Dear Kids,
      Luke’s blessing in Pocatello turned out to be quite the party! It was a nice day, so lots of us from the south drove up there. Dad and I rode with Al and Missy and their kids, and John’s family was a little behind us, and Nora’s family a little behind them. Paul came from Logan, in his own car, using his new GPS. There was fog, but no snow on the road. When we got to Pocatello, half the church was filled up with our family and Trent’s. His four brothers all live in the area (sort of) so they always come to everything. After the meeting, the party moved to Vanessa and Trent’s house. There must have been 50 people there, but their house was up to it! When John was trying to gather up his family to go home, Aubrey said she wanted to stay and live there. She likes the house! It suits her elegant style.
      The next event coming up is the Missiah in Heber next Sunday night (the 12th). Heather won’t be playing the clarinet, like we thought, but Tom will still be singing. It’s at 7:00 pm at John’s church. Coming from the cabin or from Salt Lake, if you turn left off the main road onto 5th North, it’s the first church you come to, not the second one. There will be an after-party at Tom’s house.
      Tuesday night, December 21st, is our Christmas Music open house, the fifth one in a row that Dad and I have hosted. It’s always a blast. It’s from 7 to 9 pm, or even later, if anybody wants to stay that long. It’s the night of the winter solstice, and a full moon besides, so it should be a great evening. The next night (Wednesday the 22nd) is the cousins’ present exchange party at Nora’s house. It was originally scheduled for the 17th, but this will be better for everybody. I’m not sure on the time–sometimes it lasts all afternoon and most of the evening.
      And then there will be our sledding party, the Monday after Christmas (the 27th) at the cabin, if everyone isn’t all partied out. We’ll have our usual chili or sloppy jo’s or some great comfort food, because it’s bound to be cold! It will be even colder because Donna and Bevan and Anna will have moved out by then, but we hope they come back often! The cabin will miss them, and the great fires they always built, and the great food Donna always cooked. But things are right on track for the closing on their house, probably about the 15th.
      Amid all this planning, I’m working on a talk I’m giving in Church this coming Sunday. The topic is “Courageous Parenting,” from a talk in the last conference. Unfortunately it’s not about being courageous with your children, but with teenagers. Thanks, all of you, who have supplied me with stories. Allen said, however, that it didn’t take any courage at all for us to enforce rules. He said I always seemed to be enjoying it. I can’t wait until Carson and Ellie are teenagers.
      Lots of love, Mom