Catching up!!

Chasing the clock and loving it...
5,562 miles, 16 states... in 11 days!
Sadly with doing so much driving, I wasn't able to blog as I went along on our road trip... However, I do have entries that I recorded, and pictures that I will add now that I am home...

Grateful for our time with our 2 "Mills gypsy girls" We were sad to see them leave, but happy they were able to go back to California and be there for Lisa's Dad.  (Joe) is his name!  I love that since one of my favorite guy's ever goes by the name of Joe!

After Lisa and Shelby left us at Palmyra, we went onto NYC, Jersey, Lancaster, Washington DC, and Memphis Tennessee!  What a wild ride of laughs, great meals, hotel room after hotel room, a Broadway show, historic monuments, and of course church history...  I'll be happy to record some of our highlights and get some pictures up even if it is after the fact...

Kirtland Ohio

Today we spent our day in Kirtland.....we visited the original home and shop of N.K. Whitney.we saw where Joseph and Emma sat, slept and where Joseph Smith saw the spirit of the Savior and Heavenly Father and where he received revelation. We toured the Kirtland Temple, sat where the Prophet sat and held meetings and got the opportunity to feel the Spirit so strong. If you have any doubt, it is because you have not sought out in prayer to know the truth. It will burn so strong in you....if you allow it.

 

When I first walked In the footsteps of our Prophet and all the pioneers I felt full of gratitude and appreciation for all that was sacrificed. All that was done was done in Faith.

This is taken in the N.K. Whitney summer kitchen of their personal kitchen where often times they met to study their scriptures. This was an emotional day for many reasons but I am so grateful for the time I got to be on these Sacred ground with my baby girl and some great friends who share our desire to walk all the steps of our Prophets and Pioneers. (We actually we really got inspired to just go for it last year when we started our road trip to Nauvoo as gypsy road warriors) so we will sadly depart tomorrow after a quick trip to Palmyra and head to family in California but will forever know and hold in our hearts the love and faith of those early settlers who gave all.....

Alicia

4 times the fun!

This is not a spiritual experience....just following the guidance of TomTom ... he had us get off at the wrong place..  lol so to keep things exciting and not miss an opportunity for fun we took all 4 of the ramps. To put your minds at ease they are all the same....so on we go through Indiana...

Alicia

What a concept right? A simple statement said by Abe Lincoln. what an iconic impact this President made with his ethics, politics and compassion for all men. He chose to treat and respect each person as a person. As we wind our way through another trip of history we find simple truths. I know in my heart I have always loved this quote.I know this.

 Why is being kind, sympathetic and thoughtful of others dwindling away with the years. I hope the words we read, the history we see and the truth we know has a way of reminding us of all we have to be grateful for and try to be an example to others. As we drive away from Springfield I feel a heaviness in my heart for the loss of this great man and ponder who he was and what he stood up for, I am proud to be American, grateful for all our freedoms. this picture is just a simple token a gentle reminder to three sweet souls to wear with pride and to be the kind of guide and example others will want to emulate.
WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE AND CHARITY FOR ALL....

Onto another adventure... stay tuned for another post.

Alicia

picking up paper

We met this couple while serving in red cast. Brother and Sister Hatchtel from Washington are serving a Mission in Kansas and felt the desire to contribute to our growing cases of paper along the way. The need is strong and people are just continuing to help those in need who do so much for those serving in Nauvoo during pageant.

Nothing can replace what Nauvoo has given us...

Words Just aren't good enough for the feelings one experiences while here in this wonderful place.  On Holy ground, angels, miracles... It's like coming HOME every time!  I think we had about 6 hours total in this wonderful place and I have to be grateful for even that time even though I feel cheated!  We are off to more adventures, but like I said in the beginning of this post... Nothing can take what Nauvoo has given us, even if it was only for 6 hours (of blissful Zion)...

catching a few hours of sleep in Kansas

We have 5 states under our seats (we will get a few hours of sleep in Kansas). We journey on to Nauvoo to be there for the opening night of the pageant. The love, dedication and Faith of those early Saints who sacrificed all for the belief in the restored Gospel. The sacrifices they made with every step as they left their beloved Nauvoo to be able to worship in peace and to know they were following the Prophet as we do still today. The spirit of Nauvoo is so strong, the memories forever embedded in our hearts as the banks of the Mississippi call for our return if even for a day. I will fill my soul to carry me through until next year. We won't stop there on our quest as a traveling posse of gypsies  as we track our miles, capture forever memories and move on to the next adventure to learn of those leaders and Prophets of old..

