Finger Lakes and Palmyra, New York

We just returned from a week-long excursion out east. Even though we spent well over 24 hours in the car in only 6 days, the kids traveled remarkably well. Unbelievably well. So well, in fact, that I even returned refreshed and ready to get back into summer life. Growing up is a beautiful thing!

So is time with the Garner fam in Ohio...

Hammocks in the backyard, wiggle cars in the basement, and Saturday morning cartoons. Bliss!

Daniel dishing out snowcones.

Parting photo on the stairs (not pictured: me, Rachel, Matthew, Daniel, and the other 3 Garners still at Scout Camp)

...and a lake house in upstate New York with its own private pond...

James and Matthew frolicking barefoot.

The view from a canoe in the middle of the pond.

 

We loved the canoes! If anyone was in a boat, Matthew was too. That kid has overcome his fear of water travel.

Miniature toads were all throughout the lawn like crickets in our Illinois backyard.

Strong girl Alice getting the hang of canoe driving. Matthew in the boat. Again.

 

S'mores with enormous marshmallows!

Paddling on the pond some more. Oh look! Matthew's on the boat. Again. Every time.

Robert relaxing on the couch inside.

...well-stocked with eager little bluegills that will bite at anything...

This was Robert's last catch. It's not so little. Easily the biggest catch of the week. He was really, really, really happy about it. Ask him to tell you the story.

As much as Matthew was on the boat, James was fishing. By the end of our few days there, James was baiting his own hooks and releasing his own catches.

Even Alice got in on the fishing action!

I won't say I'm addicted, but fishing was certainly fun. The best part was the kids' enthusiasm for it.

One of James' many, many catches of the week.

We hiked Watkins Glen in the rain (also beautiful!):

Soggy hikers ready to start!

It was worth it...waterfalls, rock cliffs, suspension bridges, millipedes, toads, playground, and a water fountain that's WAY too powerful for its own good.

Enormous soft serve ice cream place after lunch! Mathew couldn't finish it.

We spent the first part of the Fourth of July visiting a few historical sites that are meaningful to us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

We walked through the grove of trees where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ first appeared to Joseph Smith.

Taking a break in the shade.

Boiling in the bright sun near the Hill Cumorah, where the golden plates (eventually translated into the Book of Mormon) were hidden over a thousand years. Mind boggling.

Later, we took a boat tour of Seneca Lake:

She's not grouchy or bored, just tired. Very tired. Matthew got sunscreen in his eyes and pretty much cried himself to sleep on Bobby's lap.

The things that made it a vacation for me: kids quietly taking care of their own entertainment and food needs in the car (thanks to Snackmeister Alice and Entertainmentmeister Robert...I'm definitely having them do that again next time), being allowed to sleep in every single morning (Thanks, Bobby! You're the best!), not being responsible for the food (many, many, many thanks to my friend), and seeing the kids play and explore and try new things together. This was one of my favorite family vacations to date!