Extra, Extra! Read all about it!

Morgan was quoted in a Utah newspaper a while ago! He was interviewed during our trip to Utah for Memorial Day weekend when Leslie and the kids got to go see the newly completed LDS temple in South Jordan - the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Whenever a new temple is built there is an open house lasting for several weeks during which anyone can visit the temple, walk through it, and learn about the purpose of temples in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Just a while ago, Leslie's mom, Grandma Chele as we call her, sent us a laminated copy of the article she cut out of her paper. She also rounded up a few other copies to send to us. Morgan was pretty excited to see it. We found out that it was posted online, as well, so here is a copy of the first few paragraphs that mention him and the picture accompanying the article:

Saturday, June 13, 2009
South Jordan, Utah

Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News

Five-year-old Morgan King issued his grandmother, Michele Brimhall, a reverent challenge as they began their tour of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on the first day of the temple open house.

"Grandma," Morgan said, "see if you can walk so quietly that your feet don't make a sound."

Such respect and reverence seemed to define the day June 1 as visitors of all ages and backgrounds began touring the stately granite edifice that looks over the southwest corner of the Salt Lake Valley.

Walking through the placid halls and ordinance rooms of what will soon be the Church's 130th temple "was very peaceful and very sweet," said Michele Brimhall of Holladay, Utah.

What a cool experience for Morgan! The kids really enjoyed seeing the temple and being able to go inside. They could tell that it was a special place. It was neat to see from what Morgan said that he understood it was a place for reverence and a place of peace. When we go to the temple nearest to us, in Oklahoma City, the kids don't get to come with us, but they know how important the temple is to our family. They know that Mom and Dad were married in the temple, and that is why we can be together forever as a family. Emma often talks about when she will get married in the temple (and we even have an idea who she would pick to get married to if she had to decide right now...).

Temples are different from regular church buildings, or chapels. They are dedicated as houses of the Lord. The Church recently has started putting short videos online called Mormon Messages. For those of you who don't know a lot about LDS temples, here is a great video about why the Church builds temples. Our family loves to watch it.



Another short video that we really like that talks more about the blessings of the temple can be found here. Enjoy!

Independence Day

For the 4th of July, we were planning on going to a little hometown parade in a town just south of Bartlesville with an official population of about 500 people. We had heard about it from some friends who went last year. The kids were excited at the prospect of tractor floats and lots of candy. However, we woke up to several hours of rain. We decided instead to invite our friends over to have a parade inside our house. We put on some John Phillips Sousa and had the kids march around with flags. (Even though the kids were the ones in the parade, the adults were still the ones that threw out candy - that was the kids' requirement.)

That evening we went to see a fireworks show that is held every year by a family in our ward at their house outside of town. It's quite the event! They turn their field into a parking lot and everyone brings their camp chairs and some food to share. We didn't quite know what to expect last year, as we had just moved in before it happened. All of the sons and sons in law in the family have gotten their professional fireworks licenses and they put on the show themselves. There were probably one or two hundred people there this year. We usually run into several people that we know outside of church. Last year we even saw our next door neighbors there! We want you to see why so many people come. It's better than the fireworks the city puts on! Here are some of our pictures:

This picture doesn't do them justice, but you get to sit very close to where the fireworks are being shot off.

Even Talmage was impressed! (The yellow and pink things in his ears are earplugs that we picked up at the research center on the way out - a helpful tip some friends gave us. By the end he pulled them out and was, of course, trying to eat them.)

Morgan and Emma enjoy the fireworks and the treats. Morgan looked like he belonged in a barbershop quartet with his hat, given to him by the friends that came over for the parade.

Leslie and two of her boys. (Isn't she beautiful?)

The whole crew. The kids were really more excited than they look here, but it's hard to figure out exactly when to smile when someone is taking a picture of you in the dark.

Here is a short video so you can see just how cool these fireworks were. You can't hear it very well, but they are playing the 1812 Overture in the background. We had a great 4th of July and we hope you did, too!

The Answers (to Life, the Universe, and Everything)

...well, or maybe just to the Itty Bitty Bartlesville City challenge. Below are the original pictures from the challenge, along with corresponding pictures from farther back. Please also open up this map (it will open in a separate window so you can go back and forth between the map and the blog) to see where each one is located and to read what it is. Enjoy!

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