Day 8: a place i've traveled

Back in August 2010 my momma, sisters, baby P. & I headed on a road trip from Washington to Texas. After we picked up my sister, Laura, in Rexburg, Idaho we followed the Mormon Trail backward to Nauvoo, Illinois hitting historical sights along the way. Besides all the squabbling we did :) it was a really amazing trip.    

Our first stop was the Martin's Cove Visitors Center.
This is where the Martin & Willie handcart companies were finally rescued.
Wyoming is so beautiful.

Devils Gate at Martin's Cove

P. was the best baby the entire trip!! Look at that cute bald head!!

Here we are standing in some actual Wagon Wheel Ruts that can be found at numerous places along the trail. 

Stretching their legs at a rest stop. 

Beautiful Winter Quarters Temple in Nebraska

This is at the Winter Quarters visitors center- my favorite VC.

Dancing in the corn in Nebraska. Yeah. we're cool.

My beautiful Momma!

The Kainsville Tabernacle, in Iowa, where the Prophet Brigham Young was sustained by the church.

Best traveler ever!

We kept seeing these signs when we were in Nebraska & Iowa. Rachel wanted to see some Amish people so bad!

This is at the actual location where Come, Come Ye Saints was written. It was down this crazy little dirt road.
Yes, we sang it there and the hymn has not been the same to me since.

On our way down that little dirt road we found an Amish community. Rachel was so excited!! It really was fun seeing men, women, and children all dressed just like you see them in the movies. The men all had beards too. But they looked liked they lived in regular houses and even had tractors, lawnmowers and other modern conveniences. One house even had a giant big toy!

Our toes in the Mississippi River. 

We finally made it!

Me and P. in the Red Brick Store. This is the room where the Relief Society was organized. The spirit was strong in this room and I could just picture the meeting there nearly 170 years earlier.

The Prophet Joseph Smith's grave. Buried with his brother Hyrum and his wife Emma.

One of my favorite places in Nauvoo was this beautiful sculpture garden. There were close to 15 sculpture with a corresponding scripture. All of the statues had to do with womanhood.

Here is Laura with her favorite statue. She had been recently engaged!

We took an authentic ox pulled wagon ride. The wagons were a lot narrower then I would've thought and the oxen were way slower then I pictured!

Beautiful Nauvoo Temple

This is looking across the Mississippi River from Montrose, Iowa. This is would've been the last view they had of their beloved city and the beautiful temple.

Feeding P.
The Carthage Jail is the brick building behind me.  Being able to stand in such historical places is very facinating. It brings things to life. It make stories we've only heard about real.

Us at Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Simply one of the most beautiful places on earth. Pictures don't do it justice.

This is a recreation of the actual Liberty Jail. It was so interesting and the story of how they have the actual measurements of the jail is unbelievable. 

We also were able to tour The Community of Christs' (formally the Reorganized Church) temple in Missouri. That was interesting. 

And our last stop before Texas was at the Oklahoma City Bombing memorial. If you ever have a chance to go, go.

We traveled through 11 states (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas) and practically killed each other along the way. But following the path of my spiritual ancestors was such an unforgettable experience. 

It was awesome.

Day 7: Favorite Movies

I am such a movie person. So is Jordan. When we were living in Rexburg we, literally, rented and watched two movies per night. 

It was awesome. 

I don't think I could ever pick one favorite movie. In fact, I had a hard time narrowing it down to just four! But here they are! My favorite movies! I could watch these a million times and still love the stories.  

Schindler's List

*Disclaimer: this movie is rated R. I have it edited if anyone who hasn't seen it wants to borrow it. I am not encouraging anyone to go watch a R rated movie. :)

This movie is amazing. It's a true story, which I am a sucker for. It's about the Holocaust, which is my favorite subject in history to study. It has Liam Neeson. It moves me every time I watch it. 

This movie is so full of complex characters:

Schindler is basically forced into being a hero, but rises to the occasion.

Amon Goeth, the head Nazi of the concentration camp, is one of the best bad guys I've seen.

