Temple Square lights

My van needed the brakes changed.  I used to wait for the weekend and have Brodie take the cars in to the cheapest place.  But we can't fit all 3 kids in the truck which means one of us would have to wait somewhere for the van to get fixed.  And really, time is very valuable on Saturdays.  When we first bought the van we took it into Karl Malone Toyota to have some warranty stuff done before the warranty expired and I was very impressed.  So I scheduled an appointment at Karl Malone Toyota.  Just so happens I had 4 children that day (babsitting a 3 year old and Spencer was out of school plus Tessa and Clara).  We drove in and piled out of the van.  We started off with the free popcorn and they let us change the television to Peppa Pig.  After about half an hour of popcorn and TV we headed over the the Pirate Ship.  I took a picture with my phone and maybe I'll remember to get around to uploading it here, but it's really fun.  The kids took off their shoes and played pirates.  They could climb the mast, go inside the door under the deck, go on the deck and steer, and all sorts of fun stuff.  They played here for the next hour and a half.  At times Tessa would come out and sit on the couch watching the Little Einsteins DVD that was playing by the pirate ship.  And with all 4 kids we did have to make 4 potty trips (clear on the other side of the dealership).  But overall the kids had a blast for 2 hours while the brakes were being changed.  Pretty good way to entertain the kids!

Because we didn't get to see the Temple Square lights the night of the scrimmage we decided to go Tuesday night instead.  So after wearing themselves out at Karl Malone Toyota I fed the kids and we headed downtown.  This time we parked under the Conference Center (they were letting people park here for Free!).  So we were really close.  And since we weren't going to be attending a basketball game we also had the stroller!  We once again bundled everyone up and headed across the street.

Temple Square is so beautiful all lit up with so many lights!  The kids were in awe.  And the glowing temple among the lights makes the scene even more breath taking.

We walked around the West side and ooed and aahed at all the lights.  Then we headed over to the East side by the Reflection Pool.  Spencer remembered the floating lights from the previous year.  It was beautiful with the statues of Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus along with the reflection of the temple and all the floating lights.

Then we went through the grounds in front of the Church Office Building.  They had a few little nativities from around the world.  I think they were from Japan, Poland, Mexico, Alaska (?), and a Native American Indian one.  And there were tons of little lanterns with things in different languages like "Hope" and "Faith" and "Love" and pictures.  Spencer loved searching for any Chinese symbols he recognized.  I think he only found Love.  Then we headed back to Temple Square to go see the life-size nativity that takes up the entire grounds South of the North Visitor Building.  The story of Christ's birth is played over the loud speakers and a scene is spotlighted when it is being narrated (the shepherds, the Wise Men, and the Manger).  It is really crowded here but we lifed the kids up so they could see.  Spencer wanted to go inside the Visitors' Center and see the Christus statue but it was insanely packed so we told him we'd come back to Temple Square on a night it wasn't so crowded.  And I realized I don't think we've ever taken the kids to Temple Square except at Christmas time.  I'm adding that to my to-do list.

School programs, The Nutcracker, and Jazz scrimmage

My little princess had her first school program this week.  She has been so excited every time I pick her up from preschool and she tells me about the songs they sang practicing for the program.  She was also excited to be able to perform on a real stage.  Brodie was subpoenaed for court for the day and didn't have to be there until a little later so he was even able to come.  Tessa was so dang cute!  She knew all of the songs and sang them so loudly that I could even tell her voice apart from the other kids.  They got to wear Santa hats for some songs, angel halos for some songs, and even had some moments with instruments and a glove that had bells.  I loved watching her.

Then Spencer had a program at his school.  Each grade came out and sang two songs.  I had to park forever away and walk all three kids in and we were way back in the cafeteria where we couldn't see anything.  But I was there and zoomed in the video camera so I could see him.  And he also loved the songs he learned and had been singing them for a week so I'm glad I got to go watch him perform.  Spencer also had a Holiday party at school and at his Up With Kids play practice.

Ever since I was a kid and had a friend in the Mountain West production of The Nutcracker I've loved it.  I went quite a few times when I was younger and took my kids for the first time last year.  They loved it, especially since the main character's name is Clara.  I bought both Tessa and Clara different versions of the books and Tessa has loved me reading it to her over the last year.  So we went for our Friday Fun night.  The kids loved the first half but were getting pretty tired through the second half.  Although Tessa was quite excited to see her former ballet teacher's daughter (who also helped teach Tessa's class) as the snow queen.  I really enjoyed the performance.  I think they do such a wonderful job of costumes, scenery, choreography, and absolutely everything!  I do think it's a couple dollars per person overpriced, but I'll keep going because I love it so much!

