The Fun road trip vacation 2015

It was planned for 2014, but with the accident and spending the summer in NY it waited until this year, which is fine because Grandma and Grandpa Strode were able to come along and it was a great time to prep for Tori and Seth going on Trek next week!

A road trip... who doesn't love them?

First stop : Liberty Jail

 Still fresh for our trip we stopped and learned about the trials that occurred in Liberty Jail before the Mormons were driven from MO and into Nauvoo IL.

Stop #2: We stayed at the Hotel Nauvoo which has been an operating hotel since 1840 it was cute and central located so we could walk and see the town easily. 

We took wagon rides along the trails that pioneers rode - we complained about little rain- I think our ride was more enjoyable then theirs. 

 We went during the Nauvoo pageant which is a large stage production every night. One night is the Nauvoo pageant that shows how immigrants and converts came to Nauvoo and the joys and trials they passed through. Then the alternating nights was a British pageant that showed how missionaries from the early church had taught and met new members in England. The weather was beautiful and the shows were amazing!

All over the Old Nauvoo area were activities for people to be able to see how things were made and how life was lived in the old days. The kids got to play old fashioned games, taste bread from a wood fired oven, dress like pioneers, and so much more!

We spend 3 full days seeing shows, vignettes, demonstrations and learning about pioneers.

Stop #3    Then we drove 35 min. to Carthage IL. We stayed in the adorable old house B&B (Fritz Randolph house) . Darling old antiques and grand rooms . We stayed in what would have been the maids quarters back in the day that the home was a single family home.
We visited the carthage jail and ate yummy breakfasts fixed by the very sweet owners.

Door of the room Joseph and Hyrum were killed in

Our last day was a drive to Winter Quarters NE and see another visitors center that talked about the pioneers sending off 500 men to fight in the Mexican war and the rest of them  picking a spot to stay and prep for winter and to not go on until spring.

We played games to see if we could get all the important things onto our wagons. and we had picnics and tied to pull hand carts. Most of us decided it was a tougher life that we've ever had to live and that we are pretty soft! We gained a gratitude for those that went before us!

It was a great time, we all enjoyed the "She's touching me" and the giggles and late nights that come along with road trips.