COLD JANUARY----NOT

Best grandchildren ever.

This month has come and half way here way too fast We so enjoyed December and family.  Life is great.
Tiff and Dave left on Saturday but some time before that we went to a place called Hang Time.  It's the largest jump place in the US.  The kids were absolutely amazing and the adults were crazy wild.  Erik and Scott jumped and touched this punching bag that was so high up.  No one else while we were there could do it.  There is a TV screen in the back of the pits where you can watch what you did when finished.  We lasted 2 hours which was all we paid for but everyone was exhausted by then.

 Erik flip

 Clara on hanging ropes

 Jalen in flight

 Scott flip

 Scott's family

 oops

trying to knock kids down

Thanks for the pictures Tiff.

Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015 was a great Sabbath.  The kids were so good in church.  Kristin’s mission companion, Beth Roberts, came for the day.  She was a great companion and they had a good time visiting and catching up.  That evening Erik’s crew came to watch a football game and the cousins played their hearts out.  The family loves  to be with cousins.

They had fun the next day because Scott’s kids came for the afternoon.  That evening Erik’s family came again and playing continued.  Boy, do we love family.

Kristin didn’t fly out the next day because of bad weather in Chicago so we kept her an extra day.  Our pleasure. Before she left I had her try on her wedding dress in that she has lost so much. It bagged on her.  What a woman.  She has lost 80 pounds.

 We took her the next morning and that afternoon caught a flight to Vegas to tend Tiff’s kids while they went to California to celebrate Dave’s mother’s 80^th birthday.  One of the family has a beach house so they had a blast.  We had so much fun with the kids.  They were practically perfect in every way.  They just couldn’t have been better.  We got them up each day, took them to school, picked them up, they immediately did homework and then played.  It was so easy and enjoyable.  Tiffani had left yummy dinners so everything was fun.  Sat. Granddad and Cameron went golfing. (Cameron won with some creative scoring) and the girls and I just played.

Sunday the girls made a poster to welcome their parents home.   They were to get in that evening but surprised us by driving in just when we got home from church.  The kids were so excited.  It was fun to watch.  They have such a warm and special Spirit in their home.  There is much love.  We flew home the next morning.  Tiff got us tickets because she was worried about the road conditions in winter.  It was so nice.

 We got home at 4:30 and Erik and his family came for dinner at 6.  It was a planned thing so we also invited Tyler and Ashley.  They studied while we watched the National Championship football game.  Of course the Buckeyes won.  I was the only one who wanted them.  Go Buckeyes!
Wednesday was a treat in that a man and his wife visited us.  Ken Wamsley was a great friend of mine in high school.  He joined the church as a teen and went to our Dayton ward for awhile.  He was the only young man my age in the church so it was fun to just do things together.  His wife is wonderful.  Her father was in our Provo ward.  Small world.  We have plans to go visit Milt soon.  They were good friends also.  My dad helped Ken while new in the gospel.  We hadn't seen each other since 1967.

 Ken in Ohio

Ken and Sandy

He was in the Marines and can track his line every generation down to the Civil War.  His dad and every grandfather was in the marines.  What a legacy. 
We visited Milt on Friday.  He greeted us at the door on his walker.  It was so good to see him up and standing.  He is doing so well.

The 19^th Jalen turned 5.  I think he felt he was the only one in the world to be 5.  He had a great time.  He has brought such joy to our family.  We were so nervous when he was born because the adoption took so long to finalize but David and Kristin knew he was theirs before he was ever born.  He is definitely a member of our family.  He idolizes his Granddad.  If they are near each other he is attached.  He loves music.  (wonder why)  He has great pitch and rhythm.  He’s always making moves and singing.  He loves his cousins and especially likes to play in the snow.  He loves his family and is a fun guy.  We love him so much.

The 20th was Dianne's more that 5th birthday.  She's an answer to a mother's prayer.  She is such an incredible mother and good wife to our Clark.  There is much love in that family.  She is very talented and shares her talents with many.  She always has time for others.  She makes our son happy and parents always want that.  Not only is she talented but she is beautiful inside and out.  (no pictures of the inside)
The 21st was my birthday.  I am finally 59+.  What a great day I had.  Every child called or saw me to wish me a happy day.

Tiff and family sent flowers

 The first thing we did when we got up was go to the gym.  Not my idea of a wake-up call.  Granddad surprised me by buying a dress I absolutely love. 

 I have been looking for a new dress ever since we got home from NC.  He just goes into a store and picks up the perfect dress.  Unbelievable. I was amazed.  Friends even came by to wish me happiness.
At 7:00 Erik and Scott's families and Tyler and Ashley met us at Golden Coral for dinner. 

 I love watching what those kids put on their plates.  We ate and ate. 

You call this dessert?

