Family Time.....

This past week was Labor Day. What is Labor Day anyway? I thought it was a day that parents were able to utilize their children's time and talents and have them dedicate themselves to one full day of labor around the house. I guess I have been wrong all these years because my children think it is the last vacation of the year. Hmmmm? We went for a hike up to Stewart Falls in the morning. It was really nice. I was happy to be with all of my kids, well all except AJ. He decided to stay home. We hiked and talked and when we got to the falls, Lissa was the only one who actually went behind the waterfall. Way to go Lissa! I knew if I got wet I would be miserable for the rest of the day.

The plan was to go on the hike in the morning and then we were going to go to Park City and meet my brothers and their families and my parents out lunch. We would then hang out in Park City for the rest of the day.

Well, lets say that things didn't goes exactly the way they were supposed to. Jon parked close to a bush and when we backed out of the parking lot the very strong wicked bush yanked and pulled and actually tore the whole front bumper right off of his car. We were shocked and stood them with the most dumbfounded looks on our faces. How on earth could this happen? We decided it would not be safe to drive to Park City, so we headed home. All in all it was still a fun day since we spent it with family.
My birthday was a few weeks ago and for my birthday Jon gave me a massage table. I know that may seem like an odd gift, but the family has had a great time taking turns giving and receiving massages. It really came in handy when Tyler returned from running the Red Rock Relay, which by the way his teal placed 19 out of 185 teams, anyway, his legs were hurting so bag so Lissa, Jon and I took turns working him over on the table. It was fun to hear his groans of agony as we barely touched those aching muscles.

Things for us are good right now. We have some really tough challenges, but are facing them head on and getting through as a family. We just finished a wonderful area conference and were fed some great spiritual thoughts. they give us courage to face the trials and be able to come out of them okay. Life is hard, I know that, but I have hope that each of us will be okay if we are surrounded by family. They are the ones who cheer us on. They are the ones who weep with us. They are the ones who stand by our side and lift us when we can't lift ourselves when we can't stand alone anymore. Thanks family for continuing to stand by me when I am week. I love you.

Call me a slacker!

I know...since I have been home I have not been very faithful in keeping up with my blog. I keep saying that it is because I have not taken any pictures. That is such a lame excuse. I should take pictures of daily normal life. I am going to get better at that. It has been quite the transition since I have been home. I t was difficult to get back into the groove of things. The kids have all started school now and we seem to be on a schedule. I love routines and schedules, wait I only love my schedules.

Jon and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this month. Wow...I can't believe we have been married for twenty-five years. As I look back over time there are a lot of things I wish we could change, but know that those are the things that have made us grow closer and stronger. It is wonderful having someone to travel through life with. It has been such a roller coaster ride and I feel we have learned a lot from raising our family. We celebrated our anniversary by having all the kids back home together. We have been separated all summer. We had a great dinner and enjoyed talking about our experiences we each had. I love my kids. Being the mom is not easy. I have to remind myself of that every day.

I also celebrated my birthday this month. It was not too eventful since I received a migraine for my birthday. My boys were very sweet. Each one got me a gift. Tyler and Lissa bought pizza for everyone and gave me some beautiful roses. AJ gave me the most wonderful bouquet of Gerber daisies and Kelton gave me a scented oil warmer for the house. Logan ordered a gift for me from the inter net, but it has not come yet. I feel so loved.

We have had a few challenges the past week and once again our faith is being tested. I am trying to be strong, but feel so weak at times. I know that when we have some wonderful spiritual experience and can't help but share it with everyone, that makes Satan furious. He will do anything he can to stop us from sharing the gospel and the light with others. Oh how I hate him. I also know that there are many people on both sides of the veil that are helping us fight this battle. Sometimes it is just so hard to keep fighting. I wish I could raise my family in an isolation booth on a lovely beach in the Caribbean. (Wishful thinking?) To everyone out there that may be battling the forces of evil, hang on, band together and be strong. We will win. We have to win. I love this gospel it gives me hope in a world where everything seems so wicked. It gives me peace when there is turmoil all around and it gives me courage to take one more step forward each day.

