JULY AND FUN SUMMER

YELLOWSTONE 2016

AS USUAL, I NEGLECTED MUCH OF JUNE SO I WENT BACK AND ADDED SOME.  IT IS IN JUNE'S BLOG. NOTHING IS IN ORDER  AND DOING BAYLIE'S HAIR I KNOW NOT WHEN.

July is always a great time.  It seems we get together often because of the picnic weather.  We love being with our children.  We started off with David making his flights so he could be with us.  The next day they went to Blanding for another school reunion.  The kids stayed with us until Shanelle, Erik and boys came to mow the lawns and then went home with them. They stayed the night and had a great time.

A few days later we had Blinds by Design come and put Plantation blinds in our bedrooms and dining room. 

They are so beautiful.  Scott also came and hooked up our new kitchen faucet.  The old one was so worn out. 

The window well men also came and dug out our old well and put in a new one. 

It was a hard job and they did great.  The old one had corroded clear through and we were worried about flooding.  The entire time the kids played in the little back yard pool.
The third I hurried up and awakened the kids.  The balloon fest was almost over.  They loved it.

They loved the Liberty Bell

This one came so close to the back yard that we could talk to each other.

 The kids are standing in our front yard.

 They walked it right in front of our house.

What fun!

Sunday Tiffani and her family came at around midnight,  We love it when they come.  There is never a dull moment.

We got up early on the fourth to run the 1K the 5K and the 10K.  Scott was the only one who ran the 10.  It’s always fun to do things with the family. 

 running in with 

Scott

 Baylie and Nixon with Granddad

Medals

With our favorite BYU player who is now with the Ravens, Bronson Kaufusi

We went home and rested a bit and then everyone headed to Scott’s for a fun day.  They had a water slide put up and Shanelle ordered a dunking booth so there was not a dull minute.  The kids and adults had so much fun. 

We had a picnic dinner and then when it got dark, we did fireworks.

The best surprise os all was when Scott and Beth gave Dad his Father's Day gift.

#18 is on the way!

  People had fire works going all around us, Parker lit them and all were so tired by the time they were over that we went home and fell in bed.  It was so nice of Scott and Beth to open their home and yard for us.  Their yard is so big and plenty of room for everyone.

We got up early the next day and made everything ready to go to Yellowstone for our family reunion.  We stopped in Malad to see Nancy's family graves and to visit with Aunt Bev and Uncle Jay while eating.

Missed Aunt Bev but got her son David and Uncle Jay

 back side with Delbert, Karen Nancy, Corlas and Milton

 Nancy's mother and father  Delbert Robert and Katie Jones

 Nancy's brother, 3 days older than Granddad

 Nancy's grands,  Clara was named after Clarasetta

Uncle Jack who was a prisoner of war in Germany 

 David Evans and Clarasetta Price Jones

It is about 5 hours away so we got there just in time for dinner.  Scott and Beth didn’t get there ‘till midnight.  Dad had forgotten his heart medication so they were the closest and got them. The cabin Shanelle reserved had 6 bedrooms so we had plenty of room.  The boys slept out in a TeePee the first night.  The little ones slept out later.  Shanelle and Erik were in charge of this reunion and had everything so organized.  Everything was perfect, even with some misunderstandings we usually have.  We are so happy to have the children we do and especially the little ones who make life so worth it.  The activities were baptisms in the Rexburg Temple, Yellowstone Park, Playing in the lake and just being together.
We had fun around the home.

a needed rest

We loved going into Yellowstone and some even went 3 times.  Scott’s family was the only one who saw a bear fairly close.  Tiffani is still working on forgiveness. 

The only time we were together.  Scott went a different direction and saw many animals

Tiffani wanted to see a painted buffalo.

 this river is warm

 We were amazed at the layer of rock that looked like a fence.

When it was our night to do dinner, we had everyone meet at a fun pizza place in West Yellowstone.

fuzzy

The last night Shanelle had some very fun games for everyone to play.

Later that evening they surprised us with some DVD’s of our early life and interviews.  We certainly hope we get copies of them so we can watch and laugh again.

 The next morning we all left and headed to our different homes.

We went by way of Jackson Hole and saw the Star Valley Temple. 

Kristin insisted that we take a picture on the same fence as Grammy’s family had done.  After going back she finally got the picture but we do not have it so we put in a fence sitting picture of our own.

  

 Grammy, Del, Milt, Grandma, Karen

Beth, Nixon, Lauren, Clara, Ava, Baylie

July 15^th found us at Deer Creek Reservoir for a day of fishing and swimming.  It was just us and Kristin’s family.

