Day Off

Yesterday Jared had the day off.  We went to our niece's Christmas program at school, the store and then finished up a few Christmas gifts at home.  Then we decided to take a quick trip to Salt Lake to see Temple Square.  It was snowing in Pocatello when we left, and rained the rest of the way.  It rained the whole time we were in Salt Lake, but that just gave everything a cooler look.  It was SO beautiful and fun.  Our kids were excited by about everything they saw.

As we came into Salt Lake, Emma suddenly had to use the bathroom.  She can be a little bit dramatic, but when she says, "Mom!  I'm going to go in my pants!"  I take her pretty seriously.  Traffic was a joke, so at a never-ending stoplight, the girls and I bailed from the car, and walked down to City Creek mall to find a bathroom.  It took a while to FIND a bathroom, and then we walked in and it was a one stall bathroom, with a line of about 15 people waiting.  We waited... and waited... and then someone let us cut.  Apparently Emma's dancing was making her as nervous as me.

After that, we explored City Creek.  The fountains, the fish, Mrs. Clause telling a story, the lanterns with interactive Christmas stories, the bridges, the lights, the animals prints.  Oh, and escalators and elevators!  Our kids didn't know what those were, and loved them.

Briggs rode on Jared's shoulders for the first time.  He was no help holding on and it was like he was reclining while he was up there.  Jared had to lean way forward to keep him from falling off.  But Briggs wad the biggest smile on his face the ENTIRE time.  So cute!

Temple square was a little crazy, with all the people and the rain, but the kids still thought the lights were cool.  They loved seeing the temple.  We love the North Visitor's Center with all of the pictures, the videos downstairs, and the Christus upstairs.  There were even live Christmas concerts going on while we were there.

We very, very rarely eat out, even fast food is a novelty for our kids.  So it is really fun when we do.  We decided to go to the City Creek food court, so everyone can get what they were feeling like.  Well, the kids usually just get chicken nuggets or something, so that wasn't hard.  Maddie said she wanted a hamburger, so we went ahead and got her one, even knowing she wasn't going to eat it.  We got them situated and started eating.  Jared found some yummy-looking Mexican food.  I got some delicious Chinese food.  Fried Rice and Orange Chicken.  But I was the last to go get my food, and I'm a slow eater, too.  I decided I would just eat it on our way home since it was already 9:30 and the kids were done eating so acting a little silly.  So I took a few bites and we went on our way.  The girls were riding in the double stroller, Maddie holding a cup of water, Emma holding my food in a small "to go" box.  They were so careful with it.  We did great all the way through the mall and got to the elevators.  I pushed the stroller into the elevator, Emma realized what it was and got excited, so she stood up, forgetting the box was on her lap, and all my food spilled all over the elevator floor.  : (  I was so sad, and it was such a mess.  Luckily we got Maddie that hamburger she wasn't going to eat!

We got home very late, but the roads were only wet/a little bit of snow in Utah.  After that they were pretty much bare.  It was a fast trip, but lots of fun and we are glad we went!