"If it Plays in Peoria...."

So I realize its been forever since ive updated this, life has just been super crazy with work and moving. As most of you know we picked up and moved right after our honeymoon to the luxorious city of Peoria Illinois. Ok maybe the world luxerious isnt the right word....actually there arent really any words to describe this place....lets just say I miss Utah. But it has been an adventure to say the least! we are only here for the summer for Brody's job and then we will be going back to Utah.

A few facts about Peoria:

1. Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States.

2. It is named after the Peoria tribe.

3. Peoria has become famous as a representation of the average American city because of its demographics and its perceived mainstream Midwestern culture. On the Vaudeville circuit, it was said that if an act would succeed in Peoria, it would work anywhere. The question "Will it play in Peoria?" has now become a metaphor for whether something appeals to the American mainstream public.


so exciting i know....its actually about as exciting as living here...ok maybe more exciting than living here. Lets just say im missing my family, the mountains and the beautiful utah weather, but im making the most of my time out here.

Our apartment is old but big. Here are a few pictures of our home away from home.











There have been a few really good things about living in Peoria, the main one being that it is really close to places like Chicago and Nauvoo. We have been to Chicago twice since being out here and also went to Nauvoo over the Fourth of July and went camping. Here are some pics:

We went to Chicago on Memorial Day for a Cubs game. Wrigley field was amazing! Then in July we went to Chicago to see my dad who was in town. we went to the Sears Tower (which is the tallest building in the western hemisphere), to the SHEDD aquarium and to the museum of natural history. We went to see Navy Pier which was really cool at night and had a great view. We also went to some amazing dinners (THANKS DAD!) and he bought me some maternity clothes hahaha! my clothes were getting a little too small....

















And here is Nauvoo. Nauvoo was amazing and so fun to see. There was a ton of interesting history. A few of the highlights of this trip wre

1. Seeing the Nauvoo temple

2. Finding one of Brody's relatives records and his house

3. The "trail of tears" which is the trail that the Mormon Pioneers traveled down when they were leaving Nauvoo. There were journal entries from several of them that you could read as you walked the same trail that they did.

4. Camping. Camping in the midwest is NOT THE SAME as camping in utah. It doesnt cool down at night. It was hot and humid and bug infested. but still...beleive it or not...a ton of fun!

5. The raccoon that broke into our food in the middle of the night. I was terrified because it sounded like a big mean wild animal, but really the raccoon was just upset because it couldnt break into our box of gold fish. It did manage to eat a whole bag of marshmallows, a bag of chocolate chips, and a loaf of bread though. pretty sure there is a dead raccoon somewhere....

6. Seeing Joseph, Hyrum, and Emma Smith's grave

7. Seeing the red brick store. this is where the relief society was first formed and also where they held some of the first endowments for the early LDS church.

8. Going to Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith was Martyred.






Aaron Johnson's home, one of Brody's relatives. interesting fact: on the night before Joseph and Hyrum turned themselves into Carthage, they tried to flee by crossing the mississippi at 2 am. The boat that they took to cross was Aaron Johnson's. The boat leaked however and joseph and hyrum returned.







The Red Brick Store.



Grave Sites of Joseph, Hyrum and Emma Smith




Carthage Jail