Cat Christmas Greetings

Make a Smilebox greeting

Hunting Season Results

Tim was the big winner of hunting season this year. He came away with an antelope, elk, and a moose. He also scored big with geese and bobcat trapping. I think Matt and Cody were being nice to him because he had to miss the last two seasons while in Peru.

If you want to know how "big" each animal scored you will have to call Tim. If you want to know where they got the animals, I don't know. They wouldn't tell me. I guess it is their secret spot! Now I just have to figure out how to store and cook all of the meat.

T'was the Morning of Christmas

T'was the morning of Christmas and all through the Eardley house,
Nothing was quiet, not even a mouse.
Too many presents were under tree,
Everyone's day was cheery, bright, and full of glee!

Christmas 2008

Happy Holidays from the Eardleys

Here is our family card and letter for all of our friends and family to enjoy. Stay tuned for the exciting Christmas photos from the family.
Dear Friends and Family,

That time has arrived again for the annual Christmas letter. This year Trish came up to me and said that as payment for marrying her son… I had to write it. While being a part of this family I have noticed four main seasons: trapping season (November- March), irrigating season (April- June), haying season (July- September) and hunting season which occupies the rest of the year. 2008 was awesome year for the Eardley family.

During trapping season, a hallowed holiday dutifully observed and attended sometimes blessed with bobcats other times pack rats, Matt spent his days religiously bouncing through the desert and is hoping for another successful season. In March Matt and Trish spent three weeks in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, and Peru. They saw diving iguanas, sea turtles, and visited Machu Picchu. Trish dove with hammerheads sharks and Matt caught a ride underwater with a sea turtle.

Just as irrigating season began, school ended and since I had a month before Cody and I left for our trip, I became Matt’s ranch hand while Cody welded out in the oil field. I cleaned ditches, built dams, and baby-sat hundreds of pheasants. I had a lot of fun, though following Matt’s irrigation maps was like learning a new language. Starting June, Cody and I boarded a plane and headed to Central America where we spent six weeks living in El Salvador doing humanitarian work with an organization called Help International. We built houses, loved orphans …so much that I wanted to bring one home, and changed bandages in hospitals. We also took a few trips while we were there. We traveled to Guatemala where we roasted marshmallows on running lava and went on a boat ride across a lake with rocks that float. In Utila, an island off the coast of Honduras, we went scuba diving in the Caribbean and Cody caught his first shark.

In late summer during haying season, Cody and I returned and I went back to work for Matt and Cody the oil field. This time I raked hay, turned bales and hauled wood. In August Trish ran her first half- marathon, 13.1 miles, in under two hours. Go Trish! She also taught a paleontology class and got scuba certified. In early September Timmy came home off his mission in Peru and is now waiting to start school again in January. Trish was able to catch a plane to Peru to pick up her missionary. They spent 2 weeks together touring Tim’s mission and meeting the Peruvian people.

Timmy was the high achiever of the hunting season this year. During the second week of September when the boys left for their annual hunt out of Jackson, Tim shot an elk and a deer. Then he shot two doe antelope as well as a buck antelope and, to top the season off, he took down a charging bull moose at twenty yards. The boys really have had a good year trekking through the wilds together getting reacquainted.

The Eardleys have had a grand year, one filled with memories to last a lifetime. The best memories come from spending time with family. We are blessed to have a close family, live in such a peaceful setting on the ranch, and share work and play together. But best of all we are blessed to be part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and receive the blessings it brings at this Christmas season and throughout the year.
Merry Christmas 2008

In Loving Memory of Aunt Zoanne

Leora (Zoanne) Near: Feb. 19, 1947 — Dec. 21, 2008
Zoanne was born Feb. 19, 1947, to Walt Eardley and Leora Gross Eardley in Rock Springs. She spent her life in Wyoming and graduated from Lyman High School where she was a cheerleader and graduated as the Salutatorian of her senior class.

Zoanne attended Utah State University where she met the love of her life, Kenny Near. They were married June 11, 1966 in Lyman. To this union came four children: three daughters and one son. Zoanne’s number one love and priority was her family. She was so proud of her husband and each of her children and their accomplishments.

Zoanne had many other loves in her life. These included: horses (Zoanne and Kenny spent countless hours together at horse races and sales), shopping (Zoanne especially loved to shop with her girls), yard work (she loved her yard and her flowers and would spend long hours outside in the summer), and attending any activities that involved her children or grandchildren.

Zoanne was a very compassionate person and her love was felt by many even beyond her family. She was a good listener, would never tell a secret, and was a friend to everyone she met. She always had her make-up on and her hair done and would never go anywhere without it.

Zoanne served on the hospital board at Evanston Regional Hospital. She was also an active member of the LDS church where she served in many organizations.

Zoanne passed away peacefully at her home on Dec. 21. She was preceded in death by her father, Walter Eardley; mother, Leora Gross Eardley; one sister, Lois Gardner and one nephew, Scotty Platts.

She is survived by her loving husband, Kenny; her daughters, Kim (Dale) Wilson, Toni (Josh) Christiansen, Janell (Paul) Langlois; her son, Rick (Joy) Near; 8 1/2 grandchildren: Macy, Alli, Lexi, Kyler, Kasey, Conrad, Kendyl, Keegan, and one on the way; one brother, Darius (Fern) Eardley; one sister, Vonda (Melvin) Platts; one sister-in-law, Diana (Victor) Katopodis; and one brother-in-law, Gerald (Lois) Gardner.
Funeral services will be conducted on Dec. 24 at 11 a.m. at the Lyman Stake Center in Urie. There will be a visitation on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m., also at the Lyman Stake Center, and again on Wednesday from 9 a.m. until service time. Interment will be at the Fort Bridger Cemetery.

Services are under the direction of Crandall Funeral Home.

Tim and Teni

Meet Tim and his cute girlfriend, Teni
Meet Teni. Her real name is Tenika. Meet Tim. His real name is Brian. These pictures were taken in the area around where Teni lives in Spring City, UT. She is the oldest in her family of 4 kids. She likes outdoor sports and activities. She is a fast runner! Tim met Teni through Stephanie and Cody. She and Steph went to school together at North Sanpete High School. Teni is a student at Snow College studying Biology. Oh no, another Biology nerd! We enjoy having Teni around the ranch on most weekends.

He Thinks His Tractor's Sexy!

It has been a while since I have had a chance to blog. This one will be short and sweet. It is mostly for Leace who asked me to put up some pictures of Tim since they haven’t seen him and I haven’t posted many of him since he has been home. I asked him to make a collection and this is the first one he chose. Look for more to follow of his hunting adventures and his cute girlfried, Teni. He took This photo himself (Camera Timer)and came up with the catchy title. Wouldn’t you know it. So This is for you Aunt Leaca. Timmy thinks his tractor is sexy and his dog is not bad looking either!