On the Road to Nauvoo (and back)

Friday, July 1st

LeAnn gave us a ride over to Amy & Bryce's home, and we loaded into a van Amy & Bryce had rented for our trip to Nauvoo:

Paul & Lizzie (row 4 of 4)
Melody & Maylee (row 3 of 3)

Shirleen, Karsten, James (row 2 of 4)

Generally, Bryce & Amelia were in Row 1, with one or the other driving.  Over time, all of us but James eventually did some shifting around.  We headed out driving through Payson and stopped for lunch in Holbrook.  

Bryce, Amelia, Maylee, Shirleen, James, Lizzie, Melody, Karsten

We drove on and spent some time at the Petrified Forest National Park (which we would visit again on the return trip):

Maylee, Karsten, Lizzie, James, Melody

Lizzie

Karsten, Amelia, Bryce, Paul, Shirleen, Lizzie, James, Melody, Maylee

Maylee             

On our way to Albuquerque we were in three different rainstorms.  It was wonderful to see the rain, since it's been so dry.

After arriving in Albuquerque we went out to dinner with the Watkins.  It was good to see them, and to visit.

Judy, Johnny, Shirleen, Amelia

Paul, Lizzie, Bryce, Melody, James, Amelia, Johnny, Judy, Shirleen, Maylee, Karsten

Saturday, July 2nd

Shirleen's 72nd birthday.  After breakfast we started off again, with a stop to see the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum in Tucumcari, New Mexico, where the kids enjoyed the hands-on exhibits.

Melody, Amelia, Lizzie

Melody  

Lizzie

Karsten and Melody

Maylee

Melody

James

Karsten

James, Melody, Maylee
(the "sand" is crushed walnut shells)

(Half of) Karsten, James

Karsten, Melody, Maylee

                    Maylee

We next visited the XIT Museum in Dalhart, Texas, where we enjoyed exhibits about the XIT Ranch, which was property used "to pay for a new Capitol" in Austin (see the summary explanation below the map in one of the museum photographs included here, and see Wikipedia for a more in-depth explanation of this arrangement).  The exhibit also included information about ranch life, animals in the area, transportation, and the dust bowl.

                 Bryce
                 Lizzie

Memory Lane - On our way to the next stop:

Later, we had dinner in Liberal, Kansas.

We drove on to Pratt, Kansas, to spend the night.  We saw huge feed lots, wind farms, fireworks, and trains, as we drove.

Sunday, July 3rd

We got up early and drove to Wichita, Kansas, where we attended church in the Auburn Hills Ward:

We had lunch in the van as we travelled to Independence, Missouri and some napped.

Shirleen, James

We had an informative tour in the church's visitor center in Independence, with an excellent guide who engaged the children.

Melody, Karsten

Karsten

Melody, Bryce, James

Lizzie, Shirleen

Shirleen, Lizzie, Melody, Amelia

(Entrance of the LDS Visitors Center)
Paul, Amelia, Shirleen
Lizzie, Melody, Karsten
James

[Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) temple across the street from the LDS Visitors Center]
Karsten, Shirleen, Amelia, Paul, Maylee
Lizzie, James, Melody

We drove to the Liberty Jail for another tour.

Later, we went to nearby Bennett Park in Liberty, Missouri for a picnic supper:

Shirleen, Amelia, Paul

James and Lizzie

Maylee

Paul, James, and Shirleen
(it can be tricky getting out of the van)  

Paul
(it's important to keep your seatbelt on)

We went to the Far West Temple Site after supper:

Lizzie and Melody

Lizzie, Karsten, James, Bryce, Amelia, Melody, Maylee, Shirleen

And continued on to Adam-ondi-Ahman at dusk:

Paul
Bryce, Amelia, James, Lizzie, Melody, Maylee, Karsten

We saw lots of fireflies that the kids had fun chasing and catching.

Karsten

Maylee

Melody

On the way to the motel in Cameron, Missouri, we saw fireworks and lightning.  Paul and Shirleen sang "There's a Hole in the Bucket" - to the family's delight!

Monday, July 4th

Loading up in Cameron in the morning!

Karsten and Paul

(Loading up!)
Maylee, James, Amelia, Melody, Karsten

We went to Hannibal, Missouri for their Fourth of July parade and to see the Mark Twain Museum.

Melody, Lizzie, Karsten, Maylee

                  Karsten, Melody, Lizzie, Maylee

We were joined at the parade by David and Lani, and we went to lunch here:

James, Amelia, Melody, Maylee, Paul, Lizzie, Shirleen, Karsten, Lani

We walked over by the Mississippi River, but we were too late for the riverboat ride that was not on (but might have worked with) our schedule.

Hannibal has a lighthouse:

We went to the Mark Twain Museum:

Karsten, James, Melody

Karsten

There was a Norman Rockwell exhibit upstairs.

