Message from Layton Croft

Mimi, please post on Chatterbox. Thanks.

Terrence Lee Croft
Trial Lawyer, Mediator and Arbitrator
King & Croft, LLP
127 Peachtree St., Ste. 707 Atlanta, Ga. 30303
404 577-8400
404 5778401 fax
tlc@king-croft.com
www.king-croft.com
www.henningmediation.com

From: Layton Croft [mailto:LaytonC@Ivancorp.net]Sent: Sun 12/31/2006 12:57 AMTo: Layton CroftSubject: SAVE THESE DATES!
31 December 2006

Dear Family and Friends:

Warm pre-New Year’s Greetings from the Gobi desert; I am writing you all this email after just dismounting from my trusty camel. Back in September, Ally ran a half marathon down here in the Gobi and Chaandmon and Sky helped hold up the Finish Line.

Ally and I got married in Ulaanbaatar on 27 September 1997, and soon it will be 10 wedded years together, six of them as a trio and the past two of them as a quartet. Since we effectively eloped the first time, as far as y’all are concerned, we wanted to celebrate with a reprise that includes loved ones from all over the place, and a venue that is a little more accessible.

Consider this email your pre invitation. Please save the dates of 16-19 August 2007, with the core dates being 17-18 August. The location will be Driggs, Idaho, USA, which is just west of the Teton mountains and Jackson Hole, WY, and a short drive to Yellowstone National Park, the Snake River and other beautiful sights and fun outdoor activities.

The main gig will consist of reuniting, hanging out, music, food, drink, laughter, PowerPoint presentations and special surprises on August 17-18 at the Grand Targhee Resort, and everyone will stay in traditional Mongolian gers. More details at www.grandtarghee.com and in the attached PDF (which includes discounted rates for rooms at that resort). But you can stay in other places – rented homes, apartments, hotels – in Driggs, or in Jackson Hole if you want. Some useful web sites to explore those options are:
www.grandvalleylodging.com
www.tetonvalleyidaho.com
www.vrbo.com/90977

The closest airports are Idaho Falls and Jackson Hole. Salt Lake City is also doable but is about a five-hour drive to Driggs.

If you have more time please note that on the evening of Thursday, August 16, at the famous Knotty Pine restaurant and live music joint in downtown Victor (between Driggs and the mountain pass to Jackson Hole), there will be an encore performance by a reunion of a band consisting of members of Aggressive Pedestrians, Balsa Gliders and Rose Bowl. And there will be a brunch on the morning of Sunday, August 19 at the famous Miso Hungry café in downtown Driggs.

Please tell us if you plan to come and how many people in your gang so we can start building the gers.

~Love Layton, Ally, Chaandmon and Sky

p.s. – soon we will launch a family web site (password protected and we’ll send the password soon, too) that will have more information about the 10th anniversary gig bash and more fun stuff, including PowerPoint presentations!

p.p.s. – our apologies if this email is coming to you seemingly out of the blue and ten or more years after you saw our faces last…

p.p.p.s. – just kidding about the gers.


------------------------
T. Layton Croft
Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Social Responsibility
Ivanhoe Mines Mongolia Inc.
(976) 9911.3339
www.ot.mn

Happy New Year! 2007

The hour is fast approaching that begins a new years. I pray that each of you look forward to all the joys your hard work, family dedication, and positive living has in store for you. Love one another, stay healthy, visit when you can and don't sweat the small stuff!

You are loved by us...

Mom/Merry/Mimi and

Dad/Terr/Grandad

Merry Christmas Family

May you have a good nights sleep and wake up to a glorious Christmas morning, full of blessings in the giving and joy in the getting. Hallelujah, Christ is born!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

-Mimi

The Great Mother

Passing on the tradition and keeping the story alive... enjoy the traditions of my childhood!
-Mimi