A NEW KITCHEN...

This is what the boys and I came home to from Nauvoo. It is amazing. Jon had our kitchen remodeled while we were in Nauvoo. I am so happy with the way things turned out. I had some great friends who picked out tile and things for me. Jon was great having to live in the mess that was created by the whole things. Thanks Jon. I am so happy that my husband did this for me. I just love my new kitchen. Now what should I start cooking?

Well...it has been one week since I have been home from Nauvoo. I never thought it would be an adjustment, but it has. It is hard being home. There is a part of me that still wants to be in Nauvoo. I have a yearning that calls me back. It is a yearning to be close to those who have gone before and left such a heritage. I will remember them always. I will also remember those we left behind in Nauvoo. We met some great people there and it was hard to say goodbye to them. Each one touched our lives in a very special way, but there is one person that is extra special to us. Karen is the most amazing women. She is extra special. She put up with us for 8 weeks. She loved us unconditionally. She listened, laughed, shared, cried and loved with us. Each morning she and I would put on her aprons...I say her because she shared them with me...and serve the guests at the inn. I called them our uniforms. She would share anything. She is what I would call an angel on earth. She taught us so many important lessons. Lessons that changed lives. Lessons we all needed to learn. She is a saint. I can't help but compare her to Emma. Dear, sweet Emma was faced with trial and tribulation after trial and tribulation. She continued to give and sacrifice all that she had. This is Karen. She gives and gives and then gives some more. There is a story told about Emma standing at her second story window waving a red table cloth to her children as they crossed the Mississippi to the Montrose side. Emma would never cross the river. They knew her love as she waved good bye with her red table cloth. When they would come to visit her, she would once again wave the red table cloth so that they could see her waiting for them. She welcomed them with open arms. She also had to wave good bye to her friends and loved ones as they pointed their wagons west and began their journey. Karen has had to say good bye to many loved ones as they too point their vehicles of transportation west and head home. It was so difficult when AJ and I had to leave and head west. We have a work to do here in the west and it broke our hearts to leave Dear Karen in the East. Like Emma, Karen remains faithful and strong, doing what she can to build the kingdom in beautiful Nauvoo. It is not easy and often lonely. If anyone knows Karen she doesn't have a red table cloth to wave, but is always willing to welcome you back with open arms. The scriptures say that Emma was an elect lady. I revere Karen with the same title. We love you my friend. You will always have a place in our hearts. I will stand in the west waving my tablecloth for you as I anxiously await your arrival. God Bless You!!!

A Few Lasts...


The last week in Nauvoo was really quite emotional. It was hard toknow that I was continually doing the last of something. It was the last night of pageant, the last vanilla cookie, the last load of laundry, the last walk to the temple, the last time to see favorite missionaries etc. It broke my heart. There were a few things we did the last week that were pretty fun. We had dinner with the Jones' and they drove us out to a tree in Nauvoo that is 300 years old. It was amazing. It looks like something right out of The Lion King!

This picture doesn't even begin to do it justice, but I love that the Jones' are in the picture with us. Oh how we love them.

We walked to the Ashby's and the Snow's to say our farewells to Melvin. Melvin does not like me, but he likes AJ and Karen. It is cute to watch him, but I really don't like touching him. He is so prickly. AJ things Melvin rocks and

would love to take him home. Can you imagine just what the neighbors would say when they saw him walking a raccoon on a leash through the neighborhood? Good ole Melvin! He loves to eat cookies and will climb right up your leg to get them. He is not climbing up my leg! In fact he is not climbing anywhere near me. I held him once and that was enough for me. I will enjoy him from a distance.

