Aydon indoor skydiving

For Aydon's birthday Shawna really wanted to take Aydon skydiving but Preston said not as long as he's under my roof!  So she got him a gift certificate for indoor skydiving and since everyone else was in California we figured this would be a great time to go.  Presley thought she was going to get to do it too and kept asking when she could get her suit on.  There was a 3 year old girl that did it while we were watching so we couldn't even give that as an excuse but it was booked and we couldn't get her in.  

he had 4 minutes of flight time so he got to for 1:20 3 times.  His brothers faced timed us just in time to watch his 2nd flight where he went up high in the tunnel.  He really enjoyed it.

Preston & Aydon had some gyros for lunch the next day so Presley & I had In N Out and she had to tease Zack and send him a picture to rub it in.  

We started looking at suits for Aydon for his mission.  We got a couple of brands he liked and all sized out and now we just wait for them to go on sale.  Preston kept Presley entertained by riding the escalators and then taking pictures with all the models like she loves to do at Target too.

The boys said they go tto ride 6 rides at Six Flags.  Ty lost his airpods on a ride.  They had to leave early because Veronica's mom was cold.  They were able to get front of the line passes with her and Gary both being in wheel chairs.  They didn't take any pictures.

Friends & Family visits

We were eating breakfast and planning to go have lunch with Allen & Cristine before getting home later today when I saw a message from Lavel on Facebook.  When I told Preston he texted him and Lavel told him he lived 15 minutes from BYU Campus.  He told us to come stop by.  It was great to see him, it's been years since we've seen him.  We told them now that we know when Aydon is going to school we will be able to plan to meet up.  It also comforted Preston to know someone right near campus that can be there for Aydon if he needs anything as well.  

Lavel was mentioning that his football team was receiveing their state championship rings for football that night and when Aydon saw Lavel wearing the LP on his outfit he realized 3 kids from his Africa trip went to that school.  He started texting the guy that went to Lone Peak and asked if he knew Coach Mayberry and Carl was like, yeah...how do you know him?  Aydon told him that his dad and him were best friends and we were actually visiting him at his house.  It happened to be early release and Carl said you are so close to me...let's meet up.  So his buddy from his Africa trip came over to Lavel's house and we were able to meet him and they were able to visit for a few.  He had recently received his mission call and has been accepted to BYU as well but hasn't decided which school he is going to attend.  Another example of the small world we live in.  

We ended up staying a 2-3 hours at Lavel's so Aydon could meet up with his friend so after the 3 hour drive to Cedar City to the Johnson's house we decided to just get a room in Cedar City.  

The next morning we we were all ready to head home and Gary & Vickey who had stayed at a different hotel had called an asked us to join them to meet up with Garrett's family in California to go to Six Flags.  We decided not to but the 3 middle boys got to jump in with them.

 

Temple Square

We started our tour in the Joseph Smith Building so Gary could get a wheelchair so they'd be able to see all of the square.  

The last time we were at Temple Square I was 8 months pregnant with Drew so that would put Aydon at 7, Ty 5 and Zack 3 and Aydon only remembers the Conference Center rooftop garden and the John Taylor pocket watch on display at the Church History Museum.  The other boys didn't remember anything.  This time, I just walked around and enjoyed it rather than taking pictures again.  

A senior missionary took us up a couple of floors to show us the chapel that is in this building and told us this building will soon be used for money making purposes.  It was originally built as a hotel.

Love the stained glass rooftop.

The same senior missionary asked us how tall David from David & Goliath was.  We all said our guesses and he said this Joseph Smith statue was twice the real height of Joseph Smith who was 6' 2" and the height of David so 12'.  Preston said his dad was just the right height and when he was at the perfect angle it looked like Joseph Smith was giving him a blessing.  

Presley wanted a turn

Aydon & Ty copying Joseph & Hyrum Smith statue.

Salt Lake Temple is in year 2 of 4 of reinforcing the foundation.  You couldn't see the Temple because it's completely surrounded by scaffolding.  We were laughing at the porta potties on the top of the scaffolding.  

In the Conference Center Zack knelt down so Presley could stand on his back and we could see her at this pulpit.  

I thought this shadow box of the First Vision was soo pretty.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  

This will be the first conference in a couple of years with an audience...still at half capacity so only 10,000.  

Since there are no Visitor Centers open (both were tore down) they have a smaller Christus Statue in the Conference Center so we got a picture.  

A view from on top of the Conference Center.  There will be underground parking and entrances to avoid Temple Square visitors walking into the Temple and taking pictures.  

We stopped in the Church History Museum and my favorite stained glass was still there thank goodness.  They changed most of the displays in here but Presley was done at this point and I didn't get to really read or even take pictures so I could read later.  She really enjoyed the children's section but it was getting later and everyone was pretty done.

It was a neat day to be at Temple Square, right after Aydon received his call.  We talked to lots of missionaries and they were all giving him all the handouts in Spanish so he could start learning.  We also had a tour from a sister from Window Rock and she asked us if we knew Tysen Leonard.  They were in the MTC together and of course played basketball against each other.  Again, small world.