Family Vacation

I was just reading Karen's blog when I saw that it had been 4 weeks since I had put anything on mine.  That's pretty bad. 

It has actually been a pretty busy month.  Alan and I went to Nauvoo, Illinois on June 3rd. (which is also Amy's birthday.  Happy birthday, Amy!)  Our purpose for going to Nauvoo was to attend a Salem Branch member's own endowment session at the Nauvoo Temple and also a wedding for his bride and him on Monday.  Alan said that if we were going to drive that far we might as well go a couple of days early and do some sight-seeing.  While we were there we discovered a good Chinese buffet in Fort Madison, Iowa.  It was called China Buffet -- clever, huh?  We also were able to attend a fireside given by Kim Smith and her son Bryan Davis. (I think I got his name right).  They are direct descendants of Joseph Smith and were baptized into the LDS church semi-recently.  They bore their testimonies and told of their conversion stories.  Very interesting.  When Alan & I went to the St. Louis Temple I told Sis. Oscarson (the temple matron) about seeing them and she told me that they were going to be at St. Robert Stake's R.S. Women's Conference in August.  So I guess I will get to see them again.

Ohh . . . I love the Nauvoo Temple.  I snapped this picture through the fence toward the back of the property.

 

 

 

 

 

They are sooo happy!

The group of us on the front steps of the Nauvoo Temple.

After we left Nauvoo we drove to Piedmont, MO where we met our family at Sunset Point Resort.  That's a place we went a few times when the kids were younger.  We've been back now a couple of times since they were grown.  I worried about the weather being too cold, but it turned really HOT right before we went.  We spent part of our time in the air conditioned cabins and the rest of it at the pool.  That pool sure did feel good.  It wasn't too hot or too cold.

We celebrated Amy, Dominic and Andrew's birthdays while at the resort.  We are getting to have a lot of June birthdays.  July is pretty packed too.

Boy, that water sure feels good.

Noodle Wars!!

Danny & Zach were together all the time.

Michael took time to study his lines for the play he will be in in July.

Do you think these guys enjoy being together??

Watch out below!!!

Sierra read a lot and Andrew loved having her read to him.

Man!  When is it going to be time to go swimming???

Andrew -- all worn out.

Noah is getting so big and is starting to be smiley.

On the way to Piedmont we heard from Michael & Laura.  Their car had broken down and we were still about 3 hours away.  Luckily they ran into a friend of a lady that worked at Casey's in Bonne Terre, MO who knew how to fix it.  He fixed the car and only charged them for the part.  It's nice to know that there are still nice, helpful people out there who aren't "out to get you".

Now we are all back home and are awaiting the birth of Karen & Michael's baby girl.  She is due on June 23.  We just wait to see when she plans to make her appearance.  Then off we will go again.