LOVE AND KISSES

February found us still with snow coming down.  We love this moisture because it may be all we get and our summers need water.  Our water depends on the winter snow and the spring rain which we rarely get.  This is wonderful.

We started the month with Ashley’s birthday.  She is a special daughter of our Heavenly Father.

 She is loving this new roll of mother and is very good at it having learned from her mother who is a great role model.  We took Ava and Nixon shopping for a dinner Ash and Ty could put in the fridge and use whenever they didn’t have something planned.  We also took cake from Magelbys.  Of course we had to get a little for ourselves.  The kids were very excited to see this new member of the family.

  They love William.  Ava couldn’t believe how tiny he is.  This was the first time we held him because we didn't want him to get any germs when we saw him not even a day old.

Ground Hog Day is a fun thing because you can kinda feel there is an end of winter.  We went to the temple with Cliff and Carma Bush.  Cliff is Dad’s fishing buddy.

On Wednesday Scott, Beth and kids took us to dinner at a place in the mall called Studio Pizza.  It was yummy.  After dinner they took us to the circus at UVU.   We hadn’t been to a circus forever and really enjoyed it.  The kids had never been so they had so much fun.  We got there early enough so the kids could ride an elephant. 

We didn’t get home until 10:30 but the time really flew and we loved every minute. (except when Nixon bumped the seat and got a bloody nose)  We love doing things with family.
Wednesday night, Thursday and Thursday night it snowed like crazy.

 iron tricycle

 driveway

 plane

hard worker
Friday Clark, Dianne, Molly and Lily picked us up and took us to Richfield for the varsity 2A wrestling sectionals.  We had so much snow that we didn’t want to drive.  Believe it or not, Clark is a great driver and we felt safe.  We missed Riley’s first wrestle but he pinned in the first round 30+ seconds.  He lost the next one and pinned in 30 sec again. 

He is only a sophomore but wrestled varsity.  He won another one by decision.  That evening when it was over we checked into the Fairfield and headed to Wingers for dinner. 

We were so tired and hungry.  The girls went swimming and Clark and Dianne got in the hot tub.

The next morning we headed to the wrestles. They blew smoke and announced each wrestler.  Not sure if you can hear Riley's name.  At least they pronounced "Bayles" correctly.  

Again, Riley did well; 

won 2 with one being a pin and lost one. 

He ended coming in 5^th

and able to go to the finals next weekend.  South Summit came in first in their division. 

Again we were hungry and went to Costa Vita for dinner.  Riley was able to ride home with us.

  We arrived home at 10:30 and Clark’s headed on home.  What a great weekend.  We so love being with family and were so proud of Riley.

Sunday morning found us at 9:00 with Brandon and Pam Luke (Pam is Bill and Ann Bayles' daughter) at their new baby, Lydia's blessing.  Brandon did a beautiful job and gave a wonderful testimony.  Bill and Ann were there as well as Nancy and Andrea.  Blessings are so tender and this one was no exception.

We went to our own meeting and enjoyed our testimony meeting and the other classes.  At 5:30 we were at Bob and Lynda Westovers for his 80th birthday.  They are people who follow the doctrine of Christ.  I taught with her for 25 years and she was such an inspiration for me.  We love them.
Monday we decided to bake cookies with Ava and Nixon  It was a fun time.

 When Scott came he got Nixon ready for karate.

Tuesday was Dave Jennings' birthday.  We love the way he cares for our Tiffani (except for remodeling ideas)  He is a good man and honors the blessings from our Father in Heaven.  He leads this precious family in righteousness.  He has  so much fun with their children.  Tiffani get them all ready and quiet for bed and then he takes over.  Noise haven; the kids love it.  They have a home filled with a good spirit.

That evening was our RS International dinner.  We had sisters from Mongolia, Latin America, Scotland, Hong Kong, Brazil and other countries prepare such delicious food for us.  It was wonderful. 

