Ahhh the time of the year that memories flood our memory. Some delightful and others that cause sorrow. My heart is drawn to Jesus Christ, his purpose and example. I delight in celebrating his birth. My devotion gets deeper with every passing year! My heart is drawn to gratitude for the amazing blessings we enjoy. I’m grateful for you and the love, friendship and family relationship we share.
To keep you up to date, here are a few of the blessings we enjoyed throughout 2021!
Brian and his family have been very busy with one son, Parker, returning from his 
mission with honor and another son, Connor leaving on his mission to Honduras. Brian & Staci have enjoyed teaching at BYU this year and the freedom it has allowed them to get to visit us more often. They are loving their life in Provo, and have become ski bums! It’s so fun to see them tearing up the slopes!
Brian is currently serving as a counselor in the Bishopric in his ward. Parker is attending BYU and sharing his amazing gifts and talents just as we expected him to do! Connor is currently serving a mission in Tegucigalpa Honduras. He was thrilled to get to actually serve in the area he was called to. He’s loving his mission so far and has enjoyed several baptisms. Isaac has become quite the guitarist, he saved up and purchased the guitar he’s holding. It’s amazing to watch how Josh holds his own in such an active family!
Kristi has had the exciting opportunity to live in Hawaii for a few months while she worked on NCIS Hawaii and Magnum PI. In the opening credits for the pilot, she can be seen in the outrigger canoe as the 2nd to the last person in the canoe. It’s really hard to catch her, but a mom 
knows her girl, and it was thrilling to see her paddling and following the cue to look above as a jet crashes into the mountainside. She has worked as a stunt double, (as shown with the actress holding the camera) a stunt driver (nothing crazy, just driving up to a destination) and has been an elderly lady who gets knocked down. Since she’s been home, she has also worked on a episode of Danger Force on Nickelodeon, episode 215. She hopes to become a sought after stunt driver and has taken courses. Before this type of work came through, she
worked tirelessly to get her real estate license. She is now licensed in California and Hawaii. She also works for Redfin as one who shows the homes. It’s easy work, and doesn’t require any selling, the listing agent takes care of the rest. All while still working with Le Petit Cirque and maintaining some private clients. We’re proud of the way she has stepped up her abilities to provide for her family as a single mom. Gavin & Alex have both stepped into the world of driving in getting their licenses this year. They are juniors in high school and have been diligently working in school while planning on getting jobs to pay for insurance… and then we fear they will be off and running leaving these 
old folk in the dust. Yes, we are officially the over the hill gang! This year Geoff retired! It was a hard decision for him after working since he was 14 years old, but he’s loving being home! We have been a bit more laid back, but have been incredibly blessed to be able to serve as Ordinance Workers in the Newport Beach Temple. We work on Friday mornings, so come to the temple on a Friday morning and you may see us! It’s been fun seeing so many old friends from our past! We have enjoyed so many spiritual experiences as we have stepped into this new venture in our lives. It has helped us find perspective as we grow older. It has been shocking to us to experience how quickly the time of our youthful and even middle aged bodies have moved into elderly bodies! Yet, in the temple we feel young as our bodies are renewed as we serve. It’s such an amazing blessing. When we think there’s no way we can do more, the Lord shows us tender mercies to help us fill our stewardships. We love those we are serving with and are beyond grateful for the friendships we’ve obtained.
May you enjoy a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year! We are so grateful for you!
Loretta & Geoff Smith
next BOGO is great for kids and adults alike! Thinker helps with clarity of thought and Rescuer is great for those over worked muscles or kids’ growing pains. These would be great stocking stuffers at just $8 each! 
our hands. We appreciate the security of having this hand sanitizer handy that is non-toxic, dries quickly and is moisturizing to the hands. But pro tip here… we use it for a scratchy throat too. It’s very strong! But when a scratchy throat comes on, you want something strong and effective to spray in your mouth. I’ve also used it to sanitize surfaces… door knobs, bathroom fixtures, yoga mats, you name it! It doesn’t bleach out surfaces, so it’s safe for all surfaces. On Guard has been proven in studies to be effective against harsh bacteria that causes illness. 
A very wise man who lead a church across the prairies of the US and re-established it in the wilderness of Utah in the mid 1800’s said, “He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool.” That man was Brigham Young. Do you know of a time when a family member offended you? Were they really trying to offend you? Sometimes family members can be real stinkers and will lash out because they are hurting. It takes a lot of fortitude to be able to set one’s own feelings aside and not be offended when someone you care about displays a little tantrum. In a society that teaches people to think only of themselves, and be ultra critical of others, maybe some people are just holding on by a thread, trying to survive another day. Believe me, it’s so much more pleasant to endure day to day when there’s not emotional scars looming over.
I hope with all my heart that you will feel the heartfelt gratitude that comes when you realize all the blessings you’ve been given and continue to receive. This year I am so grateful we have made it to retirement! It’s been wonderful having my precious husband with me all day every day. We have had such fun together just being together. It’s been fun sharing the household chores and watching the old TV shows together. We go to the gym and shopping together. What a blessing he is to me!
legislation making it illegal to freelance in California. Her performing days stopped, but thankfully her brilliant ingenuity shined brightly as she rebranded her efforts to Marketing Director along with other hats with Le Petit Circ. She continues to privately train her clients. But as Covid hit in March, she again adjusted as her operation moved training outside. Now that they are listed as a production company, the training facility is exempt. But this year has taught her to keep on her toes! She has remained positive all along. She’s an inspiration to all. Gavin & Alex opted to stay with home online learning and have adjusted well. Gavin has finished the requirements to get his driving permit, and Alex is right behind him. They are delightful to have around! They keep us on our toes… and while laughing, we are constantly amazed by their intellect and what interests them. We remember ourselves at 15! They resemble us at age 20! Alex is brilliant at problem solving, and Gavin’s organizational skills and abilities to communicate far exceed our abilities at 15!
Geoff’s company sent him home in March too, due to covid… we enjoyed 3 months of hanging out before his company made his job essential. It gave a glimpse of what it will be like as he eyes retirement. We hope to have him home for good in February, but he keeps pushing the date back. He enjoys going to work, using his brain in technical tasks, and having that routine, but hopefully he can take the plunge soon. There’s just so much more to do and experience in retirement! We are looking forward to it! Maybe we can go dancing again!
December. This distant learning is wonderful, and has allowed Brian & Staci to continue teaching while they are here visiting and enjoying the warmer weather in So Cal! Connor has been working a couple jobs while attending BYU, he’s quite knowledgeable on shoes and the proper fit of shoes. It’s fun to see him in action! His brilliance in his studies is remarkable as well. Isaac continues to wow us on his abilities to play guitar. He’s such a gentleman, too! And Joshua is impressive how he holds his own being the youngest of all boys. Gavin and Alex enjoyed the time with their cousins. We are grateful for family and the amazing bond we share! Our oldest grandson, Parker was called to serve a mission to Brazil, but was sent home because of Covid. He was reassigned to the Tucson Arizona, where he is serving with joy. His mission is finished in July! My how time flies! This busy family will be a little busier when they get home from their vacation in CA, as Brian was just called to be the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric.
