Home from the Holidays

I just got back from a very extended stay in Utah. It was a great holiday, the whole family was in town and I got to spend a lot of quality time with them in the form of delicious dining, long group discussions, and, in one case, disaster recovery efforts (tearing out my sister's laundry room after a flooding/water damage/mold crisis. Good times. I love spending time with my family. They are my closest friends and are always ready and willing to share a laugh, a cry, or, on occasion, some unsolicited advice. :) I feel so lucky for this, especially when I consider how many people I know that come from "broken homes", where parents and siblings are constantly fighting, or long held grudges have driven them apart completely. This last week, and last few months, I have seen the power of a family united and standing in solidarity. It's a beautiful thing to behold and I feel so lucky to be a part of one.

With family dominating my time while in town, I had very little time to spend with friends. However, I was able to slip away for a couple rendezvous with the some of my UT friends. The highlight of which actually occurred en route to UT when my friend Zina flew out to Denver in order to road trip with me across the Rockies. Whether we were discussing the merits of Irish Wolfhounds, scrambling over rocks in Goblin Valley or shivering through the night in sub-freezing temperatures, a good time was had by all (or rather, both). Here are some pictures from our hike in Little Wild Horse Canyon and the surrounding area: