December 4, 2018

         The Thanksgiving holiday brought all the family of Steve and Terry Mainini home to Mink Creek. Tony came down from Pocatello. Angelina and Iyar Kores arrived from Eagle Mountain, UT, with their little Ariella who provided entertainment for one and all. Steve's dad, Ted Mainini, is now part of the Mink Creek family shared in the festivities.

         ReNae and Kent Egley and some of their daughters with families, truly went 'over the river and through the woods' as they all took part in a huge family get-together at the beautiful lodge of Kent's brother, Larry and Bunny Egley, in West Glacier, MT. It was a weekend of family, snow and the beauty of Glacier National Park on their doorstep.

         Emily Longhurst, daughter of Candy and the late Sheldon Longhurst, was recognized at the Preston High School's closing banquet at the end of the fall sports. She was noted for Highest Hitting Performance on the Junior Varsity volleyball team.

          Lana and Ivan McCracken were with family in Idaho Falls, ID, for a grandchild wedding during the holiday. Savannah Baird, Daniel and Heather Baird's youngest daughter, was married to Danny Wells, a young man from Washington.

          Wayne and Jackie Olsen are getting nicely settled into their new home on Capitol Hill. It has been quite process from the pouring of their foundation until the house is finally into place, They have 'camped out' in their mobile home during warm weather, and harbored in a neighbor's rental when it was chilly, since their first decision to move to Mink Creek.

           Paul and Terrie McKay hosted a full house for the weekend. All three kids were home: Cody and Kevyn McKay, Morgan and Eli Curtis, and Andy McKay, all up from Logan, UT. Terrie's parents, Layne and Karen Erickson rounded off the family setting.

           Mike and Mary Ann Jepsen had guests pulling into their lane for several days before Thanksgiving. Their four children, Jonathan, Annie, Joe, and Jared , plus the matching families were here for fun and food.

           Reed Swann and his daughter Penny went down to Paul and Glenda Swainston's place in Preston. A big item on the menu was the pecan pie produced in Penny's oven. Since that event Reed is announcing a new grandchild. His son Charlie and Sarah Swann have added a new little girl to their family.

           The Christmas tree harvest is still going on in our canyons. There is a real mix of license plates identified outfits mainly from Utah and Idaho hoisting a tree, or trees, as they head south down the highway.

            We are feeling winter's grip.  Have had several days of snow, not gobs, but enough the first day to build snowmen, nice and sticky.  The storms that have left snow since have given us the light fluffy stuff, sparkly and pretty, but pretty empty of moisture.  However, we have had sufficient to start the snowmobiles  going into our canyons.  They might have to be careful in their choice of surface, there are rocks underneath the white blanket.

          Hope you have turned your calendar over and are happy to have it be December.  It is a pretty special time of the year and most of us are thinking of kindness and appreciation for those around us. Keep in mind that little things count and can have just as much positive impact as something more grandiose. Thanks for sticking with this blog, I so wish there were some way I could share with you the joy of living in this little place.