SHYANNES BAPTISM

WE RECIEVED THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER THIS YEAR, OUR 11 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER SHYANNE WAS BAPTISED ! SHYANNE IS GENTRYS SECOND DAUGHTER. BEFORE CHRISTMAS SHE SURPRISED US WITH HER NEWS, AND WAS BAPTIZED THE SATURDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR THE MISSIONARIES WHO SPENT THE TIME TO TEACH HER THE LESSONS. SHE HAS BEEN ATTENDING HER WARD AND HAS MADE SOME NEW FRIENDS. SHYANNES GRANDPA SCOTT HAD THE HONOR OF PERFORMING THE BAPTISM. HER GRANDPA PAUL, GRANDPA SCOTT, HER BISHOP, THE MISSIONARIES, OUR GOOD FRIEND MARK WERE JOINED IN THE CIRCLE TO CONFIRM HER A MEMBER. THERE WERE MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT ATTENDED, IT WAS SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE THEIR SUPPORT, LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP. MY FRIEND DANA WOOLEY, AND ROBYN (DUSTINS EX-WIFE) BOTH GAVE A TALK. SHYANNES COUSIN JOSYLYNN (DUSTINS OLDEST GIRL) AND OUR FRIEND MARK WOOLEY BOTH SAID THE PRAYERS. THEIR LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR SHYANNE AND FOR THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER CAME SHINING THRU. WE SO MUCH APPRECIATED THEIR COMMENTS AND WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THEY TOOK THEIR TIME TO BE THERE FOR SHYANNE AT THIS BUSY TIME OF YEAR. IT WAS ALSO SO NICE TO HAVE MY OLD FRIEND SUE THERE. IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO SHARE SPECIAL FAMILY EVENTS AGAIN WITH HER. THANKS SUE !! THERE WAS SUCH AN AMAZING SPIRIT THAT DAY AT THE CHURCH, A TERRIFIC DAY FILLED WITH PEOPLE THAT WE LOVE THE MOST TO SHARE IT WITH. AFTER THE BAPTISM SEVERAL OF US WENT TO A RESTAURANT IN KAYSVILLE TO CELEBRATE. SHYANNE YOU HAVE GROWN UP TO BE A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY WITH A BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT ! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND ARE SOOOO VERY PROUD OF YOUR CHOICE TO BE BAPTIZED A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. WE HOPE THAT YOU STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER, AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES. I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT IF YOU DO YOU WILL HAVE GREAT BLESSINGS COME TO YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE. KEEP LEARNING ALL THAT YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER, ATTEND YOUR MEETINGS, AND SAY YOUR DAILY PRAYERS. THESE THINGS WILL BRING YOU JOY AND HAPPINESS!

