"Woopsadaisy!"...

It's what Dad says all the time! ... when he almost drove off the road, .. when he almost drove into oncoming traffic (momentary mind block on the right-hand drive thing)... :)! He didn't even realize he was saying it until we all started laughing!

You need to try to imagine where I am right now. I'm sitting up to a beautiful dark wood antique desk, facing a corner of the room. Next to the computer screen is a large and heavy glass and marble table lamp, fringed with dangling crystals. On my right is a large, elaborately carved fireplace surround, overhung with a mirror under which a bronze bust of Brigham Young sits upon the mantle. Ben is reading his scriptures on the huge, comfy, (Ben says it is comfy!), leather-upholstered, cushion-covered lounge right next to my other side. Opposite him is a matching lounge, and at the end of the room, behind me, is an eight foot tall, beautifully decorated Christmas tree flanked by matching upholstered armchairs. The tree stands before a trio of lace curtained windows set into a curved wall. The woodwork in the room is oak coloured, and all the doors, the window and door frames, and the wooden dado wall are extensively carved. The ceiling is at least eleven feet tall, and the gilded and painted cornice is about three feet wide and is amazingly elaborate.

We are at the Armstrong Mansion, in Salt Lake City, having arrived here a few hours ago, from St George, where we stayed last night at the Days Inn (no internet to use there, sorry :) Fortunately, this net use is complimentary, which means that I will be able to quickly check my emails too - although I can't be too long, because I have a line of politely-not-wanting-to-be-too-pushy-people (hi Ben and Oli :) behind me.

We were to have stayed tonight with the Smoot family, just north of SLC, but Steve and Cathy had to be out at a special church function tonight, and Steve suggested that he book a complimentary room for us here for tonight instead. (Steve is one of the owners of the Armstrong Mansion.) It's a lovely bed and breakfast just a few blocks from Temple Square, so it is lovely to be here, and we will head over to spend a night with them tomorrow instead.

St. George was a little out of our way on the way up from the Grand Canyon, but we are glad that we made the visit there. We arrived in the early evening, and really enjoyed a (chilly) walk around the beautiful St. George Temple grounds soon after we were able to get settled at our hotel and get something to eat. The grounds were lit with wonderful Christmas lights in all of the trees and all through the gardens. Out the front of the temple was a life-size nativity, with a recording of the Christmas story playing over speakers. We could immediately recognize that it was the voice of President Hinckley that was speaking, and Neil and I both got choked up. Like Neil said, it was like meeting an old friend again there.

This morning we attended church at the Stake centre opposite the temple. The first talk was by a sister whose great-grandfather was the author of the Christmas hymn, 'Far, Far Away on Judea's Plain'! She told us the story of how he came to write it, in St. George, all those years ago, for a church Christmas choral program, never guessing that it would gain the world-wide recognition that it has. This sister told us that she is ninety eight years old! The other two talks were also wonderful - one on the importance of the messages in the Conference edition of the Ensign, and another on the importance of forgiveness. The brother who gave this talk told us of a heart-breaking, true story of some of his friends, who had had a division in their family for many years, until finally, spirits were humbled and hearts softened and family members were reunited in love. But oh - what a tragedy that so much time had passed meanwhile! It was very poignant and I wished you could all have been here with us to hear what was shared.

On the way up from St. George we stopped in at Cove Fort for a tour with the missionaries there. Ben says: "It was so cold! It was cool. I didn't know that it would be so busy - not just today, but in the past. I thought that it would be a random fort in the middle of nowhere. While going through it, it was a lot easier to count your blessings! Life is much easier today."

It was so cold in fact, that there was snow on the way up here!!! There's even snow here in patches on the ground, although it's almost more ice. But still very exciting!! :)

Well done! - to anyone who is still reading :) You must really love us. Or... nope, I'm going to go with the much loving us :)

But now it is time for bed. We have just come in from a night-time visit to Temple Square. It was beautiful! We listened for a time to a choir singing Christmas carols in the Visitor's Centre, then rambled for a while among the gorgeous Christmas lights, until Dad was too cold to continue. (He hadn't come rugged up enough.) I think that the boys were freezing too, but less inclined to admit it :)

We love you all so much!
Sweet dreams!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

ps : PHOTOS. We are taking a LOT of them, but are not easily able to load any just yet. We should be able to post some next week. Or the week after. Or will have a 'come up and see my holiday slides' night when we get home :)
xo