls loved playing with their Aunt and Uncle!

 After spending a great weekend with family, we headed up to New York to go see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty!! It was so neat to go to Ellis Island because we had ancestors that went through there on both sides of the family. So to walk where they walked was quite the amazing experience. Then going to the Statue of Liberty was great for Lily because what 4 year old wouldn't be awestruck by a giant statue!

After touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island we drove a few more hours to visit our good friends the Lee family. We stayed with them a couple nights and had a great time talking, playing, and watching the kids have a great time together (their older son and Lily are really, really good friends).

When we left the Lee family, we went to Palmyra, New York to visit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints historic site for Joseph Smith's family farm and the Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith had the First Vision where he saw  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ!

Here we are in front of the log cabin. Just behind it is the Sacred Grove. We had such a great experience there . . . to be in the same wood where our Heavenly Father and our Savior stood was truly an indescribable experience.

 

It was a good thing we had a great experience while we were there because it helped us through our rough time camping (due to the rainstorm that came through).

After Palmyra we went to Niagara Falls! Yes, we are wearing jackets!! This is a new experience after living in the South for so long! We actually had to buy a new sleeping bag for Scott and I because we didn't pack enough warm stuff for us.

Niagara Falls was just a quick stop on our way to Kirtland, Ohio. This was a great continuation of spiritual uplift for us (besides Maggie feeling a little under the weather and throwing up on Scott while we were touring the Kirtland Temple).

The Kirtland Temple (now owned by the Community of Christ)

 

We also toured the property owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I especially enjoyed seeing the Newel K. Whitney Store because that is where the School of the Prophets was held (where Joseph Smith instructed the other apostles and leaders of the church . . . to learn more click here ). I was able to receive a personal tour there by some Sister Missionaries and the spirit in the School of  the Prophets was so strong!! I recommend anyone to go there and feel it for themselves!

Then we hardly made it to Nauvoo, Illinois before the radiator in our van died completely (but it was a blessing from our Heavenly Father that we made it to Nauvoo and were planning on staying there 3 days  - instead of getting stuck on the side of the road). But it was an amazing experience (once again) being in Nauvoo and feeling the spirit that still resides there so strongly.

The girls' favorite spot to play in Nauvoo was in the "Pioneer Pastimes" where they got to play old Pioneer games and got to dress up too!

(Nauvoo Temple - I was able to go inside and perform a proxy ordinance)

 

After Nauvoo, we traveled to Winter Quarters in Omaha, Nebraska. We got to take a tour of the museum there, have dinner and then got to stay in a hotel for the night.

The next day we went to Mount Rushmore and stayed there over the weekend before heading to Utah!!

 

Yes, we have no pictures from Utah because our camera battery died and couldn't find a replacement while we were there. We did take pictures with our phones, but I  didn't get around to uploading them to this blog post. Sorry!! But, we had a great time visiting with friends and family while we were there!! Scott and I also celebrated our 6th Anniversary by going to the Salt Lake Temple (thank you Laura for watching our girls!!!). Happy 6 years to us!!

 And . . . we made it to Washington!!! Grandma and Grandpa S as well as Grammy and Papa G are so excited to have us closer. Here are some pictures of what we did when we first got here:

(The Campfires and Candlelight event)

(Lily starting preschool)

(Moving into a new house!!!!)

So, here we are in Washington . . . enjoying our new lives together as a family!!!