East Coast Trip Part 4: Lake Canandaigua

DISCLAIMER: THERE ARE A LOT OF PHOTOS IN THIS POST!

 

The morning after returning back from Boston, we got up really early and made the five hour drive up to Lake Canandaigua, NY.  Josh's grandparents purchased a lake house years ago for all the grandchildren to enjoy.  Each year, the whole family gets together.  We have yet to join EVERYONE but this is our second time we have gone with Josh's immediate family.  Last time was two years ago and all of Josh's siblings were able to make it.  This year was a different story.  The older everyone gets with jobs, kids, and life, it's harder to get everyone to come together the same week.  Josh's sister, Rachel and her family made it during the big reunion in July, but while we were there, Meg and Adam joined us for the long Labor Day weekend.  It was so much fun!  Lots of relaxing, boating, trips to Walmart, shopping and Charlotte's first pair of Rainbows were purchased!  Here are some photos of our time at the lake house!

 

Day 1

 

Charlotte's first time at the lake house

Family Life Jacket Pic (yes, I know I look like a man!)

Charlotte taking over the steering

 

By the end of the ride, Charlotte was ready to get off

Day 2
 

Lake house

Adam "drowning"

Gramps is wake surfing!

Day 3- Saturday was our day we found Charlotte's first Rainbows.  Who would have ever thought we would find them in upstate New York, but as soon as I saw them, I knew she needed them.  Gram bought them for her birthday and lucky enough for all of us (because Charlotte couldn't have cared less) they matched her outfit perfectly!  Later that night the entire lake has a tradition called the "ring of fire" where everyone lights emergency flares out on their lawn.  We almost missed it thinking it's on Labor Day but it's always the Saturday before.  We hurried and put the flares out and took some pictures.  It was a really cool site. 

Charlotte never lacked for attention.  Gram fed her breakfast every morning!

Day 4-  After attending church, we headed around to the church sites.  Adam hadn't seen them in about 15 years, so we went to Hill Cumorah, Joseph Smith farm, Sacred Grove and the Grandin Press.  If you have not had the opportunity to experience these church sites, I strongly encourage it.  It is so neat to be in the exact spot where the church started.  It is neat to imagine what the early church members went through, their living circumstances, traveling and leaving everything they had to spread the word of God.  It will strengthen your testimony for sure!  I'm grateful for the time I was able to visit and I look forward to our trip to Nauvoo next year to visit more church history spots.  

View from the top of Hill Cumorah

Rick and his kids

This is what Josh read for two years.  I love when he reads from it and I can hear his Indonesian. 

The whole gang!

I love how the east is full of trees EVERYWHERE you look.  Here you can see the temple steeple poking through. 

Apple trees at the farm.  They told us there are four different apples growing.

Frame House

Sacred Grove

Four corners (four steeples/churches) where Joseph attended while he was wondering what church to join.

 

Where and how they made the first Books of Mormon.  It took 17 months from start to finish to publish 5,000 books.  What would they say if we told them it was on our phones now?!

I love this picture.  It shows how the Book of Mormon and Bible work together.  They tell of Christ on different continents.

 Later that night we celebrated Josh (Sept. 16th) and Charlotte's (Sept. 7th) birthdays! 

Birthday boy with his mint brownie cake...YUM!

Again...Charlotte really lacked attention!

Birthday girl with her smash cupcake

The end of the cupcake

I just couldn't get enough of these shoes!

After her cake smashing, Adam and Meg gave her a bath.  I don't think I gave Charlotte a bath the entire two weeks we were there. 

All of Charlotte's gifts.  She is going to love shoes like her Gram!

Josh's birthday card and candy

Thank you to Rick and Eve for making it such a special night for my two loves!

Day 5- This was the day we left the lake house for the airport.  I was dreading the five hour drive to Newark International, but it really wasn't that bad at all!  We stopped at Cornell and then stopped again for lunch.  Both places, we let Charlotte crawl around the get some of the wiggles out.  Yes, it's filthy, but it made her so happy!

Charlotte loved this baby she is carrying the whole trip.  It was originally Meg's.  I'm sure she will love it again at Christmastime!

We finally made it to the airport with the perfect amount of time to get checked in, go through security and get dinner for the flight.  The flight was probably the worst one yet.  Charlotte cried for maybe an hour straight, then I started crying.  Ugh!  It was a long day but we made it safe and sound.

 
My mom picked us up in Orange County and was with us until early this morning for Charlotte's first birthday party!!  It has been a BUSY past three weeks and I am ready for normal life to kick back in tomorrow.  Lots of cleaning, laundry, Disneyland, doctor appointments, work, (that's just this next week) and everything else that my busy life throws my way!

(Don't know what day these were taken, but she loved the piano.  Can't wait to get this girl in lessons!)