Impressions

It seems counterintuitive, sewing seeds in August, but those in the know say now is the time.
My greenish fingers are crossed...

Joining mamabyrd in her weekly Impressions posts.  Join us, here or there, with your own.

July 24th, Ogden Style

Don't you love this sign!!  Totally retro in a cool sort of way.  I love that "Pioneer Days" is one of Ogden's claims to fame.

Back home in O-Town they know how to celebrate the 24th of July.   I'm not sure why Ogden seems to be the unofficial hot spot for this holiday.  I'm sure if you asked any resident of any other Utah community they might make the same claim, but Ogden is the only place Miss Rodeo Utah will be crowned and the only place that holds the annual Pioneer Devotional.  Take that, SLC.

Confession...We usually choose not to go to the devotionals and instead, have dinner with family and play card games on our blankets while we wait for the concert and fireworks. But, after living in Alabama where Apostles of the Lord are hard to come by, we chose to take the opportunity to listen to Elder Uchtdorf  and his beautiful remarks on the lessons we can all learn from the early Pioneers, compassion, work, and optimism.  

What Dean thinks about "smooshing in with hoards of people just to listen to the same music year, after year, after year...

Some come for the concert, others come for the candy...

 Alan, caught taking more than his fair share of something...

The devotional and fireworks get things started, but no 24th of July would be complete without some rodeo action.  They were giving out sunglasses on this particular evening.  I didn't catch any of the actual rodeo on camera.  These faces in the grandstand kept me busy.  Plus, I was seriously worried my camera would take the 50ft. plunge below the bleachers.  C'mon Ogden, let's use some funds to renovate those bleachers.  Parents have been fretting over dropped shoes, toys, wallets, etc for decades.  Time for an upgrade.

Then, on the actual day, we have the parade.  I know, it's not SLC.  Our floats are not professional in the least, but I love the hometown feel of the Ogden parade.  We know people on the floats and marching bands, and this year, we knew people in handcarts...

The Ogden, Utah Stake handcart company

Familiar faces with an addition to their family.  They already have one set of twins, I think Ben could fit right in.

Four little bonnets....adorable

Ben was seriously disappointed in his Pioneer digs.  I tried, I really did.   He later informed me his walking stick was the only "authentic" piece in his wardrobe.  One picky little pioneer.

The bystanders, er, sitters...

Then it was off to an afternoon filled with BBQ's, and swimming, and of course, our own fireworks.

"Aunt, Brooke, she let me hold her and she's not even crying!!"

Last summer he was deathly afraid of sparklers.

We were tired after our week of fireworks and hamburgers, rodeos and parades, sparklers and swimming, but we made memories and remembered ancestors and grew more thankful for their sacrifices and this city. Thanks Ogden! "All is well, all is well".

The Splash Dash

Our school usually hosts an annual "beginning of school year" picnic.  We attended last year and it consisted of some poorly organized relay races, a speech by the principal and the coach, and lot's of really hot people.  We brought our own lunch, but no one warned us there would be no shade, so we melted, along with the cheeses on our sandwiches, while other more prepared families huddled under the little bits of shade offered by their Easy Ups.

At the end of last year I was asked what I would change about our school and I said, "the picnic!"  Our principal took me seriously (she felt this first family activity sets the tone for the year) and organized a new activity, The Splash Dash.  So, Saturday morning, we put on our running shoes and our swimming suits and headed down to the school.  We ran a one mile loop around our school which coincided with our districts "healthy school" initiative.  The kids led the way with the principal and a lot of parents joined in the fun too.

By the time we were done with our race, the water activities were up and running.  Our local inflatable company donated two giant water attractions and the local fire dept. came with their hose.  There were snow cones, and cotton candy, and no melting families, or cheese...

They ate their snow cones too fast for me to get a picture...

Sadie's new kicks..

She would NOT let go of her cotton candy.  She didn't really like the way it dissolved on her tongue, but used it instead like play dough, causing every mother within two feet of us to continually ask me if I knew what my baby was doing.

Overall, a much better start to the year.  Definitely the beginning of a new tradition!!

Ogden Temple Open House

Two days before we left, the Ogden Temple swung it's doors wide open for the beginning of it's open house.  A two month long process where an anticipated 700,000 plus patrons will walk through this sacred building.  

The previous temple was completed in the 70's, but because of  structural concerns it was torn almost completely down and re built.  I loved the old Ogden temple, and I was a little disappointed when they announced the reconstruction, but after walking through today with my littles and seeing their eyes light up and answering questions, I'm excited I got to share the open house experience with them.

Grandpa Blake, Uncle Sean and Uncle Ryan couldn't stay around for pictures.  It's ok, there will be a next time.  In fact...As of yesterday, the Marturello family is officially scheduled for their very own sealing on December 27, 2014.

We struggled with the decision to postpone our sealing just so we could have it performed in Ogden, but I am so happy we did.  I know a temple, is a temple, is a temple, but it feels so right to be able to be sealed in the temple where we walked through as a family and "picked out" our sealing room.  Ogden is home and I can't imagine doing it anywhere else.  

For those of you who haven't been to the open house I encourage you to go.  Soon the temple will be quietly busy, and closed to the general public.  If you have questions about the temple and what it's purpose is, now is the time to ask.  There are so many volunteers just waiting to answer your questions.

We also took the time to visit the Daughter's of the Utah Pioneers museum today with our cousins.  All that looking at "old stuff" made us hungry for ice cream.  I don't think you can visit the temple and downtown Ogden without a stop at Farr's Ice Cream Shop.  At least I can't!

I am so envious of their vintage ice cream signs and their minty green walls.

Hand dipped does taste better.  Ben wanted proof of all the flavors offered.  He's determined to try them all.  Today's flavor choice?  Egg nog.

Their sign is so groovy.  This little ice cream parlor is an Ogden institution.

 One last pic. Alan kept saying, "mom, it's the temple we went to", and then pointing with his ice cream at the spire in the distance.  The ice cream didn't fare too well, but I know the feelings he felt in the temple will stay with him for a long time.

"For the temple is a holy place where we are sealed together.
As a child of God, I've learned this truth. A family is forever."