I love to see the temple

I love the temple.  I love going to the temple.  I love looking at the temple.  Each temple is unique and beautiful in its own way.  When asked what temple is my favorite, I used to say the Bountiful temple.  Now, I am not sure which one I would choose.  There is something that I love about the Salt Lake temple.  It is just breath taking anytime you go there.  I especially love going during Christmas time to look at the lights.  Eric and I were watching the Christmas devotional together and I mentioned how I missed the Christmas lights at temple square.  Eric said to me "we go take a short weekend and go."  Is he joking I thought, is he for real...so I ask him a few days later if he was serious.  He says, "Yep".  So I say lets go I need a break.  The weekend after Christmas we decide to drive the family over for a short three day weekend.  I arranged with my friends The Reed's to stay at there home and coordinated a meeting time that we could spend with the family.

We got to temple square early enough to walk through the visitors center. (another place that I love)  It is amazing how much you take for granted when you live in Utah.  I was excited for the girls to see the amazing things they have on display there.  The last time we were in Utah for the lights Brittlynn was just a baby.  Of course the statue of Christ on Display is always an amazing experience. (it isn't quite as powerful listening to him speak in a foriegn language.)  The girls enjoyed themselves and enjoyed all of the different painting.  We could have spent the whole day there.

We finished up just intime for the live nativity to start outside.  I am still amazed at what is done at temple square for Christmas.  I have been to other cities and nothing even comes close to compare.  The lights are coming on as the sun is setting and we were able to watch the temple light up with the night.  Something I have never really noticed or perhaps seen, but I was taking picutres of the temple with the flag in front of it and it was amazing how it all change.

 This is my favorite on that I got with the flag blowing in the wind.

 I love this man and I love him more for being just excited about taking the girls to see the lights on temple square and all of the wonderful things that are there. 

 She always likes to be silly, but this is so her.

I am not sure what one of these is my favorite.  Perhaps the one in the middle, but I like them all.

So it was off to see the rest of the lights.  My brothers were supposed to meet me at the lights to look at them, but it was getting cold fast.  The reflection pond is another favorites.  We saw two couples who had just gotten married and were taking pictures outside in the cold.  It was really cold, but the girls were having fun.  So that is what was most important. 

He is another one that I like.  

So we I finally find my brother Quinn with his fiance Carly.  John called to let me know that after a hour long fight with Kohyn he was there, but  Kohyn was asleep.  We were almost done so he decided to wait in the car.  We did go up to the top of the Joseph Smith memorial building to see the lights from above, where it was warm.

 Savannah is always excited to see her uncle Quinn.

 Isn't it beautiful

 We are really excited Quinn is getting married, and Carly seems to be a perfect fit for my brother and will be a wonderful part of our family.

It was off to dinner and then to John's house to allow the kids to run around and play.  We were sad that Becca and her family couldn't come.  It was fun to get together.  Dinner was good and with a few hiccups in our order, a word from the manager, we got a free desert, one meal removed from our order, and then half of that for military.  We walked away paying only $25 for the family and that was with the tip.  They also gave us some gift certificates that we gave to John, since he lives the closest to the restaurant. At John's house the kids ran wild and crazy, jumped on the indoor trampoline, we sang songs as John played on the guitar, Quinn gave us all our Christmas gift.  We laughed and enjoyed each other until way past our bedtime.  The girls returned home exhausted.

She finally let her unlce pick her up.  

The next day we went to sledding.  There was so much snow in Utah, it was so beautiful.  I couldn't stop looking at amazement at the snow.  Savannah was excited for the snow, but was worried when the sun came out that the snow would melt away, only to be amazed the next day when it was still there.  Colorado snow has not been good to us at all.  She had a blast with her friends and daddy sledding at the near by hill.  She was terrified at first, but by the end of the afternoon she was going off jumps.

It was a great weekend with friends and family and lots of laughs.  The best part of it all was spending time together as a family.