And that evening we (Paul & Shirleen, David & Lani, and the Griners) joined the Annette & Grant Hunter family for dinner in Macomb, Illinois, where they were having a reunion to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary and Annette's 80th birthday.  Before we got there they got together for a family picture at the back of this remarkable home.  Annette sent us some of the photos, and here's one that will give an idea of just how many were there:

And this is the front of the home, as we saw it upon arrival:

And here's a view looking out over the back of the property:

A very nice program was presented for Grant & Annette in the basement, and here's a photo of some of us who joined them:

Christian         David   
May Lynn             Lani  
Page                             Shirleen
   Jonna                                Maylee          Paul   

Sunset:

We went back to our motel in Keokuk, and enjoyed some rhubarb pie Lani had baked for Shirleen's birthday.

Tuesday, July 5th

Bryce, Amelia, Lizzie, and Shirleen went to a 7:15am check-in for an 8am appointment for proxy baptisms at the Nauvoo Temple.  Here they are afterwards:

Shirleen, Amelia, Lizzie

Shirleen, Lizzie, Amelia, Bryce

They returned to Keokuk, and we (all of us) spent the day in Nauvoo, with lots of things to see and participate in.

Maylee, Melody, James, Lizzie

Melody, Maylee, Lizzie, James, Bryce

Shirleen         Lizzie
Karsten, James, Bryce    

James
 (receiving his family's Nauvoo brick, after the children completed finding 12 items in the Visitor Center)

Bryce, Melody, Lizzie, Maylee, James, Karsten, Amelia

Maylee, Melody, James

The Nauvoo Visitors Center gardens feature the monuments to women.

James & Lizzie, Amelia, Shirleen

Maylee               

(Clockwise, starting in front)
Melody, James, Bryce, Karsten, Lizzie, Amelia, Maylee

Lizzie, Shirleen

Bryce, James, Amelia

Time for a picnic lunch (thanks to Lani and Amelia):

Amelia, Lizzie, Karsten, Shirleen, James, Melody, Maylee

Lizzie, Karsten, Shirleen, Melody, Amelia, Maylee

       Paul, Grant, Annette, Shirleen, Lani, David

We went to the Nauvoo Family Living Center.

Lizzie, Karsten, James
(rope making)

                                                      Lani, David
               Melody, Maylee

Lizzie
James, Karsten, Shirleen
Maylee
Amelia, Bryce

(Making candles!)
Bryce, Melody, Lizzie
Maylee, Karsten

Lizzie, Amelia                            
Melody, Karsten             

                        Melody

James

Performing Missionaries in the Cultural Hall

     

Melody, Amelia, Shirleen                      

Riser Boot & Shoe Shop
(Diane Richins was one of our guides,
whose husband Gerald was one of
the teamsters.  He was raised in Duncan.)

Amy, Lizzie, Bryce,
James, Maylee,
Melody
Shirleen and Karsten

We had dinner at the Hotel Nauvoo.

Amelia, Karsten, David, Lani, Shirleen, Maylee, Lizzie
      James

Karsten, Lizzie, Maylee

We walked over to the Nauvoo Temple.

James, Amelia, Bryce
Lizzie, Melody, Maylee, Karsten

Shirleen, Paul, Lizzie, James, Amelia, Lani, David
Karsten, Melody, Maylee

Country Fair of the Nauvoo Pageant:

Amelia and Melody

Melody

Bryce, Jennifer Smith (Maiden name), Amelia

Lizzie, Amelia
Melody, Maylee, James

Lizzie & Maylee (pulling the handcart)
Maylee, James, and Melody (in the handcart)

Maylee

Lizzie

Bagpipes & drums, etc.

Shirleen, Paul, and Lizzie went to the outdoor pageant that evening, along with David and Lani.  The Hunters were there as well.  The building you see in the background was "constructed" as the story line developed.

Wednesday, July 6th

We visited Carthage Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred.  They were unwavering in their commitment to the Restoration, as we should be.

                                                            Paul

  

We drove through Missouri, and saw lots of farms, and this hay wagon: 

We went to Kirksville, Missouri, where Bryce's dad studied to become a doctor, and where Bryce was born.

We visited the Education Center at A T Still University.

Melody, Maylee, James                                              
  Paul
        Karsten

Amelia         Melody     

We visited the neighborhood where Bryce's parents lived in Kirksville when Bryce was born.  We enjoyed a nearby park & playground.

Bryce 

Maylee

    Bryce, Maylee, Karsten
James & Amelia            

Lunch time!

On the road again, and into some Amish country.  Amy called it America's Pond District, since it reminded her and Shirleen of England's Lake District.

