THE REED E. BAYLES REUNION

Windy Top

The best thing about July is Jonny’s birthday.  He is such a fun boy who loves everything.  He is very creative, especially with cardboard boxes.  He can make anything with them.  His smile just lights up our lives.  He loves to learn about animals and most everything else.  He is such a joy to his family and all of us.  Granddad spent a day with him this summer camping and catching squirrels.  It was such a fun time.  We can’t believe he is 7.

after milkshake run

at the zoo

We went to Kamas for the 24^th of July children’s parade.  Dianne was in charge and it was a great time.  Jonny was in it riding his bike. 

Molly, Camden and Kolton held the opening banner. 

good friends

We left right after the parade to get ready for the Colorado reunion.

We left as soon as the trailer was packed and headed out.  We met Tiffani in Moab.  She decided at the last minute to come to the reunion with the kids.  The girls wanted to pet Curly and Cameron brought his bird.  We met at the park on the Colorado River and had lunch. 

We then went on to the ranch.  We got there just in time for Tiffani to set up her tent and us to prepare our trailer.   After dinner we just sat around chatting and the girls went to pet Curley.  

waiting

Curley was not in a good mood so they talked to this very old pony Katie informed us that a missionary, Elder Brian Oakley had come to her home in Aztec because we sent him.  She said he was so cute.  It made us feel closer to Caswell.  She wants to have them for dinner sometime.  What a small world.

Who knows what problems these men are solving

At around 9:30 all the young ones went to catch crawdads.  This is the favorite activity of the reunion.  They figured Lauryn caught the most.  They didn’t get back until around 11:30.  They were so pumped up, dirty and tired.

Saturday morning we were in charge of breakfast.  We fed  around 80 relatives pancakes, sausage, eggs and orange juice.  We always do breakfast.  Thank goodness Tiffani was there to help.

That afternoon we went to Mancos for their celebration.  It was a fun time.  

Beware of Lauryn's snake

We got back and just sat around visiting with everyone.  Even Uncle Eric came and added many stories.  

Wearing Uncle Eric's hat.

That evening  Mikki’s family had a program which included family questions and a dance.  Dad and I even did a jitter bug. 

The kids did most of the dancing.  They had such a good time. Everyone had made quit blocks of their family and Cathy Cosby put them all together and the first group at the reunion tied it.  They did a drawing and Julie won the quilt.  It was very pretty and fun.  

Kristin made two blocks out of fabric and it is part of the blocks on the back.

Tiffani made this block

The blocks I had made

After the dance Shawn cooked up the crawdads with some corn on the cob and potatoes.  The corn and potatoes were yummy.  We were sure the girls would be sick they ate so much.  There was a 35 quart ice chest filled with crawdads that were put in the boiling water.  The butter was dripping down arms as they ate.  

It was 10:00 before they finished and went to bed.  Some adults stayed up talking.  We went to bed.

The favorite time of the reunion is Sunday and our testimony meeting.  We sit out under the trees and share feeling with the family.  We love hearing the testimonies of our family members.  Mike and Jackie Palmer were there and Mike bore such a strong testimony.  

They are now preparing for the temple and so anxious.  He told about picking up the Book of Mormon that Granny had given him for his high school graduation and reading what she had written in it.  He had never opened or read the book.  He shared it with us and we were all needing a hanky.  He then told about a page he had found in the book that he hadn’t remembered.  It was not signed but the writing was definitely Granny’s.  It just fix exactly for this time in his life.  She was always so in tune with the Spirit.  His coming back to the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ was such a blessing for us all to witness.  We so love our families.

After the meeting everyone packed up to go home.  Tiffani probably had the longest drive.  She went through Flagstaff, Arizona.  We went to our trailer and crashed for several hours.  We walked to Mikki’s and then to Lyman’s and had great visits.  We went home in a pouring rain.  It was so heavy and we were so glad it came after everyone had left.  That area needs it so much.  We watched "Get Smart "and went to bed.

Tuesday we headed home and made it in around 6 hours. 

Horse head on Blue mountain.  See if you can see it.  I took a close -up.

It was good to be home.  We love our family and extended family so much.  It is the greatest blessing of the restored gospel.  It is so true.  We even love each other.