December 28, 1987 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 & Jimmy:

It's Monday morning and the house is so quiet I hardly know what to do. Daddy is painting his workroom floor. I don't remember if I told you that when Ron was here with us, he and Johnny moved our freezer and old refrigerator from the workroom out to the garage. It is wonderful having them out there - they are so much handier and save me a million steps. When they were moved it left places on the floor that had never been painted so Daddy is doing that now. It also has given Daddy so much more room in his workroom and he's getting anxious to get a project going - I believe he is going to make some doors for his work table first. He is feeling really good - he developed a boil where his last surgery was done and that broke on Saturday night and it has given him so much relief - it had been very painful!!!! I really want him to go back to see Dr. Middleton about it but he says "that is dumb"!!!!

We just had an absolutely marvelous Christmas and we can't tell you how much we appreciate all your thoughtful gifts. I realize more each year how important our family is to each other and you demonstrate that so much on special occasions - I guess the gift that means the most to us is the fact that you all love each other - please, don't ever let anything change that!!!! The Woolleys were "hosts" for the Christmas Eve festivities and they just couldn't have been nicer. The Weinerts and Papa, Grandma B and Johnny all met at the Woolleys new home about 2 o'clock in the afternoon - Johnny and Ron took the four-wheeler up there and they pulled the children on sleds all over the mountainside. Annie had her dining room table filled with all kinds of good things to eat and we didn't stop eating from the time we got there until we left to come home. The children made their traditional gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and lots and lots of candy and frosting - we all kinda' helped and it was so much fun. Johnny even made one!!!! We sat down for a formal dinner of turkey, ham, potato casserole, salad, orange rolls and for dessert English trifle to remind us of our ancestors. THEN we had our traditional talent show with all the grandchildren participating and it was wonderful. Santa Clause passed over the house and dropped candy canes for all the children out on the yard and then we all left so he could come back and leave the gifts.

Christmas morning was really different at our home but fun!!!! All Johnny wanted was a new watch - he is still wearing the "Swatch" that we gave him to go on his mission and he wants a nicer one. We had shopped and shopped with him and he couldn't find exactly what he wanted. We did buy him a new pair of jeans so he would have something to open on Christmas morning but they weren't the style he wanted SO the gifts Johnny received were the ones you all had given him and they were WONDERFUL but Santa kinda' "failed him". With each package he opened from you, he would say "Boy, they did me right" - thank you so much!!!! He had worked at the apple plant for the week before Christmas with his friend John Lant so they could earn money to go to California. They had planned to go early, early Saturday morning but Johnny had lost his wallet and we turned this house upside down trying to find it and couldn't. Daddy wouldn't let him go without his driver's license so they decided to wait until Saturday morning and go to the police department to see if they could get a substitute license. It was SO funny - I went outside to get the newspaper on before anyone else was up and I looked out on our driveway at something that looked like a wallet. I really thought I was just "seeing things" because we had looked so hard for it but when I went to pick it up - it was Johnny's wallet. That has been such a mystery to all of us because Johnny and John had looked all over outside the night before and we had driven right by the very place where it was several times during the day. We kinda' think someone fount it and just threw it onto our driveway rather than bring it into the house - that seems dumb but we really believe that's what happened. There was nothing missing so whoever found it was very honest and didn't want any recognition. We were all relieved because it had his credit cards in it and things that are so hard to replace. Anyway they left about 10 o'clock Saturday morning and planned to get to the Willardsens in Rialto late that night and spend some time with them and then they had an itinerary that really sounded fun - Mexico, San Francisco, etc. - they had been invited to spend some time with friend girls of theirs too. They will be home next Saturday and ready to start the Winter Semester. Johnny has done well in his classes and we feel that he is settling down and knows for the first time what it takes to be a success in college!!!!

