Christian's 10 year birthday trip

Many years ago my oldest son was complaining about never flying on an airplane. We explained to him that because he was from such a large family chances were that we'd never take a plane on vacation because of cost. I came up with a brilliant plan that when the children turned 10 years old Doug and I would take them on their very own trip and they could choose the location.

Well, in the blink of an eye Christian turned 10! I can't believe how fast it happened and he never forgot that promise I had made him. So, he chose to go to New York and more specifically Niagara Falls. Part of the deal was he had to do a report on the location and explain to us why he wanted to visit that state. He did a bang up report and I made the reservations.

We had such a good time with him last weekend. It's not often that we get to spend so much quantity and quality time with just one of the children. It was strange because it seemed that he got younger and more innocent when we took the responsibility of being "oldest" off his shoulders.

We did all the typical things the Maid of the Mist(a boat ride straight to the center of the hose shoe falls), "Journey behind the falls"(traveling through tunnels that actually take you straight behind the falls...it's amazing!), touring the American Falls(my personal favorite) and many other "junk" touristy stuff.

The maid of the mist boat ride was probably my favorite "ride". As you enter the building they give everyone a yellow rain poncho...and you wonder, "will I really need this?" As you get closer to the falls themselves and enter the mist cloud it feels as if you are standing in the middle of a downpour. The water comes at you from all directions. It is amazing!






When you are on the maid of the mist this rainbow follows you all the way into and out of the falls. It's really cool... whenever you look toward the bridge...there it is.

This is the rainbow bridge into the United States. The line of cars never gets shorter all day long.

These are just a few pictures because my digital camera died and I haven't developed my old fashioned film yet.