Phase Three: Getting Home

Gotta say: kids were not happy about getting back in the car. At all.

Except this one. Sophia was a super-trooper the entire trip, just piping up from the backseat whenever she lost a binky or wanted a snack. Why is the two-year-old the best behaved of the whole crew? No idea, but I'm grateful.

Remember my idea for candies on the hour for good behavior? It saved the day, that first day back in the car. It was a little wild for the first hour. Then the Starbursts were handed out - and one child didn't get one. Amazingly enough, the next hour was a lot easier. Positive reinforcement, you are my friend.

What we did on the way back:

• Ramsey, New Jersey: No pictures for this one. I had to stop at ShopRite in New Jersey to pick up my favorite string cheese, Laraia's. I bought them out (my apologies to other fans of the cheese - I can't get it back home!). Yum.
• Waterloo, New York: We saw the Peter Whitmer farm, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was restored on April 6, 1830.

Sophie with my sister

Jack at the farmhouse, while Sophie runs to the door

• Palmyra, New York: We visited the Hill Cumorah, where the angel Moroni delivered the golden plates to Joseph Smith many years prior to the official restoration of the church. Love Collin's expression.

• Niagara State Park, New York: we finally made it to Niagara! We've been within two hours of the site so many times, I've lost count. This time, though, we got there. And got a little wet (thank heavens, it was soooo hot!). This is definitely a place I want to revisit.

Malena and the boys in front of Horseshoe Falls 

The kids admiring the Niagara River and the view of Canada

• Kirtland, Ohio: the first temple built by the fledgling Church, the Kirtland Temple still stands under the custodianship of the Community of Christ. Sadly, the plaster no longer glistens from the ground-up china of those original members...it did have to be replastered sometime, I suppose...

• Toledo Botanical Garden: a beautiful stop where we walked around, enjoyed the humidity (that's sarcasm, there, folks) and missed out on the gift shop. Probably a good thing.

Malena, lost in the leaves of a weeping tree

• Chicago, Illinois: Oh yes, we stopped in the Windy City for pizza. And to play in Millennium Park, and to see Lake Michigan. But mostly just for the pizza. Oh, yum.

Sophie touching the Cloud Gate, affectionately called "the bean"

Malena showing off her deep-dish pizza.

• Albany, Illinois: We drove here to see the mounds built by the moundbuilders (native American Indians). It was raining, so we didn't get to walk the trails. We did, however, get to take shelter in the fire station and wait out a dangerous storm that was putting down tornadoes. Who says there's no excitement in family vacations?
• Nauvoo, Illinois: we had to stop and see the Nauvoo Temple (not the original, which was destroyed by a series of events after the Church was driven out). We also drove the Trail of Hope, and discussed how interesting it is that even though they were being forced out of their homes, the church members still had hope in God to lead them somewhere safe.

Bonnie watching Jack take a hammer to the cabin -
the kids love to play dress-up in Nauvoo.

• Liberty Jail, Liberty Missouri: Only Bonnie went to this one, a place where the Prophet Joseph Smith and many others were unjustly imprisoned for many months. Bonnie said it was inspiring.
• Milford Nature Center, Kansas: this was a lovely stop, geared towards kids. There was a butterfly house, a playground, puzzles, animals to look at (mostly snakes and insects), and a nature trail. The kids loved the butterflies. Sadly, it was too hot to take pictures. Too hot to do anything but look around and stay inside playing puzzles.
• Red Rocks, Morrison, Colorado: Again, it was just so hot! We enjoyed the rocks, though, and the gift shop.

Collin, sporting his new sunglasses from the gift shop

• Colorado National Monument: More rocks. These rocks were a lot like the formations we've seen in Southern Utah. The drive seemed to be straight up to the visitors' center, complete with hairpin turns and switchbacks. 

My neighbor at home gave me a great idea for this trip: masking tape. Seriously. I gave each child a roll and told them to be creative. This was a last-ditch effort to make it through the last long day of travelling. It kept them happy for probably about seven hours. Yes, my neighbor hit it out of the park with this idea. Check out the results:

Yes, they gagged themselves. Without any encouragement from me, I have to say. The boys also had a great time, but for some reason (maybe because I was driving?), we don't have any great pictures of them in tape.

And the best part of the trip: coming home. Jack spent probably an hour running around and giving me a hug every time he passed me: "We're home!" I would absolutely do the trip again. It was so much fun, and we saw so much! The best part, though, was the time I got to spend with the kids and my family. Of course.