February 13, 1989 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;

Another snowy Monday morning - even I will have to admit IT'S GETTING OLD!!!! Daddy and I went out Saturday afternoon and shoveled our walks and patio free from snow and it looked so nice (really Daddy did most of the shoveling and I gave him moral support). Daddy and Johnny have kept the front walks and driveway clean all the time but our back patio and steps on the hill haven't been cleaned off - we were so pleased to have it all done and then yesterday when we awakened they were all filled with snow again and it showed again last night!!!! The temperatures are warmer though and that's really nice - those minus twenty degree temperatures are scary.

Roy & Patrice - we are SO exited for you to come and there is no doubt you will have wonderful skiing. I have worried about it being too cold but John said one of his roommates went skiing last week and said it was more comfortable than when it was warmer and snowing. The car seat came last week so we are all set (they bought a car seat and had it delivered here so we wouldn't have to borrow one). I was going to fix Emily's playpen bed down in the toy room because that is the way she has it at home but then I decided it would be better to take some toys to the computer room and try to make it a "happy room" for her. It will be SO fun to have her with us - this home needs little ones!!!! I have worry about "bumps" at her age but if she gets one it won't be because we weren't watching her!!!!!

Annie & Ron - how was your trip to San Francisco??? We tried to call you yesterday afternoon but after a million tries and a million busy signals we gave up. We talked to your baby sitters one morning and they said "these kids are the best kids" so I know everything was fine. We laughed when we heard it was snowing in California - did you get any where you were??? The day before they left Ann had taken the children to the mall so Russell could get a hair cut - there was a big line at the barbers so Ann stood in line while the children were playing in one of the sunken areas where they have a pool of water. All of a sudden Ann heard a commotion and looked where they were and there was a big crowd gathering - Ann said she thought "some dump kid has fallen in that water" - she was right and it was LeeAnna. LeeAnna called us after and kept saying "I went clear and my braids got all wet" and if that wasn't bad enough. Jimmy went in to help her and then Russell went in to save both of them. It was a bitter cold day and Ann made them stay until Russell got his hair out - that family is like watching a circus act twenty four hours a day - Ha!!!! John said he took the video of Susanna & Russell in their school presentation on Thursday night and he is hoping it turns out good.

Jeannie & Rick and Bob & Claire and Johnny - we LOVED being with you on Saturday. We all met at the Jordan River Temple at 10 o'clock in the morning - it was a perfectly miserable day weather wise but the temple was WONDERFUL. It was easy for Daddy & I to get there but we Know each one of you really had to put forth a big effort to make it - to leave your children that early and then worry about them - WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!! After the temple we went for lunch at "The Stuft Noodle" and that was so much fun to visit because we hadn't seen them for about a month. They are all doing fine and look good - I hope we can do that often - I just wish we could make it easier for you to leave your children - would it be easier in the evenings during the week???

Johnny is doing good but he is VERY tired of the cold weather. Just about every time we see him he mentions a new scheme of how to get to Bermuda or someplace warm - he really likes his apartment and his roommates and EVEN his classes. I know our Winter is just about over - I look for it to turn warmer and for us to have an early Spring!!!! Daddy can hardly wait to get outside and work on the hill - he is like a bird in a cage!!!

The appraiser for our home insurance came on Friday and as he left Daddy turned to me and said, "he wants to give away the store". Daddy has replaced the carpet pad and put the carpet back down and has done a lot the restoration himself - he can't fix the ceiling but we are going to have a man come in this week and start that - he fixed the hole in the garage ceiling and made it so it is accessible to the pipes and he fixed the hole in the floor up in the computer room (when our home teacher came he suggested he cut a hole there to try to get to the pipe to try to avoid cutting a hole in the ceiling but that wasn't where the leak was). The man is coming tomorrow to put more insulation in - Daddy is going to have him blow A LOT of insulation through all the holes that were made. I wouldn't tell Daddy this but he has really been happy this week having all this to do and he does a much better job than we could hire it done. Really our damage is minimal - we have found out there were about ten homes close to us with a lot of damage - one is a new one and they had their basement flooded and many homes in our area have been without water for several days because the pipes in the ground have been frozen - that's unbelievable, isn't it??? Annie come over and suggested a different furniture arrangement for our dining room and we REALLY like it - it makes it so we can actually eat in there - we had so much furniture in there before there wasn't room to seat anyone.

Chris Jordin called us last night - Laura Gonce had just called her in tears - Eric had in effect "run away" with his girl friend - to make a long story - they will be married March 10th- he is 17 and she is 19 and he is a junior in high school. John Smithers is divorced and has moved to Las Vegas to get help from Linda and his children. We're having our card group here tonight - I have made a beautiful Valentine Cherry Berry pie!!!
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