Quick Family Getaway

Ken and I realized that we hadn't had a free weekend in months, it seems like since school started.  We hate feeling so busy all the time, it just seems between soccer, band, scouts, and other church obligations that we never have a free day.  We looked at each other and decided that we didn't want to waste our free weekend so we planned a quick getaway to San Antonio.

As in we decided all of an hour before picking up kids from school.  When they hopped in the car we told them that when we got home they had 30 minutes to pack their bags (swimsuit and pajamas) cause we were getting out of town.  Our crazy kids first question was are we going to Grand Cayman?  Seriously!!!  High expectations don't you think???  We drove them nuts for the next 2 hours because we wouldn't divulge where we were going, but I think it's fair play because they took way too long to pack.

Sadly, our impromptu trip was not in fact to the Caribbean, but just down to San Antonio.  Maybe it is because I grew up going to the Oakland Temple and seeing the Christmas lights and attending the evening programs they put on there but at Christmas time it just doesn't feel like Christmas unless we go to the temple.  

We stopped at Santa's Ranch on the way down.  It's an awesome drive through Christmas Light display.  It reminded us of living in Spanish Fork and driving through the Christmas lights there.  The kids really got a kick out of all the Christmas lights.

Firework setting on the camera.  Darin was having a blast taking pictures.

Of course we had to take a picture of the Golden Gate, to our kids it represents basically our 2nd home since it has been a constant in their lives the past 4 years.

Can't go wrong with a shuttle and Nasa, at least not for my boys.

Adam and Eve.  We were really surprised at home many of the biblical displays Ginger was able to guess.

The 3 Wise Men

After Santa's Ranch we drove down to San Antonio and got take-out.  We had a little impromptu picnic  in the temple parking lot with BJ's take-out.  If you know me at all, you would know that we rarely actually eat-in when we go to restaurants.  I totally prefer to get takeout and go to a park or even back home.  I just hate the constant interruptions that come with dining out with Ken and also all the noisy distractions when we are with our kids.  I would much rather eat at home or a park and get everyone's undivided attention.  It was a much better atmosphere then BJ's would have been anyways.

After dinner we walked around the temple grounds.  There was a beautiful all white sculpted nativity that I know I took a picture of but can't seem to find now:-(

The temple is such a sacred place and I love that our children totally understand that even though they cannot go inside yet (well all of them except Darin).

I also love how it brings us closer together!

After the temple we checked into our hotel.  Which wasn't really anything fabulous.  We chose it for proximity to the temple because Ken and I planned on going to a session the next morning and didn't want to be far from the kids.

We went swimming for the first time in months.  It was fun to have the whole entire pool to ourselves.

The next day Ken and I woke-up early to attend a session in the temple.  10 minutes before we got to the temple grounds Ken got a call from the other 11 yr old scout leader asking him where he was.  Yeah, so it turns out that our totally free weekend wasn't free at all!  In fact Ken and forgotten that he had planned an outdoor flag ceremony for early Saturday morning and he was supposed to bring hot chocolate and donuts.  Whoops!  We felt awful and then the weight of the last few months really just came crushing down on me.  I had been barely able to keep our families schedules together, while trying to fulfill my calling, worrying about Ken's work and all his travel, and stressing about Nathan and his seizures.  By the time I got to worrying about Nathan's seizures I had totally lost it and then was way to terrified to attend a session in the temple.  This was the first time we had left him alone since his episode in October when they admitted him to the hospital and I no longer felt comfortable being someplace where our kids can't easily reach us.  We hadn't even left him to run to the grocery store 2 minutes away, so maybe going from nothing to a 2 1/2 hour session was a bit much to expect from myself.

Ken ended up drying my tears, as usual, in the temple parking lot.  Then he took me back to our kids.  Even though we didn't go inside I still felt a huge amount of peace and I was reminded once again of the blessings that come from the temple, whether if it is going inside or if it is just being worthy to attend and having an eternal family as your focus.

The kids were surprised when we returned a couple of hours early but they were really happy when Ken told them that Mommy really needed to be around her babies right now.  He was so right and I love my husband for understanding things like that!

I got major cuddles and then we took the kids swimming again.