Jacks Stack

So although Kansas City has a relatively new beautiful temple that we could visit - the main reason we detoured down to this beautiful city was so that Jason could share with us a beautiful meal that he had over 2 years ago! Jason has been fortunate to travel a couple of times to America for buying houses and also visiting family.  During one of the tours they took him to have a wonderfully slow cooked pork rib meal!  He was dying to taste it again except he didn't remember the name of the restaurant....WHOOPS

So after ringing around a few restaurants we were so lucky to find it and book in as being a Saturday night it was soooo busy.  And now I know why....The food was soooooooooooo yummy.  We ordered about 4 different mains to share and 3 different desserts to try. All the meat must have been cooking all day as it was so moist and melted in your mouth and the brownie and ice-cream was to die for! I can taste the food now just writing about it!  It would have to be the best food I have ever tasted and I can now understand why Jason wanted us to drive down to have this food! I bought about 3 jars of the marinating sauce to bring home and boy did I try to make that last!!!

Carthage Jail

About 30 minutes out of Nauvoo is Carthage which is where the prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum were murdered at Carthage Jail. I found visiting this place very humbling and I had more love and respect for what they went through. I really appreciated the missionary couples that served and taught us more about the history of the church and helping us feel the spirit whilst bearing their testimonies.  Hopefully the children can feel this as well.

Window frame that Joseph Smith fell from

Ah .... Nauvoo

One of our most anticipated places that we really wanted to visit was Nauvoo Illinois!

Driving in on May 15th seem quite surreal that we were actually there. Just driving around and seeing old buildings that belonged to the early saints in 1840's was just amazing.  We went to the Nauvoo visitors center and saw some missionaries practicing for the upcoming summer festival program and of course one was an Aussie who knew Matthew Ellis. Small World.

We took a horse and cart ride around the town and some of the historical sites and who lived where and places Joseph Smith and his family lived as well as Brigham Young.  The children were also able to participate in interactive tourist attractions that involved doing activities like children did in the 1840's.  We were able to visit where the red bricks would have been made and got our own Nauvoo brick to keep, visit the blacksmith and see how rings were made from old nails and also participate in weaving blankets and taste taffy.

                                            

Later in the afternoon Jason and I paid the Community of Christ entry fee into visiting  some more of the Smith's properties such as their family homestead and the Mansion Home and the Family Cemetery.  I really felt the spirit as I walked through the cemetery and believed everything the tour guide was saying actually happened.  At the end we went through the Red Brick Store where the first Relief Society meeting was held and spent some time sitting and pondering what that actually means.  The largest women's organisation on the earth today that helps so many people!

Later that night we visited Nauvoo Hall to view a musical performed by senior missionaries called Rendevous - A funny look at the history of Old Nauvoo.  We enjoyed alot more than we thought we would.

Highlights for me from Nauvoo was of course the beautiful temple!!!  It was so lovely to look at during the day and night.  Of course it is a very new version but model after the original.  I think my only regret of the whole trip was not making time to go inside this temple.  We thought we should be pushing on in case we didn't have time to make the drive home.  But as it was we most definitely could have stayed one more day. I really also loved the statues of Joseph and his brother Hyrum on their horses out the front of the temple viewing the whole expanse of Nauvoo.

I really enjoyed my morning walk the next day from the temple down to the river - Mississippi and to take in the view that the saints would have had before leaving this beautiful place!  Along this walk are plaques with statements from many pioneers from various companies that wrote their feelings and testimonies about the trip they were to embark upon.  Such raw and honest feelings helped me to have more gratitude and compassion for those who have laid the foundation for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that I love so much.  I  really liked the statue of Brigham Young and Joseph Smith down by the river as they seemed to be discussing the pioneer trek ahead.

I also loved Nauvoo as I had the opportunity to drive the big RV for about 5 minutes....that was enough!!! How Jason did it on the freeways will ever befuddle me.

