Happy Birthday to me!

This year for my birthday I was able to spend it on the East Coast in New York with Wendy and her sweet family. It was so fun to be the first visitor in their new house and see where they live and the kids school and what life is like in Albany New York.

I woke up to getting kids off to school, then the real fun began! :) Wendy whipped up some YUMMY sopapilla's! They tasted like Churros, they were very very yummy.

Here is the gang that got to enjoy this special breakfast.

In true Dunyon fashion, I got to pick my dinner, so I chose to take a trip from Mexico to China, and we had Won Tons with Zebra pie for dessert. I'm not sure where Zebra pie is from, but I sure do love it!

Wendy really did put 28 candles on that pie...

Again in true Dunyon fashion, everyone helped me blow out the candles and then had a turn of their own. Austin hates this tradition, little does he know I fully intend to carry this tradition out!

 

 A special birthday present from Wendy, we got to find out what her baby is, a BOY! :)

As an added bonus we went to a local apple orchard to pick apples, after QUICKLY picking apples so we wouldn't have too many mosquito bites, we headed out and us city slickers found ourselves STUCK! After about 20 minutes of trying to push, yes I said push ourselves out of the mud a tractor came to get us out. Thank goodness for that couple that saw us through the bushes and tipped the front office. Although they tried to hide their laughter, they just couldn't help it when they came and saw us stuck. After almost wetting our pants from laughter and a few thousand mesquito bites later, we were out, and I think we brought most of the mud with us. The people up front said we were about 4 inches deep, but to our  comfort, they told us we were not the first and certainly wouldn't be the last, but I'm sure we were the cutest :)

We had so much fun, we played outside, despite the mosquitoes, we got really good at swatting!

Jared and Wendy were also nice enough to take us to Palmyra. It was really fun to go and see where Joseph Smith grew up and go to the Sacred Grove. Even though there were some not so sacred moments in the grove, the over all feeling there was incredible.

We also got to go to the Hill Cumorah. I would love to go to the pageant they do there every year. I was amazed at how big the hill is, it's more like a mini mountain!

 

 

We also went to see where the first Book of Mormon was made. It was incredible how long it took to make just one book and how many people were involved. This book is one of the original Book of Mormons.

Here we are in the Sacred Grove. It really was such a beautiful place and I just had to break out in song, "Oh How Lovely Was The Morning!" Jared was kind enough to get the real words for me on his phone, I guess he didn't appreciate my made up words

Here is where Joseph would hide the plates. Crazy that I was actually standing where Joseph Smith stood with the plates!

This was their second house that their son, Alvin built for them, it is 90% authentic.

Here is the Palmyra temple. The only temple with a clear window in which you can see the sacred grove. Super cool.

This is their first home. Where Joseph saw the Angel Moroni. Again, I'm still in shock I actually got to stand in such an amazing place!

We also got to go to Lake George. It was about as big as my back patio, but that didn't bother the kids. They played in the sand and water for hours. There was a huge hill going down to the lake which Wendy and I climbed twice...totally worth it, cause then I could have two desserts!

This is a  cake that Liz and Kate made for me for my birthday, so sweet.

We had a blast in New York and I feel so lucky to have family that wants us to come and spend time with them, and even luckier to have a husband that lets me go. Big thanks to Wendy and Jared for making this anther great birthday.