December 18, 1990 Orem, Utah

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

It's a mighty cold day here in Orem and there is snow on the ground - according to the weather forecasters it is going to get colder and hopefully there will be more snow. I JUST LOVE THIS KIND OF WEATHER. I guess there is a lot of illness but we are doing good.

DADDY & I CAN HEAR!!! We got our hearing aids last Friday and we just love them. The audiologist told us to just wear them a couple hours a day until we got used to them but we have worn them constantly except for at night. It is really amazing to me to hear things I haven't heard before - I was down in the workroom the other day and could hear some noise that was completely unfamiliar to me - it turned out to be the furnace just before it goes on. I feel so much more "in control" now and feel dumb for not taking care of it sooner - thank you Bob!!! I used to be kinda' on edge wondering if I could hear the doorbell or the phone. I'm thrilled to have mine but almost more thrilled that Daddy is wearing his - he has had one for almost fifteen years that he has never worn.

We had a fun week last week. The Relief Society home tour was just wonderful - I'm glad I don't have to decorate that much though. The home right next to ours (the Theobalds) had three large Christmas trees and other decorations throughout their home. It was fun to go into some of the other homes I hadn't been in - Annie came and went to one of the homes with me - LeeAnna had been asked at the last minute to be Mary in a live nativity scene at their Relief Society party so she went with her and then to get Jessie from gymnastics.

Wednesday we left early and drove to our cabin - snow was forecast and Daddy worried that his might be the last time we could check on it before Winter really set in. It was in great condition with no signs of any break-ins and that was a relief. The former owner's son lives in Lehi and he told Daddy it had been broken into before and they stole things and just made a big mess. It's kind of a hard decision to know whether we should bring some of the more valuable things home like our microwave, etc., etc. We think if it is broken into it will just be young kids and they can't get a car down to it through the locked gate so they couldn't take very much. What do you think???

We had just come home from the cabin and it was snowing and the phone rang - it was Chris & Wayne telling us they had put a package on the plane in Mobile, Alabama and we were to pick it up at 9 o'clock that night in Salt Lake. SO we got back in the car and went to get it - it was really thoughtful of them. They had packed everything so nicely and carefully in a Styrofoam box inside another box. They sent Daddy a half gallon of oysters, shrimp, red snapper throats, purple hulled peas and two bags of shelled pecans - Daddy has been in heaven with his oysters!!!

Thursday morning Daddy started making mints. He made ten perfect batches - usually we have at least one that doesn't work. John was home studying so he helped us cut them. I was SO tired by the afternoon and at 4 o'clock Daddy said, "Do you want to go see a movie?" He had done all the work and I was the one that was tired!!! "Dances with the Wolves" was playing and Daddy had wanted to see it - it didn't sound like my kind of a movie and I was tired so I was a "DRAG". John got the tickets and then we met him and some of his friends at the movie - IT WAS WONDERFUL. I was sorry I had been so reluctant to go.

Sunday afternoon Daddy & I went to have dinner with the Woolleys and that was so much fun. Their visiting teachers came while we were there and we enjoyed that. Ron shoveled snow in their backyard to make a "sled run" and it was SO much fun to watch the children play. I would have liked to play with them but I wasn't dressed for it.

Last night Daddy I went over to Lehi to Julie & Craig Berry's annual "OLD FOLK'S PARTY". The Berrys are very young and every year they do this - he was our Bishop while we lived there. We had a WONDERFUL time and saw a lot of people we love - would you believe Mamie Hansen was all dressed up and there???

Tonight is our Ward Christmas party and I am going to make some "pumpkin squares" - a new recipe and it sounds good. Daddy & I have to serve the dessert. John has promised he will go with us.

John has had a "not so fun" week - it is final week and he has really put in the time studying. He came home last night quite depressed - he said his thermodynamics test was "unreal". We are proud of the way he is applying himself and know he is learning even if the test results don't show it.

We talked to Jeannie last night and they are doing fine - this is a busy time for families. I can remember being so worried the entire month of December - hoping that the gifts our children received would make them happy and they would compare favorably with those their friends received - HOW DUMB!!!

We also talked to Bob - they had dinner in Salt Lake with some of their friends from Memphis and they were looking forward to that. I'll bet you're busy Bob with all the colds & flu going around.

Roy called last weekend and made Daddy green with envy - he had been duck hunting again and they had to stop shooing because they got their limits so quickly. I can't help but worry about little Timothy in the cold weather - it's a good thing I'm not any closer I would watch him every single minute 24 hours daily.


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