Temple Square

December is always such a fun and busy and delightful month, here we are only the 4th and we have already had so much fun!

December 1st was my little brother Brody's birthday. After church we went to have dinner to celebrate, he didn't mind that we ate leftovers from Thanksgiving, a pork roast, green bean casserolle that we didn't eat on Thanksgiving along with chocolate cake. With 34 candles the cake is glowing!!

Isn't he cute? Did I mention he's single!

December 2nd the kids went back to school. Jack didn't want to wake up, he said he was so tired. We played and played and played all Thanksgiving weekend long, it was hard to wake up and go back to reality! After school, we had plans to go to Temple Square and see the lights with Grama and Grampa. We arrived at Temple Square later than planned because I chickened out and didn't want to go because it was raining and windy at home, but then Mike & Tif & Steve talked me into going because it was 55' and not raining. I am so glad they talked me into it. The weather was beautiful. We arrived at the Conference Center for a tour by Aunt Vickie, Tifani's sister who is serving a service mission at the Conference Center. I didn't know you could take tours of the Conference Center.

So now you know--go take a tour. They do tours 9am-9pm. We first went up to the roof and had a sneak peak of Temple Square from above. It is so magical and beautiful and covered in lights. 

Some of my favorite parts of the tour were the Apostles Hall and the Prophet Hall. My favorite piece of art in the center was the first vision, I love how you see Heavenly Father hugging Jesus Christ when they are speaking to Joseph Smith. I can picture myself doing the same thing. I also loved the Book of Mormon story pictures and seeing all the seats available in the conference center from the top and the bottom. I highly recommend taking the tour even the kids did great!

After the tour we hustled over to City Creek Mall to see Santa.

We enjoyed some egg nog ice cream and then played on the indoor playground. How fun is that playground! We drug the kids away to go see the lights before we headed home.

Oh we also stopped at the Macy's candy window displays. 5 huge balls decorated in candy. 

If Lilly could have she would have jumped up and started chowing down, heck I would have too! One was covered in Santa cinnamon bears...we left the window displays and walked around the temple grounds. 

Maddy said she wants to come to temple square in the summer when it is warm and light, she has only seen the temple grounds at Christmas and in the dark. I learned that my dad was baptised at the Tabernacle. We listened to the live nativity, at the end President Monson shared his testimony. We then went inside  and saw the Christus. It was neat to think about Josh who is serving his mission in Madrid where the Christus was made. 

We headed home about 10 o'clock. SO SO late for a school night but it was a fun night and something to cross off the to do list for December! All the kids were asleep when we pulled in the driveway. And there really was the warm before the storm, we woke up to snow.

After school, the kids helped me run ornament party invitations and then went sledding. It is a magical time of year!

Lexi and Tanner playing in the snow!

Oh and don't forget one of the kids favorite traditions (and one of mine growing up) is the chocolate advent calendar (Lilly can even eat this yucky chocoalte). Most chocolate is processed or conatins nuts so she doesn't get chocolate very often. The poor girl had an allergic reaction to nuts over Thanksgiving and is covered in hives. She has scabs on her body from itching so bad. It was a wake up call for me that I need to be more careful and check labels more dilegently. A week later (today) they are starting to go away although her skin is so bumpy and not soft like baby skin shoud be.