Nauvoo

This was pretty stinkin' cool. We went to a ward of the Nauvoo mission. Who knew that there was a mission with enough missionaries to fill a ward? After an hour nap (it was 8 am church) we went to Historic Nauvoo. Tom, Beth, Jamie, Valerie and I were walking down the road and Tom out of nowhere says to imagine that we are all his wives. Of course we laughed at him, and in attempted redemption he said, "no really, just imagine it" so of course we laughed even harder! It was pretty funny. Then I ran face first into a sign. yeah. There is the big sign saying what the site is, and then under the perpendicular pole is a hanging sign declaring the hours open. Well the pole is barely above my head, so the sign basically covers my face. I have NO idea how I missed that--well I guess I didn't miss it did I? It was a pretty good day ;)

After an amazing dinner we went back down to the Temple to watch the sunset. That was really pretty. We talked about the temple for a little while and then as we were leaving I started talking to these boys. They were brothers--both VERY cute. Before you get too excited they were About Ethan and Calebs' ages ;) he he. They were on my level, so we talked Disney and such. I talked to their mom for a little while and we just had a good 'ole time. I think I spent nearly 45 minutes with their family. I even got the little girl to say my name ;) Tom and I then walked back to the hotel and had a really good talk about gospel stuff.

I was kind of thinking about the temple and seeing it is more like a memory. That sounds weird but it doesn't really seem real. It is beautiful though!

Illinois

This morning we were in Springfield at the Abraham Lincoln Historical Museum. That was a VERY well designed museum. I have kind of been thinking that exhibit design would be a cool job. There were some movies that were so interactive and life-like that I spent a large majority of the time trying to determine in one of them if there was a live actor as part of it or not. It was interesting to see how Abraham Lincoln was so hated in his campaign, and through his presidency (which still makes me wonder how he won if he was despised so deeply) but yet once he died he instantly became a legend! I stood in a room which was a recreation of his viewing and I couldn't help but feel a sacredness there, just as strong or stronger than in some of the religious sites. I wish I possessed a portion of the dedication he had!

We again boarded the bus--this time for Carthage. I guess memory does weird things to me, but it wasn't quite how I remembered. We got to have a little bit of a testimony meeting/devotional up in the room. This was a great place to be...but I was soooooo excited for our next stop! Ryan, Amanda and I set things up for our group to get to go to the Nauvoo Temple tonight! I was soooo excited! The temple is so beautiful. It is different than any other temple I have been in--that's for sure. The simplicity but elegance is stunning. The work and craftsmanship is incredible, but there isn't the hand stenciling or some of the other things I have seen in temples. The materials were beautiful, and the spiral staircase was really cool. I had a really cool experience in the temple--this work is really important.

Cincinnati

This was cool! For most of the day we were on the bus, but we spent the morning in Cincinnati at the Underground Railroad National Freedom Center. I know Dad said that the Holocaust Museum in D.C. changed his life; this museum had a profound effect on me. There is a very ugly scar in our society! We watched a movie about how people escaped. I kept waiting for the happy ending...that didn't happen. I guess I have realized that we have a responsibility still at this time to help those around us who need it--we need to stand up. I am even more aware and proud of those that I love serving in the military.

Kirtland

Kirtland was a lot different than I remembered. The temple was a good experience for me this time. I hate to admit it, but previously when I have been there I have felt awkward. This time was a really good experience. Guess what? The temple used to be a gray blue color. The plaster (including the smashed China) was created to resemble the local stone. Yeah it seems weird they didn't just leave the stone. In fact they even painted faux mortar lines...

We spent time at the Newel K. Whitney Store and historic Kirtland and in Hiram on the John Johnson farm--which was so incredible. We were sitting in the room where the visions of heaven were opened up to the Prophet and Sidney. The Lord appeared to His servants in that room! The Spirit was there! Joseph Smith truly was a prophet!

Niagara Falls

Now this was a picture worthy place! Oh wow! This was as close to Canada as I have ever been. I was close enough to swim (and I am a terrible swimmer). I was a little sad that we couldn't go over there, but I was in the water between the two countries.

