Dear Kids,
      I just now put up the cat nativity, so Christmas can come!! I didn’t put up my Christmas village, because my right arm still isn’t great for reaching up, but otherwise I’m in good shape for the holiday fun. Dad and I are going to buy our tree tomorrow night and put it up for home evening. I know we’re late, but we’re always late with the tree. It has been snowing outside off and on, and Oreo is curled up in the basket chair acting very pleasant. Xena is curled up on the floor. Paul is on the floor, too. He came home to go skiing yesterday, and he went to church here today, but he’s going back to Logan tomorrow morning. Yes, finals are over, but he says there’s more going on there. Both Grandma and Nora speculated that it must be a girl, but I’m not thinking nothin!!
      The holiday parties are upon us! I’ve heard that Laurie is doing a cousins’ party Friday night, the 18th, but I don’t know any details. Nora is putting on the grandkids’ party Saturday night, the 19th, starting at 6:00, and her house. The food is a-la-Café Rio. I’m sure you all have your assignments.
      The following Monday night, the 21st, Dad and I are sponsoring our fourth annual Christmas Music Open House, from 7:00-9:00 pm. If any of you want to drop in and perform, or just eat cookies, that would be great. I was going to cancel it for this year, because my shoulder was still making my life miserable, but Jana McGettigan said we just had to keep it going. With that kind of encouragement, of course we’re plunging ahead.
      On Christmas Eve, Donna and Bevan and Paul and Dad and I are going to hike Ensign Peak, probably around 6:00 or 7:00 pm. I know we always plan to do it, and we always bomb out, but not this year, so if any of you are feeling adventurous, please come and join us. We’ll have hot chocolate afterward.
      Christmas night Dad and I will be visiting Grandma and Grandpa, and from there we’ll drive to the cabin. Our sledding party will be the next day, Saturday, (the 26th) all day long. I’m going to make Elk meat chili!! We’ll probably be eating around 1:00 or 2:00 pm, so let me know if you’re going to be there. I’ll call Dad’s cousins and see if they want to come, too. There should be a ton of snow. Donna just called from the cabin and she thinks they got a couple of feet. The sledding ought to be great.
      So there’s a lot of fun stuff ahead of us. I look forward to seeing all of you as much as possible.
      Lots of love Mom