NaBlogPoMo 2009

Lights on Temple Square

Today is Monday, Nov. 30th - the last day of November and that means I did it!  I reached my goal of posting everyday in November.  Thanks to all of you who played along and acutally read each of the posts.  And a bigger thank you to those of you who left comments - especially my top commenters Tamara and Emily.  I appreciate all of you!!

To finish up the month I need to finish out our Utah trip.

Friday, after the movie and dinner the Jim Wilkes family headed up to Salt Lake to see the lights on Temple Square which had just been turned on that night.  Tessa had  never seen them.  In attempts to be more green and environmentally conscious the display is not nearly as large or grand as it has been in years past but it is still beautiful.

There is a very sweet nativity presentation too between the Tabernacle and the Visitor's Center that we watched.

and I especially loved the floating lights on the reflection pool across the street from Temple Square.

Also, I loved the lumineres that lined the sidewalks by the church office building.  They all had Christmas words (joy, peace, love etc.) punched in them in all different languages.

But of course the best part was being there with these people!!

The weather was great - chilly but not too cold.  Afterwards we went to Hatch Family Chocolates  up in the Avenues of Salt Lake and enjoyed some amazing hot chocolate.  It was just like drinking a melted candy bar.  Jim chose peppermint ice cream instead!! 

Saturday was game day!  The boys and Cali went to the big U of U/BYU football which BYU won!! I chose to check out a few quilt shops instead! The game went into overtime so the boys didn't arrive at the Blazer/Jazz game in Salt Lake until half time. I met them at the freeway entrance with a bag of McDonalds - and they headed up to Salt Lake.   Unfortunately the Blazers lost that one.

All the girls got together while all the Wilkes men were at the Blazer/Jazz game at Emily's  We ordered in pizza and Bajio and had a fun craft night together.  We learned how to solder and made some cute necklaces from glass and wire - so fun!  Thanks Emily!!

A fun day!  I even got some Christmas shopping done!!

Home Safe and Sound

We made it home safe and sound in about 12 hours!  It was an easy trip with great weather.  We were so blessed to have sunny weather coming and going.

It's good to be home but I am missing these faces already!!

We had a wonderful time!

A special thank you to David and Tricia for always making us feel so comfortable and welcome and to Tricia for all her hard work to create an amazing Thanksgiving dinner!  Tricia is always a great shopping companion too.

Thanks to Eric for letting us use his bedroom and to Eryn for letting Tessa and Cali invade her space!

Thank you to Wynn and Emily for letting us borrow their car to Salt Lake and to Emily for hosting a fun dinner and craft night!!  And for their continued love and kindness to our children!

We loved seeing the Wynn Wilkes family too and thanks for a fun basketball game!

Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Wilkes for driving down to spend the time with all of us and to Grandpa Wilkes for great hugs - I love his big bear hugs the best!!

Thanks to BYU for pulling through and winning on Saturday (we wish the Blazers had done the same!)