We also had to say good-bye to Emma's Willow. Emma is a wonderful example of strength and courage. Many people are too quick to judge her, but I have come to appreciate and love dear, sweet Emma. I am sure that just as Kim said, "Many tears were shed at this willow." Emma had to do hard things and I have learned that each one of us are required to do hard things. Will we face the challenges with courage and faith or will we falter?

One of the sweetest people in Nauvoo is Alma. Alma did our laundry for the Inn. The boys would always tell me, "Nobody makes clothes or sheets smell as good as Alma." Everyday she would write cute sweet notes for 'Superboy' AJ on strips of toilet paper. Each note ended with a scripture for him to look up and read. We came to love Alma. We called her our Sunshine. When we would come home from work there was our sunshine to greet us. She is such an amazing lady. The morning that we left, Alma got dressed up and rode her bike to the house. She played her guitar and sang, "Each Life That Touches Ours." That morning we witnesses a true Christlike gift. It was a pure gift from the heart and each of us wept. Thank you Sunshine for such a touching gift. We will never, ever forget you! She also gave AJ and I a gift she had purchased, but the gift we loved the most was the song she sang and the hugs she left with us.

Nauvoo 2010

Lessons Learned

There are many things I learned while living in Nauvoo this summer. Some things were easy to learn and others took a little longer. I will cherish the friends and memories that were made this summer and I will never forget the experiences that took place. It was an amazing summer. I hope that when my boys remember Nauvoo, they will remember the summer they shared an attic with their mother and learned about their ancestors and heritage. I hope that they will know their mother loves them and loved sharing Nauvoo with them.

1. Mississippi Mud Cake doesn’t really come from the bottom of the Mississippi River.
2. Frogs, turtles, raccoons, squirrels, opossums, geese, deer, fox, snakes, rabbits and bats do not hurt us.
3. Chiggers are not our friends.
4. Miracles happen daily.
5. It all begins and ends with family.
6. Sacrifice builds character.
7. A mother will do anything for her children’s well
   .
8. True friendship is a gift to be cherished.
9. Grandmother’s house is only a short walk away.
10. two friends joined at the heart really do become one.
11. Vanilla Bread Pudding makes every meal taste better.
12. Raccoons don’t like me.
13. Sunsets are breathtaking.
14. Thunder and Lighting storms are extremely loud and truly amazing.
15. Angels sing in cellars.
16. Nauvoo changes people and heals hearts, even if you don’t try.
17. Guardian angels attend your side in the form of yellow butterflies.
18. We all can do hard things.
19. We know them and they know us.
20. No matter what happens during the day, fireflies always come out at night.....no matter what.




Yes, I love the lessons learned and adore the memories created the summer of 2010 in Nauvoo.

Favorite Pageant Moments!

There are always some moments of the pageant that you love and adore. I know that to many of you these will mean nothing

but to a few it will stir some fond memories of the times

we shared in

the summer of

2010.

Nauvoo 2010

Nicest Family in the Whole World!

Saturday, July 24 - Pageant

Tonight we had to say good bye to the nicest family in the whole world. It was so hard because we have come to love this amazing family. Each one of them has worked so hard and at the end of each day they were hot, tired and sweaty, yet nobody ever quit smiling. It was such a delight to have them stop by the house for cold water bottles or slip the boys a chocolate milk now and then. We absolutely loved making them breakfast. We all enjoyed sitting around the kitchen table talking, laughing and mostly eating. The biggest treat of all was watching them perform in the Nauvoo Pageant. After each performance the boys would run off the stage and jump into my arms. That truly was one of the highlights of my day. Thanks boys! I will cherish those hugs always. What a wonderful example you have been here in Nauvoo. We will all miss you, but we will never forget you.

Visitors at Church...

