Family Home Evening: Temple Square (8/25/2013)

I needed to get some pictures for the blog, and Shelley needed a long nap, so after we got back from attending Baby Tyler's blessing, I loaded up the kiddos in the car, and we went to Temple Square.

 Naturally, by the time we got there, and I found a place to park on West Temple, they were asleep...

Livvy woke up whimpering, but got excited when I put her in the stroller - she was all smiles! We're going for a walk with Daddy!

We walked down West Temple from 100 South toward Temple Square. At the crosswalks, I would push a button, and then have Owen watch for the "red hand" to turn into a "green guy walking", and then we'd cross.

Once we got to temple square, we had a quick bathroom break and got a drink.

Then we went to the North Visitor's Center. Owen thought it was pretty cool to go up the big spiral ramp to the Christus statue. When he saw it, he said, "That's a big statue!". I asked him, "Hey Owen, who's that?" He said, "That's Jesus. He loves us!"

We stayed and listened to the recording... "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world...  And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning... Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world." (3 Nephi 11:10-14)


Naturally, the kids were more interested in playing with the stroller and running around like crazy than they were in seeing the Christus. Even though I had to keep telling them to settle down, the people there seemed to enjoy watching my decidedly cute kids enjoy themselves - Dad's not biased or anything!

After we went back down to the main floor, I lost track of Owen for just a minute. When I found him again, I pulled the stroller back as I turned my head, trying to get his attention. I hadn't realized that, in the split second I was looking the wrong way, Livvy had managed to unbuckle herself and stand up, completely erect in the seat of the stroller. Of course, she went over the bar and landed face first on the carpet. I managed to console Livvy and wrangle Owen into heading out toward the escalator. We went down to see what there was to see on the basement floor.

Owen got a big kick out of the movies in the various kiosks. He seemed to especially like this one about the two thousand stripling warriors. He watched it over and over again!

I sat down to to just rest for a minute and watch the short movie about the church welfare system while kids did a little too much running around despite my insistence to the contrary...

After that, we decided we'd go outside and get a good look at the temple. On the way out, Owen saw some people turn and disappear, with the silver doors closing behind them. Naturally, he found a button to push... a big round one with an arrow on it! "Daddy can we go on the 'alligator'?!" he asked, excited. I thought about it for a minute, then realized that, not only would it be an adventure for him, it meant not having to go back down the escalator with Livvy in the stroller - a win-win situation! Owen was more than happy to push the button. When we got out on the first floor, Livvy of course had to push the button to call the elevator again. I just hope we didn't give anybody too much of a headache!

I took some pictures of the temple while Livvy ran this way and that, checking out every litte thing that even remotely caught her interest. She seemed to be excited just to be free to run! I had to take over the stroller when Owen ran headlong into a nice Australian lady. I apologized for the craziness, and she was very understanding. 

Owen was not happy about having to relinquish the stroller as we entered the South Visitor's Center. 

That didn't last long though, because he found more movie kiosks to occupy him while Livvy and I got in the line that was slowing moving around the model of the temple.

When our turn came, I managed to get Owen's attention. Both the kids enjoyed having me lift them up where they could see. Owen was amazed at all the room and the little lights and chairs in the temple.

We left, and I found our way around to the exit onto West Temple. As we walked, people kept saying how cute the kids were. I think most people just aren't used to seeing little kids dressed up in Sunday best. We went back to the car, where I fought to fold the stroller in vain before stashing it upside-down in the seat next to Livvy. They were happy to know we were going home to see Mom.