And the Best Guest Award goes to....

So my sis and her hubby came to visit the week before Thanksgiving (tickets were cheaper...). Basically from start to end we had a rockin' good time. They came about mid-finals week, so Derek missed out on the first few days.

Further, it's sort of an ongoing joke between my sis and I ("joke" doesn't seem the right word, but you'll get my meaning") to be the best in hospitality- whether we're playing guest or hostess. This was largely inspired by the standing Best Guest, my cousin Camas (this girl is amazing- I love having her visit. Her "best guest-ness" inspired my interest in perfecting my hostessing.). Evidence of the justness (that doesn't sound like a word... is that a word? Spellcheck didn't call my bluff. Ironically, it did on "spellcheck") of is scattered throughout the post, so enjoy the pictures and accompanying stories.



The girls loved getting to know their aunt and uncle. I don't think Avril realized they were our family, because she kept calling them our "friends" and after they left, she kept asking when our "friends Breta and Isaac" were coming back. Anyway, they spent a lot of time just playing with and otherwise entertaining our kids.



Awwww...






While here, we went around to all the Missouri/Illinois church sites, starting when I picked them up at the KC airport. The photo on the left is the Nauvoo temple (an LDS temple if I have any not-so-LDS readers). The photo on the right is the RLDS temple. Kinda crazy-looking. We didn't have time to take a guided tour so they wouldn't let us in to check it out. The little people are me with Xandri and Isaac with Avril.



Across the street is the Independence LDS Visitors Center. These are pictures of the kids playroom- they loved it. They had some really cool displays up as well, very interesting stuff. Again, history for the not-so-LDS, the reason Independence is such a popular LDS/RLDS site is that this is the original place the LDS were commanded to establish Zion, but due to the Saints' individual weaknesses and the rising hostility surrounding Mormons, it became necessary to move on, shall we say. (If I have any fellow LDS readers who are noticing any inaccuracies, please feel free to post in my comments.) We believe that it still is to be the site of Zion at some future date.


This is in front of and inside of the Liberty Jail Visitor's Center. This is where Joseph Smith, along with a few other leaders of the church at the time, were held in rather cramped quarters in a vulgar jail. Though on a physical level it was a horrific experience and very trying simply because of the concern for the church members and their families and the persecution they were enduring, it is hailed by church members as one of the most beautiful times in church history because of the remarkable revelations Joseph received.



Finally, some more evidence of the Best Guest Award- yes, they brought a little gift for each of us- Toblerone for Derek and I (they know our weaknesses) and little toys for the girls. Not only that, but they washed my dishes for me and cleaned my kitchen, they helped us clean up, what was it, 12 bags of leaves?



On Friday, we went to Nauvoo and Carthage Jail (pictured above)after Derek's last final. The poor guy was so tired, but Friday was the only day we could go, so not only did he go with us, but he drove the whole way (2hr15min drive each way). He was really good about it- mostly. We got into a weird tense discussion (I can't even remember about what) and the result is this angry-looking picture of him. Lucky for us, I can bury my emotions and put on a plastic smile when needed. ;)

Anyway, again history for those unfamiliar (the Reader's Digest condensed version)- Nauvoo was the refuge the Saints found in Illinois after the extermination order passed in Missouri. Initially, it was called Commerce (I believe) and was a swampy wasteland full of mosquitoes with malaria or some disease. They arrived is this miserable place no one else wanted, sick, freezing and dying and turned it into a bustling, profitable growing little city. The surrounding areas still held a lot of hatred for the Mormons and the haters were able to trump up some charges (like so many times before) against Joseph Smith and the leaders of the church. They claimed treason, that the local militia raised (a common thing back then) was an army raised to fight the government. So Joseph, his brother Hyrum and a few other church leaders accompanied them to the jail in Carthage. They were to spend the night there and go to trial the next day. Before their trial, however, an angry mob rushed the jail and killed the Prophet and his brother, as well as wounding two other men in the room. As the site of the martyrdom, many LDS people make the trek to check it out, to hear the stories and to see the sites firsthand. It sounds trite, but there is a spirit, a solemnity, almost a reverence that permeates these places.

Continuing on with the trip, on Saturday, we had scheduled a bellydancing class for ourselves (just me and Breta- the boys stayed with kids and played Magic the Gathering for the rest of the day. The bellydancing class was a lot of fun, but it was two hours! Which, actually, passed really fast. I will say one thing- I need to practice isolating each glute more if I plan to be a bellydancer...

Sunday we just did the church thing and some stuff I can't remember and Monday we went to the park and played disc golf (or as George called it, "frolf"). I have a lot of pics for that, so I'll put up another post... now.