Joyful Noises times six!: part 4

My inspiration for this record of my days:

“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” -Anna Quindlen

Friday, July 9, 2010

part 4 – Salt Lake City

Bear with me on the vacation log. It’s for posterity.

Next stop was Salt Lake City. We looked around Temple Square, and took a tour of the Conference Center – the place where General Conference is held. I was impressed with how long the kids paid attention. The tour took an hour and a half, and they seemed interested the whole time!

The kids were looking up into the huge skylight several stories up. The skylights made cool rainbows.

We went to the Lion House to eat, and took a tour of Brigham Young’s home (the Beehive House, next door.) While we were eating Jonah asked me “Mom, is Brigham Young sad because people are here eating all of his food?”

Also during dinner, he thought his pants smelled funny. He told me to “smell my pants. Is that the smell of Brigham Young?”

Apparently, he was having a hard time figuring out just what we were here to see. He kept asking if this is where Paul Revere lives. I had read a book about Paul Revere in the RV, so I guess I can understand the confusion.

Another highlight for me was getting to sit in on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsal. Sigh… how I would love to sing in that choir. They were rehearsing patriotic music.

The next day was the Great Salt Lake. The kids were really looking forward to this one, because I had told them that you wouldn’t sink due to the amount of salt in it.

The floating part was true… but we found out that it was not really worth it. The lake was stinky and windy, and the salt really stings your eyes, and any scabs or scratches in your skin. But we persevered.