The Maiden Voyage

We had been talking about buying a 5th wheel trailer and going on some long trips around the US.  Every March for our anniversary have gone a trip.  We have really loved going to a different state and doing family history work while seeing some of the sights along the way.

Well, I ended up wrecking our car which forced us into buying a new vehicle.  We got a BIG Ford F350 with lots of bells and whistles.  Then we shopped around for a trailer.  In March we left for a lengthy trip to the South East US.

Once we loaded everything up we headed south to St George then to Tucson to see the Grand kids again.  Then we went west to New Mexico, Texas, and then to Oklahoma where we spend a few days with Peggy's cousin and family in Sallisaw.

Then we headed East again through Arkansas, Memphis, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.  We spent about a week in the South Carolina area, mainly in Edgefield SC where my Grandma Harmer's Father was born.  His ancestors moved to SC from Virginia in the Mid 1700s.

 Classic Old southern home in Edgefield

Edgefield is the home of the National Turkey Foundation

 So they have Turkeys on almost every street corner.

 We spent a full 2 days at the Edgefield history center researching our ancestors.  We got a ton of information!  We spent one afternoon driving around to the local graveyards and found my GGGGGrandfather!

 Yes there was even a Delaugher Drive where many of the my ancestors settled.

We were looking for this small family graveyard and found with the help of a very friendly neighbor, who gave us a guided tour and introduced us to the family that currently owns the property.

 He even showed us where the originally house stood.  The rock pile to the right of the tree is the remain of their chimney.

We next visited Historical Societies in  Kershaw Co. & Fairfield.Co.  Folks were very helpful, but we only found a few tidbits of info. The following day we drove down to Charleston SC where I got the oil changed in the next truck - (very expensive).

Friday morning I drove into Downtown Charleston and took a pics.  Great town.  I wish we could have stayed a couple more days here, but the all of the campgrounds were booked solid for a big weekend.

 Great fountains 

And a cannon, actually a mortar that was used in the Civil war, Possibly to attack Ft Sumter

Abigail gets baptized

After we rented an apartment in January and Sam helped us move in - in February we drove down to St George for Abigail's 8th birthday.

Bryce drove us all to Zion's National Park one day.  We walked to the end of the path to the Virgin River Narrows.

 The kids had a great time

 Wading a little bit in the cold water

 This is a beautiful place

 Abigail at home all ready for her Baptism

1st trip to visit grandkids

After we got home from Italy in January, the 1st thing we did was drive south to visit the grand kids.  This was our first chance to see Rowdy who was born while we were in Italy!

Grandma get to finally hold Rowdy

Lovable Lu

 Rowdy Brame Harmer

 Rowdy going through the doggy door to check on the dogs.

 We also had a great time with the Kids in St George.  Will is going rock climbing.

 Now it is Jane's turn

A nice place to sit.

Sorry, but I missed a picture of Abigail.

The Mouth of Truth

On our last day before we caught the train back to Milano, we took a bus to see the Mouth of Truth.  This is an interesting piece of sculpture that tradition has it that if you tell a lie while your hand is in the mouth, the mouth will bite off your hand.  Italians would threaten to take their children to the mouth of truth to determine when they were being dishonest.

 A temple across the street from the Mouth of Truth

 Inside the church that hosts the mouth of truth - the floor is covered with many interesting mosaics.

Walking back to the metro stop we went past the Circus where the chariot races were held.

 Here we are at Linate Airport the following day with the office Elders - on our way home.

The Vatican

The Vatican Museum was immense and amazing.

 I have grown to really like mosaics

 They even had a great door knocker

 We then walked a horribly long way around to St Peter's (we missed a short cut from the Sistine chapel, where the do not allow any pictures) and ended up riding the bus to a place to have lunch.

 Peters Keys

 It was great to see a wonderful nativity

The Vatican Guards

 On the way back to our B&B we stopped at the Spanish steps.  WOW was it ever crowded.

 Off to the side we saw two guys huddling under a silk curtain.  We waited to see what was going to happen.  After 5 - 10 minutes the curtain was removed buy one guy and this is what was left standing.

A view from the top of the Spanish steps