Nauvoo Vacation: Day 4 (Monday)

Monday morning we spent some time as a family checking out some of the shops before taking McKenna over to check her in to EFY. It was hard to leave her.... and yet it was nice knowing that we would be close by if she needed us. It was funny though... she didn't even text us until Thursday! We knew that was a good sign and that she must be having tons of fun!

 When we got to her hotel and checked in, they sent us across the street to rooms they had set up more like dorms. Her door had tags with each of the girls names on them and a note from their counselor introducing herself and telling them where to meet her a little later that afternoon...

 The room had 4 bunk beds in it... and ONE bathroom. They ended up having 7 girls in their room and only one bathroom!!!! McKenna is truly my daughter because she would get up at 5 every morning so she could shower and get ready for the day before everyone else got up and started fighting for the bathroom. Smart girl!!!!!

 After putting her stuff in her room we walked with the girls over to "registration" to pick up their t-shirts and EFY books and backpacks...

After dropping her off Dan, Courtney, and I headed to the Visitors Center. We met some cute missionaries... one will be a forever friend... Sister Schoepf! She is from Riverton and we are already planning on attending her homecoming in August! We then watched the movie "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration." It was really good and really helped us all feel the spirit before we began visiting the sights in Nauvoo.

First we visited the "Browning" home. Dan LOVED this one. In this case below (on the top left) are a gun and saber owned by William Clayton. He is the one who wrote "Come, Come, ye Saints." The Cutlers on our street are related to him, so Courtney had to get pictures to bring home to Camilla.

I thought this must have been the view so many saints living in Nauvoo must have seen while living here after the temple was finished. How difficult it must have been to see this sight for the last time as they headed to Parley Street and then for the unknown fate held for them in the Rocky Mountains...

We decided to try the Buffet at the "Hotel Nauvoo" tonight... at least I think that's what it was called?.....

Dan and Torte ready for some food!

Afterwards we headed for the show "Sunset on the Mississippi" put on by the Youth Performing Missionaries and the adult couple missionaries. I had never heard of the Youth Performing Missionaries before. They have to audition and if chosen come to Nauvoo for 4 months. They were really amazing!

Before the show started they had the kids make hats. Little did Courtney know that after they made their hats they would then have to march in the "Parade"...

She was MORTIFIED!!!! It was hilarious watching her! She tried to be a good sport... but we could tell she wanted to climb under a rock! She is at that point now... she will be 12 in November.

The cute Elders with fake noses on that made them look like mosquito's....

Also performing tonight were the Living Legends from BYU. They were awesome!!!

They represented many ethnic backgrounds including the Native Americans... 

Afterwards we headed back to our room and collapsed into bed! What a long and busy day.... but sooooo fun! Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings....

Nauvoo Vacation: Day 3 (Sunday)

This morning we decided we needed to sleep in a little bit and hit the road around 10 am. We had breakfast in our hotel and then began our journey to Nauvoo. 

I don't know what it is about my family that makes them feel the need to build things out of napkin rings and salt & pepper shakers when ever we go out to eat... but they do! Courtney was very proud of her tower...

 At one point during the drive, we crossed over into Iowa....

 But we crossed back into Illinois before reaching Nauvoo. The ride was longer than we thought... but it was beautiful. Originally we had planned to make it to Sacrament meeting in Nauvoo at 2 pm, but we soon realized that it just wasn't possible. We read scriptures and stories about what we would be seeing on the ride there, so that made it feel a little more like the Sabbath.

 When we arrived in Nauvoo it looked like a ghost town. We stayed at the Zion's Mercantile / Woodruff Hotel... which was nice... but there wasn't a "front desk" to check in to. There was literally a metal box on the door with a welcome letter and the key to our room in it. That was a little weird. We also had to hike up 3 flights of stairs (44 stairs to be exact) to get to our room on the top floor. With the amount of luggage we brought, that was a real calorie burning workout! OH... and isn't the carpet just breathtaking?

We decided to go out and explore the area... this is Kenna slipping down a flight of stairs. It wouldn't have been as funny if she had gotten hurt... but being there were no broken bones or blood it was pretty hilarious! Her sunglasses even stayed on! Impressive.

 Courtney relaxing on a wagon-wheel bench... we're in the country now for sure!

 Dan got a new phone right before our trip and now has the ability to play "Angry Birds". It became a bit of an addiction on this trip...

 Our room was really big...

 I was so glad that it was bigger than an average hotel room... being we were staying a whole week!

 A gorgeous shot of the Mississippi river....

 The Nauvoo Temple...

 It's the only temple with a bell tower and clock. It was so beautiful to hear the bell while we were out and about during our stay...

 What is it with my girls falling down today?! Careful or Dad really will ban our flip-flops!!!!!

 I love this. Imagine the rejoicing on the other side the day this Temple was dedicated!

 This Temple is just beautiful! We spent at least an hour just sitting there tonight. We were really surprised when we arrived and it was in the 80's and comfortable. It made being out tonight so nice and cool. Little did we know what was coming in a few days...

 We loved this statue of Joseph and Hyrum riding away from their beloved Nauvoo for the last time. It was powerful...

 Our Forever Family....

 The view of the Temple from our room...

 Dan took this picture of all of my shoes tonight after I unpacked. I guess I didn't realize how many flip-flops I brought with me. And dress shoes. What can I say.... they like Angry Birds, I like shoes.

