HOMECOMING AND BAYLES REUNION

July 21^st was when we spoke in sacrament meeting.  It was a great day.  Our meeting is not until 1:00 and sacrament meeting is last so it didn’t start until 2:45.  There were so many new people in our ward that it will take us forever to learn their names.  We had such a large group of our friends there.  Many were from Timpview.  We had a wonderful showing from our family; even Mark and Kay were there. The only relative I had there was Brent Jones and his wife.  He is Aunt Mariah’s son.  I need to visit her.  We felt our talks went well.  Brent Murray was there.  His parents are special people we have been visiting in Murphy.  He is here on a BYU swim scholarship and was baptized just a month ago.  We are praying for his parents to join.  President and Sister Thomas were also there.  It was so good to see them.  We love them so much.  They were great leaders and friends in the mission field.

After the meeting the kids had an open house for us.  Brent Murray came which made us happy. 

 Our home was full and it was very hot with doors always open so it was extremely hot.  No one seemed to mind.  The refreshments were so tasty and Elder Bayles even made up a pot of boiled peanuts.  I was just so good to be surrounded by friends and family.  When most of the people left and  family had cleaned up we just went out on the patio and visited.  It lasted until 10:00 when we fell into bed.  Tiffani took Dave to the airport in SLC so he could get to Las Vegas and work.

Monday the family went to Seven Peaks all day. 

 We enjoyed the peace and quiet and got so much done.  The family was exhausted when they got home.  The next day they went to SLC and the Aviary.  They said it was so good. 

 We enjoyed another day of quiet and getting things done.  The kids have so much fun together.

making guitars

little Sherlocks

The guitar performance for Granddad.

Pioneer Day we went to Scott and Beth’s for dinner and fireworks.  The kids had o much fun. 

 It was good to be in someone else’s home.

The next day Granddad got the trailer ready and we loaded it and at noon headed for Moab.  Tiffani had made reservations at a KOA there.  It was just Tiff and kids, Krstin’s family and us.  We went to Arches National Park before checking in.  The beauty of that place never ceases to amaze us.  It was hot but so beautiful and magnificent.

the windows

Delicate Arch in the background

Delicate Arch

  The KOA was a nice place to stay for the night.  Kristin’s family stayed in our trailer with us and Tiff’s had a very cute air conditioned cabin.  Snowball, the Cockatiel, was very happy.

  I can’t believe how Tiff travels with that bird.  Actually we fully enjoy him. The girls had a great time with all the lizards and rabbits.

We stopped in Monticello to see the temple.  We always love to go to temples.  It’s very small but so beautiful and the grounds are so filled with flowers.  We also enjoyed the Horse Head on the Blue Mountain.

Can you see the horse's head?

Dad wanted to visit with Aunt Maid so we went to Blanding.  She wasn’t there but we still enjoyed old memories.  The girls loved going to the Patio for lunch and remembering old times.

We then headed back to Monticello and then on to Colorado and the ranch.  We stopped in Cortez to get some groceries and ice.  It was very hot.  Julie’s family was in charge of the dinner and we had a great haystack dinner in a sack.  So fun.  After dinner everyone sat around the trailer and visited.  It’s always good to be with Granddad’s family.  All of his brothers and sisters and spouses are still alive.  They are a wonderful family and I am so proud to be a part of them.  At dark the kids went crawdadding.  This is a Bayles family tradition; even the twins went.  They all went in the back of a few trucks and got back at 11:00, very tired. 

 Lauryn fell in so she was also cold but happy.

Our family was in charge of breakfast.  It was just the few of us to help.  Cathy Cosby came and volunteered which was much appreciated.  We had pancakes, sausage, eggs, orange juice and watermelon.  Everyone seemed to like it.

Kristin’s and Tiffani’s family went to Mesa Verde National Park, which Is across the road and we stayed in camp. 

the mesa viewed from the ranch

the dwellings 

 Uncle Eric came and so the stories flew.  I just love to hear all the tales they tell.  I don’t know how Granny survived in that cowboy family.  One day I will remember to take a tape player and record the stories.  They would make a great book. 

calling the horses

 Mark and Kay’s family had a superb Dutch oven dinner. 

Shucking corn for dinner

 After dinner we had the evening program where each family told a Bayles real life story.

We did the pg riding story .

 Aunt Mikki presented us with a quilt she had made just for us.  I was stunned.  She spent 100 hour in the sewing and 50 hours in the quilting.  It is so beautiful.  We absolutely love it.

After  the program, crawdad cooking began.  We can’t believe how those kids and adults chow down on those ugly things.  This Is their favorite part of the reunion.

fresh

cooking

anyone for crawdads

Clara's catch

I love crawdads

yum

We have decided to finish the reunion on this blog.  We will go ‘till we leave the ranch and then start a new blog.

We had breakfast and testimony meeting at Uncle Lyman’s in that it had rained all night.  Tiffani stayed perfectly dry in her tent with the kids.  The testimony meeting Is always the highlight of the reunion.  This family is so strong in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We still love each other but are still missing our mission.

Thurs. Sept. 20th  We stayed on Lovin's all forenoon reading, etc.  At 2 o'clock P.M. we walked 4 1/2 miles to Stoneville to get our mail but I got disappointed by not getting any.  We got back to Lovin's at 6 0'clock P.M.  We held a meeting and had quite a nice crowd out.