Indianapolis temple open house (July)

We happened to stop for lunch in Sandy Hook, CT which we didn't realize.  A lady at the store said that the whole community pulled together after the shooting and that they felt a lot of love.  She told us to stop at this little restaurant called The General Store.  It was a consignment shop as well.  I got two souvenirs a blue awesome pot and a little straw doll.  They had the best BLT sandwich ever!!  I want to go back everyday.

Driving through Pennsylvania was so gorgeous and it looked just like New York.  Which was also a long drive.  But we got to go through the Applachians and they are different kinds of mountains.

The kids were starting to go a little crazy in the car and Blake was starting to fall asleep driving, so Blake started sitting in the back with them.  I drove for a long long time but Harry Potter kept me occupied.  We wanted to go to Hershey PA too and Gettysburg but we just didn't have enough time.  Next time.

After 50 or so hours in the car in 11 days, you start to go a little crazy and do anything to keep yourself occupied.  Hailey did the trucker pull and got 15 honks on our way home.  It kept us all very entertained.

It was such a great experience to be able to got to the Indianapolis temple open house.  I knew it was happening so found tickets and worked it into our schedule.  It was a full day of driving and we got there in time to eat really quick and head over.  I was thinking we might never get to an open house because we don't have that many temple options out in the Midwest.  First, we went to the stake center and watched a video about temples.  Spencer thought we were in the temple!  I told him it was the stake center and he was amazed.  The Spirit was so strong there that it felt like a temple.

The kids all did really great inside.  They were respectful and amazed.  There were carvings of the Indiana state flower throughout and Hailey tried to find as many as she could.  The baptismal was beautiful.  It was truly amazing and I am so happy our family had the opportunity to go.  I can't wait for another opportunity in the future!  Spencer has been praying for a temple in Iowa, so maybe it will happen someday.

There was a tent outside the temple with pictures and explanations of temples.  Brooke went right to this statue of Jesus and touched His feet. It was very touching and made me think of the children in 3rd Nephi and the blessings that Jesus gave them.  They truly are so special in spite of their wildness, grumpy and sometimes difficult ways.  I will always treasure this picture.

I love this picture too because Brooke and Spencer can really annoy each other and I thought only Jesus could bring them together.

Hailey loved the temple and can't wait till she is 12 to go.

We got hotels with pools wherever we went which is a great way to burn energy after a long car ride.  This one was especially great.  William jumped in over and over again and fell asleep very easily that night.

Pooped out.  These kids are such troopers to go along on these trips without being too mad about it.

There were alot of funny sleeping positions during this trip.  And of course Spencer reading in the back. 

Spencer never falls asleep in the car. He is always too busy reading his latest book about wars or armies or legos but we exhausted him.  Hailey was nice to be my co captain and take random pictures.

These are the books we made it through while driving.  It totalled to about 50 hours.  We drove in or through Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachussetts, West Virginia, and Maryland.  In 11 days.  And we would do it again. We're looking forward to a Southern loop in two years.  Love going new places with my family.  They are the most fun, wild, crazy, grumpy bunch and I am grateful for them.