Vernal Empty Nest: CHRISTMAS IN THE SOUTH 2015

CHRISTMAS 2015

Brad, Scott and I came into Lindon for Christmas Eve and had a wonderful time with family, eating and watching the kids open gifts.

The weather wasn't supposed to be good so we decided to take the safe route and head to the airport late Christmas Eve for our flight early Christmas. It was snowing lightly when we left and Lindon had about 8 inches on Christmas so maybe it was good we went. We had a hard time sleeping in the airport, caught an hour here and there. Our flight was delayed about an hour while we waited for de-icing. Flew to Vegas, met up with Brock and headed to Durham. We were just about there, maybe 30 minutes out, and turned around and headed towards Louisville. One of the pilots was ill and they had to make an unscheduled landing there to pick up another pilot. After about an hour and a half we were on our way. Got to Durham, picked up a minivan and finally got to Bryce's about 3 hours late in 75 degree weather!. So glad they kept Addy up to greet us. She acted like she had seen us just a few days before. No warm up time needed. Bryce had fixed us jambalaya and we were grateful.

They waited to have Christmas on Saturday so we got to watch her open gifts. It was so much fun. Cici's for lunch, roast for dinner, and then all headed off to Star Wars while I stayed with Addy. Sunday was church and then left for Charleston. Guess there were a lot of other travelers because a trip that was supposed to take about 4 hours took about 5-1/2 because of stop and go traffic on I-95. Ate at Fatz Café and then made it to Homewood Suites in North Charleston. Two rooms, two bathrooms, kitchenette, family room. It was very nice with a great breakfast and some light dinners.

On Monday the weather wasn't supposed to be very good so we headed to Charles Town Landing, a state park that had a reproduction ship, some reproduction dwellings, an animal forest and some beautiful blooming bushes.

After a nap, headed to Charleston. Ate at Hominy Grits with boiled peanuts and real southern food. It was very good. Then went to the Waterfront Park, wandered around a very crowded little touristy city and tried to find just some regular ice cream. We gave up and headed to Cold Stone.

The next day we went to Fort Sumter by ferry, the ranger was very entertaining on the slow boat. Not much on the island but loved how it has been preserved. A good history lesson. Back to the rooms, lunch from Big Billy's Burger Joint and dinner at the hotel pasta buffet. Canasta where Brock and Bryce (?) won.

Wednesday we got up and headed back to Durham, had no traffic but a torrential downpour. We were on a mission, had to make it back, it was the Duke basketball game that afternoon. The boys and I went and stood in the rain and had great seats behind the corner of the basket just near the Duke bench. Stood up the whole time in the student section but it was great fun.

Thursday was a quiet day, lunch at Dames chicken and waffles (yummy), watching football, brown butter and mizithra cheese pasta, and all the boys playing Zelda monopoly to ring in the new year. All this time included play-doh, doll house playing, reading books. We had bouts of flu throughout the week, Bryce on Saturday, Brad on Monday and Scott on Wednesday. All were troopers and it didn't stop us from doing anything that we had planned.

On Friday Bryce and Alicia went to eat at Cheesecake Factory, we got in our last time with Addy and picked up some Cook Out bbq, said our good-byes and headed to the airport. Brock rented a car to head to Jacksonville to see a friend and then on to Dallas the next week. We boarded our plane for Chicago/Salt Lake, very uneventful and a very quick flight. Opened the doors at the baggage claim in Salt Lake and were greeted with the bitter cold we had not missed. Next time we visit in March there will be another little one awaiting us!

Thanks to Brad for a lot of these pictures...