Downtown Salt Lake

While we were visiting, we decided it would be really nice to take the kids downtown and check out City Creek Mall (that all the Utahans had been raving about) as well as the Temple.

My favorite store was the huge Deseret Book that is now their flagship store.  So nice.  I could be lost for days in there…it was hours as it was and it was because the kids would not leave the children’s section and their little chairs and books.  We finally bribed our kids into leaving by the promise of a treat…a chocolate truffle.  When we got outside I thought I should try to take a photo or two of the kids to remember our trip.  Vivian was happy to pose for a photo or two…yes, that is chocolate on her lips. We were really blessed because Aunt Megan had loaned us a warm coat for Vivian so she didn’t freeze.  Christian was so excited about the fountain I could only get him in one photo holding still.

To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t too incredibly impressed with city creek…I guess it’s because I’m spoiled and there are many similar malls in Phoenix.  We did stop by and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus while we were there though we didn’t buy their photo….we thought we’d try that at home.  This is a photo of the kids waiting to go see the famous couple.

It was really nice to walk past the Salt Lake Temple.  It always brings back so many memories for me.  My dad working in the church office building when I was a child, Christmas visits, concerts at the assembly hall, conference, weddings, when I worked downtown and passed it everyday, my own marriage, cleaning in it…the list goes on and on.  It may seem silly, but in a way being near the Salt Lake Temple makes me really feel secure in a way.  So much changes all the time—including my perception of places that were once familiar that it makes me feel kind of uneasy to visit family in Salt Lake.  I am happy that the temple is a constant.

 

Here’s a photo of my cue husband with the kids.

Jared took the camera and took a photo of me stuffed into my coat…be kind and remember that I am seven months along in this photo (I was lucky I could close my coat because I was COLD).

We were hoping to come back one of the days for the lights, but we weren’t sure that they would be on and then we had too many people to visit. So this was the extent of our down-town adventures.