Friday we spent all day watching Riley in the varsity state wrestling.  He is only a sophomore but pinned 2 guys that day.  He also lost 2 so didn't make it to the finals. We were upset because he was ahead and he chose down but his coach said up.  Did not fare well.  We are so proud of him.

We found out that South Summit (Riley's team) won state so that was good news.  He helped with his 2 pins,  Dad was ill yesterday and slept all day today.  He didn't go to church Sunday and slept  all day Monday.

Tuesday we were thrilled to take Lucille Rawcliff to her doctor’s appt.  She hasn’t’ seen any doctor for 7 months and will be 95 in May.  She is such a sweetie.  She tries so hard to do things for other people but she can’t get around without help.  We just love her.  She is so appreciative of everything we do.  We took her to another doctor Wednesday and another one Thursday.  Her last apt. is next Tuesday.  She is just fun to be around.  She is so sharp and remembers so much.  She has been a widow for 17 years.  Dad felt a little better so he did his shift at the temple.  He still is not well.

The good thing about Friday is that it was Asher’s birthday and he will be baptized on the first Saturday in March.  He is such a sweet boy and loves his family. 

Asher and brother, Camden

He can do anything with Leggos and loves anything to do with Star Wars.  The sad thing is that he has to have all his teeth pulled out as they start to get loose.  He’s a trooper though.  We certainly do love him.  The whole family went to Disneyland for 5 days for his birthday.  What a fun present.

Dad is finally feeling better but still has to rest each day.
We went to visit the Ogdens who replaced us in Murphy.  It was such an enjoyable evening and loved hearing about the people there.

Sunday morning Karen called to say her husband,Bert, had died.  They will have the funeral in Malad.  She has her family with her and is holding as strong as she can.  We will be in Malad, Saturday for the funeral.  I ordered flowers to be from Del, Milt, and us.

George had a fun thing happen in the temple.  He looked up and there was Will Jenkins from our mission.  He was such a young boy when we were there and now he is a missionary going to Canada.  We are so proud of him.
Thursday night we went to an incredible Boy Scout Eagle Court of Honor.  The boy had built a huge pen for a red fox who needed to be in a shelter. The lady from the shelter came with the fox, a skunk, bird, and even a boa constrictor.  The room was full of people and everyone had a chance to pet each animal.  It was great.
Friday we got up and went to the Red Barn at Thanksgiving Point  to watch Ava in a dance competition.  

She got a first.  She is such a great dancer.

 We missed the Saturday competition because of the funeral.  This dance was a group and they took 1st and Beth sent us a picture.

That afternoon my brother, Del and his wife came on their way to the funeral.  They live in Arizona and we seldom see them so it was really a treat.  We love our families.
Saturday, Milt came early so he could ride to Idaho with us.  It was fun to be with my other brother.  Funerals are a great way to see extended family and renew relationships. (funeral reunions)!  Some we had not seen at all.  Karen did very well and her children handled the funeral.  Clark and Dianne came from Kamas and it was so good to have them represent our family.

George, Del's John and Del

 Del, Nancy, Milt, Karen

 We loved seeing my only Aunt Belvalene and her husband Jay.  They are the only aunt and uncle I have left.  It was a great surprise when I looked down the hall and saw my roommate from BYU.  She lives in Idaho and figured I would be at the funeral.  We cried on each other and shared stories of our fun days.  She has influenced my life so much over the years.  She taught me by example how to live and keep the commandments of our Father in Heaven.  She made sure we had prayer together every night.She, was to me, a perfect example of a beautiful and virtuous young woman.  I love her so much.
After the funeral, we went to the cemetery

Del, Nancy, Milt, Karen

and then to a wonderful luncheon.  

