Slick Stuff: P-Day and other free moments part 4

We didn't have many free moments during the 2 weeks at the Pageant. But when we did we usually enjoyed a nice sleep-in and then a tour of some-sort.

On our first real p-day we went out to the Peter Whitmer farm in Fayette. We went with the Murphys and their grandchildren.

Inside the log cabin where the Church was organized.

The Visitor Center had been recently remodeled and had some super cool interactive things for the kids. This game had the kids doing some chores that the early Saints would have done then the kids could race getting the jobs done.

Kaden decided that he wanted to plow 2 crops with 2 fingers. He should have been a farm boy!

Ady was trying to be a scribe like Oliver Cowdrey.

After our awesome visit at the Whitmer Farm some kids went different directions. Maryn went to the outlets to shop; Emmy got ice cream with her friends and Kaden, Ady and I wished we could have gone on this cruise on Canindaigua Lake.

Emmy with her friends.

Another day when we had some spare time we went into Canindaigua and enjoyed ABBOTTS custard. Oh my, YUM!! That place has been a tradition ever since we started going to upstate New York.

Another place we should have gone to a lot more was the Chill and Grill in Palmyra. It's known for yummy ice cream and great hamburgers with a special sauce. Some of us went there twice and some went there more than that. Our only regret is that we didn't go there more.

The pictures are mostly for making our family jealous back in Utah.

The last day we went to the top of the Hill together. We felt very melancholy about our 2 weeks being over but it was nice to quietly look down on the Hill and know what we had done for the the past 2 weeks. We had a reverent feeling in our hearts knowing what had happened there on that Hill and we were SO grateful that we knew that it was all true!

(We also reminisced of the day that their father proposed to me there at the top of the Hill.)

The lines in the "bowl" after taking the chairs down.

The day before the crowds were to arrive I took the kids to the Sacred Grove. It was a beautiful day. So sunny and cool. I knew it would be a perfect day to get the pictures that I had in my head that I wanted of everyone.

Someone took my camera and took a gazillion pictures of leaves, frogs, rocks, water, sticks, dirt, flowers, bugs and clouds. Here are only 2 of those pictures.

Here at this sign I spoke to the kids about paying attention to their feelings as they were to walk in to one of the most Holy places on Earth. We could already feel that this was a special place.

We sat on this bench farther into the Grove.

"Oh How Lovely Was the Morning..."

Yes indeed.

If it's THAT beautiful with my phone camera just imagine being inside!

Right after our little visit on the bench above it started to sprinkle. We were surprised because it was so sunny seconds before. It sprinkled then immediately went into a full-on downpour. It was dumping buckets on us. It was a heavy flood of water pouring down from the heavens. We all stood under various trees squealing, hoping to get a little protection but still getting drenched. After 10 minutes I told all the kids to RUN FOR it! The ground was a muddy river but we ran out of the Sacred Grove and didn't stop until we reached our car. As soon as we reached our car the sun was out again and shinning and there was no rain.

It was SO WEIRD!

These pictures don't even do justice of how soaked we were. Our clothes and hair were dripping. We had to hustle back to our trailer (1 mile away) and change EVERYTHING upon us, socks, shoes, undies, everything. It was definitely memorable and weird. I was disappointed to not have gotten my pictures I wanted but we would be back!

The first Monday we were there we had to do some laundry, not having done any since we had been on the road. We were in desperate need.

We were invited to Kelly Lane Simpson's who was in the Pageant with her family when we were younger. She lived 12 miles away from the Hill so it worked perfect to go hang out for the morning.

They had an awesome pool to play in while we washed our clothes.

Kelly's sister, Stephanie and her hubby were Maryn's cast team leaders.

They were awesome... and hilarious.

The second Monday was Family Home Evening where we did a big Cast Talent Show. Emmy's cast team was in it and of course Emmy had the speaking part. She was quite comfortable with the microphone in her hands in front of 700 people.

I took these pictures of the senior Cast Team.

Sister Murphy was so much fun to watch. I have much different memories of her from when I was a kid and she was on staff trying to get the kids to obey rules and go to cast team.