December 29, 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:

WOW!!! What a wonderful Christmas week I have had. You have no idea how much I have worried about this Christmas and having Roy & Patrice & their family come has made it a Christmas I will never forget instead of one that was kinda' unhappy. It wasn't jus the time of Christmas but it was the planning and preparation that helped me SO much. I REALLY believe everything will be easier from now on, don't you? Getting over the hurdle of the first everything without Daddy and the anticipation of it has been kinda' hard but I just know 1993 will be easier. I still have a whole lot to learn but it will come --- I think!!!

Roy got the video, "Sister Act" for all of us to watch the other night and we decided it would be a good idea to have the fireplace on. Roy came upstairs to check on the children and when he came down he said, "It surely smells like smoke upstairs" - I had opened the damper but not enough and the upstairs was just awful. There are so many things like that, that Daddy used to take care of and I'll learn in time.

I cannot thank each one of you enough for all you have done during the holidays to include me and to help our family have fun together. This is probably the busiest time of the year for you but you have done so many nice things and I appreciate it SO much. Roy & Patrice, Emily & Timothy, came in on Monday the 21st and I was SO glad we had enough snow for them to build two snowmen - a lady and a man - and to sled down my little hill. John came over soon after they got here and visited with us and that was fun. I can't remember the sequence of events during the week but one time the Woolleys invited us all to lunch and the lunch was delicious but the most fun was watching the children sled down their neighbor's hill and also down their backyard hill. Little Timothy fell for Russell because he would sled down with him and Russell would put Timothy on his back and carry him back up the hill - one time Timothy fell head first right into a snowpile and just laughed and laughed. Susanna, Jessie & LeeAnna took Emily up and down the hill and then Jimmy & Emily would sled together. The Woolley's back yard was a blast - Roy & Ron built a snow bank so they wouldn't hurt themselves running into the porch - the children formed a long line of tubes and they giggled until they were all just exhausted. I will never forget how much fun they had together - we went for lunch and ended up staying all day. The only thing I regret is that I didn't have my camera. I took some pictures of Emily & Timothy making the snowmen and then I couldn't find the camera - I searched everywhere. Finally Patrice found it for me in the pocket of the jacket I wore during that time but the picture taking opportunities were mostly gone - dumb me!!!

Little Katie came down one day and it was so much fun to watch Emily & her play together. They REALLY have fun together and will be friends and cousins for forever. They are at such a fun age with vivid imaginations and the ability to play games and I just love being with them.

Our family-get-togethers that started at Bob & Claires' home on the afternoon of Christmas Eve were just wonderful this year. We got there at noon and started eating chips & dips and had part of the family talent show - I am SO impressed with the children' talent - they just get better and better each year and I'm SO proud of them. Then we went to the roller skating rink where Bob and Claire had rented the entire thing for the family. It was special to be with Claire's family too - her sister Carolyn brought their new little baby son and he is beautiful - they have a darling family of 4 girls and now this little baby boy. The children and most of the adults skated and skated and just loved it and if we ever do that again I am going to skate too - I was a little worried about falling but I'm not THAT old!!! Claire had set up chips & dips and drinks at the refreshment stand of the rink and I believe I ate most of them.

THEN we all went to the Weinerts where they served the most delicious chili and corn bread supper - Jeannie had made honey butter that was SO good with the corn bread. We had the rest of the talent show there and then the children all exchanged the gifts they had bought for the person whose name they got in the gift exchange. THAT WAS REALLY FUN. I will never forget little Emily saying, "I'll get a present because I'm a cousin too". Jeannie read a sweet story and then each one of us told about a memory we had of "PaPa" - that was special. THEN Santa Clause had dropped off some candy on their patio on his way back to the North Pole and the children scampered to get it. THEN we had some delicious dessert that Jeannie had made - pumpkin and chocolate cake. THEN WE ALL WENT TO OUR DIFFERENT HOMES.

Christmas morning was so fun for me. I watched little Emily & Timothy open their gifts and see the things Santa had left for them. They were SO thoughtful to me and I LOVED it. I was impressed with the way Roy talked to Emily about Santa having to give gifts to many children all over the world and I could see that she understood and was happy.

