Sunday June 22, 1986 Orem, Utah

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

This has been such a fun week I hardly know where to begin to tell you all about our trip to Lake Powell!!! We picked up Roy & Patrice at the airport on Saturday night and then hurried to get to the Smith's grocery store to pick up the dry ice before 11 o'clock because that was when they closed. Rick & Jean took their little Sarah over to Ann on Sunday morning - Ron & Daddy loaded up the blue boat with supplies and when we got everything all together we headed South. It was just a marvelous trip from beginning to end - in fact, as we were cruising on the lake coming back from our camping spot I pretended I was Jackie Onassis because it was that luxurious! I guess if there were any problems at all it would be the last three hours as Patrice & Jeannie & I watched the children play on the beach waiting for the men to put the houseboat back on the buoy. We thought it would take them one hour at the very most but they had lots of wind and it was hard to get the "safety pin" hooked at the buoy and navigate that big boat into all the places they had to and it took them three hours. We had packed the children's life jackets so we had to watch them like hawks and it was really a lot - next time we go we'll know it is going to take that long and prepare for it!

We got to the lake about one o'clock and the people who had had the houseboat before us were waiting with it at the dock (knowing how hard it is to put it back at the buoy I'm sure they were happy to do that). We unloaded the things from the cars and little boats and put them on the houseboat and headed for Moki canyon (we towed the little boats). We found the perfect spot on the sandy beach and they anchored the houseboat - Ron said it was the same place you stayed last Summer, Johnny. It just seemed from the time we got there until we left that we were doing fun things.

Ron took two surf sailboats (I think that's what they're called), and he & Roy & Patrice mastered those (Ron is a professional). They also had two inflated boats with paddles that everyone took turns using. Rick's boat was great and the water skiers wore themselves out taking advantage of the boat and the great smooth water. Ron tried to teach Roy how to take off on the skis directly from the back ledge of the houseboat and he fell head first and cracked a rib - he had it x-rayed when we got home and it isn't serious. Daddy & I had fun watching all the other adults ski - Daddy tried it but couldn't get up and everyone told him it was because he was wearing heavy khaki long pants (he didn't want to get sunburned). Rick, Ron, Roy, Patrice & Jeannie are all excellent skiers and Jeannie said it was the most fun she had ever had water skiing. The Weinerts have "bumper boats" that i.e. onto the back of their boat - they're big heavy inner tubes with canvas coverings - and the children and I really enjoyed them.

The slide on the back of the boat was the big challenge and we finally decided it was only for the "bravest of the brave" - Susanna & Rick loved it after they had gone down it quite a few times but the other children couldn't quite luster up the courage. The hardest part was hitting the cold water - I never did think the water got very warm - it was wonderful if you stayed right down in it but when you were out of it and nice and warm it was hard to "take the plunge". We also loved sailing (without the sail) on the surfboats - we took turns lying on our stomachs on the boats and they just glided over the lake - two people on each boat.

The children loved building sand castles - you just wouldn't believe the and - it is the finest sand I have ever seen and there are great big hills of it. The children were absolutely wonderful - they never did fuss or quarrel and just played and played and that in itself was worth the trip for me - I really love to see the "cousins" enjoy themselves so much. Patrice spent such a lot of time with them and they wouldn't let her out of their sight. Russell got a little too brave for comfort - he was really good about wearing his life jacket and would go all over in the lake around the houseboat. One morning a fish jumped close by him and it really scared him and he got out of the water quick but that was short lived and he got right back in - he made up the wildest fish story you have ever heard and it kept getting more wild the more times he told it.

Ron took videos of the trip and we all went over to the Woolleys on Friday night and cooked steak and watched the videos - they are just wonderful but next time we go I hope he will let someone borrow his camera for a few minutes and take some pictures of him so we'll know he was with us. The dinner Friday night was so much fun - Rick brought his famous German potato salad which I dearly love and we ate that and baked beans, salad and fruit and just played games and laughed. It was so good to talk to you Bob & Claire and also Michael - I wish we could have talked to you too Johnny!

Annie stayed home from the trip with LeeAnna and Sarah - it made it much easier to not have really little ones but next time they will go with us. Annie looks like she is going to pop - she goes to the doctor tomorrow and I wouldn't be surprised if he tells her the baby is going to come much sooner than they expect.

Johnny - we were so thrilled to have your wonderful letter here when we got back. We are so happy that you received your packages - not I will send you some other things. You have such a great attitude about everything and we're so proud of you. I loved the little picture you drew at the end of your letter of a missionary with his tie and badge on. I believe Dean Lythgoe goes into the MTC in about a week - I'm going to try to make contact with him while he's here - it will take you seem a little closer knowing someone we know is going to the same place. We would also like to meet you new Mission President but we haven't heard anything about that - before we left to go into the field we met some of the parents of our missionaries. It will be fun for you to know what he is going through this girl, Eve Murton, lived with her parents in this house before we bought it - they are from South Africa - he is a very successful businessman but he can't get his money out of that country because of the political problems there. She has come over to the house several times to get their mail and I have told her about you and she has seen your pictures o the wall - it was really my suggestion that he write to you so you would know someone from this area - she is a lovely girl and is always smiling and happy. She was in our Sunday school class this morning although they have moved from our ward and live up by Gene & Sandy Jones in a rented home. I told her today you had received her letter and she said, "I am wondering if he will write to me". She hopes to go back to South Africa for a visit soon - her father is over there now on a business trip. There are some darling girls in our Single Adult Sunday School Class - all about your age and I old Daddy we are really going to be popular when you come home - Ha!

Daddy had a wonderful Father's Day and loved having you all remember him. It was a special day for him to receive the adorable pictures of little Brett (and he looks so much like Michael) and also to be with Ann, Jean & Roy. Annie went Father's Day pies with us on our trip and little Russell stepped in one of them but it didn't affect the flavor - Jeannie brought his favorite candy (orange slices) and Roy & Patrice brought a great book about parks in the Southwest that will come in handy for the rest of our lives because we intend to visit all the parks in the area. Have you all read the book "Bill Cosby-Fatherhood" - Susanna is so excited to give that to PaPa and he didn't take time to read it on our trip but now it has replaced Cleon Skousen's Third Thousand Years on his night stand - it is hilarious and he loved it. Ricky had gone all over their orchard to find cherries for him and they were wonderful - by the way, they are "on" now and they will have our fill for the first time in 40 years.

Daddy & I spoke in church this morning - we only had one day's notice but I'm ____ I didn't have longer to worry about it. Now we're going over to Lehi to put a lot of trash out for the garbage man who comes tomorrow early in the morning. WE LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU SO VERY MUCH - PLEASE BE REALLY CAREFUL IN ALL THAT YOU DO!
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