Iowa 2008- Nauvoo, Illinois

Historic Nauvoo
Family Vacation to Iowa
May 21-27, 2008

Saturday
Saturday morning the lot of us drove out from Des Moines to Nauvoo. It took about 3 1/2 hours to get there. All the while it is raining and storming. We decided to go rain or shine and at this point it was most definitely rain.

When we arrive in Nauvoo we take a quick stop at the visitors center to pick up ticket to the various shows we were interested in seeing. After that our first stop was the Cultural Hall for "Just Plain Anna Amanda." We had planned on two more shows, but decided that Kyra and Addy were not going to make it through them, so we gave our tickets back and continued on our way.

We headed back to a building behind the Cultural Hall, named the Family Living Center, where we learned all about how the Pioneers (and others) did things in the 1840's. Such as spinning thread on a spinning wheel, baking bread in a bustle oven, making milky white candles, ropes (shown above and below), rugs and barrels. It is all very time consuming and mind boggling for us 21st century folk to comprehend that it would take 3 days to make a batch of bread, or that you had to literally stick your hand in your oven for 15 seconds to see if the temperature was just right for cooking bread or 2 months to make 200 candles, or that instead of running to the store it would take weeks or months to make a rug. Then to have to leave it all behind.

Steve and Kyle making rope. Stephen also helped and got to keep what they made.

While us "big kids" were really into and excited to learn about this, the "little kids" (Kyra and Addy) were not as excited. I spent some time feeding Addy some food and later took Kyra on a walk around the grounds, since the rain had stopped, while everyone else enjoyed the exhibits. Kyra and I were able to enjoy the Nauvoo Brass Band while we waited for everyone to finish up.

One of the many Historic Locations we visited was the Scovil Bakery. Ryan, Kyra and I, along with Steve, Mindy, Saren and Stephen went in for the history lesson and came out with a really yummy cookie. Now if they all had yummy cookies at the end. :)

Some of the other sites we stopped in were the Gunsmith's shop and the Blacksmith's shop, where we received a Prairie Diamond. These have no historic relevance, but are fun to have. They are diamond head shaped nails that are hammered into a ring. Legend, and that's all it is, has it that the Pioneers didn't have money for real wedding rings, so they would hammer out a nail into the shape of a ring, using the nail head as the "diamond" and use that instead.

We did not enter in, but we did look at the Brigham Young House, the Mansion house and the Shoe maker's shop. All very interesting...unless you're two! :)

A little further down the street we found the Pioneer games. We had a blast trying to test our skills at stilt walking. Steve, Ryan and Kyle were pretty good, but the rest of us weren't so good.

The "boys"- Dad Zielke, Ryan, Kyle and Steve had a stilt endurance challenge. Who could stay on the stilts the longest. Kyle won, but Ryan gave him a run for his money and only fell because he was trying to head butt Kyle off balance.

Kyra wanted a turn and daddy gave her a hand.

Saren, Stephen, Kyra (with a little help from Uncle Kyle).

There was an outdoor pavilion where they had set up toys from the 1840's. Despite being 21st century "kids" we were all very entertained for hours and could have been entertained for many more hours had the exhibit not closed.

Daddy and Kyra playing what I have named "The Bear Shimmy." You had to shimmy the bear up the ropes to be the first to get your bear to the top.

Kyle playing with a stick and wheel.

Ryan playing ring toss with Kyle, Mom Zielke and everyone else.

Those games were a little too advanced for Kyra and Addy so we headed for the pint-sized log cabin to play house. Kyra is making dinner for us in the oven. She would put the "potatoes" and "apples" in a pan, put them in the oven, pull them out, put one on a plate, give it to me to eat and shout acclaims at what a good cook she is, and do it all over again. It was quite cute and I enjoyed every minute.

While here we stopped for a snack. We hadn't eaten lunch and it was about 4:00pm. We were all hungry. Kyra and Addy hadn't eaten much, but snacks. In hindsight I would have packed a sandwich or two to munch on, but who knew.

We later went on the "Trail of Hope." The Trail of Hope is the path the Saints took from their homes in Nauvoo to the Mississippi River when the Mobs pushed them from their homes. It was mid-February and very cold. Along the path were plaques with quotes from various people's journals. It was very spiritual to walk this path knowing the hardships the Saints had faced and the hardships they were about to face and see the optimism and faith they had.

It was nearing 6:00 and Kyra and Addy were really getting fussy. I took Kyra ahead with me to allow us to walk a little faster, thus keeping her more entertained. It was a nice moment for her and I as I would read the plaques (that she didn't care one bit about) and have her cover my mouth and say "No talking, mama" over and over. I would play with her by trying to "eat" her hand and walk to the next plaque. Where we would do our little "game" again.

At the end of the path was the Mississippi River. It is a very large river at this crossing and must have been really scary for the saint to cross. The river at the initial time of the exodus had frozen over so they were able to cross over the ice with their teams and wagons. Later in the year they had to wait, sometimes days, for barges to give them passage. As you looked back there were areas where you could see the temple on the hill. The sadness they must have felt to not only be leaving their homes, but to be able to see their precious temple, so recently completed, being destroyed by fire. Yet they had so much hope and faith that the Lord would bless them.

A statue of Joseph Smith, Jr. and Brigham Young stands near the bank of the Mississippi River near the end of the Trail of Hope. It is really a good symbol of Joseph Smith handing the mantel of power to Brigham Young. Joseph Smith would never cross the Mississippi with his faithful saints as he is martyred in Carthage around this time.

The Nauvoo Temple is absolutely beautiful. I had very mixed emotions being on the temple grounds. I was angry and guilty about being so frustrated with what was going on with the kids and at the same time felt the spirit of this wonderful place. Knowing that this temple, while not the original to stand on this spot, was so important to so many. That it was burned to the ground by ignorant people, that it stands today in a different time. The statue of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum stands in front of the temple with them taking their last look of their beautiful city. They ride off to Carthage where they will both be killed never to return.

Another angle. You can see Joseph Smith looking over his shoulder to the city that sits below.

Near the end of our time on the temple grounds the sun broke through the clouds to shine on the temple. I loved how despite the dark clouds behind it it shone as a beacon to the world.

We were able to get a reservation at the Hotel Nauvoo. The weather was beautiful and the kids were able to run around and get more of their energy out before dinner. Kyra loved playing and running with her cousins, however distant.

The Hotel Nauvoo is an actual Hotel that has had its main floor retrofitted to be a buffet style restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious and we all ate a lot. Dinner was a bit later than many of us would have preferred, but the food was second to none.

Addy loved walking and being adored by all those who watched.

While I may have done things a bit differently had I known. I would not have traded that day for anything. Nauvoo was beautiful and inspiring. I may have not enjoyed some moments, but others were too precious for words. It was nice to be able to go with Grandma and Grandpa and the Koch (sounds like coke) family.

Thank you all for a wonderful day.