Roy fixed omelettes that were heavenly. John was on his way from his apartment to fix them but we got hungry before we got here. He got here in time to fix the shrimp and that was a big job. The Smiths have brought shrimp and sent shrimp from Alabama and it was good to get them all out of the freezer - John cooked and shelled them all and they were delicious. Roy carved the turkey and the ham and Patrice fixed everything - I believe that is the prettiest buffet I have ever had. I just wish I had taken a picture before we started eating. The Weinerts and Woolleys got here about 2 p.m. and we ate and watched the BYU bowl game in Hawaii - they lost to Kansas by 3 points. It was so much fun to be with everyone. Ann & Jean could see the children needed more room to play so they took the children up to the Woolleys. After the game and when Timothy awakened we all went to the Woolleys for dessert. Ann had fixed delicious ice cream balls rolled in crushed peppermint and also some rolled in toasted almonds and coconut and topped with hot fudge - JIMMY!!! All the older Weinert and Woolley children said they would babysit the younger children so the adults went to the movie, "A few Good Men" and it was just excellent.

THEN we went back to the Woolleys for more dessert - cheesecake with blackberry topping and that was heavenly too!!! It was way past time to go home but the children were all SO good. It was very, very cold and on the way home we had to stop to scrape the windows but we couldn't find the scraper - Roy finally found it and I learned that is something else I must learn!!!

Saturday was just a fun and relaxing day and Roy & Patrice did some of their packing. They had to mail some of their gifts so they hurried to get them to the post office. I just admire them so much for doing all that - they had mailed a lot of things here before they got here and then had to mail them back - can you imagine the planning in all of that!!! They had sent five packages here before they got here. It might have seemed like magic to their children and others but to me it seemed like a whole lot of work for them.

Saturday night, John and his roommate Eric, came over and we all watched "Sister Act" and that was fun. I was so tired I didn't get snacks like I should have done and I feel bad about that. We have tried and tried to get Eric over here for times when we had so much food prepared and then he came when I didn't do anything.

Sunday morning Roy & Patrice were up bright and early to get ready for their trip home. Their children were SO good and not too tired - other times when they have gone home little Emily has been over tired so I was glad she wasn't this time. I came home from the airport and the house was SO quiet I didn't like it at all. I had a substitute for my Mutual class so I didn't go to church and I decided to just relax. The doorbell rang and it was Shane Miller of all people - he had brought me a birthday gift from his grandmother, Elaine. He brought his girlfriend and they visited for a little while and that was fun. Right after they left, my visiting teacher, Deann Garrison, and my little Primary girls came and they brought a big balloon and other gifts. Then the "Pack" girls came with their friend, Bill. Then the Woolleys came with the most delicious birthday cake and we watched "Murder She Wrote". They left and Pat Clyde came, then my home teachers and in between visits I had phone calls from Dorothy Woods in Little Rock and friends here. I got to bed about 11 o'clock.

Yesterday morning, Monday, I awakened to find it snowing hard and the roads were terrible. I knew I wanted to go to the Powers' wedding even if I had to walk. I left here about 9:30 and went to ZCMI to get a wedding gift and then to Ann's to pick her up. I don't know if you remember the hill that the Batemans and Lees live on but I started down that hill and I was going about 5 miles an hour and started slipping. I turned many times but ended up at the bottom of the hill without any terrible problems. There is a home at the bottom and there were four cars in the front yard of that home and they had crushed through the owner's fence and one truck had smashed into a tree right by the house. I was still shaking by the time I got to Ann's.

Ann & LeeAnna and I went to the wedding "reception" at the Lion House and we got there late but in time to be seated. I didn't realize it was going to be a sit down dinner but it was and it was just wonderful. It was SO good to see Dianne and Garry and brick and his bride looked SO happy - Brick has really grown and is a very handsome young man.

Dianne and Garry came over to see me this morning and we had a wonderful visit. I will be happy when Garry retires because they want to move West. Garry was kinda' sad because his brother his brother had died suddenly just about two weeks ago - he was only 60 years old and a favorite of Garry's. They had been to North Carolina (Fort Bragg) for his funeral. They had invited me to go to lunch but I had already told my neighbor I would go with her and her mother who is visiting here from Nevada. Dianne & Garry stayed until my neighbor came and then I went to lunch and that was fun.

I HAVE TOLD YOU MY LIFE STORY - but you don't have to read it.

I am so thankful for such a dear, dear family and also for such sweet friends and neighbors. When I came home from the airport I had 7 messages on my phone - 6 of them were from Vonnie and when she saw me drive in she came right over.

I want you all to forget about me now - you have al done way, way too much for me for Christmas and for my Birthday. I probably needed it this year but I never, never want that much again. You all have other things you need to spend your money and time on. I promise to let you know when you need to worry about me - OKAY????
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