A Winter Vacation.

On Friday we kept the boys home from school so we could travel down to Salt Lake for our winter vacation. We began the afternoon touring one of the most beautiful places in all the world--Temple Square. I feel so blessed to live close enough to this magnificent space set apart from the world in its holiness. I have so very many fond memories of family trips to Temple Square when I was young--not just at Christmastime, but dozens of other times when we would go stay at Little America during my dad's business meetings.

This square represents so much of my childhood and is intricately woven into who I am. Coming back always feels like coming home and I feel so grateful that I get to pass on this wonderful tradition to my own children now.

This night was just the prescription I needed for restoring the Christmas spirit to my heart. Seeing all the millions of lights, hearing the voice of the Savior at the Christus, feeling the wonder of His birth with the new photos displayed, touring the Visitor's Centers. We watched the videos and explained the displays and quotes to our children. Easton watched just about every Homefront available, and we sat together on the bench in front of the Humanitarian display and watched Easton's favorite "corn movie" from when he was little. We laughed as we reminisced. And when we sat in the little dark theater all alone with just our family and watched the #sharethegift movie, my heart nearly burst with love. I whispered the words and phrases to Tate and choked up with emotion. For me, those few sacred moments in that little theater was the highlight of my entire Christmas season. It was just exactly what I needed.


After our Temple Square excursion we settled in to our beds at the Plaza on Temple Square. I also used to stay here as a child and it brought back fond memories as well. We watched a Christmas movie, shared a gigantic over-sized apple and then went to sleep.

 The next morning the littles watched all of the Disney Channel special Christmas editions while we got ready to leave. We ate breakfast at JB's (we also ate dinner there the night before).

{Silly faces}

Then we drove down to Provo to do a little Christmas shopping at the amazing Blickenstaff's, and drive by the two temples in Provo. It was raining so we didn't get out of the car, but it's been so special to visit each of these temples.

After our stop in Provo we drove to Riverton and happened upon Santa and Mrs. Claus while in the grocery store. Maylie told Santa she wanted "skates for everybody" for Christmas, Tate said he wanted a candy cane, and Easton--legos.

This year at the Johnson Family Christmas party, Patrick and I had the privilege of hiding the stockings--which I've been dying to do for 8 years.

When the grandkids opened their stockings they found hand-crocheted monster slippers...certainly the hit of the evening!! {Thank you Grandma for this special gift!!!}

3 More Days...

It's not beginning to look a lot like Christmas yet and it's taken me much longer to get in the Christmas spirit this year, but here are the latest goings-on from our December.

Just a few pictures of my simple Christmas decorating this year:

And this is the sweetest little advent calendar my mother let me borrow.

I couldn't resist snapping this photo of Maylie diving into her cupcake at the ward Christmas party.

For her birthday, Colie and Natalie gave Maylie an art kit. She loves to work on masterpieces while I get ready in the morning.

New overalls from Grandma Johnson.

And one morning, when I looked out my window I saw a magnificent sight.

Last Saturday I spent the afternoon wrapping up all the presents. I was so pleased with how they turned out. I absolutely love the wrapping paper I found this year.

The view from above.

Nestled safely under the tree.

Merry Christmas!

Secret Notes

It was last minute that I grabbed a stack of blank cards and a handful of pens and added them to my already full purse. It was just an impression from the Spirit to bring them on our Young Men/Young Women's trip to see the lights on Temple Square.

So I passed them out and on our long front runner ride to Salt Lake, the girls wrote anonymous notes to bless, lift, cheer, and edify whoever would find them.

But the story doesn't end here. On our walk back to Front Runner, several of the girls told me about their experiences. One handed hers to a person confined to a wheelchair. Others hid them in windowsills, bushes, and on the train. And one young woman told me of her miracle. She had placed hers on a couch in one of the visitor's centers and then she and her friend hid behind a bush to secretly watch who would find it.

After a few minutes, a girl walked over to the couch and noticed the envelope. She picked it up, opened it, and read the letter inside. Then she began to cry. After she had soaked in the words of comfort, she tucked the letter back in the envelope and left it on the couch to be found once again.

My heart was warmed. And I wondered about all of the other visitors to Temple Square that had similar experiences as they found the letters of two dozen girls who reached out in a simple act of love.

This is what Christmas is all about.

And I think for these young girls, the lesson penetrated deep. They told me leaving the letters was their favorite part of Temple Square this year.