Playing Tourists

We had a week and a half in between our Nauvoo trip and our drive out to Utah. On the days when I didn't have to work, we played tourists in Dallas and Fort Worth, which is fun since during the school year we were always busy with work and school. We also got some fun time in at our neighborhood pool/splash pad.

At home, Ava's choice of activity this week has been matching cups to their corresponding coaster. We are working on learning colors, but she mostly thinks everything is blue, which is the first one I taught her a long time ago.  Here's a video:

The first time Ava lined up her cups on the coasters she shouted out "awesome!!" Brent and I started cracking up. We think she learned it from Preston on our trip :)

She has been saying it non-stop. Here's a video because I love the way she says it:

On Tuesday we went to Dallas. Being the frugal person that I am, I had researched what free things there are to do in Dallas, and we had a great day! First we went to a park that is built on a freeway over-pass. It is right downtown, and reminds me a bit of Central Park because of the high-rises around it.

We happened to get there right in time for toddler time and Ava had a lot of fun dancing, and singing.

 They also had these cool blocks out to build and climb on. As you can see from Ava's cheeks, it was getting very very hot.

We next went to the Museum of Art, and it had so many cool things in it. I was very impressed, especially since admission is free! The main artist I wanted to see was Monet, and they had several from him.

Oh man, I love Monet.

They also had lots of other famous artists' work there. Here is a Picasso:

They also had some incredibly old art work and sculptures from the Greeks, like from several hundred years before Christ. It was a great museum and I felt very cultured :) After, we went back to the park so that Ava could play in the splash pad. It was so hot and felt so nice!

On Wednesday I worked and then that evening we had the missionaries and Rita over for dinner. Just in case Rita moves during the summer when we're gone, I got a picture with her.

On Thursday we met my friend Kirsten in Fort Worth. She used to work at HJ and has a boy a little younger than Ava. First we went to the stockyards and saw the cattle drive:

Next, we went to the Japanese botanical gardens. They were so beautiful!

 Ava and her friend liked feeding the koi:

This place will make you feel like an awesome photographer.

After the gardens we went out to BBQ with our friends. Kirsten and I always have tons to talk about, so it was really fun to catch up with her.

On Friday I worked, and then that night we took our friend Chris out to dinner. Saturday was a full day of preparing for our upcoming trip. Doing the yard, cleaning the house, etc. That evening Brent had his film friends and a professor over for dinner and movie clips. We thought it would be fun to do homemade pizzas, where everyone could make their own. It was fun and delicious, but it was a ton of work, and the oven heated up our house a lot!

Today we're having our last Disney night for a while, and then we are packing up and heading out to Utah, either tomorrow or Tuesday. We can't wait to see everyone in Utah!

Road Trip Part 2: Nauvoo

We got to Nauvoo late Friday night. I gave Laura a biiiiiiig hug and it almost felt like she never left. Some people come home slightly changed from their mission- kind of awkward, or more talkative to strangers, etc. But Laura was the exact same. It was so fun to have her back!

On Saturday we got up and went through lots of the houses and sites at Nauvoo. I love that city!
Ava's face during the black-smith presentation when he was pounding some hot iron:

I think our favorite thing was the wagon rides through Nauvoo

In the afternoon Andrew and Brittany arrived and we toured around Nauvoo more. Preston was especially fascinated to see where Joseph Smith was buried:

Preston and Ava became the best little frenemies. Teasing each other, but loving each other too.

That evening we went to a show where the missionaries performed and at the beginning the kids got to decorate hats and be part of the parade. Preston took it very seriously!

On Sunday we went to church (where I ran into my boss- I had no idea he was vacationing there too!), and then we went to  Carthage. I like going there and being reminded about what a wonderful man Joseph Smith was and how much he sacrificed to bring us the gospel. Ava slept through the whole thing. Here is the room where Joseph Smith was shot:

Outside we took a family selfie in front of the jail. But wait, did Dad just photo-bomb us?

Let's try that again.... Even worse. Hahaha Dad.

At some point Ava woke up and we got a little better picture.

Ava telling the twins all about Joseph and Hyrum:

After Carthage we went to the Nauvoo temple to walk around:

I think it was that night that Marv and Terri were passing through Nauvoo so we had fun all chatting in the hotel room one night. 

I love the look on Ava's cousin's face. 

On Monday, our last day, we saw the rest of Nauvoo. Ava really liked this puppet show:

Another wagon ride:

The boys went on the RLDS tour while the girls went back to the hotel and got ice cream and swam.

 On Tuesday morning we all ate breakfast together and then we went swimming. Then sadly it was time to say goodbye!

Brent and I drove home through Branson so that we could stop and see some more of his friends from his mission (if you were counting from last post, I think they were friends #17 that we saw). The Yates live right on Table Rock Lake by Branson, and the area is just gorgeous! 

We had dinner with them and then they took us out on the lake in their boat. It was Ava's first time on a boat, and she just loved it. 

As I was going through my pictures for this post, I found this keeper that I took!

Here is a video from the boat ride:

The Yates love Disney and Mickey Mouse, so Ava was in heaven with all of the special Disney treats Sister Yates had bought her. 

The next morning we drove around Branson a bit and looked around. We've both been there before, but we'll need to go back when we have more time to go to a show! We went to the 5&10 store in town, which has all sorts of old school toys, candy, etc. Ava was cracking up everyone in the store because she was marching around the store singing into this microphone, and she kept accumulating other things that she liked as well. 

We went to this fish farm where they raise all the trout for the rivers and lakes in the area. It's kind of crazy how they do it! Ava really liked feeding the fish.

After this we drove to Eureka Springs, Arkansas which is an old town up in the mountains. To me it was like a creepy Park City. (They have "haunted" hotels, and the entire city is built on super steep hills and rocks, which makes me nervous).

We went to this chapel in the woods, which has all glass walls and is beautiful:

We then drove to Bentonville and stayed with Marv and Terri, and we got to visit Andrew again.

The next day we drove home and I was so happy to be in my own house again, after being gone for 10 days! We had lots of fun making memories and I'm so glad I was able to see Brent's mission, and see Laura!