The Jolley's in Upstate New York

 I thought that I should get this  post written because we leave for the Utica Stake YW Camp in the morning and will be gone until late afternoon on Saturday.  It's too hard to put two busy weeks into one post so here we go. Monday we decided that we should drive to Albany to see the State Capitol Building.  We have seen in from the outside but had heard that the inside is incredible.  So off we went.  Albany is almost 2 hours from Rome and it was a nice drive-a little smokey from the Canadian wildfires. The Capitol Building is a 19th Century marvel and took 32 years to build.  Five different architects worked on it and their artistic difference shows from staircase to staircase and from room to room.  It took over 32 years to build and by 1899 had cost more than $25 Million.  It   is ornate and beautiful! The staircases and carvings are so cool.  In fact, it made us both feel like we were in a Harry Potter Castle!  See for you...

 We are completely surrounded by beauty! And we love it! We decided to attempt the Watkins Glen waterfalls again because we had heard that the falls are huge in the Spring and Summer.  Off we went with camera and tripod in tow.  As we drove through Geneva, we had to stop at a couple of churches that we hadn't seen the last time we were there.  So a picture was in need. Well back to the falls! The idea that the water was flowing high was an understatement.  In fact, because of heavy rain, the water was filled with dirt and I was a bit disappointed.  As we hiked I still took pictures and they actually turned out great.  We will probably hit it one more time to try for the perfect look that I want.  In fact, the falls aren't too far from where we are having YW camp next week so we will probably make it happen after camp.  But here are some of the pics.  They are still pretty! After we got good and wet at Watkins Glen we headed toward Ithaca...

 Our 4th of July week was wonderful! But of course, anytime you have parades, flags, fireworks, and ice cream it’s a win win! We actually started our week out with a text from a bishopric member who had seen a request, on the Ward Facebook page, for a Book of Mormon from a man who had just moved to Rome from Utah. Mike chatted with him and found that he was a member, baptized 10 years ago but had been having some struggles! He had been raised in Rome and came back to get his life turned around and he really wanted a Book of Mormon! We took him a Book of Mormon and a Bible. He invited us into his government housing apartment and we couldn’t believe it! He had nothing! Not a chair to sit on, no bed-he was sleeping on the floor with a pillow and blanket! He had no plates, cups, utensils! He had one fry pan and a plastic fork! He would cook in the pan and eat out of the same pan! He’s a really big guy so I’m sure sleeping and sitting on the floor was extremely uncomfortable! We told hi...

 Most of you probably know that the Erie Canal is in New York.  It is a waterway that changed the lives of the people back in the day.  It runs from Albany to Buffalo and connects the Hudson Bay to Lake Erie. It was first built in 1825 and was 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep.  Barges were pulled by donkeys along a track on the edge of the canal. In 1908 and 1918 it was enlarged to 120 feet wide and 12 feet deep.  Over half of the smaller canal was abandoned (we drive past part of the old canal and it's gross.  It has an awful green something that floats on top of it.) There are 34 locks that move the boats through.  We had the opportunity to go on a canal cruise this past week for our P-Day.  We had invited Elder and Sister Park and they joined us.  We had a great time.  We went through Lock 18 and it was really cool to experience.  We dropped 20 feet to the Mohawk River and then we turned around and came back into the lock and were ra...