A Visit to Temple Square

We were not sure what the morning would bring for any of us - the kids slept hard after our water slide adventure and everyone woke up healthy - whew!  Uncle Wes was down sick now and we felt so bad!  Aunt Kim & Paizlie were doing better but still tired!  By the end of the day we would hear that other extended Jefferies family had gotten sick as well (it was those hot dogs)! 

Today was Marin's official birthday and we did not want to waste it!  Here is a cute picture I took of her that morning!  We were so glad she was feeling better - she is a handful this one but she is so sweet and happy!  Since we were feeling ok we decided to still make the journey to Temple Square!  Our first stop was the Lion House and some yummy lion house rolls - yum!  Manhattan was especially interested in the tours - she has been dying to visit Salt Lake since she read the Work & the Glory series this spring!  It all made so much sense to her now (we didn't get to Nauvoo this year but we did go to Kirtland, Palmyra, and SLC so that was a start)

First stop: Lion House & some yummy rolls!

We moved on the Church Office building and rode up to look over the city - it is a beautiful view and the kids loved seeing the temple from up high.  On our way down a gentlemen got in the elevator and we recognized him as Val Bagley the children's author and artist!  He is awesome and I have a lot of his books!  He was so kind - we had our picture taken with him and then he drew pictures for each of the kids! It was so fun - we later bought a new book of his that we are going to put the picture of us all together in!  It was so fun and he was so kind to take the time to visit with us and draw for the kids - they were so thrilled!

Church office building & a celebrity!

Next stop was touring the temple grounds & visitor's center!  The kids loved all the flowers - it is always so beautiful there!  I love the pictures Morgan took of the temple!  

The Salt Lake Temple

 The Conference Center was as big as I remembered it being - I am excited that this year when we watch conference we can remind that kids that they were there!  My favorite picture from the conference center is this one of Maxwell next to Neal A. Maxwell - he has yet to discover what a wise man Elder Maxwell was but someday he will know.  It also reminded me that Elder Maxwell was a little boy at one time - funny how things change and how they are all the same!

The Tabernacle and the Conference Center

The tabernacle is lovely and Grandma Annie reminded us that she was baptized there when she was eight - how cool is that!  We headed over to the Deseret Book Store and Manhattan was in heaven!  She loved it!  I enjoyed it too!  Soon our cousins arrived and we headed to dinner at Johnny Rockets, I wished we would have had more time with the Tafua cousins - they are so wonderful!  We miss them!  Marin got a birthday song and we all enjoyed some awesome milkshakes - we were so full!

Cousins & Dinner!!!

Our last stop was a quick run through of the church history museum - can't wait to go back again - it is really cool!  We got a few more pictures of Temple Square and then it was closing up!  NOT ENOUGH TIME!!  I can't wait to visit again and I can't wait to be with our Ethington family!

Back through Temple Square Again!