CHRISTMAS WITH THE BODELLS

CHRISTMAS FOR US IS ALWAY A HECTIC, BUT A FUN TIME OF YEAR FOR US. THERE ARE THE USUAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES, MY FAVORITE IS OUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY WHICH WAS HELD THE SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS. THERE IS LOTS OF GOOD FOOD, KATHY AND MIKE SEE TO IT THAT I HAVE MY OWN STACHE OF HOMEMADE BAKLAVA. CATCHING UP WITH EVERYONE'S NEWS AND GOSSIP. SANTA SOMEHOW ALWAYS SHOWS UP TO DELIGHT THE YOUNG AND OLD. IT IS SUCH A JOY TO WATCH THE LITTLE ONES, THE WONDER IN THEIR EYES AND THEIR EXCITEMENT ! WE SING CAROLS WITH SANTA, AND A COUPLE OF THE KIDS SANG THEIR OWN SONGS FOR A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE. GRANDCHILDRENS' PLAYS AND PROGRAMS ARE ALWAYS FUN TO ATTEND, SQUIRMING LITTLE PEOPLE ON A STAGE SINGING THEIR HEARTS OUT. AND OF COURSE THERE IS THE SHOPPING, SHOPPING AND MORE SHOPPING. I REMEMBER WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE YOUNG, MY PARENTS WOULD SAY, "CHRISTMAS BAH HUMBUG, LETS JUST FORGET IT THIS YEAR ! THEY WOULD GIVE ME MONEY TO SPEND ON ME AND THE KIDS,I WOULD WRAP IT AND PUT IT UNDER THEIR TREE FROM THEM. NOW I UNDERSTAND, THE OLDER YOU GET, THE HARDER IT IS ! WE HAVE 8 CHILDREN TO BUY FOR, THEIR HUSBANDS AND BOYFRIENDS, 17 (WITH ANOTHER ON THE WAY) GRANDCHILDREN, AND SEVERAL THAT CALL US GRANDPA AND GRANDMA, PLUS WE USUALLY TRY TO HELP A FAMILY IN NEED. BELIVE ME THATS ALOT OF SHOPPING ! I ALWAYS SAY I'M GOING TO GET IT DONE SOONER NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT NEVER SEEMS TO HAPPEN ! MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE WILL GO ON A CRUISE !!! NEVER THE LESS WE ALL HAVE A GOOD TIME. THE TRADITION AT OUR HOUSE IS TO HAVE MY KIDS COME FOR CHRISTMAS EVE. THEN WE HAVE SCOTTS KIDS THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. CHRISTMAS DAY IS SPENT VISITING GRANDCHILDREN TO SEE WHAT SANTA BROUGHT AND ALSO STOPPING AT MY SISTER PEGS. WE ALSO VISITED A FRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL. THIS YEAR GENTRY AND HER FAMILY, AND SUMMER AND HER FAMILY STAYED OVER NIGHT SO THEY COULD BE HERE CHRISTMAS MORNING. WE HAD 11 PEOPLE CHRISTMAS MORNING OPENING GIFTS, WHAT A RIOT ! SANTA WAS VERY GOOD TO US THIS YEAR. DID I MENTION THAT NEXT YEAR I HOPE TO BE ON A CRUISE ! OF COURSE WE MISS DUSTIN TERRIBLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. WISHING HE COULD BE WITH US AND HIS CHILDREN, TO SEE TIER WIDE EYES AND EXCITEMENT, HOPEFULLY HE CAN. HOPE YOU ALL HAD A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND THAT YOUR NEW YEAR WILL BE AWESOME.
P.S. YOUR WELCOME TO JOIN US ON OUR CRUISE !!!

HERE GOES, I'M GOING TO TRY TO BRING MY BLOG UP TO DATE !

I KNOW, I KNOW, IT'S BEEN SINCE SEPT. THAT I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD TIME TO SIT DOWN AND UPDATE MY BLOG. IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY BUSY BETWEEN BEING GONE, THE HOLIDAYS, REAGAN IN THE HOSPITAL, AND THE CHORES ETC. I THINK I WILL GO BACKWARDS STARTING WITH BRINGING IN THE NEW YEAR.

FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS OR SO SCOTT AND I HAVE SPENT NEW YEARS IN LAVA HOT SPRINGS, IDAHO. THIS YEAR WAS NO EXCEPTION. WE LOVE TO SOAK IN THE HOT POOLS, SHOP THE QUAINT LITTLE SHOPS, HAVE OUR PALM READ, AND JUST PLAIN RELAX. WE LOVE THE SLOW PACE, AND HAVE MADE MANY GOOD FRIENDS OF THE LOCALS. WE VISIT LAVA ABOUT 5 TIMES A YEAR, ITS CLOSE ENOUGH ( ABOUT 3 HOURS ) THAT WE CAN THROW OUR CLOTHES IS A BAG AHEAD AND BE THERE FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY OR A SHORT VACATION OVER JULY 24TH. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE TWO OF US, BUT MANY TIMES WE ARE JOINED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THIS PAST NEW YEARS OUR GOOD FRIENDS JOHN AND MANDY GARCIA JOINED US. THEY STAYED WITH US THE WHOLE TIME WED. THRU SUN. AND THE GIRLS, GENTRY, REAGAN AND SUMMER, WITH THEIR HUSBANDS AND BOYFRIEND AND FRIENDS STEPHANIE AND LISA, CAME UP TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH US. THERE ARE TWO BARS IN TOWN WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF EACH OTHER AND WE SPENT THE NIGHT GOING FROM ONE TO THE OTHER LISTENING TO THE MUSIC AND DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY. SCOTT SPENT ALOT OF TIME DANCING WITH THE GIRLS, MY FROZEN SHOULDER IS BETTER BUT CAN'T QUITE MAKE ALL THE TWISTS AND TURNS THAT IS REQUIRED WHEN WE WESTERN SWING. WE ALL HAD A GREAT TIME AND CHEERED AS THE CLOCK STRUCK MIDNIGHT. RESOLUTIONS ? ALWAYS MAKE EM NEVER KEEP EM. MY HOPES FOR THE NEW YEAR ARE THAT WE ALL HAVE GOOD HEALTH, THAT THE GRANDCHILDREN DO WELL IN SCHOOL, THAT MY CHILDREN AND GRANCHILDREN VISIT ME OFTEN, THAT THEY FIND A CURE FOR CANCER, AND THAT REAGAN STAYS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ! I HOPE THAT ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY REALIZE THEIR DREAMS AND KEEP THEIR RESOLUTIONS !

