Smith's Montana Messages: January 2014

Monday, January 6, 2014

Cold Sunrise and Snow Fence

Beautiful, cold -12 Sunrise Saturday morning, Jan. 4th, 2014

Our snow fence is doing pretty good holding back most of the snow.

Except when the wind blow 35+ miles an hour all night! quite the drift, huh? Gotta love Montana winters.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

There is a community New Year's Eve party at the fairgrounds each New Years. Our Elder's Quorum President has a country band and they play there. The opening act also had two members of the ward - Halley Allen, far left and her sister-in-law Kenzie Allen, next to her. The violin and keyboard were two sisters - Thompsons - they sounded really good!

Here we are on the last night of the year 2013 - looking forward to another year!

Kyle Shobe and the Walk 'Em boys - fantanstic fun! Lots of little kids there - notice on the bench in front of the band - they kids ran around and danced and had a ball all night - well - the hour and half that we were there!

We danced a couple of songs - and were really impressed with the boot scooten boogie that so many of the people were doing - really some fancy two-stepping! I bought a CD of the group and one of the songs on it is Strawberry Roan - one of the song Gramps used to sing to me and my siblings often - love it!

Stan and Julie's Tree

We stopped in Bozeman on our way home and took this picture of Stan and Julie and their pretty Christmas Tree. Stan said they had admired this tree near one of their favorite hiking trails, for years. They also cut it last year but decided it needed another year to grow. Stan said if felt like 'premeditated murder' when they cut it this year! It was a perfect shape and they were glad no one else cut it before they did.

Stan had Dad's deer head and antlers mounted for him - plus the littler one they found on their hunt.

Fairbanks Tree

On Friday, Dec. 27th, we took Sam to the Salt Lake City Airport and then made a quick stop at the Fairbanks house. Here are the darling girls in front of their pretty Christmas tree.

They get their tree from the forests near their Cabin in the mountains of Utah.

The Grand Tetons on the way past them - they are in Wyoming and the road is in Idaho but so close and they were so impressive I wanted to take a picture.

More Sledding Fun

Isaac and Keenyn zooming down the icy hill - smiling to beat the band!

Baden in his best luge pose.

Lindsey and Olivia and Sadie going to fast that I couldn't get a good picture!

Had them pose for this after they stopped! Happy Smiles!!

Olivia wanted to go by herself and really zinged down the hill.

Dec. 26th - Stan's Birthday, Boxing Day in England

Visiting Payson and Uncle Craig - he has three new pigeons in the cages.

All the men getting ready to go shooting - they met Ben and his brother-in-law Mike in Hobble Creek canyon and had more than 20 guns between them - the mountainside lost the battle.

Women and children getting ready to so sledding - on the hill by Timpview High School.

Fun in the Snow!

Talus was the first to try the icy snow - he loved it!

More Christmas Day

The Fairbanks family came to Provo to help us celebrate the holiday - cute grand daughters!

Newest members of the family - Briella Kroeber, one, Georgia Fairbanks, 4 months old!

Mario race track was a fun addition to the playroom.

Manager and Briella

Briella loved playing with the Manger and Baby Jesus doll - here she is showing me the straw.

Cute baby Briella.

Christmas Day

Santa came!!

Opening stockings was the first order of business!

Briella liked to climb on the boxes.

So many good things to unwrap!

Heather's favorite gift was the parts for the washing machine! they came at 8:30 PM Christmas Eve - Chris fixed the washer Christmas Day and Heather was thrilled. Thanks Polly for letting the Kroeber's use your laundry as a laundromat for a couple of weeks.

More Christmas Eve

On the computer with the Santa Tracker - notice it is just about to Greensboro, North Carolina - The Hardy's live in Summerfield, just outside of Greensboro and the Kroeber boys wanted to call their cousins and tell them Santa was arriving there - but with the time difference we decided they would be in bed sleeping and Santa wouldn't come if they were awake so we didn't call!

Sam with his Christmas Stocking - he brought it all the way from Alaska and Santa filled it in Provo, Utah!

Christmas Eve

The Kreober's Christmas eve program featured scripture reading and singing of Christmas Carols.

Emilee brought the boys down since Ben was working - it was fun to include them in the fun.

Grandma and Grandpa Kroeber also arrived and stayed for the opening of the new pajama's tradition.

Tal and Baden in their new PJ's playing the old etch a sketch!!

Christmas Fun

Finishing the cookie decorating project.

Eli and Isaac were really good helpers.

Keenyn worked so hard to make his cookies pretty!

My Aunt Afton - Pikes live in her basement apartment and it is nice to visit her when we visit Pikes.

Dad, Sam and I went to La Casita in Springville for dinner - Louis saw us come in the door and shouted: Sammy - look how big you are!! Here is Louis and Katie his wife - fun to eat yummy food and have a short visit with good friends - Stan - your picture is still on the walls of the restaurant!