We visited some more and then headed home.  My sister has always been so good to me and even as children we played and had fun together.  She was always there for me.  It was so good to be with her and support her.  It was a wonderful day to be with family.
The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is so true and the only way back to our Father.  There is such a beautiful glow around people who are striving to keep the commandments and follow God's plan of happiness.  We love our family and the way they try to live the commandment and teach their children of doing the same.  They are great people and we are so proud of them.
Monday Ava and Nixon came for a few hours so we baked bread.  When it was finished we took a loaf to Lucille Rawcliff.  They thought it was so fun.

Ava and Nixon

When we got back from delivering, I pulled in the garage but not all the way so they could get out easier.  When dad shut the door it scraped Lilly's bumper.  We have called a repair man.  What next?
That night we went to Dallyn Bayles's concert at the Scera.  Two hours of such pleasure and amazement.  We just couldn't believe how he could hit the notes so strongly and then so softly.  He got a standing ovation and the concert hall was booked solid. Absolutely breath taking.  In between numbers he preached the restored gospel by telling stories about his family and the influence the church and our Savior has had on his life.  What a great way to end the month.  It has been full of so many blessings.

  

HAPPY NEW YEAR

How wonderful it is to start a new year.  It’s such a good time to commit ourselves to the Lord.  How blessed we are to have the truth in our lives.  Erik and his family came over and we ate and ate while watching football all day.  It was wonderful.  Being with family is a great way to start off the New Year.

Shanelle gave me some quilt blocks and I got them put together.  They are beautiful.  It felt so good to be doing something I enjoy so much.  We had a sad moment when we found out our dear friend Reva Pope had died.

Sunday I gave the lesson.  I feel like it went well.  We have spent several days trying to get our Christmas things put away.  It takes forever.

Wednesday I colored my hair and just when I was ready to shower and wash the goop off I picked up a piece of lint off the floor and couldn’t get back up.  Dad was at the temple so I had no one to help me.  I made it up but was in such pain.  It was so weird because I didn’t do anything different than any other day.  I finally made it to the shower to get the color off my hair.  I was very nervous that I might fall.  I really hurt.

Judy Sandstrom came at 11:15 and we worked on the months’ visiting teaching.  It takes a long time to figure everything out.  She left at 2:15.  Dad was home and we left to pick up Ava for her birthday date.  Her birthday was in November and we are just a little late.  We had a fun time with her.  As usual; no pictures.  It was hard with my back the way it was.  I must have slipped a disc.

That evening Erik and Scott came over to help Dad give me a blessing.  It really helped in that I could at least relax.  We are so blessed to have sons and sons-in-law worthy to give priesthood blessings.  They brought a great spirit into or home.

  I took a Lortab and went to bed.

On the 8^th Shanelle had tickets for us to go to the Provo Temple open house.  I borrowed a wheelchair from a sweet lady in our ward because I knew the line would be so long and we would have to stand the whole time.  It ended up we were there from 6 to 9:00.  I was so grateful for the chair to make it possible for me.  The temple is so beautiful.  It is hard to figure out how they made the tabernacle into such a huge and beautiful building.  The spiral stairways and regular stairs are unbelievably beautiful with such incredible wood.  It's hard to believe it was once a tabernacle with a balcony.

 We should all do a session at the Provo City and the Payson temples.
After the session we went to La Dolce Vita for dinner.  It was a good dinner and so fun to be with Erik's family.  

It was just an enjoyable evening. 
The next morning we took the wheelchair to Kumen Jones viewing and funeral.  He is Aunt Gwen's boy.  He and Dad are first cousins.  It was fun to be there and see some of our long lost cousins.  Dad really enjoyed it.  The funeral was nice and we even went to the cemetery.
Sunday I was able to go to all 3 meetings without a wheelchair.  The meetings were so good.  Dad was the main speaker at Sacrament meeting and did such a good job telling about how the heroes in the Book of Mormon stayed true to the covenants they made with God.  It was powerful, as always.  The bishop's son, Max told about covenants also and mentioned the covenants we make when we partake of the sacrament.  He read the prayer on the bread and just cried through the whole prayer.  He mentioned what a privilege it was to be able to be a part of the administration of that sacred ordinance.  He is a senior now and so focused.
 Dad also gave the priesthood lesson.  Sheri Hafen gave a most marvelous Relief Society lesson on Christ.  She read from her journal of when she was in the Holy Land and heard Howard W. Hunter teach of our Savior.  She had me in tears.  She has a way of bringing the Spirit in all  her lessons.  She shares such a strong testimony.

