The San Diego Temple!

Having never been to San Diego...the temple was one of the things I missed seeing!
We decided to slow the pace down in the middle of the week--and took an evening trip after hanging out all day to the temple! The kiddos certaily LOVED the grass hills that the temple is situated on!
Because we had four kids and no babysitter--going through a session for Dan and I was out of the question. BUT you do not necessarily need to go inside to feel the spirit. We loved being there as a family and talking with the cute couple missionary's assigned to the grounds outside the temple. They showed us pictures of the inside atrium, and staircase--it was a good experience for us!
This temples design is so unique and awe inspiring-- and from pictures I always envisioned it being bigger. However when we approached the temple-although it is large, was not as big as I thought! I realize the design of it gives the appearance of being bigger (even looking at these pictures now).
It is majestic and amazing, as all temples are.

It was the "fairytale castle" for our perfect vacation.

The icing on our cake!!!

I LOVE to See the Temple!

Probably one of my favorite highlights of this trip was being able to go through a session at the Sacramento Temple w/ my mom and sister (Cara). This IS MY mission temple. It was built after I returned home from my mission BUT the very people I taught, loved, spent time with and saw baptized, are the ones who attend this temple-- and their attendance brought this new temple to pass. So I feel like I helped contribute a little, in a sense, to this temple.

I felt the spirit so strongly and it put everything into perspective, as it always does. It is always so nice to be able to attend the temple with your family as well!
One of the special things about this temple is it has a mural room painted to look like the area. It was beautiful!!! It had the very things I fell in love with while I served a mission, especially rolling hills of Auburn, the mountains of paradise...I just LOVED it. I recommend all my MISSION BUDDIES attend, if they ever get a chance
The boys were at Aunt Mindy's house having a sleepover, eating out, shopping for prizes, and swimming! and Dacie was hanging with Gpa and Breanna and Brendon-3 to 1, she was VERY content!

My mom rushed us back to Cara's so that we could watch "so you think you can dance"-my family is hooked, and in turn has now hooked us (even my boys...they stay up late to watch it now)! We went out for girls dessert the next night!
What a Happy Day!!