Until my next post..... Alicia

we eat as we go....

Somewhere in the middle of no where (Oklahoma) we want food. Who needs to stop anyway, we eat and travel like a band of gypsy sisters....we are grateful for friendship, music, loud laughter, sleep, vine videos and blackmail photos..  and of course tuna appetizers on tortilla chips..... until the next stop we continue our journey....

Stephanie THE BIG BOOTY gypsy here. It's 3:24 and we just got back in the car a little while ago after stopping at the happiest place on earth (McDonald's) for a little nourishment. It's been almost an hour since we got back on the road and my butt is already numb again. We have about 1, 2, 3, 4...well let's just say we have a decent amount of hours left till we can get out of this car and slip into a nice bed in Wichita, Kansas. I think I'm starting to feel the after effects of that Big Mac hahaha signing off for now...LIVE LIKE A GYPSY!

Our adventure has finally arrived!!

Logging in on my phone to see if this is going to work and it looks like it is!!  So happy to finally be leaving in the morning... We have had much success with our copy paper collecting, and I just want to send out a huge hug to those who so willingly donated so much!  Even my last minute $ donations!  You all are just made of gold and I can't wait to report how dropping it off goes.  Well, I'm still up doing last minute things so before I sign off I just want to express how full my heart is for all of you who were so willing to give even if you really didn't know why you were giving!  I just said there was a need and that was good enough!  Thank you, Thank you for being so Christ like.  You have all been such great examples to me and my family!  

Stay tuned on this Gypsy wagon train!  We are about to see miracles happen!

Well, it's about that time of year again!  Summer!  I love Summer because it means travel.  Travel to see family, travel to experience new adventures, travel to places visited every year, as well as places never been to.  It means NO SCHOOL for the kids, which in turn makes me happy!  It means a few extra pounds around the middle... (Not this year!)  Summer is California beach time, and of course Puffy Taco.  Summer means NAUVOO, because I can't stay away during the month of July even if I'm not serving....  Annie's custard, May flies, wagon rides, and that beautiful Joseph Smith Pageant... This time of year brings new friends, and old friends together...  and gives us time for building stronger relationships with the ones we love.  I get started on new projects, and I finish old ones that have needed attention all year long.  Summer gives me a perfect tan, and one of my favorite things of all... provides me with all the lay around and laugh with my girls time that I could ever need.  (My girls are my best entertainment)

This Summer we will do our usual trips and go to my Mom's, lay on the beach, stay up all night, visit Disneyland, eat at our favorite places, and laugh with our friends and family at just about anything and everything, BUT also this Summer, for ten glorious days we will LIVE LIKE GYPSIES!  Yep... another ROAD TRIP! 

I plan to blog it... and hope to have my fellow gypsies jump on this thing and do the same.  I am, the worst blogger of all time.  I have a blog that I get on, and up date about once a year.  However, since this will be a ten day blog I think I may just achieve my goal.  I plan to post pic's and hopefully print it up when we are done and have it serve as a scrap book! 

I'm excited for this adventure with my two youngest girls and a couple of other gypsy friends that we will fit into our truck, for the places that we will go.  Our journey will take us to many church history sites that we all share a deep love for.  These sites are my motivation to blog and share our trip with our family and friends.  I love road trips, my Mom says i get that from my grandparents, her Mom and Dad.  I have read a few journals from my Grams that she kept while on their road trips and have always loved how she described what she was seeing and experiencing...  I hope to give my kids a love for new things, for unexpected things...  To not be afraid to meet new people and to share... Share what they have, and share what they know.
(Thank you Mitch, for making this possible, and giving me wonderful Summers, I love you!)