Erik and Shanelle came over with the boys and brought us an incredible dinner (pork roast and all the trimmings) because I just couldn't do much.  They are always so thoughtful.

That night we went to Chad Carter’s grandmothers viewing.  I knew it would be hard so we took the wheelchair.  The line was so long that it was a great idea.  She was a great lady and Chad is our home teacher and his sons are friends of our boys.

Tuesday Erik and Clark talked me into going to a chiropractor in Heber.  It was amazing and I feel so much better and can walk so well.

Thursday was such a fun day.  We finished 5 quilts for our humanitarian project.  We had 14 sisters attend which was more than usual.
Erik's family had us over for dinner again.  They always step in when we need them.  Shanelle cooks such incredible meals.  Makes me feel guilty.  We did take 2 pies; homemade from Marie Callender.

Friday we spent 11 hours at a wrestling tournament.  Riley was the reason.  He won 9 matches and lost 2.  Clark, Di, Hailey, Molly, Lily and Jonny came.  It is just fun to be with family.  Erik's family came in the afternoon.

This is how Clark's kids watch the tournament when Riley isn't wrestling

 I left with Erik because I had been sitting long enough.  Somewhere, somehow, I lost a pair of glasses.  I do that a lot.  I was thrilled that I lasted as long as I did.  When we got home Tiffani and Lauryn were there.  Erik's stayed awhile and visited.  The cousins were happy to see each other.  Only Lauryn came so we had fun spoiling her.

This girl loves ice cream

Saturday morning after I had set up for a funeral,  George went back to the tournament. Tiffani went to her mission presidents's wife's funeral in SLC and Lauryn and I stayed home and baked cakes for Sister Wright's funeral.

Lauryn played outside

and when I had to go back to serve the funeral dinner;  Erik and family got Lauryn  and took her bowling.   We all got back at about the same time so while Lauryn, Asher and Camden built a snowman, we visited again.

 Tiffani had to leave because a snow storm was predicted.  It was just great fun to be together.
Lauryn forgot her stuffed dog so I had a ball taking pictures of him in different situations so she wouldn't feel so badly.  He has since  been mailed back to Lauryn.

He wanted a sip while watching football.

Granddad read "How Many Kisses"

pondering the scriptures.

He held the snowman up,

He was always happy if he could see Lauryn.

Lauryn when she opened the box.

We were hoping the little one would come on Dianne's birthday but he decided on a day of his own.  Dianne is an incredible mother.  She has a wonderful mother to pattern after.  She loves our son so much and that makes us so happy.  She watches over her flock with all her energy.  We love having her in our family.

Jan, 19th is Jalen Batchelor's birthday. WE are so blessed to have him in our family.  I remember when they flew to get him and came back before the papers were final.  I was so upset because I thought they would lose him.  I tried not to get to close to him because it would be so hard later but he just weaseled into my heart.  He is ours forever and we are so grateful.  He is a special little boy and so loved by our family.  We are thrilled that his permanant teeth have grown in.

