Some photos I missed

Alex outside the John Taylor Home.

Dayna and kids on the train in Topeka.

The Wizard of Oz cousins.

The Nauvoo Pageant

We wondered if the pageant would be on as there was quite a thunder storm going on right before it was due to start.  Everyone told us that it always cleared up because everyone prayed hard.  The pageant started late, but it did start in a clear patch between storms.  They announced that we had 1.5 hours between storms and the show would go on.  The cast was great with families and kids joining in to make such a gorgeous full stage.  They performed beautifully right through the rain and were all so grateful we stayed to watch.  We were so grateful they performed as it was our only night to see the pageant!  There was a great feeling of friendship there.

The man who played with Joseph Smith was excellent and the kids were thrilled to meet him after the show.

They erected a temple on stage as the pageant progressed.

Hiding from the rain before the show.

Pulling handcarts in the rain got us all in the spirit!

Carthage, Illonois

Outside Carthage Jail.

The kids watching Daddy and Alex from the window in the upper room where Joseph fell.

Nauvoo the Beautiful

Joseph Smith's Log Cabin.

The graves of Joseph, Emma and Hyrum.

The mansion house.

 
Inside the red brick store.

Emily holding Relief Society above Joseph Smith's Red Brick Store.

Rootbeer and Pioneer hats from the store for morning tea time.

 
Emily on our horse and cart ride around Nauvoo.  You can see we are passing in front of the temple.  

Kiffer watching how they set the Times and Seasons paper at the printing office.  I love the T-shirt next to him.  What a giggle.

This monument depicts Hyrum and Joseph taking a last look at Nauvoo as they leave for Carthage.  It faces the temple.

On the temple steps.

The kids loved getting a brick at the brickyard.

Here comes the ox cart, oh how slow.  2 miles an hour to be exact.  We had a little ride under the trees and the kids were impressed by the pooing and peeing display from the oxen.  Alex was the only one brave enough to pat an ox.

One thing Mark really wanted to do on the last day was walk the Trail of Hope, once called the Trail of Tears.  It is the route the saints took down Parley street as they left Nauvoo to begin the trek to Utah.  

Here they are at the end of the Trail of Hope by the Mississippi river.

Looking back you can see the temple rising above the trees.  I kept feeling so sorry for the saints who had worked so hard to build such a beautiful and sacred building and then had to leave it behind.  

I loved the temple.  It was beautiful up there on the hill overlooking the city.

One thing Kiffer really wanted to do in Nauvoo was make his own rope.  He's really into bits of string right now and  loves tying thing up all over the house.  Here he is at the Family Living Center turning the wheel to twist his rope.

Em cutting the rope once it was finished.

We decided we really liked the rootbeer at the red brick store, so we had to go back fro more on our final morning.

Root beer anyone?

Even I liked the root beer . . . and that's really saying something.  But most of all, I liked just getting to visit the store and be part of Nauvoo for a few days with the kids and Mark.

Hannibal, Missouri

It took us much longer to get to Nauvoo than anticipated, so we had to let the kids out for a romp in Hannibal, the town where Mark Twain grew up.  They had a cute little museum there and some nice places to walk along the Mississipi

.  

Had to get a picture here as it is Becky's Butterfly Garden.

The sign says it all.

What do you think about the riverboat captains.  I think they're kind of cute myself.

Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain, and the kids.  Alex started plonking himself down ready for the photos about this point in the trip.  He knew it was inevitable that I needed a picture and I guess he learned to get it over and done with as quickly as possible.

Liberty

We took a trip to Nauvoo our last week there.  On the way we stopped at Liberty Jail again and did the tour.  Afterwards we had a splashy little picnic at the sprayground before getting on the road again.

This is a new way to get a picture of the Liberty visitor's center.  To the near right of the Em's head, in the distance, obscured by water, is the building where Liberty Jail is housed.

Em and Kfifer had a lovely time soaking themselves, but Alex wasn't having a bit of it.

Inside the visitor's center in front of liberty jail.

The Fourth of July

What a neat Fourth of July we had this year.  Grandpa had the kids and Mark come and march with his band in a parade and Alex and Mum went to watch . . . but ended up marching too with a great stroller/car made by Bro. Skow.  It was a lot of fun and we had a day of partying finishing up with fireworks in the driveway at night.

Kiffer and Em in their Fourth Gear.

All set to march.  I had a number of people come up and take pictures of the kids.  Alex surprised me.  I thought he'd be hard work, but he was just gorgeous sitting up there waving to the people by the roadside and saying "hi".  I think he quite loved the whole thing

Grandpa played the Sax and Daddy the Bass Drum.  

Say Cheese!

The Three Musketeers