March 3, 1986 Lehi, Utah

Dearest Johnny; Roy; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura & Brett; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, & LeeAnna:

It is an absolutely gorgeous Monday morning - you just wouldn't believe the beautiful weather we have had the past week!!!!! I have thought so much about you Roy and wish you and Bill could have been here this week instead of the week you were here - you probably wouldn't have had any better skiing but you would surely have enjoyed the Spring like weather - now we're hoping it will be this pretty when Bob & Claire come!!!! It probably won't!!!!! All the fruit farmers are worried because the trees will start to bud and we're sure to get wore frost and cold weather and it could really hurt the fruit - we'll have to wait and see. It's impossible to have ideal weather for everything and every person!

We went to Brigham City yesterday afternoon - Grandmother & Grandpa Forrest were kinda' grouchy - we got there about 3 o'clock and Grandpa was asleep and Grandmother was reading the newspaper and I think we interrupted them. Lynn went over and opened their drapes to let the sunshine in and Grandpa got quite upset. We went to visit for a few minutes with Dee & Judy and Dee suggested that we not come every week - he said they can't remember that we have been there ten minutes after we have gone - it is really a long way so maybe we'll start going every other week from now on. We stopped to see the Weinerts and they were just starting their Family Home Evening so we stayed for that and that made the trip all worthwhile - Jeannie gave a flannel board story of the story of Joseph and his cost of many colors and we were so impressed with how well the children knew the story. We had brownies they had made and then Rick took us for a little ride to show us a new development (housing) close by them (in a "hollow" and it's really nice). Little Mary Ann has had the "Fifth Disease" - have you ever heard of that??? She is covered with a red rash and Jeannie said she had a slight temperature when it first started - it lasts seven days. I can't believe all these new diseases - just last week a toddler in our area narrowly survived a bout with "Hib" and I had never heard of that - it really scares me for taking care of our grandchildren. I told someone about my concern about this and they said that children don't have the communicable diseases like they used to but there are all these different things cropping up - are they really new or have they been around for awhile?

Johnny - we LOVED your letter!!!! We are kinda' surprised that your weather is cooling off at nights - you will still have warm weather for several more months won't you? We're thrilled that you could have a good Chinese dinner in Santiago (he said he and his companion had to go into Santiago to renew his companion's Chilean I.D. and they had a wonderful dinner for $8.50 for the two of them) - we hope you will have all these places spotted for when we come!!! We were happy o hear you liked the pictures we sent to you - we have sent you a lot that I don't think you ever received because I just sent them in a regular envelope. We mailed you the book on the Apostasy so be looking for it. We had Stake Conference yesterday and Daddy spoke - he did a wonderful job as usual - and he mentioned you and your mission several times - we're so proud of you!!!!

The Woolleys are doing fine - they came over and ate with us one night last week and that is always fun (for me anyway). Daddy has been working outside fixing up the flower beds and he came in one morning so excited and asked me to go outside and see what he had found - our flower beds are filled and tulips coming up - we couldn't believe it!!!! After some investigating we found that the Woolleys children had come over last Fall while we were gone and planted them - we can hardly wait for them to bloom and with this weather it won't be long - that was such a thoughtful thing for them to do!! Annie helped with the spelling been in their children's school and she said she wasn't prepared for the participation to be so advanced - she almost ran out of "hard enough" words. Their children weren't in it because they aren't old enough - it was for fourth graders.

Well - Bob & Claire, Roy and Johnny - eat your hearts out!!!! We are in the midst of plans to go to Lake Powell. We'll go two weeks from yesterday and will stay until Wednesday noon and Daddy & I are really excited. It seems like everyone in Utah claims that to be the ideal family vacation. Jeannie & Rick have arranged to take a skiing boat and we have decided to have the three families be responsible for food in this way: one breakfast and one dinner for each family and then each family bring smacking food and lunch "stuff" for their own family. Jeannie is going to take things for omelets (mushrooms, cheese, etc.) and then sloppy joe stuff - I think I will bake a big turkey and take the meat off the bones and then things to go with that - I haven't talked to Annie yet but hope she will come up with something super simple. I'm afraid it will be too cold for the children to get in the water but we'll have fun anyway. We are really looking forward to the time when our whole family can be together on the houseboat so plan on it!!!

I went to a luncheon last Thursday in Provo at the Country Club - it was given by Barbara Sondrup's mother for Barbara, her two sisters who were visiting in Provo and Frances James and me. It was so good to see Barbara again - I guess Kevin is really doing well but he travels all the time - she said he leaves Monday morning and doesn't come home until Friday night every week. She doesn't like Connecticut (sorry about that Patrice) but I think it's because they have burdened themselves with huge house payments - their home cost $350,000!!!! She had pictures of it and it is beautiful. After the luncheon we went to Barbara's folks' home to visit - they live right across from BYU and have a lovely home. Frances lives in Sandy so I said I would take her home and as a result I had to visit as long as she wanted to and it was late by the time we left and we came by Lehi to get Daddy to go into Sandy with us. Frances stayed here and visited for quite a long time and then we took her home and you should see her home - it is on the top of a ridge and she has a magnificent view of the Jordan River Temple and her home is huge. She still has her two daughters and their families living with her as well as her aging mother so she has her hands full. She is still very vibrant and full of life - she doesn't have her cookbooks in stores anymore but handles the sale of them out of her home. She is also selling a beauty cream that she claims will make your skin like when you were a teenager and also a "hair growing" cream that she said would grow hair on Daddy's head - Ha! She is very serious about selling them and I'm sure we will be hearing more about it. She still cooks a lot for church activities and she is very excited about doing spectacular things food and I admire her for that!!!

We are working on our Missionary Reunion - Elder Taylor designed the invitation and Daddy got them printed at the Lucero's print shop Johnny. I have typed up all the addresses - it is a million times easier on this computer - so now all we have to do is glue the addresses on and mail them - hopefully I'll get that done today. We decided to only mail them to former missionaries who responded to our last reunion or who have made contact with us in some way - we are mailing out 180 invitations and last time it was close to 400. It is foolish to send them to missionaries who have shown no interest don't you think? There are so many who keep in touch and we really appreciate that - this morning we found a note on our door left by a former Lady Missionary who had come by to see us yesterday while we were gone.

Daddy loves to answer your scriptural questions Johnny and he doesn't think any of them are dumb - the only dumb questions are the ones that people won't ask. I surely hope you have inherited your Daddy's ability to remember the things you are studying - Annie was saying that she doesn't have trouble remembering them either but I surely do. I'm out of space!!!!!



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