Brianne sweet 16

Tara and Evan our hired profession-al waiters

Brianne's sweet 16



Well we sent Tara off to school in August and then in September we partied. Well we actually invited 20 teenagers over to Brianne's 16th birthday party. Her favorite dinner is spaghetti so we had spaghetti under the stars theme with Italian music and had some very professional waiters hired to serve these 20 teenagers.
They served in courses and of course spaghetti and bread sticks were served. We played sing for your dinner (a game where every one sings one part to a song and they had to find the other person who is singing the other half to their song. We also played how well do you know Brianne with prizes. It started thundering and lightning and so took desert inside and then watched a movie on Trent's new projector. It was a fun night!

Independence MO, July 7th

Commu-nity of Christ Temple



The original Flournoy home where the temple land was bought for $130

Jackson County's first court house 1827. Mary Elizabeth lived here who saved Book of Commandments

The First Log Court House in Indepe-ndence made of black walnut

Peace Pavilion from the Commu-nity of Christ Puppet show


After driving 10 1/2 hrs the first day and 8 1/2 hrs the second day we arrived in Indepen-dence Mo. After checking in our hotel we stopped to an all you can eat place. That's the kids favorite restaurant, just ask. We came back to our hotel and realized we couldn't turn off the air conditioning and our hotel was reading 60 degrees. So for any Arizonan in the middle of summer we froze. We asked the front office after it got down to 55 degrees if there was something they could do. They said they would send some one over, but he wasn't coming until after we would be gone. So we took out our sleeping bags and opened windows and asked for extra blankets. Most of the next day we were running around Independence going to the Mormon Visitor Center, The Community of Christ Temple(They have women in their 12 apostles) and the Peace Pavilion also owned by them. We went to the Temple Lot owned by the Church of Christ. They broke off, but they would tell you we broke off and that Joseph was a fallen prophet. You could really feel their contention for our church and it gave you a feeling of what the saint went through when they had dissenters break off and persecute Joseph Smith. You could also really feel the difference in spirit between all three places, It was amazing! Later in the afternoon we took the kids down to a water park it had slides, lazy rivers,and pools. We all enjoyed getting wet and playing.

Liberty, Far West and Adam-ondi Ahman

Liberty Jail, the entrance

Far West Temple lot

At Adam-ondi Ahman, Brianne found a good spot


Wed. after visiting Liberty Jail we stopped at Far West and had a picnic. It is so beautiful there and you really feel the sacredness of the temple grounds. We also have relatives that lived there, before they were kicked out. Adam-ondi Ahman was also beautiful but I would of liked it to have been less crowded, well it wasn't like Disney Land but I guess I wanted the entire place to myself. So selfish of me.

Mark Twain's Hannibal

Their favorite part about Hannibal, getting wet in the Mississippi


Becky Thatcher's ice cream place. hmmm who's winning


Lovers Leap


At the top of the Light House.

My Tom Sawyer


Tom got a few helpers

On Thursday July 9th we played in Hannibal all day, went to Mark Twain Museum and homes, climbed the light house stairs over 200, had ice cream cones at Becky Thatcher's place, rode the twain express and while we were on it, the train broke(is that Murphy's law) so they gave us our money back. We drove out to the caves and lovers leap. We then went to River Park which has trails the lead down to the Mississippi River. Trent of course was the first one in. Then Spencer and then the girls. They really enjoyed wading and playing in the Mississippi River. We then went and have real Italian pizza at the Brick Oven. Great place for a date. We went back to the hotel the kids loved the hotel because they had the biggest indoor pool in the area and all kinds of table games like pool, hockey. Around midnight we picked Tara up from the St. Louis Airport. It was great to have her join us.

Beautiful Nauvoo

Sunset from our Condo in Nauvoo

Nauvoo Pageant

Tara got picked from the audience to make rope because she was volunteering her sisters

Spencer is really concentrating you can tell by his tongue

Visitor Center

Women's Garden

Spencer is on the right, he loved stick pull

It was such a fun vacation. I'm go glad we had the opportunity to do this. The Nauvoo Pageant was awesome! The kids really enjoyed the trip. It was so cool to have everyone bear their testimony wherever you went, the barrel making, the rope making all the home tours owned by the church. We also stopped by the Joseph Smith homestead owned by the Community of Christ. They are the ones that were once the Reorganized church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They were friendly but this is the only one that charges $2.00 a person to view. All of our church is free including all shows and carriage, oxen, horse and cart rides. We enjoyed going to church in Nauvoo. I feel so much gratitude for our ancestors, thank you so much!

Murphy's in Nauvoo

Handcart trail, Brianne's good ride

The Nauvoo oxen

On board for the oxen ride


Hold on to those horns

Saturday in Nauvoo

Oh no my shoes!

Eary Saturday Trent and I went and walked down Parley street. They have actors in costume up and down the street sharing from journal entries of leaving Nauvoo and their faith. It was really touching. Then Trent dropped me off so I could pick up tickets for the shows and wagon ride and went to pick up kids for their 9:00 a.m. handcart trail. The pictures don't show but we had to go up and down slippery muddy hills. We were all very muddy (shoes,pants)! We had a few complaining kids because they did'nt wear the right shoes and got their good ones all muddy but in the end they were good sports and enjoyed pulling the handcart. We then rode the oxen, and also stopped by the black smith shop, they gave every one a prarie ring. Before lunch and of course after everyone cleaned up the mud we stopped by the brick makers and learned how to make bricks, and had a wagon ride through Nauvoo. We then went to a mantinee and watched the young performing missionaries in "High Hopes and River Boats" they were so good! We just had to stop and get Nauvoo Fudge, eat dinner and then come back to "Sunset at the Mississippi". What a fun program for all ages. It was a fun and packed day.