 Jan. 21, was a great birthday. .  I woke up to Scott texting me the day and it kept going until I crawled into bed with Clark’s family wishing me the same.  All the others greeted me throughout the day.  I was not forgotten by one child and their family.  A mother can’t ask for more.  How blessed I am to have 5 wonderful children and their spouses who have given us such wonderful grandchildren and so many blessings.  We treasure each one.  I am so blessed to be married to a man who loves and honors me even when I am so impatient.  He is always there to help me with whatever I need and does so much around the house for me.  He honors me as the mother of his children and does so much for the family.  He is a good man who loves our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ.  I love him and my family so very much and just pray that we will all be together forever.  My cute husband took me to the movies and out to dinner (Outback) too.  We do that every year. I even had a couple in the ward bring a yummy cake and sing a special birthday song.  It was just a great day.  Erik and Shanell are taking us out to dinner on Saturday.  I’m just so happy. (Miscommunication made a belated birthday present forthcoming from Grandad).

 Dinner with Erik's

A balloon penguin from two sisters in the ward

Roses from Tiff's family

flowers from my 2nd counselor

I love this gift.  On the right is a file that has a month and a family picture on each page and a line for each day so I don't forget what happened that day if I don't have time to write in my journal.  On each month is a saying by one or more of the grand kids saying what they like about me.  I treasure their words.  The one on the left is the journal I keep each day.
That evening Scott and Beth came over with their children, to give me their presents.  They hand painted some beautiful bird houses for me.  They are absolutely perfect.

Friday we went to Kamas to watch Riley wrestle.  He pinned his guy in the first round.  Glad we went but what a short trip. 

ready to turn his opponent

pin

 When we drove into the driveway we got a call from Ashley.  Yes we are now officially great grandparents.  She delivered a healthy little man cub.  Can’t wait to see him.  Her mother was there and caught the wee one.  What a treasured experience.  I’m dying to tell everyone but she wants to after they figure out a name.  I’ll anxiously wait but it's really hard.
No sooner had I written this than I got pictures of William Clark Johns:

 In deep thought

new eternal family

No words can express the feelings in our hearts.  The restored gospel is so true and we are so blessed to know that families are forever.  We have such a loving Father in Heaven.

Grandparents Clark and Dianne

  Great Grammy and Great Granddad

I bought a new carpet to put under our dining room table.  We needed
one and got such a good price.  We like it.  Erik and Shanelle were at the house so they helped us put it down.  We could have never done it by ourselves, the table is too heavy.  Erik helped flip our king mattress
while they were here which is another thing we can't do.

                                       

That evening we had a dinner of delicious homemade soup and homemade bread.  YUM!

The 29^th we went to the Norman Rockwell exhibit at the BYU Art Museum.  We grew up with the Saturday Evening Post and the cover picture by Rockwell.  He has hundreds of paintings of everyday life in the 20^th century.  His paintings are all filled with emotion and some with great humor.  He captured the innocence of youth and the emotions of the adults.  He made it so you could see yourself right in the painting.  I remember being with my Mom and Dad and eating breakfast at the University of Illinois cafeteria.  Norman Rockwell was sitting at the next table and eating stewed prunes.  He kinda looked like a stewed prune.  We loved the man’s paintings and stayed a long time.

Saturday Dad and Scott's family drove to Deer Creek and went ice fishing.  They had a great time but did not catch a fish.  (thank goodness)  It snowed the entire day but that didn't even matter.  It's just fun for them to be together,  Hopefully he can take Clark's and Erik's families before the ice melts.  I guess it's a fun thing to do.  Me?  I stayed home in a warm house with snow falling heavily outside.

Dad

Scott

While they were fishing Clark's family was hauling wood.

Sunday found us at 8:30 going to President Robison's homecoming from being the MTC President over the Ghana. Africa MTC.  His wife gave such a sweet talk and he filled us with the Spirit of the Holy Ghost in Africa.  It made us want to put in our papers. 

Again, we are so grateful for the restored gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We know our Heavenly Father loves and and knows each one of us.  He wants us to come home and be as families forever.  We are working on that.  Jesus Christ is our Savior, brother and Redeemer.  We love Him and want to follow his teachings.  Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ in the grove of trees and was instrumental in the restoration.  The Book of Mormon is a true book and will help lead us to our Savior.  We know this to be true.