On Saturday we took the kids downtown to the free Utah Jazz scrimmage.  We were originally planning on parking at the Gateway and taking Trax a little bit to Temple Square to see the lights and then come back to Energy Solutions Center to watch a bit of the scrimmage and then go home.  We were waiting for the train FOREVER (at least it sure seemed that way) and plenty of trains were going the other way but none were coming our way so we played around for a while.

Then Tessa had to pee really bad.  Since we were right outside Energy Solutions we decided to go in early and wait for the scrimmage and then stay for a little bit and then see the lights after.  They had a few sections behind the basket blocked off and the rest of the seats looked pretty full so we headed to the upper bowl.  Quite a few others had the same idea but they had it closed off.  Apparently they weren't expecting such a crowd despite it being a free game and a lot of people being starved for some NBA action after the long lockout.  So just as we got there they opened up a section and we sat down.  We took off all our coats, hats, gloves, and everything else and settled in.  A while later an usher came and told the bunch of us up here they didn't want anyone up here and they were opening the blocked off area down below.  As we looked we saw people flooding in that area.  So by the time we packed up all our stuff and got the family down there we found 5 seats together on the second to the top row.  Then they still ended up having to seat the upper bowl.  And when it finally was time to start they started off by interviewing each player and having some Jr. Jazz kids ask them questions and they they had a good chunk of time warming up.  By the time the actual scrimmage started our kids were ready to go home.  We stayed for one quarter and then left.  Spencer did enjoy watching actual basketball players and seeing the large arena.  I enjoyed actually seeing basketball.  Of course this was before I realized the Jazz really suck as a team this year (I'm hopeful they'll get better really fast).  And it was so late that we just decided to go home and come back down a different night for the lights.  The older kids were very disappointed so we told them if they didn't whine or cry about it we'd stop at McDonald's for holiday pies (like the apple pies but they were room temperature, filled with a pudding, and had colorful sprinkles on them.  They tasted like a birthday cake).  Which we did.

Okay so I know this post is long but as I was posting the pictures from the scrimmage I realized I didn't mention the University of Utah basketball game we went to.  Our neighbors had tickets and couldn't make it so they brought them to us.  This was before the Jazz game so it was the first actual basketball game Spencer got to go to and he loved it.  Tessa loved watching the cheerleaders and was dancing herself anytime they came out.  And unlike the Jazz scrimmage it was empty.  This made it possible for the kids to run all over the place without bothering people.  They went down to the row in front of us, the row behind us, over us, and back again.  I think the University of Utah team was even worse than the Jazz.  But the kids didn't care, they had a blast!

A December full of fun

I got most of my shopping done early.  Good thing.  A friend of mine asked if I could help watch her 3 year old daughter as her job requires a lot of extra hours during December.  Tessa was so excited to be able to play with this girl pretty much every day and she is a really happy, well-behaved little girl.  I also was called as first counselor in the Primary Presidency and we had to get together a few times to work on planning for the upcoming year and stuff. 

Between an extra child during the day and Spencer having a playdate after school I had to try to think of a low-key, cheap or free activity that could be done later in the evening for Friday fun day.  As it turned out my neice was having a dance performance Friday night.  So for Friday fun day we went to Bailee's cute little dance performance.  Tessa loved watching the dancing and Spencer liked seeing Bailee dance.  But it was late by the end and they were exhausted.

Saturday was our Ward's Christmas Breakfast.  We had some waffles and fruit and the kids loved coloring on the paper that covered the cutely decorated tables.  Then the primary kids sang a few songs and Santa arrived!  An awesome couple in our ward was taking pictures and here it is:

After the party we had a little time to kill before Spencer's Jr. Jazz game.  Since the previous week we explained some rules of basketball and spent a little time practicing dribbling and passing.  So he was a little better this week.  And even more importantly he had a lot of fun!  He was smiling and running around the whole time and talking about how much he loves basketball.

Then we headed over to my brother's house for my nephew's birthday party.  Spencer loves playing with Logan and was so excited to go to his house and play.  And Tessa adores Alexis and was so excited to be with the big girl cousins.

