Blanding 4th of July

Grandpapa and I made it home safely today after a fun-filled five days in Blanding!  We got to go to the tiny temple in Monticello with the Slavens cousins to help with baptisms (Dad) and a session (me).  After the temple Dad golfed nine holes with Johnny, Jimmy, and a bunch of other Slavens'!  I hit a bucket of balls and then played the back nine with Dad.  He played great and I shot my usual 59 for nine!  It was beautiful and fun.  We saw deer and wild turkeys!  We stayed with Maurene and Harold Keylon.  She is Dad's first cousin, Aunt Marva's daughter (Marva Laws - Grandpa Kay's sister).  They treated us royally with a mint on the pillow, a massaging recliner, and waffles with strawberries and whipped cream one morning and "tomato eggs" the next!  We saw Marilyn and Calvin Bayles who were there with all there kids and grands and extended family (about 140 Bayles folks!)  We joined them for a special visit to the Bluff cemetery where Calvin shared stories of our faithful and courageous ancestors.  We were invited to a bar b que with the Nielson clan, visited with Austin "the hugger" Lyman, watched the fireworks from Jim Redd's front patio and had some great laughs.  Dad also shared a BYU devotional about the founding of our country which made us feel grateful and amazed.  We visited with some other cousins and had fun with Corry, Max, and Nancy.  Saturday night was Uncle Richard Perkins 80th birthday which was a lot of fun.  He is a cowboy Grandpa, still riding 10 hour days at 80!  It was fun to get acquainted with all the Perkins cousins from Richard and Evelyn's family.  Dad shared his great testimony in the old Blanding ward which was very inspiring!  Uncle Calvin, Robin Bayles, and Kelly Bayles also shared their testimonies.  It was a very great family time.  We had fun telling everyone about each one of you and how wonderful we think you are!!  We hope we can plan a Jones family gathering in Blanding in some near year in the future.  See you all at Cherry Hill!

Love,

Grandmama  xo