Winter in Nauvoo - Fun in ElPaso

On February 2 Nauvoo had a big snowstorm that dropped 15-18" of snow with high winds. The historic sights all closed and there were no plays or meetings held for the next two days. This is how it looked after we got back from ElPaso - about a week after the snowstorm.

The school where many of the pageant activities are held.

Any of you who have come to Nauvoo and stayed at the condos, this was certainly a different sight from what you saw!

A path clearned to the cars after the snowstorm.

Glenn and I recently spent a long weekend in ElPaso with Kevin, Stefanie, Rylee and Sophie. We were hoping for some warm weather but instead we found freezing temps, broken water pipes in their home and flooded floors! Before we left the temps were warming and things were returning to normal at their house. In spite of all the excitement we had a great time!

We drove to the White Sands National Park which is in the Desert about 90 miles from El Paso. We could only drive partway into the park because the road was closed because of snow! We did get out and walk on a boardwalk and Kevin and Rylee had a snowball fight. At times it was hard to tell the sand from the snow!

Grandpa and Grandma ventured out for a walk with the girls once it started getting a bit warmer.

We even spent some time at the neighborhood park.

Christmas at the McMinns

Guess it's about time to get back to the blogging!

We had a great time at home in Pocatello during the Christmas holidays. Kevin, Stefanie and girls and Kristen, Craig and family were with us on Christmas morning. Brian and Tiffany and family came on Christmas day. We loved spending time with these families as well as Rob and Jeff's families. We had one big party for a week!

Here are a few pictures from our get together.

Sorry Christmas morning pictures come before Christmas eve!

Christmas morning with Rylee & Sophie.

I lightened the picture but it didn't save. Sorry! The Campbell grandkids peeking to see if Santa had come.

Christmas morning at the McMinns.

Christmas Eve Nativity with the grandchildren.

Janelle, Sylvia & Stefanie

Glenn, Kevin & Stan

Christmas Eve family gathering.

The mission teamsters were giving sleigh rides one afternoon this past week. We decided to take a break from the office work and go for a sleigh ride. It was fun!! As you can see it was a beautiful day, cold but pretty. They took us through some fields on the flats.

These horses are so big. Once we were going the direction of their barn, they took off on a trot. They knew where home was!

After our sleigh ride we couldn't resist stopping and taking a picture of the temple!

Kevin's Graduation

Big smile at the end of the last day of school!!!!!

Graduation night

Rylee

Sophie

The girls with Grandpa.

Last night when the sunset was reflecting on the temple.

Glenn and I drove to Denver and spent Tuesday thru Thursday with Kevin, Stef and family. Kevin's graduation from his orthodontic residency was Tuesday evening. What a great celebration! Ten years of college behind him and a graduation certificate in hand!!

It was a very nice evening. We are proud of Kevin and Stefanie for this accomplishment.

They are moving to ElPaso, Texas where Kevin will be working for a large orthodontic group. Hopefully we were a little bit of help with some packing and cleaning in preparation for their move. They had packed most of their belongings in a container which was picked up last Monday. They had no furniture left, just lawn chairs and a few other basic items.

Thanksgiving dinner was at Maggiano's Italian restaurant. It was a wonderful dinner served family style. They had a Thanksgiving Day menu with a five course meal. It was quite the memorable Thanksgiving dinner!

We had a great time playing with Rylee and Sophie. Rylee has an imagination that doesn't end! We played princess, farm and Pretty Pretty Princess game. Sophie is constant motion and very entertaining to watch her mimick everyone and everything. We were so glad to be able to spend a few days with the family.

We are back in Nauvoo now. John and Peggy Ricks are here for a week to work with us on preparations for the 2011 pageant. Yes.....we are well into the plans for next summer!

Great days in Idaho!

I guess it is about time that I get back into the Blogging! We had a great 5 weeks back home in Pocatello. Our time at home was a combination of family time and pageant work. Nice to be able to do pageant work from home!

Thought I would tell you about our trip home with pictures -- so here goes!

This picture was taken the day before we left Nauvoo. This is the group of missionaries leaving the mission during October. (60+ missionaries) Sorry it's not a bigger picture. We right in the middle.

We stopped in Denver on our way home and spent a few days with Kevin, Stefanie, Rylee and Sophie. While Kevin was at school, Stef, the girls and Glenn and I drove up a canyon to a mountain lake. We went to leave and found out that the road would be closed for 1 1/2 hrs for construction! We threw lots of rocks in the lake, walked the parking lot and hopped in and out of the car in between rain showers. Quite an adventure!

