Trip to Nauvoo Day 3

 On Saturday, we balanced touring with General Conference. We felt bad for the missionaries who had to work during Conference talks, but we also felt that we could help them by attending their historic sites.

Jackson's middle name is Field so we made him take his photo here.

We stopped by the land office and found the addresses of my line--the Jacob Strong family--and Paul's line--Curtis Edwin Bolton. It took us a while to find the lots, but it was so rewarding to stand on the land my ancestors stood on. 

We toured the Seventies Hall where we could go look up our ancestors who were Seventies. I found Jacob Strong and was able to sign my name as his great great granddaughter.

Trip to Nauvoo Day 2

On Day 2, we continued driving toward Nauvoo. We came to Montrose and could see the temple from across the Mississippi. 

Jackson found a fish and was shocked at its completeness.

We traveled into the city of Nauvoo and went to the visitors' center. After viewing the displays and dioramas inside, we wandered outside and found this quilter. 

Ah, it's a double wedding ring she is working on.

We had reserved a house for the week in downtown Nauvoo. After checking in and changing we were able to attend the temple. What an incredible opportunity. I felt the Spirit of my own ancestors who lived there and were chased out.

I can hardly look at these without crying. These brothers went through so much together. Even death.

Trip to Nauvoo Day 1

 We returned to the airport and flew to Omaha, Nebraska for our week of church history traveling. It was easy to rent a car there and head to Independence, Missouri, where we had a hotel. On the drive, I searched for quilt shops in the area and was shocked to see Angela Walter's shop Quilting is My Therapy was right next to the Liberty Jail. Well, let's go!

Our first stop was the Independence Visitors' Center. Its location is central to all the churches in Independence. I was shocked at how many denominations are in the little town in the middle of nowhere. The Center was full of beautiful and handsome missionaries beaming with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were all amazed that Jackson had been in Peru just the day before on his mission.

Jackson is standing on the temple lot in front of the Community of Christ Temple. He was so thrilled to feel the grass after two years of gritty Trujillo, Peru. 

We wandered around Independence a little, then drove to Liberty Jail. I was surprised to see the Governor's extermination order hanging in a frame upstairs. The Liberty Jail visitors’ center includes the partial reconstruction of Liberty Jail. Here missionaries recount the events surrounding the imprisonment of Joseph Smith and five others from December 1838 to April 1839.

After learning a lot, we drove to the quilt shop.

In November 1838, Joseph Smith and several other Church leaders were held here before appearing before a court of inquiry. Alexander Doniphan defended the accused men. After the hearing, the prisoners were moved to Liberty Jail. Today a plaque marks where the prisoners were held in Richmond, and a large statue of Doniphan stands in front of the courthouse.

David Whitmer and his family lived in Richmond for many years, and Oliver Cowdery died at David’s home in 1850. In 1911 Junius F. Wells had a monument built over Oliver Cowdery’s grave. It commemorates the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Near the monument are graves of Peter and Mary Whitmer and other members of the Whitmer family. David Whitmer is buried in a separate cemetery in town, which we found.

It took us a while to find David Whitmer's tombstone, so we found lots of great names.

We continued north to Far West to the temple site. It was incredible. Although it had no walls, it felt like I was inside a temple. Caldwell County was established in 1836 as a place where Latter-day Saints could settle in peace. Far West was the county’s largest settlement, with about 5,000 inhabitants by 1838. On July 4, 1838, the Saints laid the cornerstones of a temple.

We were racing the light as we drove to Adam-ondi-Ahman.

We found Preacher's Rock and asked Jackson to preach a little in Spanish while Paul walked down into the valley. It was a bit of a volume test. Could one be heard at a distance?

What a long day. We made it back to eat at Culver's. New to us, but apparently they are popular in the Mid-West.

Jim's 2nd Birthday

 It's time to celebrate Jim's 2nd birthday! He still loves balloons, balls and bats, toy cars, and books. He's a smart little boy.

Busywork

 The word "busywork" implies the work is not valuable, so in a sense this is an ironic title. I needed to do a little organizing with my quilts. I wrap each quilt around a pole, a pool noodle, or a leftover batting tube. Then I tie it together with torn fabric strips or yarn. Finally, I like to make a sleeve out of Tyvek home wrap. I zig-zag stitch casings and slip them inside. If I'm really organized, I write the name on the outside. 

All of these go under the guest bed upstairs. There is a danger keeping them downstairs because it is a basement. Musty smells could ruin these. Tyvek really gives me a sense of security.

I spent the afternoon planting lavender. Why I don't have fields of this, I don't know. It is so low maintenance. As different as the PNW is from the Mediterranean, some of their best plants grow happily here. If you want to see fields of lavender, you just have to pop over to Sequim.

Where's your belly button?

 Paul likes to ask Bonnie where her belly button is. She responds correctly every time. It's nice to have them nearby in Edmonds.

Katie Baby Shower

 Katie's friend in Snohomish gave her and another friend a duo-shower on Saturday. Her home was lovely and there was blue and pink everything due to the moms having a boy and a girl. Perfect!

I loved spending time with Liz. For years we were in the same ward on Camano Island, but she's in Katie's ward now. Liz always has time for crafting, which I appreciate.

Customer Quilts

 I have a group of customers who are all friends. They have raised their children together, attend church together, and create amazing pieces of art.

Margaret made this beautiful piece, but it was a challenge for me to quilt. When you use solids, there is opportunity to quilt designs that will actually be seen.

Shelley made another Jen Kingwell quilt titled "Long Time Gone." Although this is a sampler quilt, the designs all mesh well together. Some of the pieces are really tiny.

Shelley is a perfect piecer. It makes the quilting easier for me, too.

I slipped this ruler here so you could see that these are 1/2" logs.