Salt Lake TWO

Back to more exploring of SLC...we saw so much! 

We went on a tour of the Conference Center. 

And a tour of the Joseph Smith Building. And learned so much of its history. I had no idea it use to be Hotel Utah! It always amazes me how beautiful that building is. It opened as a hotel in 1911 and housed many US Presidents as they stayed in Utah. We also saw the Joseph Smith movie which gets me into tears every time. 

On Sunday morning we went to Music and the Spoken Word at the Tabernacle. I wish I could go every week. The tabernacle and the songs are just so beautiful. Such a great way to start your Sunday. 

And walked around Temple Square lots. There is something about living close to the temple that I just absolutely love!

I think my favorite part was exploring the Salt Lake City Cemetery. 

Remember weird obsession...but this time its even cooler cause 14 of the 16 Church Presidents are buried right here in SLC.
The cemetery was created in 1848, just a year after settling SLC. The cemetery is so cool looking with so many old and worn headstones. Such character up in there!

I loved stumbling upon headstones of people that were born in Europe and crossed the plains to Utah after joining the Church. Such dedication, devotion and faith to do so many outstanding things.

We loved running around and finding all of the headstones of important Church leaders and presidents.
The pictures can speak for themselves of what we got to see.
{Presidents}

{This one was actually my absolute favorite. Such an amazing legacy and epitaph.}

It was soooo exciting. Until we got to like President 12...I lost a little steam. And when we wandered for like 20 mins trying to find President Hunter. It became a little tiresome. 

{Prominent Mormons}

Although Archer was not a prominent members, I loved this headstone. It was made of wood {although preserved} and on the back explained that he was a carpenter from England and had expressed upon joining the church that all he wanted was to come to the Salt Lake Valley. He came into the valley with the very first handcart pioneers, however died shortly after.

We loved finding all of these headstones and just being in awe of all of the church history. It made me love and appreciate the gospel a little bit more that day and in away helped the history of the church become more alive {no pun intended.}But seriously, I was in awe.

Seeing all of these historical significant places and learning so much helped me become more excited about my new home. It is full of history and oh so pretty.
However, the snow this past week has made me second guess. 

my new stomping grounds

I am blogging a little out of order here...but a few weeks ago Rudy came into town during my fall break {loveeee working at a school!} and so we were able to do some sight seeing of my new town. I love that Rudy loves to go to museums with me! It made for the best tourist weekend. 

We were able to go to soooo many places! I loved seeing all of these great sites and learning more about the pioneer history of Utah.

Rudy's great great great great..etc...grandpa is Truman O. Angell and he basically designed alllllll of Utah. Like seriously, ever single plaque shows that he was the architect. His legacy lives on through the Salt Lake Temple, the Beehive & Lion House, the Capitol building, the city arch on State St., and the first buildings of the city where City Creek now stands. It was really cool to see how much he influenced this city.

one of the first places we went to was the Beehive House. 

This house was designed for Brigham Young living quarters as well as his office while serving as Territorial Governor for the State of Dessert and President of the Church. 

It is so beautiful inside! I would never have thought that the building would have been so ornate for so long ago.

}Did you know that the pioneers created their own language!? Ya, neither did I...but here is the BOM in that language}

{BY's bed, cane and hat}

{Brother Brigham was a carpenter, and these were his tools}

This was the office for President of the Church and was also used as the office for the presidents up until Joseph F. Smith. Both him and Lorenzo Snow died in this home. Many important doctrines were revealed in this room. (most of which I cant remember now) 

We went to the top of the Church Administration Building to see the view of SLC.

I had forgotten how amazing that view is! Being up there did remind me of my sweet Grandma Jytta and how much she loved being a volunteer there. It was such a clear day and such a beautiful site. 

From there we went to Brigham Young's gravesite. Our Church Admin tour guide told us how to get there {you see that street, go up there, past the yellow car and the red car and the blue car but not past the yellow house....haha}

I loved that his gravesite was right in the heart of the city in such a peaceful and serene park. 

We also hit up the Church History Museum.

A little overwhelming but so interesting. 

I just love knowing that pioneers settled this land and being able to see the transformation of the Salt Lake Valley. One of the things I thought was the most fascinating were the remnants of the night of Joseph Smith's death.

{The watch that save John Taylor's life, the cane which Willard Richards beat back the mob and the guns the Prophet Joseph used to shot back. WOW.}

I also learned that the Saints had their own money system in SLC. President Young use to sign each and every money note that was distributed throughout the city.

However my favorite part was the section of the Church Presidents. We worked so hard on memorizing all of their names and learning what they focused on most while President. 

I think we were there for like 3 hours. 

Dont worry, we went and saw lots more sites too!

Halloweeeeeen!

I always say Halloween is one of my favorite holidays...you get to dress up in a fun costume and {when youre single} you just get to go out and dance. 

What could be better??

However, its also a holiday that always sneaks up on me. 

