Christmas 2015 (Part I - Friday and Saturday)

This year, our family Christmas took place in Salt Lake City, Utah. For JoAnne and me, it started months in advance working with Jessica and Kira in Salt Lake, and Matt and Vanessa in Mississippi planning the details. But for this entry I will only talk about the trip itself.

After work on Thursday, 17 December, we deposited the dogs at the kennel. Lisa, Kira’s friend from high school, was going to come over to the house periodically while we were gone to check on the cats so all we had to do there was put out some food and water. After a brief stop at Wal-Mart, we were on our way to Athens, Georgia for an overnight stop at Bambudder and PawPaw’s house.

On Friday morning, we left Athens before 7:30a heading toward Atlanta. After a brief stop for gas at Jefferson, we arrived at the MARTA station in Doraville around 9:00a. Traffic going into town really wasn’t bad. We parked the car in the long term parking deck, then caught the train to the airport. After a 40 minute ride, we checked in for our flight just inside the terminal near the MARTA station and proceeded to our gate.  We were over an hour early for the flight but better safe than sorry.

JoAnne on MARTA with bags

Our plane at ATL

We boarded Southwest flight 1604 and managed to get the exit row seats where there are only two seats in the row. We landed in New Orleans at about 12:25p. Matt and Vanessa knew we were going to be there, but the boys did not. They had their own adventure getting through security, but we hooked up with them at about 1:22p. Joshua gave us the “Grrr, you tricked me” look while Nathan just grinned with a “Nani and PopPop! Of course! Where else would you be?” look.  We spent the time visiting. Nathan kept telling me which planes he wanted to go on (usually a two engine turboprop commuter plane.) When I told which plane we were going on, he would say, “Don’t want to! I want other plane.” We boarded on time (SW Flight 2493) and were soon on our way to Las Vegas. We took an entire row on the plane on both sides of the aisle. Because they had car seats, the boys got the windows. I sat most of the time on the on the aisle and spent most of the trip visiting with Vanessa. JoAnne entertained Nathan, while Joshua was next to his dad. 

Joshua, Nathan, and Nanni read at New Orleans Airport

Joshua and Nani

Nathan entertains himself on the plane

At Vegas, we picked up our bags, took the shuttle to the car rental center and had our van from Budget by 5:17p. The hotel was near the north edge of McCarren airport, but we went down the strip from the south end to Flamingo to see the lights.  We stayed at the Bluegreen Resort. Matt had reserved adjoining rooms that were really nice. We had Subway for supper and the boys were asleep by 7:00p.

Saturday, 18 December, we were up and on our way before 7:30a. We met Grandpa Ed at the IHOP on Tropicana for breakfast. We visited with him for about an hour, then on the road. I routed us past Nellis AFB so Joshua could see the Thunderbird display as we went past. It was kind of hard to see from the road. From there we hit I-15 heading north. We started to see snow on the ground around Black Ridge between St. George and Cedar City. We stopped in Cedar City for lunch (Café Rio) and gas. Nathan got his first look at snow and discovered it was cold! After a very brief snowball fight (no glubs on hands!)  we headed on down the road. I would point out things like the temples we passed as we got into the Provo and Salt Lake area. JoAnne started to read the Best Christmas Pageant to everyone, but we didn’t get through it. Joshua watched a movie on the iPad. We got to Jessi and Peter’s house (PB&J house) around 4:45p.  Then the real snowball fight began.

Breakfast at IHOP with Grandpa Ed

Joshua at Cafe Rio

Stomping snow is not as cold as snowball fight

Nani reads from her phone

Hard to believe it is in the 70's back in Rock Hill

We had six tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert, so Kira, Peter, Jessica, Matt, Vanessa and I left JoAnne with the boys and headed to TRAX station near Fashion Place Mall. Walking across the end of Temple Square, we got to the Conference Center around 7:00p. We had to go through an airport style security check to get in, and got a little lost trying to find our seats. We were all on the Terrace level (fancy name for first balcony) which were pretty good seats. Jessi and Peter ended up on the far left side of the auditorium, but were closer to the stage than the rest of us were. Since we were in three different locations, we agreed to meet at the reflecting pool on the end near the temple after the concert.

The concert was amazing. They look really good on TV, but being there in person is the best. Their guests were Laura Osnes (Tony Award nomination 2012 and 2013), British actor Martin Jarvis, and four soloists from the Metropolitan Opera. The big “production” number was the story of Handel’s Messiah, and the things Handel went through in regards to this masterpiece. I (Gary) even enjoyed the numbers from the Opera singers. (I am not usually a fan of the Opera style of singing.) Can’t wait for the DVD to be released next year. Hallelujah Chorus with the MoTab and the Orchestra was amazing.  They always end with Angels From the Realms of Glory that really rattles the walls. We all met after the concert as planned, headed to the TRAX station then home by about 11:00p. The first picture below is mine, the others are from lds.org. 

(For more pictures and information about the concert, go to
 http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/christmas-and-the-musical-works-of-george-frideric-handel?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LDSNewsRoomTop15+%28RSS%3A+LDS+Newsroom%29 )

View from Kira and Dad's seat

2015 Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Thursday, December 17, 2015. (Photo: © 2015 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved)

Broadway actress and singer, Laura Osnes performs at the 2015 Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Thursday, December 17, 2015. (Photo: © 2015 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved)

Broadway actress and singer, Laura Osnes performs at the 2015 Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Thursday, December 17, 2015. (Photo: © 2015 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved)

At the Conference Center