I dropped my phone and broke the face to pieces because I didn’t have the cover on it.  I got it repaired and then a cover put over that one which is extremely strong.  I bought a new cover and love it.  What an expensive day.  That evening we went to Dennis Cosby's birthday party.  It was at a nice park and many people came to celebrate.  He is such a wonderful man and is and important part of our family even though there is no blood relationship.
Shane and Alexa's family came for 4 days and we had a good time with them.  We had home made tamales by Vicky's mother.  Vicky Anaya lives next door and is such a good neighbor.
Shanelle invited us for dinner Monday and of course we had tacos.  It's always good food at their home.
July 20th was our 50th wedding anniversary.  It has been a full and happy time and we are so grateful to have the covenants we have made in the temple.  We are so blessed to have our family for eternity if we but live the doctrine of Christ.  What a beautiful plan of salvation our Father and his Son have provided for us.  We love each other and just pray that we can continue as an eternal family.
The next night we went to the Owl's game with Erik and Kristin's families.  We love to watch base ball games.

We got the trailer all packed up and left for the Reed E. Bayles reunion July22nd.  The kids were such travel troopers.  They were just great.  We stopped at a dinosaur park on the way, just before Moab.  It was amazing.  Very expensive but very educational.  The temp was 103 degrees and involved a half mile hike.  Hot but good.

We got the ranch just in time to eat.  Great planning.  At 10:00 Kristin and the kids went with many others to go crawdad fishing in a lake.  Kristin had never gone and didn’t want to but when she got back at midnight she was so excited.  The men said she waded right into the water and even caught them with her bare hands.  What a woman! The next night Shawn and Kelly cooked them up and they had a feast.  They cook them with corn on the cob, potatoes and other stuff.

The reunion had many activities: tubing down the Mancos River, horseback riding, many games, and riding on saddles all day long.  Many tall tales were told.  We had well over 100 people.

 even Kristin rode

 We need help making some of these.  Kids rode them all day.

Uncle Eric provided the horses.

The 24th was the perfect day for a testimony meeting.  It is always a good one.  Aunt Julie told how she could never remember when it had not been her, Lyman and Dennis.  They were always together.  She said they knew how to get in trouble like no other and felt sorry for Granny.  Dennis spent more time at their home than at his own.  She remembered when it was the day before Dennis was to go on his mission and Granddad had to go to Colorado and get him.  He was just going to stay there but Granddad loaded Lyman and him in the truck and headed to Utah.  Dennis didn't even know he had a call.  Dennis entered one day and Lyman the next.  Julie really had a hard time losing her best friends at the same time.

Many spoke but at the end, Dennis got up and said thanks and bore a great testimony.  He told us that he would be at the next reunion which hit us hard when we realized that he probably wouldn't.  We lost it when Cathy got up and explained that Granddad would come and get Dennis when it was time, just like he did for his mission.  What truth she spoke.  It was such a great meeting.

We sang the old family songs Clark had made for us most of the way home.  The kids knew every one.  They were so good all the way.  We were so tired we just had In-N-Outs for dinner.

Monday night we made homemade ice cream for dessert.  Jalen was so excited.

The next morning we left for the airport at 6 AM.  They made it home at 9 that night.  Kristin checked 6 boxes and luggage.  They each had a carry on.

Thursday we emptied Kristin’s storage unit.  Everything has been given away and she has all of her things in SC.  Terri Jensen took the organ.  We took Lucille to the doctor and because we were having a sleep-over with Ava and Nixon, They came with us.  Scott and Bethany are on their 12^th anniversary trip.  The kids love to play in our little pool. 

 Ava finished a purse she was weaving on my little loom.

She absolutely loved this book written by Baylie about the love for cousins.  It's a treasure.

We watched part of Enchanted but they got tired and wanted to go to bed.  Unbelievable.  They got up at 6:15 and wanted to swim some more.  Later, Erik and Shanelle came for some life jackets so they could tube down the Provo, River.  They had their anniversary too, 19 years.

Church was wonderful as usual.  The entire day was on “Faith, not fear”.  We need not fear if we have faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We just need to follow His example and do everything we can to follow His doctrine.  We are so blessed to have this knowledge and the help from our Prophet and leaders.  We cannot imagine life without these wonderful blessings.

After church we went home teaching and then to Scott’s for dinner.  It’s always good to be with family.  That’s why we are on this earth; to bring our families back to Christ.  We love ours so very much.

Go HERE to read more about the Yellowstone reunion on Kristin's blog.

Go HERE to read more about the Colorado reunion on Kristin's blog.