McAllister Heartland Tour: Day 7 - A Day on the Lake

Amber and I awoke to the sound of the Andersen's van pulling in front of our Lakeview cabin. By the time I made it outside with Ashley, my sister Julia and her husband Dale were already out in the rowboat with their daughter Emma. Julia was teaching Emma how to fish while Dale rowed the boat around the lake.

My brother Geoff was taking Ben, another one of the Andersen's, around in the paddle boat and Brent was giving a fishing lesson to Jacob. After showing him how to cast Brent began to give the lad some space only to hear him shout with glee, "I got one! I got one!" Jacob caught a fish on his first cast.

We were eventually joined by all the other cousins, but not before I headed back to the Nauview House so that Geoff could send an important email. My parents were still there and it was nice to enjoy a few quiet moments with them in their house. Of course, during which time each of us were on our respective laptops typing away at something or other.

When we got back out to Lakeview the activity was swarming all around the lake. More fishing and boating were being enjoyed as well as us older folks teaching the youngins the correct way to play the tetherball that was on site. Our heated battles of wrapping that roped ball around a pole brought back many fond memories of recess time on the playground.

The evening activity was a pontoon boat ride on the Mississippi River. Getting out on the water and gliding slowly past Nauvoo was truly relaxing. When focused on the banks of the old city I couldn't help but think of out it was back in the time when the saints settled the area. And as we crept by peninsula where the end of Parley Street jutted out into the river my mind went to their departure of their beloved city.

The night rounded out with the showing of the last four families Year in Review presentations. We didn't exactly prepare anything, so we showed some video footage from the tape left in our camera. Essentially we show cased the progress on our house.