July 2010 happenings - Nauvoo

We had a nice trip to Nauvoo over the 4th of July weekend. None of us had been there before, and it is amazing how there is so much to see and do. The church has restored so many various buildings, that you can experience Nauvoo like it was when the pioneers lived there. The most breathtaking thing was seeing the Temple. In my mind I had thought that it would have been small, like the Kirtland, OH temple, but no, it is very large. The church rebuilt it on the exact footprint that the original one was built on. Just to see the size of it, and know the pioneers built it, is an amazing feat.

We took a nice tour around the city to see all the various sites.

Our Hotel we stayed at was really nice.

They had an area called pioneer pastimes where the kids could play games that the pioneer children did, and dress up. We spent quite a bit of time here.

It was Band Time! A wagon with a band on it, came around and played for a while. The elder missionaries went out and danced with all the children. It was a good time had by all.

Brigham Young's buggy.

Ryan's broad shoulders were used to carry various little girls throughout his summer with us.

Anna had so much fun, she just couldn't stay awake and wouldn't wake up even with Daddy blowing in her mouth.

We took Sunday afternoon to see Carthage, where Joseph Smith was martyred. It was a special place, indeed.

Virginia climbed up her first step while at Carthage.

There was a GIANT oak tree there, certainly old enough to have been growing when Joseph was killed.

We visited Joseph, Emma's and Hyrum's grave site. Anna had a terrible habit of picking flowers this summer, wherever we went. Yes, I know....

Finally a dip in the Mississippi river came at the end of our visit. Emma "accidentally" fell in. She is our little river rat.

And our drive back home, everyone was plugged into a movie.