a trip to Nauvoo~ part 1

We drove to Nauvoo last week and it was wonderful! I'm always sad getting home from trips, realizing the trip is over. But we had such a great time filled with wonderful memories. It was an 8 day trip, 4 days in the car and 4 days in Nauvoo with my parents. On the road we watched a lot of movies, ate a lot of pretzels and fruit snacks, had a couple emergency potty breaks, lots of crayons all over our car, but in all the drive was not bad.

Our van's transmission went out a week before the trip, so the van was in the shop all week and was finished at 6pm Fri night, the night before we left. Hallelujah! So we were so grateful to be in our van on our way.

Garrett loves to pass through states. (Wyoming was a little long)

We stopped at Winter Quarters, Iowa to see the Temple and Visitors Center. I get confused about all the places the pioneers stopped, so it was nice to hear the missionaries explain what happened here.

Sunday night, we made it!

So great to see my parents and their little home.

We planned our week around when and where my parents would be serving and performing, so Monday morning we started with a wagon tour around the town. We passed by my parents serving at Pioneer Pastime, and it made me want to cry realizing I was in Nauvoo and seeing them on their mission.

The Nauvoo Temple

We spent a lot of time at Pioneer Pastime bc my parents served there the first 3 days, and the girls loved it. There are 2 little log homes, a kitchen and a school, and then all the dress ups a little girl would want, so they would have played their all day if if wasn't for the incredible heat. :) I felt so bad for my parents fully dressed in pioneer clothes.

I almost beat Garrett in the stick pole.

So did my dad.

We saw 9 shows. I was surprised how much Macie loved watching the YPM (young performing missionaries) sing and dance. It was like they were the Disneyland princesses.

Visit to family living center to make rope with grandpa. Then Halle had a melt down, so we went back to the house for a nap. :)

My favorite thing: seeing my Parents in the shows. My parents are not the theatrical type, so this was a real treat watching them sing and dance. Garrett was saying it felt like we were the parents watching our kids in the school play, so happy and proud of them. This was totally worth driving for 20 hours.

My Uncle and Aunt are also serving in Nauvoo, so also awesome to see my dad sing next to his little brother by a year, Ronny.

Day #2 in Nauvoo. My parents had a few hours in the morning, so my dad gave us a tour at the brickyard.

and at the blacksmith shop. He made the girls horse shoes.

My mom gave us a tour of the Seventy's home.

Then on a carriage ride. Mack fell asleep from the rocking.

and then berry did.

We saw a couple more shows this day, played at pioneer pastime, visited a few more homes and saw Rendevous at night. Again, Garrett and I had smiles on our faces watching my parents perform, sing and speak their lines perfectly!

After the show, the girls got to wear the special hats.

and a hat like papa.

even Mack got to wear a YPM's hat.

That evening my dad let their 2 raccoon go.

Day 3 & 4 in Nauvoo will have to be "scrapbooked" hopefully tomorrow.