The wrong sweatshirt

Tonight we headed downtown to see the lights on Temple Square and do a little shopping. It's a tradition and tonight was perfect . . . kids out of school, no storms, and no need to bundle tight.

On Monday we got plastered with a monstrous storm that continued all day.

You know it's a big deal when The Weather Channel has their guys out here and they've named it Winter Storm Echo. Lucky for me I hadn't taken a subbing job yet, so I took the day off to shovel and drink hot chocolate (I'll have to share my favorite, easy recipe some time). The ruler measured 9 or 10 inches; we've had bigger storms even though the following day the school district issued a late start day. It wasn't a snow day but heading to school two hours later was a real treat.

Well tonight Erik wore his BYU sweatshirt into Salt Lake. Not because he chose to but because he literally has no other outer clothing to wear. I've offered to get him a coat and he refuses my offer. He's at least graduated from constant short wearing to jeans with some length.

The sweatshirt? No big deal, right? Except that tomorrow is a pretty big bowl game between BYU and the U of U and we were smack in the middle of Ute country tonight. As we were walking out of Barnes and Noble, a gentleman passed us on the way in. He stopped by Erik, gave him a friendly thump on the chest and told him his Cougars were gonna get their "butts" kicked tomorrow. He may or may not have used other words.

It was all in good fun although I think it caught Erik off guard.

Should be an interesting game. Ute fans and Cougar fans side by side. I hope they can behave themselves.

Temple Square

Every year around Christmas we try to visit Temple Square. It's just a fun tradition we do and the kids admitted to me this time how much they really enjoy going.

And every year I watch the weather; well because I always watch the weather and plan my life around the weather . . . shopping, running, errands, trips out of town, gardening. I really should have been a weather man. All that money wasted on a business degree and my heart really loves weather because frankly it affects every person's life in some way or another.

Okay, that was a bit of a tangent. So last week I was watching the weather and seeing very warm numbers on the screen followed by very cold numbers. Tyler and I made a quick judgment call and decided to hit Temple Square last Sunday. We've been before in freezing cold weather and unquestionably, it just isn't that enjoyable. I don't think we've ever visited on a Sunday and I thought it would kind of quiet. Um, I think I'm not the only weather watcher out there. Anyway, the warm weather made for a very pleasant evening and I'm relishing in those memories at this moment as I write this post and it's a balmy 10 degrees outside only a week later :)

This year we especially loved the luminaries and different nativities. Kiersten especially loved the sign language luminary. 

 

I love this picture. My kids can be such goofballs. But they are my goofballs and I sure do love them.