Palmyra - Rochester - Welland

We had such a lovely weekend! I feel like it was in August that I wanted to go to Palmyra for Thanksgiving weekend. I thought we could go to the temple, the historic sites and the children's museum and have a lovely weekend. When I went to book temple appointments, everything was completely full. Ken and I talked about when we could go another time and it seemed that maybe we could go in November if we fit it around the primary presentation. When the dates for primary were all sorted I booked the temple times. A 9 a.m. endowment session for Ken and I, and an 11 a.m. baptismal time for Alice. 

After school on Friday we packed up our bags, the car and the dog and set off. We checked Milo into doggie day care then started driving west. We headed towards Gateway Niagara, our favourite dinner spot on the way. We might have stopped for a bit too long, but we had a fun meal chatting and laughing together. We drove over the Queenston-Lewiston bridge and there was no traffic - there were two cars in front of us when we drove up. The border guard was pleasant and friendly and wished us well.

We arrived at the Best Western Inn and Suites in Palmyra around 11 p.m. and checked in. I went in as I had made the reservation. I asked for a late checkout the next day - noon, as I knew we'd be about that long in the temple. I wanted Kate and Fiona to be able to hang out in the hotel room, go swimming, shower, do all the things and just chill. We went to our rooms, got everyone situated and went to sleep.

The next day Ken and I went to our appointment and everything was great. The temple is very small but very beautiful on the inside. All of the stained glass looks like trees from the sacred grove. I was so happy to be in the temple with my Ken!

The hotel was literally around the corner from the temple. After our session was complete we quickly went back to the hotel, to get Alice. Fiona was a little uneasy about us leaving and wanted us to come back as soon as possible. And sadly we found out that the hotel doesn't have a pool and the hot tub was being repaired. I told Fiona we'd come back as soon as we could, and off we went back to the temple.

At first I wasn't planning to go with Ken and Alice to the temple but Ken said why not, so I did and I had a lovely time with them. It was just so nice to spend so much time in the temple! As we were finishing up in the baptistry the temple work Bro. Hunt, told us he wanted to show us something before we left. He showed us a window, a window that you can see out of, and see in through. Temples are always closed off. The only windows in temples that let in any light are stained glass windows. Bro. Hunt told us that President Hinckley wanted there to be a window looking out onto the Sacred Grove across the street. 

Ken and Alice and I walked around the temple before heading back and took a few more pics. It really is a tiny little temple, but it is beautiful.

Now for the only hiccup. When we got back to the hotel and went into the room it was empty. All of our stuff was gone, and Fiona and Kate were gone. We were all very confused. I went immediately to the lobby assuming that Kate had gotten anxious because it was exactly noon. When I got to the lobby Kate and Fiona were clearly very distraught. The older gentleman at the front desk apologized to me saying "I didn't know the kids were alone in the room". He asked me if I had asked for a late checkout and I told him yes and he apologized and said that it hadn't been noted on our room. I told him that we had just come back to change and were going to leave and he told us to take our time.

I helped Fiona and Kate carry everything back to the room and we found out the rest of the story. The man had come to the door and told them they had ten minutes to leave or there would be extra charges. Kate kept it together for Fiona, packed everything up as best she could and then the two of them carried everything to the lobby to wait for us. Kate had tried to message and call us, but we all had our phones off or silenced because we were in the temple. After many hugs and a few tears we piled into the Pilot to leave. I felt horribly for poor Fiona and Kate, it was such an anxiety inducing experience for the two of them. 

I wanted to speak to the front desk clerk and register my concern about the whole situation, but when I tried to find the front desk clerk, I couldn't. I left a note and the keys on the front desk and decided that I would write an email later about the whole thing.

It was profound to me, that while Kate and Fiona were in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty, Ken, Alice and I were serenely peaceful and protected in the temple. The peace, love and safety that I felt in the temple today was unlike anything I'd felt before. Being in the temple today was such a gift.

Part of what I wanted for this trip was a walk through the grove and the Joseph Smith farm that Fiona would remember. I wanted her to be excited about being in these places. But I realized a little late that I hadn't really prepared her very well for the experience. We did talk a little in the week leading up to the trip but it felt like it wasn't enough. 

