Visit to Temple Square

Our young men and young women's group decided to do baptisms for the dead in Salt Lake City the day after Thanksgiving. Since we were spending Thanksgiving weekend, at Jim's sister, Delore's house we decided we would all go to Temple Square.  While Jim and Skylar went to do baptism's for the dead Brennan, Dalton, Caitlin and I went through a self guided tour of temple square.

We got there early enough that we were able to go through most of a tour of the conference center as a family, with Jim and Skylar leaving us about half way through the tour.

We also went on a tour of the Beehive house, what a wonderful experience. We ate at the Lion House as well, it was good food. Of course, I didn't get to eat what I ordered Caitlin did.  She loves soup in a bread bowl.

Oh yeah, we were also there for the turning on of the lights.  It was so cool.  Skylar and I stayed where we could be among the lights, while everyone else went into the Joseph Smith Memorial building and watched through the windows.  I think we got the best view. Matter of fact Jim told me he thought it would have been better if they would have stayed outside, he was just worried about Caitlin's little hands.

 

Jim and Skylar while we were walking around looking at the lights.

Skylar right after the lights were turned on.

The reflection pool.

Caitlin, Nikki and Dalton in the Visitor Center!

Dalton, Caitlin and Brennan in front of the Conference Center.  Brennan was getting annoyed with me taking so many pictures.  At least he was looking at the camera.  All the rest he was looking at the ground.

This is such an wonderful sight.  We were going to go back after it got dark but we were too cold and tired by that time.

Ever since that day Caitlin keeps asking when we are going back.  The spirit was very strong and we all  walked away with a calm and peaceful feeling.

Fun before school starts!

Went to Trail Lake for 5 days before school started it was so much fun. Caitlin didn't want to come home. All the way home she wanted to go to those mountains over there. Our life is crazy busy sometimes and really this is the only way to unwind and get away from it all. We got to go hike down into Mirror Lake where I used to go with my Dad and Grandpa every summer to open up water for irrigation.

Things have really changed there, there used to be a road that went around the far side of the lake, but they chewed it up with a track hoe and the trees have started growing up in the old road. I don't think I ever heard they were going to close it.

While on our trip we took a few hours and went to Heber and road the Heber Creeper, it was pretty awesome. Have you ever heard of herding cows with a train we got to, it was funny actually. As we got close to area where they turn the train around the cows came on the track and caused us to slow down.  It took us almost 20 minutes to go 5 miles, it was funny. The poor engineer actually blew the whistle all the way to keep the cows moving. 

On part of the train ride where they stop to drop off the horse back riders they have a train robbery, of course, I failed to mention that it was going to happen to Jim and the kids. It was funny to see their reaction. They were really stressed out, Jim figured that it was a show, but the kids were upset  and scared it took a lot to calm them down.  Good times!!  I love vacations like this.

Swimming Lessons!

Caitlin enjoying playing in the water with her class!

   

Dalton playing games with his class!

We put Dalton and Caitlin in swimming lesson's to prepare them to go to Lake Powell.  They learned a lot and had tons of fun.  I've never seen two kids happier to be in the water.

Pioneer Day Parade!

Caitlin got her first chance to ride in a parade.  I don't know if she'll ever do it again.  I think she probably will, but she was so hot and tired by the end, if she remembers that feeling next year she probably won't do it again.  She did have a lot of fun, but instead of enjoying the festivities she just wanted to go home and get into a cool house, some yummy food and a cold drink.

Halloween this year!!

 

Dalton decided he wanted to be an army guy. Caitlin is our little ice princess. Skylar and Brennan did not get their pictures taken, too much going on! Parties and such are a big deal to teenagers. Oh well, a lot of fun.

Caitlin loves her dress so much that she wants to wear it to church.  I haven't let her yet.  On the second dress that she wanted I am not putting the puffy stuff at the waist.  She loves it but I think it's a little frumpy. Her friends are all jealous and want me to make them dresses now.  It's cute.

LDS.org - Ensign Article - A Vision of Visiting Teaching

LDS.org - Ensign Article - A Vision of Visiting Teaching

What an incredible boost to our visiting teaching!! Our world may change, but does our mission?

Your Diet vs. what the world thinks!

I've got anemia for the first time in my life and I'm low in potassium. I listened to friends and popular television stars about what I needed to change in my diet to get my blood pressure under control and found to my amusement that the diet changes I made didn't improve or change my blood pressure at all. All I succeeded in doing was going anemic and getting lower potassium and mixed up my whole body.

I am currently on a blood pressure medication which is helping a lot and my doctor wants me to add a bunch of the things I took out of my diet back in and be patient as I am training for a 5k in September. Anyway, I've learned a very valuable lesson from this, things that works for one person may not work for another. My friends are always criticizing my food choices, I get 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. I had one of my friends tell me an apple a day would solve everything, actually an orange a day for me makes me feel better and according to my blood test results exactly what my doctor ordered,(just that I needed to eat more fruits and vegetables high in potassium) go figure. I always try to eat legumes and other sources high in iron but I have a problem with my stomach bugging me with most of them. So red meat is one of the best ways for me to get my iron, and I'm going back to my baked potato's, moderately of course.

There are so many foods that bug my stomach that I just have to be careful of them. I've been able to pin point more of them now that I'm older, as a kid my parents just thought i had a flu bug or something, but now I know better.

I had to go off of the whole grains because they were really bugging my gut and I'm learning that some of the substitutes are a much better solution than white flour and wheat as a matter of fact I found out that my children enjoy some of the gluten free foods better than the food with gluten in them.

The old adage, all things in moderation comes to mind. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you, it's true.