Nauvoo Pictures and some extra Details...

We didn't get to Nauvoo until three in the afternoon and everything closes as six so we jumped right into seeing as much as possible until everything closed. After seeing as much as we could we went to a park and had a picnic lunch. I was so proud of myself as I had packed up all the food we would need on the trip so we wouldn't have to buy anything (in an effort to keep the trip as economical as possible.) After dinner we headed over to the temple grounds to take some pictures of and in front of the temple. I don't know why we parked where we did as it was much farther than necessary (there was tons of parking on the street in front of the temple) but it turned out being a good thing photographically if nothing else. I was able to get some great pictures coming across the field that blocked out cars parked in front. Also we had fun jumping over ditches (Lib's jump is especially fun to watch - I don't think it will be too long before she is actually getting off the ground...) After seeing the temple we wandered over to the outdoor stage and watched some Polynesian Fire dancers as well as another show called 'Sunset on the Mississippi' basically a campfire variety show. Starting off the show was a parade that all children were invited to join in - where they were given hats to decorate and flags to wave. Emmuska took decorating her hat very seriously and did a marvelous job. Liberty took wearing her hat very seriously and also did a top notch job. (Seriously you should have seen the way she wore her hat - as if this most important responsibility could not be properly by anybody else.)

After the shows we decided to find our campground but ran into a few difficulties. I couldn't find the paper I written down all the information on and we were having a hard time calling anybody as our phones didn't get very good reception. Eventually we found the site and began setting up our tent. It was after dark by that point but given how the ground felt around the car and the fact that we were pitching on a very grassy area I thought that it would be a pretty good night. After getting all set up I tried to find the electric skillet we had so we could quickly cook some hot dogs and go to bed. I knew I had set it aside to come with us but I couldn't find it anywhere. We didn't have any firewood and it was too late to start a fire anyway which was why I had packed the electric skillet - a sort of just in case measure. Who knew my just in case would fall through too. Thankfully the people next to us were very kind and let me roast the hot dogs on their fire. After a few hot dogs and getting cleaned up we finally settled down into our sleeping bags. It was already after midnight and I had had several short night before as it was so I was very ready to sleep. Unfortunately my girls idea of making a long car trip shorter is to sleep much of the time...so they were well rested and excited about the new arrangements. It took a very long time to get them settled down enough to sleep. After everybody was asleep I spent the night tossing and turning punctuated by brief moments of actually sleeping. Apparently Illinois grass has evolved to being able to grow on solid rock. It was ridiculously hard. I tried sleeping on my stomach for about ten seconds but that wouldn't work (it barely works on my marvelous mattress anymore...) I couldn't sleep on my back as whenever I did I could barely breath. So I was left to switch from side to side - thinking every time I did so "People do this for fun?" Mycal's experience apparently wasn't much better (though I note bitterly that whenever I looked at him he was asleep...) He asked me the next morning how I could possibly sleep on my side 'didn't that hurt?' I gave him a rather dark look and informed him that my options had been limited and that yes it was uncomfortable. The kids however seemed to have a lovely night.

Important lesson learned - if we are trying to be frugal look into campsite cabins (actually would have cost us less than the campsite and renting tent...)

Something I'm very glad we did - rent the tent...I don't think we will need one in the foreseeable future.

I will end on that but want to share a few pictures with you - okay it's quite a few so don't give up too soon. I know it's more than I usually do but trust it's far less than I would love to do. Enjoy!
Not too much to say about this photo - here we are in front of the temple. I wish we had had more time - enough to let at least Mycal go through as I was able to during the open house. Still it's special just being on the grounds. As we are trying to remember the things we do as a family we strive to ask somebody to get a shot of all of us everywhere we go. The guy we asked here was really into it - most people just point and click - he made sure he was in the best positions, kneeling down and framing the shot and what not. I'm glad he did as it turned out rather well and I don't know that others would have worried about getting the entire temple in otherwise.
I took this shot as we were walking over a field up to the temple grounds. The lighting at the moment couldn't have been better. Everything just looked beautiful for us that day (even though it had rained less than an hour before...)

This was in the Family Living Center - a place with a lot of hands on demonstrations of how different day to day tasks would have been done in the mid 1800's. Emmuska listened very patiently as somebody told her all about making bread. I was fascinated by a chart I saw that showed the process necessary to make flax into a fiber. As the sister was describing the process of making wool into yarn she let us look at a sample of wool. Emmuska was too bright for ordinary though. She spied the bucket of black wool under the table and asked if that was where they put the spots. Apparently she believes that some sheep have spots like cows and that once shaved you would separate the spotted wool from the regular. She is now on the hunt for a spotted sheep.

I just liked this shot - we were driving through the park and I happened to see the temple. I liked the way the tree in the foreground framed the picture.

Mycal explaining who Joseph Smith was and what he did. It was a perfect 'father' moment. You don't get a chance to capture the moments where we teach our kids all that often on film so I loved this shot.

Emmuska diligently looking for the price tag. She recently learned how to look for prices and figure out what things cost. Mycal was surprised when she came up to him with a toy and said 'This is six dollars - can you buy it?' When Mycal looked at the tag she was right. She didn't get the toy as a reward but it's hopefully a good start in teaching her the value of money. On that note they had horehounds (hooray!) I was very excited as I hooked myself up with a bag.

Our 'prairie diamonds'. Liberty had one too but decided to chew on it rather than wear it so it isn't in the picture. Emmuska noticed that it wasn't like my other ring (wedding ring) and wanted to know why they didn't give us those kinds. When I explained that they couldn't give everybody a ring like mine she just said 'Oh, well someday I'm going to get a ring like yours.' The girl knows what's worthwhile. ;)

Nice shot of Mycal and the girls looking at some horses. Emmuska couldn't get enough of the animals. If every display had had animals we would have been better able to hold her attention (hence our new determination to make it to the St. Louis Zoo soon...)

A mouse trap - I had to take a picture because this was the sort of thing Mycal used to catch Rutabaga months ago - some ideas are great no matter how old.

This shot was just too funny - Mycal took it in the bathroom mirror (I had no idea until later when I was looking that photos...) I love my camera! My point and shoot would have destroyed this shot - and that would be tragic.

I'm not sure what this was - her excited face maybe...who knows still too hilarious not to share with all of you. Just a fun way to show all of you how much fun we have!