This really was an awesome place to see. This one was big on my list of things to see in this life. It is really amazing, next time you are driving through New York... he he

I was counting this up today while I was sitting on the bus, and in 25 days we will have been in 23 states. Is that crazy or what?

Other than this AMAZING site, not a whole lot else happened. We drove to Kirtland and had a lecture there. Oh yeah and we went swimming in a dirty swimming pool, Jeff's family came to visit and Brock asked me for dating advice (yeah like I am qualified to give that).

Palmyra

WOW!!! Like wow! (Bartok--Anastasia) Palmyra is amazing! I think I have used that adjective a lot on this blog. (Please feel free to leave me some substitute ones.) First thing this morning we went to the Palmyra Temple. It was gorgeous! The stained glass was beautiful, and the temple itself was surrounded in beautiful landscaping. From one portion in the temple you can see through the art glass into the Sacred Grove. That is cool! I went down to the Sacred Grove after that. I was a little sad that I didn't get time to go into the farm house, but I guess I went as a little kid, so that is okay. It is amazing to think about how this Grove was at one time just an ordinary bunch of trees and now it is one of the most sacred places on Earth. The Lord really did appear to Joseph there.

The bus loaded up after lunch and we went up to the Hill Cummorah. I remember being there as a little kid, trying to get up closer to the pageant with Dad. I tell you what--that Angel Moroni sure picked a pretty place to hide his record! We also went to E.B. Grandin's Print Shop. After imprinting scriptures at Gales I can't even imagine typesetting a whole book!

We finished off the day in Fayette. We are headed to Niagara Falls in the morning.

Harmony

Harmony was really pretty. I don't remember coming here when I was a little kid. The bugs started to attack us. It was kind of funny. We walked down to the banks of the Susquehanna River. That was REALLY pretty! It was a calm but fairly wide river (Utah wide not East Coast wide). I enjoyed being there because of the significance of that event--wow! Where would be without the priesthood?

We also stopped in at Seneca Falls. It is the place for the first Women's Rights Convention in America. It was kind of interesting to discuss the differences of the definitions of equality. I think sometimes Women's Rights activists want women to be men. Yeah believe it or not, even with my independent spirit, even I don't think that so strongly.

And I know this is kind of lame...but...I was scratch that--we were all pretty stoked about our hotel. We are in the Palmyra Inn. It is the coolest hotel we have been in, and when you have been living in various hotels for the past two weeks--that is a pretty big deal ;)

Sharon

We spent the morning in Sharon, Vermont. It was pretty cool. It was all rainy and wet--it was beautiful! We went to church there and doubled their ward. The topic was on dating--which was funny cause there were probably 5 youth and a whole lot of retired couples. The girl was super funny! I have never been in such an interactive Sacrament meeting!

We went back to the Visitor Center and it was sooo pretty! For the rest of the day we traveled across the state. Brother Pulsipher told us his love story on the bus and it was pretty cute ;D--so not a whole lot happened. That was so good. I was so ready for a Sunday! An actually day of relative rest!

Concord

We spent a second day in Concord. This is the home of some of the greatest in American Literature. Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott and Hawthorne all lived there. We had a nutso tour guide in Emerson/Hawthorne's house. She was so funny! Usually I get the really lame tour guide, but this time I got the good one. We had to put booties on like you do when going through the temple open house. So I put booties on Ryan's crutches. It was pretty cool ;) Louisa May Alcott's home was kind of interesting, the tour got kind of long though. I had no idea that Little Women was so much a reflection of her own life.

We went to Waldon pond (which doesn't really look like a pond, more like a lake.) This is where Thoreau wrote his most famous work while living in a $28 shed. We were going to go swimming, but we didn't end up having time to. I was kind of sad about that. We traveled to New Hampshire tonight.

Oh yeah and these are members of the football team in town...from a far I thought they were girl scouts... imagine my surprise. ;)

Boston

Lexington and Concord were fairly cool, but we spent a lot of time there--cutting down our time in Boston ;( We did get to ride the subway--which I totally remember from when I was a small child in Boston. (I also saw a shopping bag from Philene's Basement. I was stoked!) We walked around town and saw an acrobatic show in Quincy Market. We saw a cool cemetery, Ben Franklin was buried there. I like that we go to so many cemeteries on this trip... no really I do. The architecture is pretty cool in some of the places. I was a little disappointed in how dirty the city was... I really think Harlem was cleaner.

