Temple Square: The Most Beautiful Place on Earth at Christmas!

January 7, 2014 By

I don’t care what denomination you are (or aren’t). If you want to get into the Christmas spirit, Temple Square in Salt Lake City will send you into overdrive. The headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has literally thousands of festive lights, nativities, lanterns and garlands that set the city ablaze. In addition to the visual feast, the Church organizes a lineup of holiday concerts and other events that offer visitors acoustic experiences full of holiday cheer.

We made an evening of it with Jamie’s sister, the Twinnies and his mom by starting out at the newish City Creek Center’s Deseret Book. Our family tradition is when the kids turn 8 and get baptized, they each get their own beautiful set of leather-bound scriptures from the Deseret Book flagship store (Bode will have to wait until this summer to be given his).

Though we’ve been to Temple Square several times, the kids have never done an official tour so that is what we did. Two  hundred “sister” missionaries are called from all over the world to serve here and speak more than 40 languages. I walked into the South Visitor’s Center and I queried the sister at the front desk.

“We are wondering when you are offering your next tour?”
“They’re actually on-demand.”
“OK, I’m demanding it.”

I assure you it came off funnier in person.

It has been years since I’ve toured the various buildings on Temple Square and I loved how technologically advanced the exhibits are and the beautiful spirit as we learned about the Assembly Hall, Tabernacle, North and South Visitor’s Center, Welfare Square, Family History Library and of course, the cornerstone of it all: the fairy-tale-esque Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years for the Saints to complete.

The famous Christus in the North Visitor’s Center

We visited all my favorite haunts including the Lion House Pantry, cafeteria-style dining in the Historic Home of Brigham Young. We didn’t stay for dinner but grabbed the most delectable item on earth: Lion House rolls.

I’m not kidding when I say I could have eaten every single one of them.

The top floor of the adjacent Joseph Smith Memorial Building offers the best views looking down on Temple Square.

Photographer Bode’s photos of Temple Square

On the top floor, the JSMB has the elegant The Roof Restaurant or the more casual Garden Restaurant but we were thrilled to discover the new Nauvoo Café on the main level was offering quick-serve hot chocolate in addition to their fast-casual menu.

Lion House rolls and hot chocolate for dinner?

This was a picture-perfect evening surrounded by beloved family and sites that warmed my heart.

Filed Under: Family travel, Foodie, holidays, LDS, travel, Utah

Utah Adventures: Hiking, BYU and Skiing!

January 6, 2014 By

Every time I go to Utah, I walk away moderately obsessed with moving back. Said Obsession usually wears off within a few weeks of returning to Colorado. But with the pervasiveness of the coverage marijuana’s legalization is receiving, it may take me longer to recommit myself to my beautiful state that is literally going to pot. Can you tell I’m on a major soapbox about the moral decline of my community and the “pot tourism” that is threatening to take over? But onto happier things: UTAH!

Hiking

One cold, clear morning (20 degrees), I hiked to the Living Room for some of the most glorious views Salt Lake City has to offer.

Really, the only drawback of our trip to Utah was the nasty inversion and thick layer of pollution. Another morning, I went for a foggy run up City Creek Canyon and stopped to meander Memory Grove where Jamie and I had our engagement photos taken.

I only nearly died once when the Freedom Trail hugging the cliff turned into a sheet of ice.

Skiing

A trip to Utah in the winter would not be complete without a ski day at Park City Mountain Resort. The kids had an absolute blast tackling the Adventure Alleys.

Hadley’s first solo run on the alpine coaster

And the resort’s burger at Legends Bar & Grill is, welp, LEGENDARY.

We stopped by my fellow Snowmama Kristen’s new dream home and I am now committed to moving to Jeremy Ranch, a suburb tucked in the hills of Park City. I mean, just look at this kitchen and view!

I am smiling but really, secretly plotting her demise so I can inherit it all.

Brigham Young University

What would a visit to Utah be like without swinging down to our Alma Mater in Provo?  Fact: Jamie and I studied in the same department, walked in the same graduating ceremony, played on the same volleyball court one summer and had many common friends but didn’t meet until six years later. So, it was kind of like a stroll down memory lane without any memories of each other.

But it was awesome and we’d love nothing more than for our kids to go to BYU. They played air hockey at the bowling alley. Gorged at the bookstore’s famed candy counter. Ate lunch at the Wilkinson Center. Bought Cougar gear. Were inspired by the touching paintings of the Savior at Sacred Gifts, a world-class exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art.Candy, the arts, food, air hockey, mountain adventures. What more could you want out of a college?

Oh yeah, the education. That pitch will come later.

Filed Under: Family travel, hiking, outdoors, skiing, travel, Utah

CHILL: New Year, Same Old New Me

January 3, 2014 By

When we rang in 2013 a year ago, I had a sense of foreboding that it would not be among my best. And it wasn’t. But there were personal victories as I learned to harness some of my lifelong weaknesses, making it one of my favorite years despite the lack of externally awesome summits.

I was at boot camp the other day and my instructor Robyn casually struck up a conversation about her “spirit animal.” I blew if off as some pagan metaphysical mumbo jumbo  but what she said next resounded with me. Her sensei asked her what her word was to define herself. She thought of all the things she is but her spiritual leader led her to the one word she was not and what she desperately needed to learn to be or do. Her word was REST.

The mere thought made her uncomfortable and that was the entire point. She already knew who she was but she needed to become so much more and that was how she could do it.

Robyn and I are a lot alike. I love this quote on Pinterest:

I thought of all the things I am. Happy. Ambitious. Adventurous. Fun-loving. Fierce.

Robyn continued, “It’s tough to come up with your own word so ask the person closest to you what your word should be.”

