December 26, 2000 Farmington, Utah

WOW - What a wonderful holiday!!! I hope all of you have enjoyed Christmas and all the parties as much as I have. We have missed the Roy Mellors and as I have watched the weather news on television I am very worried about the people in Arkansas. I had a letter from Chris Jordin and she said "I'm sure you have heard from Roy and Patrice about our terrible ice storms". That was the first I had heard but I remember those storms!!! Little Rock wasn't prepared for that kind of weather when we lived there - in other states where weather like that is common in the Winter the roads are cleared very quickly. I HATE to drive on scary roads!!! I hope SO much it will be better and especially for Suzie's birthday tomorrow. I hope your sisters have arrived safely by now, Patrice, and that you will have a WONDERFUL time!!! You have such a lovely, lovely home and to just stay inside will be fun.

Our family parties started on Saturday night when we celebrated Christmas Eve - we didn't want to celebrate on Sunday because it was the Sabbath. The Weinerts opened their home to all of us and it was just absolutely WONDERFUL. Jeannie had fixed "Haystacks" ( a rice base with different foods to put on top; chicken, celery, cashews, mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, and chicken gravy); John and Laura fixed halibut steaks topped with fresh dill; Claire had fixed different kinds of brownies, rice krispie bars and mint and chocolate ice cream; AND Ann had baked all the things to make gingerbread houses- we have made them with graham crackers in other years but this year we did the REAL THING. They made that special white frosting (I can't remember the name of it) and then decorated them with all kinds of candies and they were just absolutely darling!!! It was special for me to watch Bren who is Laura's son make his - he was SO careful and did such a good job. While this was going on, we made mints. This was not our most successful year to do that. The first batch turned out but the second one went to sugar and John had blistered his hands so bad that we decided to quit. We need to do that on another day when we don't have so much planned I guess. THEN we had our traditional talent show and that was SO much fun. The Woolleys were hysterical as they sang "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" and they had antlers and other "costume material" and they were accompanied by Russell on his guitar - I didn't even know he could play and he is VERY good. Laura and Katie played piano solos and Mary Ann and Sarah played a violin duet. Claire was "Mistress of Ceremonies" and all in all it was just PERFECT!!!

Sunday we all went to our meetings - I actually went to two because I attended the Weinert's Ward Christmas program and heard Mary Ann play her violin with their choir (she is SO good)!!! I came home and got ready to go to Provo so I could have dinner with the Woolleys - it was snowing but I kept thinking I would "drive out of it". WELL - it kept getting worse and worse and many cars were off the roads with police cars all around. I got as far as North Salt Lake and then I decided it would be CRAZY to keep going so I turned around and came home. Claire had called earlier and invited me to go to their home for Christmas Eve but I told them I was going to Provo - Bob left a message on my phone telling me to NOT go. When the weather got SO bad they called to check to see if I had really gone and when they found out I had come back they invited me again to come to their home. I had such a special time with them - hearing Bob give the spiritual lesson was like listening to Lynn - he is a "clone" of his Dad. Laura, Brett and Katie also gave a spiritual lesson with Laura in charge and I just LOVED it. They kept teasing their Dad while he was talking and they would say "Dad, you said it would be brief" - Ha!!! Claire's dinner was just delicious and I loved watching Laura make the salad - she cut up many kiwis and mangoes. Claire had fixed "angel pasta" with a delicious shrimp and fresh basil sauce - I want the recipe. I'm sure Michael is having all kinds of sauces on pasta in Italy - I hope he will bring home some recipes.

Yesterday, Monday and Christmas day, the Woolleys and Weinerts came to my home for pancakes and peaches and we had a wonderful time just visiting and playing games - that's a long trip for the Woolleys to come and I appreciated it so very much. I was SO happy to have Susanna and Steve come - they left this morning to go to Florida to spend the rest of the holidays with Steve's family. It was SO fun to have Barji and Boyd with us too - they will be here until January 7th. Bob, Laura, Brett and Katie came too but they didn't eat - Claire's parents had their family Christmas dinner yesterday. John and Laura went to her mother's home to spend Christmas with her so they didn't come either.

I went to the temple last Saturday and then Bob met me in Bountiful and we drove to John's home in Orem. John wanted us to come "clean out" Daddy's workroom. It was quite "bittersweet" for me - Daddy had a million nails and instead of going through everything we just brought EVERYTHING to put in my garage and then Bob will probably throw some things away. Do any of you remember that "hitching post" that was on the Lehi property? When we moved from Aunt Marvel's home I had many people call to see if they could have it - it is REALLY an old landmark. Daddy wanted it so we took it to our Orem house - Bob found it and brought it here. It has to be at least 100 years old - it's wood and rotted on the bottom where it was in the ground. Elaine even painted it in the picture she did for Daddy. John has REALLY had a big job and he still has a lot of packing to do before he starts his new job in New York - his starting date is January 2nd. We went right to the Weinert's home for our Christmas Eve party after we left Orem.

I went to our neighbor's home (Patt and Darrell Guthrie) for dinner last Monday night - I live in such a special and happy place. Wednesday I went to the "Savior of the World" program at the theatre in the Conference Center with condo friends and I didn't even know there was a theatre there - it is on the West side and very, very nice. We celebrated the December birthdays in our little condo group on Thursday night - we went to "Robertino's" in Bountiful for an Italian dinner and then we went to the Roger's Memorial Theatre to see the play "Scrooge" - we had so much fun. I went to the musical "Gloria" on Friday night with the Weinerts and that was just WONDERFUL. We went to El Matador for a Mexican dinner before going to Salt Lake. I don't believe I will ever forget how beautiful Salt Lake looked that night and that is the first time I had been in Abravanel Hall and WHAT A FABULOUS PLACE!!! I also went to the Nutcracker last week with Margaret and we had such good seats we were practically on stage at the Capitol Theatre in Salt lake.

I know I have never had such a FUN, FUN holiday season and I thank each one of you for your WONDERFUL gifts and for helping me to be happy. Margaret has invited me to go to Star Valley for New Year's Eve - I haven't decided if I will go or not. Ellen Mae and Mel have invited me to go to Arizona the second week in January and that will be fun. I am very, very grateful for such a FABULOUS family and good friends. I'm looking forward to the next couple days at Sherwood Hills with my family as we celebrate all our December birthdays - we will have a lot of snow to do all the things my grand

I knew I would forget something!!! Michael called from Italy yesterday afternoon - the missionaries are allowed to call home twice a year - once on Christmas and once on Mother's Day. I believe the whole message of Michael's call was when Bob and Claire said, "He isn't even homesick"!!! They said that Michael said "Who wouldn't want to spend Christmas in Italy - it is beautiful". He is very happy and enjoying his new area and also his companion who is from Bountiful - I think that is SO neat because they will be friends for forever!!! I am proud of Michael and his GREAT attitude and ability to adapt to EVERYTHING. He told them he was riding his bicycle about 30 miles a day - he wants to keep his weight off. If he is like the missionaries in Montana that was the only means of transportation they had in some areas. That's all!!! I Love you - Grandma B XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO