| We had a pretty epic vacation this summer, driving from Fort Morgan to Virginia and back, so here is an epic blog post to go along with it. We were gone for 4 weeks, were in 12 different states, and saw license plates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 4 different Canadian provinces. It was a lot of fun being able to spend time with family and do so many things, and see so much church history! Here are some pictures of some of the things we did. (This is only about 10 percent of our pictures, if you want to see and hear more about it, come on over and I will show you all 700 photos!) I am so grateful for the opportunity we had to do this and make such awesome memories with our kids. (Joe being a teacher certainly has its perks-as in summer off, not how much he gets paid!) I wasn't sure I really wanted to do this drive, but between plane tickets and trying to rent a vehicle big enough, it made more sense to drive. Joe was for it, but my road trip references revolved mainly around trips to Utah, through Wyoming-Boring! This was actually a lot of fun. Our kids were really great in the car, even on the long days of driving. Next epic vacation we want to take - Florida! I have never seen the South.  |
| The St Louis Arch, couldn't drive by and not stop to see it. |
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| The kids with George and Martha at Mount Vernon |
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| We took a nice river boat cruise on the Potomac from Mount Vernon |
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| Yep, that's the White House behind us. (Wow was it hot and humid that day!) |
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| Got to see where they make the money! |
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| Top of the Washington Monument, with cousin Andrew |
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| From the lookout tower at Gettysburg. |
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| Gettysburg |
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| Granmama and Grandpapa in the Chocolate Lab at the Hershey Story Museum |
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| Making chocolate bars, yum! |
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| One of my favorite things on the whole trip, the kids seeing fireflies for the first time, and catching them. So fun! |
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| Simon chasing a firefly on the way to the hotel from Hershey Park (yes we walked) |
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| Could hear this roller coaster at Hershey park from the hotel. Yes, Joe and I rode it and it was crazy, but not the craziest one we went on! |
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| Hanging with Josh and Emma (and Andrew and Erin) at the pool. |
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| Being attacked by Andrew with a water gun! |
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| Alice and Emma in their matching dresses. Emma was hungry |
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| Bethany Beach in Delaware. Thanks to Melanie letting us stay in her beautiful house. The boys loved the ocean |
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| And Alice finally got to turn into a Mermaid! |
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| Eli got tumbled a few times, but we all had fun body boarding too |
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| Alice loved being in the sun and sand |
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| The water was pretty nice, but so was the sun. |
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| Frying Pan farm with Andrew |
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| The kids thought the best part was watching the goats butt heads, they kept chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!" |
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| We got to swim at my mom's friend Jackie's pool |
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| Helping raise the flag at Fort McHenry in Baltimore (where the Star Spangled Banner waved) |
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| We got to see the militia, and they even fired a cannon for us! |
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| Andrew and Alice hefting cannon balls |
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| Alice and Simon got pretty into doing laundry War of 1812 style |
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| At the National Aquarium in Baltimore |
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| I love jellyfish! |
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| On the USS Constellation in Baltimore. Very cool big, old ship! |
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| Washington DC temple. So beautiful and huge! |
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| Josh and I in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia |
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| Liberty Bell (no I wasn't unhappy, we were just being American Gothic in front of the Liberty Bell) |
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| Stopped in Kirtland on the way home. Toured the Kirtland Temple |
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| And the Newell K Whitney Store |
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| And saw Lake Erie |
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| Loved seeing the Nauvoo temple, it is quite the building |
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| The kids playing in the Mississippi River. I just kept thinking of Tom and Huck. |
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| Carriage ride through old Nauvoo |
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| The keys at Carthage Jail |