A busy weekend and Zoo Lights for Family Home Evening

Saturday was Spencer's first Jr. Jazz game.  In his league they have half an hour of practice time before a 45 minute game.  They play a total of 8 games.  So Friday night I went to Walmart to buy Spencer a basketball.  I figured he's watched a few Jazz games wtih me in the past (since as of this time they were still in the lockout) and played basketball twice in the Little Gym.  So we showed up Saturday morning with his ball.  Turns out Spencer was the only kid on the team who didn't know how to shoot a basket or that he was supposed to dribble while he walked.  Bad parent moment for me.  So this was an interesting hour and fifteen minutes.  Then we had Spencer's friend over for a playdate for a few hours.  Then we packed up the kids and headed out to Tooele for an annual Christmas party some friends of ours host.  We eat, the adults catch up (since this is really the only time we ever see each other) and laugh while the kids run wild and play.  What awesome friends we have to allow the kids to run wild through their house for a few hours.  We got home and got the kids to bed around 10.  On Sunday I had to be up bright and early to bathe all 3 kids, get them dressed, and fix their hair not to mention getting myself ready and be at church at 9 in the morning.  Thanks to Brodie for getting them fed!

We went to Zoo Lights a couple years ago and loved it.  It's just hard to pay the price when the Temple Square lights are free.  But I got a Groupon deal that saved us some money and decided to go for our Family Home Evening activity.  It was definitely worth the Groupon price.  Most of the animals are asleep or it's too dark to see them anyway.  But the stinky animal building was still awake!  Sorry, that's the small animal and reptile building if you haven't been before.  And not only is this Clara's favorite part of the zoo since they are closer to her size and she can get right up close and personal with them, but it was inside and warm.  It was worth the smell since this was the coldest night we'd had so far (our car said it was 18 degrees outside when we parked).  Of course we brought hats and gloves for the kids.  I put warm tights under Clara's pants and socks and shoes and we still wrapped her in a blanket in the stroller.

These aren't just your strands of lights wrapped around the trees.  These are the shapes and some are the ones that look like something is moving.  There will be a row of monkeys and they turn on and off in sequence so it looks like the monkey is swinging on the vine.  And Santa on his sleigh flying over the walkway.  Stuff like that.  There's a cute gingerbread house and a lot of fun animals.  Here are some fun pictures:

And Santa was here!  He was so great!  Another warm building, a little bit of a wait but the kids got to write a letter to put in the mailbox and then Santa visited with each of the kids.  Tessa asked for a live pink flower.  He asked what kind and she said, "A rose."  I think that's the only flower she knows since it's her middle name and we give them to her each year on her birthday.  But that's all she asked for.  Clara at first started running towards Santa with the kids but as soon as he lifted her up she started to scream.  So I sat in for a picture.

 

This was the best time the kids had with Santa.  Even two of his reindeer were there and the kids were so excited to see them.  At the end we got some hot chocolate before heading home.  We had a fun night and I'd like to come back in a couple years or if we get another great deal!

Festival of Trees

When I was a teenager I remember the first time I visited the Festival of Trees with my Young Women group.  At the time it was being held downtown at the Salt Lake Convention Center.  I went a few more times helping "host" it standing by the trees to keep the people out and answer any questions about certain trees or the people they were made in honor of.  I've always loved the Festival.  So as a mother I've wanted to share the magic with my kids by taking them each year.  Plus I have a little neice who has spent a lot of time at Primary Children's and I really believe in the cause.

I've been really trying to get Spencer some playdates with kids from his school and in November we started trading Fridays with a boy in his class.  Spencer and this boy get along really well so I'm glad they can play each Friday (trading houses), but I've had to re-work Friday fun days to Friday fun evenings.  So instead of going to the Festival right after Spencer's school we went with the whole family after dinner.  It was a lot more crowded than when I usually go and if you know us or read our blog, we don't really like crowds.  I opted to carry/walk with Clara instead of trying to push the stroller through but Tessa was in a real bad mood cuz of the crowds so she whined through most of it.  Spencer really enjoyed seeing the cool themed trees.  Some trees are absolutely beautiful but we really love the themed ones.  Here's a tire tree we liked

The overall favorite of the kids was the Snoopy tree.  They even had Snoopy's doghouse.  This was a very crowded picture site, so I couldn't get a good one of the whole thing but here's what I got:

We also had fun looking at the cool gingerbread houses and watching the dance performances.  It was a fun night, but I think next year I'll stick to going right after Spencer gets off school when it's not as crowded.  That will be more fun and we'll be able to see the trees and gingerbread houses better.