Kirtland, Ohio

This weekend we took a road trip with the Peerys to Historic Kirtland, Ohio.  It was a whirlwind trip: leaving Friday after work and getting back Saturday night.  But it was a blast!  Especially since the girls were able to spend the 3 hour drive watching DVDs while the parent's got to chat (boys in the front, mommies in the 2nd row).  How did people survive without car DVD players?

Our hotel rooms were supposed to be non-smoking, but they both stank of tobacco (the rooms across the hall were smoking... not a clever floor plan).  They moved us to better rooms and we were all able to relax.  Scarlett even got to watch some WordWorld on my phone.  She decided all on her own that this was the best place to watch it! ;-) 

In the morning we headed out to see the Kirtland Temple.  We were able to take a tour lead by the Community of Christ.  It was interesting how their church history and our history intertwine... yet some things are VERY different.  They kept calling us members of the "LDS Tradition Faith".  And they never testified of Christ or bore testimony.  But they were very friendly and we learned a lot on our tour (we weren't able to take pictures inside... we thought maybe cause it was a sacred place to them, but it's because the inside is copyrighted).

We headed over to the church's visitor center and took a tour led by 2 sister missionaries (and yes, Jace, they were both really pretty).  We learned about the Whitney family and their great charity.  They were blessed with many monetary blessings but they willingly gave all they had to others.  

We drove down to the John Johnson Home on our way out.  They were another wealthy family that opened their home to the saints.  The Prophet Joseph Smith and his family lived here for awhile.  They even used one of their rooms as the first MTC!  Sister Johnson was a very fashionable lady.  As they were restoring this house they were able to find original paint and floor samples to replicate her interior decorations.  She had the wood painted awesome designs, used TONS of bright colors and even had a checkerboard floor!  What a fun lady! 

Yay for the early Saints!  Whoo Hoo!!!

Scarlett loves loves loves rocks.  Loves them.  She screams bloody murder when I make her put them back (in my defense, she puts them in her mouth and I'm afraid she'll choke).  So I wasn't surprised when I found these two in a pile of rocks.  Poor Jake looks a little distressed.

Car ride home.  Scarlett loved sitting with the big girls in the back!  Look at how sweet Hannah is!

Toledo Skyway Bridge.

And yes... I ate Burger King 3 times on this trip.  Gross.