HAPPY NEW YEAR

Mt. Timpanogos from our back yard

Squaw Peak from our back yard

back yard

 

Driving in town can hopefully be very slow.

 We started church at 9:00 for this entire year.  It was not hard at all and the meeting was so good.  We love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and if we but follow the doctrine of Christ we can have our beautiful family forever.  We strive to live our lives for that blessing.  We love the blessings of temples so close to us.  There are 5 temples within 20 minutes of our home.  We are 5 minutes from our temple and enjoy going there so much.

After church we went home to a very empty house after all the visits we have had this season.  It was very strange and lonely.

We haven’t done much in that I am the designated driver and with all the snow we don’t do much.  Dad’s eyes are improving daily and hopefully he will be through with his last appointment on the 19^th.

January 7^th was a fun day because we got to go to Orem High and watch Molly play in 2 basketball games.  She is quite the player.  She has a good touch for baskets and is an incredible rebounder.  After both games we really went all out and took everyone to Costco for lunch.  It was just Clark’s, Erik’s and us.  Costco was a zoo but we still had fun.

At 6:00 we met Erik’s family at the BYU Marriott Center to watch Kolton’s JH choir sing the National Anthem. 

 Kolton is on the top right

It was amazing and the evening was a win for BYU by a landslide.  

When we got up Sunday morning there were tracks from a rabbit circling our entire back yard.

Monday was a day I had been dreading for a year.  It was the blue light treatment on my face for cancer.  I was supposed to go last January but was a chicken.

  It was not as bad as I thought it would be and everything went well.  I just have to stay away from light for 2 days.  No problem.  Just hunkered in the basement and we watched the wonderful championship football game.  Yeah Clemson!

Granddad went out to take down our Christmas stuff and saw these deer tracks right on our front lawn.

  

January 13th we went to a very good movie, Hidden Figures.  It is a true story of the woman who helped John Glenn arrive safely back from his orbit,  It shows the determination of one black woman to do what she felt was right.  Excellent.  Takes place in 1961 and more.

Saturday the 14th, we watched Kolton play basketball at 10:00 at PGJH.  He is a good player and hustles.

 blocking a shot  and resting

After the game we went to see Rowan in that we hadn't seen her for 2 weeks

We love that little tongue

That evening we went to Provo high to watch Molly play 2 games.  She  played so hard with her rebounding and shooting.  Her games were at 7 and 8.  We love being at these games.  Often though. I forget to take pictures.

The 19th was Jalen's birthday.  what a boy!  We are so blessed to have him in our family.  It was definitely a gift from our Father in Heaven to have him come to our family.  We are so glad he is ours for eternity.  When we called to wish him a happy day, he said, "Thank you.  Your call means so much to me."  What 7 year old says that?  He has a very tender heart and is so loved by everyone. He keeps us smilin'.

 Dad went to the doctor and found that there is no retina damage to his eye and that it will continue to heal.
That evening Dad took me to OutBack for my birthday dinner.  It's too crowded on the weekend.  We ate plenty.

The next day was Dianne's birthday.  We have 4 in a row; so fun.  We are so glad she is in our family.  She brings so many talents and gifts.  She is such a devoted mother and wife.  It was a happy day when clark found her.

January was my birthday and started off with a great breakfast provided by Erik and Shanelle’s family at the Kneaders at the Riverwoods. 

Kolton was at an overnight campout in a snow cave the troop had made.

The snow was so deep and snowing so hard that we drove very slowly.  It seems like it snows every day.  The food was so good and the company even better. 

It’s just great to be with family. After the meal Dad went  to buy me a present and came home with  some fun things.  He gave me a book to go along with my reading of the Doctrine and Covenants, a beautiful new winter dress and a shirt to go under it.

  I can never find anything and he always comes through. 

Right after I opened the presents Scott, Beth and their kids came over to help celebrate.  We held Rowan for 4 hours.  She never cried but made little noises.

  

nap time

We ate like it was game day (beef stick and chips etc.) and just had a relaxing time.  The kids played in the snow.  Tiff and Bethany taught me how to use Amazon on the TV.  When they left Nixon and Ava had a snowball fight with me.  I lost.  Nixon has an incredible lefty.

We had decided not to go to Molly’s games that evening because of the snow but as it got later and later we just couldn’t stay home.  It was in Spanish Fork and we got there in time for the second game.  She is amazing on the court.  She never came out of the game. 

third from the right

great number (Just like Riley)

We got home at 9:30 and ate a huckleberry crisp that Brother Lemon had made and his wife brought over for my birthday.  It was an especially fun day in that I heard from every one of our children.  My only living aunt, Aunt Bev called.  I love her.

The next day, Sunday, was William Clark’s birthday.  He is 1 year old and so cute and fun.  He is growing up too fast but is such a joy.  His nieces and nephews can’t get enough of him.  He makes the funnest sounds for them.

That Sunday was our ward conference and was so filled with the doctrine of Christ.  We love the restored gospel and pray always that we can live so that we can be a forever family for eternity.  What a beautiful gift our Father and His Son have provided for us.  We love our family.
It has been snowing many days now but we love it because it is our summer water.  We need this moisture so badly and it's so beautiful on the ground but not on the roads.

Wednesday I made bread again, got caught up on my scripture studies,    worked on my quilt, and ironed while Dad was serving in the temple.  We love that he can do that and the joy he gets in serving.  He loves seeing friends from the past each time he goes.  That evening we went to Kolton's middle school choir concert.  It was amazing.  It is always so good and there were at least 400 students who performed.

 They have several choirs.

 AS usual, we went to Macys for ice cream after.  It continues to snow.

Saturday the 28th, we attended Marilyn Carter's Mother's funeral.  What an amazing woman.  The 4 boys spoke as did Marilyn, her brother and Dennis Stoutsenburger.  The entire meeting only lasted 1 hour but was so filled with the spirit of love for families.

Today was also Aunt Mikki's birthday.  She is a stalwart in our family.  She sincerely cares about everyone in the Bayles family and even if they're not.  She knows so much about things that happen in the crew and is always there for everyone.  We love her.

This month has been filled with blessings from our Father.  He is ever mindful of us even though He doesn't always answer our prayers the way we think we need.  He answers the way He knows we need and growth is made.  We just pray we can always remember to be humble and accept whatever He has in mind for us.  The restored gospel of our Savior is so true and we are so blessed to have a family who is striving for eternal life as families.  We love them all so very much.