St George Temple

Warning...tons of family pictures ahead.  

On Sunday Evening we headed over to the St George Temple Grounds.   I love walking around the temple grounds.  They are so peaceful and you can feel like what it feels like in the temple. Temples are a sacred and holy place.  Temples are Houses of God. Temples are where we make covenants, or promises to our Father in Heaven so that we can return to Him someday.  We first went in the Visitor's Center there and saw how the early pioneers built the temple.  It was the first completed temple in Utah.  We also watched the classic LDS movie, Johnny Lingo.  After seeing the lovely Visitor's Center we explored the temple grounds.  

Joshua and Annie...this picture makes me miss Joshua.  He has been gone to Washington DC for five days now. 

I snuck out of the Visitor's Center a little early with Sophie because she had to get out and just run around.  Not a bad place to do it...so beautiful!

She really liked this little doorway.  

And she liked all the flowers.  What she didn't like to do is look at me and smile. 

The rest of the crew finally caught up with us. 

James liked all the trees. 

Love this time of the evening when the sun is starting to go down....

After walking around and enjoying the grounds we headed back to the front of the temple.  From here on out Annie will be in this pose pretty much every time.

 I am not sure where she learned this, but she really was proud of herself that she had nailed "Posing for pictures 101."  I didn't want to laugh too much, because she was so serious about it.  I didn't want to hurt her feelings! 

Love this picture of James and our other daughter who is really NOT into posing at all. 

One thing she does have going for her- CHEEKS!!!  

So beautiful! 

And this was Ryan...he had an important phone call from a friend. 

Joshua is always excited to be with his family....can't you just see it!?

I was trying to get the kids back over for a picture and of course we are missing Luke.  

Sisters....

Believe it or not, I don't think this was posed...I just snapped their expressions while we were waiting for Luke to join the fun. 

Here is the whole crew...

Joshua...

Trying to get another group shot...but someone is always MIA.  This time it is Sophie over on the stairs.

At least  she is posing....just not with the group. 

Brothers...

By the time we were finished with our photo session, Sophie was learning some of Annie's skills. 

The boys had to get in on some of that posing fun...this picture cracks me up.  Annie is still sort of oblivious to everyone around her.

And here is the whole gang...taking a family picture "Annie Style". 

Even I got in on the action,,,

I sure love this girl...she is so much fun and makes me laugh every single day. 

Less you think every moment was a Kodak moment...we had our share of these moments too.  

And despite all my attempts to tell the girls NOT to pick the beautiful flowers, I rounded the corner to see they had helped themselves to several flowers to make new hairbands.  Sophie has her hand over her mouth doing the busted wave. 

We had a wonderful time, but figured we better head out while we were ahead.   

Wait!  We had to get a shot of Mom and Dad first.  We don't get them enough.  I never like how I look, but as life goes on, I will only get older and fatter.  I might as well take pictures along the way!  In ten years I will look back and wish I looked this young...

I so thankful to be married to this man.  Not only is he a great great husband, but he is an awesome father.  We were married in another beautiful temple...the Salt Lake City Temple.   It was great to enjoy the temple in St George with our family!