Our Trip Across America

Okay, I know this post is way late and very overdue, but there are a lot of pictures here that I wanted to get uploaded and I am now finally getting around to it.

First, our trip started out back in August. We took off around 6pm and drove all the way through the night. Well, Russ drove all the way through the night while Cody, Anni, and I slept. Russ made it all the way from my parents house to Iowa overnight. Grandma and Grandpa Flint were kind enough to keep Wyatt and fly out with him so that he didn't have to endure the car ride. So we traded him for Anni, and can I just say.... she was such a doll!!!

The kids got a little bored and started using their neck pillow as headwear. It was pretty funny.

Pretty much, the only stop we made on the way to PA was to see Nauvoo. It was very cool, but I really wish we would have spent a little more time there. I would have like to seen more, but oh well. Russ was on a mission to make it to PA, so drive is what we did.

We did take a carriage ride around Nauvoo and learned some pretty interesting stuff.

We also stopped in the family learning center and learned how to make rope. Pretty cool!!

Cody was obviously being very cooperative here outside of the Nauvoo temple.

It was beautiful!!!

It probably took you longer to read about our trip than it took us to make it!! We seriously got here so dang fast, it was a miracle!!

We got in late Saturday night and my parents flew in Sunday night with our Super Wy. Once again, so grateful we didn't have to drive with that little guy.

We spent a few days getting the house organized then took off site seeing. We drove to Kirtland and stopped by the temple and visitors center.

Our beautiful doll Anni, we were so glad to spend 10 days with her before sending her back to Utah with Grandma and Grandpa. She is such a little sweetie!!

Pretty sure they were arguing in this picture, but for the most part they got along very well.

Next stop was Niagra. It was just as amazing the second time as it was the first!!

This time we rode the Maid of the Mist. Super cool!! We got so wet, but it was so worth it. Once you actually got right up to the waterfall, you couldn't even see anything because you were getting absolutely soaked and blown to pieces. Very awesome experience... I recommend it to anybody and everybody!!

Super Wy waiting in line with Grampy wearing his way too cool rain slicker.

We also visited Palmyra, but I didn't get any pictures of it on my camera. We were a little worn out from all of our activities by then. It was still amazing though. The spirit you can feel in the Sacred Grove is so amazing. I also recommend to anybody and everybody... go there!!!

One day we drove into Pittsburgh to see what we could find to do there. We decided to go the Duquesne Uphill (pronounced do-cane). It is a trolley that goes up the side of a hill. There are people who live up there, and it is actually their mode of daily transportation between home and work.

Anni posing, as usual.

My parents in the trolley

Cody telling us oh how cool this trolley really is!!

At the top of the hill, looking down into Pittsburgh.

It was a lot of fun to have my parents out here for a week. It was VERY hard to send them home though. Even though I knew I was going back to Utah in 3 short weeks, I still had a mini meltdown. I think it was what made it official for me.... we had moved away and there wasn't going to be any family around. We were officially on our own out here in a place that was totally foreign to us (and in some ways still is 6 months later).

It has been a good experience though. We have made some great friends and I have been able to stay home with my kiddos. Russ is doing amazing in school and the next two years are going to fly by, because heaven knows the last 6 months have.