The highlight of our vacation was our visit to T's parents. They live in a small town on the Mississippi River called Nauvoo which means "beautiful" in Hebrew. We packed in the fun visiting with Grandparents, seeing old family pictures and reading old family journals, catching fireflies, eating by candlelight when the electricity went out, drinking root beer floats, learning the trades and crafts of early pioneers, going to the temple with T's dad and the girls, tapping our toes to a jazzy band performance, and laughing with BYU missionaries and couple missionaries as they performed in the evening.
I'm rather bummed, because I didn't take enough pictures of the kiddos with their grandparents! I was so busy enjoying the pictures of T's grand parents and talking with his dad about them, that I missed taking pictures of NOW. Sigh.
Skipping rocks on the Mississippi River.
Going for a ride.
B called "shotgun" and T explained about how that saying came to be--with men carrying actual shotguns next to the driver on stagecoaches for protection.
L ready to carry water as part of his chores as a young pioneer boy--better than emptying the chamber pots!
A mouse trap. Stick cheese on the cross bar of the wood stick over a pail of water. Up scurries Mr. Mouse along the stick from the floor up the pail. He jumps to grab the alluring cheese, misses and topples into the water to a watery death! I guess it really works. Pretty ingenious!
B. carding sheep's wool to get it ready to spin.
L's turn to card the wool.
We made a rope which required every family member to take part in order to have a tight, working rope--just like in real life, each family member is needed!
L gives a thrilled thumbs up! for using Scouting tips on whipping the ends of our rope.
At the wheelwright, X-man helped get our wagon wheel ready for our wagon--sure couldn't fit a lot of stuff in our wagon. We'd really have to prioritize on what was necessary.
Hmmm, something we should do now.
Don't want to cart around a lot of unnecessary baggage in life!
A. modeling her "praire diamond" from the blacksmith.
Since many of the early Mormon pioneers were poor, some would bend the horseshoe nails and use those as wedding rings.
Serenaded by a group of BYU service missionaries.
Every day they would go to different sites throughout the town and sing. We were the only family here for a while, so we got them all to ourselves. So many times our family would have deeply personal and individual times on this vacation.
T with his girls, waiting for a performance to begin.
In the sculpture garden, X-man came upon a young couple in a tender moment.
The tenderness had gone on too long, so he lightened their moment.
A virtuous, beautiful, young woman...
..until Dad had to PHOTOBOMB!
Where's T??
Pioneer games. X-man has a head start!
I think B got a head start on Grandpa!
Who do you think won this stick pull??!
How about this stick pull?
What about the winner of this stick pull?
X-man and L determining the stick pull champion.
B and X-man joined the Nauvoo band as they tromped through the park with some rousing music!
X-man even gave the tuba a blow.
A. tried the stilts. Good ol' legs work well too.
Grandpa gave L a steady hand of support.
Brothers.
Sheepish brothers.
Brothers to the end.
Carthage Jail.
This is the place where Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration, along with his brother Hyrum were murdered by an angry mob on June 27, 1844. They never denied their testimonies of Jesus Christ, His church, or His work. It continues to go forth today. I'm thankful for their faithfulness to God and Jesus Christ.
Inside the bedroom at Carthage Jail.
One of the highlights of the trip was going to the Nauvoo Temple with Grandpa to participate in baptisms for family members who lived long ago and never got to hear about the Gospel.
We felt the peace, calm, and love of the Savior here.
T and J with our precious treasures--B and A.
We love you bunches!
The Nauvoo Temple
House of the Lord.
As we ended our trip, I was reminded of the importance of our family now and our family that has passed on and our family yet to be. Family life can be the happiest of times and the most challenging of times. An enigma and a joy. To me family IS life.
"God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be--
This is how He shares His love,
For the family is of God."
(Children's Song Book, By Matthew Neeley)
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