Ryan and I were walking through a Farmers Market and ended up buying A LOT of fruit!!! We even got a coconut--which I am not sure how we will open. Well since I am the pack horse, it didn't take me too long to discover that, that was a bad idea! I think Ryan is getting carpal tunnel, that makes me nervous.

We went on to Harvard's campus. We had a lecture in the Divinity School. It started to rain, which we have seen a lot of.

Newport

Mostly this day was a whole lot of traveling! We spent a little time at the Newport mansions. I can't believe the amount of the money that these people spent! It was gaudy and ridiculous...but there was a sweet view of the Atlantic :o

We went to Plymouth rock. It isn't much to see. There was a pretty sweet cat with a sweater ;) oh yeah and it was on a leash!!! Yeah I liked that! We went to dinner and laughed soooooo hard afterwards that it took us twenty minutes to walk to blocks. I nearly wet my pants (literally) and everyone thought we were nuts!!!

New York City

Ahh wow! This was crazy cool! We spent the morning on a ferry going to Ellis Island and around Liberty Island. Since 9-11 they don't allow tourists in the top of the statue so we didn't stop on the island. It was cool though
We spent the afternoon in Manhattan. It was really cool. First we went to China Town where my roomies got some stuff off the black market. Tom was funny, he didn't realize that was what was happening (after we had been led down an alley and he opened up an overhead door of knock off purses.) The watch guy was talking to the two of us about being a spotter and the consequences. Tom just wasn't getting it. I loved it ;) We went to Ground Zero after that. They are building a monument there so it is all fenced off. Not much to see past a construction fence. From there we tried to go to Central Park. Our Subway didn't stop at all the stops indicated on the map--so we ended up in Harlem. We could have gotten back on the subway but I wanted to walk around. So we did. We walked up through Harlem and into the nothern part of the park. We lost Tom on the Subway after that. He got off for some reason--he looked so sad as the door shut in his face. Of course he was the only one without a cell phone. We spent a little time in Times Square and I bought a few more things from the street vendors and then......we went to Wicked!

That was an incredible experience! I really had no idea what to expect. It was sooooo powerful! There are so many different morals of the story and the set was...oh, some really great adjective. It really was breathtaking! I can understand now why people are so hooked on this play!

Philadelphia

Okay so the city of Brotherly Love is not so loving. We have all been impressed with how nice the people have been wherever we go. This was NOT the case here! It was still pretty cool to be there though. We got a swift and strong rainstorm--so I looked like a rat for most of the day...ahhh ya win some ya lose some. ;) The Constitution Center was pretty cool. There was a 360 presentation that was pretty cool. The lady got mad at me about Ryan's wheelchair though ;) The Liberty Bell was cool. I expected it to be a lot larger though. Oh and bought food from a street vendor! That was exciting. Usually I am too nervous to buy food prepared in a shack like so but Phillie cheese steak--definitely worth it!

So we were at the Laundromat (which was kind of weird for me to do my laundry coed...ehhh) and while stuff was drying Ryan and I went to the grocery store next door. I was carrying his stuff (he is the kid on crutches) and once we got our clothes and were getting on the bus I put his quart of milk and ice cream in my bag. Well we drive back to the hotel and I get upstairs and tell him I will bring the stuff to his room. Only then I realize that I don't know where his milk went. (Please keep in mind that by this time I have already lost my debit card and camera) so I am kinda freaking out cause this time I lost someone else's stuff. Well then I get Tom (who is conviently our bus driver's son) to help me go see if it is on the bus. (I can imagine it tipped over in the bus leaking forever leaving the smell of Moldie Oldie.) So after about ten minutes and a trip back into the hotel we finally get into the bus and discover that the milk is not there. I am completely embarrassed because not only have I lost his milk but I have recruited another kid into helping me find it. So I guility go up to his room and confess. As it turns out he had grabbed it out of my bag and drank it on the bus. I was real embarrased at that point. Okay maybe this is one of those anti-climatic "you had to be there stories)

Gettysburg

Ahhh!!! I loved it! Well first we went to Haper's Ferry in West Virginia. It was cool, but my favorite part was standing on the Pike between the Potomac and the Shenandoah. I was standing in West Virginia and on one side of the river was Virginia and on the other side was Maryland.

