Nauvoo

Truman and Bekah "riding" a sheep at the yarn spinning demonstration.

Christian tying off the piece of rope that our family made together. The Missionaries running the demonstration did a good job with an analogy between rope making and working together as a family to remain strong.
Here we are making the rope.

Here is Hazel at the privy. I do think she used every bathroom and out house at least one today.

Rebekah "tending" the flock, in pioneer garb.

Hazel also dressed in pioneer clothes.
Abby's turn with the flock.

4 Pioneer Sisters. Plenty of help to run a homestead.

Nate and Hazel "On their way to town".

The kids and I in front of the "Nauvoo House". I think that this is the actual building not a reconstruction.
Our Ox Cart ride. Joseph F. Smith was incharge of the oxen all the way across the plains when he was 7 1/2. Rebekah is that same age and to see her next to the oxen gave me new awe at the great stories about that man.

Before the Ox ride. Notice Rebekah in front of the Ox.

Nate keeping house.

And Nate riding again.

Sunset on the Mississippi

After seeing all that we could in a day we headed back to the campsite for a quick roast of hotdogs over the fire, we headed back to Nauvoo for a pioneer style variety show. The kids got to decorate a paper hat and take an instrument or a flag and march with the missionaries in a parade. The show was really fun. I laughed out loud several times. There was one of the older sister missionaries did a funny recitation of Rindercella, where the first letters of words were mixed up. The moral of the story was something like “If you want to go to a bancy fall and have a prandsome hince lall in fove with you don’t forget to slop your dripper.” (Kenneth just pointed out that he is amazed at how funny many of the acts were without being coarse or tacky. And I agree!)

Truman and Rebekah sideways (sorry) in front of the shoe and boot store.


The shoe forms hanging inside. We learned how to make shoes. I was supprised to discover that shoes weren't made in a left and a right. Then to make them wear more evenly, the wearer would switch which foot they were on daily.

Inside the gunsmith shop. The men went there while us womenfolk went to the school and post office. We were all impressed with the stories about the great faith of families that ran these shops. I will try to make a post with the info.
This is Sydney infront of the Nauvoo Mansion.

The grave stones of Joseph, Emma and Hyrum Smith. And Truman, Syd and Bekah...

Our not so good in the dark photo infront of the statues of Hyrum and Joseph, leaving Nauvoo, on their way to Carthage Jail.
The beautiful Rebuilt Nauvoo Temple.
This picture is also not so good but is important to include because of the following 2 stories. In the morning we went first to the Visitor Center and Hazel made friends with the sister missionary that is to her right in the picture. They talked (or rather Hazel talked and the Sister listened and laughed alot) for a long time, and it was hard to break Hazel away. In the evening as we were walking to the Sunset on the Mississippi, we saw the sister walking and Hazel called out to her and her companion (now wearing pioneer clothes) "Hey you girls look cute! Didn't you wear a blue dress in the morning?" So the missionarys took Hazel over to the table where they were making hats for the parade.
Story 2: We went to see a show for kids and it was put on by the special "Preformance Missionaries" who are all college age and spend 4 months in the summer performing and serving in Nauvoo. So when the show was over Nate wanted to meet the actors. The main girl was Anna-Amanda (played by a tiny 21 year old girl). She asked Nate where he was from and the conversation was like this:
"Where are you from?"
"Mesa arizona"
"Really I am from Tempe, do you know where that is?
"No"
"It is near Mesa"
"oh... Can I have your phone number?"

So Nate is in that picture standing next to "Anna-Amanda" who he now thinks about often.


Abby in the Women's Garden, celebrating the many roles of women.
And Sydney studing up.