Thanksgiving Week

Some of our Thanksgiving week guests

One of the great things about a mission in Nauvoo is that families are encouraged to come.  Ann and Jenny and the Bradley grandchildren have come three times while we've been here.  We've seen them more on our mission than we sometimes do when we are home.  It helps that Nauvoo is only 18 hours from Utah.  NC is 36 hours. Elder Barrow and I still have our mission responsibilities while they are here, but we can cut our day short if we need to.

 The grounds crew was busy decorating Nauvoo, hanging wreaths and garlands.  First we had to inexplicable cut the pine cones off of the wreaths and tie new pine cones on along with ribbons we had made.  I say "we", but actually I can't make a decent ribbon, so I put hangers on the back of each wreath while the others made ribbons and attached pine cones.

There was other less fun work, like cutting the overgrown poke berry out of this bush.















On Friday, November 22 Ann and company were on the road driving East from Utah.  Kelley and company were on the road driving West from Dundas, Ontario.  Saturday Dee was on the road to Peoria to pick up Mckay.  Everyone was able to come except the Aaron Barrow family.  Aaron was on call, so we missed them.  Saturday afternoon I was cleaning the house, and was just getting ready to clean the bathroom when I heard little children's voices. Gideon and Lincoln were at my door.  Let the fun begin.   Almost two year old Lincoln immediately undecorated our Christmas tree.

Before Lincoln.  Note balls at bottom of tree.

After Lincoln, note heavily decorated top of tree. 

The week was filled with visiting historic sites, playing football and frisbee, and indoor games.  Snake Oil was the highlight, as Benson and Miles plied their wares most enthusiastically.  Having been a big Beatles fan in my early teen years, the kids were eager to show us the movie Yesterday.  It was fun to hear all the old songs.  We also watched How to Train Your Dragon.

We ate at the Red Front a couple of times.

Hailey and Miles try out the stand up teeter totter.

Ann led us in a Pilgrim FHE - per Kelley's request. 

FHE

Tuesday we spent doing temple work.  Thomas and Hailey did baptisms in the morning.  Kelley, Jenny, and Mckay did endowments. Then Thomas and Hailey babysat while the adults all met in the sealing room to seal several Austrian ancestors to their spouses and parents.  We enjoyed the sweet spirit of the temple with the promises of families being eternal units.

McKay caught this one night.

Wednesday was a big day.  We had the FM Thanksgiving dinner and that night we had Christmas.  We draw family names and we decided to exchange those gifts while the children were here, so we could join in the excitement.  Although everyone received only one gift, we all thought it was even better than the chaos of Christmas morning. Well, at least the grown-ups thought it was better.

FM Thanksgiving

Uncle James explains gift giving

The Bradleys

What every 14 year old boy wants.  A knife trowel. 

The traditional TIM TAM SLAM

Thursday we cooked, ate, laughed, and ate some more.  No one took pictures except McKay to record the meal for posterity.

Friday, Ann's family left.  Andrew was sick.  So Kelley, Mckay, Gideon, and Lincoln headed out to Carthage.  Gideon once again refused to go into the jail.  He knows something very bad happened there and he didn't want to go in.  So we watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas while Kelley and Mckay went on the tour.

Lincoln meets Joseph and Hyrum

 After the boys went down for naps, I gave McKay and Kelley the back roads tour of Nauvoo.  We also walked around the Joseph Smith Historic site which is closed for the winter.
                     

Beaver dam under construction

Kelley and Mckay, our bookends

Indian Mounds in Nauvoo

Saturday, while Dee took Mckay back to Peoria, we visited the blacksmith shop.  Gideon had to get his horseshoe.  News alert.  No more "prairie diamonds."  The legal department finally caught up with Nauvoo and decided they were too dangerous and might inspire a law suit.  The history department also chimed in - there is no record that anyone actually gave a nail ring to a fiancee.  I'm kind of relieved about that.

Ann's family ran into some difficulty - Wyoming snow.  They had to drop down to I70.   McKay also experienced delays, but eventually everyone made it home.


Saturday night was the Christmas Walk.  We were in charge of the stories this year, so we hung out around the historic buildings where the stories were being told.  Kelley's family came to the program in the Visitor's Center and one story.  Then is was time for bed.

Flanders tell about Good King Wencelas

Wadleys act out Far Far Away on Judea's Plain

Jensens share A Christmas Prayer

Sunday, our last day to have our family. We ate a nice roast beef dinner and then went to Rand Park in Keokuk to see the Christmas City Lights.  Gideon really enjoyed the light tunnels.  It was the perfect ending to a week full of love and making memories.

Monday morning I had one more moment with Gideon and Lincoln while their parents cleaned the house and packed the car.

What a grand Thanksgiving this was.  And what an unusual mission this is.  From poke weed to grandchildren.   One thing I haven't mentioned.  Elder Barrow spent the week in a great deal of pain - rotator cuff problems and a swollen knee, but he still went to work and still enjoyed his family.   My saying has been, if you don't think you are old, you will by the end of this mission. It's a very physical mission, but worth it to live in Nauvoo.