GeorgeGiving 2009

Last Thanksgiving (don't you love my catch-up posts?) my family headed to St. George to celebrate. As in past years, we headed down a week early to accommodate various work schedules (okay fine, mine) and to make it easier for everyone to celebrate with their in-laws later. Most of us stayed in our condo in St. George and had a great time! Here's a sampling of some of the photos... One of the days we headed out to Snow Canyon to take some family photos. Of course being Johnsons, we left too late and were losing light FAST. And me being me, i forgot my tripod - that was also a pain. Doh! This is a silhouette picture i took of everyone, next time we'll have people take off their coats.

Here's Emily's cute family. Keep in mind i actually uploaded these pictures well over a month ago, possibly two months ago. So if some pictures are missing, it's not because i don't like you, just because, well, i don't actually remember. But i think i did Alysia's family in an older post. Why aren't any of my family here? Because i looked goofy (well, goofier than usual) - and since it's my blog, i don't have to show them to you. Neener neener!


Here's Caden - Emily wanted him to do something cute. i can't remember if he ever did it or not, but he's still cute.


Alright, here's my concession, a family picture with me in it (like you care). Now look at everyone in the picture, can you tell why i don't like it? Who looks the fattest in the picture? Yeah, me. What's up with that?

Dacia and Joe and super cutie-pie Ellie!

My dad, Karen and Rachel. I love Rachel's little "i'll humor you only so long" smile.

While we were down there everyone (except for me, i was on kid-duty) registered for a race. I think it must have been a 5k. The kids also ran in a MUCH shorter race (like around the block or something). Here's Aaron - i'm not sure if he's actually running, but he's cute!

Here's Anya, now SHE's running! And she's super cute too!

Look at all these cute kids! Ellie's just as cute today as she was then!

Now THAT's running! Look at him go!

The start. Look at that enthusiasm! i find the high percentage of tongues sticking out to be amusing. Maybe i'll have to try that to go faster too...

When all the adults wanted to play games this is who we let watch the kids. What would we do without TV and DVDs?

Here's a sampling of some of the SUPER yummy foods that were prepared. Besides being able to be with my family and play games and stuff, the food my family makes is my favorite part of Thanksgiving.




Aaron obviously enjoys the food too!

Not so environmentally responsible, but VERY easy clean-up.

One of my sisters, i think it was Dacia, thought the kids would have fun making these yummy pretzels. And boy did they! I think the most oft-repeated phrase to the kids was to wash their hands after every time they'd put their fingers in or near their mouths to eat some of the M&Ms. But they really had a lot of fun, and they tasted really good too (the pretzels, not the kids)!


One afternoon a few of use decided to take some of the kids out hiking in Zion National Park. A hike i fondly remember doing with my grandfather was out to the Emerald Pools, so that's where we headed with the kids. And wouldn't you know, they ALL made it! And i think they had a good time too!

This is all the kids (except Ellie) at the Upper Emerald Pool.


Anya and Jaxon found some cool little tunnels and rock formations on the way up.


Oopsie, this picture is supposed to be first. This is all the kids (including Ellie) at the start of the hike. You might even be able to see Dacia back there too.

A rousing game of Scotland Yard!

And here's another craft/treat the kids made with Emily - turkey cookies. i think maybe they used their hands as the turkey outlines. The kids loved it.


As always, the trip was a blast and i know i had a lot of fun and think everyone else did too. Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. Family, fun, games, hiking, and great food - what more could you ask for? Until next year! (For the next Thanksgiving post, not my next blog post, although you never know...)

St. George - Fall 2009

Yes, i'm still the same person who only blogs every four months. Sorry to be introducing such confusion. Anyway, last fall i took a quick trip down to St. George and Zion to get some nice fall pictures. Thought i'd finally share some of them...
Camping is nice and all but why have a condo if you're not going to use it. Staying in the condo i was also close to Snow Canyon State Park. I'd heard about some lava tubes in the park so i set out to find some of them, and this is what i found. This is the opening of the cave.

Here's the view out of the cave. It didn't go back very far.

This is why you take your trusty ultrapod! Although i must admit it looks much easier than it is. Set up the camera, run over to where you think it's aimed while trying not to trip or look winded, smile, go back and see if you made it in time, were standing in the right place, were not standing too close or too far, and were not making a stupid face (obviously i have to skip that last one). And then i always have to repeat all those steps at least a few times.

There are supposed to be a few lava tubes, i think i've found them on Google Earth, hopefully next time i can try and explore those as well. I've also heard there are supposed to be bats in some of them, but i didn't see any.

Here i am starting up the Narrows from Temple of Sinawava in Zion National Park. This time there were lots of people to help to take a picture (although i naturally had my REAL tripod this time). The water gets quite chilly in the fall and since you're walking in it almost non-stop and there's very little sun at the bottom of the narrow canyon i rented some dry pants. The dry pants actually do a very good job keeping you dry but only from the waist down, so it's important to keep your balance (usually with a hiking staff) so you don't trip and fall in. Oh, and you also wear fleece long johns underneath, because the pants keep you dry, but it's still freezing cold. But it was a blast! I highly recommend it.

The waterfall to the right is actually where Mystery Canyon hooks up with the Narrows. Later, over Thanksgiving, Jared and i actually rapelled down that waterfall from Mystery Canyon back into the Narrows to finish up our hike - but more on that later (hopefully).

This is about as far as i made it, just past the confluence of Orderville Canyon. It wasn't dark yet, but hiking in the water is slow and as it was i ended up getting back to the car in the dark. Oh, and this was a fun run too! Fortunately it was a wide angle lens so i could stand just about anywhere and be in the picture.


The last (and only) time i hiked the complete Narrows was as a Boy Scout. i've hiked up a little ways before and actually i've hiked down from the confluence with Orderville Canyon, but i'd never taken a nice camera and tripod into the Narrows, so i was excited to try and get some nice pictures. i'll let you be the judge of that though...




Unfortunately these pictures do not do justice to the sheer grandeur of the canyon. The canyon walls dwarf everything in them and the way the light bounces around in the canyon and lights everything up - a picture just can't do it justice. (Sorry, you'll just have to go yourself to epxerience the full beauty).


Shoot, i don't remember which peak this is, but i'm pretty sure it's in the Court of the Patriarchs. I know the next two pictures look the same, but they're not. Although they're probably similiar enough that i only needed to include one, but you know how i am.


This is the Towers of the Virgin. You can get this view at sunrise behind the Park Headquarters and museum. i think i actually camped in the park to get here by sunrise - much easier than the long drive from St. George!

And this is the Watchman. it guards the park's west entrance. This view is at sunset from the bridge just before the Canyon Junction. It's a pretty popular place at sunset, especially in the Fall. That's the Virgin River down below. And yes, i know, these next two pictures look the same too, but they're not. But it's been so long since i uploaded these pictures i don't remember why i chose so many similar photos.


I hope you enjoyed my trip report and the pictures. i absolutely love coming here and can't wait to go back. Let me know if you want to come with!