a few highlights

Nauvoo was just as great the second time around. I couldn't believe the weather. We were anticipating hot, humid and muggy. We got rainy, cool and then, towards the end of the week, paradisiacal. I had a splendid birthday. We got to see the Nauvoo Pageant. It wasn't very crowded. And it was just fun to be there with my parents.

Dad 'whipping' a rope

I can't tell you why Gracie's eyes are so dilated in this picture. She is easily excited.

At the Land and Records office you can take in family names and find out if they lived in Nauvoo, and if so where their land was/is located. Dad had a few names and came away with a disc full of information, journal entries he hadn't ever seen and map coordinates.

Almost all that greenery behind us is growing out of the river. 

Cori and I went to the Temple on my birthday.

Cori was quite the pioneer at the Pageant preshow activities. First he pulled his family in a handcart- through the mud, mind you. Then he sawed at a log with Dad.

Cori chastising the congregation (us) from the pulpit of the Seventies Hall.

The house we stayed in was really interesting. It sits right on the river and is designed inside and out to resemble a modern day castle. We saw a particularly glorious sunset.

Our last morning in that area, we went out to Carthage Jail. 

We then headed north to Galena where Mom and Dad toured the Ulysses S. Grant Home historic site. Then we wandered the shops downtown for a while. We got to our hotel just in time to miss an incredible deluge. We were later asked to evacuate the inside pool (?!) due to tornado warnings. So we sat in the lobby, in our swimsuits, with other hotel guests and watched the weather channel for an hour or so until the warning was lifted. Then we went back into the pool until they evacuated us a second time and we decided to call it a night. 

The next day we went back out to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. We love museums. Notice the turtles in this picture with the kids.

In the pilot house of the dredging boat listening to Papa Jeff who was taking orders down in the engine room.

We had the most relaxing Sunday. Church then grilled pizzas and afternoon naps. That evening we went to the park as we read on a city calendar that the Sunday night concerts were still going. The performance shell was empty. We would not be detered from our amusement and went for a walk. Gracie kept Papa Jeff busy and Grammie Marla taught her how to catch fireflies. It was a perfect end to our week together.