Temple Square

Last night we went and saw the lights at Temple Square.

Natalie didn't want to be in the stroller, so Joseph saved the day and carried her around the whole time. Sophi was more than happy to fill the roll of stroller sitter. She was super excited about the temple. "Where's the temple Sophi?" "RIGHT DERE!!"

So Joseph carried Natalie, Corey pushed Sophi, and I played sheepdog and kept circling the sheep and counting 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9.... 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9... over and over again with a occasional photo now and then.

Pleased to report we didn't lose anyone.

We went inside the tabernacle for just a minute to warm up. I was able to share a quick story from the day I came home from my mission ~ December 2nd 1998. After I was released, Corey came and picked me up and we went to temple square to deliver a package to a missionary serving there that her family in Arizona gave me to deliver. Then Corey and I wandered around temple square and into the tabernacle where we were pleased to see a Christmas concert being rehearsed. So we sat and watched that for a bit and then everyone stood up and we did too and noticed President Hinckley had just walked in on the stage. He briefly said something to the choir and then as he said goodbye and was walking away, the conductor talked to him and was asking him something for a moment to Pres Hinckley, who then threw up his hands as if to say "I give up, fine!" and he walked to the conductor spot, tapped the music stand with a baton, and then said "One, two, three, go!" and the choir sang the hallelujah chorus. It was really fun! I thought it was a great way to end my mission and begin my life as a returned missionary. So, that was a fun story I shared with the kids while we were in the tabernacle.

The kids had a request to go see the Christus statue and also to go see the model of the temple. We didn't see the Christus this time, there was a super long line, and if we stand still the kids scatter, so it's just not safe, we had to keep moving. We walked to the south visitor's center to see the temple model.

The model of the temple is so neat. I was able to show the kids where Corey and I went when we got married. The beautiful celestial room:

And then we wandered around some more. Natalie wanted me to hold her, and I didn't see it, but Joseph said that anytime she was near to me she reached for me and tried to grab me. When we did catch each other's eyes, of course she twisted my heart with those sweet pleading eyes. Such a pretty baby girl!

Zoom in on this one below, and just look at her sweet little face there, gets me everytime.

Ethan was in charge of making a video memory for us all.

And then we felt we'd done enough to make a memory and check it off, so we headed back to the warm parking garage and into the cars. Did you have fun Natalie?

What a good big brother, thanks Joseph! Fun making family memories.