Week of May 19, 2014

Last Sunday

There were so many pictures from our New York trip that I saved the ones from the Bronck House.

It was built in 1663 and was a one room house. It was continually added on to and much was still original beams and construction. They were having their open house, and we took the missionaries and the single mom & her two daughters that live in the branch.

 Signing the Coxsackie constitution

They used everything. It was amazing how many things they got from corn.

They main requirement to fight in the Revolutionary War was good front teeth to rip open the paper with the powder in it. It was neat to watch him load and shoot the gun.

Elder James and Elder Rayne

It was a very big Sunday and after the Bronck house Dad had a meeting in Albany we needed to be at. On the way we passed someone with a flat tire. We stopped to help them and quickly saw we needed the Elders. So we called them and they came and got it taken care of. The people were very grateful.

There is something else you need to learn to prepare for you mission Spencer and Josh.

I took this picture to send to Rusty Cornwall. I couldn't believe all the hair. Not sure of what kind of cattle it is, but different from the ones on their ranch!

We had some extra time and the Elders wanted to learn how to make bread sticks. It was fun. Lacey's bread stick recipe has certainly traveled around!

The lilacs are beautiful. Many of them are more like trees than bushes because of the height.

So now we are to yesterday. Sunday, Brother Anastasio invited the Elders and us for lasagna. I have never seen or tasted anything like it. The pan of lasagna weighed at least 15 pounds. The pan itself was amazing. So for our first family party after we get home I will make it. Yes, I got the recipe, and he said he got the pan at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Bottled sauce he used. Well, about 4 of them

Elder James made the bread sticks. After cutting them, he tied them in a knot and then rolled them in the butter and baked them. They were very, very good; like a big roll. (Notice how tall the pan is behind it.

Dessert: Strawberries quartered but not all the way and filled with 1 pkg. cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar. That is the first part of the o'cream pie. It was very good. Yes, I was so full when we finished.

Memorial Day the Albany Stake had a picnic. It was really fun and lots of people. I think I heard they cooked 500 hamburgers and I'm sure several hundred hot dogs and then we brought sides, desserts and chips. Anyway, on the way to the park we saw a sign that said, "Lock 7" so we explored it.

We didn't know if it was actually in operation or if it was part of the old Erie Canal. It was in operation. It does go from Albany all the way over to Buffalo. They have bike routes along it. Some places are actually where the old Erie Canal was, but not this one. It is 70% done and will be the longest one in the country.

The girls are on the top and the gate is just under it. We were lucky enough to have a boat come by so we took pictures. The whole procedure was amazing. The Mohawk River the boat came up was a lot lower than where they needed to go. So the water is emptied from the lock so the boat can go in and then it is shut and the water fills back up again. Then they open the other end and let it out. It's like a water elevator. Here are pictures:

Love you all. We are outside the library using the internet and my batter is dying. I need to go. Write letters tomorrow. Love you all, Mom

Week of May 12, 2014

New Food Discovery

Dad eating a deep fat fried Oreo cookie

Make a batter from Bisquick and water. A bit on the thin side of pancake batter. Dip the cookie in it and fry till golden.

I was really surprised at how good they were. The cookie softens and warms the cookie through.

Needless to say, Dad loved them.

The Elders came straight from a service project. It was Elder Pearce's last night before transfers. 

Elder James, Mike, Elizabeth, and Elder Pearce

An Amazing Trip to New York

The skyline was amazing and Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty was wonderful to see and feel.

The tall building is the Liberty building that replaced the twin towers. It has a spire on top.

The Statue of Liberty hats were our tickets to get on the ferry for free.

Ellis Island. My Grandpa, Joseph Aaron Rigby Capener came through here on his way back from his mission to England. It was amazing to listen to the stories of people coming through, their experiences added so much to what we saw. There was a 45 min. video that we didn't watch since we only had 1 hour there, but the lady at the desk gave me the link. "Island of Hope, Island of tears." It's on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viHuhzP0Au0

ANOTHER GOOD LINK IS AN INTERACTIVE TOUR WITH PICTURES AND AUDIO

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/

This is the registry room where the immigrants would come through. As many as 5,000 in a day could pass through.

The dormitories/ hospital across the street where people would be put if they didn't pass the health inspection. 

The Statue of Liberty

The old original torch

This is a cast that was used. There was a cool museum inside the pedestal part.

Yes, we climbed the 195 stairs to the top of the pedestal. We had to be able to say we climbed. We couldn't go further than that. You have to get the tickets 3 months in advance to go any higher.

More skyline

 Pictures while we were on the pedestal. 

Pictures from the ground looking up. We were on the lookout just above the 3 windows part.

This was from the ferry and shows where the statue is compared to Manhattan Island.

We were on the top deck and they had a mop tied on to the ferry and it was being washed in the water. As we docked, a crew member brought the mop up and was ready with a clean mop to mop the floor!

Good-bye to Ellis Island

Empire State Building from where we were waiting for the bus.

This is a memorial in New Jersey with all the names of the people from New Jersey that died in 9 11. The tunnel looks out at where the twin towers used to be.

This is the building they built at ground 0

On the bus going back to Coxsackie

We love watching the changes in the bush out front.

 Dogwood Tree - We give the story behind it in my letter this week.

Sunday - A big day from morning until night
We went to the Bronck House, built in 1663, but I think I will save all the pictures until next week when I don't have so many.

Monday, May 19
Monday is Mel day. We go to the Senior Citizen's center for our Genealogy class at 10:30. They do Zoomba at 10:00, so we are going early so I can do that. I think of you Mel!

We gave Bro. Kruppenbacher Pres. Monson's closing remarks from General Conference for our message to him this week. They are at the end of my letter I sent, but here they are again with his added words:
“God our Eternal Father lives and loves us. He is indeed our Father, and He is personal and real. May we realize how close to us He is willing to come, how far He is willing to go to help us, and how much He loves us.”

Brother Kruppenbacher talked of how Heavenly Father wants to hear from us the same way as our earthly father, and not just the big things, but the little things as well. Then he said:
"He wants us to share ALL our feelings with Him."
I believe that. And the more we share, the closer we get to Him.