Dates & Temple Square

Being back home where there is family around is fabulous. It really is so nice having help from family with the kids. Doug's parents were more than generous when it came to giving us our nights to go out with friends. It felt a little like it was pre-children being able to go out so much. When you know that your kids are completely cared for, you don't have to worry about a thing.

~CITY CREEK~
We went on a triple date with the Bell's & Reheisse's to down town Salt Lake City. We had yet to visit City Creek & just had to check it out. We ate dinner at the food court & tried the Red Iguana. It was SOOOO good! Then we just walked around the mall. That makes it sound really boring, but this mall is different. It's indoors, but outdoors too.

 It's got the regular stores for us poor folk, but also has the high end designers stores for the fancy folk. Those are the stores we sauntered through. The boys went into Rolex. Doug asked to see the most expensive watch they had & he was shown a copper looking watch that cost $50,000.00. Doug told the gentleman, "Hey, I bought my wife a copper watch!". The gentleman replied, "It's rose-gold." Bwah ha ha! I don't know why we all thought it was so funny. Probably because none of us really belonged in a store like that. Us ladies on the other hand couldn't resist going into Tiffany & Co. The diamonds oh the diamonds! **Sigh** We had a good story too actually. We witnessed a young girl probably still in high school with one hand on the leash of her fancy dog & the other pointing into the display case while proclaiming to her father, "That's it Daddy! That's the one!". We all rolled our eyes, but when we left, sure enough, she was walking out carrying a little blue bag. And it probably wasn't even considered a Christmas present. Pshhha!
One day. Maybe. One day.

{Clark & Jami, Doug & me, Camille & Andy w/little Emorie}

We stopped in at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory to pick up some Apple Pie Caramel apples to take back to the Bell's house where we finished off the evening chatting the night away & laughed a lot! It was such a fun night being with some great friends.

~PROVO~

We were so happy that we were able to coordinate our schedules with these two fine people. They are such a blast to be around & you know you're going to have a good time if the Armstrong's are there. :)

We met with Dain & Annie for dinner at Outback & we ate & talked for what seemed like a couple hours. It really is the best not having your kids around when you only get to see friends once a year. You are actually able to catch up & give your complete undivided attention. So nice!

 Doug & Dain met in the MTC & both served in Samoa together. I don't think they were ever companions, but that didn't matter. These two were meant to be friends & caused enough trouble without having to live together. Haha! It's been so fun having them as friends from the start of both our relationships (marriages). It really is a blessing to have such amazing people in our lives.

After dinner we went over to In N Out to grab some shakes & say hi to another one of their good mission buddies Michael who owns that particular one. And then sadly we had to call it a night as they needed to relieve their babysitter. :( 

~JAZZ GAME~

Doug's brother Dave gave us tickets to a Jazz game for Christmas & we were both thrilled. Neither one of us had been in years & never together so we were looking forward to the evening together. We drove most of the way, but parked & rode Trax Train the rest of the way in to avoid traffic & nightmare parking. That was kind of fun to ride that too. :) (I'm suck a dork I know.)

The Jazz played a really good game & it was considerably close the entire time, but in the end I believe it was the refs bad calls that caused the Jazz to lose the game by like 1 point. Boo! But win or lose we had a fabulous time. And at one point, I got to see Doug act like a giddy little school boy. Why you ask? Oh because we saw Mr. Thurl Bailey walk past us, Doug said hello, gave him a handshake & then Big T asked if he wanted a photo with him. I mean really, look at Doug's face.

And my oh my does Doug look like a shrimp next to him! Haha! We really had such a good time together on this date. Thanks a bunch to Dave for spoiling us!

~Family Date: TEMPLE SQUARE~

On our anniversary this past year we let Gavin watch our wedding video. Ever since he had been asking & saying that he wanted to go to the temple & see it. And that he wanted to be a prince just like daddy. It was so precious! So we absolutely positively had to go to Temple Square while we were home so we could show him the temple. I haven't been to see the lights in years & was quite excited myself.

Aunt Laura was able to join us for the evening which is great as we hadn't seen much of her since being in Utah. She was staying with our Aunt Colleen.

We walked by the Macy's window displays to check out the magnificent creativity & designs of ornaments made entirely out of candy.

Seriously, it was pretty dang cool!

Getting ready to cross the street to Temple Square.

 

 

 

 Being at Temple Square always feels my mind & heart with the memories & feelings of our wedding day. I can't believe it's been over 7 years since marrying the man of my dreams in this beautiful, sacred temple that I consider to be my princess castle!