Kansas City Temple Open House

Last weekend Johann and I went with our Stakes mini youth conference to the Kansas City Temple Open house. We also toured Liberty Jail, The Independence visitors center and Far West. We had such a great experience that we wanted our kids to be able to go through the Temple.

This morning we got up at 5am to get on the road to make it to our 11:45 tour. All the kids were so great getting up so early. Ammon especially surprised us. When Johann woke him up, he got right up and went straight to the van. They were all so excited to go to the Temple.

We stopped in Des Moines for breakfast at IHOP. The kids had never been there before, so it was a huge treat to go out for breakfast. We had 3 funny face pancakes and a baby cakes pancakes. As we were eating we could see really dark clouds coming in.

By the time we were done eating it was pouring outside. We drove the next few hours in the rain, but as we got closer to the Temple the clouds got lighter and the rain stopped. When we got there the sun was coming through and we could see blue sky.

The tour was wonderful. There were so many tours and people in the Temple that we had to wait at times to go onto the next part. The kids were amazingly reverent and taking everything in. In the sealing room we made sure they all got to see into the eternity mirrors.

After the tour we took some pictures out front. A guy going in for his tour asked if we wanted him to take our family picture. Of course we did, and he knew what he was doing and got some great pictures for us.

After the Temple we went to Schlotsky's for lunch. Again we left nothing! The kids have fallen in love with their soups and sandwiches just like Johann and I.

Rebecca-"We brought blankets and slept in the van because I was really tired. The Temples is Jesus's house. I didn't see Him in the Temple but I just feeled him. I like Jesus in the Temple."

Ammon-"Mom they said there were 12 oxen around the baptismal font, but I only counted 5!"

Corrine-"My favorite part was the sealing room and the celestial room because of the mirrors. I liked how quiet the celestial room was."

Simeon-When I told him he had been so reverent in the Temple he told me "I couldn't not be reverent in the Temple!"

I LOVE this picture! It shows the kids unique personalities so strongly. Simeon is touching Rebecca, Corrine was done taking pictures and there for was done smiling, Ammon was being his usual sweet silly self and Rebecca wants Simeon to leave her alone!

Outside Liberty Jail

Next we went to Liberty Jail. When we got there there were only a handful of people. We thought we'd have a small tour. As the missionary started talking to us before going into the actual jail area the room kept getting fuller and fuller. By the time we went into the jail there were blond little kids everywhere! There must have been a big family group with lots of cousins there and there were almost all blond. Such a different things for us with all six of us brown haired!

After the jail we headed home. The sky was clear in Missouri, but north of us we could see rain clouds. As we got into Iowa the rain started and we drove the rest of the way home in rain.

Today was such a wonderful day! The kids were all so good driving for 11 hours, behaved so good everywhere we went and we all had such a beautiful, calm, peaceful day. Today truly was a day we wanted to go on forever and a day we'll always remember!