Canada and Nauvoo Vacationing

After 11 days of vacation, it's tough to get back to real life. We're glad to be back in Des Moines though. It's crazy how much we've missed within the last week or so.

Matt and I spend eight days with Matt's family in Canada.
We:

• Hiked and picnicked in Glacier and Waterton National Parks
• Golfed
• Ate Chinese food and window shopped in Lethbridge
• Visited Matt's great Aunt Pat
• Played games and ate lots of food at a family reunion
• Boated with some of Matt's cousins

A few funny things about the trip were:

• Me (Erin) mistaking my brother-in-law, Brad, as Matt. Three or four times I almost touched Brad's leg, or held his hand, or did something that would be really weird to do to your brother-in-law. I don't know why. Matt and Brad don't even look really similar. In my defense, twice I fell asleep watching T.V. and when I woke Brad was sitting where Matt had been. All I can say is thank goodness I caught myself in the nick of time.
• Matt's Grandma Cahoon's home is like the cottage that Hansel and Gretel found. There's tons of candies and treats—and she's so concerned about everyone that she's offering everyone goodies every five minutes (slight exaggeration, but not much). It kind of reminded me of how parents try to con their kids into eating vegetables, but this time it was candy. I think I gained ten pounds on that trip!
• One night my sister-in-laws and I were playing a game. Becky's two-year-old daughter, Addie, was still awake. Addie came over to the table and started saying "No, no, no, no, no…..." really loud. Some movement caused the nearby china cabinet to rattle, and in an effort to get Addie to bed Becky told Addie, "Quick hide!" Then she ran Addie to the couch and helped hide her under a blanket and said "Now close your eyes." A few minutes later Addie was asleep—who knows if she had nightmares about rattling china cabinets!
  

Then we hurried back to Nauvoo where we caught the tale end of my family reunion.
We:

• Attended the temple
• Toured some of the buildings in Old Nauvoo
• Visited Carthage
• Ate at a nice buffet
• Walked down Parley Street
• Stayed at the cutest house, Hart House (The location couldn't have been better, it was right across from the Nauvoo temple. It's an older home and I loved it! It's got a beautiful front porch with an amazing view, artwork to die for, a sun room, etc., etc. Right now I think any house is amazing! Someday right?)

A few favorite memories about Nauvoo are:

• Sitting and talking on the porch with my family
• My dad emphatically telling Matt and I that he "told us not to get anything for him for Father's Day!" In Dad's words, "You're in school. When you're done with school, then you can give me presents!" (We only got him a tie.) Haha!
• Hearing my parents and Mom's cousins recount their adventures of riding the train this trip. Due to the flooding the train only took them to Denver, where they had arranged alternate plans which didn't quite work out as anticipated.

The only bad thing about our trip is that it had to end! Pictures are coming soon.