Smithfield Scoop

 What a wonderful week! Mannings came, left and came again! The absolute greatest cousins Christmas Concert (show) ever!! And being together at the quintessential Super Host home. Oh my! It really can't get any better than that - except to have had Flakes and the Houston Bellistons here, as well....

Just want to say THANK YOU!!! to the amazing author/composer, director, actors, stage manager, and ultra-amazing moms who made it all happen! Bless you all!! Grandpa hopes to get the video edited and produced before long so that those who missed it can appreciate it, too.

Some favorite photos of the week...

Captured on a FaceTime call - sorry about my face in the photo!

Can you believe this guy's flexibility??!!

Such a happy face! Brightens any day!

Such a variety of faces this girl has! 

We LOVE getting Jenn's photos of the day!

And, THE Play!!.....

What an awesome cast! And notice the terrific stage manager peeking in from behind!!

Hart Happenings

I love the beginning of a new year!  It comes with a special energy and perspective, very hopeful and anticipatory.  Good stuff.  The Harts have some exciting things in the works and are looking forward to what 2021 holds.  Hopefully lots of opportunities to be in close proximity to you great folks.

This week was a good one.  Peter has started piano lessons and is loving it.  Jack decided after Peter's first piano lesson that maybe he wanted to jump on that bandwagon too so he will be starting lessons this coming week.  We all started some new Goalit goals and my handstands are coming along (I no longer get dizzy when I stand back up), although my harmonica still sounds ghastly.  The boys have noticed some benefits from going without sugar for a couple of weeks now, and Alex is feeling all kinds of motivated about his 15 or so behaviors he is practicing.

We've been working on our front room/playroom situation and haven't had any luck finding a couch in Idaho Falls so Alex and I decided to head to Salt Lake to look.  Dad came up to hang out with the boys (such a trooper!) and I know the boys, at least, had a smashing time.  They can't wait for the next go around.  Alex and I were successful and the new couch is now resting beautifully in the front room, thanks to a collaboration with Alex's sister Staci and her husband, and a pick-up truck.  Driving that truck home brought back some great memories of the orange Chevy.  That was a good truck.  Can I get an amen?!  

We loved the pictures of our family that were taken at Emma's wedding.  Thanks for pushing for that, Mom.  We are so glad to have them.  

Peter started indoor soccer and has had a couple of games, one they won, and the other they lost.  Dad took him to his game yesterday and had to battle black ice on the roads there.  Scary!  Afterwards, they went to the local cheese store and feasted on cheese samples and scoops of delicious gelato.

The boys and the cousins are gearing up to have another go at their Cracked Wheat for Christmas show.  Stand by for news......

Hope all is well with you!  It was so lovely to see everyone at the wedding.  I have so many delightful memories of those few days with you.  Let's do it again.  Just the being together part, not the wedding part, but maybe the Sister's number part???  

So long, for now.

Games with Scott.  The best!

I don't even know what was going on here.

Getting Emma to the temple in her dress.  Happy girl!

Alex getting his baby fix.  Thanks for sharing Jenn!

It was so fun having the Flakes over.

A pile of boys! So cozy!

Snow cones with Cam and Em.

Our diorama of a Boreal forest.  We are studying biomes right now.

The new couch.

Smithfield Scoop

 It's been a week of work, cleaning and organizing. Sometimes these kind of weeks are quite glorious! There is still much to do, so the coming week may be more of the same - organizing photos, rearranging closets and rooms and toys and clothes, etc. It is the perfect time for such projects... cold, snowy, slow. 

Dad spent the weekend in Idaho Falls, watching the Banff Film Festival and staying with the boys while Alex and Elise had a little getaway in Salt Lake. It's always a delight to have a change of pace and visit family - any time anywhere!

Emma and Cameron came for a few minutes today and I reminded Em of her time capsule she made in Young Women. She had forgotten about it and hadn't opened it when they were engaged, which was the original intent. So, Cam talked her into opening it and it held some great surprises! There were then-current photos of family and friends (T was just about to leave on his mission), pictures of engagement rings she liked, colors and bridesmaid dresses (for Addy, Grace and Eliza!) for the future reception, favorite quotes, pictures of the kitchen she would love to have - oh, that pantry!, and - best of all - letters! One to Emma from Emma. One to Emma's future spouse from Emma. And several to Emma from family members (Grandpa, Thomas, Emilee Bennett and others). It was fun to see how things have changed... and how they haven't so much.

Well, I have searched in vain for our family predictions for 2020. But, who on earth, or at least in our family, would have thought to predict anything like what happened - pandemic, masks, Covid testing, everyone working from home, temples closed, church at home, shut-downs and shut-ins... It pretty much consumed our lives, so what would have been the use of predicting anything else?!

However, it is a new year and a time to look forward - and predict better things for 2021(hopefully)! Here are a few thoughts from our family for this upcoming year. Feel free to add anything by mentioning it in your posts. I'll try to keep track and post a new list at the end of this year.

Predictions for 2021

7 of us voted for a Baby GIRL Manning and 7 for Baby BOY Manning - a TIE!

Ruth and Thomas - Joe's family will move

Addy - we will have a Cracked Wheat for Christmas performance, and 2 other shows!

Lori and Thomas - Ruth's and Ian's websites will go viral

Addy - Nilsson family will get Covid

Elise - The Nilsson's simple little farm will double in size (will they have to rename it??)

