New England Vacation

Living in Virginia has been a huge opportunity for us to see and do some pretty amazing things.  There is so much to see and do here.  I have been hoping to make a trip up to New York and all the different states up north.  So when Mike was heading to New York for a business trip I suggested we make it a family trip with just a few extra stops.  It was a last minute figure it out and go kind of trip.  My favorite and we had the best time.  Our first stop was New York of course because Mike had a big presentation that he has to give to law enforcement there.  We got in early and was able to walk around and see the 911 memorial, the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges, and all of the many famous buildings.  We also walked a really long way to do a boat tour that took us to see the Statue of Liberty.  It was really something.  So worth it.  I couldn't believe we were seeing it in person.   The next day Mike was tied up so I took the kids out to explore.  I just about turned back around and hide in the hotel for the day when we stepped outside and saw drunk people all passed out on the sidewalks at 9:00 and my GPS on my phone was giving me trouble but I took a deep breath and off we went.  We went to an old railway that has been made into a long skinny park up above the ground and through buildings.  It was very interesting. It was very strange to be in a place with very little grass.  The two days we were there we saw one patch of grass about the size of a parking space.  We saw some interesting things and people.  As we were walking along the trail Jamen said we should turn around I asked him why we would need to do that and he showed me a sign that said naked sunbathers were up ahead.  Needless to say we turned around and went somewhere else.  Our next stop was Chelsey's Market.  It was this tunnel of stores in this very interesting building. The kids got to try Geleto.  That is a fancy word for very very expensive ice cream.  At night when Mike got home we went out to see Time Square.  It was intense.  There were so many people.  I was a mess trying to keep track of all 5 kids in that mess.  It was very interesting to us why people love it there so much.  It seems so chaotic, dirty and noisy.  I think it became know very quickly that New York was no place for the Barkers.

The next morning we headed to upstate New York.  Wow what a difference a few hours can make.  It was very beautiful and peaceful there.  We went on a hike first at this very cool place.  The kids loved it there. The whole trail was  lined with rock steps and walk ways.  There were like 19 water falls in the first mile.  It was pretty amazing.  Wiley even managed to embed  a large rock into his leg before we were finished.  It wouldn't be a true experience without an injury.

Then we we were off to Palmyra.  We had a tour of Joseph Smiths's family cabin and their first home.  What an experience to actually see where a lot of our church history began.  Then we got to go into the Sacred Groove. It was awesome to talk to the kids about the Vision in the very place that it took place. What an amazing day.

We headed across to Vermont.  Wow was it super awesome and green.  So many trees.  We landed in New Hampshire for the night and then drove over to Maine in the morning.  Maine was the best part of the trip.  We went to Nubble Light House.  It was the most beautiful views.   The kids jumped from the huge rocks along the waters edge for hours.  It was making me so terrified.  I was so worried one of the was going to slip on a rock an hurt themselves but it sure was fun watching them.  They found cool shells, crabs and cool rocks.  A small crab actually molted in Mike's hand.  It was super cool.  On the way out we even got a tour of one of the houses right on the beach.  All I can say was wow.  I would never get anything done with the views from that place.

Boston was a fun stop.  It is a big city but it didn't feel like it.  It was super cool and clean.  It was fun to see the houses right on the water with peoples boats docked right there.  How fun to be able to run out your front door right onto a boat and out into the bay.  It was fun to walk around on the brick paved roads and we even got to have one of the best canolis on earth. We ended the day at a really cool market where we ate lunch and bought some souvenirs.

The last day we just made our way down through all the states up there, Conneticut, Rhode Island, Delaware and New Jersey.  I think it will be one of those trips our kids look back on and remember forever.  I love that we went and I love that we are making memories for our kids to have of their childhood.