"Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo"

Since our summer break is officially over, I should probably squeeze in a few more of our summer happenings before I forget they even happened.

At the beginning of June several of my family members drove from Denver (and a few flew from UT) and met here in Des Moines. We regrouped, then caravanned to Nauvoo, Illinois. We've visited here a few times since living only 3.5 hours from this historic city, but we always love coming back. You get to step back in time, and observe how life was for our ancestors.

There is A LOT to do in Nauvoo. We rented a vacation home, and spent almost 3 days there and still did not see/do everything. We loved attending the temple, watching the musicals and variety shows put on by the missionaries, and touring the restored homes and businesses--like the bakery, post office and gunsmith's shop.

Also popular were the horse and oxen-pulled wagon rides. We loved them both. Tyler really loved them...







Ansley loved the horses from a distance.







There was much for kids to do in the way of pioneer games and activities.







...and plenty for big kids, too.







It was awesome to be together--touring, site-seeing, pretending to be pioneers...















We might have forgotten what century we lived in...if it weren't for that pioneer woman on her cell phone at the cabin door.

Joking aside, Nauvoo is a special place. The saints that lived there suffered and sacrificed much for their religion. Something about their simple, hard-working lifestyle intrigues me. I like to think I would have fit well in that era, but truthfully I don't know if I would have had the strength or stamina. I hope I can endure the hardships of my era as honorably as they did.