What would Jamie say? Immediately CHILL popped into my head. He is constantly streaming a barrage of “you need to chill out” and he’s right. Last year was such a powerful year because I really acknowledged some of the things I am not and slowly, deliberately started to make some necessary changes. Learning to chill is not something that comes easily to me. I lack patience, want responses now and am unsatisfied with procrastination and mediocrity.

Professionally, I’m at a crossroads. I have been blessed with some amazing opportunities while working from home and feel strongly I need to keep doing that while my kids are young. But some doors have been closed, I’ve shut a few of my own and I’m straining for a glimpse out of an open window. Should I continue on the same path or take another one entirely? Keep building or start over?

I don’t have the answers and the only impression I’ve received is “wait, it will come.”  So, that’s what I’ll do in 2014. Be hopeful. Be adventurous. Be happy. And learn to CHILL OUT.

Last year, I started on my path of healthier living–mentally, spiritually and physically. I’m learning it’s OK to take baths, curl up with a book and just do nothing sometimes. I’m learning to say “no,” to always put my family first and to be present by stepping away from my computer and turning off my phone. I am aspiring not to be overscheduled because an open, uncluttered and free mind allows for peace and revelation to flow. I am disheartened by so much around me, am often overwhelmed with fighting what feels like losing moral battles but I have resolved to be a force for good. I am practicing being kind instead of right. I am embracing fear for the professor that it is.

I am learning to let fear be my my cue. Any time I feel even a whisper of fear, I try recognize it as a teacher that shows up to instruct me in the areas where I am ready to grow the most.  Fear is energy that, when I allow it, can be harnessed and used to create powerful momentum to thrust my life forward into positive change (think of first learning to ride a bike!). So with my heart palpitating, my palms sweating and my eyes smiling, I welcome this new year.-Mindy Gledhill

Bottom line, I will chill as I learn not to focus on what I want to do but rather, focus on who I want to be.

And the rest will come.

Filed Under: Family, Favorite Posts, Health, holidays

Christmas 2013: It’s a Wrap!

January 2, 2014 By

Christmas isn’t quite the same unless you have little kids. With Hadley and Bode, along with the twinnies, we had the perfect ensemble for memorable festivities.

In Canada, Christmas Eve is almost a bigger deal than Christmas with a huge spread of food (everyone’s favorite appetizers), and so many fun traditions including playing the bells, the left-right game, the always-hilarious gift exchange and my seamstress niece Emily sews everyone matching PJ bottoms. Jamie’s family doesn’t really have any traditions so are always gracious about adopting a few of mine.

Apparently someone was happy to get the popcorn in the gift exchange. We won’t mention the heartbreak when it was taken away.
On a positive note, I spared everyone my regular white elephant gift: a framed picture of Jamie and The Great Pumpkin.

And of course, the kids had to change into their Christmas Jammies before bedtime.
As you can clearly see, Bode is rocking out to the hilarious video #XmasJammies that has gone viral. The kid’s got moves.

Christmas was low-key, fun and topped off by a delicious prime rib. Bode was given the coveted role of Santa and distributed the gifts in a systematic fashion. There were lots of clothes, candy, stuffed animals, building toys, the 31-disc Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection and new carry-ons for Maui. Hadley isn’t much of a video game fan but got a Nintendo DSi XL with the game Animal Crossing, which she LOVES. Screw those Mario-types (sorry, B; though he does love his new Super Mario 3D World from Grandma). It’s sooo much more fun to start a new life as mayor of your own town and create the perfect place to live. I like it because she’s actually learning life lessons like acquiring building permits and budgeting money.

But don’t tell her that. It will stop being fun.


Sibling gratitude. I just had to document it because it rarely happens.

Jamie surprised me with a couple of gifts including a much-needed food processor but overall, we decided not to get each other anything besides stocking stuffers so we could save for our trip. Allegedly. A couple of packages arrived in the mail for him a couple of weeks ago and I inquired about them.

“Amber, you should know not to ask me such questions around this time of  year.”
“Oh really? Remember how we’re not buying each other gifts?”

Busted. He was buying new pumpkin lights and using Christmas as a cover.

Speaking of which, check-out the sign his mother left in the gift-wrapping room.

Some things never change.

Filed Under: holidays, Humor

The Grand Brunch and Fun at the Grand America

January 1, 2014 By

Our family has already established we have a love affair with the opulent Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. If Utah has an equivalent, it is the Grand America Hotel. Built in the lavish manor of Europe’s grand hotels, it has the distinction of being the only AAA Five Diamond hotel in Salt Lake City and has more than 450,000 square feet of hand-tooled marble and granite.

On the day before Christmas, my generous mother-in-law treated the whole family to a delicious brunch.

I thought the extensive buffet would be the highlight and it was one of them. But what followed next was truly magical for the kids.

Every year, the Grand America unveils 13 whimsical hand-crafted window displays in their retail windows that are open to the public. This year was a behind-the-scenes glimpse at Santa’s workshop with 36 elves building everything from toy ray guns to motorized stockings to elf flying machines to my favorite: a yeti made of faux fur with marbles for eyes and press-on nails for teeth.

To make it even more fun and interactive, there is a scavenger hunt where the kids answered easy questions at each display and upon completion, they received a chocolate prize. They played at JouJou, a fantastical toy boutique, and gawked at the life-sized gingerbread house made of 1,200-lbs of flour, 400 lbs of sugar, 1,200 eggs and 25 lbs of chocolate.

Believe me, we’ve almost consumed its equivalent this holiday season. Thanks to my in-laws for the wonderful memories!

 

Filed Under: Family, Family travel, holidays, travel, Utah
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