First Field Trip of the Year

While I'm figuring out what needs to be fixed, changed, ammended and whatnot in my blog, I will still try to be a faithful blogger and tell you what's up; so, if yesterday wasn't just Thursday, today was a great Friday.
This year the focus of study for Michelle's grade (4th.) is Utah's history, and what a better way to learn it that just go see for yourself.
Today's field trip was fantastic. We started at the "Beehive House" were Brigham Young lived. History has always been fascinating to me, and so being up close and personal with some artifacts of the era really brings it to life. You can almost imagine what would it like to live back then.

Can you imagine having your friends over, just chit-chating, with one of your daughters playing the piano in the back?

Or having a informal concert just for you and some close friends while eating crumpets?...Ah...fascinating. It really brings Mr. Darcy and Lizzy to life.

Then, we went on to the visitors center and learn about the temple and its construction. Another wonderful piece of history.
It is a remarkable piece of architecture, a beautiful legacy for those who worked to build it, their courage, their sacrifice and their faith.

We also visited the Christus statue (always a favorite in our family). Here's a pic with the whole group.


Next stop, the Tabernacle and it's beautiful organ. Can you belive it has 11,600 and some odd pipes?


And, if your are in Temple Square you need to visit Assembly Hall, which I didn't know, was made out of the extra scraps from the Temple. So, our overachiever pioneers were building three buildings at the same time: the temple, assembly hall and the tabernacle. what a task!
And if you think that's all, you're wrong. Last, but not least, a tour of the Utah Hotel, or known now as Joseph Smith Building.
We started on the 10th floor and worked our way down. We saw some of the most beautiful rooms now used for receptions: the presidents room, with portraits of all the Presidents of the Church from Joseph Smith, the chapel, which used to be a ball room, the Mezenine, the Lobby, with an impressive chandelier that actually weights 800 pounds!, and finished at the Legacy Theater, where a massive bronze statue of Joseph Smith seeking knowledge in the scriptures stand as testimony of the love Heavenly Father has for us.


Again, it was a fabulous, enriching day with a renewed respect for those that have gone before us, and a renewed challenge for me to leave a legacy for the future generations whatever that might be.