Our guide at the farm was Elder Jones. He was a senior missionary from Washington state. He was great. His knowledge and his testimony really brought the spirit to the tour. I hope the girls felt the same spirit that I did, or at least part of it. I love being in these historical places. It is powerful to be in the place of history, and not just any history. I am so grateful for Joseph Smith and his wife Emma and his whole family and all that they sacrificed so that we could have the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the ordinances that we have access to, and for the covenant blessings that come with those ordinances.

After finishing up at the farm we drove over to Hill Cumorah. It's probably good that the visitor centre is closed right now, I would have wanted to go in, but time was growing shorter and shorter! Fiona and I went up the hill to see the monument, while Ken, Alice and Kate stayed in the car. We had a nice walk up the hill and a good chat. I'm so grateful for Fiona's curiosity and for her righteous heart.

After leaving the hill we headed back west towards Rochester and we went for lunch at Chick-fil-A. It was the 4th anniversary of that location so there were balloons everywhere and lots of people. We got a table though and the food was pretty quick. And there were some cow hugs!

After Chick-fil-A we went to Trader Joe's and Under Armour. We got yummy treats from Trader Joe's and Ken got a new hat that he loves, Alice a purse and Fiona an ear covering winter headband. We were all very happy with our purchases! And then it was on to the Museum of Play. 

We hadn't been to the Museum of Play since July 12, 2019. During that time that museum underwent a huge expansion. I wanted to go last summer but the timing just didn't work out. When we arrived in the area of the museum it looked so different, so many new buildings and a new gigantic parking garage and hotel, oh my goodness!

When we first walked in, I thought, oh no, the carousel is gone, but it wasn't. They'd just extended the building so much you had to walk in a ways before getting to the carousel. 

The girls all thought they were too big to ride the carousel, so we took a picture for fun.

And of course we had to take a picture on the steps of Sesame Street.

July 12, 2019/Nov 23, 2024

It was when we got to the supermarket that the girls really started to have fun. The man at the entrance who explained the rules told the girls that of course they weren't too old, so they each took a cart and proceeded to shop and check each other out at the cash registers. It was hilarious and awesome and made my Mama heart so happy.

The special exhibit was a Dungeons and Dragons exhibit which was pretty cool, considering that Alice, Kate and Ken are all big D&D fans.

The girls did go on the train. They were sitting in the caboose until Alice and Kate realized that sitting in the caboose was really bad so they moved.

Which made Fiona sad.

Until she was smiling again.

Much of the museum was exactly the same which is good, because it is awesome.

April 7, 2012/Nov 23, 2024

This book, I wish I had a copy. I sat down to read it and it was mostly the same as I remembered it.

One of the really cool new spaces was the outdoor game area. It wasn't warm out, but it wasn't freezing either, so we explored until we got too cold.

I have so many happy memories of playing Trivial Pursuit with my siblings - probably because I won a lot because I was older and at the time knew more things.

The cafe/deli place in Berenstain Bears land will always be a favourite.

We walked through the upstairs, past more favourite places.

Until we were in a new place. It was so late and there was still so much stuff to explore. The computer gaming area was really cool. We could have spent so much longer looking at everything, but it was time to go!

I already want to go back. Ken says we have to wait a little while! 

After we left we got on the high way to head to Welland, where we had booked an AirBnB for the night. We made one stop along the way for snacks. The border took a long time. Who knows why, but everyone was crossing over into Canada!

The AirBnB was tricky to find, only because the pictures looked different in the dark and we couldn't see the number, but we eventually got in and it was a cute little house that had everything that we needed. In the morning we went to church with Ken's parents.

And then we took them out to lunch at M.T. Bellies in Welland. They have a handful of gf options so it's a good fit for our family. And then it was off to get Milo from the kennel and home.

We had such a lovely weekend. I'm so thankful for the opportunity we had to go to the temple, to be together as a family, to go to the Museum of Play and to go visit Ken's parents. My heart is so full.