Temple Square

We decided to go to Temple Square to see the lights and Nativity scenes on Christmas Eve's eve. I took a lot more pictures, but they didn't turn out very well. Jayden LOVED to see "Baby Jesus" and made us stand there forever looking at the realistic looking one with Luke 2 playing in the background. It was awesome to see how he marveled, his big eyes barely blinking. We had to take a break and dash inside the visitor's center to use the restroom and to warm up. While we were thawing out, we walked past the paintings depicting Christ's life, and Jay was just precious with his explanations! He knew everyone in the Nativity picture by name, and when we got to the picture of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus, he was so excited to see "Nephi" and Jesus together, swimming. We explained that it was John the Baptist and not Nephi, and he started singing a song from Scripture Scouts about John. My heart melted! We went along and reached the picture that shows Christ on Palm Sunday, riding on a donkey. Jay looked puzzled for a minute, then exclaimed "Jesus is pretending to be Mary!!" I love his little mind!!

After the paintings, we went back outside to see more lights. Every corner we turned was accompanied by an "Ohhhh WOW! Ohhhhh PRETTY!!" from Karah. We walked by the Tabernacle and heard the organ playing, so we went inside to see what was going on. The organist was just practicing, and Jay loved it. I love the picture I got of him peeking over the pew to watch! We walked around the temple and saw the white Nativity family in the reflection pool. Jay loved the "Snow-Baby Jesus". It was getting late, colder, and starting so snow again, so we decided it was time to leave. Jay did NOT want to leave Baby Jesus. He cried half-way to the car about how he missed Baby Jesus, and how he needed him. We got a lot of smiles from people we passed. Dan was able to finally redirect Jay's attention and cheer him up by taking a little time to play in the snow. We went home and had a little bit of hot chocolate, read Grandpa Rick's Tom and John Christmas story he wrote for me two years ago. It was a very fun-filled, spiritual evening that I will always cherish.