Kirtland

Before I started my new job and Paul started his orientaion for teaching, we decided that we needed to take a little trip somewhere. We decided that we would really like to visit Kirtland. So we called up Camille and Steve and asked if they would like some overnight guest. They were excited and so we set off on Wednesday morning to drive to Kirland which is just east of Cleveland Ohio.

We started our grand adventure on the wrong road and end up taking a "short cut" that added about 20 minutes to our drive. We finally got on the right road and made it with out incedent to Toledo before more driving folly happened. We were trying to avoid the toll road that is the major road going east to west and the ramp was closed to the road that we wanted to be on. We wondered around for about 1/2 hour in Toledo before giving up and just getting on the @#%^ road.

Since it was our first time on the toll road we were not sure how much the toll would be and how we would have to pay the toll nor which class of vehicle we were in 1st 2nd or 3rd class. We thought that we had $3 cash so we decided to go for as far as that would take us assuming that we were the most expensive class of vehicle. When we decided to exit the toll road, Paul realized that we had spent $2 earlier in the week and the toll ended up being $1.55. We only had $1.50 and the lady taking the money gave us the dirtiest look and made us feel like we were ripping of the state of Ohio.

The rest of the drive was uneventful and we reached Kirland at around 1 pm. It is a beautiful place. The LDS Church has spent a lot of money restoring the NK Whitney store, the sawmill, ashery and other surrounding buildings. The give tours and we really enjoyed to 2 hours that we spent there. We then headed over to the Kirtland Temple and took a tour of that as well. It has also been reacently restored and it is amazing to think of all the time and energy that it took for the pioneers to build such a beautiful building. Many of Paul's ancestors helped and that made it very special for Paul.

We then headed back to Toledo to spend the rest of the evening and following day with Steve and Camille. This time we knew we didn't have any cash so we decided to take other road to get there besides the toll road. All went well until we reached Toledo. It seems as if all the roads are under construction and closed. We finally found our way to the Oler's home at around 7:30pm.

There is a place in Toledo that Paul has been talking about since Camille and Steve moved there....Tony Packo's. If you know MASH then you know that Tony Packo's is Clinger's favorite place to eat. They are known for there fried pickles and hotdogs. So off we went to Tony Packo's for dinner. The fried pickles were really quite good. Paul was in heaven and even got a new hat there. I am not dying to go back, but it sure made Paul's day.

The next day we went with Camille and Steve to a Farm there that have wonderful Red Haven Peaches and we decided to buy a half bushel and freeze them.

We ate lunch then said goodby to Camille and Steve. Thankfully we were able to find Kalamazoo without any further incidents. I am dreaming of the day that I will no longer feel lost every day but maybe only once a month. I don't see that in the near future.

When we got home. Max decided that he really needed to join in the fun. He was sticky and wet from head to toe, but he sure had fun.

We decided this week that we would go and pick blueberries. There are lots of blueberry farms and we had heard that you could find some that let you pick the berries yourself. We started out for South Haven which is a little resort town west of us and just before getting there we found this farm. Paul and I picked about 10 lbs of blueberries and Max had a blast on Daddy's
back and ate as many berries as we would give him.

We then headed on to South Haven. The Doctor that I interview with on Wedensday told us about this great beach on Lake Michigan called north beach. So we found it and sat on the beach eating our picnic lunch. I thought Max would love to play in the water and splash, like he does in the bath, but after feeling how cold that water was he wasn't all that interested. Instead he decided to chase the seagulls and play in the sand. It is amazing all the places sand can get in (not on) a little boy. He sure had fun.

After the beach we went to a great ice cream parlor that we heard about called Sherman's. The serve a baby cone that is really a double scoop anywhere else. The ice cream is wonderful and if anyone wants to come and see us I am sure that we can make a special trip just for you. It is hard to believe that the "beach" that we played in the sand on will actually be covered in snow and that people will ice fish there.

Then for the trip home. Lets just say that the ice cream must have gone to my head and we were not exactly lost, but lost for the next hour until we found the main road and made it home. Lucky for us, Max decided to take a very long nap while we taking the senic route home.

Max 11 months

Hey, I thought this might be a fun way to keep in touch and keep everyone up to date on what is happenin' to us. We are having tons of fun packing right now and thinking of all the last that we are doing. Max of course is clueless on what is about to transpire. More to come later