Spring Break in San Diego

A few years ago (before I started blogging) we went to Nauvoo for Spring Break where it was cold. A few years after that we went to Idaho for Spring Break where it was cold  This year we went to San Diego for Spring Break. Yeah, finally Spring Break as it was meant to be with warm weather and sandy beaches! But, guess what?  It was cold.  Notice the jackets we wore and needed. But I'm not a big fan of heat, so cooler weather suits me fine and Sea World was still fun. At the end of the day it had warmed up a little and most of the crowds had left, so the water rides didn't have long lines which was a nice bonus.

Krysta had to stay home and finish up school, so that left room for my mom and dad to come along.

Kirtland

The Kirtland Temple was a highlight of our trip. The building and grounds are beautifully maintained and so peaceful. As the first temple built in modern times, it has a special significance.

Newell K. Whitney Store.

This table was the one item in the store that was believed to belong to Joseph Smith.

Joseph and Emma's room above the store.

The sawmill and ashery. The funds from these two businesses, owned by Newell K. Knight, were the main source of funding for the temple.

Learning how ash was turned into a valuable commodity was interesting. They sure were a resourceful people.

Newell K. Whitney home across from their store. The yellow paint color indicated that they were wealthy.

We were in Amish country and Curt really wanted to get a picture. I didn't want to just take a picture of some unsuspecting person. I couldn't remember if taking pictures was forbidden in their beliefs. I didn't think so, but wasn't sure. Anyway, the buggies lined up at the local Walmart was the best we could do.

John Johnson Home. This is the home where Joseph Smith was dragged out of in the middle of the night and tarred and feathered. One of his children died as a result of the exposure from the cold. When hearing this part of Church history, I'd always envisioned the home as a small log cabin.  Nothing is further from the truth. The Johnsons had a large family and were very prosperous. Their home reflects their prosperity. This home is large enough that it could be plopped down in the middle of my neighborhood and be one of the larger homes; with the large attached garage, it may even be too big!

This picture is from the internet. As surprised as I was by the size, I forgot to get a far away picture of the front of the home.

This was Joseph and Emma's room. The floor is painted like the original; remnants of what it used to look like were found in the corners. Sis. Johnson followed the latest trends in home decorating and the bold checkerboard pattern is painted on the floor. Both the paint colors and the time it would take to create it were an indication of the wealth they enjoyed.

The room where several sections of the Doctrine and Covenants were received by revelation.

This is the doorstep from which Joseph Smith preached the morning after he was tarred and feathered.

After 10 fun days it was time to go home. Here's Rachel and the belongings she wheeled across the nation and all over four states.

Barbara, our Utah chauffer and back-up live GPS, was coming to pick us up. Curbside service! She was so nice to drive us to the airport at the beginning of our trip and pick us up again and to be available with her computer when our GPS didn't make sense (seriously, New Jersey freeways are a beast!).

Yes, Krysta was well aware I was taking the picture and posed appropriately.

No matter how fun the trip, it's always good to be going home.

The End.

Niagra Falls

We debated about taking this detour to Niagra Falls right up until Curt turned the rent-a-van onto the road going there. Everything always takes longer than expected, and we didn't know if we really had the time. We knew we didn't have time to take a boat ride and wondered if the view from the edge would be worth it. Looking back, there should have been no debate. The falls are worth the extra effort, and the view, though probably not the best, was still great.

Somewhere I read that the water currently pouring over the falls is only about half of what it used to be before the power companies diverted the water for electricity. At night the power companies divert even more water; it's done at night to not affect tourism.
We looked over at Canada, thought of Justin on his mission, and waved at him. I'm sure he felt it.
Can you see the tourist boat near the top center of this picture?
This peaceful stream quickly turns into the raging falls. Image someone's surprise if they didn't know the falls were just a few hundred yards away. Lazily floating on the inner tube...la, la, la, aaahhhh!

February and March

Here's a quick recap of February and March.

Krysta turned 22!

Kevin was asked to Sweethearts by this cute girl. She asked him by bringing over all the ingredients to make a milkshake with a cute saying to go with it. Even before he knew who asked him, he knew he would like her. Food does that to Kevin.

Verl submitted some of his photography to the Utah Arts Council and they selected him to be in one of their art shows. The show was in the Art Space Gallery by the Gateway.

Sanae poses by the pictures of her in her kimono. Verl had some cool shots of his family posed behind a screen.

This is Verl's former photography teacher at the U of U.
The show was a success and he ended up selling four pieces! Since my photography doesn't do justice to his, go to www.verlanceladams.com to see his work. Much of his photography explores the concepts of light and shadow, and the colors might not translate as well from a computer screen, but you'll get the idea. I especially like the faces in the gallery titled "A Matter of Perspective."

It finally snowed enough for Camille and Rachel to make a snowman. Notice the stick mohawk and the cute rock face.
Another cute snowman showed up on our doorstep in response to Kevin asking another cute girl to prom.
Kevin is handsome in a tux.
Kevin's friend's dad was able to get this Camaro on trade, so they and their dates had a sweet ride for the day. Kevin and his date had to sit in the back where they discovered that the car was designed for looks more than comfort. Anyone taller than about five feet has to sit hunched over. Well, like I always say, "beauty hurts."

Justin and Andrea got married! I didn't bring a camera since I knew it would be well documented. Krysta caught the bouquet, and we all got to enjoy the beautiful flowers for a few days.
And the Hunger Games arrived in all its midnight glory. Notice Christian's shirt and the loaf of bread. What a cute group of cousins!