Monday of this week was Pioneer Day! Most everyone still needed to work and we definitely celebrated the pioneers at Nauvoo so we settled for a quick family trip to the snowie shack outside Reams. So fun!

Tuesday, Ben spent the day determined to learn how to solve a Rubik's cube. He found a YouTube video that he liked best and then spent about six hours following along until he could do it himself. He was super frustrated at points, but he didn't give up! By the end of the day, he could solve it in under five minutes. Go Ben!

Beth and I watched Avery for the second day in a row. We love that little character! That night we helped Megan and Ammon move! They moved to a really nice apartment that is only a mile from Ammon's new medical school and is about seven miles closer to us. Ammon's family did most of the work but we helped a bit at the end and Megan gave us ice cream sandwiches! Ammon started medical school this week and got his white coat. We are so excited for both of them and the new things in their lives.

On Wednesday, Chey moved out of Wolverine Crossing. Beth, Ben, and I went to help. We got the last of her stuff out and her food and then helped her clean. Beth and Ben were a great help! What troopers! Cheyenne sure had a great experience at Wolverine Crossing and has made some really good friends. We are grateful for her good memories!

On Thursday, we left for the Skinner Family Reunion! This year we went to Lava Hot Springs. We camped at a place about a mile past town. It was a pretty place! On Friday we went floating in tubes on the river and on Saturday we went to the giant pool with the high dives and slides. But the best part was seeing the family, catching up on everyone's lives, and spending time together. It's so good to be with family!

Cheyenne went to the temple this week! Yay, Cheyenne! She wanted to be at the Provo City Center Temple, so she made it happen. Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik were there as well as Kevin and I, Savannah, Sarah and McKay, Megan and Ammon, Mariah, Calianne, and Chey's friends Dallyn and Ellie. It was so fun to all be there together! What an occasion! What a wonderful God-filled day!

Bethany had FSY this week. She spent the week in Ephraim at Snow College. She wanted to meet all new people so she went solo. And she did meet a whole slew of kids her age who she now loves with her whole heart and wishes she was with every minute! She went to classes and devotionals about gaining power through Christ and reports having an incredible spiritual experience. What a wonderful God-filled week!

Benjamin went on a campout with the YM/YW this weekend to Goblin Valley and hiked Ding and Dang which are two slot canyons in the desert nearby. He said he had a great time but didn't get much sleep. He felt really great about the accomplishment of making the six-mile hike in the 105 degree heat! I felt great about God keeping the participants miraculously free of heat stroke. I'm super glad he had such a good time and for the leaders that made it happen.

Mariah needed to make last-second plans to go to St. George and take a test in person as part of one of her online college classes. Aunt Maggie let her stay at her house in Cedar City and she was able to take the test Saturday morning and become a certified Excel expert. Yay! She was also still able to attend her teammate's wedding that evening and see a whole slew of friends. Fun times. We were glad when she made it home safely!

Savannah worked this week but she did have an adventure on Thursday night. Her friend, Jesse, talked her into seeing the premiere of "Go West!" with the Studio C actors. She had a lot of fun and even got her picture taken with some of the cast!

Calianne worked this week and also did things with her friends who seem to all be counting the days before they leave on missions, just like herself!

Kevin is still limping from a knee injury. He went to a follow-up doctor appointment this week and will get an MRI next week. He is really looking forward to getting some answers and some relief.

I got offiially enrolled at Grand Canyon University this week and started my first class--an introduction to the Masters in Social Work program at GCU. I am excited for this new adventure! I also watched Avery a few days this week and spent a couple of days storing buckets of apricots from my neighbor's tree--freezing halves for smoothies and ten pints of iron-rich,low-sugar jam.

Avery with one of her preferred babysitters (Chey) and one of the biggest enticements to come to my house ("Hi doggy")

Most of this week was spent cleaning and organizing, recovering from the trip and getting back into the rhythm of a summer week at home. We had Avery three days this week. I love that she loves it here. Her aunts are definitely her best friends. She gets super excited when she sees them and by association, me, because she knows that they must be near by! 

Because my sweet daughters do most of the watching of Avery, I still got a lot of projects done this week. I've been accepted to Grand Canyon University's online MSW program and might have all the paperwork done in order to start very soon. I also weeded our front flower bed that may have looked a bit like a forest and moved our backyard garden to the front. I organized some kitchen drawers and got the downstairs cleaned up and cleaned the TV room carpet. I wonder what I'll find to do next week? My sweet husband asked me to put a pause on home remodeling projects for the moment so it probably won't be too crazy. Ha ha!

Beth and Ben hung out with their friends from the neighborhood all week. They also went to the reservoir with Cali and Chey on Thursday. Afterward, Ben went to karate and Beth went to a murder-mystery party where she needed to dress in 1970s fashion. She and Chey got her very dolled up! On Saturday Beth and Ben mostly read all day. (I have to put it down for posterity. Ha ha!)

Cali started working shifts at Earth Harbor this week. She's also been able to spend time with Jordan, including learning the harmonica. She went with her old FHE group to the temple in West Jordan this week and also went with Mariah to the Payson temple. She's also been reading and hanging out with some high school friends.

Chey worked several shifts this week at Heritage. She went to the temple to do baptisms with Beth and Ben. She spent a couple nights at Wolverine Crossing but also moved most of her stuff home yesterday.

Mariah continues to run, work at Earth Harbor, and do her online school work. She prayed for God's help to get at least a 75% on her exam this week and she got a 76%. She figures God gave her a bonus point and she is grateful! These online classes have been rough for her. She's looking forward when she can take classes in person again. Although, then she'll have to leave us, so it's a mixed bag!

