Ft. Lauderdale Day 2 - the temple!

The next morning, Isaac woke up really early and climbed in bed with us. Steven couldn't go back to sleep so they ventured out to get some bagels for us. A little later, Tyler and Dylan woke up. I half woke up for all of these events but easily went back to sleep. I woke up a little after knowing that Dylan had told Tyler that Daddy and Isaac had gone to get breakfast and didn't see Dylan or Tyler anywhere. I sat up and called for Dylan. Twice. Then they poked their heads out from behind the window curtains with big smiles and whispered that they were hiding from Daddy. Phew. They looked so cute all cuddled together watching the people on the street below and the yachts in the water. They closed the curtains and I went back to sleep. I heard the door open and turned my phone/camera on to try to catch the surprise. How scary does Tyler look?! Pretty funny.

So we ate our bagels and OJ and got dressed for the beach! It was cloudy with a major chance of heavy rain, but again, it's not cold so it was fine! We walk out of our hotel across the pool deck to get to the beach so the kids didn't make it to the beach. Isaac and I played a game of chess while Tyler had the time of his life with Steven and Dylan. I got in too, which was Tyler's high. I think it really was too - I didn't know that Tyler could remember or sort out the events of which thing was his favorite, but he didn't just say that the pool was his favorite, it was when I went in with him. I wasn't as fun as Steven was in there b/c I sorta wanted to keep my hair dry. But at home, I clean the pool and tell him it's too cold when he goes in and I hadn't gone in the night before b/c there weren't enough pool towels for us all. So that's cute, he loves me. :) I don't have any pictures from in the pool b/c the waterproof camera that I got all ready's card is sitting in my other camera, where I cleared the memory. Good intentions, poor follow through, that's ok though, the summer hasn't even begun yet. :) 

Of course we did go to the beach. We dug with shovels, Steven played catch with each of the boys, we buried Steven, then Steven AND Tyler went in the cool water. I love how Tyler wanted to go too even when the other boys said it's too cold. 

 Treasures were found.

Our hotel is in the background here:

 Dylan buried himself from his knees down and needed help getting out.

 Then it was about time to go back to check out of our hotel. Late check out was noon. So we showered and got the majority of the sand off of us and went to Panera for lunch and WiFi to plan the next hours of our trip. We had made the temple reservation for 4:15 thinking that we didn't know if we'd stay the night or not and didn't want to wake up too early. For some reason, Steven and I both added the 4 hour drive to 4:15 and both assumed we'd be home around 8:30 even though we both said we'd do dinner afterwards.
Anyway, we went to a thrift shop first.
Tyler and Ivy both talk about hiding from Santa and they blame things on Santa and want to fight Santa and bring him up all the time. It's their secret friend I guess. Sorta odd, sorta funny, we don't encourage it but it still goes on. Sometimes they ask where he is and look for him. Well guess what, Tyler found Santa!

 We bought Dylan a swimsuit, Isaac a shirt, and both boys got containers for their rocks/gems collections. Tyler put Santa back and waved goodbye as he said "See ya next time." A nice encounter.

Then we got the parking scroogie when we parked at a Science Museum to see a 3D Imax movie, Journey to the South Pacific.

 Tyler was into it the whole time. He sat with Steven for most of it then switched to my lap for the ending.

We walked out of the theater into a display of awesome rocks!

Then it was time to go to the temple!! Tyler fell asleep on the way there. The place was PACKED! It was the first day of the open house where the public is invited in to see the rooms, the artwork, and to ask as many questions as they want. It will be dedicated later and at that point only Church members who have been recommended by their bishops are invited to go to learn and serve. 

They used a field next to it for extra parking - the main parking lot was only for the disabled. It felt like we were going to the fair or something it was so busy!

 We weren't that early so were worried about timing but we got a ride on a golf cart! I thought that was a good idea b/c Steven was going to have to carry sleeping Tyler, but Steven figured we could use my pregnancy as a good excuse. Either way, it was a nice surprise.

 There were tents set up for the first initial video presentation. We went inside, a guide welcomed us and explained how the tour would work then pushed play on a 12-minute video that explained how and when our church was brought to south Florida and an overview on temples including Biblical references to temples.

Then we split into groups and walked on to the temple, where volunteers placed white plastic shower caps on our shoes.

We walked through the porch area. It does not go all the way through like the one in which Kat and Preston were married. The foyer is enclosed in the middle part. We walked through the middle part and walked right out the other side to reach the other side of the porch. We walked in another door there. It's the entrance for the youth who do baptismal ordinances for the dead and had a smaller recommend desk there. We found out that all of the artwork inside is original. I didn't know that. I recognized some of the artwork, but other paintings were new. One was signed with the year 2014, Steven said one was signed with a really old year, I don't remember that date though. We rounded a corner to go to the main lobby which we could have entered by the main doors. The waiting room was pointed out and we overheard a lady tell a younger woman, "So I could have been in there instead of in the car in the parking lot when you got married?" That reminded Steven of his family since we got to the temple way early on our wedding day and somehow didn't tell the groomsmen and family that they could go into the air conditioning that August day. We went through the women's dressing room, to the bride's room, to instruction rooms, the celestial room, and a sealing room. Tyler woke up in the sealing room. That was my high, just that he didn't sleep through the whole thing, and that although our kids couldn't be there for our special wedding day, they could see an altar and the mirrors and could learn a little more about how special our family is and that we are sealed together forever. I liked the amazement of the boys in the gold in the paint and how high and how big the chandeliers are. Others in our group seemed to like the doorways and the materials of the building itself. Not too many questions were asked on our tour. I love that anyone can go in! We have sacred ordinances that we perform in temples, but they're not secret. Anyway, it was worth the trip and although it wasn't the highlight of the trip for anyone but myself, hopefully in the big picture, the boys will keep the importance of the temple instilled in their hearts.

 Kat mentioned how somehow we all coordinated our outfits. Steven had suggested khaki pants instead of black ones to the kids and I actually didn't like Isaac's red shirt choice but didn't remember to have him find another. Tyler's shirt did sorta coordinate with mine, but I had just hoped to take one photo of the two of us later and had another long-sleeved shirt for him to put on, but he was sleeping when we got there. Anyway, yes. I love the photo of my sleepy bedhead Tyler and my boys with their white socks and their pants from last Easter which are getting too short. They're my cute boys and it's our happy family at the pretty tropical brand-new temple. Perfect.

 We changed into play clothes at a gas station, got some snacks, then headed across the state. Isaac fell right asleep. We woke him up at Pollo Tropical for dinner. After that, the car ride seemed long. It was rainy. Dylan was stuck in the middle with one less blanket since Isaac's was dirty. Isaac went right back to sleep so was taking up a lot of room, Tyler wasn't wanting Dylan to be near his car seat, and Dylan got sad. He just wanted to be home. We had done that same long car ride just the day before! It was late and he was tired. Tyler let him rest on his car seat and they both fell asleep. My poor babies endured a packed weekend. We had considered staying another night but thank goodness we had a Sunday at home to get back to normal.

I love my babies and that we could take one last trip together where we all fit in Steven's Camry.