Palmyra

So we decided last week that we should go to the Hill Cumorah pageant. (I should mention that Jenny made me feel really bad for never having been and bugged me for weeks to go.) At any rate, Tiffany and her two boys and Rachel and me and my three kids and Jenny trekked to upstate NY to Palmyra for the annual Hill Cumorah Pageant. It really was amazing and I am so glad we went. The boys got along pretty well. I didn't get any pictures of the actual

pageant because it is dark and we were on a blanket right in front of the stage which does not allow for an excellent view, but it was still amazing.

Our first stop was the Palmyra temple which actually reminds me a lot of the Sacramento temple. It was raining but we did manage to convince the boys to share the umbrella for some of the time. The babies seemed content enough, anyway! Very beautiful but a little too wet. Next we went into town for lunch and the bookstore (I know, shopping is my favorite part of any trip).

We went to the Sacred Grove on day two and it was amazingly beautiful. I want to go for a walk there every morning!

I wish I had gotten a picture of the protesters or at least the cute "living scriptures" guy who convinced Jenny that she needed to buy hundreds of DVDs for her future children. (In her defense, Jenny does plan on having like twenty kids.) Anyway, then we went to the hotel... in Rochester!! (Anything close to the pageant was booked!) The hotel was the kids' favorite part up to this point. The pool, the beds to jump on, who wouldn't love that? They definitely enjoyed the continental breakfast the next morning (make your own waffles-heck yeah!). But I sincerely think they enjoyed the pageant as well. Parker kept exclaiming "JESUS" everytime he saw him he begged me to let him go and see Jesus. That was a little tough to explain. There was a point when Christ spoke of "little children" and Bash was very sure he was supposed to go up onto the stage then. Anyway, I think it really brought the story to life for them, because the entire trip home was filled with role playing Lamanites versus Nephites. Awesome.

Future prophets and apostles here, people.

The Beach in SF

After exploring the city we went to the beach. The boys LOVED it. It was a bit too cold and loud for Caroline, I think. Honestly, I think the water in Northern California is too cold for everyone but the surfers. It was a lot of fun though. These trips always make me want to move back to California.

Sebastian ran right into the water!

Parker did not embrace the water as quickly as Bash.

Then he fell in.

Cali trying to escape.

Bash with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bash looks like he's surfing. He's a California boy just like Daddy.

Cali with Gail. They're keeping each other warm!

Cali contemplates.

Parker wouldn't let go of Jenny's hand for the longest time. I'm so grateful she was there, she and Parker have a special bond... they're both stubborn as hell.