Dear Kids,
      I just got back from Ogden Valley, where I checked out the Wolf Mountain (formerly Nordic Valley) ski resort. (It’s actually not much of a resort, because the lodge is a converted barn.) An all-day pass (with my senior citizen discount) was $17. There are two lifts, and the lifties are a couple of old guys, probably the owners. They’re not much into grooming their runs. But it’s a great place to learn to ski or snowboard, because the bunny hill is long and flat, and even the main run is pretty easy. The snow was kind of slushy though, because the base of the “mountain” is only 5400'. (Compared to Snowbird at 7400, and Brighton at 8400.) It was almost as warm there as at home. But I had a lot of fun. From the top of the mountain you can see Wolf Creek condominiums, where we used to have family reunions. I got tired after 3 hours and came home, but I felt like I got my money’s worth.
      Does anybody want to hear Tom’s latest medical news? As if he didn’t have enough going on, now they’ve discovered he has high cholesterol. So he’s taking 4 medications now, and two of them are combos of two drugs, so he’s on six different meds. He’s a walking pharmacy! His doctor told him the high cholesterol is probably genetic (true!), so all you kids who haven’t had your cholesterol checked since I took you to FHP as kids, it might be a good idea to have it done. It changes when you grow up.
      Saturday night Dad went to Centerville for a “ride-along” with Allen, which was really a “sit-along,” because Al was doing DUI stops. Dad says Allen pulled over 17 people, and didn’t find a single drunk, but it was fun anyway. Dad came home at 2:30 am and was so hyped up he didn’t even go to bed–just turned on the TV to try to unwind. That’s where I found him at 5am, when I got up.
      Donna’s out on spring break this week, so she’s mostly working at Deer Valley, where of course she sees a lot of Bevan. She’s been checking out summer jobs, internships with garden shops that don’t pay much, but would be good experience. But Donna explained to me that she doesn’t really need experience, because a Landscaping Architecture degree from Utah State is all the credentials she’ll need to get a good job. So she might wait tables instead, to go for the money.
      Trent and Vanessa and their kids were here yesterday, while Trent made yet another tip to the car auction. This time he was getting a mini van for his brother, Craig, who now has three kids. (That seems to be the magic number–the point where you need a bigger car.)(Gone are the days of stuffing five kids and two parents into a Volkswagon, like Dad and I used to do.) Anyway, Trent had fun at the auction, while Vanessa and the kids and I hung out with Nora and her kids. We got Chinese food from the New Dragon Café, (thanks, Sharon, for telling us about it) and we did a drive-by of James and Nora’s new house.
      Sharon is going to start selling “Storyteller,” those felt picture stories that Kim has gotten for some of you. Sharon says there are only two dealers in Michigan. She has two parties scheduled for this week. Go, Sharon! Seth is in a new lab, but he’s not doing much, because his professor is out of town.
      On Friday I tended John and Heather’s kids while Heather helped train a new girl in John’s office. I had a lot of fun. But when it was time to go pick up Julie from school, Jacob and Aaron had hidden the car keys. Well, maybe they weren’t hidden, but they had carried them off. I asked where they were, and both boys looked very innocent. But when I said we couldn’t go anywhere, Jacob suddenly remembered he knew where they were. It all felt very familiar.
      Hey, Paul, you’re really coming home June 2nd? That will be a great anniversary present for Dad and me! I can’t believe how fast the time is going! You’ll be home before you know it! But don’t get trunky.
      Lots of love to everybody, Mom