Niagara Falls - The Falls

 After Palmyra, we drove 2 more hours northwest to Niagara Falls.  We had to stay on the American side because some of our party forgot their passports.  But the view was still spectacular.  It's definitely a crowded place, but you can't hardly blame so many people for wanting to come see it.  Therefore I am sharing a LOT of pictures and will break up this portion of our trip into a few different posts.  

I didn't realize that the falls are divided by Goat Island, so these are the actual falls named "Niagara Falls."

 

 Here is the other side of the island called "Horseshoe Falls."

 

The city in the background is the Canadian side.  It's amazing how thick the mist is--you really can't get a clear view.

One of Miriam's many meltdowns.  She just wanted to run and be free, but with so many people, we just couldn't let her.

 This is the observation tower with the best view of the Falls.

View from the tower of both falls, Goat Island in the middle.

They shine lights on the falls in the evening.  I was expecting a little bit more of a "show," but it was just a big light shining on the water.  Still cool, but maybe not worth staying out so late to see.

And this is why, look how tired we are by the end of the day!

Niagara Falls - Cave of the Mist

One of the activities we did at the falls was called "Cave of the Mist."  I'm not sure why it's called that, we didn't actually go in any cave.  Instead we walked up stairs that they had built right next to the falls.  The cool thing we learned is that they take down the stairs every October and rebuild them in April.  I guess with that much water around the wood, it doesn't last any longer than that.  

Here are some shots of our journey through the "cave."

It was really hot under the ponchos, so we waited until you actually started getting wet to put Miriam's on.

Have I mentioned how grateful I am that Stan was there to help with Miriam? 

This is the after shot.  You really got wet by the end of it, especially on the Hurricane deck.

Palmyra

  Our first activity on our vacation was to take a trip to Palmyra, New York, about 4 hours away from New Jersey.

We went to the Smith Family Farm and saw a reproduction of a couple of the homes Joseph Smith lived in.

 One of Cace's many funny expressions.

Joseph Smith's childhood home.

You could see the Palmyra temple from the Smith Farm. 

 

It was hot, but thankfully not as bad as if we had been in Arkansas!

 Speaking of heat, there's no way I would have survived in that heavy dress in the summer.  I think there's a reason I was not born in that time period.

 The original "spice rack."

 Stan appreciated the garden.  Behind it sits the second home the Smiths lived in, I believe built by their brother Alvin before he died.

 The Sacred Grove.  It was very peaceful.

 In the Palmrya Inn where we stayed.  

 

We went to the Palmyra Ward Sunday morning.  Stan forgot his dress socks.

 

After church we walked around the Palmyra temple.  

Here's just one of the many times Miriam attempted to run away from us.

 

One of the very few temples with Stained Glass.  It depicts the Sacred Grove.

 Looking down from Hill Cumorah.  This is where they put on the pageant every year.

 

 

The monument atop Hill Cumorah.

Miriam walked right up and sat next to three nice German children, as if she had known them her whole life.

Touring the Grandin Print Shop where the Book of Mormon was first printed.

It was really neat to be where the Restoration of the Gospel took place.  I'm so thankful for Joseph Smith and his family and all the sacrifices they made to bring about the Lord's work.  

We are so richly blessed.