Christmas in Zion

Red rocks and snow: Zion National Park in December

This last weekend, Rob and I drove five hours to the other end of the state to celebrate Christmas with his parents, his brothers and sisters, their husbands, wives, and partners, and all the neices and nephews - in all we were 29 people. As the family is too large to stay at someone's home, Rob's mom and dad found a guest ranch a few miles outside Zion National Park to be our gathering spot. As they say, two's company, three's a crowd, and well . . . we had fun anyway. 24 straight hours of non-stop, chaotic fun.

Each of the brothers and sisters and their families were responsible for one meal. We shared the duties of Sunday morning breakfast with Rob's siter Sarah and her husband, Chris. As we were making gingerbread waffles with mulled maple syrup and turkey sausages with fennel, apples, and onions for 30, it dawned on me how rare and amazing it was to see a whole family - three generations total - perfectly intact. Aside from the minor quibbles that are inevitable in such a large gathering, everyone gets along and no one is estranged. The love the Rhoades clan feels is limitless, joyful, and sometimes a little suffocating. Nonetheless, it's astonishing to see a family so large, so happy, and so productive (my family's just the same way - except we're a much more manageable crowd of six).

The entire Rhoades Family (I'm on the back row, far left)

Rob's mother Kathy is big into investments, and is encouraging her children to invest. She gave each of her children and their significant others a goose, a golden egg, and 25,000 Iraqi Dinars - worth about $20. Kathy told us the dinars may go up, they may go down, they may disappear - her hope is that the crisp Iraqi currency will be a reminder of our need to build a nest egg and who knows? If the dinars increase in value, we'll all be in decent shape. I have my reservations about hoarding Iraqi currency - all that blood and treasure! - but the thought was beautiful.

It's always quite an experience to spend time with the Rhoades clan. As devout Mormons with deep roots in Utah, their spiritual and cultural vernacular is entirely different than mine, and sometimes the dissonance can be frustrating or even painful. But their love and commitment to each other is an inspiration for me.

Anyway, here are some photos from my experience this weekend. I hope you enjoy, and may your Christmas and New Year be full of joy and abundance.

Some of our nieces and nephews! From left: Melanie, Katelyn, Laura, Andrew, and Joseph. In the background, Sarah hold's the family's newest addition, Alexis.

Rob's sister Tiffany (back row, far right) and her beautiful family, the Earls.


It snowed on Saturday night, and the sunrise on Sunday was spectacular. Everyone was sleeping as I was making breakfast and enjoying a few quiet moments. I saw the sunrise, stopped what I was doing, and stepped outside the ranch house to take this photo.

A very friendly puppy loved to play with anyone who stepped outside. I wanted more than anything to take him home with me.

The sun rose above the storm, blowing away to the south and east.


Zion National Park was unbelievably beautiful that day. Beautiful and still.


The cliffs of Zion were shrouded in clouds.


Rob and I had great company: his brother Shawn, in the hat, and Shawn's partner, also named Shawn.


Robert and I, looking tired!

Three looming massifs comprise the Court of the Patriarchs.


The Great White Throne, the symbol of Zion National Park, flocked in snow.