November 29, 1993 Orem, Utah

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

The last of November and it has been a busy, happy month. I heard on he television this morning that it has been a record dry month for Utah - that is especially true for my part of the state and I'm wondering if I should get out the hose and water the trees!!!

I hope all of you enjoyed Thanksgiving as much as I did and I want to give a great big THANKS for all the help I received. I know you don't believe me when I tell you that I have raked my leaves at least twenty times and taken that many carloads of leaves over to the farm. I couldn't believe it when they raked ten more bags off the yard on Thursday. Ron and his Dad put up the Christmas tree lights in the front of my home and they did such an excellent job and it was FREEZING cold - I hope they didn't suffer any consequences from it. I am SO grateful to have my rain drains cleaned out - I didn't realize what a big job that would be - they hadn't been cleaned out good since Daddy did them last and even though I had hired some men to do it last Fall there was a lot of junk in them and it was all frozen!!! I'm happy to have my trampoline tied up to the fence on the East - I can't even see it from my windows and the yard is just beautiful.

I was SO funny - Ann called me on Wednesday night and said, "Mom, I'm worried about what everyone is going to do at your home tomorrow". I said, "I thought they were going to rake the leaves from my yard". She said, "Well, don't you have snow covering them?" It was really something - they had enough snow for the children to sled on their hills and they were raking leaves at my home - a freakish storm or heavenly intervention - Ha!!!

We all went to the Woolleys for a delicious Thanksgiving Feast - I know that I have never been able to cook that much food for so many people. I had two helpings of everything and especially loved the dressing. I wished I had taken a picture of their tables in their dining room - they seated 24 of us and we were very comfortable. Ann had bought new dishes so she would have enough that matched and also silverware and we all had such a WONDERFUL time. I must mention too that Jeannie brought absolutely delicious vegetables - brussel sprouts and then a combination of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots in a DeJon mustard and parmesan cheese sauce. Also, Bev made absolutely delicious pumpkin pies - six of them and she brought them from Idaho. Sue had made darling place cards for everyone and Cal had brought his newest cartoon book - it is hilarious and everyone enjoyed it. I was surprised and thrilled that Bob and John were able to be with us - I had been misinformed!!! Bob brought Brett down to be with Jimmy - they are just darling together!!!

The Woolleys' Christmas present is a 60 inch television screen and that was REALLY a hit. They have it down in their basement and it is so comfortable with lost of seating room. I was shocked and just thrilled to pieces to see a video that has Daddy in it - it was taken soon after we came home from our mission and he was the Daddy I like to remember - so healthy and fund and handsome. I had really forgotten what a toll his illness had taken on him because it came on kinda' gradually during the five years. Susanna, Jessie, Mary Ann & Barji watched it with me and they all said "That's how we remember PaPa". The Woolleys got the television so they could provide a fun place for their children and their friends - they have always wanted them to be home with their friends and I think that's GREAT.

John left on Friday to go to Fort Worth to visit his friend, Julianna, and her family. I have worried because the Dallas-Fort Worth area really had some bad weather and they were canceling flights in and out. I hope he had a good time.

I just talked to Patrice and it's prime calling time!!! I had called earlier when the rated were good and left a message and she returned my call. Rick is giving me an airline's ticket to go to Little Rock. They had talked to Roy before they left on Saturday and he said it was okay for me to come but I wanted to be sure it was okay with Patrice. I appreciate your call so much Patrice and now I will be excited about coming - I didn't want it to be stressful with a brand new baby. I'm going to leave here the morning of December 9th and will stay until Sunday, the 12th. I can hardly wait to see little Jesse and also Emily, timothy and Roy & Patrice. I hope I will be able to be of some help to them - I am not going to tell any of my friends that I am coming.

I just loved having the Weinerts spend two nights with me and also some of my grandchildren. The children split up - some stayed with the Woolleys and some with me. I'm not very "quick on the trigger" and wish I had done some fund things with them like making divinity - I guess I was in shock that they would come. Ann and Jean and I went shopping early on Friday - they were having a big sale at the BYU Bookstore (they sell sweaters and other women's clothing).

Friday evening some of us went to the movie "Mrs. Doubtfire" and that is the funniest movie I have ever seen. Rick, Ricky, Ron and Russell went to the Jazz basketball game in Salt Lake and Russ, Bev, Susanna, Jessie, LeeAnna, Barji, Mary Ann, Sarah, Brett, Jimmy, Ann, Jean and I went to the movie. It was just hilarious from beginning to end and it was fun to sit by Russ and Bev and hear them laugh.

Cissy and Charles Beyers just called me from Salt Lake. They have been here and called when they first came and told me they would try to come spend some time with me but I knew they wouldn't be able to so I didn't count on it. The Weinerts ran into them at a restaurant on Saturday. Shauna is not well.
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