Day 9 - Packing Again

Today we went to get some pictures taken. Shanna’s sister works for Kiddie Kandids. So went. And after a workout trying to get Anna to smile and a few cameras not working we got some great pictures. Thanks Kristin for giving up your day off! We got a couple of family pictures taken. A few of Anna. Some of the 3 girls and one of Allie and Jennie. (If anyone wants to see them online let me know.)

After that we hurried to get clothes and food packed up to go to the cabin so we could make it up to Logan to my cousin’s wedding reception. (Wow! That whole temple/family theme again.)

We made it just in time to see the couple cut the cake. Everything was decorated with bright colors, so cute! In fact, both the bride and groom were wearing bright colored converse tennis shoes. She had a beautiful dress and daisies in her hair.



It was fun to see family, especially my cousin Amy (who I don’t get to see nearly enough). Although I didn’t get to talk to her or anyone else for very long. But check out this amazing quilt she made for her sister.



It was fun (in an ironic sort of way) to see my cousin Chris, a doctor, bussing tables.



But probably the best part was that we got to eat yummy Aggie Icecream from USU!





Since we were in Logan we stopped to take some pictures in some of my favorite spots.







Allie and Jennie thought it was really cool when we told them that this was where their daddy went to school. (Can you see it Lee...future Aggies right there!)

We stopped to see the Logan temple too.



That is where Dave and I got married.

Then we were off to the cabin.

Day 8 - Birthday

Last night we took a picture of Anna, the last one as a four-year-old.



The girls have been talking about how you get bigger on your birhtday. So last night we marked on the wall how tall she was. She thought it was funny that she was the same height today when we measured again.

In the morning Anna had a bagel for breakfast, with a candle in it.



Then Dave and I went with Mom & Dad and Tiana & Nate (my sister and brother-in-law) to do sealings at the temple for some family names that my dad had. It was neat to be in the temple with my family doing work for my family. What made it even more special on this special day is the fact that in all the rotations we did I got to be sealed as a daughter for someone named Anna. Then later in the session I also got to act for that same Anna as she was sealed to her husband.

I am grateful for temples! And for families! (Wow! That sure seems to be a theme for the trip.) I am especially grateful for Anna today. For the joy and wonder and happiness she has brought into my life.

For the last month at least the girls have been making invitations and other things for Anna’s birthday party. They decided several times different things that we would do for the party. So after much deliberation Anna has stuck with the decision to have a carnival for her birthday.

She was so excited to go to the store with me to get balloons (which she didn’t want filled with helium because then they would be, “too easy to float away if I let go of them.”), party hats and other supplies.

Everyone helped to get ready for the party.

Grandma helped the girls cook the cake.







Anna and Allie helped me make a bean bag toss.



Tiana and Nate made the bubble solution just right. Then they made the fishing poles to catch the sharks I made.



Anna drew a "pongo dog" and cut out spots to make a pin the spot on the dog game. Allie helped cut out lots of spots.



And Grandpa put together a great obstacle course.

My mom and Tiana even dressed up like clowns.





When everyone arrived Grandma Mahoney (my grandma) gave out tickets so all the kids could play the different games.



Fishing for Sharks



Bean Bag Toss



Bowling



Popcorn





Put the Spot on the Dog



(Some people got closer to the dog than others.)




Giant Bubbles





And an Obstacle Course





Just as we were finishing up the games so we could eat it started to rain a little. It was perfect timing to move the rest of the party inside.

We had a yummy BBQ



with rainbow salad (a fruit of each color of the rainbow) as requested by Anna.



Then she opened presents.



When people asked her what she wanted for her birthday she would tell them that she wanted a backpack.



She thought her backpack was cool!


Then we ate cake and ice cream. Too bad that most of the people had left by then. (More cake for us!)



What a fun party!
(click here for more birthday pictures)


Later that night we even had fireworks!







Even though we were careful to pick out ones that weren’t noisy they were still a little to loud for some of the crowd.





But we all enjoyed the sparklers!

Day 7 - The temple

The kids have created a home for boxelder bugs and pill bugs (potato bugs as we call them). Anna and Allie have been gathering bugs and putting them in a container. Grandma helped them cover it with plastic so they could still see inside. She poked tiny air holes in the plastic. But as Anna and Allie find more bugs they try to squeeze them in the bucket through the air holes which keep getting bigger and bigger. They are calling all the little pill bugs Kennedy and all the boxelder bug, underwear. They think it is all so funny.

Today is the day we went to see the Draper Temple.



We had been talking a lot about what it would be like to go inside a temple and what we would see. The girls were all excited to see the room where you get married. They got up this morning and put on their dresses. Without even being told they had been planning that. They had told me several times that they wanted to wear their prettiest dresses to the temple because it is such a special place.




We got there at a great time, when there weren't a ton of other people. We watched a video about temples and learned that South Jordan, UT is the only city in the world that has two temples. South Jordan is named for the nearby Jordan River, which is named for its likeness to the Jordan River in the Holy Land. They both run with no outlet from a fresh water lake to a salt lake.

Then we got to go inside. Everything was so beautiful. The spirit was so powerful. We saw the baptismal font sitting on the back of the oxen. Allie was worried becuase she didn't want to go in it.

There were beautiful murals on the walls of the endowment rooms. We got sit in the sealing rooms and look in the mirrors where we could see forever. We got to feel that incredible peace as you walk into the celestial room. And we got to see the beautiful bride's room.

Afterward we went into a tent where we got to eat cookies.

I am so grateful for temples.



I am grateful that there is a way for us to have our families forever. In the video Elder Holland talked about the peace and happiness of heaven and just like him, I know that Heaven would not feel that way if it were not for the fact that we can be with our families there.



I know that the sealing in the temple is only the beginning to having an eternal family, that after that comes a lot of work and patience. But today, in the temple, I was reminded so powerfully by the spirit of what heaven will feel like when we do our best each day so we can make it back to Heavenly Father's presence and can be surrounded with those of our family who make it back there too. That is a feeling I want to have forever. I guess I better do all I need to do to make it back to live with Heavenly Father again.




Anna: It was fun to see the whole temple instead of just some of the temple. I liked to see the married room and where the bride gets dressed.

Jennie: There was the spirit. Its true. I felt good and special. I liked to eat the cookies. I loved to look at the temple. I liked the bride room where you get married.

Allie: There were some lights that were beautiful, that were shaped like stars, but they hurt my eyes (because they were so bright). I saw the bunny. In the other room I saw the chipmunks (in the murals in the endowment rooms).