This is just a quick note without any pictures because we don't take out camera to church. (Wish I had though.) We were sitting on the next to the last bench in the chapel. We have to get there about 40 minutes early to get a bench since every week we have close to 2,000 visitors attend the ward. We actually have 3 sacrament tables. Anyway, the row behind us had a few of the core cast members sitting there. Jeff, who plays Joseph was sitting behind us. In walks the Catholic priest dressed in his full robes and he sat down by Jeff. We were all talking because we have met him before. He said, " I stick out like a blond in China." I said, "No, we are all Chinese and you don't stand out. It is Jeff that stands out." Just then some little children ran up to Jeff calling, "Joseph." He is so cute. He bends down and takes them into his arms and hugs each one. It was exactly what the prophet would have done if he were here. It was awesome!!! I thought it was the cutest thing. It was also so neat to have the father with us that day. Later that afternoon, we were able to have Virginia Pierce and her daughter Heidi and children to dinner. We talked and laughed and ended our Sabbath on a great note. Thanks for joining us Virginia and family. What a treat!

Chicago Here We Come....

Last week AJ and I took a day trip to the windy city. We rode the train into Chicago and spent the day seeing as many sights and doing as much shopping as we could. It was so much fun to spend the day together. We ate prime rib for lunch and had deep dish Chicago pizza for dinner. We saw some beautiful parks and cathedrals and walked till our feet felt as if they would fall off. After working so hard for so many weeks and having an aching body, it was nice to have some retail therapy. There is nothing a good shopping trip can't cure....right Jon?

AJ said that his favorite part of the day was the taxi rides. We had one pretty wild and wacky driver. He did get us to Union Station on time, but almost took out a couple of pedestrians along the way. We saw some really fun and interesting things. We also saw a few wacko's in that city. I think my favorite part of the trip was just being able to have some one on one time with my son.

On the train ride home I fell asleep and AJ noticed that I had goose bumps on my arms. He took his brand new jacket out of the bag and placed it over my cold body. When I woke up I noticed the jacket on me. He said, "Mom, you looked so cold. I just had to cover your goose bumps." That was truly the highlight of my day. I would pay any amount of money for those tender moments. Thanks for remembering your old mother AJ. I love you!

Our New Friend...Milton

Well, this is our new friend. The boys have been trying to catch a coon for several months. They didn't actually catch this one, but someone else did. They have been bottle feeding it and have it as a pet herein Nauvoo. We took AJ over to their home and surprised him. It was so funny to see the look on his face. He was a little shocked when we first opened the cellar door. He actually jumped and started to run away. Yes, I did hold the coon and NO I did not enjoy it. I do not want one for a pet nor do I ever care to hold one again. I don't even have a desire for a coon skin cap, well...unless it had some bling on it.

I just love AJ's face in this picture. The coon started scratching in his thick hair. He was happy he wore his hat. The coon's name is Milton.

For anyone who knows me....you have to admit that this was one of the bravest things I have done. Did you notice that I even did it with a smile on my face? The things we do for our kids!

Pageant.....

It is so much fun living right across the street from where they perform pageant. The cast members come over and we get to spend some time with them here at the house. They are truly amazing people. I love them all dearly. It was exciting to see pageant for the first time. After we had our picture taken with some of the cast members. See if you can guess who they portray in the show. I know that they are only portraying the saints that lived in this great city, but they become so real to us. They are so personal. The other day I was able to go to the grove and watch Jeff portray Joseph Smith in the King Follett discourse. It was amazing. I felt as if I was right there when he actually gave thissermon. I have been touched many times by the spirit here. I love those early saints more and more each and every day. In the pageant they say, "When you are here, we are here." That is a true statement. I feel their presence everyday. If you come to Nauvoo just to see the sights, you are missing the whole spirit of Nauvoo. I have gained such a great love and greater understanding for those saints who sacrificed everything and truly walked by faith each and every day. I love them! Ilove this city. The other night Joseph(Jeff) wasover to the house. He carved this picture in the watermelon. Do you who it is? Everyday is so much fun when you are with Joseph! The day I went to hear the discourse of King Follett, there was a man who walked up to Joseph (Jeff) when he had finished and told him that he had been practicing for six months and pulled out a big stick. Joseph sat down on the ground in the grove and they had a stick pull competition. Joseph won in a matter of seconds. They did best two out of three and Joseph won all three of them. A couple of other people challenged him and he won every time, except for the time he let the seven year old boy beat him and then he told him he was so excited for him to turn eight so that he could then be baptized. It was so neat. The entire time he was laughing and talking with the people in the grove. I honestlyfelt as if I was right there with the prophet. I know he had a deep love for the saints of Nauvoo and considered each one of them his dear, dear friend. He loved the people, the gospel and the Lord.

