Fall Break

Mid-October brings "Fall Break" from school and the entire state usually heads to Southern California, mostly to Disneyland.

We had planned on going to Arches National Park but couldn't find any lodging.  Once lady I called said, "are you kidding? You know it's fall break that week, right?"

So, we instead stayed around here and did things where we could sleep in our own bed each night.

We went bowling, mini-golf, lunch, dinner, nickel-cade, watched movies, had popcorn, laser tag, hmm..what else....fixed our outside porch light which has been broke for about 6 months and it blows the breaker each time we turn it on, relaxed, took naps, etc.

It was a pretty good fall break!

We finally found the problem - the wire down the tube in the middle of the light was cut and broke somehow so each time it was turned it, huge sparks would arc and blow the breaker.  I had to replace all the wiring but it all works now!

Black light mini golf

Nickel-cade fun

The hardest part was trying to decide what cheap trinkets and candy to get with all our tickets

Super yummy lunch at Brick Oven - they have the BEST homemade rootbeer.  It was Jacob's bday lunch cuz his was free!

Happy bday!

After lunch - very full

STTTRRRIIIKKKKKEEEEE!!!!!

I'm not sure why I forgot to take laser tag pics...but that was a lot of fun too.

Happy Fall Break!

Tabernacle

The Tabernacle of Moses as defined in the Bible, was a portable temple used by the Israelites after the Exodus out of Egypt on their journey through the wilderness.  It was built with the finest cloth and polished gold and silver and bronze.  It always faced East. It was built to specifications given from God to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  The book of Exodus in the bible, gives specific instructions on how the tabernacle was to be built and used.

From what we know, anyone could enter the tabernacle, from children up to the high priests.  They had to pass by a "judge" at the outer gate to state their worthiness to enter.  Once they entered, they would pray, meditate or offer burnt offerings (live animal sacrifices) to God on the alter inside.

Past the alter, was the Laver where the priests and high priests would perform some washing rituals to further cleanse themselves and prepare to enter the Holy Room where further rituals would take place. Also inside the Holy Room, was the Holy of Holies, the most holy spot on earth.  Only the high priests could enter this room.  This room also contained the ark of the covenant where the tablets given to Moses from God were stored, along with other holy items.  

BYU has a full size replica of the Tabernacle set up for the month and we went on a tour.  It looks pretty simple, but even so, there was a lot of symbolism in the tabernacle - from the types of material used to build it, to the alter and to the Holy Rooms.

It was pretty interesting!

These would have been the 4 different types of materials used

The high priest clothes had a breastplate like shown here, with 12 squares each representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Similar symbolism is found on the straps of the breastplate

Here you can see how small the Tabernacle was in relation to Solomon's Temple and later, Herod's Temple.  But remember, the Tabernacle was portable, the other temples were not.

Size comparison continued with modern-day Temples

The south wall, with the Gate (red curtains) where you enter, facing East.

The red/purple color have specific meaning as well....it is thought power and royalty and holiness being the white all around the Tabernacle

Looking in, past the alter, and seeing the Laver and the Holy Room

This is the alter where live animals were sacrificed.  It would have been made of bronze, and the priests performing the sacrifices, would put the blood of the animals on and around the alter during the rituals

This is an interesting perspective, because it is said Herod's Temple, would have been as tall as the building in the background - around 13 stories...gives you an idea of how big it was!

The Laver - bronze, where the priests/high priests would wash and prepare to enter the Holy Room

Looking back towards the Gate

Inside the Holy Room..you can see the curtain dividing the Holy Room from the Holy of Holy's Room has two cherubim, or guardians, guarding the room.  The Ark of the Covenant also has two cherubim on it.

Inside the first room was the menora, the table of showbread, and the incense alter.

Looking back towards the opening

Inside the Holy of Holy's room was the Ark of the Covenant

Outside walls

VIDEO:
Here is a video of another replica:

 HERE is a video of the setup of the Tabernacle at BYU.  The video is on Facebook, but you don't have to be logged in to see it.


