The Whitehead Family Reunion Nauvoo 2015

July 2, 2015- July 6, 2015

After much preparation and a lot of faith, we managed to come together for the Whitehead Family Reunion in Nauvoo Illinois.  Most of us experienced some form of opposition to making it to the reunion, but Debbie's family and Ian experienced the most.  We received a call from Debbie early on July 2, letting us know that Ian's had apparently choked on some food the night before and his esophagus was swollen shut.  They were on their way to the emergency room.  They didn't know if they would make it to Nauvoo that day or at all.  Dad and I, Kevin's family, Danica's family and Brent's family  kneeled in prayer on behalf of Ian.  We were given information throughout the day.  Debbie later told us there were miracles in Ian's behalf and even though he had to have surgery they were planning to come.  We experienced such a sweet feeling of joy when all of the families pulled into the parking lot at the Nauvoo house at just the same moment.  What a wonderful answer to our prayers!
Missy and her family had  arrived a little earlier.  When we went in, there was Missy and Merynne preparing dinner for us.  We were so grateful for their loving service.  We settled in and enjoyed a nice dinner together.  We all fell into bed exhausted.  Debbie was the first one up each morning preparing breakfast for the family.  We were grateful for her kindness.  We rose early and some of us went to the Nauvoo Temple, later another group attended the temple.  We loved being in the temple.  It has been so beautifully restored.  It was good to think of our ancestors being there.  The temple is in such a lovely place overlooking the Mississippi river.  The children did crafts and games while the adults attended the temple.  Debbie brought a lego set of the Nauvoo temple for the children to work on.   We started touring Nauvoo after we finished at the temple.   We enjoyed seeing the sights at Nauvoo.  We took a relaxing ride around Nauvoo on a horse drawn wagon.  It was so relaxing that the youngest and the oldest ones actually dozed off.   One of our favorite places was  Pioneer Pastimes.  We had wonderful food.  Missy's Hawaiian Haystacks,  Debbies pulled pork sandwiches and Brent and Loni's fajita's.  We also enjoyed a nice dinner at the Nauvoo Buffet.  The younger ones loved playing outside.  We watched the fireworks over the Mississippi on the Fourth of July.  The setting couldn't have been more perfect.  It was a great area to play soft polo.  Debbie's family did a mini olympics for us.  Some of us went to Sunset on the Mississippi and the dress rehearsal for the British Pageant.  We got to visit with the director who also directed it in England.  Sometimes we were hot during the day, but the evenings were very pleasant.  Over all it wasn't as hot as we thought it would be.  Some of the children had their first opportunity to catch a firefly.  We all liked watching them come out at night.  Sunday, we went to church.  In the afternoon  we visited Carthage and felt the spirtit there of Joseph and Hyrum's sealing there testimony with their blood.  Later some of us played a game where we competed in groups to see who could memorize the First vision .   We had lots of ice-cream and popsicles to cool off with.  For three days, in spite of creaky beds and creaky stairs, it felt like a piece of heaven.
The theme song I selected for the reunion was "Fill the World with Love"

From Goodbye, Mr. Chips. Composition and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse with arrangement by Mack Wilberg.

Fill the World With Love

In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise.
At a moment in my life when the world is new.
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

(Chorus)
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine,
At a moment in my life when the sky is blue.
And the blessing I shall ask shall remain unchanging.
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

(Chorus)

In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
At a moment in my life when the night is due.
And the question I shall ask only I can answer.

Was I brave and strong and true?

Did I fill the world with love?

Did I fill the world with love?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love?

Did I fill the world with love?

My whole life through

It was my hope that this song would inspire our children and grandchildren in the days to come.  Here is one incident when it did.  Melany shared this with me.

I was asking Jayson if we should obey God grumbling or with happy good feelings and then Avery joined in the conversation with the following.

"You've got to fill the world with love. Actually I don't know how to sing that song, but I've got a t-shirt." 

Owen hauling the milk

Merynne, Grant and Nathan.

Joseph and Benjamin

Joseph, Benjamin, Merynne and Grant.

Mike, Melany and Marshall, Grandma and Avery.

Zariah loved being a pioneer girl.

Andrea in her pioneer dress.

Avery and Leila in the pioneer kitchen.

Avery is a good cook.

It was no small challenge to get everyone together!

Our family at Nauvoo
Almost everyone was looking at the camera!

Liberty Jail on the way to Nauvoo.

Stilts are harder than they look.

Zariah and Avery look like a pioneer mother and daughter.

Together at Liberty Jail.

More Liberty Jail.

The Nauvoo House- a glimpse at our creaky beds.  They must have been Emma's too..

Add caption

The Front door of the Nauvoo House.

Add caption

The setting couldn't have been more perfect!

Add caption

Avery, Katherine, Leila and Jason.

Katherine Leila and Avery blowing bubbles.

The house next door to the Nauvoo House.

Add caption

Graves of Hyrum, Joseph and Emma Smith.

Loni took some great panoramic shots of the area.

Add caption

The Nauvoo House facing the Mississippi River.

Add caption

Charity, Avery, Zariah and Andrea loved cooking
in the pioneer kitchen.

Add caption

The Nauvoo Temple.

