December 12, 1988 Orem, Utah

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

Monday early afternoon and a beautiful Winter day - the sun is shining for the first time for several days and it is a welcome sight. I went over early this morning to do my visiting teaching and it was fun to go into the homes of the sisters and see how they have decorated for Christmas. This is the first year for a table tree for us but we like it and really we don't have enough room for a big one in our den. That's where we live so we really enjoy it!!!!

This is the day the Weinerts have looked forward to for a long time and as it has turned out, they have had a disappointment. They found out on Friday that the bank was going to start the bidding on the home they were hoping for at a much higher price than they had thought - somewhat higher than it is even appraised for. We talked to them last night and they have decided to wait for the bank to take it back and then maybe make them an offer. This time of year lends itself to having us make rash judgments sometimes and we are proud of them for looking at things realistically and just waiting to see if they can "swing it"!!!
We hope they will spend Christmas with us - we would surely hate to see them looking for Santa Clause in their motel.

We talked to Ann last night and they have had really great news about Jessie. She went to Dr. Ririe last Thursday and after he had tested her with different lens, he told them he would be able to correct her vision to 20-40 when the time comes. Ann said he was quite emotional when he talked to them - he said that six months ago he wouldn't have given them one chance in one hundred that she would ever have any sight in it again. I told her that we wouldn't need any other Christmas present than that this year. We're SO thrilled for them.

Daddy has gone ice fishing - he left about 5:30 this morning in Ray's truck pulling a trailer with a snowmobile and sled on it to take them across the ice and snow at Scofield. He is excited about these fishing trips for days before they come and I am SO thrilled that he is feeling so good. He is exercising on our little trampoline every morning now and trying to lose a little weight - he has energy that you wouldn't believe!!! I missed him the other day and he was out saving off limbs from some of our trees - it was freezing cold!!!

Patrice - thank you so much for your letter and the pictures - they really turned out good - I'll bet it is funny to look at those taken at Scofield in all that snow while you're in warm Texas. Roy - how was your "camping trip"??? (He had to go on some kind of training outdoors). I'll bet your home looks beautiful with the outdoor lights - do you have your tree up yet?

Michael - we loved your letters to us - in fact, I have started to write you a dozen times this week and have never seemed to get it done. When we saw the feather in your letter we wondered if you had gone duck hunting - where did you get it. It sounds like you are really loving your school and that's wonderful!!!

Daddy & I went out to dinner with some of his sisters last night. They are such characters!!! We had planned to go out to dinner on Friday night with them and then come back here for dessert - Carol called during the week and said she could only get away on Sunday so we planned it for Sunday. She wanted it in the afternoon but I had to teach a lesson in Relief Society yesterday and didn't finish until 5 so we planned it for then. She called Elaine and said the only way they would come would be if we had it in Springville (that's a little closer to Manti) so we changed everything and made reservations at a restaurant Ramona called and said Carol had decided they wouldn't come. I couldn't believe it but everyone else could - I guess she does this sort of things all the time. We had fun visiting but they didn't want to come here for dessert after even after I had made a huge apple pudding - I guess we're all getting old!!!! Shirley and Glens' son Jared is getting married on the 27th - they called here to get all of your addresses so you will be getting invitations. We will take care of the gifts so don't worry about that. He is marrying a girl from Mesa, Arizona - he is 32 and they are really happy he is getting married.

This Thursday is our "Olin-D-Day". We have told you that they had contacted Daddy and said there was a possibility they would give him all his stock this year instead of having it spread out for another ten years. When Daddy retired there wasn't a choice - it had to be spread out for 20 years and we have taken 10 of it. They told us this year would be the best tax year to take it all. Well - last week Daddy got the letter saying it had been approved - the stock price will be determined on the average of the high and low of December 15th. It has fluctuated between 45 and 49 for the two weeks - I will be SO happy when it is all settled and I will NEVER check Olin's stock again - Ha!!!! We are kinda' sitting on pins and needles this week.

Johnny is doing good - he is taking his finals this week so he's uptight too!!! His friends Kate Hunter called him yesterday - she has just been accepted into the Harvard Business School and will move to Boston the first of January - she is really thrilled!!!

Last week at our "Friend's Party" here one of the ladies fell down our stairs - she cut her leg but wasn't hurt badly. I had gone on ahead to turn on the lights and caught her as she fell.

We love each one of you so very much. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you.
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