Fun memories...

It has been incredibly beautiful weather here in Philadelphia this last week and it has released funny emotions in the Rogers family.

I took Cambrie outside to play in the grass barefoot. She has never felt the grass between her toes and since her mom loves it, I decided to introduce it to her. Her reaction was so funny that I had to document it. She didn't make a face, cry, or want me to pick her up, all she did was pick up one of her feet and stand there like a flamingo. She pulled this trick the whole time we were outside. If one leg became tired, she would switch to the other. What a goof :)

The other night "Wedding Planner" was on TV. I love that movie and insisted on watching it. Jeremy wasn't too keen on that idea so I told him he could go get Cambrie ready for bed instead so he wouldn't have to watch it. He didn't really like that "compromise." He rebelled by bringing Cambrie out of her room dressed like this (understand that the doll's head is through the correct hole):

Need I say more?

Nauvoo the Beautiful

We're back! Yes it's true, Cambrie and I have just recently returned from a week-long trip to Nauvoo to visit my Grandma who is on a mission. My family met us there and it was great to see them-at least I enjoyed it. Cambrie on the other hand...suffice it to say that she cried when she looked at my dad. However, by the end of the week she loved playing with my brother and sister, and my dad did get to hold her.

We stayed in a house right on the Nauvoo main street. The owners rent it out to members and donate the money to their ward missionary fund. Nauvoo wasn't what I expected at all. I always had the image in my mind of a thriving brick-building community, basically Nauvoo in its prime. It took me a couple of days to really understand that it was an abandoned ghost town that the church restored. So considering that, it was in really good shape and absolutely beautiful (which is appropriate since "nauvoo" means "beautiful" in Hebrew).

Each home and shop had missionaries there to tell the stories and give the history of the building. The stories they shared were awe-inspiring and wonderful. I can't write down everything I learned since it was so much, but if you would like to hear recounted stories of Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor, Sarah Granger Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, Emma Smith, Brigham Young, learn how to make a horse shoe, a tin pan, a rifle, a leather shoe, a wagon wheel, a brick, gingerbread men, or rope, just let me know and I can go on and on about the Saints.

Facts about Nauvoo:
It used to be Commerce, Illinois with eight homes
12,000-15,000 Saints lived there
There were 350 brick homes, 450 block homes (square logs), and 1500 log cabins
Each home took approx. 30,000 bricks to build at $.50 per brick
50 brick homes survived
40 school teachers taught there
There was one university
9 dress shops were in operation
Hair dye was for men's beards
They had plays, dances, and concerts in the Cultural Hall (the original floor is still there)
The original drainage ditch is still there
Many of the brethern only lived in their completed homes for less than a year before they moved west

Like I said, I could go on because their history is quite impressive. Like one missionary said, "The Saints might have been poor, but they weren't dumb." They were incredibly industrious and really built something out of nothing in that Mississippi swamp. But enough of my jabering, let the pictures tell the story. (You will also see pictures taken in Independence, Missouri; Springfield, Illinois, and Mark Twain's home town of Hannibal as they were part of our trip too.)

But before the slide show, I just want to say how much my testimony has grown as a result of this trip. The church is true. No other church could have survived what the early LDS church did and stay in tact. Heavenly Father's plan for us is a perfect one that he created for us because he loves us dearly. Joseph Smith was a true prophet who really did received revelation from the Lord. He translated the Book of Mormon with the power of God and only sought His will while he served as Prophet. I love the Lord and I love the Saints who demonstrated how far faith can carry oneself through trials and tribulations. I pray that I can follow their example and be just as stalwart of a member of the true church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Our Green Thumbs

Since we moved in I have been eyeing our little "garden plot" next to our front door. It looks like someone used to use it-rocks outlining the bed and cleared out grass-but we haven't done anything to it yet. Our Friday night date night changed that. I wouldn't call us farmers or hobby gardeners, just a couple on a garden-growing mission. We were afraid that it was getting late to plant things, but in fact it was just the opposite. A lot of the vegetables we want to plant don't go in until May or June. So instead we got started with some strawberries, raspberries, parsley, and beets. It has rained every day since we planted, and so far the leaves are still looking lush and healthy. I sure hope that they continue to grow. Wouldn't it be awesome if it worked? We'll keep you posted.