The Phoenix Temple

We started the day waking up at the Residence Inn next to the Mayo Clinic.  After breakfast we hit the pool for a nice chilly swim.  It wasn’t too cold and once you got it it was actually really nice.IMG_9723 IMG_9724

Then we got cleaned up, had lunch in our room and headed over to the Phoenix Temple Open House which was our excuse for staying in a hotel this weekend even though it is only about 1 hour from our house 🙂

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IMG_9733Parking for the tour was at a nearby water park and they had tour buses shuttling people back and forth to the temple. We were hoping to see the

temple from the road somewhere and we were a little surprised that we didn’t really see it until we got into the stake center parking lot and the steeple peaked out above the stake center. It was still a beautiful site.

Now here is the crazy part of the story. We got off the bus and walked into the stake center for a presentation. As I step off the bus there was a guy at the front of the bus who looked familiar. As we started the presentation I got another look at the familiar face and I was pretty certain it was a friend of mine from High School. As we filed out of the room I stopped him and asked him if he was who he thought and sure enough it was! We embraced and chatted (as reverently as possible) during the tour and come to find out he has been living in Arizona for the past 5 years.  I had no idea.

Anyway, the temple was beautiful.  Unfortunately, I can’t help compare it to the Gilbert temple which really is possibly the most amazing temple I’ve been in.  We were glad our kids had another opportunity to be inside a temple.  What a cool time to be a part of this church!  Tomorrow we may try and catch a showing of “Meet The Mormons” after we do another morning swim, checkout and go to our Nephew Max’s baptism.IMG_9737

Taking A Day Off

I’m not sure who reads our blog any more.  It has been over a year since we posted.  This week I started keeping a daily journal but then I couldn’t decide the best place to do it and said, “Hey, why don’t I blog it?”  I guess this means I can’t get too personal…or can I? The point of the daily journal is to follow some advice I got to be happy.  The task is to write about something positive each day. This way my focus is on the good stuff.  I don’t think we have to ignore the bad but we should always try to recognize the good.

What was good today? After work we piled the family in the car and drove to North Scottsdale and now we’re in a hotel and I have tomorrow off and we are going to attend the Phoenix Temple Open House.  Fun!  We could have just driven there tomorrow and not gotten a hotel but we wanted a little adventure and change of scenery.  The kids are on Fall Break and this will be the only thing away from home we’re doing this year.  Plus we’ll have two days of not having to cook and clean!!! I guess I would say that is the positive.

Another positive for me is that I have an awesome wife that took care of getting the van in for maintenance today. We had to get the power steering fluid flushed and some other thing.  And since I was I work when it was finished she walked to the mechanic with her 4 little kids to pick it up! What a woman! Did I mention she is almost 7 months pregnant?

This wasn’t today but another positive thing that happened this week is that we decided on a name for our baby. We always have the hardest time choosing names for our children.  We were determined to find a name fast so we could have it done and start getting used to the name.  We still aren’t 100% sure of the middle name but as of now it is Sierra Snowe 🙂

Fall Break and Halloween

This year for Fall Break we decided to head out to Yuba City. The kids always love this trip, but we made it extra exciting this year by stopping halfway, staying in a hotel and spending some time at the beach on the way there. Then we loved the beach so much on the way there, we decided to stop at the beach on the way home too!

A cool roadside “zoo” at the foot of the Sutter Buttes.
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Celebrating Carter and Brechin’s birthday at Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm.IMG_7578 IMG_7570 IMG_7572 IMG_7548 IMG_7547

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Disneyland Day 1

Disneyland is more fun as a parent of little kids. Everything is amazing to them. They loved almost every ride they went on and wanted to go again and again. They couldn’t comprehend that there were many more things to do and see. We did dumbo twice, teacups 4-5 times, Jackson did Autopia 4 times and Toy Story Midway twice. When we asked him what is favorite was though it was Soarin California where he got to fly! Lacey loved meeting princesses and especially Cinderella. She’s her favorite.
Here are some highlights.

Yuba City Trip

We went to Yuba City last weekend to spend some time with family there. We had a great time. It was one big party from start to finish. What a blast! We swam a couple times, went out to eat a few times, played a lot with grandma’s cool train set, went to the park, celebrated Grandpa Hawley’s birthday, played and played with cousins, jumped on the trampoline, played with the dog named Weezer (and a couple other wiener dogs), went bowling, etc, etc, etc… Here’s a few pictures from our adventures over there!

Singing "Do As I'm Doing"

Singing "Do As I'm Doing"

at the park with Hannah

at the park with cousins

Can't go wrong with bubbles with the 4 and under crowd! They were a hit!

Can't go wrong with bubbles with the 4 and under crowd! They were a hit!

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Lunch at Casa Lupe

While we were there Jackson learned a few tricks from Grandpa. He watched as we were all adjusted and then he got adjusted . After that, there was nothing else he needed to know.  He came up with this all by himself yesterday… He pulled out a bunch of blankets and pillows from the closet and set up a “me-sin” table. I thought he meant a a measuring table, but Micah thinks he meant medicine table.

Dr. Jackson from Micah on Vimeo.

Anyway, if anyone here needs an adjustment, we haven’t taken his table down yet. Jackson will “fix” (as he says it) you right up. Thanks for the great time Grandma and Grandpa!