Nauvoo 2012

On our way out West this summer we met my parents and my mom's sisters in Nauvoo. 
We had a wonderful time.

It was fun dressing up in pioneer clothes.

Picture of the Nauvoo temple with the statues depicting Joseph and Hyrum on their horses looking at the temple one last time before leaving for Carthage Jail. 

Nicholas got up to join the kids in ring around the rosie.  This statue is in the monument to women garden.

We loved the ox cart ride.  It was neat to be able to show the kids how the pioneers really traveled. The only difference is that the pioneers didn't ride they walked.

  I love this picture.  My aunt Janet (my mom's twin sister), aunt Joan, my mom and dad, and the Bakes family

Fun times in the Family Living Center-Nicholas loved the blocks and Livy loved the pioneer dolls.

And Jonathan absolutely had the time of his life making a rope.  Here he is turning the wheel.

He had to turn it until the three strands were twisted together.

Here he is with the finished product.  Notice the huge grin on his face.  He was so proud of himself and so happy that he got to keep the rope.

Outside the brickyard.

With Grandpa by the Mississippi River.

This is inside the seventies hall.  It is a neat building because if you have ancetors that were seventies during the Nauvoo period you get to sign the descendants book and Alan (with the help of his mom) found, David Cluff Sr., so he and the kids signed the book.  My parents later went and found one of my relatives.

The Seventies Hall

Grandma and Alli

Grandma had to bribe Nicholas with a licorice to sit for the picture.

Sunstone-This was outside the stone quarry where they got the limestone to build the original temple.

Another picture in the garden.  Livy just loved this little girl and just crawled up and hugged her.  It was so cute.

Everyone on the wagon ride

Kids loved all of the rides.  Especially going with grandpa and grandma.

They had to get a closer look at the horses.

Nicholas was fascinated by the horses.  He loves animals.

Me with all of my aunts and my mom.  Janet, Joan, Me, My mom, Annette, and Coleen

My dad took this of Nicholas.  I thought it was so cute.

We went to 3 different shows while we were there.  There was one in the evening called "Sunset by the Mississipi," and at the beginning the kids got to decorate hats and be in a little parade.  They loved it!

Jonathan had to have his picture taken with one of the performing missionaries after a show.  He climbed up a pole in the show so Jonathan thought he was pretty cool.  After every show Jonathan had to shake all of the actors hands.  They all knew him by name by the end of our stay.

I love this picture of my parents in front of the temple.

What a happy boy!

At Carthage jail in front of the Joseph and Hyrum statue.  I just love everything about this picture.

There was a children's area with lots of fun toys and game the pioneer children played.  Alan and Jonathan were having stick horse races. For some reason Jonathan always won!

Everyone trying their had at the stilts.

Alli had a fun time and got pretty good at it once we figured out how to hold on to it the right way to get the best balance.

Also in the kids area they had 2 little log buildings - one was a house with baby dolls and a kitchen where they could play house and this one was a school and since Alli and Livy love to play school they thought this was pretty neat.

Great picture of my mom and her sisters.

I think that I have probably said way too many times "I love this picture" but I have to say it again,  I LOVE this picture of my dad with Joseph and Hyrum.

Jonathan got this coon skin hat as a souvenirs and grandpa had to try it out.

I just love Nauvoo! There is such a strong, special spirit there. One of the things that make it so special is to look up on the hill and see the temple that has been rebuilt. I love hearing the stories of all of those faithful pioneers and remembering and honoring their lives. They truly lived life to its fullest. They suffered so much but kept going through all of the hard times. They truly are an example to us. Nauvoo was their beautiful city and they left it all behind but they did it in hopes of finding a place where they could live their faith.