Tuesday we had a long day of driving from Niagara Falls, Canada to Burlington, Iowa so that we could spend Wednesday in Nauvoo. While Kirtland and Palmyra have a few sites to visit, Nauvoo could take you a week if you wanted to see everything. With my kids ages I decided 1 was enough, and since most schools weren't out yet, it was mostly empty and easy to get in to see everything.
First up an ox cart ride.
Then we visited the horses and took a horse drawn carriage ride around the city to help orient ourselves and get suggestions on the best places to visit for the kids.
Isla was not impressed with the horses or with the 45 minute ride narrated by a very monotone voiced elderly sister. As she climbed off she said in a very indignant voice "that was a very boring ride" to which the sister replied "well I guess that was the wrong ride for you then". Whoops!
So off we headed to the kid stuff. First learning about a blacksmith shop and getting prairie diamond rings (Isla was very impressed with the rings). This was followed by the brick maker and bakery and printing press and home of a famous gun maker all of which the kids enjoyed.
Then we stumbled upon the Pioneer Past Times play around and my kids wanted to spend the rest of the day there. Playing with tops and old wooden bowling sets.
Dressing up and playing house (cabin I should say).
Pulling bears up the ropes while racing.
I made us leave to go watch the puppet/singing missionary show.
But then there was much begging to go back to play. Isaac fell in love with this marble game.
And what he called "old school kendamas".
Tug of rope on blocks.
Have you noticed Isla never left the play cabin? She was content to cook and play with nothing else.
Eventually we had to leave and made one last stop down by the Mississippi river where the saints crossed to go west.
We also jumped into a covered wagon just for 1 picture of us ready to cross the river.
Last of all we stopped at the Nauvoo Temple which I haven't been back to since Taylor and I were married there almost 13 years ago. It hasn't changed much but it's still beautiful and inspiring and feels like home.
Just over 12 years ago Taylor and I were on those steps as barely newlyweds.
We left Nauvoo but couldn't head west without stopping in Carthage which turned out to be the spot in the trip where I decided I'd had enough- where we'd ALL had enough. At all 3 other cities, at every house or shop the missionary couples were very sensitive to kids being on the tour and shortened their speeches to accomodate. For whatever reason that was not the case in Carthage. We had 2 young sisters and they spent more than 10 minutes in each room and wanted to really promote a spiritual experience. I mean we sang every very of A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief and then moved to the last room where they reminded us over and over to be quiet so others could feel the spirit. The tour took 40 minutes when my kids could only handle 5. By the end Miles discovered the kleenex boxes literally every 2 feet and started taking kleenex and stuffing them up his nose and seeing how hard he'd have to blow to get them to shoot across the packed in room. Seriously. That's when I decided we were done being quiet and reverent for others and loudly scooted my group out of the room. Oh well. My point in taking the kids to church history sites was more for exposure than testimony. I hope they'll remember a little and have a little context and I hope I can take them all back in 5 or so years when they will remember and be old enough to appreciate the history and sacrifices. For now, it's time to head home.
