San Diego Temple Open House

We drove to San Diego today to attend the San Diego Temple Open House. 

It was busy and crowded, so that was the best pic with the temple we were able to get. We ended up leaving the hotel to go to San Diego later than planned, and Hyrum had a lunch appointment with his boss from his internship (I think?) so we took three cars, Van was ALSNODP, Corey's rental was me and Katharine and Wes. Ethan drove Corey's car with Bella and Alvie, Mel and Hyrum. Christian stayed at the hotel to work. We met up at the temple, parking was nuts and we got separated, found each other, then Corey left with Wes and Hyrum in the rental car for the lunch appointment. The rest of us eventually found each other and then went in for the open house tour. 

It was a long wait. 

But they made it pretty comfortable. 

It was really wonderful to be in temple with all the kids. It was especially fun to be in the celestial room with Alvie and Katharine. Alvie squealed in there with happiness and was toddling around. I think he knows it's a heavenly place. Group pic of the kids (top of post) then Bella took one with me in the pic. 

This was the last week of the open house so we were excited that the timing worked out for us to go and see Hyrum's temple. The open house started June 18 and ends this Saturday. The temple will be rededicated next month on August 23. Then Corey Wes and Hyrum went to a later tour of the temple, the rest of us headed back. Ethan said he wasn't going to be in the non-air conditioned vehicle again, so he got the van with Bella, Alvie, and NODPK for he drive home, and I had Mel, Abi, Lily and Sophi in Corey's car with me. We stopped at a store for ice cream drumsticks and each ate 2, tho some of us had three (they were going to melt if we didn't eat them!)

Then one last trip before Ethan and Bella headed out. We went to Balboa Island. I thought we were going to swim at the beach like a few years ago, but I didn't really know where that was, I just drove to their Life360 location and found out they went to the shopping district. Walked around there, then Corey took back his rental car, Abi drove kids back to the hotel, and I drove Ethan Bella and Alvie to the airport. Bye!!

I'm a bit jealous they will be home in a few hours and sleeping in their own beds tonight. 

Corey found us after returning the rental car, and caught them to give a hug and say goodbye.

At 7:50 pm, Corey went with me on a last walk at the beach, but then we decided to bike cause it's faster. That turned into a magical sunset ride that I will not soon forget, 5.10 miles, 57 minutes

So fun to ride on the sand and look at the waves!

We stayed clear of the sand and water the best we could, though we did get hit with one big wave right at the end and we couldn't avoid it - right in the old Crystal Cove Historic District as we were heading to the sidewalk trail out. We tried to rinse off our bikes in the sprinklers as we rode back home in the dark. It was fun. Now time to head to bed before our long drive tomorrow. I'm hoping we can avoid the heat somehow, but looks like it's 100 degrees plus all the way through from Baker California to St George, so it might be miserable, but I don't think we can avoid it, cause that would mean leaving at 4 am.