The British Pageant with Nauvoo temple in the background.

The pageant brought back memories for Dad and I.

Leila turned four at the reunion.  We had a celebration for
her.  Mike, Debbie and Jessica are in the background.

Brent at Adam-ondi- ahman

We stayed overnight at Brent and Loni's coming and going.
They were gracious hosts.

More British pageant

Another view of the Nauvoo House.

We visited Carthage Sunday Afternoon.

Marshall at Fort Bridger.

Andrea and Avery in their sun hats at Fort Bridger.

Avery, Andrea, Danica, Marshall and Melany
at a rest stop in Nebraska.

Charity, Benjamin and Avery enjoy a picnic on the
way to Nauvoo.

Owen, Merynne, Leila and Benjamin doing crafts.

Nathan, Benjamin, Jayson and Grant.

Melany and Kevin at the Nauvoo temple.

Kevin's family at the Nauvoo Temple.

Charity, Grant, Sam, Grandma, Melany and Missy
At the Nauvoo Temple.

A moment of triumph for Brent.  Ian was a good match for him.

Melany, Marshall and Grandma.

Sam, Grandma and Jayson.

Katherine and Debbie

Grant, Melany, Marshall, Jayson and Sam.

Charity at the temple grounds.

Avery

Jayson

Charity, Grant, Loni, Melany and Marshall.

Adam-Ondi-Aham

Marshall

Ian and Charity would have made great pioneers with muscles like theirs.

At Brent and Loni's Home

Danica, baby Marshall cooling his toes, Melany
Grant and Brent looking cool.

Summer on it's Way

June 7, 2015

This past week we celebrated our oldest grandaughter's graduation.  We had a nice evening with Missy's family.  We continue to help with Danica's  house and work in the yard.  We are enjoying this time of year with the flowers at their best.  We have had some good rain falls that have been an answer to many prayers.

This was a beautiful morning when the sun broke through the clouds
after it rained.

Congratulations to our grand daughter.

At the Graduation.

Our garden is coming along nicely.

If I could just get my finger out of the picture it would be great.

One of my gardening assistants.  I wish you could see her face.
This girl is the dress-uup queen.

Another view of the garden.

More of the garden.

I love the flowers.

Scandinavian Days and a Walk Down Memory Lane

May 23, 2015

Yesterday we did something we had wanted to do but had never been able to find the time-- we went to Scandinavian days in Ephraim.  We loved the dancers and the music.  We sampled some yummy food. I had the Viking feast, Craig got a hamburger and we tryed a Stroopwafel.  It was delicious.  I enjoyed the quilt show and Dad liked the old car show.   We walked around campus and took pictures of places that held memories for us while we were there.  On the way home we stopped in Spring City and took the Heritage House tour.  It was fun to see the old homes.  We were glad we could finally get there and we had a very nice day.  It was supposed to rain but it only rained a little on the way home.

The Snow College Administration Building.
We attended dances here on the second floor.

This is the door of the old institute building where we met.
Dad is just outside the door where I greeted him when he came in.

My first dorm at Snow, Greenwood Hall.
I lived on the second floor where we could watch the boys
As they came down this path to the college.

The Front of Greenwood Hall.
At Christmas, I painted some life sized figures of Mr. and Mrs.
Santa and the Elves.  We won the dorm decorating award that
year.

Dad lived in Nelson hall.  He won awards for having the cleanest room.

This old house used to be called the "Castle".
It was a restuarant where we went for pizza sometimes.

We enjoyed the entertainment.

It was great music and dancing.

This is the old movie theatre where we had our first date.
Dad took me to see Camelot.

This used to be the old jail.  Our ward did a spook alley here on
Halloween.  I played the part of a witch.

Dad liked looking at the old cars.  I've never seen so many
beautiful paint jobs.

This car reminds me of the one I learned to drive in, but
it was an Oldsmobile.

This is one of the cute pioneer homes we visited in Spring City.

Another view of the same house.

This was our favorite home because it was completely  restored
inside and it was lovely.

Nathan's Birthday and a Visit to the Payson Temple Open House

May 12, 2015
We went to Nathan's birthday party.  He had a great time.  That same week we got to see the Payson Temple Open House.  The Sealing rooms were especially nice.  I loved the pink roses in the stained glass windows.

I thought this was so sweet of Andrea.  She just discovered the Joy of  dress- up clothes.

The beautiful Payson Temple

Yummy cake.

Happy Birthday Nathan.

His new tool kit.

Happy Mother's day and Home Improvement

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Dad remodeled his rock garden.

What a lovely surprise when flowers came to my door!

We love our new fence and railing.

Another view.

It's nice to see the yard improving.

I had a lovely mother's day today.  It is so nice to be an older mother.  I can reflect on how my children turned out and even though I wasn't a perfect Mom, my children are all that I hoped they would be. " I have no greater joy,  than to know that my children walk in truth".  I received many lovely gifts and messages of love.  We skyped or talked with our far away children.  All the ones close by came to visit.   We had lots of good food.  I enjoyed the Mother's day talks in Sacrament meeting today.  Recently we have been able to make some improvements in the yard.  It is a source of satisfaction to see the results.

Dad gave me these flowers.