January 4, 1993 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:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope 1993 will be a wonderful year for all of us and I know it will be. Did you all celebrate New Year's Eve? I hope you did. Do you remember the parties we used to have in our neighborhood in Little Rock at the Luten's home? Everyone would take some kind of leftover snack from Christmas and Betty would put it on a pretty table in her dining room and it was really fun. I went to bed early but I kept my Christmas lights on outside until about 3 o'clock in the morning and most of the neighbors did the same thing.

Did I ever say we couldn't have too much snow to suit me? Well, I believe we have enough snow for awhile. My neighbor, Paul Theobald, has used his caterpillar snow shoveler and has cleared off the street and dumped the snow in our yards - I wish Emily & Timothy were still here to see it and we could really build a "fort". Along with the snow we have some very cold weather - it was 5 below last night. I appreciate the young men in our area so much because they shovel my walks and driveway - it was so heavy on Saturday that Paul used his machine to do the driveway. I am having Family Home Evening here tonight and I'm glad the walks are fairly clean for the "old" people!!!

Emily - I love to answer my phone and hear your voice on the other end - as you get older I can recognize your voice. You and Timothy sound like you're having so much fun playing together and I loved the picture of Little Red Riding Hood that you sent to me. I'm glad that you had fun with your Aunt Liz who visited you last week and I think it's neat that she has friends who live in Little Rock - that way maybe she will be able to visit you often.

The Woolleys came over last night for Family Home Evening and we had so much fun. They had kept their resolutions from last year and they read them to see how many they had kept - it was hilarious as they laughed at the ones they didn't keep. We all made new ones and as usual at the top of my list I said I was going to lose 15 pounds!!! I liked one of the ones Ron made - he resolved to help Grandma B with a project she needed done. I hope all the men in our family will give me one day at the cabin to get it in shape for the Summer - I know Roy won't be able to do that but he is always doing things when he is here - he fixed the dog's area with a light in their little "home" and a water bowl that won't freeze. Last night when I heard how cold it was going to be it was comforting to know they were okay.

The Weinerts came down one day last week to go skiing with the Woolleys. Jeannie called and said they had brought "everything" and when they got to Sundance the ski lifts were closed because of the wind and blizzard conditions. They came back to Provo and went to a movie and then "exchanged" children for the rest of the week. I believe everyone started back to school this morning and I know Ann & Jean are happy about that.

John has had the flu this week. I feel bad because he didn't let me know and I found out from Ann last night. When I called him he said, "It wasn't that bad, Mom and I'm fine now". They do have the heat in their apartment fixed now - it's about time!!!

I haven't heard from the Bob Mellors but I know they're doing fine. They have had some strong winds in their area along with a lot of snow. Claire - I am loving that book about Dee Glen Smith and I'll get it back to you soon so you can get it to your friend. I was surprised to learn the man who performed their marriage ceremony was Ed Baird and he lives in Orem now and gives monologues to different groups and I see him quite often. He is in his middle 80's and is blind and just lost his wife.

The Woolleys had a real SCARE last night. Right shortly after they left here I had phone calls from two of their neighbors who said their alarm system was ringing. Ann called me when they got home to tell me she had left some turkey bones simmering for soup and they had boiled dry and their house was filled with smoke and their smoke alarms had gone off. Their smoke alarms and their burglary alarms sound the same so the neighbors didn't dare go in their house for fear of finding burglars so they called the police. They put their children to bed in their downstairs because it didn't have any smoke in it. I called this morning and Ann was out walking but Jimmy said the smoke was "all gone". I feel so bad because they have too many things to do to come over here and it wouldn't have happened if they had stayed home. Roy boiled the turkey bones left from Christmas for me and I have six large packages of soup stock with meat in the freezer - it's a lot of work but it makes wonderful soup.

Ann starts her job at BYU today - I'm so excited and thrilled for her. It's great to have someone call and offer a person a job and a real compliment to Ann. Our great niece (I believe that's what she is), Rosie Willardsen ----, came over with her mother, Ann Willardsen on Saturday to visit with me. Rosie is going to do her student teaching this Semester and she is SO worried that Ann will be her supervisor and will give her a hard time.

I was invited to that New Year's breakfast in Salt Lake at the home of one of my former classmates, Clinton Holmes. When he called, I thought, I won't be able to go to that without Daddy and besides the roads were terrible. The next morning when I woke up I said, "I can do that" so I went and had a wonderful time. My Brigham City friends always go and it's so good to see them. Daddy went last year and he had only been out of the hospital for a week - he was a "REAL TROOPER" and all my friends really loved him. One of our former missionaries came by last night with her husband and we had a good visit. ALL THE NEWS.

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