Going to see the lights...

At Temple Square. 

It's one of my favorite Christmas traditions and we went with Brian's sister and her family this year.

It's always bitterly cold on the night we choose to go.

I think Evie looks like a garden gnome in this hat.

I fared much better this year as I had finally done some knitting for myself. Even though Evie borrowed my hat, I still had my head wrap and my awesome new mittens. My hands were a little chilly by the end of the night, but not frozen as in previous years.

Lila enjoyed the lights when she forgot that she was strapped into the stroller.

Jake kept running ahead to hang with his cousins, the only reason I got him to hold still for this shot is that he is actually standing on a wall that I let him climb.

A rare snapshot of all five of us together.

The reason for the season.

The crowds weren't so bad this year, so we got to see the Christus. It is absolutely my favorite place on Temple Square. To sit quietly at his feet for a moment and feel the love and peace of the spirit. The kids were talking about it and asking questions all the way home. One of the things we talked about was that the sculptor of this Christus was from Denmark where Brian's parents are serving their mission, and in their latest letter they told us how they went to a museum recently and saw a display about that sculptor and how he made this statue. I think it helps the kids to be able to find connections like this when they are missing their grandparents.