Quick Trip to St. Louis

We drove down to St. Louis this weekend for a wedding in Derrick's family. My kids were excited to see their Grandma! The drive took us about 5 hours.

We stayed one night in the hotel, which my kids loved; I remember how much I loved hotels as a kid, too. My mom enjoys sharing a story about me in a hotel room once when I was about 5. We were visiting Disney Land, and very late at night when everyone was sleeping, I was awake. I was playing in the window behind the curtain with character stuffed animals. In St. Louis when my kids were supposed to be sleeping, I looked over and saw Daphne like this.

Playing in the window just like her Mommy

We had BEAUTIFUL weather at the Temple. Dayton and Daphne went inside the Temple for their first time, just to the waiting room. I tried to point out the Temple's beauty to them, and stress how important it is to be reverent inside. They quickly got bored in there, so they played outside with cousins while Derrick and I were inside for the sealing.

Shane, Cheridyn, and Daphne looking at bugs

Cheridyn and Daphne finding dead bugs in the light

Cheridyn and Daphne were best buds;
Daphne remembers her from the reunion in Missouri this summerDaphne liked the fountain, as usual;
that's Grandpa Blaine in the back right

Daphne and Dayton were excited when the bride and groom
came out of the Temple; this was their first time waiting

Derrick's cousin Spencer married a beautiful girl Lindsey

Daddy and Dayton-studly guys

Daddy's impressive Daphne tosses;
both Dayton and Daphne could play this game forever

Our family by the Temple

Another family photo- this will most likely be our
Christmas card picture, because both kids are smiling!

We had Grandma for a few hours after the Temple before her flight home, so we ate lunch and found a fun park nearby.

Dayton has been mastering playgrounds lately;
He enjoyed kicking and swinging on these bars

Grandma and Daphne swinging

Dayton and Daphne like to make trains down slides

Then we took Grandma to the airport and headed home. The drive home took 6+ hours because we stopped for several potty breaks (on the side of the road- the kids loved it), and picked up dinner. It was a fun, short trip!