Sophie - 13 months

Rylee - 3 yrs.

Getting acquainted with our newest grandchild - Tyson Glenn (2 mos)
He is Jeff and Maja's 4th child.

Here is little Brianna - 6 months. Such a happy little girl!

Kristen & Craig's 6th child.

Maja planned an afternoon of "A Minute to Win It". Kev and Stef were the only family not there.

It was great fun! Notice who has the most Ding Dongs!!

Another Minute to Win it activity. The kids loved this!

Glenn hit the Salmon River the day after we got home!

Glenn & Ryan had a good day of fishing at the American Falls Reservoir.

Another great day of fishing at the Reservoir with Kyle and Rob.

We roasted hot dogs at Brian and Tiffany's home while we were visiting in Layton.

Kristen and Craig's family were there also.

All our family was home for Halloween weekend except for our Denver family.

Pumpkin carving in the garage was a big hit!

Halloween! Quite a group of grandkids. It was a crazy, fun night!!

One sad "Banana" - Tyson.

Kyle had his 12th birthday while we were home. We were able to be present when he was ordained a Deacon. What a special day!

The beautiful fall weather ended just before we left to come back to Nauvoo.
This is what it looked like from our back deck when we left.

We are planning to be home for Christmas! It is nice to be serving as volunteers now. It gives us the freedom to come and go when the pageant work allows.

Farewell Nauvoo - Temporarily!

A tradition in the mission is for the departing missionaries to create a Farewell Sheet that is put in all of the missionaries' site mail boxes. Even though we are returning to Nauvoo in November, Pres. Ludwig wanted us to go through the "farewell" process because we will be released as missionaries. There is a farewell breakfast Friday morning that is attended by all of the missionaries honoring the missionaries leaving during the coming month. There are 65 missionaries leaving in October! Talk about mass exodus! Pres. & Sis. Ludwig host a dinner at their home for the deparing missionaries after a temple session with the same group. This will also be on Friday. We are sad to think that so many of our good missionary friends will be gone when we return in November. It will almost be like starting a new mission.

When we return in November we will be doing the same work in the pageant office but as a member of the temple presidency rather than full time missionaries A new couple will be ready to replace us as the pageant missionaries in April.

Our Farewell Sheet - kind of hard to see clearly with this small view.

The temple missionaries have been so good to include us in some of the activities. Last Wednesday a group of missionaries arranged for a tour of the Community of Christ sites led by Lochland MacKay, the director of the C of C Visitors Center. We were invited to join them on the tour. We have become acquainted with Loch as we have had some pageant business with him. He is a wonderful person and so knowledgeable about the historic sites in Nauvoo. We enjoyed the tour and would encourage any of you who come to Nauvoo to take time to go on the tour. It includes the Mansion House, the Nauvoo House, the Smith Homestead and the Red Brick Store.

(sorry! can't get ride of the underlining)

Touring the Mansion House

Lochland MacKay, director of the Community of Christ Visitors Center outside of the Nauvoo House.

Great Meeting

What a spiritual feast we had today in our Sacrament meeting. Elder Craig Zwick and his wife spoke in our meeting. He is a member of the First Quorum of the 70. Last week Elder Donald Hallstrom and his wife spoke in our Sacrament meeting. Elder Hallstrom is in the presidency of the Quorum of the 70. We have had so many opportunities while on our mission to be taught by General authorities and other church leaders. As I listen to them teach us, I have such a good feeling, just a nice warm feeling that what they are saying is so true and right. I also feel so inspired to work harder, to do a better job of keeping the commandments, to be more dedicated as a disciple of Christ. If only that feeling would remain with me all week -- maybe I could do a better job of being a missionary.

Miracle Grow

One of the amazing things we've noticed here in Nauvoo is how the plants and flowers grow so big and thick. This spring we planted some marigold seeds in the flower beds in front of our home. We planted two varieties. One was to grow 6" tall and the other 12" tall. I planted some purple petunias in between the rows of short marigolds and the tall marigolds. Well..... as you can see in the picture, there are no petunias! Both varieties of marigolds grew so big that they choked out the petunias. The 6" variety are about 12" tall and the 12" variety must be nearly 24 - 36" tall. I wish we could import some of this climate to Idaho! (In moderation of course) Lots of moisture and warm air both day and night make a difference. In Idaho I guess we'll have to settle for the artificial "Miracle Grow"!