Birth of Benjamin Clark Sherwood 2-6-12

Lake Canandaigua

So the other day I was loading pictures onto the computer and started looking thru the other folders of pictures.  So many memories!  Anyway it got me reminiscing about my semester in Palmyra and I decided I really want to blog about it especially since it's a good way to 'scrapbook' and right now they are just lost on my computer!  This was such an amazing experience and a big stepping stone in my life.  In fact while I was there my decision to go on a mission was solidified by some sister missionaries that we had contact with.  The people that I met while there are just absolutely amazing and they became really good friends and I people that I look up to.  We all made some serious memories while we were there and it's fun that we'll always have that even though our lives have gone separate ways.  I also LEARNED so much while I was there.  It was a semester of school that I did online or over satellite while we lived at the Palmyra Inn.  On the weekends we all piled in the white whale of a van and traveled to all the historic church and american sites and other fun places...including Boston, Washington DC, Kirtland,  Lake Ontario, New York City, Amish towns, Ottawa Canada and Philadelphia.  And of course Palmyra became our stomping ground.  The Sacred Grove, Palmyra Temple and all the other sites near Palmyra were visited often.  I love it there.  There is a feeling and spirit there that is nowhere else and as I looked through my pics I missed that.  I can't wait to go back someday with my family and believe me we will go! :)  

So I can't figure out how to easily compile my pictures so that it's not just one picture after another and like a mile long post so I think I'll just do a post per city and do this in like 8 posts or something....sound fun!!!  I am excited to go back there and remember what great times we had.  What I am not excited about is realizing how bad my memory is and realizing how much I have forgotten!  Sad!  I can't even remember like where we went first and some of these pictures I probably wont even remember what they are exactly!  So sorry if it seems scattered! And if you're reading this Lindsey or any of the other Palmyra girls please feel free to correct me and add!!! 

I am going to start with just some fun times in Palmyra while we lived there and hung out at the Inn and around town.  

So there were 11 other girls there and 3 lucky boys! :) I am pretty sure this picture was taken on the first night there....we had a little bonfire out back of the Inn and just got to know everyone there.  A lot of the girls came with someone they knew but there were a few of them including me that came by ourselves.  So I had so many amazing people to get to know!  These girls truly were amazing people...some of the best I've ever known.  

I was paired up with a roommate, Kelli, and we hit it off really well!  I am so glad we were roomies! So many great memories! 

We enjoyed just hanging out together and talking.  Some of the things we did around Palmyra was bowl or eat at our favorite (greasy!!!) place down the road...oh my gosh I can't remember what it was called!  Anyway that's where we would go for dinner almost every day and even though it was an adventure we made a good time of it and came to love it in a way. 

Danielle and I at the nameless place of eating...I can still remember the smell at least!! :)

Lindsey me and Danielle

 Me and Lindsey!

Getting ready for the pose....

The gang!

Oh and here are the lucky boys who were surrounded by beautiful girls! :) I think they had fun!  

Of course there were hikes...

Canaltown Days in the town of Palmyra...

Lindsey riding the cool bike

And we can't forget the vans!  We spent a lot of time in those vans!  

Hangin out at the Inn!

Danielle's B-day!

Kelli and Jam

And then of course there was the Ugly Pageant and Halloween!  Although if I remember correctly Kelli and I were not present for the Halloween festivities because poor Kelli had to have surgery!  Or she found out she would have to...see? This is horrible...I do remember being with her at the hospital and feeling so bad for her because she was in so much pain...was it her gallbladder?  Ah! 

The Ugly Pageant was unforgettable.  It's exactly what you think it is...is a competition to see who could be the ugliest.  Of course I can't remember who won but man it was a fun night! There was a catwalk and everything!  And the best part was the fire alarm decided to go off that night so we all had to go outside with other humans looking like this!  So funny! 

Then there's the really good stuff.  If you haven't been to Palmyra....it's GORGEOUS.  Especially the time of year that we were there.  Oh my goodness.  I remember just waking up every day so excited to get outside and walk or run or go to the sacred grove to read my scriptures or pray or write in my journal.  It was the best.  Most of these pics were taken while doing just that.  

This is looking back at the Inn

Our church...we took a religion class there and actually met Elder Holland one day!  I gave him a hug! 

The area around the Palmyra Temple was beautiful.  I ran there a lot.  There were tons of trails in the trees on the side.

Beautiful morning mist

And of course all of the Palmyra Church sites we visited and toured...

Sacred Grove

Me, Markee and Ashlee

Me, Whitney, Ashlee, Jenny and Markee

Wow. This post still turned out to be a MILE long! Sorry!  But this is so fun!  Some of the details have come back to me as I look and write about these things so I am grateful for that.  I am SO grateful for this experience I had.  And this is just the beginning!  Stay tuned....if you interested of course. :)