THE WEDDING

snow angels David, Jalen, Baylie

Sunday evening the Batchelors drove in from their flight to Vegas.  They loved it because there was snow on the ground.  

 Monday evening we met Clark and Erik’s families in Midway  to see some ice sculptures.  We had a good time together. 

 Dianne brought hot chocolate and Shanelle brought donuts.  I think Dianne brought some donuts too.  We laughed and froze.

The next day we went to Heber to ride on the Polar Express.  The kids didn’t know what we were doing and when they saw the train they were so excited.  They were in their jammies ,just like the book.  Mrs. Claus came on board at a stop and brought her homemade cookies ad hot chocolate.  Baylie and Jalen were so excited. 

 They passed Santa at his village and he waved to them.  All of a sudden he was on the train talking to each child and being so personal.  Needless to say the kids were spell bound.  It was wonderful.  The ride took 90 minutes.  It wound through the Provo Canyon and the snow was everywhere.  There were deer along the tracks which really excited everyone.

Dad and I went to Laws Casper’s wedding reception.  It was so fun because President and Sister Thomas were there and some of our favorite missionaries.   (Elder Fullmer and Elder Gleason)  Elder Casper was one of our favorites also.

We were able to see Kolton play Scrooge in his fifth grade Christmas play.  He was terrific.  That evening we took Baylie to see the Hale Theater production of The Christmas Csrol with Chris Brower as Scrooge.  He is a teacher at Timpview.  

It is my favorite tradition at Christmas.   She was very good but the Spirits scared her. 

Thursday was school Christmas programs.  We started out at 9 AM to see Asher in his kindergarten and school sing.  We loved it.  At 11 we went to Ava’s pre school program.  She knew every word of the many songs they sang. 

 It was a very well-planned program.  After her program we went to Erik and Shanelle’s for lunch.  She made wonderful tuna sandwiches and we had a few minutes rest.  At 2 we headed to Kolton and Camden’s school to hear them sing with their 5^th and 3^rd grade classes.  We love these school programs even with all the noise.  They did a marvelous job. 

Camden middle red

 We took Ava and Nixon home with us to play with the kids here.  They are so cute and happy together.  Scott came and got his two at 6:30.  We hated to see them go.

Bethany brought Ava and Nixon over at 10 the next morning.  It is so much more fun to have more kids to play with.  They had a snowball fight with David and really got him.  Kristin had made a pile of snowballs for them so they were ready, aim ,fire.  Snow is so much fun for kids.  They helped granddad snow blow the entire patio.

Nixon

Right after the kids left President and Sister Caron came.  They were in the last branch we served in on our mission.  We had such a great visit.  We talked about so many fun things.   We took them to see the Provo Tabernacle that is being made into a temple.  We are so excited for the completion.  It is such a landmark in our city.  It burned down several years ago and was going to be demolished but the church decided to do the repairs and make a new temple.  Love the inspiration of the Brethren.  We then took them to the Brick Oven for lunch.  We ate and talked some more until we couldn’t move.  It really made us so homesick.  We do miss our mission friends.

Our big day was Saturday.  We got up and ready to go to the wedding luncheon.  There were over 100 people there.  They invited all the relatives,  even the little ones.  It was so fun to be with family on such a special day.  Dianne had made cloaks for all her girls and even herself.  They were so beautiful.  Ashley’s was red which is definitely her color.  She also made her a beautiful red dress.  She was radiant.  She made all the boys and Clark red vests and ties to match.  They were very handsome.

sitting around

Baylie and Camden

kids table

bride and groom and brides parents

Nuxon's  in this for dessert

After the wonderful meal they had the parents and the bride and groom speak which was nice.  Tyler’s aunts sang a cute song for them.  It was just a relaxing and wonderful time.

From there we headed to the temple, which is what it is all about.  We are so grateful for the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and the priesthood on this earth today.  We are so blessed to be able to make covenants with our Father in Heaven and receive the many blessings he has for us.  We are so grateful that our Father’s plan is to live in families for eternity and the temple is where we can receive these blessings.

Ashley and Tyler were so filled with the Spirit when they walked into the sealing room.  They filled the room with their presence.  It was a time of contemplation on the blessings we have when we do as our Father has taught  us.  After the ceremony we went outside for pictures.  The photographer was amazing and knew so well what she was doing.  It was freezing but no one cared because it was such a blessed occasion.

After that we went to Erik and Shanelle’s to unwind and have more food.  We had soup ad rolls and just had a great time.  Clark and his family minus the bride even came. They must have been very tired.  We talked, ate, laughed and played games.  The kids decorated cookies.

  We left after 9 and fell into bed.  A perfect ending of the week.  Life is always good when you are with family.  We love y'all.

THE DRAPER TEMPLE

This week Scott smashed his finger very badly.  He drilled a hole in the nail 4 times.   He needed to release the pressure of the blood.  It’s yucky.