Chicago

We were lucky to have a day in Chicago as originally we were just going to keep on driving by but wanted to see around a little.  We just drove really around the city which was a little crazy and then down to the bay. That place was buzzing with markets and restaurants.  It was such a glorious day so everything seemed lovely and scenic! So drove along the shore line until we came to a place we thought was a good place to stop and go to the beach.  It was pleasant enough but very disappointing compared to good old Christies Beach and the beaches in Australia.  Jason seemed to think it was a man made beach but we didn't really know. It was still a lovely break to just be still and relax while of course the little four explored and made friends and had fabulous adventures without the use of technology!

Cedar Point

Monday 13th May 2013 was one fabulously fun day for us!  (Well maybe for me and the kids)  Jason had to go into Cleveland and view some rental properties that we have purchased there so we were able to stay at an amazing place called Cedar Point which is a fabulous amusement park that a missionary from Adelaide told us about.  We are so glad we listened to him and went.  It was fabulous and although not every ride was opened it was still loads and loads of fun.

We were actually really lucky as it had just reopened 2 days before we arrived ready for the upcoming holidays and summer season.  They close for approximately 4-5 months due to the weather.  Some rides were still closed as when you get to high apparently it is too windy, but it didn't matter as there were soooooo many other roller coaster rides. There was this amazing new ride called the Gatekeeper which apparently at that time it claimed to be the fastest roller coaster in the world SO of course Michael and I had to try it!!! It was extremely fast and loads of fun! Great memories.

Daniel was sooooo lucky as many of the younger children rides were completely empty!  He just ran around going from one ride to the next having a great time which was great as I could just sit and watch him sometimes and not worry he was pushing in or anything like that!

Mothers Day

Mothers Day 2013 will definitely be one to remember!!!

Waking up on Mothers Day in a modest RV with 8 people isn't everyone's idea of celebrating but I was sooooo grateful to be traveling around America with all these gorgeous people that I love!  (Plus for this trip we actually had a really nice and supportive mattress so that helped!)

Jason and the children made breakfast for me and then I received a gorgeous present from Tiffanys.  Even though I knew it was coming I was still amazed that I had this gorgeous gold bow necklace.  I love it! It will help me to remember this amazing family trip we had together!  It also reminds me of how blessed I am to have a wonderful husband and a wonderful life!

Then we were able to go to church in Kirtland and have great devotionals for mothers and after church the men had all baked lunch for Relief Society women.  I had to ask if they had really baked themselves and everyone I asked said they did.  I was impressed as everything was sooooo yummy.  As usual for most Mormon get togethers there was heaps of food so all the families were able to eat which is another bonus for our family.

Perry Park

After  Niagara Falls we stayed in a beautiful caravan park called Perry Park in Ohio.  Near where we live in Christies Beach is a nursing home called Perry Park so it reminded us of home. However we had to chuckle as the caravan park was located next to a Nuclear Plant and was situated next to a lake called Lake Erie so in a way were glad to just stay the one night.  The manager of the park was sooooo lovely and had gorgeous dogs so the kids were happy to talk with them.

Throughout the next day we were able to focus upon visiting historic church sites around Kirtland, a small settlement in northern Ohio where members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered shortly after the Church was founded. Between 1831 and 1838, Joseph Smith and early members of the Church established Church headquarters here and built a temple.  At the moment the temple is owned by the Community of Christ Church but you can still visit for a small donation.  We also were able to visit another visitors center and also John Johnson Home and Whitneys home and also there General Store and replicas of the Kirtland Schoolhouse and Sawmill.  In the store we were shown many things but I really remember seeing the actual copy of the stores daily takings ledger and that many things were bought for members by Joseph Smith.  Another example of his love and service. The missionaries at the John Johnson home were very new and we were their first group they toured with where they explained everything themselves.  This couple were actually President Boyd K Packers nephew and his wife. They did a fabulous job for their first tour ....maybe a tad long for children but it was great to get to know them a little better especially as we saw them at church the next day!  

I personally also enjoyed visiting the place in Palmyra where the Book of Mormon was published and printed for the first time.  I hope the children remember the efforts and sacrifices given for us to have that book today.