Smithfield Scoop

 Hi All! We are here to report our goings on for January - which were quite delightful overall. We started out the new year with breakfast with the Hydes on New Year's Day at Angies - "Where the locals eat." It was yummy food and then we watched "What's up Doc?" later in the evening. Fun way to bring in the new year! The next day was Emma and Cam's anniversary and we enjoyed watching Stetson while they went on a short, little date.

We were grateful to see several of our families during the month. Elise, Jack and Peter came to welcome Cam and Emma back to Utah and see their new house. They brought games to play, visited, hung out with Stetson and played ping pong. It was a fun time!

Mannings were here for almost a week, which was very fun! Dad made a sledding hill in the backyard that the boys enjoyed. We took the boys to Hardware Ranch, which was very fun. We saw the Ashcrofts there with their daughter, Marci and her family.  Taking the boys was an attempt to allow Lauren to nap with Jane. That mission was only partially accomplished, but at least she got a few moments of quiet time. For most of their visit, the boys played and we bonded a bit more with Jane. Lauren played some amazing pieces on the piano and we chatted. Chet was the foreman and Lauren the unpaid laborer to dig out a snow cave in our front yard. So funny! What a great snow cave! Good job, Lauren! Nick cut his finger at work and had to go to InstaCare. They thought it might need stitches, but in the end, they just taped it up and sent him home, where there was no one to sympathize or take care of him. Sad indeed.

Lory Bradshaw passed away while Mannings were here, but we didn't know that until after they had gone home. Her funeral was a sweet meeting. We felt sad that there were no family members there. One of her sisters and a brother who live in Wisconsin, and her son in California, saw the funeral on Zoom, which was nice that they could participate in that way. Emma and I sang with Laurie Thomas, Celia Ashcroft and Zell Allred and Dad said the closing prayer. We were honored to participate. Mary Bennett was in charge of all of the arrangements, bless her heart! It was a lovely funeral and quite fitting for such a lovely lady.

We are looking forward to having the Flakes (minus Scott, who will be at a work conference) come tomorrow! Nilssons will travel down to play with cousins this week, as well, which will add to the delight! We love the company and hope to get all the Bellistons to come as soon as possible!

Thanks for supporting each other, celebrating with each other, and for the parenting advice and encouragement! It's very good to see. You are all the best!