November 30, 1992 Orem, Utah

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

What a beautiful Wintry day here in Orem and it's the last day of November so we have more winter to go - Ha!!! I can't believe how fast the time goes - it takes me ten times longer to do things without Daddy and I guess that's why the time goes faster.

I must tell you about our WONDERFUL Thanksgiving. John decided to go to Farmington also and I was SO glad - I didn't want to even try to imagine what it would be like without him. He picked me up about 11 o'clock and we got to the Weinerts about noon. Their home looked absolutely gorgeous and smelled so "Thanksgiving like" - John and I were starving and had a hard time not eating all the treats she had scattered about. They had had a lot more snow than we have had so we all piled into cars and went to a "sledding place" - they have wonderful sledding hills right by where they used to live. Bob & Claire and their children met us over there and the children had such a lot of fun being together. I wished I had taken "snow clothes" but I had no idea there would be that kind of snow.

We got back to the Weinerts about 2:30 and Jeannie's dinner was all ready and we were all ready to eat. The food was SO good and it was served so beautifully - they had the children all at their table in the kitchen dining room and the adults at their table in their formal dining room. We had to laugh at Rick - he said that was the first time he had ever eaten in there. The Weinert children all served things and I could tell they had been "properly taught". I don't know why it always amazes me that my children can do things like that - I have thought all these years that I was the only one who could put on a Thanksgiving dinner - Ha!!! Now I can't do it and you all can.

We just goofed off and relaxed all afternoon. John had made a video tapes of some of the television comedians mimicking the politicians and news people and we watched that and it was hilarious. John and I got home about 8 o'clock. I loved hearing the children play their new piano and I'm amazed at how much they improve each time I hear them - the Weinerts have a new baby grand piano - their Christmas present!!! I'm thrilled for them.

The Woolleys had a wonderful Thanksgiving too - Ann called me when they got home and said they were glad to be back where it was warm - Ha!!! She said it was 9 degrees while they were in Jerome - and that was during the day. Ron's sister Sue and her husband and family had also gone so they had a big crowd and Ann said it was really fun.

The Roy Mellors had a wonderful Thanksgiving too - Roy called and said that Suzie was with them and they were having a good visit. Roy had "smoked" two turkeys - they froze one. He said it was easy to smoke them and they were delicious. Maybe next Summer I will try to do something like that. I have put Daddy's smoker in the utility place and have wondered if it will ever be used again. I still have a lot of smoked fish in the freezer!!! Roy said that he and Patrice had gone for a ride out in the Western part of Little Rock one day to get Roy's backpack from a friend who had borrowed it and they were by a new golf course and went right by Bill Clinton. I think that is SO neat and exciting. I am thrilled for Little Rock because it is finally getting some long overdue recognition for the beautiful place it is.

Chris called me and her son John and his wife Marsha finally got their little adopted baby boy - they got him on Thanksgiving eve. They had been paying large sums of money to the woman who was pregnant but they couldn't be assured they would get the baby until the mother signed the papers. When the baby was born, their minister and his wife cared for him until the mother was given time to decide - John & Marsha couldn't even see him. I think that is SO scary!!! The baby was born a couple weeks ago.

Joy also called me - I appreciate those sweet friends so much. She told me lots of news about church friends. Neil Littlefield has been released as Bishop and Earl Hatch is the new bishop with Bill Bailey as one of his counselors. Earl wasn't even a member while we were there - his wife was and their two children were but Earl wasn't baptized until after we moved. Joy is impressed with the Bishop of the Pinnacle ward - he is a heart surgeon there and I believe he must be the one Jean & Rick met when they went for Jeannie's high school reunion.

Ellen Mae & Mel came the night before Thanksgiving and took me to dinner and to a basketball game at Provo High School - their grandson is one of the star basketball players for Davis High -Jason Heath, I think? That was their first game and they lost but it was so much fun to go - the first high school basketball game I have been to since John played in Billings. Ellen Mae is the dearest friend in the world!!!

People are SO good to me. Two little girls brought me a plate of chocolate chip cookies yesterday afternoon and last night while I was talking to you Roy, the doorbell rang and Mike & Shawna had come to say "Hi" and brought me a hot apple pie!!! One of my neighbors went to California for Thanksgiving and instead of throwing out some chicken noodle soup from her refrigerator she brought it to me - I thought that was so cute. Two other neighbors have a walnut tree and they brought me a bag of freshly shelled walnuts and some carrots from their garden.

Our neighborhood is in a little bit of a turmoil. Do you all remember that house at the West end of our street that looks like a motel? Well, it has been for sell for $650,000.00 for about nine months and there hasn't been much interest in it. Some of the neighbors "got wind" that they were going to sell it to the college (UVCC) and get part money and partly a big tax write off. The college was interested in it for many different things: a learning center, an alumni house, a hospitality house for dignitaries and even a fraternity house. This caused quite an uproar. The owners (DeRae & Pauline Broderick) were out of town and the neighbors across the street organized a meeting of all the home owners in this area. I came away from the meeting feelings that with the covenants that had been made up when these homes were built the home owners would be protected but "what do I know"!!! I think it's kinda' exciting but a lot of the people here are very angry with the Brodericks. My home teacher, Steve Frisby, was over yesterday and he was telling me that DeRae helped write up the covenants - he is just hoping they have been recorded in the courthouse. Steve also told me there are huge homes being built up at Sundance - one of them has 22,000 square feet in it. he's building up there.

I have started getting my Christmas decorations out and I am really in a big mess!!! My house looks SO pretty outside at night with all the lights on. Ann said they put some Christmas lights on Ron's parent's home too while they were there. I guess they have never had lights before. I love Christmas and I love the decorations but I'm just not very good at it. I spent most of Saturday trying to put up my little tiny tree in the den - we just don't have room for a big one. I got four strings of lights on it and when I plugged them in, two strings didn't work. I was SO angry and took them off in a hurry and knocked the tree over and had to start from square one.

Remember now that I don't want or need any gifts for Christmas - I just want to be remembered and I hope you will find time in your busy schedules to come spend some time at Grandma's house. I am SO glad that Roy & Patrice and their children will be here with me. I have told all the little children around here that they are coming and they need playmates. I would love to plan a Christmas buffet and have you all come on Christmas day and just visit and relax. I don't want to interfere with your plans but could we say this is going to be a "little different Christmas for me". I'm looking forward to our annual family party and want to help so let me know. I thought it was SO WONDERFUL that when Jeannie asked Ricky what he liked best about Christmas he didn't even mention any gifts - he liked the family party where all the "skcousins" made gingerbread houses and the second thing he liked best was their neighborhood "lighting project" (their neighborhood puts candles in paper bags filled with sand and completely encircles their entire neighborhood).

WOW - I just can't stop once I get started!! Sorry about that but you don't need to read it.

I love each one of you so very much. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL AS YOU TRAVEL AND GET TOO BUSY DOING CHRISTMAS. Let me know how we can help you!!!


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