Honoring our Great Mother

Macon Anderson Floyd

Christmas 1987

The Great Mother

by

Kenneth Anderson Floyd

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of Christmas Day night with the Great Mother dear.
The Great Mother sits in her favorite chair,
Waiting patiently for her loved ones to get there.
The house is all ready, it’s warm and it’s bright,
It seems that it knows it’s to be a great night.
The children, and grand-children, and great-grandchildren too,
Have had “Christmas” today till their faces are blue.
But somehow they rally because they all know,
That the Great Mother waits them, so they hurry and go.
And slowly they gather- a trickle at first,
When their number’s complete, it will make the house burst.
They bring in the goodies, to give and to eat,
Finding space just to place all the stuff is a feat.
The Great Mother greets them, her feelings sublime,
That all of her family is home for this time.
She hugs and she kisses each one with a prayer
Of grateful thanksgiving that all could be there.
For so many years they’ve come to her door,
She’s thankful that God has allowed her one more.
To have all her brood gather under her wing
To eat, and to chatter, to laugh, and to sing.
How special to her is each one, and how dear,
How fine that they honor her year after year.
But the honor is theirs, just to be a small part
Of the Great Mother’s family; of the Great Mother’s heart.
Her life’s as example; her care never waives,
She’s worthy of honor; she’s worthy of praise.
Let all of her loved ones, the big and the slight,
Give homage and love to the Great Mother this night.
As long as there’s Christmas, her love will remain
To guide all her loved ones, their love to sustain.
The children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren too
Will keep the Great Mother’s tradition like new.
And generations to come will be filled with delight,
When told of the Great Mother’s Christmas Day Night.

God's Angel turns One

Although it makes me cry a few tears, I have to mark December 8Th, the anniversary of my Dad's death, with thanksgiving that I can now think of him with a smile and beautiful memories of Christmas. What a bright star he was at Christmas time!

To all of you who have loved and lost, I hope you can do the same. Christmas is especially hard but we have to remember that love is the gift that keeps on giving and now we have the baton...so pass it on and never let the light go out.

To my Mama; thank you for keeping the home fires burning. Thank you for loving my Daddy and for continuing your journey with us in his absents. Thanks be to God for the Gift.

-Merry

The Grandfather speaks...

What Grandad doesn't understand is that no one goes back in time to read old post, so when he tries to tell new information through an old related article; he never gets read. I appreciated him adding to the family news so I took the liberty of coping and pasting his new comment and turning it into a post for him. Maybe one day he will learn to do it himself.

I think he likes the chatterbox and I know he is proud of his family! (Forgive me Grandad if the copy/paste thing doesn't get the layout just right. It never does!)

-M

Grandad has left a new comment on your post "Ford's basketball schedule": On Saturday, Dec. 2, Joe Regas and I went to the Decatur Recreation Center (on Sycamore in Downtown Decatur, next to the Library) to watch Ford and his Celtics play basketball. After only one practice, his team came up just a few points short, but fought fiercely against a much bigger and taller team. The Celtics are well coached, and will improve with practice. Ford hit one field goal and one free throw, but got in several critical fouls against much bigger players and saved several baskets with his aggressive style of defense and rebounding. He is the third tallest player on the Celtics. Several of his opponents were my size. It was a hard fought game. Joe and I enjoyed cheering for Ford. Joe is playing soccer and rollar hockey this winter. He is a whiz on skates and very exciting to watch, as he flashes in and out of the reach of other players, before he takes his shot. He still prefers football, but soccer is his next favorite. I just love to watch my grandchildren perform. I wish I could see Keegan in action on the soccer field. I know he has scored several goals. Maybe his Mom or Dad could post a photo of him in action, here on the Chatterbox. Keegan acted in real movie, recently. When it is release, he promises to tell us, so we can all watch him on the big screen. Speaking of acting, Andrew, who has is own email address, andrewleesc@comcast.net, is a regular performer in a long running show at his church, called Apostlelot. He has played many roles. His father, Tom, is an adult mainstay in the series, too. Together, like Batman and Robin, they are a daring duo of acting at Apostlelot. I hope Kim will post some photos of them in action. She has been busy, with Tom's help, and some from Mimi, perparing her house to be one of just five on the Horseshoe Bend Festival of Homes, a benefit for the Gardan Club. About 500 people paid $15 to tour Kim and Tom's house. I snuck in. It looked like a million dollars! Andrew, Emily and William spent Saturday night with me and Mimi, so their house would look perfect on Sunday. I wonder how long it will take to look lived-in again? God Bless you every one.

Love,

Grandad.

Mary has a Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Sweet Mary!...

and many happy returns of the day.