We can't wait for tomorrow. It will be hard to drop off Kenna at EFY for the whole week, but we are so excited to see all of the sights and learn more about the Saints time here. This trip has been wonderful so far!!! Tonight as we were returning to our room Courtney yelled "What was that?!" When we looked over we saw what she was pointing to....I had completely forgotten about fireflies! They are so magical!!! We will have to go out and catch some in a jar this week!

Nauvoo Vacation 2012: Day 2

We started off day #2 by attending the Chicago Temple. Dan and I were able to do a session, and he and Kenna did baptisms. It was a GREAT way to start the day... and it was so beautiful! Courtney was so understanding about spending time in several "waiting rooms" over the next few days... 

 Our family out front of the temple...

 A closer shot of us in front of the fountain...

 Courtney rockin' out to the song "Call Me Maybe" on the way back to our hotel to change.

 After changing and packing up we headed in to the city to go to American Girl for lunch and a little shopping...

 This man has the most awe-inspiring and impressive "man sweater" we have ever seen...

 Dan was so excited about his pretty pink menu and hair scrunchie on his napkin! Now this is what a REAL man looks like! He will eat lunch in a place like this if it makes his little girl smile....

 She was so EXCITED!!!! She brought her newest doll that Kenna gave her for Christmas with her...

 Kenna enjoying her shake...

 Our happy family...

 The funniest part of our time at American Girl was that almost every table was celebrating a birthday! Every time they brought a cake out the servers would start singing happy birthday. It was like a movie. If there was a kid in there celebrating their birthday by going there for lunch but didn't have parents that splurged for an overpriced "American Girl" cake... can you imagine that ride home?! "But Mom and Dad... why don't you love me as much as the girls at tables 2,3,4,6, 7, 9 12, 14.......etc....?"

 The new American Girl doll of the year... MCKENNA!!!!

 Something we don't see in Utah... but we were prepared for with a giant bag of change...

 After lunch we headed for Kenosha, Wisconsin to my sister's house. We visited for awhile and then all piled in to our Tahoe and headed out for some fun....

 My brother-in-law Doug with Maddi at the "beach" on the lake...

 The Kenosha lighthouse...

 McKenna giving Maddi a ride...

 After Dan gave both Abi and Maddi rides they insisted he give Courtney one too...

 After some fun at the beach we took them to dinner at Chilis...

 And I HAVE to include this shot although it is really blurry! This family came in and this guy was holding a Doritos bag with what looks like a bird. We thought he had found this hurt bird in the parking lot or something... come to find out... it was actually a really brown banana. With a stem that looks like a beak. In a Doritos bag. I don't know which is weirder! A bird in a Doritos bag or a nearly rotten banana in one. At Chili's. It was so funny!!!!

After dinner we headed back to Doug and Cheryl's and spent a few hours just talking and catching up. We all wished we had more time.... but what we did have was GREAT! We sure love their family!

Nauvoo Vacation: Friday June 22, 2012

This summer we signed McKenna up for EFY in Nauvoo. We decided to make a big family vacation out of her adventure. We left on Friday, June 22 returning on 13 days later on Wednesday, July 4th. 

DAY #1: When we left Friday morning for the airport this is what we saw out our back window... it was tough to leave not knowing what would happen while we were gone. Fortunately, before it took any homes or lives, the wind turned and the fire went the other way. Prayers are answered.  

 Just as we were walking out the door to leave for the airport McKenna realized she couldn't find her temple recommend. Lucky for her... her dad just happens to be the bishop and we could stop at the church and he could do an interview with her for a new one. She needed it for EFY in Nauvoo... they were going to be doing baptisms at the Nauvoo temple! If she hadn't realized it when she did she wouldn't have gotten to participate.

 On the shuttle to the airport... headed for Chicago! We were all so EXCITED!!!!

 After getting our rental car (We ended up with a Tahoe... the car we were going to get wouldn"t fit all of our luggage! Two weeks worth of luggage for 4 people is more than you think! Especially when 3 of the 4 are girls!) we checked into our hotel and headed North to meet my sister and her family at Six Flags Great America in Wisconsin. We didn't tell the girls until we pulled into the parking lot! They were so excited!

 We got there about 8 pm... and the park closed at 10...so we only had 2 hours but we made good use of the time. Dan, Doug and McKenna headed for the big rollercoasters and Cheryl and I took the little girls to the less crazy rides. Everyone was happy!

 I know this picture is blurry, but it was the best one I got. Courtney, Abi, and Maddi. They were so cute! The funniest part of the night was when I bought the girls "dippin dots" and Abi looked right at me and said, "Oh thank you Aunt Stephi! My mom would NEVER have done this!" It was hilarious because my sister had just told me she was thinking about buying them ice cream. Love my beautiful little nieces!

 We hadn't had dinner and we were starving so we stopped at a McDonalds right across the street from the park. It had an "Elvis" theme. We had to get a picture of Kenna with Elvis because of her tremendous aversion to him. From the time she was really little maybe 2 or 3 years old, she has despised Elvis. We have no idea why. Neither does she really...but to Kenna he is No Bueno!

 Our girls in our "car booth"... what a fun first day!!!! After a quick bite to eat we headed back to Chicago to our hotel and the fun adventures awaiting us tomorrow!

I Hope They Call Me On a Mission....

Our first nephew got his mission call a few weeks ago. We are so proud of Alex and his decision to go on a mission... he is GREAT young man and will make a wonderful missionary! He is going to be serving in Bolivia!!!! We can't wait to receive letters and emails about all of his great adventures!