Our next stop was Gettysburg. I cannot even begin to describe that place. The battlefield was enormous! With all my reading I really had no idea how long the battle front was and what really happened there until I spent some time there. I am sure I don't understand, nor would I want to understand all that happened there. I just get more and more proud of the military and of this great nation we live in, given to us by God. As we were leaving a group of soldiers came in their desert camo and it was just so cool to see them there.

Sadly I lost my camera at one of the headstones. We were doing a writing assignment in the cemetary and I set my camera down. Realizing I didn't have it on the bus we turned around to get it but it was gone. That was really sad. Luckily my roommates and I have been sharing pictures so now they will just give me theirs.

Probably one of the sweetest things that has happened to me in a long time happened last night too. There is a guy named Jeff on this tour and he is such a sweetheart. He felt really bad for me and came up last night and brought me a note saying how sorry he was that it had happened and hoped that I was still having a good time. He gave me a disposable camera and offered to share his with me. I was so amazed at the sincerity of it!!! It was sooooooooo cool.

Washington DC--Day 2

7We went to Mount Vernon in the morning. It was pretty! The river behind us is the Potomac. I think Washington has the best place in Virginia for his house. We went to Sacrament meeting there in a military ward.

I got to see Arlington! That was soooo cool! This is the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I was soooo excited to see that!

We saw the Lincoln, Vietnam and World War 2 Memorials too. It was funny to see the difference in the city in two days.

Washington DC--Day 1

So... have you heard of Tropical Storm Hanna?

...yeah me neither ;)

(this was going to be where I inserted pictures of the rain, but as it turns out that picture isn't available at this time :D)

He he, we spent the day in the pouring rain. We were at the Washington Monument and our guide was killer funny. Oh in case you aren't aware I want to be black when I grow up. They are the coolest ;) We spent a while in the Holocaust Museum, which was cool but depressing. There were a bunch of Annapolis guys there--they were handsome. When I went inside to check my sweater I had to ring it out to give it to him. Naturally it wasn't much good to me after that, so I carried it around in a plastic bag like the cool Strongbad guy. (Two days later it is still trying to dry out.)

The National Archives were AMAZING!!! That was the coolest thing! The constitution and such are actually really large documents. There are really cool exhibits there!

Monticello & UVA

Today we drove to Monticello, which was the home of Thomas Jefferson. I don't think I ever realized, even with this history book that I have been packing around, what an amazing man he really was. He was the author of the Declaration of Independence, author of the Statute of Religious Freedom, the father of University of Virginia, and those don't include his civic offices. The interesting thing is that he was such a champion for religious freedom, and he was a deist--though Jefferson read the Bible all of the time. He only attended church on special occasions and didn't believe in the divinity of Christ, just that He was a great teacher. It has been really interesting.

We also went to Mickey's Tavern, yeah who knew that BYU-Idaho would encourage eating at a tavern ;) Jefferson used to sit in the corner there and talk to travelers. After hours of talking to him they would discover they were talking to a previous president of the US. Oh and there was a tour from the United Presbyterian Church there too. It was a bunch of old people and I looked over and there is a picture of Angelina Jolie hanging on the open door by the wheelchair lift. So of course I went to go take a picture of it. Then this old guy explained that his Reverand had pulled out the picture and told a couple that there had been a room mix up and that one man had to share a room with Angelina Jolie and his wife would have to stay with Brad Pitt. The reverand came out and was talking to us and my friend said she would take Brad Pitt. He told her that he would get the picture for her, and then we laughed it off. Well a few minutes later he came on board our bus and gave her the picture. It was killer funny.

Okay maybe you had to be there.

We went to the University of Virginia. That was an amazing campus! Dad makes up words like athletical, well Thomas Jefferson made up academical. His academical square was amazing. The classical architecture and crowned with the Rotunda was incredible. Of course my camera was dead so I didn't get interior pictures, but we did get some outside.