GINGERBREAD FESTIVAL AT THE MORMON TRAIL CENTER

 One of the more imaginative gingerbread creations on display

at the Trail Center....

This gingerbread western town was a favorite with everyone.

 More of the western town which was displayed on a 10 ft. table.

 Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem...made of fondant and gingerbread.

 Cute little cabin made of pretzel logs.

 The annual Gingerbread Festival brings in around 25,000 people

to view the creative displays at both the Mormon Trail Center

and the Kanesville Tabernacle.

More gingerbread displays at the Kanesville Tabernacle....

IT'S NOVEMBER....HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 A Saturday drive down to Nebraska City to enjoy the fall colors.

 Traveling with the Colemans and the Dunns down to Nebraska City,

 enjoying the last nice days of Autumn.

 A walk in the woods down in Nebraska City.

 Our Thanksgiving Turkey!

 What a Thanksgiving feast we enjoyed at the Mormon Trail Center.

Lots of delicious foods to choose from!

 Enjoying dinner with 86 missionaries at the Mormon Trail Center.

 Good food, good friends, good times!

These 31 cute sister missionaries just make us smile!

Our Weekend in Nauvoo, October 17-19, 2013

Our mission Pres. gave us permission to spend a weekend in Nauvoo

visiting all our favorite places, including the Nauvoo Temple.

 Taking a walk down Parley Street brought back

some great memories.

 How the wagons were ferried across the Mississippi River.

 The lazy Mississippi River down at the end of Parley Street.

 We attended a session at the temple on Friday morning.

 The statues of Joseph and Hyrum against a backdrop 

of purple sky.

 The beautiful Nauvoo Temple at dusk.

Down on the flats....beautiful autumn flowers still in brilliant color.

 

 Meeting up with the Jarmans and Browns as we

toured the Print Shop in Old Nauvoo.

Sister Jarman and Sister Brown on their way home

from their mission...we loved serving with them!

 

MAKING THE MOST OF THIS FUN SUMMER

Beautiful Lauritzen Gardens

with the Monsens on our P day.

Another field trip to the Henry Doorley Zoo

with some of the sister missionaries.

 

 We could spend all day at the Zoo and still

come back for more....it's that good!

 We enjoyed a great day out at the Elkhorn River crossing

where the pioneers traveled after leaving Winter Quarters.

 The flowers at the Kanesville Tabernacle

are at their peak and very lovely.

 More of the beautiful flowers at the Kanesville Tabernacle.

 Just arriving at the Mormon Trail Center 

on a beautiful summer day.

 All the senior couples after Saturday morning training. 

 We had to carry on with tradition and dress up

in Lewis & Clark fashion with our friends, the Hansens.

 The Hansens, from our M.T.C. group, stayed with us 

on their way home from their mission in Palmyra.

 Our "mug shots" in the Mission office.

 My quilt that I finished just in time to be displayed

at the Pioneer Trail Center Quilt Show.

It's just a humble Pioneer quilt, but it will be a 

nice souvenir of our time in Winter Quarters.

MORE SUMMER TIME OUTINGS...

 A field trip to the Joslyn Art Museum 

with some of the sister missionaries.

 Taking the tram around the beautiful Lauritzin Gardens 

with Elder and Sister Monsen.

 Looking at the hundreds of varieties of roses in

the lovely rose garden.

 Reading the information about the Union Pacific

train engines displayed above the gardens.

 We loved walking through the lush garden landscapes

at Lauritzin Gardens.

The flowers were in their prime with color

everywhere we looked.

LOTS GOING ON IN JULY!

 A fun outing at the Zoo with some of the

Silly Sister Missionaries!

 The musical play, "Come Home To Kanesville"

was performed in the Tabernacle to sell-out crowds 

July 18-Aug. 3

 Some of the actors from "Come Home To Kanesville".

Skyping Josh one last time before he left for his mission

to Donetsk, Ukraine.

CELEBRATING ELDER ELLSWORTH'S 75TH BIRTHDAY...JULY 6TH

 BIRTHDAYS AT THE TRAIL CENTER

are a BIG deal...especially a

75th Birthday!

 Lots of delicious food to choose from

after Saturday morning Trail Center training.

 July 6th happened to fall on Saturday

which made it easy to have a party with everyone

 right after Trail Center training.

We celebrated Sister Monsen's birthday along

with Elder Ellsworth's at LaMesa Mexican Restaurant.

Happy 75th Birthday, Hermano Ellsworth!