a busy May 2014

Still catching up

In May we were so busy-

Who Isn't?

May & December are the two busiest months of the year for us.

We had our annual YW graduation fireside on the Bountiful Temple Grounds.

I'm so proud & happy for these two friends.

Hailey was in the chalk art festival for the first time!

SERIOUSLY! So fun & so exciting- Hooray for Hailey going way outside her comfort zone & doing something she has always wanted to do.

We went to Baccalaureate with Chloe & friends.

Its such an exciting time. 

Trent has been in a Social Dance class this whole year.

They had their spring recital - dance concert- at the University of Utah.

IT WAS HANDS DOWN AMAZING

We are so grateful for good teachers!

It was a lot of time sitting in a theater for mom- brought back memories.

Chloe flipped over it & was wishing her school had a program like this!

Brett & I celebrated 28 years of marriage!

Chloe & friends graduated from Seminary!

Busy - Busy - Great - Month

grad night at the temple

Last Wednesday night the YW & their mom's celebrated our graduating seniors.

We met up at the Bountiful Temple for a special speaker & a spectacular view.

(our guest speaker, Tyler- leaves on an LDS mission to Phoenix, AZ in August)

This view was absolutely breath taking- It was unreal.

I couldn't help but feel like I was in a photo. Amazing.

 

Tyler talked to the girls about keeping the gospel centered in their lives. 

How - now that they are adults & leaving home etc- it's even more important make good choices.

afterwards--- amazing refreshments!

For real!

I think moms need to be invited more often!

what a great night!

side note: what the heck? how can it be that in less than two weeks Hailey will be graduating from High School... this is definitely sneaking up on me.

temple trip #2

 It's been a busy & pretty quick month--

I was a little worried we wouldn't make our goal of getting to a new temple.

But we made it.

  

We went into the big city- to the Salt Lake Temple last Saturday afternoon. 

Saturday's (we have learned) are just too busy for us to get into any temple. We are from now on going during the week. It's wonderful to see so many youth in the temple!

It was my first time into the Salt Lake Temple Baptistry.

Gorgeous -- amazing. We were truly blessed & lucky to get in- it was very busy.

Did you know the Salt Lake Temple is the first temple the Pioneers started working on- yet the 4th temple to be completed? St. George was first to be completed, then Logan, then Manti. The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to complete. Only one of those years for the interior. The exterior is full of religous symbolism & made of granite mined from the mountains to the east. The exterior walls are 6' thick! 

It was a cold windy day with a storm coming in-brrr.

Afterwards we went to Litza's Pizza.

A favorite place that we used to frequent when the kids were younger. 

We hadn't been there in way too long!

Chloe & I could not-- for the life of us--- get a decent photo!

so... We opted for our mad model look.

She pulls it off well-- I look like I'm just plain tired.

Oh well, it was fun & I am so glad we made our goal two months in a row now!

it just doesn't get any better than this!

In preparation for Jack leaving on his mission in April...

last night we went to the Bountiful temple.

Jack's first time.

I found myself overwhelmed with emotion throughout the night.

It truly doesn't get any better than this!

just a great way to start the season- temple square

Tonight we all bundled up & headed into the city for the first day of temple square Christmas lights. We went really early to beat the crowd- and to have time to look around. It's been far too long since we have just wandered around the visitors center.

As we were walking in - I thought- Hey, Stephanie's daughter is on a mission here? Within 10 minutes of looking around- there she was! She was talking to some people so we stuck around & surprised her. What a great sister missionary! She has a darling companion from Las Vegas. I think this is the best mission in the world for sisters & wish my girls could serve here-- but surely they wouldn't get called to their own back yards?!

It was great to be at the visitors center before it got dark. There were so many details on the Nativity scenes that we hadn't noticed in the before.

Wise men traveling from the East.

Shepherds.

The stable & the Holy Family.

We enjoyed the films & the Christis statue, all of the many interactive things to do & see in the visitors center.

It was a great opportunity to really think about or Saviour at the beginning of the Christmas season.

We walked through. Trent & I visited the tabernacle. A building the pioneers built to meet in, just outside the temple. It's where the tabernacle choir performs & gets their name.

We went into the Joseph Smith building & to the distribution center (a place to buy scriptures & church literature, pictures etc.) It was beautiful, all decorated for Christmas.

We headed out just 15 minutes before the lights went on to secure our spot.

Trent didn't want to be photographed, but did want his dog Zore to be photographed, "and blogged."

It was cold, but surprisingly warmer than we thought it would be.

and crowded... but worth it.

Especially when the lights came on!

How did you start your Christmas season, or are you still in denial?

This season has snuck up quickly!

marcus gets married!

Saturday was one of those AmaZIng days.

One of those, once in a lifetime type days, it was wonderful!

Marcus my nephew, married his sweetheart Brittany, in the Draper, Utah temple.

These pictures were taken by my sister in law beth- she's a fabulous photograper.

My whole family was there-

All my siblings & our spouses.

(clyde was with marcus)

This is a first.

This is only the second time in my adult life that we have all been together & the first time, not all the spouses were there. That was 12 years ago.

My sisters, my brother & me.

Sad really how rare it is that we are all together...

but I don't want to focus on that.

We were all here & in the temple together. What a wonderful day.

I just want to sit & think about that for a bit.

~

congratulations Marcus & Brittany

congratulations mom & dad

all your children & you both in the temple together...

priceless