I've always felt that Itzhak Stern is really the hero of the movie- he is bold, brave and brainy.  

My favorite line of the movie is at the end when the Jews give Schindler the ring with the engraving on it: 

"It's Hebrew, it's from the Talmud. It says, "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire." 

Shenandoah

The best way to describe Shenandoah is to say that it is the movie for everyone: it's a war movie, a love story, a comedy, a western. 

It has James Stewart or Mr. Kruger, as he's known in the LDS community. :)

James Stewart plays Charlie Anderson, a rough farmer with six sons and one daughter. They live on  gorgeous farm (the house is mine and Jordan's favorite movie house ever) in Virgina and find themselves caught up in the Civil War. 

Shenandoah has the best movie prayers in history: 

"Lord, we cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvest it. We cook the harvest. It wouldn't be here and we wouldn't be eating it if we hadn't done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you Lord just the same for the food we're about to eat, amen."

The first time that Jordan ever watch this movie with me, he started quoting my favorite line as it was being said in the movie,

"If we don't try we don't do. And if we don't do, why are we here on this Earth?"

 I asked him how he knew that line and he told me that President Monson quoted it in a conference talk. Turns out he's quoted it six seperate times!

So, if this movie is conference worthy then you know it's good!

Fiddler on the Roof

I love theatre. And I really love musicals! The film version of Fiddler on the Roof with Topol is amazing!

The comedy, religious tone, characters and romance make it a movie that never gets old. The music is classic and wonderful to sing along with. 

Tevye is a poor jewish milkman living in Russia with his sassy wife and five daughters (can you tell I love movie with large families?). Besides political issues Tevye must cope with his daughters getting married (Fiddler is the original Father of the Bride).  

One of my favorite lines in the movie is when Motel is asking Tevye for Tzeitel's hand in marriage:

"You are just a poor tailor!" 

"That's true, Reb Tevye, but even a poor tailor is entitled to some happiness!" 

And I've always felt that Tevye was describing me and Jordan here,

 "Anyway, Motel and Tzeitel have been married for some time now. They work very hard, and they're as poor as squirrels in winter. But, they're so happy, they don't know how miserable they are." 

Les Miserables

I told you I love Liam Neeson. 

This movie makes me want to be better. Jean Valjean has a real change of heart and never looks back. He is the epitome of mercy and forgivness. He truly understands Christ and how His atonement applies to everyone. This exchange between Fantine and Valjean brings me to tears every time.

"But you don't understand, I'm a whore... and Cosette has no father." "She has the Lord. He is her father. And you're his creation. In his eyes, you have never been anyting but an innocent and... beautiful woman."

Inspector Javert is so very complex. He is just man who understands justice and law so fully that he becomes consumed and obsessed by it. 

Simply, this movie is great study of justice and mercy. It's such an intriguing story with deep characters with enough twists to keep you guessing until the end. 

Have you seen these movies? Do you love them too?

Family of Five

My super talented friend, Fairon, took these fabulous photos of my family. 

This is my favorite of the three of them.

Sweet Sisters.

Beautiful girl

I love it when my kiddos act silly and carefree

This one is my favorite. My Jordy is such a wonderful daddy. 

My D. is such a sweet, funny girl. & I love the lighting in this photo

 Which is your favorite?

Facts

The kids and I left for California yesterday. 

We will be there for 2weeks visiting my sister who is due to have her first baby any day! 

I drove 12 of the 15 hours it took us to get to The Bay area.

The moon was so bright last night. It was like a spotlight.

There's almost nothing as beautiful as a full moon when you're hight in the mountains. 

As long as there are songs to sing along with on the radio I can drive for hours. 

Tropical Skittles and Dr. Pepper help a lot too. 

It doesn't matter how many times I have to stop for gas in Oregon, I always forget that they pump it for you. 

There is almost nothing worst then your child having night terrors except when it's the middle of the night, in the middle of no where and there is no where to stop and try to sooth him. 

I am always amazed at the beauty of the sunrise. 

Southern Oregon/Northern California have more Christian radio stations then anywhere in the country.  

The last one is not a fact.