 It was great.  Later that night Jeff and Cori Frady called to give wishes.  They're our NC mountain kin.
They really do feel like family.   It was a perfectly great day.
Sunday at YW the girls had me sit on a chair in front of the board and they wrote things they thought about me.  It was very humbling.

Monday Ava and Nixon played outside it was so warm.  It makes us nervous because January should be cold and wet.  Our summer water depends on the snowfall in the winter.

I had given Ava a birthday shopping trip way back in November.  I had completely forgotten about it  I felt so badly when she reminded me.  We had a great time.  We went to lunch and then to the Disney store because Ava wanted to check all her choices.  She spent most of her time looking for something for Nixon.  When I finally said it was time to look for something for her she went right next door to Build a Bear.  She knew exactly what she wanted--Princess Celestia.  We had a great day.

We had some sad news this week in that the boy Kimberly Wilcox was going to marry died.  He was only 38 and very good to her.  She was the speaker at his funeral yesterday.  She is going to Spain to be with Brad and Debbie Wilcox for their semester of teaching there.  It will be good for her.  We love the entire Wilcox family so much.  

Dianne's brother Jake and wife Heidi just delivered their daughter at 27 weeks.  The last daughter died before birth.  We are praying every prayer for her health.  She is already off the ventilator and is a little fighter.  Her pictures are so heart-warming.

The 28th was Aunt Mikki's birthday.  How we do love her.  She is such a strong example of faith in every footstep.  She is definitely an anchor for the Bayles family.

 

At our wedding in 1966.

 

The most beautiful quilt she made for us in 2013  

She is next to George.

Wednesday night at 9:00 we had an interview with Bishop Hoopes.  We went through so many scenarios  wondering what he was going to call us to do.  The first thing he asked was what were our plans about going on another mission.  I have been taught my entire life to never say "no".  The last time he talked to us he asked us to think about a 3 year mission that was for 6 months each year in our trailer at the girl's camp above Heber.  Dad and me in that trailer for 6 months?  We hesitated and before we could say anything he called me to be the Relief Society President.  I wondered if maybe we should hurry and say "A mission."  I remembered Angela Outzs from NC and how she had been called but hadn't given her answer but knew it was from the Lord and followed His call.  Friends give one such strength.  I am scared, so scared, but I know the Lord will help me.  He gave me one day to choose my presidency.  I prayed and prayed but just didn't know what to do.  I finally made a list of sisters from the ward list that felt right.  When I finished I had 20 names.  How do you go from that number to 3?  I called the Bishop and read him the names.  He really didn't say much but it gave me confidence to narrow it down to 5.  I was so surprised when I looked at my new list and there were only 6 names.  (One I had known would be right from the call.  I don't know her well and didn't even know her first name but I knew.)  That really made it 5.  I prayed and prayed but still didn't know.  When I got up Friday morning I prayed some more.  When I looked at the 5 names 3 of them were bright and stood out.  What a strong answer to prayer.  I know I have chosen the ones the Lord wants.  I didn't know the first name of one of those and another one I just didn't want because she is such a good Gospel Doctrine  Sunday School teacher and I love her lessons.  The Bishop was so sure of the names I had chosen.  The Lord is so in charge of His church.  I hope it is alright to put this sacred experience in our blog. 

We will be set apart tomorrow.  I am having a very difficult time leaving my wonderful Young Women.  Not sure how I'll handle YW tomorrow.  It's before church.  

Saturday Dad was still ill so I went to Milt's alone.  I stopped at places I have always wanted to and took some pictures. 

 This is on a monument to those buried who were not moved to the cemetery in town.  The farmer who owned this land plowed it up and planted crops.  You can see nothing is there now.

 old school in Santaquin

home on Main St in Santaquin

Another home on main street still lived in with a huge hole in the roof.

 I will take more the next time I go. You can see why I love going to Eureka.   Milt's results are even better than the doctors expected.
I got home just in time for Dad's take out from In-n-Out.  We ate and headed to PG for Amy Cochran's ball game.  They won.  Most all of the Cochrans were there.  It was so fun to see everyone.  Even Erin and Jerry and kids from Oregon were there.  It was just great to be with extended family.  That's what the gospel is all about.  It's true.
Saturday we worked around the house and I prayed a lot.  At 4:30 we left for my birthday dinner at Erik's home.  It was yummy as usual but the best part was Shanell's homemade sugar cookies, loaded with icing.  We visited for awhile and then left to see Parker in the musical "Bye, Bye, Birdie"  It was a professionally done production.  All the way through we had to keep reminding ourselves it was the middle school.  It was filled with wonderful singing, amazing dancing, (yes Parker can cut a rug) and everyone stayed in their roll with zest.  What a great evening.  Parker was so fun to watch.

 waiting

 after with family

Grammy, Parker and Granddad

January was a wonderful month in that we saw so much family.  The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is so true and we are so blessed with the wonder family the Lord has given us. We still love each other.