Christmas day we all met at the Weinerts about 2 o'clock and it was SO fun to go into their home. The little girls all met us at the front door in really beautiful and fancy chiffon pantsuits and they were dancing all over like little angels. Ricky was so excited because he had received his "basketball hoop and backboard" - we heard yesterday that Rick got it all set up at the back of their house on Saturday and Jeannie said he hadn't stopped shooting baskets. AGAIN we started eating as soon as we got there and didn't stop until we left to come home - Jeannie had delicious things to snack on and then after our traditional "trek" to the ice pond by their home we all sat down to Rick's wonderful chili served with grated cheese and sour cream. We also had pumpkin pie but we were almost too full to enjoy it. Rick, Johnny, Grandma B and Ricky spent the afternoon playing Chinese checkers with Ricky's new game set - it was so much fun. We had a white Christmas and that made it special but the roads were clear and not too dangerous - when the storm came in we worried that they might get icy. The Weinerts had 100 mile an hour winds the day before so the snow was all piled up against their backyard fence - it has been cold but clear and beautiful.

Johnny gave us a computer genealogy system so now we have no excuse for not doing our genealogy. It is really neat - it makes the sheets and we just need to fill in the information. He just loves this computer but it is still a mystery to me and I would prefer to use Rons - Johnny has threatened me with harm if I didn't type the newsletter on this one this week - Ha!!!!

We had a Christmas diner party last Tuesday night for Daddy's sisters and their husbands. It was SO nice and we had so much fun being together - I think his sisters are all about to "lose it" but they are really sweet and they love him so much. Daddy cooked a huge prime rib roast and when we're all together again I want him to cook another one - it was delicious. We also had potatoes in the half shell, broccoli casserole, spinach salad - shrimp cocktail that was special - rolls that were terrible and then Ramona brought a really good chocolate mousse dessert. We exchanged "white elephant" gifts after dinner and we laughed and laughed. Shirley (Daddy's youngest sister) is going to school to learn the word perfect computer program so she can work and try to get them on their feet again. She is such a beautiful and sweet person but they have had REAL financial problems during the past few years - they have lost everything - two or three homes - and are now living with Glen's 87 year old mother here in Provo. Glen denounces higher education and it's almost funny to hear him talk when we know of their problems - we THINK he has been selling tax shelters and the IRS finally caught up with him. That's enough family gossip for this entire year!!!! Earl, Elaine's husband, is practically the opposite - everything he touches turns to gold. He is the one who has a home next to Robert Redford's Sundance up Provo canyon and he is making it into a miniature Disneyland. He left for the Orient right after Christmas. They also have a beautiful home up by the Woolleys' new home plus lots of other properties here. Ramona and Winston are "real plodders" and are down to earth - they came over yesterday and visited for quite awhile - their Christmas gift to their children was a video of Winston being interviewed by the television studio for information during the time he served as Mayor of Orem. EVERYONE knows them and loves them!!!!

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday and appreciate so very much all your sweet thoughtful cards, gifts, etc. etc.!!!! mostly I appreciate just "your remembering me". After church Daddy took me to our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner and of course, I loved that. I had lots of phone calls from friends; Joy Geisler, Chris Jordin, Ellen Mae, Dorothy and Dan and our home teachers brought over a napkin holder they had made for us. It was a very special day. Dorothy & Dan were so excited - Dana had a little baby girl on Christmas night about 10 o'clock. They have named her Corrie Christine - isn't that cute???? It was good to talk to them - their whole family had been together and they had had a fun Christmas - even Dorothy's parents who are 87 and 89.

We have worried about the Bob Mellors and their terrible weather. First the tornado in West Memphis, Arkansas and then the flooding - as we have watched it on the news we have kept saying how much we didn't miss the tornadoes - they scared us to death. We hope it hasn't affected you all too much. We know it has been hard to have the children in the house all the time during the holidays - Claire, you will be mighty happy for school to start, I know.

We also have felt sorry that Roy & Patrice didn't have the kind of weather they wanted for Suzie and Elizabeth's visit. Roy said, "San Antonio just isn't much fun when the weather is bad". We know they have enjoyed just being together though and one thing we all know - you just can't control the weather!!!!

Did I tell you about the doll houses PaPa made for the Utah granddaughters???? He said he wants to make one for Laura next year and for Roy & Patrices' baby girl the next year - Ha! Really, they are just darling - the Woolleys is blue to match their new home and the Weinerts is barn red to match their home. The children all got doll furniture to go in them from Santa Clause and they just love them - we hope they will enjoy them for many years to come because they take up a lot of room in their homes - they're four feet high and three stories.

I do believe that is all the news. We love each one of you so very much and appreciate all you do for us. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you!!!!
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