We knew that my nephew T. J. was getting baptized at the beginning of December and that Ross's parents were coming up to Utah from California for it.We spent a while wishing and scheming and dreaming. Then it just came to a point where we knew we wanted to go and we weighed out all the good and the bad of the trip until we finally knew it would be worth it! Our top priority was to see Grandma and Grandpa Wilkins again. We also needed to go to the temple again. We could see and show our children Temple Square all lit up for Christmastime. And oh so many other reasons seemed to trump the stupid money issue.
So we left Thursday morning, December 3rd and made the drive to Provo to stay with my oldest brother Jeff and his family. It's always interesting making those long trips with more and more members of our family all the time, but we made the 8 hour trip in about 9 hours. Better than it coulda been. Once we got into Utah we had fun counting the temples we could see from the freeway with the kids. :o)
We got up and went to the temple on Friday morning. Our cute, sweet niece Melinda is going to BYU and came over to Jeff's house to babysit. Ross's parents also drove up from Payson where they were staying and helped out so they could play with the kids.
Our temple experience was wonderful. It had been way too long, I hate to admit. It is so refreshing and uplifting to go. We went to the Provo temple and came away feeling the need to go again soon.
While we were there, I saw Elizabeth Smart coming out of the dressing room. I briefly tried to mouth to Ross who it was and then stopped myself knowing that she probably gets that all the time and doesn't need or want to be gawked at. It did make me think about what an amazing person she must be and that I am so happy for her making the decision to go on a mission (to FRANCE, lucky girl) and showing her strength to the world. My trials feel minimal and I am awed by her example of rising above.
We spent some time talking with Grandma and Grandpa and then headed up to Salt Lake City to see my sister Wendy. She lives in a cute little apartment downtown and can see the temple from her kitchen window. We went up to see if she could take our family picture again, but it was too cold and windy. She'd tried at Thanksgiving, but Luke was so extremely sleepy we could hardly keep him in the picture. If you got our Christmas card, that's why he looks the way he does. :o)
We went to Temple Square that night with Mike, pregnant Wendy, and cutie Cecily. We bundled up and walked down the hill. It was twinkly and breathtaking everywhere you looked. I read in the Friend magazine that the lights start going up August 1st and are finally all down by March 31st. Wow! That's a lot of hard work, but it makes for a beautiful, spiritual sight. I started crying as we watched the life size nativity display presentation with the powerful music and script and the testimony of President Thomas S. Monson. It was a magical evening.
Our family next to the Conference Center on the way down the hill.
Samantha and Logan
Ross and Logan
Uncle Mike, Cecily, Wendy and her tummy ;o)
Two reasons I'm putting up this random picture: One is because it shows Samantha RUNNING from picture to picture of Jesus. She was so excited to read the plaques on the pedestals in front of each scene of Christ's life. (Makes a momma feel good.) The second reason is this shows me wearing Mike's shoes! I was stupid and only brought my high heeled boots to Wendy's. Her feet are tiny compared to mine (I've decided not to hate her for that) and so Mike pulled out one of his smaller pairs of sneakers for me. Thanks Mike!
Lukey and Becky all bundled up
Samantha and Janet
Another family shot
On Saturday we met Grandma and Grandpa Wilkins at the Provo Towne Center Mall and just hung out for a while eating lunch and looking around. Then we all went up to Taylorsville for T.J.'s baptism. It was so adorable to see how excited he was. Everyone was commenting on how he couldn't stand still and then when he finally had to stand still his little toes were still wiggling. It was so wonderful to participate in that special day with Uncle Stephen's family.
T.J. chose IHOP for his post-baptism dinner celebration.
T.J. was confirmed a member of the Church the next day in sacrament meeting and we went over to Stephen's house for enchilada casserole afterward. Here's Logan, Michael, Rebecca, Samantha, T. J., Hunter, and Baby Zaden.
Amy and Zaden. Look at those big blue eyes!
We had so much fun staying with Jeff's family. Celina made lemon cake one night and the kids enjoyed it!
Esther and Samantha
It was fun to be at a house where the Christmas tree was already up. The most fun, though, was that we were also there for Dutch Christmas! Jeff worked at Novell in Holland for two years and so they continue to celebrate. Esther was excited to tell her cousins how it worked. The kids put their shoes out by the door for a few nights while we were there and in the morning little gifts were left inside, I think, by the helper Black Pete. The final night Sinterklaas came and left even more candy and presents. It was a lot of fun! We even got online and watched some videos of the Dutch News tracking Sinterklass and listened to Celina and Esther sing carols in Dutch as well.
Here's darling little Stevie Denny with a popcorn bowl on his head. Looks like a top hat! "Start spreadin' the news..."
"At the Wilky, Wilkinson Center! R.M.'s and Freshman are making connections at the Wilky! Will they find love?"
On Monday we went to the BYU campus just for fun. Why was it fun? I'm not sure, but Ross and I enjoyed remembering things and showing the kids this BYU place we're always talking about. (Sidenote: We've got a "My First BYU Boardbook" that we do at storytime. The fight song is in the back and we sing it with the kiddoes. Can we call it a lullaby?) Luke was cute because he saw the "Y" up on the mountain and started yelling, "BYU, MOM! BYU!" Training 'em young, I tell ya!
We had a lunch at the Cougareat. Wow. I'm only 32. I stood there in line with my purse on my shoulder feeling out of place. I didn't have on a backpack and coat. I wasn't talking about classes or finals or that cute boy in my ward. Did I look old to those kids I only have 10-13 years on? Was there a matronly air about me? Not sure, but it was a strange feeling.
We walked around the bookstore for a while and then went back downstairs to the bowling alley and game room Logan had seen on the way in and kept talking about the entire time we'd been upstairs. It was great to kill a little time there too.
Ross was happy to get a little time at a pinball machine.
Mommy helping Luke play skee ball (Camera phone at work here.)
We had Family Home Evening with the Lay family that night. Celina suggested we go to the Monte L. Bean museum on campus. We used to park there all the time for football games, but I'd never actually been inside. It was a great little place. I was floored by the amount of animals we saw in there. There were so many I'd never even heard of! (Do you know what a Water Deer is? It has a hung fang!) Obviously I need to educate myself more.
Samtha smiling in front of a diorama
Here's one cute Rebecca standing in front of the Baby Jesus surrounded by a whole lot of animals I wasn't aware were in Bethlehem. ;o) Seriously, isn't that a funny, but neat display?
Logan in the Africa room
This huge bear scared the kids. It was around a corner and all of a sudden loomed up in front of you!
An example of an animal I'd never heard of. Look how it's just about as big as the hippo it's next to!
Ross and Becky by the North American animals I did recognize.
So, the next time you're really excited and you say, "WAHOO!" you can think of this fish. :o)
Luke giving me that cute look in the insect room
Okay, so I liked this display and had to get a closer shot of it. I'm weird that way.
Aunt Celina, Samantha, and Logan hanging out with the giant clam.
Not sure what we're looking at here, but I'm usually on camera duty, so here I am in a picture Celina took. It was a fun place and we're glad we went.
We left Tuesday morning and drove again by the new In-N-Out Burger in Orem. Every time we went by the line was extremely long and the inside was packed too. It would have been nice to go, but I don't think our four little kids would appreciate that yummy place as much as we do and be willing to wait that long to boot.
It was a quick, but memorable little vacation that we are very happy we took. Sometimes the money factor has to just fly out the window!
1 comment:
thanks for coming and visiting. we loved it when you came to see us, and mike wants you to know you can borrow his shoes any time. you look way cuter in them than he does ;)
miss your cute face.
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