Feb. 5, 1990 Orem, Utah
Dearest John; 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:
I didn't write my letter last week - we were in Farmington caring for Ricky, Barji & Mary Ann. What a fun time we had and they were SO good!!! Daddy and I met the Weinerts at the airport on Friday, Jan. 26th, - Rick, Jean & Sarah went to San Antonio to spend about a week with Roy, Patrice & Emily and we brought their other children back to Orem. The Woolley cousins came over that night and they all played together and we had French Bread pizzas - Susanna couldn't spend the night because of other commitments and Ann wouldn't let Jimmy stay because she was worried that he would be too much trouble - the other cousins stayed and we had a "Bunking Party". We just loved it - I slept in the den so I could be close to them if they needed me in the night (they all stayed down stairs) - I have no idea what time they all went to sleep but they slept until almost 8 in the morning so they must have not gone to sleep very early. One of the children told me they had played "poker" until late - what a wholesome game - come to their grandparents' home and play poker!!!! In reality they played "Tripoly" - I had played with the Weinert children earlier and that game and the chips were still out.
The next morning (Saturday) we all went ice skating - what a beautiful rink and a real treat for Daddy and I to be with them. Two hours was a little too long for them but we wouldn't let them stop earlier - they are all good skaters - LeeAnna would hold on to the sides of the rink and then venture out away from it and we were surprised at how she could handle it. Daddy loved checking out the fishing on the lake while they skated. Our neighbor, Kirsten Clark, is taking ice skating lessons there and it was fun to watch her - (she's the one who reminds us of you Claire). After skating we all came home and the children played and played - it was a gorgeous day and they played on the trampoline and outside most of the day. We took the Woolley cousins home late that afternoon.
Sunday morning we gave Ricky, Barji & Mary Ann the option of staying home while we went to our church - our time was early and they were going with their cousins later in the morning. Ricky & Mary Ann stayed here but Barji wanted to go with us - we told her she deserved some kind of reward because she ended up going to five meetings. They met Susanna at their church and attended their Primary and then we picked them up afterwards and brought them home. We all left to go to Farmington after the Super Bowl - wasn't that a disappointment - Ricky is a real Denver Bronco fan and he wasn't much interested in the game after the first quarter.
We loved being in the Weinert's home - it is truly a lovely, beautiful home. The children knew exactly what to do so we had a very relaxing three days there. We invited our friends, Ellen Mae & Mel, over for dinner on Monday night. Daddy fixed stir fry and we had enough to fee the army - Daddy wanted to have the Bob Mellors over to help us eat it but I didn't want the responsibility of the children in Jean & Ricks' home so we ate it all ourselves. We REALLY enjoy Ellen Mae and Mel - they are truly life long friends - Ellen Mae and I spent a lot of time on the telephone the next day.
We went over to visit with Bob and Claire and the children on Monday night - Ellen Mae & Mel have been wanting to see their home so I thought that would be a good time. I felt bad about it later because Bob & Claire had just come home on Sunday night from their snowmobiling trip. I can't believe I could get so mixed up (yes I can) - I thought they had gone on their trip the weekend before - I think I got that idea because Daddy had talked to Bob on the phone when he told him about their plans and I just thought that was when they were going - Oh well!!!!
Bob & Claires' trip must have been wonderful - they were with a group from the medical staff where Bob works and they had a guide take them into a remote part of Pinedale, Wyoming (about 100 miles from Yellowstone). Bob said they had to dig down in the snow to get to their cabins but the guide people had made all the arrangements for the food, snowmobiles, etc. They said it was just beautiful and they rode the snowmobiles all day. When we got to their home Claire had just come back with Laura who had had a permanent and she looked so cute - it was fun seeing them.
We didn't want to stay very long after Jean & Rick got home on Wednesday evening because we wanted to get home before it got too late but in the few minutes that we visited with them, they couldn't say enough nice things about their visit with Roy & Patrice & Emily. They had gone to Sea World which they loved and Rick & Roy had had some great golfing and Jean & Patrice had had some great times together - Jean really enjoyed going to Patrice's church and meeting her friends and seeing the quilt they are working on, etc. Jean said Emily & Sarah had fun playing together too. They loved Roy & Patrices' home and just being with them - I hate to see them sell that home but I guess that's life!!!
Now - did you all know that Ann went with Ron to San Francisco on Sunday morning??? This was the time for everyone to go on a trip I guess. We were SO thrilled when Ann told us she had decided to go - Ron is always wanting her to go with him. She had a hard time finding a baby sitter but finally was able to get a couple with a little four year old son to come stay with the children - the mother is a school teacher but with the year round schedule here it was her time for her vacation. We talked to Ann yesterday and she said she had a wonderful time and she was very pleased with the baby sitter. Ann said when they got to California she was surprised to find that Ron's business was in San Jose and that was where they stayed so she had to travel by bus into San Francisco but she got along fine and decided it was more fun that way. She did "a little shopping in San Francisco" and they came home on Wednesday night, I think.
We are VERY PROUD of you Susanna - she received the "reflections" award in her school (I think that's the name of it). It is an essay contest and she has won before in her room or in her grade but this year she won first place for the entire school and they announced it in their assembly. I must tell you about the essay she wrote - about a month ago their whole family went to Snowbird to go skiing and when they got there Susanna discovered that she had not brought her skis. When she told us about it, I almost cried - she said, "I had everything else, my gloves, my pole, my jacket and on and on" - but she ended up staying in the car and taking care of Jimmy while the rest of the family skied. Well - Ann said to her, "Susanna, I think there must be a reflection essay in this experience somehow" and that is what she wrote it on. We haven't read the essay but we want to.
Patrice & Roy - we loved talking to you on Saturday - Thank you for calling. Thank you too for all those wonderful Thanksgiving pictures - I just finished my photo album for 1989 and I was wishing I had more pictures of Thanksgiving. You know me and pictures - both Daddy & I can spend hours and hours looking through our albums. Patrice - your workshop on machine appliqué sounded wonderful - I have seen some beautiful things done like that - my mother used to do a lot of that and I still have some table cloths she made for me. I would love for you to get a serger - Roy, that would be a very wise investment!!! We were very interested in hearing about the recycling that is going on there - I know it would be hard for this generation to go back to cloth diapers but I wonder if it won't come to that. We also loved hearing about your friends in Little Rock - the Dan Watsons, Rick Martin, Trip Strauses and Robert Tucker - we are VERY anxious for your move to Little Rock - that will be wonderful for us - we already have plans to rent apartments several times a year so we can stay a long time!!!
Claire - thank you so much for your sweet letter - when I reread it I couldn't believe I could get mixed up about your trip. We think it is just wonderful for you to take your children skiing ªso smart to help them enjoy the many opportunities for fun in the cold climate - I love it here but we NEED LOTS MORE SNOW!!!!
I don't have much more room. We had John & Gayla and David & Polly Taylor over for dinner last night - that Gayla is a beautiful and talented gal - she played the piano and she is excellent and then she accompanied David while he sang - it was such a wonderful evening for us!!! John is doing good - I worry that he is burning the candle at both ends but hope he uses good judgment. We're having our Family Home Evening Group here tonight and I'm going to make your carrot cake Patrice - it isn't our turn but the husband of the couple whose turn it is had a heart pacer put in and they can't do it. WE LOVE YOU!!!