In Jamesport, Missouri we stopped at this bake shop:

Paul, Lizzie, Maylee, Melody, Shirleen

We had fun singing, playing the alphabet game, Simon Says, and Rock, Paper, Scissors.  We arrived late at our motel in Wichita, Kansas.  

Thursday, July 7th

We visited Botanica, The Wichita Gardens. They have beautiful flowers, a butterfly garden, a children's area, including a carousel.  We didn't have time to see everything, and missed the Chinese garden, bird garden, and train garden.

Maylee, Melody
Lizzie, Amelia, Bryce
Shirleen                                     

                                        Amelia

                                                         Maylee

              Melody,                                    Maylee, Karsten

Maylee, Karsten                  
  Melody

Hand of Amelia                                          

Melody, Amelia, Karsten                                                       

Shirleen and Amelia

Shirleen, Amelia, Maylee, Melody, Karsten

Karsten, Melody, Maylee

Melody 

Amelia, Maylee, James

Maylee and James

Lizzie

Karsten

Maylee

Melody

Lunch time!

Melody and James

On the road again:

Shirleen, Karsten, James

Next stop:  Dorothy's House and the Land of Oz, Liberal, Kansas

"Dorothy"
(check out the ruby slippers!)

Yellow Brick Road

"Dorothy", Maylee, Karsten, Melody, Amelia, James, Lizzie

"Glinda"

"Wicked Witch of the West"

(Emerald City)
Paul, Melody
Shirleen, Amelia

Karsten, "Toto" (making a discovery), Hands/phone of Paul

We were told this prop was used in the movie

Amelia, Lizzie, Shirleen

Paul and "Tin Man"

Shirleen, "Toto", "Dorothy"

Dinner time at Bandidos in Guymon, Oklahoma, where we stayed at a Holiday Inn Express:

Shirleen, Amy & Bryce, and the kids had fun swimming at the pool, and especially enjoyed the hot tub.

 

Friday, July 8th

We took a trip to an out-of-the-way, really remarkable attraction, in Boise City, Oklahoma:  the Cimarron Heritage Center.  It was housed in a home built by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.  They had exhibits from WWI, clothing and household goods from the 1890s to the present, and much more.

Some live ordnance was dropped in the area during a World War II training mission.

                               Lizzie

"Cimmy"
Melody, Bryce, Maylee, Karsten, James, Amelia, Lizzie

Bryce and a ... wrench-hopper?

Maylee and the wrench-hopper

Maylee and Karsten

                         Maylee        
                      Melody        Karsten

                  Melody

  

                     Lizzie

Barbed Wire display

Lizzie   

Shirleen                                 

Paul (guy with the camera), Shirleen, Amelia, James

Handmade violin

Moving on to Dalhart Texas, not to the XIT museum, but to the XIT Woodfire Grill, where we had delicious steak, brisket, etc., and started our meal with bacon poppers and alligator bites.

Lizzie, Bryce, Melody, Amelia, Karsten, Maylee, Shirleen, Paul

Shirleen and a wall of brands

Shirleen                                     
Melody                                   

Melody, Shirleen, Amelia                    

Moving on again, and passing by a (really) big feedlot:

The goal was to reach the Park Lake Recreation Area, in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.  We did, and the Griners went in!  Good times!

 Melody        James & Amelia            

                 Bryce         Melody

(about to go on a paddleboat excursion)
Shirleen and James
Amelia and Paul

Karsten

Maylee and Melody

Amelia (maneuvering carefully)

We had supper at a Spanish food place, and then drove to our motel in Albuquerque, arriving at about 10:30pm.

Saturday, July 9th

On the way home we stopped at a place that had these license plates on display.  That wasn't our reason for stopping, but there they were.  The kids had a list of license plates (all 50 states, and Washington, DC) to check off on the road trip.  There were a few more states found here.

Continuing on, we again went to the Petrified Forest (and Painted Desert) National Park.

There was a man in the visitor center parking lot who was transporting doves.

Lizzie, Karsten, and Melody

After having lunch (which included Navajo tacos) at the northern visitor center (they have a cafeteria-style restaurant) we drove several miles through the park, and got a lot of photographs:

Notice the petroglyphs

luaP          

James, Bryce, Maylee, Lizzie
(yes, it was windy)

Shirleen, Maylee, Amelia & James, Bryce                     

Lizzie                           

                                Amelia and Lizzie
Bryce and Maylee          

The visitor center at the southern end of the park:

Lizzie

Shirleen

Shirleen      

                Melody, James, Bryce, Karsten, Maylee

After leaving the park we drove to Show Low where the Griners visited the Bensch family (whom they had known in Mesa).  Then we went to a Dairy Queen in the Heber-Overgaard area, and traveled on to Payson.  Along the way there was some rain, a rainbow, and a nice sunset.

And we arrived back in Mesa at about 9:30pm.  It was a really nice trip, one for which there are a lot of nice memories.