Spring at the Temple

Backing up a bit.

Before Ellie got sick (or should I say, before we realized how really sick she was), we spent Sunday at the temple grounds. We haven’t been able to do this for quite awhile because the previous temple president ordered the grounds closed on Sundays and Mondays. (Those are the two days the temple is closed to people going inside to do temple work.) It’s always been a tradition in our little family to visit the grounds on those days, dating all the way back to mine and Kevin’s dating days when we may have gotten locked in the temple grounds on one such Monday, so we were pretty excited to discover the gates had been re-opened. Add to that the fact that every tree and flower in sight was in full spring glory, and it made for a pretty rewarding trip.

It’s just too bad Ellie was miserable. We probably shouldn’t have brought her out in her condition (hey, it was still pre-pneumonia!) but we figured she could use some fresh air…??

Okay. Probably not one of our most shining moment as parents.

This? This little tree? It’s a magnolia tree. I’ve been in love with magnolia trees since I was 10 years old and visited North Carolina where they have the hugest magnolia blossoms you’ve ever seen. Seriously…as big as my head.  These are tiny in comparison, but how I still love them! Imagine my delight when I realized they planted about 6-ish more magnolia trees on the temple grounds than the one that’s been there forever and ever. Don’t be surprised if one of these beauties pops up in my backyard someday.

We made Ellie get out of the stroller for a minute to check out the water, thinking that would cheer her up. She looked at it for 2.3 seconds and then…

…she promptly wrapped her arms around my leg and refused to budge.

 

Wait. I take that back. We also made her pose for a picture with Sadie in front of the tulips. Can anyone say “misery”?

Poor baby. Like I said, probably not our grandest idea ever. But at least the flowers were pretty!