Conference Center and more

I peeked in Sarah's room a few weeks ago and found this going on.  She already had her shirt on and was concentrating on getting her pants on.  My baby is almost invisible and this little girl is taking her place!  She spent 3 days potty training a couple of weeks ago.  We passed on her diapers and her size 2 clothes (minus the pants, since we are a short family).  We were so proud of her for hitting that milestone!  NO MORE DIAPERS!  :) 

Yes, she is royalty around here.  It may be too late to convince her otherwise!

We made a spontaneous day trip to Salt Lake City on Friday, 13 April.  Our focus was on the downtown area, with the Conference Center top priority.

We parked under the new City Creek Center shopping monster.  They have really fancied it up in there.  The ceiling retracts, the ends are open, and there is a creek with fish running through it.  The kids loved the fish.

There was a fountain below that some kids were playing in.  We had fun watching them and were grateful that it wasn't us that were getting wet on that chilly April afternoon!

The mall was neat, but it was crowded and the last thing I wanted to do was step inside a store.  Maybe it was because I had six kids with me.  Maybe it was because the stores looked expensive.  Either way, NOT wanting to shop is a bad vibe for a mall!

On our way through Temple Square, we stopped for a group shot in front of the flowers.  Too bad I have so many kids that we can't even see the flowers!  ;)

We happened on a day that they had the organ pipes and background lit up.  This might be one of my favorite pictures!

It was a beautiful day to be up on the roof and see Spring in the valley.

Three days after our visit, the Conference Center had a small fire in a maintenance area and thousands of gallons of water were dumped on some of seats and equipment in the auditorium...right where we had been standing.  I was sorry to hear that...and glad we'd gone before - not after!

After the Conference Center we walked to the Church Office Building.  We admired a gigantic painting of Christ with his apostles, then took a 22-second elevator ride to the 26th floor.  We gazed out over the valley from two observation decks.  The kids remarked more than once that it seemed like they were looking at a map!

The kids got several compliments on their good behavior.  That is usually helpful in keeping their "good" behavior up for a little longer. 

We admired more Spring flowers.

We wrenched our necks looking to the top of the building we'd just come down from!

We were getting hungry by now, but the only thing close at the time was the Lion House Pantry.  We are just humble country folks from Idaho, not fancy, rich Utah people.  The cheapest thing they had on the menu was soup in a bread bowl for $10.  We walked out.  We bolstered the kids, promising them food soon and then stepped inside the Beehive House for one last tour of the day.

I see this type of decorating and think opulence.  I wonder what they thought of it?

It sure was and is a handsome building.


By the time the tour ended (which no longer ends with them giving out a piece of nasty horehound candy), the kids were starved.  We herded our pack of children through the masses to the food court in the new mall and fed them hamburgers and chicken nuggets.  We got a lot of looks from surrounding patrons.  Haven't they seen a large family before?  This IS Utah, after all!

We headed for home, with a Redbox movie in the player.  It was a nice trip and much needed family time.