Provo City Center Open House

 Earlier this week we went to the Provo City Center Temple Open House.

My kids had a four day weekend and so did Sean.

We went on Tuesday morning.

We saw our neighbors the Hansen's there. I wish I had taken a picture with them.

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The temple open house was completely underground in the parking garage.

I had never seen anything like that.

They made temporary rooms where we could view a video presentation before entering the temple.

A girl I went to high school with, Aleta, along with her husband Bryan, were in the video.

And in the parking garage there is an entrance to the temple.

The temple was GORGEOUS!!!

The architecture and the details were stunning. I was so impressed.

This building used to be the old tabernacle and then it burned down, just the outside walls remained.

They took the shell of the building and from that created the temple.

Aleta is serving in the young women's and is helping with the cultural celebrate and she said that the theme for that is "Beauty from Ashes."

Here's a video about the temple completion.

And here's a time lapse video of the temple under construction.

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Lexi's favorite part was the Celestial Room.

The whole time we went to a new room, Lexi would ask before we walked in,

"Is this is the Celestial Room?"

She remembered being in the Celestial Room when we toured the Ogden and Payson temple.

When I asked Avery what her favorite part was she said,
"The room with the huge ceilings."

(Also the Celestial Room.)

She loved the chandeliers.

And Eli loved the baptistery.

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After the tour, we left the parking garage,

there was an area that was created into a visitors center which was packed with people.

We went outside and walked around the temple grounds.

It was a beautiful day.

It was sunny and we didn't even need coats, just a sweater or light jacket.

 

I sometimes love the pictures that aren't perfect. They capture real life.

Like this one...

 



It was just hard to get those kids to look and smile with the sun in their eyes and people all around.

 



 

And these are pictures that a kind stranger attempted to take of our family.

They make me laugh.

The random boy and the sun in our eyes and my uninterested children.

My kids love fountains. They will touch the water regardless of what the weather is.

I thought perhaps I'd get a better picture of my kids when they were out of the sun.

 



That's how Avery feels about more pictures...

 



This temple is so beautiful! I love everything about it!

(And I like the random man who looks like he's busting out a dance move.)

 



 

After the temple we went to Chuckarama. My kids were so excited to go to a buffet.

Then we stopped at The Quilted Bear.

In the parking lot, I saw a friend of my from High School.

The crazy thing is, Kenzi doesn't even live in Draper. She was just passing through.

Then we went to Ikea. There I saw Susan Rivers.

 She and I used to teach in primary together in our Branch.

After that we went to RC Willey were we saw another member from our Branch in West Jordan.

It was so fun seeing people we knew everywhere we went.