Well sorry for the long lull, but we been travelin! I will re-cap the trip and pics to follow. We woke up for a early flight Friday morning late, due to Adam hitting snooze 3TIMES!!!! We managed to bust out of bed and rush to pick up my dad and get to curbside check-in. We got to security and it was our lucky day-the lady said oh, you have small children and a family come through this line---NO WAITING-- I love having a family!!!!! We did the whole take your shoes off and belt and almost everything, have people stare at you while you manage 3 kids and a stroller and 5carry on's. Yes the looks are so great, and we get to the gate to find out that the flight is late, and that the don't let people with small children pre board. Now everyone knows I am a bit of a worrier! I was stressed who should sit where, what if there wasn't enough seats together, what if I needed to feed the baby?????????? We my level headed husband said everything would be just fine. We boarded and it was just fine as he said, however I was in the only row with 3 seats together and he got the isle by us. I sat with the kids in case I needed to be indecent and we went up up and away. There was spilled drinks, snacks and many many many many needs from 3 lovely children and I look over to see a sleeping husband!!!! He soon gets passed a squirmy baby and I try very patiently to fix the cut and paste project I brought with the other 2.
We arrive!!!!! We get there get some lunch chat for a bit with the fams and discuss the need to leave for our 4 hour drive to Nauvoo. We finally get out of there at 5:30. The kids did fantastic and slept most of the way. We are starving and finally find a DQ in the pitch of night that closes in 10 minutes. We were saved and eat and move on to find our destination. Driving driving through a dark dark street right by the river. I kept have bad thought that some hillbillies were going to jump out on the road. That never happened but we did get down a wrong turn and delayed us about an hour. Love the smallest city and especially when it is so dark and there is not a single light on in the whole town!
We get to our hotel and settle in, the kids on a hide away, us in a master suite, and the baby in nothing else but-------THE BATHTUB!!!! Yes child abuse I know, but we put a blanket down, plugged the drain(fear of bugs crawling to her) and I wrapped the faucet just in case. She slept great however I had a fear the next night that the water might magically turn on and she didn't sleep there again.
The next day was up and Adam. We went to a great buffet and ate with many eyes looking our way. We got in the car a drove down the sweetest little streets until we got to Joseph's old home. We went on a tour to see some other sites, graves, and shops. We bought the kids a red brick in remembrance of the red brick store-to later find out we got one free down the road. The kids did great and Jaxson had lots of questions about the tombstones and the old houses.
We loaded back in the car and drove a bit to the shoemaker, the the bakery, the print shop. We stopped to a cute puppet show that the kids loved and were off to a cute little deli shop for lunch. We ate and looked around and got to see the beautiful temple and took some photo ops. We drove back and went to the visitor center for another great show with singing and dancing explaining Joseph's life. Jaxson was so attentive and Mya shook her booty to the music. Whitney dropped her binkie at least 10 times and I was losing patience. We took a carriage ride and went and learned to make thread at the family living center. Jaxson and Mya learned about candles and making bread too. We strolled the streets and enjoyed the beautiful green scenery and mist falling on our faces.
Back to the hotel to freshen up and on to the Polynesian fire dancing show.No time to eat and nothing open. We told the kids we would eat after, not knowing when this would end. We watched that and then following was another sing and dance program put on by all of the missionaries. It was amazing!!!!!The kids ate some snacks but Jaxson kept saying he was starving! I truly loved it curled up with my sleepy kids listening to laughter, love and feeling the spirit. It ended and we had to eat but it was 1000 at night. We drive and nothing is open still, what a surprise- we settle for a pizza at a gas station. What a fun filled packed day 3 sleeping kids on the drive back to the hotel! Jaxson even woke up to the smell and ate before hitting the sack about 1100.
What a great day!
