December 20, 1981 Little Rock, Ark.

Dearest Ron, Ann, Susanna, & Jessie, Rick, Jean, Ricky & Barbara Jean & Roy,

Wow!!! It's almost Christmas and our weather feels like it too - we have had really cold weather for the last three or four days and if we would have had some moisture we would have been in trouble but it's dry and we love it.

We're really looking forward to Thursday night when Roy and Patrice will get here - we loved your card Patrice - we hope you will let us know when to pick you up and we also hope the weather in Rhode Island won't prevent you from making schedules - it sounds as if you have really had Winter. So many of your friends have called - Elizabeth Hardy is having a holiday party on Tuesday night and wanted you to come and meet her fiancé' - she is going to be married in the Summer (I think) and he will leave to go back California but she will be here longer so you'll get to see her. You have received a really cute invitation to another party - it was in the form of a "subpoena" and it worried us so we opened it and now will keep it here rather than forwarding it. Dan Watson called last night and said he had heard that Trip wouldn't be coming home this year - have you heard that he will be living in Japan and doing some studying there - I'm sure you have. Robert is in town but he hasn't been to see us yet. Others have called and talked to Johnny and haven't told who they were - Mrs. Prothro called and talked to him.

Jennie - we loved our visit with you and Rick on the phone and that darling little Ricky who doesn't say many words on the phone yet but we can practically see him - we're so happy you are having good luck training him - that is really a milestone with a little boy - we can only imagine what Barji looks like by now - I'll bet she has changed the most since last Summer. Your basement room sounds wonderful.

Annie - our Primary President came over yesterday and visited with me for a long time about the problems in our Primary and she intimated she would like me to be in the President and I was so thrilled to tell her that we were going to Utah in April to help with our new grandchild and from then until September they couldn't depend on me for much help!!! We are betting that Susanna is so excited about Santa that she isn't sleeping much - has she gotten to that point yet?/ what fun she and little Jessie will be this year!!!

I finished up my teaching job on Friday and they were all so sweet to me it was hard to leave - the teachers gave me a beautiful Poinsettia Plant and a card signed by all of them we had a BIG Christmas party in the room and I told each child they could bring something to share with the class if they wanted to - we had chips, cookies, fudge, suckers, cupcakes and one girl brought a three layer coconut cake - it was complete bedlam. Daddy came to help me and brought the cokes and sprite and he couldn't control them either. The new had been there most of the week so I could tell her the things I had been doing and they knew I was very temporary and they really took advantage of the situation. That has been too time consuming but I would like a full time reading job for a moth or two - I have more preparation time in the reading lab. The reading supervisor for the district asked me to go to Western Hills in January for a teacher who is going to have a baby but I haven't heard anything definite. Daddy's glad I'm brought at Rightsell.

We went to the Garden Club Christmas party on Thursday night and it was really nice. Roy - we visited with Vivian and George Warner and the said Carol was doing fine. Our Ward Christmas party was Friday night and it was rally nice too - Hall High was having a big party at Burns' Park that night and Johnny really wanted to go but he went to church with us after a lot of persuasion. I am really getting worried about the kids he is age who are having so many accidents - one of his friend totaled his new car the second day he had it and in his one care accident he did a lot of damage to another big car that was parked and that one rolled into a Bronco and then they hit a boat that was parked in the driveway and it crashed through the garage doors - three cars heavily damaged, plus a boat and garage doors. Johnny was supposed to have been with him but decided at the last minute he had too many kids in his car so John went with someone else. The next day another friend had an accident in his new car - it seems to almost be a game as to who can do the most damage. Fortunately none has been injured but I don't like Johnny to go unless we can do the driving Yesterday was Seminary Super Saturday and the two gorgeous Smith girls from Fordyce came for it and stayed with us all night - they got up this morning and Daddy took them to the airport because their oldest sister (Cindy Tinnell) had sent them tickets to go to Las Vegas to spend a few days with her. They were really excited. Ann and Jean - do you remember the Tinnell girl? Her mother is Deanna Smith - her first husband was Dr. Tinnell - and after they divorced Deanna married Will Smith. Susan and Shawna are John's friends and they are really something - they have won every kind of state contest for piano playing plus Miss whatever county they live in - they're really beautiful girls. Susan is going to BYU next Fall - Shawna is John's age. They really want to move to Provo but haven't been able to sell their home in Fordyce yet. Deanus has a beautiful singing voice - I'm sure you can remember hearing her at Stake conferences.

Bob is off for two weeks now - he is trying to do some projects on his house and was saying this morning that he can't get anything done when Michael is awake. Claires' whole family will be together in Houston and I think she would really like to go but can't get time off - this is a busy time for retailing!!!

Daddy is downstairs making candy mints and I had better go help him. I made some candy yesterday and it really puts the weight on just licking my fingers. Wish you were all going to be here to help eat it.

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas - we'll call you on Christmas morning or sometime during the day so don't call us - it's our turn!!! We love you all very much and as we count our many blessing at this time of year we are truly grateful for our wonderful family and want you to know we are very proud of each one of you.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO!!!!!
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