Pretending to be a Pioneer....

Greetings from Nauvoo, Illinois. We're on vacation this week-sort of. We're also volunteers in a huge outdoor production about the Mormon settlers of a tiny town on the Mississippi River. (Read more about it here.) Can you come and see it? It runs tonight through Saturday and it is open to the public and free. The weather is hot and humid, and the mosquitos are ravenous, but I don't think you can complain in Nauvoo. You just can't gripe when you think about the pioneers. We have it so easy these days in so many ways. Still, we're here to step back in time and share the story of this remarkable little town.
Here's how it's been for us: We were assigned to a "Gold Cast" group with several other families. We started off our week with team building activities and Pageant rehearsals. The charges are in heaven since most of what we are doing seems quite a bit like play, and if it isn't fun they send them to "Family Support," which basically means more fun and games. I wish I could send them to "Family Support" when they were bored at home. My parents are here with us-since they help run the Nauvoo Pageant all summer long. Here they are during the team-building dance. Did I mention that I can't dance? I really can't-but take it away, Mom and Pop. Boogie down for all of us.Suddenly it was time to get serious with our first important task-getting fitted for our pioneer costumes. The women need bloomers, a huge slip, a skirt, and a bodice and possibly a bonnet. The men wear shirts, trousers, vests, suspenders and hats if they haven't grown their hair out. My boys are looking like hairy surfers-no hats for them. The little girls steal the show in their dresses and pinnafores. Look at this little pioneer girl. I wish I could take her home in my apron pocket. The charges are playing their violins in the Nauvoo Band, so they have been busy practicing frontier favorites like Cotton Eyed Joe and Golden Slippers. You can get a little peek at them on stage. They look so little up there, fiddling their little hearts out. Aww, I can't wait to see them fiddling tonight in their pioneer costumes. I've got to run to rehearsal, but I'll be back with more pictures of Nauvoo Pageant and the Frontier Country Fair....
If you are anywhere near Nauvoo, Illinois-get in your car and come out and see us!