A Trip to the Nauvoo Temple

We were able to attend the temple as a family in Nauvoo....

and spent the time doing sealings.

This is actually the first time James and I have done sealings since being sealed ourselves.
{We're lame like that}

So it was a neat experience to kneel across the altar from him again. Felt 20 again!

It's a lovely feeling to be in such a special place, with people you are sealed to for time and all eternity. I couldn't have asked for a better family.

The Prophet's Last Ride.
If you read the inscription below, you'll understand the reason for these statues of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum.

Historical Nauvoo.

One of my favorite parts {okay, they were ALL my favorite parts} of Nauvoo was getting to walk around the Historic part. Silly me thought these were all the original homes...until we were sitting in one and the lady started talking about how they dug up the foundation of that house....it had been under some farmland. {it actually made me feel a bit better after I found that out....esp since most of these houses were in better condition than MY house, which is only 55 years old}

We only had a few hours to walk around before it was our turn to attend the temple.

So we made a few choice stops...and I took a few too many pictures.

One of the many missionaries serving in Nauvoo told us we should check out the Cheap Boot house. So we did. And it was VERY interesting. Did you know that when they made shoes....they would make them the same exact way for both feet.....no arches! Could you imagine walking in those?! Yikes. Makes me grateful for my Nike's.

We also visited the Blacksmith Shop {a must-see}

I am constantly in awe of the pioneers....

I've also always wanted to be a pioneer....

And to think they put all their belongings, or some of their belongings and left their homes to follow the Gospel....in one of these. Truly amazing.

Inside...we were shown how a wagon was put together.

And he also made "prairie diamonds" for every one ;).

And of course, we went to the bricklayer's. I never realized how bricks were made! What a chore!

There is so, so, so much more to see in Nauvoo, and I'm hoping we get to go back in a few years.

But talk about walking away and being inspired. Our ancestors were truly incredible people.

We mustache....

One of the {many} things my Grandpa Sargent was famous for was his mustache.

{I tried to find this picture I have of him on his lawnmower, with that mustache and wearing his cowboy hat, but no luck!}

So, we thought it appropriate for each family to take a picture....with mustaches!

Bella looks quite dandy in her handlebar mustache.
Grandpa Sargent used to wax his into curls on each side.

Planning a reunion will make you kinda batty :\.

Minute to Win It.....for the grown-ups.

....if you can call them that!

After giving the kids some time to finish up their games....

the grown-ups got a chance.

My mom, again, was in charge.

And I must applaud her....she did so well!

We split everyone up into 2 teams....

First game: "This Blows"

You have to keep blowing up a balloon and use the air to knock the cups off the table. Colton was first up for her team!

Then good ole Mitchell gave it a try for our team!
All of these games are so much harder than it looks!!

Next up..."Back  Flip"
The dudes we had compete in this one made it seem oh so easy!

Mike didn't drop one pencil!

And JT did an awesome job, especially since he only has one good eye {good job, Sarah, for getting everyone to pick him, d'oh!}

Next up....Hanky Panky.

This one is probably my all time favorite, I dunno why....I'm just glad I didn't have to do it!

Aube demonstrating how hard it is to blow up a balloon!!
She tried and tried...buuuut....mommy ended up having to help. Nothing like a balloon filled with your child's slime. Shiver.

There was a few extra boxes of tissues...so we had a "teen" round.

Go! Go! Go!

{we did save the tissues after...stuffed them all back in the box! I hope NBC does that ;)}

Jax was quite in his element....he could run around, with no hovering parent.

And he LOVED that balloon {yes, the same one mommy blew up for Aube}.

And his feet got oh-so-dirty.....and probably the rest of him, but thank goodness for dark shirts!

See what I mean?

Totally gross piggies.

Our next to last game was the Candy Elevator.Starting first with the teen round!

Yummy, yummy, Hannah....

Then the adults squared off for one intense round!

Katie and Kimberly did a fantastic job of keeping us on the edge of our seats!

But Katie came out the victor!

She loves her chocolate {totally a family trait}.

The last game was: Face the Cookie.

I don't have any "in action" pictures of this one....I think I was probably too busy laughing. But I did get video, I may have to post that one day. {or submit it to AFV and win some $$}

The competitors for this game: The siblings. {minus one, Aunt Kathy couldn't come}

One word: Hilarious.

Grandma and Grandpa raised some awesome children!

Thus ended our family potluck night. I do have to say, I think it was a success. And I don't think it could have been such a success without each person who came. We have such a wonderful family!

Minute to Win it: Kids edition

After dinner....and chatting...

we played MINUTE TO WIN IT.

Oh my....I've been wanting to play this in a big group setting for some time now. So, the reunion was the perfect opportunity.

I was able to get some help from my mom putting this together. Ok, ok, I lie....she did it all, cause she's awesome like that. And she did a fantastic job!