We bought a used Mac but the next day took it back and bought a new one.  Dad is most excited. 

Thursday we went to Kamas to watch Hailey and Riley sing in a Christmas concert.  They were so darn cute and good.

Hailey

Baby it's cold outside

Riley

Hippy song

Friday the 13^th we went to the Draper Temple to be with Ashley when she received her endowments.  Erik and Shanelle went with us which was a huge plus.  Ashley was so beautiful and just radiated the light of our Savior.  She is such a special daughter of our Father in Heaven.  The Spirit was tangible.

Ashley and Tyler

Dad Clark, Mom Dianne, Ashley and Tyler

Uncle Erik, Shanelle, Ashley and Tyler

Dianne had a wonderful dinner waiting for us after the session at Steve and Tina’s home.  She made the most delicious taco soup and clam chowder.  Dad said it was the best clam chowder he had ever tasted.  The dessert was yummy too.  It was a great evening even though it was Friday the 13^th.

Saturday was tithing settlement.  Bishop Hoopes is such an inspired man.  He wept the entire time, filled with the Spirit.  We tended Nixon and took him to choir practice.  He was so quiet and such a good little boy.  

Nixon

Later dad went to watch Riley wrestle where he lost in the championship round.  Dad was so proud of him.

While they were there I was sitting with Scott and Nixon watching Ava dance.  She did a ballet that was so advanced and beautiful.  She really feels the music.

Just turned 5 Ava center on her toes

We love having some of North Carolina this Christmas.

Kristin, David and family have been trying all day to get on a reservation flight with South West.  It was delayed for I think about 5 hours so they missed their connection in Houston.  They didn’t even get to leave Charlotte until evening.  They left home at 7 AM.  When they finally got a flight they learned it had mechanical problems so were delayed again.  They finally made it to Vegas and will be home tomorrow or the next day.  We are so glad they didn’t go standby.  I’m sure she will have something to say about it in her blog.
We are anxiously waiting for the days with lots of family around us.  This is a great time of year to do famiy things and give thanks for all the blessings we enjoy.  We love our family and even each other.

IS IT DECEMBER ALREADY?

Started putting up the Christmas decorations Sunday.  We worked every day and finally finished today, a week later.  It certainly is harder when you’re older.  We were exhausted at the end of every day.  It’s fun to see all the merriment now but it was hard.

stool where I set the laundry basket  9in of snow

Dad's Big Red

view from front yard

Dad's Christmas balls with snow caps

from front porch

notice the path
dad made to my clothes line

view of house in dark

tree lights in the dark

Tuesday it snowed all day.  We measured 9 inches.  Everything is so beautiful when it snows.  Dad did a great job on the outside and his Christmas village inside.

Thursday we went to Orem High School to watch Ava perform at half time for one of the big tournaments.  She did a really outstanding job.  

middle front

                                          Ava is top right

We love watching what Bethany has choreographed.  There were three different groups dancing to the same music doing different things.  It was fun.  I love that they dress them modestly.

Friday was our ward Christmas dinner.  Both Scott and Bethany had to work that night so we took the kids to the dinner.  Everywhere  Ava went she would ask the person by her, ”Do you remember me?”  They would say yes and say her name.  Then she would say, “I’m 5 now.”  It was so cute.  When we got home they watched the train go around the tree forever.  They didn’t even touch it.  Grandad aged a couple of years trying to get Nixon to "sit on his bum" and eat.  He likes turkey, but potatoes and gravy, not so much.

reading Frozen

Today I went to Ashley’s shower.  Dad was going to drive but we decided it wasn’t going to snow until after the shower.  I snowed the entire way to Draper.  The shower was at Tina and Steve’s.  They live in a beautiful home on the hill.  It was snowing so hard I slid clear to the other side of the road.  I was in 4 wheel and so glad no one was coming because they would not have been able to stop either.  The shower was so wonderful.  It was mainly the two families and some dear friends of Ashley’s. Ashley got so many great gifts. 

 It was fun to watch her open them.  Shanelle helped plan it and took a great deal of the food.  

Two beautiful Bayles ladies

We rode together; Bethany came a short time later.  She couldn’t stay the whole time.  As it turned out we could have ridden together because we left at the same time Bethany did because it snowed the whole time we were there and we wanted to get home before it got worse.  The roads were terrible.

That evening Dad and I went to Mariah Hill’s reception.  It was very nice.  It was fun to see the Hill family, especially Summer and Winston.  Summer is an emergency doctor in Michigan and Winston is a career military man in Oklahoma.

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year to strive to be a better person.  We need to recommit to the covenants we have made with our Father in Heaven.  Because of the birth and atonement, of His Son and our Redeemer, we can live as families with our Father forever.  That is the greatest gift anyone can ever receive.  We must share it with everyone.  I love how hard Granddad studies the scriptures daily. Grammy would never say so, but her studies of the scriptures is remarkable.  I think it is a good habit from our mission.