Thanksgiving in St. George Utah brought the entire Dalton family together. We had not shared a Thanksgiving for over 10 years so we had much to be thankful for!
We are especially grateful for the addition to our family of little William Davis Dalton.
We rented this lovely home just outside St. George where we could eat our turkey, play games and watch football on the big screen TV. A perfect Thanksgiving!
Of course with blue skies, sunshine and 68 degrees, we spent much of the vacation outdoors!
On Monday our first full day in St. George we all took a drive to Snow Canyon. A beautiful desert canyon with petrified sand dunes, interesting rock formations and amazing canyon views. Brad packed Will along for the hike.
The guys enjoyed squeezing their big bodies into every nook and crevasse along the way....
or perching atop a lonesome peak!
The petrified sand dunes were both interesting and beautiful.
On our way out of Snow Canyon we stopped for a quick hike up Jenny's Slot Canyon. To make it more interesting than it needed to be the Dalton boys, always playing, brought a tennis ball to toss off the walls. Their game lasted until the ball tossed high never returned.
On Tuesday we took out the clubs and headed to a golf course in a nearby neighborhood. St. George is known for it's many courses and is a popular destination for those seeking warm weather in winter months. Coming from Maine we sure enjoyed time in our T-shirts and shorts!
Logan driving over the canyon
On Wednesday morning we made an attempt to go to the St. George temple but unfortunately it was closing early for Thanksgiving so we settled for a delicious family breakfast at the Waffle House on Main St. and a visit to the temple grounds and visitors center.
The St. George Temple was the first LDS temple completed after the Saints settled in Utah.
Later that afternoon Emily arrived from Provo and very very late after we got back home from the movies (Hunger Games) Jon and Melissa arrived. The family was complete!
First meeting with Baby Will- Jon & Mellisa
Thanksgiving Day! Before we get down to eating there must be a Turkey Bowl game! Will is ready to play...
Will decided to go for a ride in his stroller...
while the rest of the family had a great game of football!
Back to the house for the Turkey Dinner
Will and his Great-Grandmother
Our evenings were spent either playing games, watching movies or playing at Tanja's Grandmother's swimming pool where we had some vicious pool volleyball games (no not from the hot tub).
Friday we headed to Zion's National Park- unfortunately Tanja, Will and Emily stayed back. Before we arrived we had decided to hike Angel's Landing a very steep trail with thousand foot drops on either side as you approach the summit.
ZION NATIONAL PARK
And now.... the hike up Angels' Landing
Just starting out
Moment of decision-do we pass the point of no return?
and here we go...
Hang on you're almost there!
We Made It!
These guys took the long way up!
On TOP!!
We were so happy to be sitting down on solid ground!
Zion's Is Amazing
Our view while eating a well deserved pizza after the hike!
*All the really great photos were taken by Jon Dalton with the awesome camera!
Saturday it was back to the golf course for some and tennis court for others.
and then of course there was the game of putt-putt in the back yard
Hard to believe our week together is over but before we leave there's time for a family picture in the empty lot behind the homes.
SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE SQUARE AT CHRISTMAS
We packed up the car and headed north back to the cold and snow. After dropping Andrew and his roommate Tommy off at BYU. we met up with Brad, Tanja and Will on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. The perfect finale to our wonderful week together...
For those of you who made it to the end of this very long post... I want you to know how grateful I am for my family. I have been blessed beyond measure to share life with all of these wonderful people, so indeed at this special time of year I have much to be thankful for! I am hopeful and happy to believe that we will spend eternity together! The quote below sums it all up for me!
“Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.”
― Gordon B. Hinckley
