Nauvoo and Carthage

I found some long lost pictures from over a year ago that I wanted to share.  We squeezed in a quick trip to Carthage and Nauvoo Illinois the week before graduation.  I'm so glad we didn't miss out on such a great experience.  We stayed overnight in Keokuk, Iowa which is just across the river from Carthage.  I can't get over how tiny E looks in these pictures that were taken just over year ago.  Both of the girls have changed so much since then, and we now have sweet W!

The next morning was positively gorgeous sunshine, but a pretty windy so it was chilly.   We made it to Carthage first thing and couldn't believe how beautiful it was with all of the tulips in full bloom.  We got to visit the last jail that the Prophet Joseph Smith was held, and was killed in an ambush by a mob.

After watching a short film about the life of Joseph Smith, we got to tour the jail.  Downstairs there are living quarters where the jailer and his family lived.

Inside the first cell (downstairs) that Joseph was held.  The jailer heard of the mobs, and actually moved him upstairs to keep people from firing through the windows.

The second cell upstairs.  The jailer actually ended up giving Joseph and the other bretheren being held his own bedroom upstairs where they were staying when the mob showed up.

Door to the bedroom, bullet holes still there.

The window Joseph Smith was shot through, fell out of and died as he was shot more times in the air.

A set of lovely sister missionaries showed us around and told us the story of everything that happened the day of his death.  They bore their testimonies and it was a wonderful spiritual experience.

I left out a lot of details about the events of Carthage Jail.  Please ask me more about it if you are not familiar with the Prophet Joseph Smith, how and why he died, and all about the pioneers!

Nauvoo was only a 25 minute drive from Carthage. Upon our arrival we headed straight for an ox cart ride.  It was so fun for the girls to see oxen as they love to sing "Here Comes the Ox Cart".

I loved seeing Camille's facial expressions when she was feeding the ox and he stuck his giant tongue out.  :)

Statue of the First Vision at the visitor's center.

Next we went for a horse carriage ride tour around the city.  They had beautiful handmade quilts for everyone to help block the wind.

E was napping in the car by the time we went to the Nauvoo Temple.  We drove around it, and C and I got to walk around the grounds.

There are such symbolic details and it was fun to take it all in.

Historic downtown Nauvoo was a lot of fun.  The Gunsmith shop was one of our favorites.

First machine gun!

Blacksmith shop where we each got a desert diamond ring.  Pioneer boys didn't have diamond rings to propose to their sweethearts, so they made rings out of horseshoes (the heads are diamond shape) and used those instead!

We got to try our hand at rope making.

E loved the pioneer babydolls.

Joseph, Hyrum and Emma's graves overlooking the river.  I have such love, honor and respect for these three.

I discovered the coolest thing while going through these pictures.  Right before we left, we took a picture by the Farr house because they are some of Nick's relatives.  Looking closer at the sign, it says Winslow Farr.  We had no idea we would name our baby Winslow at the time.  In fact we didn't even know he was a boy yet and we originally named him after his Great Great Grandpa Loren Winslow Hurst.  What a wonderful surprise to see this in our pictures today!