Nauvoo Temple...

Here are some pictures we took of us around the Nauvoo Temple. It was so beautiful and the flowers on the grounds are absolutely amazing right now. We had a lovely time taking pictures. There I go again, saying lovely. There are several cast members that are from Britain and I love their accent. When you hang with them long enough you start speaking like them and they say lovely..a lot. They are adorable. It is so neat to meet all the different people from all around the world. One of the things we have learned to do here is at the end of each day when it is time to say prayers, we each tell about the tender mercies that we recognized that day. When we know that at the end of the day we will have the opportunity to share our experiences, it makes you more aware of each and every moment in your day. I have found that I feel much closer to my Heavenly Father when I recognize His hand in my daily life. I love the little things that

I am aware of these days. It makes life so much more meaningful.

Jon's Arrival in Nauvoo....

I was so excited for this week because Jon was flying out to spend the 4th of July with us. The boys and I could hardly wait for him to get here. He arrived Saturday about 6:00 pm. It was crazy that night at the store, so when Jon got here I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to help guest check in and fix a few minor situations that arose. I was thrilled to see him. That evening we walked around Nauvoo a bit and attended Rendezvous with Karen and the boys. I just love those senior missionaries that perform that play every night. The boys had a great time showing Jon some ofthe special places in Nauvoo. It was fun for me to see them share the things that they have learned the past few weeks.

The next day was Sunday, July 4th

.We all went to church together and I loved that. Jon thought it was fun to meet some of the members of the core cast that attend the ward with us. I had a good time introducing him to Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, etc. After church we went to Carthage so that Jon could visit that wonderful sight. We invited Joseph and Hyrum to dinner and had a totally enjoyable time with them. I had to really focus and tell myself it was really Jeff and John and not Joseph and Hyrum. That evening we went to the fireside that the core cast from the Nauvoo Pageant puts on. It is entitled 'Our Story Goes On'. It was a tender story of life, family and the changes we all face as we journey here on earth.I loved it. The show was incredible and it was great having Jon there with us.

Monday morning Jon and I were able to attend a session at the Nauvoo Temple. I can only encourage everyone that has a chance to visit Nauvoo, to attend the temple. What an experience. I have developed such a love for this amazing temple. I love the people that built it, the people that serve there and everything about it. When we were finished with our session, the boys bet us in the baptistery to do some baptisms. That was a mother's dream come true. There is nothing better than being in the temple with your children. We ended up spending about 4 hours in the temple that day. It truly was a blessing and an unforgettable experience. I will cherish that memory for a long, long time.

That afternoon we had Brian and Kim over for a bar-b-que. We decided that since Joseph was the champion stick puller, we would have our own little competition. So, the granddaughter of Joesph Smith and the granddaughter of Hyrum Smith challenged each other to the ultimate stick pull. Well, Joseph definitely passed the stick pulling gene down through his posterity...I lost! I hate loosing! Next up was Brian and AJ. AJ won that one, so it was now even. One win for Joseph and one win for Hyrum. We thought it would be good to end the competition on a tie. It was a lot of fun.

