JoAnne and Gary Turek: Christmas 2015 - (Part V Wednesday through Christmas)

Wednesday, 23 December: We woke up to near blizzard conditions with heavy snow and wind, but that only lasted about an hour. Later that morning we went shopping at Deseret Books and Target. Peter and his brothers plus their spouses were to sing in a talent show at the family get together Christmas Eve, so they had a rehearsal about midday. All of us joined in on Pentatonix arrangement of That’s Christmas to Me. I really enjoyed that. That evening we went to the other side of town to meet up with Lorin and his kids for pizza at PizzaRev in West Valley City. Pizza was made to order and cost the same no matter what you put on it. It was pretty good. After dinner, we swung by Leatherbees for ice cream.

Morning "blizzard"

Same scene as above about an hour later

Scene around noon

Ice cream at Leatherbees

Thursday, 24 December: Went shopping trying to find colored pencils for Kira, but mainly hung out. I had wanted to go to Hill AFB aviation museum in Ogden. JoAnne would have been able to see the Great Salt Lake on the drive up there. But alas, it was closed Christmas Eve. That evening, Jessi and Peter went to a family Christmas party. Kira, JoAnne and I stayed at PB&J House and watched Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.

Icicles forming on back of PB&J House

Friday, 25 December – Christmas: We woke up to a white Christmas with 5 inches of new snow on the ground. Jessi and Peter headed to Peter’s parents’ house around 7:30a for their traditional Christmas morning activities. We were invited to breakfast and lunch, so we jumped in Kira’s car and followed about an hour later. Paul and Kylee and left an easel that they needed, so we stuck that in the car, plus Jessi’s camera. The drive was somewhat challenging. Salt Lake City has an amazing snow plow program (neighborhood had been plowed by 7am!) Charlotte would have been shut down for a week with this snow and Salt Lake City barely slowed down. But the wind was blowing and streets on west side of town where Peter’s parents lived where drifting as fast as they could plow. Kira did a great job of getting us there. We shared and amazing breakfast and lunch with them. Breakfast was with Peter’s parents (Julie and Rex) and their sons and families. After breakfast we just visited and watched some Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel. For lunch, some aunts and uncles joined us. After lunch, Kira, JoAnne and I headed back to the PB&J house. When we got there, we shoveled the driveway. Utah powder snow is significantly lighter than the snow cement we get in the Carolinas. That afternoon we watch the Christmas movie North Pole. After Jessi and Peter came home we watched Muppet Christmas Carol. That evening we packed the bags for your return trip that would start the next morning.