OUR TRIP TO YELLOWSTONE

Scott and I had a wonderful trip to Yellowstone in September. We were invited by our friends Sam and Peggy to join them in their 41 foot toy hauler and to take our bikes with us. The toy hauler was a motel on wheels, all decked out with a kitchen, living room, two bathrooms, master bedroom, loft with beds for kids, large screen T.V. DVD, the works ! It also has a garage to haul our three bikes in. After the bikes were unloaded the bed pulls down and turned into our bedroom ! We stayed at their house in Huntsville Wed. night Sept 17th so that we could get an early start Thurs. morning. From their house we headed up over Monte Cristo, it seemed as if the canyon was on fire. The leaves were at their peak, and the beauty of the mountains surrounded us. We had a great time traveling, the two guys up front and Peg and I in the back watching movies. We stopped in Jackson for lunch. Peg and I had hoped to do some shopping, but the guys didn't seem to think it was as important as we did and manuevering and parking a 41 foot trailer was not an easy task , so we just were able to go into a little shop right next to where we had lunch. We arrived late at Fishing Bridge campground. We had taked the wrong turn earlier so it had delayed our arrival. We unloaded the bikes and settled in for the night. Friday morn we grabbed breakfast at the little restaurant inside the gift shop ( yeah shopping !) a short distance from the campground and made our travel plans for the day. As a young girl I had camped almost every year in Yellowstone with my mom and dad and various members of our family. Memories came flooding back to me each place that we went to on that day. For years I have had a memory in my head about a time that mom and dad and I had stayed in a cabin. There were no bathrooms in the cabin so you had to go outside, just a few feet across a dirt road to the bathroom shared by all the campers. I remember the color of the bathroom being a khaki green. I was about 7 or 8years old and my dad had taken me in my pajamas to the potty. We were on our way back, me riding piggyback, when we saw mom in the doorway of the cabin frantickly motioning to us and yelling to us to hurry there was a bear behind us. As I looked around, sure enough there was a bear and it chased us right up to the cabin door, dad running as fast as he could ! I have looked off and on over the last few years when Scott and I have traveled thru the park trying to remember where this incident had taked place. As the four of us took off on our bikes after breakfast Sam turned onto a road that he knew from his teen years where he had been a junior scoutmaster working on his eagle scout award. Then it hit me ! This was the place, this was my memory ! There was the row of cabins, the cabin we stayed in and the horrible green bathroom ! We left before I could get a picture, but now that I know where it is I can return to it. From there we did the lower loop, stopping at all the hot pots, and geysers. We of course ended up at Old Faithful and walked around and ate in the Old Faithful Lodge. Again more memories ! I can't tell you what it was like to see the park on the back of a bike ! Everything is magnified and seems so much closer and clearer. Of course when you come to a herd of bison you really don't want to be that up close and personal, but what a thrill ! We saw lots of wildlife on our way. Many herds of bison, elk, a wolf, a coyote, moose and 1 bear. Remember the days when the bears were everywhere? My mom would feed them bread from the car window at the entrance of the park. They would be in your garbage cans in the campgrounds. You would always see them, now they are scarcely seen, so sad. Our butts were tired by the time we made it back to our camp, we watched a movie, then called a night. Rain dampened our plans on Sat. We decided to ride in the truck for awhile and then come back and get the bikes if it cleared up. It didn't quit so we spent the day touring the upper loop in the warmth of the truck. We were really glad when we got to Mammoth Hot Springs where it hailed on us ! There was a large herd of elk at Mammoth, we watched them and ate lunch there and headed back. We had discussed the possibility of staying another day, returning on Mon. but the weather wasn't going to cooperate at all with us so we took our time driving back home on Sun. Although we only got one day riding thru the park on our bikes, it was still an awesome trip one that we hope to repeat next year.