When we had finished the skies started to turn gray and you could hear the thunder rolling in. We have amazing storms out here. It rained all night long. The boys actually went swimming in a field that had flooded because of the huge amount of rain that fell. They had a grand time until they found out that they were swimming about four feet away from a skunk...once again the adventures we have. I was okay with all the rain that fell except for the fact that my boys had signed us up to do a pioneer trek the next morning. The rain was so heavy and I just knew that they would cancel the event, but alas, I was wrong. So, I walked and walked and walked through mud and streams; up hills and down ledges, through manure and herds of cows. I walked and fell and walked and slid and walked and cried. I was covered in mud. My heart ached for the pioneers who did this day after day, week after week and could not go home each night and have a nice, warm shower. When we finished the trek I sat in the middle of the stream and cried. What and Adventure!

Remembering the Prophet...

This was another amazing week. Logan and I had a few hours before we needed to go to work so, we went to a few homes here in Nauvoo. One of the homes was the home of Lucy Mack Smith. I wanted Logan to visit his grandmother's home and feel of the sweet spirit that exists there. The missionaries were so cute and so excited to have descendants in the home. They spent quite a bit of time with us. The yard was filled with beautiful flowers and I could just imagine Lucy sitting at the window waiting for her grandchildren to come visit. I loved it. The core cast for pageant arrived Saturday. The cast came to church on Sunday and Karen and I were guessing who each person played. We thought that this one man might play the Savior, but when we saw this other man walk in we KNEW he played the Savior. His eyes were the most tender, loving eyes I have ever seen. He held his daughter on his lap and gently moves a wisp of hair from her cheek. As he gazed into her eyes, smiled and then kissed her on the forehead, I wept. It was the perfect picture of what the Savior would do with each of us. It was the perfect tender mercy that day.

Sunday, June 27, was the 166 commemoration for the Martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum. We were privileged enough to attend two ceremonies that day. The first one was held at the Community of Christ church. It was a nice ceremony, but felt empty. There was no spirit there. All the site missionaries were there and many members of the church, but overall the atmosphere was just plain empty. When it was over we quickly ran home, ate a sandwich and started our drive to Carthage. We were some of the first people there. The program was to begin at 5:17 pm, the time of the actual martyrdom. We arrived at 3:00 pm. The crowds grew quickly. As more and more people arrived, it was hard not to picture all the mobs that were gathering those 165 years ago. It was quit surreal. President Peterson, Nauvoo Temple President, gave a beautiful speech. His remarks were some of the most tender and touching that I have ever heard. He spoke a lot about Hyrum. This was very moving for me and the boys. This is our grandfather. As President Peterson spoke I was moved to tears. Carthage has always been a place of grief and mourning for me. I have never enjoyed going there and when I have gone, I just try to get through the experience. This time it was different. I had a feeling of peace come throughout my entire body. I heard the words, "This is not a place of death, but a place where eternal salvation was gained." At that moment I was okay with Carthage. I knew that Joseph and Hyrum were not alone when they went through the horrific experience. I am sure our Savior was right there with His arms extended to carry them home. It was really sweet. My cousin Kim was there and it was awesome to have her wrap her arms around me when it was over. There standing at the place that both of us lost our grandfathers. I will cherish that day. I learned many new things and an grateful that Heavenly Father gave me so many tender mercies in one day.

When we were finished with the ceremonies, Karen, the boys and I all walked over to the Smith cemetery. We placed some beautiful flowers on the graves of Hyrum, Joseph and Emma. It was a beautiful, calm Sunday.

We enjoyed walking through the streets of Nauvoo. At one point the boys decided that they should carry their old mother. The problem with that was they really made me just hang from their shoulders and carry my own weight with my arms. I discovered that I would rather walk! At one point the boys found an old out house. They went to have a look and found that there was a moon carved out of the door. Logan said, "Look mom, it is just like Shrek's" I guess everything in Nauvoo does not pertain to church history. We all had a good laugh. The day ended with the perfect sunset on the Mississippi. It was a beautiful ending to a beautiful day.