ohio adventures

On Tuesday of Ry's break Cynthia came to visit! We love having family visit, and tried to get out and see a little bit more of Ohio this time around. We hung out at the house on Tuesday, unpacking from our Smokies trip and doing laundry, catching up, etc. Then Wednesday morning (err ... afternoon rather) we headed up north with Geneva State Park as our destination and a bit of Amish Country as a side step. It ended up being a LONG side step, and the timing really didn't work out quite like we had hoped, but we still had fun. 

We enjoyed sampling lots of cheese, fudge, and other tasty treats at a cheese factory and nearby bakery. We ate lunch at a quirky little diner (not typical Amish style) and had a fun time just driving through the country-side. We definitely need to try Amish country again, because we did not get to see very much, but oh well!

We kept driving up to Geneva which is right on Lake Erie and we checked into the Geneva Lodge where we were staying for a couple nights. It was a beautiful sunshiny afternoon and we enjoyed lots of running and playing together. 

Pure joy! I love this picture! 

We had a great time up next to the Lake - we enjoyed a cute little town nearby where everything was shut down. Honestly. Everyone kept saying we came just a month too early - it's a super happenin' place after Memorial Day! We actually kind of liked it that way - we had seen enough mini-golf and kiddie rides to last us a long time in TN! 

We explored a little bit of the surrounding area, and hung out at the lake for a while within the state park. L loved watching Ry skip rocks and quickly caught on. It was so cute watching them both play together! 

I'm pretty sure there was a boat out there somewhere ...

We loved just playing together and having all the time in the world to enjoy one another's company. L picked up on the fact that Nonnie would pay a lot of attention to him whenever he wanted and he definitely took advantage of that! She said she enjoyed it, but I worried that he was wearing her out! Thank goodness for grandparents! 

On Friday we packed up and started our drive back home, stopping in Kirtland on the way. It was so special being there and seeing these buildings and places where the early saints lived. We loved feeling the spirit and learning more about the what life was like back then. 

We did the tour through the temple, which was very interesting and I would love to share my thoughts, just maybe not in this form on our family blog. We had a great time in Kirtland and it strengthened my testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and my Savior Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the sacrifices the members of the church went through back then so that I can enjoy the gospel today and have it be such a foundational part of my life. 

We came back home and had more fun with Cynthia just hanging out before she had to leave on Saturday. It was a quick trip but we had a blast together! It's hard to believe that she'll be here again in less than two months when this baby girl arrives. Crazy to think that so much is happening soon! We can't wait!