A month ago (was it really a month ago . . . wow) we spent a wonderful week in Missouri. Looking at these pictures makes me want to hop on a plane again and go right back.
We had planned for about 6 months to visit Ali and Ryan and their awesome kids and also visit some church sites. Then, a week before our trip Ryan had surgery to remove a suspicious tumor in his throat and the day before our trip was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
We did some soul searching, praying, and texting to Ali that day, wondering whether or not it was a good idea for us to still visit. Ali urged us to come and we are so glad that we did. It was a privilege to be there to experience a tiny bit of the emotional rollercoaster they are experiencing. And, it was so great to be able to get to know each of their children better. And their dog Bella - who knew that there is a dog so cute in the world?
Saturday April 4th
After landing in Kansas City we drove to meet the Ellefsens at an Italian Restaurant. On the way we found that they have named an area of Kansas City after me. (Tiffany Springs for Tiffany Springer, get it?)
Sunday, May 5th
The next day we enjoyed General Conference while eating as much chocolate and apple crisp as possible. These three kids sorta-kinda listened, but mostly they giggled and talked about poop. Seriously, I have never heard as much poop talk as I heard that week in Missouri/Nauvoo! Silly kiddos. Below, we thought they were busy drawing pictures about General Conference, but they were actually drawing stories about poop monsters. The older kids all listened, took notes, and drew beautiful pictures while listening.
(If you can handle handle wading through a LOT of pictures, click below to view the rest of the post!)
Between Conference sessions we drove 15 minutes to the Liberty Jail and saw our very good friend (and neighbor) Rebecca McDonnell, who is serving a mission in Independence, Missouri. She gave us a wonderful tour of the jail. We also took a walk in the neighborhood to meet/see the Ellefsen's good friends the Napiers.
Monday, April 7th
We prepared to drive to Nauvoo. Originally Bryn and Ali were coming with us. Plans changed at the last minute and Logan and Lindsey came instead. In fact, we were able to pull them out of school and surprise them with the trip. Their reactions were hilarious. First Logan was called to the office. He looked shocked at first to see me standing there. When I asked if he wanted to go to Nauvoo with us a big grin spread across his face. Next Lindsey bounced into the office. "Whaaaat?" she asked. I asked if she wanted to go with us to Nauvoo. Her enthusiastic response: "YES, Lindsey DOES want to go with the Porters to Nauvoo!" And so we bought a round of fast food for everyone and we were off on our adventure.
First stop: the marker at Far West, Missouri. Although the once thriving community is now pretty barren farmland with a large marker at the temple cornerstones, I was very touched by this stop. I pictured all the momentous and tragic events which happened there.
This picture is missing Lindsey because she ran to the restroom but we had to take the picture before we were pelted with a wild rainstorm!
We arrived in Nauvoo a few hours later and explored our cute restored pioneer cabin.
Then we ran over to the Social Hall for the Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo show, put on by the senior missionaries in Nauvoo. The little kids had a front row seat.
Tuesday, April 8th
We began our day with a wagon ride through Nauvoo. It was a little chilly so the missionaries gave all of us cozy blankets.
After the wagon ride we checked out some of our restored pioneer homes and businesses. The kids listened really patiently to all the stories. The only moment that strained all of our patience was when a sweet older man explained coopering (wagon wheel making) for half an hour. Way. Too. Much. Info.
In the schoolhouse, which was definitely built for shorter pioneer people.
Demonstrating "shoulder angel," Logan's favorite sketch from Studio C. Logan liked to transfer his shoulder angel gig from Aubrey to Bailey and back and on and on!
Learning to make rope.
Pictures along a fence in Old Nauvoo.
Late afternoon we drove half an hour to Carthage, Illinois, to see the jail where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred. We all felt the sacred spirit in the room where the prophet and his brother spent their last hours. Below, the window from which Joseph fell to his death after being shot.
Outside the jail.
Next we drove to the Old Nauvoo Cemetery, where many of the pioneers are buried. We found a number of our relative's names on the memorial of those who died while living in Nauvoo. We were initially concerned about whether the younger kids would be respectful in the cemetery, but our fears were unfounded. They reverently walked around, reading the gravestones. They were especially impacted by the gravestones of children. We also found the gravestones of Dan's relatives, Hannah and James Webb.
These gravestones marked the spot where three small children from one family are buried.
Joseph spent a lot of time reading all the inscriptions around this statue, which shows a family burying their child.
