Christmas In Nauvoo

This past week we have been able to spend time with Chad’s family in Nauvoo, Illinois. It was so much fun and great to be able to see them again.

Chad and I started our journey on Tuesday evening after I finished work. We ran into a little ran and some very dense fog but we made it through the gray beard mountains just fine (the gray beard mountains are the Appalachian mountains, I refused to call them mountains because they just don’t compare to the mountains in Utah/Colorado, but since they are just very very old mountains I gave in to call them the gray beard mountains). After traveling for a little more than four hours we made it to our destination for that day. 

The next morning we began our journey early in the morning and headed for Kokomo, Indiana. The journey took longer than anticipated because some traffic delays and a semi that ran off the road. By the time we made it to Kokomo my voice hurt so bad! Apparently with Chad in his first semester of law school we hadn’t been able to really talk. During our road trip I talked and talked and talked. Chad said we have “Alli talk time” and “we talk time.” It was nice to stop in Kokomo not only because my voice got a break but because we were able to see Chad’s grandparents as well as an uncle, two aunts, and a cousin! It was so great to be able to have lunch and catch up with them. We really enjoyed our time there even though it was short lived. 

Visiting with Gram & Gramp!

After our lunch/talking break we headed out on the road again, this time heading toward our final destination: Nauvoo, Illinois. We had about 6 more hours ahead of us, making the trip a grand total of about 16 hours with our traffic delays. As we journeyed through the country I made sure Chad saw every house decorated with Christmas lights. There were some very spectacular displays, 
unfortunately we didn’t get any pictures. 

We finally made it to Nauvoo and were ready to call it a day. Terry and Sandra had of course stayed up and waited til we got there. All of us were so excited to see each other.

While we were there we made Santa Bread! And lots of other fun activities!

Our time in Nauvoo has been well spent. We’ve been Christmas shopping, out to dinner, to see “Night at the Museum 3,” set up a Christmas tree, celebrated Christmas early, had a traditional Marler Christmas Eve, played numerous games, walked around the Temple, went to a Christmas program, made Santa bread as well as Jingle and Gobble blocks, and spent lots of time with family! It really has been a great trip, we are sad to be going back so early, but alas the real world beckons us. 

Until later, we leave you with one wish: Merry Christmas!