Nauvoo

We made it!! Wow, long drive with children! Actually they did super duper well, even for being my children! Heck, I even did well!  We did get lost at the end, couldn't find our "vacation house" since it was in the middle of nowhere and our GPS couldn't find the address and Dane's phone had no internet or reception.  Geeze.  We finally found it hidden amongst fields and fields of corn. It was NOT by the temple like the internet picture showed :) lol. 

Well, Nauvoo, what can I say? There is really really nothing here.  Very few shops/places to eat downtown, the temple, farm, and Church Museums.  That's it!  That being said, it was beautiful, quiet, beautiful weather, and really fun & interesting to learn about history.  

The best news of all, it is alllll FREEEE! Music to my ears :)
I really wish I had worked on this post earlier.  I can't remember all the stories that were told!

Here we are on our oxen ride

I almost got stabbed by the oxen while taking a pic in front of it.  
Oops, sometimes I just don't think things through.  That is why I have Dane

Taking a walk to our next location to get wiggles out

Brigham Young's House

Browning Home & Gunsmith Shop

I love this picture of Jada blowing dandelions

on our way to Joseph Smith's House

grave site for the Smith Family & Friends

Joseph Smith's Office

RS Meeting room & used for other purposes

downtown

Nauvoo Temple

These pictures don't give it justice.  

Truly a gorgeous Temple

I just loved those lanterns at the entrance

Family Fun Center where you learn and watch demonstrations on how to make rope- like Dane is doing here-make clay pots, barrels, rugs, bread etc

this is for my Dad
Are your flowers this BIG yet? haha

Over at the Blacksmith making horseshoes & taking them home and some rings

Jada helping with the demonstrations

Pioneer Family Play Area

learning how to play pioneer time games

Sadie just eating them, gosh darn it, gross!

Visitors Center

Horse Carriage Ride & Tour around the whole town

Mississippi River

Carthage Jail
It was so sad and humbling to come and relive history.
All the sites we were able to visit made all those stories come to life.  I am in awe of all the things that these people went through.  They had sacrificed it all for this Church's sake.
Amazing human beings, no wonder they were called of God

This is the Warden's bedroom.  He lived in the Jailhouse

This is where they kept the Prophet & others.
They trusted Joseph Smith and kept this cell unlocked

This is the cell where John Taylor and Willard Richards
hid from the mob after all the shootings

This is the room where the attack happened

It had been a LONG day and our kids were the least reverent of the bunch.
They were done with tours. 

This is the original door the day the prophet was martyred.  A very somber place. You couldn't help but feel sorry for the prophet and these men.  They were sitting ducks.  -Dane

The window where Joseph fell

Same window (top floor)