Joe - The Covid restrictions will remain all year

Scott - There will be a big project at the Harts

Thomas - Alex will buy a Tesla

Torie - Jenn and Scott will invest in solar panels

Ruth - There will be a new temple announced in Cache Valley

Elise - Lori will start and finish her book

Garrett - Addy will write a sequel to her book

Mom - Thomas will buy equipment for his new gym

Ruth - Thomas and Victoria will be expecting again

Ian - Emma will be expecting

Thomas - Alex will coach a boy's athletic team

Dad - There will be changes in how temple work for the dead is done

Jenn - There will be a shortage of masks and they will be outlawed (Let's hope so!)

Ruth - Mom and Dad will submit mission papers

Mom - Temples will reopen for work for the dead and we can be ordinance workers again!

Jenn - Rosie will get a haircut

Lori - Goal-it will be a success

Elise - Flakes will move and will find another rental to buy

Alex - The boys will have a fishing trip and will catch some fish!

Grace - The Bellistons will get their street changed to a name instead of a number

Elise - Mannings music will be discovered

Alex and Lori - There will be a significant earthquake in Utah

Ian - There will be 2-3 new apostles sustained

Jenn - Torie's website will be a success

Garrett - A successful vaccine, economy will improve and stocks will increase (Positive thinking!)

Alex - Trump wins

Lauren - President Biden dies, Kamala Harris becomes president (Heaven help us!)

Ian - Grace will have a growth spurt

Lauren - Joe will win a competitive Spartan race

Garrett - Scott joins the family in a Spartan race

Addy and Ian - JJ and James will learn to walk

Mom - Emma will get a desirable medical interpreting job

Ian - I will get my driver license

Scott - Ian will wreck the car

Mom - we will have a delightful time at the family gathering in June

Flake Fun

 It is hard to believe that it has been so long since our last post. We loved our time in Utah and Idaho and were glad to see everyone.  Thanks to all of the cousins for sharing toys and time with Robin and Rand and to everyone for sharing cuddles with James.

Yesterday we went down to the Phoenix Zoo. It was pretty fun.  The baboons were relaxing up against the glass so Rand got up close and personal with them.  There was also a rino lumbering around.  It took the twins less than a minute to fall asleep when we got in the car!! 

We discovered a used housing store (kind of like the REstore) with amazing deals. Ruth would do amazing things if there was one in Idaho Falls! 

Our peas are starting to come on!! I'm guessing that we'll have some fresh peas to eat this week.

Hope that you all have a great week!!

Smithfield Scoop

 Could 2020 have ended any better??!!! Or 2021 started any better??!!!

What a wonderful way to end the year that had everyone feeling a bit anxious and a bit confused - gathering with our very favorite folks and feeling so glad about everything! So beautiful. And to begin a year with such hope and delight - with an absolutely gloriously happy bride and a humble and dear groom. We cannot think of it all without being overcome with gratitude for such blessings!

Thank you all for coming, participating, and being so kind and supportive. We cannot begin to express how grateful we are for all of you and for all of your help! It has been an interesting journey and we couldn't have asked for better travel companions through it all!

Perhaps some of our favorite photos from December and January will say it better than we can....

Trip to Houston - so delightful! T & T are perfect hosts!

Sweet, calm, pleasant Baby James.

"Can I please hold Baby James?"

You have to cut very fast to stay ahead 

of the twins eating it all before it gets into the salad!

Hugs from these two are the best!

These really help Grandpa see better?!

The fellows.

The shoes. The more the better!

The bride. Very lovely. Just hours before the wedding!

THE Happy Day!!

The Sisters!!

The Other Sisters!!

The dance!!

The other dance! Have you ever seen a happier dad?!!

"To infinity and beyond.....!!!"

Hart Happenings

 It has more of a mellow week this week. We finally got back into our routine and it has been lovely. On Tuesday Jack and Ian got called to meet with the bishopric.  Turns out they now both have new callings! Jack is serving as the Deacons Quorum President, and Ian is the new Teachers Quorum President. It's been a really cool experience to see them pray, ponder, and seek revelation for their counselors and other things. We are so proud of them! Ian called Grandpa and asked him for tips, and counsel on how to choose his presidency. He and Grandpa had a lovely talk and Ian got a lot out of it. He felt very much more confident after the conversation.  Thanks, Dad! They are going to be such great leaders in their Quorums. 

We've been reading scriptures in the morning instead of at night which has been awesome! We don't feel as rushed, and we are much more focused and alert than we would be at night. And it also gives the kids a reason to wake up early! Peter has been saying the funniest things lately. One of our favorite things he said lately was, 

"Mom, I can finally do the splits."

"That's great sweetie! How do you do it?"

"You just have to live with the pain." 

I still laugh when I think of that conversation. He is one funny boy!                                                                  Peter also had his first soccer game this week. He was so excited. He is playing with some of his best buds. They call themselves: The Golden State Warriors. They won their game 5-0. He was very proud. Alex's brother came over on Saturday with his Four-Wheeler and tied sleds and tubes on the back and pulled the kids around the yard for a few hours. They had a blast! Peter flew off here and there but he wanted to do it again and again.  It was very fun! 

Jack is gearing up for his Saint George tournament in February. He is very excited. That boy is very talented. He is so devoted to his team and loves it. 

That's about it for the week. Hope you all have a wonderful week and hope to see y'all soon!