Dear Kids,
      I hope all the grandkids had a fun Halloween. Well, I know one who didn’t, Ellie, unless you think it’s fun to fall off the coffee table and break your collarbone. Who knows what she was trying? Missy didn’t even see it happen, since she was busy in the kitchen, and there were other kids in the house, and they were all going crazy. So Allen and Missy and Ellie spent Halloween night at Primary Children’s Hospital, getting Ellie treated. Only, if you’re just a toddler, there isn’t much to the treatment. It think they bound up her arm, so the collarbone won’t be disturbed, and then it should heal itself. (You know kids, they’re made of rubba’.) Meanwhile, back at Al and Missy’s house, Stan took Carson trick or treating, and then they came home and handed out treats, which Carson seemed to really enjoy. He’s always good if you give him a job.
      Also on Halloween, Grandpa Allen had surgery to replace his hip. It took longer than they thought (of course, it always does) because his femur had “migrated” up into the hip socket. He’ll be in the hospital (Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, in Provo) for a week or so. Meanwhile, some of the rest of us are trading off spending time with Grandma. We hope everything goes OK.
      If you visit our website, ackerson.org, you can now click on “other family letters” and bring up the latest news from your aunts and uncles. I know, it was supposed to be working a couple of weeks ago when I wrote, but now it really does work. I put up letters from Barbara, Jane, and Andy, and there are a few more in our e-mail that I’ll put up over the next several days. That way you can get the news of the cousins, and also the news of your aunts and uncles. For example, who but Andy and Renae would be vacationing in Colorado, and want to tour the Air Force Academy? (Well, maybe Chuck) Anyway, now you can keep up on all the gossip and other events.
      Sharon reports that things are going great in Michigan. She calls every Sunday night, so I can always keep updated. She had to make a “Summer Wheatley” pinata for a Napoleon Dynamite party they were going to. She also had to make the dang quesadillas. Other people were bringing the tater tots and corn dogs. I’m glad to know there are other Napoleon Dynamite freaks outside of Utah and Idaho. I still wear my “Vote for Pedro” shirt on a regular basis.
      Nora and James are going on their cruise after all! It seems their hotel wasn’t hurt that badly, and it’s up and running. Nora and James are leaving Saturday morning, and I hope they’ll have fun. Ben is going to Pocatello, and Addie is going to Heber. I know they’ll have fun!
      Our neighbors, the Coombs (aka Nogans) took down their giant elm tree, the one in the front yard. Maybe they were getting roots in their sewer line, or they were tired of raking leaves–who knows! I wish Barry would do the same thing with his. It just gets bigger and bigger, and there are always a ton of leaves to rake, and we’ve already had its roots in our sewer line. Somehow I don’t think the tree is in any danger, though, because there’s a Jesus statue sitting on the ground next to it. Maybe for protection, who knows? Is that a “Christian” thing? Paul, have you seen it–Jesus statues by trees and bushes?
      Well, I have to go rake leaves. It could snow any day. Last Saturday at the cabin, there were white flakes coming down, but they didn’t stick. Deer Valley has snow about halfway down the mountain.
      I’m doin’ great and lovin’ it. Hope you all are, too. Love, Mom