Savannah went back to her double work schedule at Earth Harbor and Funfinity and is again working on her online class. She very much enjoys fanfiction and tumblr. We're working on her enjoyment of Mutual. Ha ha!

On Friday, Kevin and I went to the Hale Theatre and saw Newsies! It was such fun. I'm so glad my husband likes to do fun things like that.

Today, (Sunday), Calianne accompanied Beth and Ben while they sang, "I Heard Him Come," in sacrament meeting. I have always loved that song and it was a special treat to have my kids prepare and sing it. They sounded so good! I love that they are willing to go along with my crazy ideas like when I volunteer them to do a musical number in church. They're the best.

On Saturday of last week, we packed up the car and left for a week-long road trip! My sister’s daughter, Mandy, won herself a spot as a performing missionary playing trombone in the Nauvoo Brass Band and we thought it would be great fun to see her at it. It had been 9 years since our last trip to Nauvoo and my kids still remembered it as one of their most favorite vacations ever, so why not do a repeat? Especially since Mandy would be there? It has been so awesome and we are so glad that we did!

On Saturday we had lunch at Little America in Wyoming where Grandpa Jim worked as a teenager and was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We had dinner at a rest stop and arrived at our hotel in North Platte around 10pm. The girls rated each bathroom along the way and took a picture in the mirror of each bathroom. They’re so fun. We listened to the 12-hour playlist we created special for the trip, and also listened to Saints on the gospel library.

Little America ice cream cones!

This was the last rest stop in Wyoming where we had dinner.

On Sunday, we had lunch in a park in Lincoln, NE and then attended church at the same building Kevin and I attended when we were in Nebraska for his master’s degree. We drove by our old house and the UNL campus and then drove the rest of the way to Kevin’s cousin’s house in Gallatin, Missouri where he provided dinner for us. Mike and Laura were excited to see us again and were such wonderful hosts. They took us to see Adam-Ondi-Ahman that night as it is just a few miles from their house.

Cali found a dinosaur with a saddle!

Dressed alike

Where the history of the Katy and Kevin Skinner family started.

Also dressed alike!

Preacher's rock.

Look at that moon!

On Monday, we drove down to Independence, MO and toured the visitor’s center, learning about the settlement the saints had there. Then we stopped at the new Kansas City temple before heading to Liberty Jail to learn how Joseph suffered but also grew in his understanding of God while incarcerated. We drove from there to the Far West temple site, looked out over the sprawling corn fields and tried to imagine 3000 people living there. We finished the day by driving over several dirt roads to see the site of the old Haun’s Mill settlement. That night we had pizza at Mike and Laura’s again and played games in their big yard.

Mariah found pretty places to run.

Independence visitor center in the background while we stand on the temple site.

Kansas City temple!

Liberty Jail

Far West temple site

Kevin with his cousin, Mike Bird.

On Tuesday, we woke up early to get to Nauvoo and meet Amy and her family at the “singing tree” for Mandy’s first performance of the day. Mandy was in charge! She announced the songs and interacted with the crowd AND ran over to all of us and gave us big hugs. She was so happy! We were so happy! It was such fun! We saw some more performances that day from the singing/acting missionaries and toured some of the sites before seeing Mandy’s band performance in the concert hall of the visitors center at 2:30. And Mandy sang! Accompanied by the band, she sang, “Here is Hope,” from the Lamb of God. It was beautiful and one of my favorite parts of the day. We drove down to our bnb after that and Amy made us all dinner. We drove back to Nauvoo in the evening for the big band, singing, dancing, acting show “Sunset on the Mississippi.” We cheered and hollered and clapped along in delight. What fun! After the show, we drove to Parley Street for the “Trail of Hope.” We walked from the Seventies Hall down to the Mississippi River and along the way were educated by actors and actresses who quoted from journals and letters of saints who expressed their feelings and experiences when having to leave Nauvoo behind. It was beautiful.

On Wednesday, we started at Pioneer Pastimes and met up with Diane! She and their family drove up from St. Louis where they were visiting to spend the day with us. We went on a wagon ride, toured more sites, saw more performing shows, and had lunch with Mandy and her companion on Main St. At 4:00 we saw “Remembering Joseph,” another great performing show in the visitors center and then hustled up to the temple for a 5:00 baptism appointment. I went to the playground with Hannah, Ezra, Roxabelle, and Jocelyn. We had a great time, but so did all those who went in the temple. Ben was baptized for Paul’s dad and Liam did baptisms for the first time. What a great experience! Diane’s family left after that. The rest of us had some sandwiches at a picnic table, waited out the rain, and were able to watch a late-start of “Sunset on the Mississippi” again!

On Thursday, after a little sleeping in and a good breakfast, we went to Carthage Jail. We were touched by Joseph and Hyrum’s testimony and their willingness to endure even a martyr’s death for their Savior and the things they knew to be true and necessary for the Kingdom of God. Amy and her family left after that. We went back to the bnb for a hot lunch then went back to Nauvoo to see the last couple of performing shows we’d missed, tour some more sites, visit Joseph’s house, and yes, see “Sunset on the Mississippi” for the third time. We got goodbye hugs from Mandy, went back to the bnb, the kids did their own reenactment of “Along Came Jones,” and we called it a night.

On Friday, we headed home! We had one last stop to make at Winter Quarters just across the Missouri River. We learned about the trek west and that eventually 100,000 saints made the trek to Salt Lake City before God called it good and asked instead that the saints make strong stakes of Zion right where they were at. I’m so grateful for the strength all the gathering provided because now there is a church that gives strength to millions and blesses my life with an individual, beautiful relationship with my Savior. Hurrah for Israel! Love this church. Love Nauvoo. Love my family and the chance to share all this with them. Life is so, so good.

Had to get Runzas in Nebraska

Ice cream cones at Little America, again