Mormon Miracle (Manti) Pageant

Last night we went to the Manti Pageant as a family.  I forgot how long the drive out there was 

 but thanks to our handy DVD player in our mini-van the kids watched a REDBOX ($1 DVD rental from a RED box).  This kept them pretty well entertained.  

Going to the Manti Pageant was something I had wanted to do since June 2003 when my now sister-in-law and then roommate Ashley and I tried to drive out there and ended up getting lost and going home.  

It was a perfect outing.  We got there, set-up our blankets in the "blanket section" and then walked around the little town around the Temple to find food.  We tried to go to the turkey dinner at the stake center down the road but when we were almost there Jake remembered he read a sign that they only served the dinner til 8 and it was 7:57PM.  

We stopped off at a little diner instead and had burgers, fries, and shakes.  

 It was yummy and cheap!  

Malachi LOVES shakes!

We also saw 2 of the girls who work at the gym childcare where I work-out at the diner. 

We headed back to our spot on the blankets and got comfy 

 and the kids giggled and played around before it started.

Malachi had the time of his life under the stars crawling around.

Once the show got started the kids watched, 

 asked questions, 

 and then all slowly fell asleep.

Sweet Mali Su is so easily scared these days.  She hid under the blankets during the Book of Mormon war scenes.  Jake is always able to comfort her.

This show was AMAZING.  The girls kept asking where Joseph "Smiff" (how Mali Su said Smith) was when the scenes would change. 

Mali Su just ran in here and told me "Jesus is white and went with the clouds."

The girls loved when the angel Moroni appeared on top of the temple.  He was up so high!

Then when Samuel preached from the wall on the side of the Temple.

They got scared when the mobs chased away the pioneers from their homes.

I loved it all.

After the kids fell asleep I moved over and cuddled with Jake while just us two watched the show together.

It was perfect.  It was almost like we were dating again, 

 but with so much more joy as I watched our sleeping babies with the view of the Temple behind them.

I thought about how much I thought I loved Jake when we were sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity there in the Manti temple

 but now I know I love him MORE than that and our love continues to grow.

 I've always heard Jake's mom say that traffic is always a matter of 15 minutes.  So I told Jake I was ready to leave about 15 minutes before the show was to end.  We hurried, gathered up sleeping babies, blankets, and all that we brought and headed out.  Sure enough we left just in time, no traffic.  

It was PERFECT and all worth the 7 year wait.

I had such a wonderful time thank-you Jake and the whole family for making the night a complete and total success.