We had to find hay bales for a Bailey photo op so she could act out her friend's frequent greeting, "Hey, Bails!" Get it?
As the sun was beginning to set we walked the Trail of Hope down Parley's Street, following the path of the pioneers as they crossed the Mississippi in their wagons and left Nauvoo for the last time. We stopped to read all of the quotes along the path. This was Aubrey's favorite quote.
This is my favorite quote.
The little kids liked this one because it was written by a kid.
As we walked between markers along the path Bailey did lunges as an exercise. She set a goal in January to do certain things every day, including exercise, and as far as I know she has consistently completed her goals every day! Wow - I can learn a lot from my children.
We found several names of family members listed on the monument honoring those who died in the trek across the plains. I don't think that "Joseph Porter" was actually a relative, but Joseph was freaked out to see his own name on the list.
Our attempts to get a picture of the kids in front of the statue of Joseph and Brigham looking over the Mississippi to the west.
Ouch - sun in the eyes, something Lindsey and Joseph particularly hate.
Finally, a few silhouette pictures with the sun setting over the Mississippi River as the background.
Back at the cabin, Aubrey spent a lot of time in the porch swing reading her latest obsession, The Giver series.
Pictures in front of the Nixon cabin - seriously the most fun place to stay in Nauvoo! We loved the little museum next to our cabin filled with pioneer and Joseph Smith mementos. Joseph was particularly fascinated by the museum.
And here it is . . . the Logan Ellefsen look. Every time we took a picture of Logan he struck this pose, so we all quickly adopted the same pose.
Wednesday, April 9th
After breakfast we took pictures in front of the beautiful Nauvoo Temple.
Ouch - sunlight again. . .
Next we stopped by the statues behind the Visitors Center and the girls posed next to the statues in the "Monument to Women" garden. They tried to re-create the poses from our last trip to Nauvoo in 2005. Below, Aubrey age 5 and the girls posing next to the same statue.
Bailey 2005 (with an inexplicably white face) and Bailey 2014
Bailey (age 8) Aubrey (age 5), and Joseph (4 months) in 2005 and re-creation picture. Wow - it's pretty obvious that we visited during different seasons - mid summer in 2005 and end of winter in 2014. We tried to talk Joseph into joining the picture so Bailey could hold him over her shoulder like she did when he was a baby, but he would have none of it. So Bailey is holding a pretend baby!
We took lots more pictures next to the statues, but we will save them for our vacation book. Just one more - the girls had me pose next to the old woman statue. What??
Next we visited the Mansion House, Red Brick Store, and the graves of Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum. The Community of Christ church runs the tours of these sites.
These three kiddos were so cute - they did everything together and got along great. I loved hearing them talking to each other from their beds upstairs until they fell asleep each night. We are so glad Ali and Ryan let us "kidnap" Lindsey and Logan to take with us to Nauvoo!
And then we headed to grab lunch before driving back to Liberty to meet up with the rest of the Ellefsens.
Thursday, April 10th
The next day we relaxed and visited with Ali during the morning and then drove to the Independence Visitors Center.
After that we visited friends who recently moved from Vancouver to Lee's Summit, MO.
It was great to see our good friends again!
We left Aubrey with the Warnicks for a sleepover with Kate (her best friend). The rest of us headed back to Ellefsens. That night Bailey and Brynlie demonstrated the silly way teenage girls pose for pictures.
Friday, April 11th
We started our day with golfing for the guys and laziness for the girls, and then we met up at a fabulous diner in Liberty called Ginger Sue's. We are still fantasizing about the french toast with blueberry compote.
As our trip was winding down we celebrated Ryan's hopeful news from the oncologist with a family movie/dinner night: Captain America: Winter Soldier and Mexican food at a very authentic place in Kansas. Dan learned the hard way that the "hot" sauce is
really hot, not just gringo hot!
On the way home we drove by the beautiful new Kansas City Temple.
Saturday, April 12th
Our last day in Kansas City we fit in a quick girl's getaway: pedicures and frozen yogurt (and some Thai food takeout which Bailey tried in preparation for her Prom dinner date).
Next we watched some of the kids perform in the Ellefsen/Porter Talent Show (but I guess I didn't take any pictures) and then we loaded up the car to catch our flight back to Portland.
We had such a great time with the Ellefsens and we miss them so much - there is nothing in the world like spending time with family!
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