We then went to the BYU Planetarium for an evening show.  

Gma and Gpa didn't know I was taking a photo ha ha!  Gpa is looking at his phone and Gma is testing out the reclining chair! 

We had a great Friday evening!!!!

Fall Football

Fall usually means getting in a BYU Football game before it gets too cold.

Too bad BYU has lost 5 games in a row - first time in over 47 years!!!  YIKES!!!   It's still fun to go at least until half time.....

It was Homecoming and the weather was perfect - just a slight chill in the air.  Marissa and Matt were able to join us too!

We got there a little early

Since it was Homecoming, they Y was lit on the mountain at the beginning of the game

Half-time marching band show - it was pretty good!

Play ball!

VIDEOS:

After the one and only touchdown BYU got:

During a "Media Time Out":

Vocal Point singing during half time: (they make all their own music-they have no instruments)

Cosmo jumping rope on stilts!!

What really stole the show however, is Cosmo dancing with the Cougarettes - this video on YouTube is going viral and they are trying to get on Ellen.

Glamping in Heber Valley

You've heard of "glamping" right?  It's glorified camping....so camping + electricity+water+beds+microwave+fridge=glamping.  It's the only way to camp!

Several months ago, a "cabin" showed up on Groupon and we decided to try it.  The cabin was at an RV park at the base of Jordanelle Dam in the Heber Valley.  We picked a good weekend because all the fall colors are at their best right now.  But we also picked a fall weekend which meant colder weather and possibility of rain.    We got both.  

We stayed two nights and Marissa & Matt came and joined us for the 2nd night.

Jordanelle is a huge reservoir and our first day we spent some time discovering the east side of Jordanelle which was closed for the season, so we were the only ones there.  The area had camping and boardwalk trails that meandered in between the Provo river and marshy areas and tall cottonwood trees.  It was so beautiful even though the weather was a little cool and overcast.  The pics don't even come close to how pretty it really was.

Our cabin/campground literally at the base of the dam, which you can see in the left of the pic.

Jacob didn't see the cone until it was too late and he had fallen through.  We were very lucky he didn't break his leg

Mom didn't see Jacob walking on the rail.  He was lucky because if she did, she'd probably have broken his leg

Look hard - can you see the deer? We saw the family walking around

Normally, there is a lot of fishing in this area - both in the river and the lake.  There is a fish cleaning station and of course, we had to check it out

Here is our little cabin.  It was much cleaner and bigger than we had expected!  There was two bedrooms, two bathrooms, nice firepit, and a little deck.

The campground is right on the Provo river and there were so many people fly fishing in the river.  We took a little hike around the marshy areas, and took the opportunity to find a geocache.

There were a bunch of cattails - the kids liked picking them and blowing the seeds all over us

These cement steps were right in the middle of the forest..nothing near them.  This is where the geocache was.  Nobody knows why the stairs are there.

Next to the cement stairs, are these remains of wooden stairs that go up a hill.  There was nothing at the top either.

Can you see the geocache?  It's hanging from the tree - look in the middle, top half of the pic

This bridge was called the "rickety bridge" and we had to be really careful and go really slow driving over it

For lunch, we stopped at the "Dairy Keen" in Heber.  We have never seen a fast food place that was so crowded!  It was amazing how busy this place is.  

The next day, we went to Aspen Grove up Provo Canyon, above Sundance Ski Resort, and hiked to Stewart Falls.  These falls are fed by runoff from Mt. Timpanogos.  There is always snow on the backside of Timp. In fact, there is a glacier that never melts completely.  The runoff this time of year is very small, so the falls were not running very much, but the 1 1/2 mile each way hike was spectacular!

We loved going through this grove of Aspen trees

Can you see the falls?

VIDEO:

We had a great time!  The hike to Stewart Falls was perfect weather and we were glad it was not hot and sunny!  We were able to relax and recharge by seeing and being in beautiful nature!