Day 6 we were up and ready to go for the day. This day was very promising and the kids were looking forward to seeing family. First we had a bit of driving to do. We headed up to the Manti temple. This is one of those temples that you always hear about but can't see it unless you are in the city. We got out of the car and walked around the grounds and saw the site for the pageant that they present there. While we were there we saw a bride and groom that were just sealed. It never fails when we are with our kids at the temple there is usually a wedding somewhere.
It was finally time to move on. We still had a long day ahead of us and we where ready for a change. We headed up toward Spanish Fork and met up with the interstate and stopped in Provo for lunch. The kids noticed all of the letters on the mountains for all the universities and colleges in the area.
We had to make a little stop on the way up to "This is the Place". 13 years ago I lost my grandfather to a heart attack. He was a wonderful man and I miss him terribly. He was a pilot in the United States Air Force and fought in Vietnam with the Wild Weasels. He was shot down and was a prisoner of war for six years. After returning home he met my grandmother and married her. Years later my father worked with my Grandfather and he invited my Father home for dinner. The rest is history. As a child he would always come up with activities for us to do when we came to visit. He taught me how to dive and be a better swimmer. He always had the best stories and just enjoyed life. The day he died was the day of my High School graduation. I went on a vacation after graduation and wasn't able to be there for his funeral. So we stopped by his grave site in Sandy Utah where he is buried next to his Mother and Father. The kids asked who he was and I shared with them all the things that my Grandfather, Jay R. Jensen did for me and our family while he was on the earth. Miss you Grandpa Jay.
It was on to "This is the Place" Monument. We were meeting up with my Sisters, Bethany and Adrienne, Shaun (Beth's husband) and my niece and nephew. While the kids and the guys played sharks and minnows I was working on getting a hotel. We were going to stay at Hill AFB but we really needed to be closer. With it being General Conference weekend we could have been out of luck. Not so. We found a hotel that was 20 minutes from Beth and Shaun's and the same distance to downtown Salt Lake.
After scoring the hotel and letting the kids enjoy each others company it was time to move on. We headed off to the hotel to check in and then head over to Beth's to let the kids play and eat. It was late and time to get to bed. Saturday morning dawned and we decided to head into Salt Lake. The Children's Museum had a new exhibit that I had heard a lot of good things about. We found a place to park and we avoided the conference traffic. The exhibit was a celebration of the Spanish cultural. They had Nephi's boat, computerize Book of Mormon puzzles, a kitchen to prepare a meal for the missionaries, Mexican dancing and dress up. They had many fun and exciting activities for all ages. Just outside the exhibit were some beautiful paints of Christ's life. Some of the paintings we had seen before and somewhere new. The spirit in that room was amazing and it was a wonderful place to be. We then went to the Visitor Center so the kids could see the Christus. We visited Temple Square a few years ago and Abby fell in love with the Christus just like I did when I was little.
Desert Book store in downtown Salt Lake. We got there a few minutes before the 2nd session of Conference was about to begin. We was looking for the Children's section and when I'm looking for something I ignore all else. Matt came up to me later and said, " Do you know who that was?" "No?" I had just walked by John By The Way and didn't even know it. We found all the things we were looking for and moved on to the next activity. We headed back to Beth and Shaun's. The guys took the kids to the pool and I had a quit minute with my sister. My Sister and I went and picked up the kids so the guys could go to the Priesthood session. They got some tickets from President Hickley's grand kids and where three rows away from President Monson. Beth, Adrienne and I watched kids and then it was time to head to the hotel. Matt, Abby, Brayden and I were going to the Sunday morning session and left Tori and Noelle to spend the night with their cousin Emma. Tori and Noelle were very excited about that. Abby and Brayden were excited about going to conference in the morning. If you have never been to conference before here is the low down. You have to be in your seat an hour before conference starts. With it being the Sunday morning session they have Music and the Spoken Word so you have to be there even earlier. So bed earlier and get up early. When we woke up we found that there was six inches or wet snow on the ground and covering the cars. It took a little longer to get in the car but it was on to General Conference. As a child my Father was station at Hill AFB. My parents went on a second honeymoon to Hawaii and I stayed with the Bishop of our ward and his family. It was General Conference weekend when they went and the Bishop's Wife was in the Choir. I was able to go to conference with them in the old Tabernacle. It was a wonderful opportunity for Abby and Brayden to go to Conference in the Conference Center.
After a chilly walk through the wet snow and thick fog, it was 7:45 and we were in our seats.
We listen to the Music and the Spoken Word and Conference. It was wonderful to be in the Conference Center and listen to the Prophet speak. The kids were really tired until the Prophet spoke and they were wide awake. After Conference we headed over to my Uncle's house that lives in downtown Salt Lake. There was still a little bit of fog but all the trees were covered in snow.
We met up at my Aunt and Uncle's house for some lunch and visit. I haven't seen them since my Sister Shauna's Wedding in June of 2005. It was nice to catch up with them and to meet my Cousin's fiancee. I also had the chance to meet my sister Adrienne's boyfriend, Sam Gibbs. After Conference was over we went back to Beth and Shaun's and played a quick game of Trivial Pursuit. Sam is a great person and will soon be a member of our family. Glad Adrienne and Sam are happy and looking forward to their wedding. It was finally time to go back to the hotel to back up and get ready to go home. Before that it was time to say goodbye to family.
All of the nieces and nephews (minus Sarah and Logan). They just love their Aunt Adrienne.
We finally had everything packed back up and it was time to head home. On the way home we made a stop at a location for the a future camping trip for Matt and the Boy Scouts in June. It was then on through the beautiful Rocky Mountains. We drove past the ski resorts and saw lots of people skiing and snowboard. There was plenty of snow for them to do that. We finally reached home that afternoon and that is the end of our Spring Break trip of 2011. More adventures to come.
