Well I hope you all enjoy this story told by my dad to my oldest sister describing some of the events around how my mom and dad first met and fell in love.
"She Bought Me Because Of My Beautiful Legs”
Paula: So, Dad, I don’t remember how you and Mom first met. How old were you?
Ted: Well, I was born in ’37 and got married in June of ’63, but I didn’t hit my birthday yet in ’63 cuz I have a late birthday in December. So how old was I?
Paula: I don’t know, I’ll have to count on my fingers and toes. Um …. I think that would’ve made you about 25 and turning 26.
Ted: Yeah, I think you’re right. And mom is four years younger than I am.
Paula: So when did you two first see each other? Was it at church? School?
Ted: Yeah, it was at church. She bought me because of my beautiful legs. You remember that story…
Paula: No, I don’t remember! (laughter)
Ted: You don’t? Well, we were trying to raise money for something so they had a slave auction. You remember those blackboards on wheels? That would come down to a level just about to the middle of your thigh? We had to stand there with all of our legs bare, and the girls would bid on us. We’d hear, “I want THAT one, with THOSE legs.” Then we’d have to be their slave for a week and do anything they wanted. Take them shopping, whatever … and mom bought ME … because of my beautiful legs. She didn’t know whose face went with the legs! (laughter)
Paula: That’s awesome! I think I vaguely recall this story, but not that well. It’s been a long time.
Ted: Well, I DO have awesome legs. I mean, gee, you oughta see ‘em!
Paula: Mmmmm….?
Ted: (loud laughter)
Paula: Maybe that’s where Locey got his. He runs very fast and has pretty nice legs. Very muscular.
Ted: Oh, yeah, mine are muscular.
Paula: Uh huh! And the rest is history, huh?
Ted: Yeah, the biggest thing was that I had a car. It was an old clunker, but it ran. She always wanted me to take her shopping so she wouldn’t have to carry the groceries back. She was waiting for a missionary, so she wouldn’t date me or anything. But I would take her all over the place and be her slave.
Paula: Even after your week was up?
Ted: Yeah! Well, we had a good relationship which was helpful. I’d tell her I would do something for her, that I didn’t mind taking her places, whether it was to her botany class or just, wherever.
Paula: So, when did you two start dating?
Ted: She wouldn’t date me … so I started dating her roommates! (chuckles) One time I was sitting outside her apartment with one of the girls she roomed with, we were sitting in my car, when LaWana came walking down the sidewalk. I said, “Oh, look ~ there’s LaWana.” Well, this girl had really long hair, so when she turned her head to look, her hair flew around in front of my face. I had been chewing gum at the time, so when she flung her hair around, some of it ended up in my mouth, just as I was chomping down. When I opened my mouth, my gum was gone. It had ended up in this girl’s hair! So when LaWana walked by my car and glanced inside, she saw our two heads bent down, close together. She didn’t know we were trying to get gum out of her roommate’s hair. It looked a little more intimate than that. (Dad keeps chuckling throughout the telling of this story!)
Paula: I seem to remember you telling her that the Lord would provide for her missionary, and that she shouldn’t worry about him because the Lord would provide him with a woman.
Ted: (laughter) Yeah, I remember when she – (LaWana enters the room)
LaWana: What are you two talking about?
Paula: You.
Ted: We were talking about you, and how you bought me because of my beautiful legs.
LaWana: Yes. That was a good purchase, wasn’t it? I have a good eye!
(My mother then came up behind my father, who was sitting at the dining room table, and gave him a hug around his shoulders. He reached up and held her arms while she bent her head in towards him. It was a beautiful moment.)
[Thanks again, Paula. We will all be anxiously waiting for the next installment of your recorded stories with Dad. :)]
They had lots to think about. They made a mental list of questions and I told them to listen during the tour to find the answer to two specific questions: Why did the mob come after them? and Why weren't they in the cell? This is the well where Joseph's body landed after falling from the second story window above. 
Ah ha! Now I've got them where I want them and it's just where they belong! (I had to reassure Daila that it wouldn't "lock her up" for real.) This is the debtor's cell where Joseph and his companions spent the first night.
A "window" from the dungeon cell (which is actually on the second floor). The walls are 3 feet thick! This is where Joseph was first put. It gets very hot in there and the jailer, sensing that Joseph was not a hardened criminal, he moved them to the debtor's cell on the first floor.
The infamous bullet holes. This is the original door the mob shot through to attack Joseph, Hyrum, Willard Richards and John Taylor. The hole Janae is pointing to is the one that probably killed Hyrum. There is another hole above the door knob where they thought the lock was and then the hole Anna and Daila are pointing to is where the lock really was.
More picnics. We stopped for lunch at a picnic site along the Mississppi River after leaving Carthage.
The river was gorgeous. I was really enjoying the scenery, the unusually cool wind, and the peace and quiet . . . but the girls went to the warm car as soon as they finished eating. *sigh* Guess it's time to hit the road again. ;)
We made it to Nauvoo! (Don't ya just love how her sisters posed Daila?)
Waiting for the wagon ride. We all loved the wagon ride. It was one of our favorites of the day. Daila loved the horses (Tom and Jerry), Anna and Janae loved the narration which was full of interesting facts, and I loved seeing all the sites without getting in and out of car seats or strollers. 
Anna and Janae all cozied up on the wagon. (I think I might have to go again at Christmas. I went to Nauvoo once in December and there was such a peaceful spirit there. And the old fashioned decorations are charming.)
My beauties. I'm so glad we were able to experience the spirit of Nauvoo together. Stay tuned for more summer adventures. :)
Here is Daila making meatballs. She helped me put the foil in the pan and now she is mixing the meat. We add sprinkles (seasonings) and then mix again. Good stuff. Just got to make sure she doesn't wipe her hands on her shirt when she's done. She keeps forgetting about that. eww :) This is one dinner meal she can make from start to finish, rolling the meat into balls and into the egg mixture then place them in the pan. She loves it as you can see by her big smile.