She set up two different types of games...ones for kids and ones for the adults {a whole 'nother post!}

My mom and John demonstrating "Baby Blockin'"

My mom had their complete attention....

well, except Jax....he was all like: "whatch'all doin' down here, yo?"

The kids games were easy to put at several different tables and just let them go from one to the other. We had actually done this at Cub Scout day camp back in June...pretty fun.

The kiddos getting a little help with "Breakfast Scramble"

Elizabeth and "A Bit Dicey"

One of the favorites of the evening....

Broomski Ball

I dunno if anyone quite made it in the trashcan, but they were all good sports!

And of course....
Mitchell and Mariah multitasking.

Attempting "Baby Blockin" and "A Bit Dicey"

oooooo.....aaaaahhhhh.....

Sterling attempting "Hangnails" and a partial "A Bit Dicey"

The kids were so entertained!
Next up!

Let's see how we kept the adults entertained!

Family Reunion

We rented out the Events Center for the entire day on Wednesday. We needed a place to congregate, other than outside in the wicked humidity {and not wicked as in totally wicked, but as in bad}.

We planned a potluck for dinner, and it turned out to be a great success.

One of the many things we did that night:

Thumbprint family trees

Each family had a branch....and each person stamped their thumbprint in different shades of green....17 times. Letmesaythatagain....SEVENTEEN TIMES. I apologize. But we had to have one for each family, yes we did.

{even the family's who couldn't make it...I have one for you! I just need to send it...}

One of the things I loved about Wednesday was being able to spend so much time chatting and hanging out with family. Getting reaquainted with cousins and kids of cousins.

And I'm always so impressed with this side of my family. The kids of my aunts and uncles have all turned out just marvelous. They are truly awesome kids....they are helpful without being asked, especially those two...Ian and Mitchell. I remember when they were tiny tots...but no more! They are so courteous....and take out the trash without being asked! Can you imagine!?

When we were little, most of us lived in the same town...and we all lived in the same state. So we were constantly with each other, at Grandma and Grandpa's house....roller skating in the basement, playing hide and go seek. The bestest way to grow up.

So it was wonderful to get to know the newbies.

That's Lucy and her Great Aunt Kim {and Aunt Kim sure is grrrrreat!}

The only thing that stunk was that it was very loud.

Joseph tried to find a quiet spot to get Daniel to nap....

We had also planned a slideshow. Each family was to pick a few pictures to tell about the past few years of their lives. But it turned out we didn't have a projector, just a projector screen....and a TV, but no cables to connect the laptop to the TV. :\ Stink.

So we just let it run loops on the trusty laptop.

And there is no better sight than seeing your kids playing so well with your beloved cousin's kids. Having a slight twinge of nostalgia...wishing we could all be back playing at Grandma's again.

Oh man, this kid.

He was one dirty, fun-lovin' kid by the end of the night!

'round the town.

Well, first of all....when you come up Highway 96 and round the corner to the "main" street of Nauvoo, the Temple on the hill is an amazing sight. It takes your breath away.
{This is obviously not from that view point, and my description is lacking, but if you ever get the chance to go to Nauvoo, no matter how long the trip may be...I suggest you do it!}

As with many temples, the Nauvoo temple is rich with history.

This temple that now stands is a reconstruction of the original Nauvoo Temple built in the 1840s and destroyed by fire in 1848 and tornado-force winds in 1850.

As described on the LDS Temples site:

"A little more than 153 years ago, Latter-day Saints had to abandon the temple they had recently dedicated. "Soon," President Hinckley said, "there will grace this sight a magnificent structure, a re-creation of that which existed here and served our people so briefly during that great epic Nauvoo period of the history of the Church." Looking back on that era of Church history, not long after the Prophet was martyred, President Hinckley said, "I can just see the people in 1846, the wagons that bitter, bitter cold day going down Parleys Street to the water's edge, getting on a barge, moving across the Mississippi River up on to the higher ground and looking back on this sacred structure which they had labored so hard to build and realized that never in this life would they see it again. It is difficult to imagine their emotions."

There is a sacred feeling surrounding this temple...and to me I think that feeling comes because of the sacrifices that were made.

The Downtown area of Nauvoo is quite quaint. I love the feel of the old buildings!

There was a bagpipe band marching up and down the street {in the heat! poor souls!}.

They happened to stop right as we were going into Grampa John's cafe for lunch, and played Amazing Grace.

I think he looks this way because he's hungry. Ü

But of COURSE I had to get a picture of Grandpa John in front of Grandpa's John's Cafe.

{it was a neat little place to eat....too expensive and mixed with the fact that we didn't get our food till after EVERYONE in our group had their food...not such a fun experience. Oh well, can't win them all!}

We also ate at Hotel Nauvoo.

VERY yummy....and a grand ole buffet, just the way James likes it Ü.

{picture taken from Hotel Nauvoo website}