The birds on the hill on the East are eagles.  They are enjoying the casualties of the cold winter.

These are the turkeys cleaning up the barley left in the straw that we are feeding in Avon.

We went to Avon to bring the cows home before they start calving.  We were one day too late.  The cow had delivered the calf only a few hours before we arrived.  Alma packed the calf back to the tailer.  It was a bull calf so he was soaked by the time he got there.

This is the cows making their way home from Avon.

Just a little snow falling.

Alma's calf did not want to nurse! 

 She kept putting her head too high and it is so frustrating when the calf can't find it.  They get so excited that they don't stay latched on.

  She was happy to find dinner finally!

Winter

 This old curl horn cow is usually at Malta, Idaho so I'm sure she's not loving this deep snow.

 

 This little nest was in the gravel pit.  It looks like several deer are laying there for the night.  They are enjoying the All-You-Can-Eat buffet of our hay stacks.

Our new hay shed is not big enough.

 It is so cold!  Bryan is ready to go South--again.  It is bad when 20 degrees feels warm!

 

 Only at Mountain Crest is this kind of parking not surprising.  Go Rednecks!

I mean Mustangs!

This is all we have seen of the sun for 2 months!  It has been hazy or cloudy almost every day.

 

Snow Shoeing Partner

Chelsie doesn't get out too much anymore.  She is old and she gets so cold.  She did have fun smelling all the smells she could find.  The inversion is still bad--worst air in America--not something to be proud of!

Dress-Up

Chantel and Savanna had fun trying on Sierra's dresses.  They went to Charlie's and took some pictures out there too.  It was their way of celebrating not being old enough to go to Sweetheart's Dance.

Young Women Basketball

It is that time of year again!  The Young Women basketball team is back on the court!  They picked up a new Beehive, Haylee and had to lose Katelyn and Brooklyn because they play on the  Freshman High School team.  They did win one game and Savanna even made a couple of baskets!  Go YW!

Rare Photos

 On January 20, 2013 we got a new Stake Presidency.  Because Bryan is on the High Council, he had to have an interview with the members of the Seventy (Christoffel Golden and Jack Cherrington) that came to call the new Presidency. He had to have a picture of us to submit so Savanna took about ten before we got this one.  The new president is Dwight Davis from 4th ward.  His counselors are Tod Edwards, who had been a bishop for 2 months, and Richard Netzley who is also a bishop.  They are great men and we are excited to get to know them.  President Anderson has been called to be a mission president.  They will leave in July.

 Savanna's photo skills are still good.  She is lonely without her big sister here to entertain her and we are not terribly exciting-apparently.

Bryan is texting!  We are so proud of his new skill.

Clean Air!

 Mandie and I went snow shoeing and ran into Jason and Jed hauling hay on their snowmobiles to deer up South Canyon.  They  just got the hay loaded and as they pulled out the load tipped over.

 This is in the river bottoms on the north boundary.  We had gone to get three cows that were in Scott's piece that are getting close to calving.  We were going to drive them to the calving shed in the meadow so they have some protection. 

 These are the horses tracks.  The cows just followed them right where we wanted them to go.  Notice how deep the snow is on Skip's legs!  It was a good work out for them. 

Snow!

 Mouse, new buckskin, Pancho, Skip, Neville, Smokey

 This is our newest addition to the ranch.  We bought him from Jill and Troy.  He has a nice shape and his papers say he has a good cowy mind, but we'll see.  I am excited for it to warm up so I can go for a ride.  He is coming four in the spring.  Bryan has a good eye for conformation--just like his dad.

It had been about two weeks since we'd had a storm to clear out the air and we finally got 3 days of  snow and  surprisingly, freezing rain.  That was something we don't get much of and it made driving not fun at all.  I opted to stay in that day-except to take Savanna to MC, which is seriously the most dangerous thing I do!

We ended up getting about a foot of snow.  It was good to see since we need snow to make up for last years less-than-normal amount.  The snowblower started right up and the neighborhood was cleared in no time.

 

Big Baby!

I hope that one of these days he out-weighs me. (good thing I am tough-- thanks Cross Fit!)

I only ever hoped that he would be taller than I am.  He has exceeded every expectation that his pre-mature birth hindered him with.  I am so blessed to have such a great son and daughters!

 

Inversion

 I am at the High Line canal looking west.  The news said that the air was so bad that it was like smoking 2 packs of ciggs a day.  No wonder I can't kick my cough!

 

It has been the coldest January in ten years.  We have had more days sub-zero than I can remember for a long time.  Needless to say the inversion has also been terrible.  I ventured out this day to get out of the house.  It was 3 degrees.  I went behind Allan's house and got above the gunky air.  I keep telling myself it will be warmer in a couple of weeks--surely it can't last too much longer!
When I am stuck inside I tend to make too many treats!  Now that Sierra has moved to Logan I am trying to remember how to cook for fewer eaters.  We are still having lots of leftovers!

Hyrum City Youth Council

 Chantel, Savanna, Erika , Audrey

 

I am embarrassed that I haven't posted all of January!  Here goes a run-down of our eventful month.  Savanna was selected to be on the Hyrum City Youth Council.  Several of her friends are also on it and so it should be a great time.  She is the chair over the education committee.  This is the night that they all were sworn in.  The judge, Paul Larsen, was so kind and she is excited to get to work.