Monday, October 19, 2009

Days 10-14 of Jennie and Naomi’s Great Adventure!

Day 10: (Saturday, October 3rd)

Saturday morning we got up early and headed over to see the local glass blower before the first session of General Conference came on. Then, back to our hotel to stream Conference over the internet. After that we drove up to Smugglers Notch and took a short hike. We got back just in time for the second session of Conference, after which, we went over to a Thai restaurant and had YUMMO sushi and curry!

Here is a video of the glass blower in action! It was so awesome to watch him at work!

100_4563This is the finished product of what the dude was making in the video. Who knew!?100_4562Here are some other pieces of the glass blower’s work in the store next to the workshop.100_4567This is what the drive to Smuggler’s Notch looked like. I guess there are mountains on this side of the United States after all!100_4584Me and Jennie about to enter the wet, cold, caves!100_4585The glacial rock formations that were everywhere made up the caves. It was really neat to see these giant boulders sticking out all over. They looked so out of place and made me wish I could go rock climbing again!100_2681Water was streaming out all over the place. It was very moist and beautiful.100_4589 More rocks and trees from the “Notch”

Day 11: (Sunday, October 4th)

On Sunday we woke up early to bike the famous Stowe Bike Trail before we had to head south to watch Conference in Rutland, Vermont. On the way to Rutland, we stopped at some waterfalls just off the road. After we got to Rutland and watched Conference in the chapel, The branch president invited us to stick around for their potluck lunch! We were so grateful since we didn’t want to shop on Sunday and were planning on eating chips and M&M’s for the rest of the day! We stuffed ourselves silly and then continued to drive south to Manchester to watch the last session of Conference before bed and then our long trek back home!

100_4621Here we are leaving our inn in Stowe 100_4600The bike trail weaved over a small river several times. The bridges and views were phenomenal! 100_4601I’d like to say it was a good work out, but we stopped several times to take pictures.100_4605We were lucky it wasn’t really raining this morning. It was misty though, and that kept the other tourists away. We had the whole trail to ourselves! 100_4615Look! Someone lives back there! LUCKY!100_4620A newly harvested corn field in front of the misty mountains100_4633The awesome waterfall! Not as big as Stewart Falls but gigantic compared to Waterfall Glenn!100_4639A small waterfall next to the big waterfall…I can’t actually remember what the name of the waterfall is…My bad!100_4644 Pretty water…ahhh…so relaxing!

Day 12: (Monday, October 5th)

On Monday we woke up early and started our long drive home. The day before, one of the branch members in Rutland had mentioned off hand that me and Jennie had seen all the Church history sites except for the ones in Harmony, Pennsylvania…so…we took a small detour and checked out Harmony before heading to Cleveland to drop off our bikes and then to Michigan to crash at Brian and Natalie's before grabbing Brooklyn and heading back to Chicago.

100_4647A monument in Harmony, Pennsylvania telling about Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery getting baptized and the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.100_4660The Susquehanna river where they think Joseph and Oliver were baptized.100_4650Joseph and Emma’s first son Alvin was born and died here. It took us a while, but we finally found his tomb stone as well as the markers for Emma’s parents.100_4648These stones are what’s left of the foundation for Joseph and Emma’s home. When they were living here, Emma actually helped scribe for Joseph while he was translating the Book of Mormon!100_4656Another view of the river, right behind the Smith property!

Day 13: (Tuesday, October 6th)

On Tuesday we woke up and had yummy pancakes with Brian and Natalie before packing up and heading back to Chicago. When we got home, we took awhile to veg before Kevin got home from work, then Jennie treated us all to Carrabba’s for dinner and one last good bye before she headed back to Utah the next day.

100_4663The COOL side of the table! WOOHOO!100_4665The CUTE side of the table! …Yep…Kevin gets to be cute too.100_4668Family picture. Umm…Brooklyn kind of likes being the center of attention!100_4661 She gets it from her Aunt Jennie!

Day 14: (Wednesday, October 7th)

Jennie woke up, packed her bags, and abandoned me…I cried for the rest of the day (this is not an exaggeration) …I’d like to blame it on the pregnancy, but pregnant or not, I would have cried all day anyway!

Thank you Jennie for the best trip I’ve ever been on and for being my bestest good friend in the whole wide world!!!

Also, a special shout out to Brian and Natalie…THANK YOU SO MUCH for watching Brooklyn while I was on my trip. As much as I missed her, it was the biggest blessing in the world to travel without a toddler in tow! You guys are the best!

The End

6 comments:

Brian Hanks said...

Looks like it was worth it! Happy to help.

Heidi said...

Isaac and I are so excited for you two! Congratulations on the growing family! (Maybe we were already supposed to know, but it was news to us.) I hope you're feeling awesome.

Jennie said...

Naomi YOU are the bestest ever, minus the fact that you put up that goofy picture of me :P Can't wait for the next one!

Beccarigg said...

Wow Gomie, that is amazing. The views and the scenic pictures blow my mind. Were those all taken from your camera? amazing. I'm also jealous that you got to watch conference without any kid distractions. How heavenly! Sounds like such an incredible, spiritual, fun, rejuvenating trip. I'm so glad you have a friends like Jennie to do that with. (oh yeah, and LOVE the pic of Brooklyn as the center of attention! Takes after her auntie ; )

Rachel Murdock said...

Jennie needs to seriously move out there! What's stopping her!? Glad you have such a great BFF. Wish she were closer to you though. What a fun trip. I'm envious!

Sarah said...

First of all, all of your pictures could've come right out of a magazine. You are a great photographer Naomi. I am so impressed. Second of all, you have an amazing family and best friend. How lucky. I hope I can find someone like that soon. I am glad you guys had so much fun. What an adventure. I told Tau we need to start saving up so we can retrace your blog and go to all the same places. That would be fun. It will be like a treasure map. Also I'm still waiting for a certain post :) hehe. And more pics and videos of Brooklyn. She is absolutely adorable with all those girls. What a beautiful little girl. Miss you tons. Love ya.

P.s. sorry about not commenting sooner my laptop is retarded so it's kinda hit or miss when it wants to work