December 28, 1995 Orem, Utah

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BRETT ON TUESDAY (10 YEARS OLD) AND TI LEE ANNA ON FRIDAY (11 years old) - I hope you have as nice a birthday as I had this year. When I was your ages, my birthday was kind of a part of Christmas and it was still a lot of fun, but since I have been back in Utah for my birthdays now that I am ancient I REALLY celebrate and it's LOTS more fun.

I started to take down my Christmas decorations this morning and I have had a lot of phone calls and then John came by for a few minutes. It is now afternoon so I decided to take my pictures in to have developed and write my letter - if they are good I will send you all some. I am getting to the age where I don't like to decorate and I don't like to undecorate - I have to be REALLY motivated to do either. My house is a mess and that should be motivation enough!!!

I HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND BIRTHDAY and I thank each one of you SO very much for all you do for me!!!

Our celebrating started last Sunday. My Provo family went to my church services and that was such a thrill. I promised to get there early and save them some seats - I got there about 10 minutes to 9 (our sacrament meeting starts at 9) and stood at the back visiting for a few minutes and then went up front to save them some seats. THEY WERE ALREADY THERE AND SAVING ME SOME SEATS!!! There were a lot of people there and I didn't even see them. Our program was very, very good - the choir sang and then they had narrations to go with the music.

We all met at Bob & Claires' home on Sunday afternoon for appetizers and they were just fabulous - I would kill for some of Claire's stuffed mushrooms - they are my favorites!!! She also had mini-sausages in a sauce that she said was "Home Made Chili Sauce" and grape jelly - I am going to try that because they were WONDERFUL. I have bought that chili sauce for other recipes and it has a special flavoring. She also had dips and chips, etc. It was so much fun to visit with everyone and the children are always SO happy to be in their home that they were contented too. Their home is very beautiful - they have two gorgeous Christmas trees besides other decorations.

After that we left and went to the Weinerts for the family talent show and dinner. I am SO THRILLED with my grandchildren and their talents that improve SO much each year. I didn't think I would be hungry but there was enough time in between that I was starving (I'm always starving). Jeannie had set up her large dinning room table and two other tables for the younger children so everyone was seated and it was BEAUTIFUL!!! They had cooked a huge prime rib roast that was heavenly and they also had a very delicious green salad, baked potato and corn and a very special slush drink. It was SO fun to just sit and eat and visit and the younger children went outside to light the luminaries and play. About 8 o'clock we all gathered in their downstairs family room to exchange "cousin gifts" and I keep thinking we should have a tape recorder to record the children as they open their gifts - I LOVE THAT. It was especially funny this year because the Woolleys had forgotten to bring their gifts - the children compensated for it and it will be a memory. Ann said she had them already in a sack by the door and she thought someone had put them in the car until she got to Layton and discovered they weren't there. Jeannie served a delicious chocolate and mint ice cream dessert and then the phone rang and she said, "I'll bet that's Roy" and IT WAS. I'm sure they didn't have very good conversations with anyone but at least it gave us feeling of all being together. JOHN, YOU SHOULD HAVE CALLED - HA!!!

THEN - Santa Clause came and dropped some candy on the patio as he was heading back to the North Pole and of course, THAT WAS VERY EXCITING. I believe I have half of what he dropped in the back seat of my car - Jimmy, Jessie and Annie rode back with me to Orem and they must have left their share in my car.

Christmas day, the Woolleys and Weinerts came to my home for dinner and I LOVED THAT!!! I love to cook anyway and it was fun to make some Southern dressing to go with the turkey. I waited until they came to open my gifts and that was fun. Rick, Ron, Russell & Ricky carried the beds that Ann & Ron had given me up to the upstairs bedrooms and that REALLY helped me. About 8 o'clock we all went up to the Woolleys to have dessert - Ann had brought all the ingredients to my home to make it but then we decided to go up to their place and she left some of the ingredients here - Ron had to come back for them - he was a good sport about it. It was fun to go up to their home because Susanna's friend boy was there and we got to meet him - he is the quarterback on Timpview's football team and a very nice young man. He has signed a letter of intent to play with BYU when he returns from his mission - he is a senior at Timpview this year.

Tuesday, Ellen Mae and Mel came and spent most of the day with me. They took me to dinner and then we just visited and visited. It is very special to me when they come because Ellen Mae is the closet person to a sister that I have and you all know how much fun Mel is. They are grieving over the death of their granddaughter but they have such strong testimonies of the gospel that they understand the whole thing like I do.

Wednesday - my birthday - Ann came to pick me up to go to Salt Lake to celebrate like we did last year. Mary Ann had stayed with the Woolleys since Christmas so she was with Susanna, Jessie and Lee Anna. We met Jeannie and Barji at Café Pierpont in Salt Lake (Sarah had "begged off" because she hates to shop). We had a delicious Mexican lunch and then we shopped until we really did almost drop.

Claire's brother and wife and family have been with their parents for the holidays so Claire wasn't able to be with us - they have a three month old baby boy with three little sisters. Laura told me that he was in nine month old clothes already.

John & Julianna had a good time in the Bahamas. John said it wasn't warm enough to spend much time on the beach and that was disappointing but they had a good time. He came by for a few minutes last night and then again this morning - I'm always glad when he is home even though I hardly ever see him. He told me about a local parade they have to celebrate Christmas in the Bahamas - a six hour parade and people dance in competition along the parade route for all that time - WOW!!

I talked to Emily and Timothy for a few minutes last night - I also talked to Jesse but I'm not quite sure what he said - Ha!! I received a picture of their new home in my birthday card yesterday - IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!! Emily told me how they were taking up the floor of the attic and it must be just above Timothy's close because she said you could see his closet from it. They are having a lot of insulation blown in and then a new floor put in. They are VERY smart to have all that done before they move in. Patrice said they won't move in until all the remodeling is done. The guestroom is above the garage. They are all VERY excited about it and I'm THRILLED for them. Emily told me all about her Christmas - she got her American Girl doll I believe she told me her name is Amanda - she is writing stories about her in the book that came with her. Timothy got an erector set and he and his Dad have been working with that. They have a babysitter who lives right across the street from them and I'm SO happy about that. Emily's friend, Allie, who moved was coming back for a visit and would stay with Emily on Friday night - they are such good friends!!! Emily said their downstairs bathroom in their new home looks like a library because the wallpaper has books on it.

I must report about our Home Making Meeting on the Thursday before Christmas. We planned for 140 but only 100 came and we had SO much food left over - I spent the next day delivering it to families in our ward. I don't believe we will have one like that so close to Christmas ever again - it was too hard for everyone involved!!! One of my counselors who lives at the end of my street didn't even get her outside lights up until the day before Christmas - I felt bad!!! The little soaps were a BIG HIT and truly made the party a success - we had 144 of them and they had been decorated beautifully by a sister in our ward - there was not one left!!!

I also enjoyed the Orem Women's Club Christmas Dinner last Wednesday - we were entertained by the Jacob's family from Orem and they are SO talented - violinists, pianists and singers!!!

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