Before I know it, the big day is in like 2 days and I am always without a costume. 

Not too many other holidays do you have to do so much prep for, other than Christmas, and Im usually a last minute shopper anyway. 

This year my roommates were all going out to a party and I was about to sit home with no costume which is basically preposterous! So within minutes, with their help, I gathered a cat costume!

And it was a pretty dang good cat costume if I do say so myself...

So here are the White House roommates out dancing the weekend before Halloween

I LOVE my roommates. We all get along so well and I love that we are kind of a hodge podge put together but we all just fit so well with each other. 

And I love living with my cousin Angie. Sometimes I feel robbed of an extended family since I have grown up without much of grandparents and then since my family is so big and we have been the banished family members in California...so its just so fun to have my cousin here and share my last name with someone. 

However, on actual Halloween I had a pretty awesome costume...

At my school/job the students have to wear pretty strict uniforms everyday and were not allowed to wear costumes on the big day and so weeks prior the Jr High Staff decided dress as the students on Halloween! 

I will admit, I felt really ridiculous getting ready in the morning! 

{but at least my outfit was already planned out!}

But the students reactions were so worth it! They were so shocked and freaking out and loved it! However it was so difficult to tell the students and teachers apart all day! Especially as the youngest staff member, I was told by staff and students that they kept mixing me up with the only blonde student at the school. 

It was so much fun, and the staff enjoyed taking pictures together way too much!

I am still really loving my job and everyone that I work with. Like really love the staff everyone is so great and it just makes me extra happy to be at work. 

One month down and Ive already gotten a promotion too!

About three weeks ago I interviewed for a teaching opening at APA. I didnt get it....but its cause there was an opening as the director for the Character Development program at the school. The head school directors thought I would be a better fit and actually, I couldnt agree more. There are lots of parts of teaching that is just too stressful and although this position will be hard and stressful too its also really fun and I am so excited.  So starting in January I will be the Director and basically the #2 go to person at the Jr. High. 

Basically I really like my job. And Halloween. 

On to Charlotte we go...

After our Ragnar adventure, Heather's family was once again nice enough to offer us a hotel to shower and get a good nights rest on a bed. It was so needed. 

Then I was off to the Tar Heel state {which I just thought I was making it up, but I googled it and thats really the state's nickname} with the Sandall Family. 

I've been so excited to go to North Carolina and see where Heather is living now. 

The drive was so pretty.

It looked like this the whole time, and then all of a sudden, the trees would clear and we would be in a big city but wouldnt even know because it had been covered by trees. 

It was also fun to talk to Kevin during the drive and crack jokes about Heather sleeping so much...

Heather saved the best tour of Charlotte especially for me!

The Charlotte Liberty Walk.
A tour of Revolutionary spots in Charlotte!
But first I saw this sign..

It was the best, and she knew I would enjoy it so much. And we both learned a ton! What was so cool is that all of these sites are right in the center of Downtown! We just walked around the business centers learning about the Revolution.

Such as...Charlotte was the first town to create a Declaration of Independence. They signed it and sent it to the Continental Congress on May 20, 1775. More than a year before our country formally declared independence! The congress saw their letter and said it was too soon for such a drastic measure. Maybe they should have listened sooner to those Charlottonians!

{I know the feet pictures are excessive. sorry. dont judge me.}

Right in the heart of the city is the site of the Battle of Charlotte from during the Revolution.

This battle has a lot of historical significance that I was previously unaware.
The British, being led by General Cornwallis attacked the city; however, were surprised by the Charlotte militia putting up such a strong rebuttal. Although they treated three times, they put the pressure on the British troops, not allowing them to fulling take over the city. The British went back to their encampment and were going to try again. But they were never given the chance. They had to withdraw from the Carolina front upon learning of the British defeat at King's Mountain to support their other armies. Charlotte's brave stand allowed their city to remain free and set the conditions for the eventual capture of Cornwallis at Yorktown.

We also saw the {legit} First Church of Charlotte.

 It was established in 1818 and completed in 1823. This too is centered in the middle of the modern high rises, setting such an interesting juxtaposition. The town cemetery is right behind the church. Most of the people buried behind the church were soldiers from the Revolution and Civil wars and their families were buried with them as well.

I have this creepy love for cemeteries and so I loved walking throughout all of the old headstones.

There were many more sites, but these were my favorite.
I also got to go see one of my good friends Karly Barker and her sweet baby Annie. Karly and James use to live in Orange County but just recently made the move to NC.

I also saw my cousin Heather and her babes Rex and Alice.
I dont know how I randomly have two good friends and a cousin in Charlotte, but it was so great to be able to see them all during my short visit!

The rest of my time was spent just chilling with Heather and more with her adorable baby Brookie.

I absolutely loved hanging out with them both. Brooke is so beautiful and just melted my heart! Thank you Heather for letting me come spend such a long and amazing vacation with you and your family!

I loved it and I love you!