Road Trip Pt 2

We got to Nauvoo the evening of October 27 and it was about 80 degrees.  We took a walk around the temple and then went and found our hotel room.  One of my good friends totally hooked us up through another friend with an awesome deal on a room at the Nauvoo Villas, which was awesome.  So we checked in there and then went in search of food.  Ever needed to get dinner after 6 PM in Nauvoo?  There is like, a singular place open.  So we went there.  We had just about the whole next day to explore Nauvoo before we drove to St. Louis for the night.  If you ever want to go to Nauvoo and miss the heat and crowds, October is the way to go.  Granted it was a crazy warm day for October, and we didn't get to see any shows or whatever (apparently they do that?  I had only been once before in 8th or 9th grade and I don't really remember it.), and there's probably more activities and things in the summer, but I think, seeing as it was just me and my two tiny kids, we got to everything I would've wanted to anyway, with plenty of time to spare.  We took our time and it was rare that we weren't the only people in a house or watching a demonstration.  Anyway, we loved Nauvoo.  It was gorgeous and the weather was perfect and it was so nice to have a day where we could be out of the car.  We left around 4 in the afternoon and drove to St. Louis.  Oh, and side note: I was very tempted whilst in Illinois to just drive all the way up to Chicago just to say we were in Chicago while the Cubs were in the World Series

Our first walk around the temple.

Then we went back for another walk after dinner.  Um, my kids are the cutest.  And Nauvoo is gorgeous.

At our suite, they shared a bed.  I tucked them in and when I went back to check on them, I found this.  My heart.

The next morning we got an early start (like, before things opened, early)  We went down to the Smith Family Cemetery.  We were the only ones there and Atticus  sang the whole first verse of Praise to the Man for us.

Then we drove up the road a bit to get an actual good look at the river.  The day before when we stopped and could see it in the distance, they were saluting it for some weird reason.  So this is how we posed.

Atticus loved this map at the Visitor's Center.  Like, kept wanting to go back.  Funny kid.

He was also a very good listener.  Sat and listened to this lady explain how they wove their rugs etc and asked questions.  It was fun to watch them.

This was the only time there were other people watching the same demonstration as us.  Atticus helped make a rope and then, unimpressed, asked if we could go get more bread from the baking demonstration.

Nauvoo is pretty.

Riding in the wagon.  Jonny currently thinks "neighs" are the best of all the animals but actually wasn't too impressed by the giant horses pulling us around.

W loaded up at the fudge factory.  We sat outside and ate our treats and they posed like statues (seen here) whenever people walked by.  Atticus figured that would make people want to go in and get some treats because he was like an advertisement.  He was thrilled when people actually went in.

Nauvoo is pretty.  Fall is pretty.

These be my kids.  Jonny was still working on her chocolate-covered marshmallow.

Atticus and his poses.

So I was told this was the best spot to take pictures of the temple.  Accurate.  I love these pictures.

Seriously, they were loving posing like goons.  

We got to St. Louis the night of the 28th, went out to eat, and crashed at our hotel.  The next morning we went to the Gateway Arch.  They were doing construction around the arch so my kids and I had to walk forever and they were troopers.  

Waiting to go up.

If you've never been to The Gateway Arch, their elevator system is a little freaky.  They are very tiny and they have to go up and around the curve of the arch and it is not a smooth ride.  It's more of a tram.  I do think they've updated it a bit since the last time I was there.  I remember that last time, with my parents and siblings, the elevator recording proudly announced we were riding in the latest 1960's technology.  It didn't say that this time and the ride was a lot less bumpy.  I also didn't remember the doors being glass last time but they were this time and that was pretty cool.  You could see all the way down or up into the arch.

Jonny did not like the elevator but Atticus loved it.  I made him stay in his seat but as you can see, he leaned as far as possible to see down into the arch.

Looking down at the city.

I took this picture on our way back out as we were looking at the river.  Jonny refused to turn around for it.

He was teaching her how to stand like a cowboy.

After the Arch it was off to Ohio to see cousins.

This was outside where we stopped for lunch in Indiana.  Atticus found a toad and very timidly tried to catch it without actually getting anywhere near enough to touch it.  In the meantime, Jonny just walked right up and petted it like it was nothing.  (Poor toad)

Road trip part 3 to come.