Happy New Year

How quickly 2013 slipped away and what a GREAT year it has been for us. Not only have we had the opportunity to serve a mission but we have been blessed to see 2 of our grandchildren called to serve. Our granddaughter is serving in the Michigan Lansing Mission and our grandson is serving in the Mexico Chihuahua Mission.

We got a new snow on Saturday morning which made the whole landscape beautiful and white again. It has been several weeks since the last snow and it had become pretty dirty and ice packed.  I still don't like the snow but it is beautiful to look at.

On New Years Eve we had friends from the Library come to dinner and we played Rollick (reverse charades) and a "Who is the Best Liar" game.  We enjoyed a fun time together and then about 9 pm (VERY late for us) we went to Temple Square to join in on the New Years Eve activities.  There were singing groups in the various buildings on the campus so there were lots of choices.  Our favorite was Dallyn Vail Bayles and Friends who did a number of Broadway show tunes including "Bring Him Home" from Les Mis which is one of our favorites.

Dallyn Vail Bayles & Friends

"On film, Dallyn portrays Hyrum Smith in Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration and Emma Smith: My Story.  He also stars in three movies in the “Liken the Scriptures” series.  Dallyn has performed leading roles in numerous LDS Church stage productions including Joseph Smith in the Nauvoo Pageant, Joseph the Carpenter in Savior of the World, and Alma Richards in Light of the World.  He has also performed as a soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on "Music and the Spoken Word," and at “Time Out For Women” events across the country.

Dallyn has recorded two solo inspirational albums: Song of Redeeming Love and Prayer.  Prayer received two Pearl Awards from the Faith Centered Music Association, and the Listener's Choice Award from the LDS Booksellers Association.  His recording of “Savior, Redeemer of My Soul” is featured in the new movie, 17 Miracles.

Dallyn graduated from Brigham Young University with a BFA in Music Dance Theatre, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.  He and his wife, Rachel, recently moved from the New York City area to Springville, UT, and are the proud parents of four children." 
 It has been amazing to watch the Christmas decorations come down on Temple Square; what took months to put up has come down in hours. We will miss getting to see the lights as we went to work each morning in the library.  The lights are turned off each night at 10 pm but they are turned on in again in the early morning hours when it is still dark.

We continue to be very cautious as we go to the library on snowy days. The area immediately surrounding the library is red brick and for some reason it always seems to be slippery when we have new snow.  It was there that the sister from our floor and fractured her skull so we walk very carefully as we encounter that area.

The patrons coming to the Library during the Holiday Season have been fewer than the previous months so we are looking forward to having them return to give us more people to help. We are already beginning to see an increase perhaps the result of New Years resolutions to finally do the family history work they've been meaning to do for years.

Last but not least, my last picture for the Christmas season.  This is the tree and fireplace that was on the British Floor.  The fire in the fake fireplace looked real enough to make you want to get near it to get warm.  The decorations are all taken down now and the library looks very bare without them. So it's on to 2014 and the adventures it will bring.