Holiday Highlights 2008-09

Richardson Family Raconteur is pleased to present a look back at some of our holiday highlights (and one or two low ones as well) of the 2008 - 2009 Christmas/New Years season.

CHRISTMAS!

and spending it with family...

After leaving our decidedly bare and undecked halls in OC, the kids were thrilled that Grandma and Grandpa's house was knee deep in Christmas tradition and decor such as a Christmas tree, exterior colorful lights, wrapped presents, and lots and lots of snow (which was knee deep as well). We never doubted that Santa would take note of our decision to spend Christmas in Utah, and come Christmas morning were not the least bit disappointed.
(lowlight - notice Henry resting on the couch - not feeling great due to being woken up by his excited siblings, he threw up a bit later in the morning and after that he was as good as new and had a wonderful Christmas Day!)

Getting to spend time with fun Uncle Spence and Aunt Sarah
was great - competing for their attention became far more than
a spectator sport during our trip here.

Grandma Carol spent A LOT of time in the kitchen which was a highlight for all of us, (but hopefully not a lowlight for her) - she is a food planning/prepping/presenting queen and we ALL benefited from her talents. I took a lot of notes, and came home with some more great ideas of foods to serve that my kids will actually eat

Meals with everyone around the table are always a highlight of mine -
and Grandma actually sitting down with us is even better! (just need to get some food on her plate...)



Wintertime in Utah

awesome icicles

our very cool grandpa

Spending an abundance of time with my sweet Pete is always a highlight for me

Utah: The Greatest Snow on Earth

From the sand and surf to the ice and snow - the Richardson kids are adept at getting the most out of each season and locational landscape

the boys love sledding with daddy

everyone piles on and Jed rides sled dog style

Jack shreds on the back hill

Uncle Spence inspires everyone to work on a snow sculpture
garden in the back yard

having fun is hard work!

the perfect snow fort

retro snowball thrower and vintage Hulk Hogan wool cap

It was more than one night that the kids were out in the snow well past dark

Food & Friends

lunch at the food court = pizza slice as a big as your head


Harriet enjoys a hot chocolate and a good book at the Barnes & Noble cafe as we
accompany Spence and Sarah on their weekly magazine reading session


Pete's happy with reduced fat wheat thins w/dip and a good game
on the big screen

while I enjoy meeting many of my "old" (read: New York)
friends for lunch at the Rio Grande Cafe in Salt Lake City
l-r: Christy S., Laura D., Jolet, Kim D., Me, Carmen
(and if you look closely in that painted portrait behind us, it is Valerie Atkisson! click to enlarge photo to see her better)

We enjoy a delightful lunch, complete with Candy Cane Joe-Joe's imported from OC for dessert. We stay way past lunch closing time, easily the only patrons left. The open sign was off and the door locks firmly behind us as we leave.

After driving Jolet home I get a tour of her adorable home, a true arts and crafts bungalow.
I leave deeply covetous.



Outings

We never do make it to see the traditional lights at Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake, but on New Year's Eve we make up for it by going to ZOO LIGHTS at the Hogle Zoo

in our quest to pay homage to our cousins down under whenever possible we take a picture of this light Koala in a tree - then we realize it climbs up the tree to a pot of honey. We still think it looks more like a Koala than a honey bear and take a photo with it. Hi Halls!
(note: there are no Koalas at Hogle Zoo)

my favorite zoo lights



SOUTHERN UTAH/ZION'S NATIONAL PARK

On our way back home to CA, we stop for a few days in St. George. Carol-Diane comes with us and continues to show us a good time! On Friday we take a day trip to visit Zion's Park in the snow.

During the summer months, due to high visitor volume, Zions Nat'l Park is only accessible by parking outside the park and taking a shuttle in. But yeah! for us during the non-tourist winter months private cars are allowed full access to the park. Here's our van parked at the lodge for our first adventurous hike.

The trail is covered with snow and a bit slippery

but the scenery is truly gorgeous

in the portions where it is not in the sunlight, the trail becomes truly treacherous,
with a cover layer of slick ice

the trail ends at the lower falls of the emerald pools - upper falls pathway is closed due to ice and snow

Richardson Family

our next trek takes us up the scenic loop and through the 1 - 1/2 mile tunnel carved straight through the solid rock - this is one of several windows in the tunnel viewed from the climbing switchback road below

after passing through we park at the far side of the tunnel and set off to hike the majestic overlook trail

this trail is a bit more heartpounding for a parent - a lot of drop offs

several beautiful twists and turns and photo ops in the trail later...

we make it to the lookout point -
behind us you can see the switchback road we took up out of the valley - the
solid rock tunnel is to the left
(click to enlarge for details)

heading back down the switchback and out of Zions - all hiked out but still
enjoying the beautiful Southern Utah scenery


Okay, at this point I decide to take everyone on a quick side trip as we head back to St. George. Just off the road about 10 miles outside of Zion's park is the little ghost town of Grafton, Utah. It looks like an old wild west movie set, and was, in fact, where much of the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was filmed. After following the signs off the main road we are feeling pretty good, until we come to the portion of the road where the pavement ends and the dirt begins. But, in this season, due to much melting snow, it is not dirt, but rather a thick, sticky red mud. We soon realize it is too much for the van, and decide to turn around. Well, making a three point turn in deeply-rutted sticky red mud is not advisable in your Honda Odyssey.

After spinning the wheels and realizing we were stuck but good, Pete went and borrowed a shovel from a nearby home, one of the few. The sole occupant who lent it to us was most skeptical that we could dig ourselves out of this mud.





















At about this time a truck pulled up from the direction of Grafton, a four wheel drive with California plates. The guy jumped out and helped maneuver and push the van, until finally, miraculously, it found traction and Carol D. sped it off up the hill:

Thanks again nice couple from Ventura!

Pete returned the shovel then hiked up the hill and met up with us waiting in the van. We may not have made it to Grafton, but with our "empty gas tank" warning light on, it being quite late in the day, and us really being quite removed from the main road, this whole episode could have turned out much worse.

The Tuesday after we return home to So Cal, we join up with our family for a wonderful breakfast at Las Brisas in Laguna Beach. The wonderful company, the delicious food, and the amazing view of the ocean made this morning a definite highlight. However, after our positively delightful breakfast, we come out to find a parking ticket on the Corolla - for being a bit too far over the line of the parking space! A warning, maybe I could understand, but, a $75 ticket! COME ON City of Laguna Beach!
A definite lowlight.

Here's us wishing you all a happy, healthy 2009 full of