Dear Kids,
          I’ve been incredibly busy (but who hasn’t) the last two weeks, so now I’m finally sitting down to write a "Mom" letter. The presents are nearly all wrapped, the tree is up, a few decorations are out, so I can relax. Even though you kids are all grown up and I’m not responsible for making you happy on Christmas, old habits die hard. I still feel a lot of pressure to get Christmas "done."
          We all enjoyed the cousins’ gift exchange last Saturday at the cabin, and I was completely flabbergasted at the present you all went in on: the "midnight bears" quilt. I fell in love with it when I first saw it at BB&B, but it was so dang expensive I knew I could never justify buying it. So many thanks to you all! It looks fabulous on our bed. It looks like it was made especially for our room. Naturally Dad is less excited than I am, but he really enjoyed the macadamia chocolates that he got. 
          Thanks to all of you who came to hear the Messiah in Heber! Now that it’s over with, I can’t wait for next year. It was especially nice singing with Dad and Nora and Tom. Maybe some of the rest of you will be able to join us next year?
          And who can believe that it’s finally Christmas week! Tuesday night (Christmas Eve) we'll  be doing our traditional hike up Memorial Hill in Midway. Let’s meet at the bottom of the hill at 7:00 pm, OK? Afterwards, we can go to Donna and Bevan’s for hot chocolate. And maybe some Christmas stories? Maybe we can give a prize for the best story (and storyteller). That might be something fun to add to our tradition. Even familiar stories like Giant Grummer and Granny Glittens are always worth re-telling. 
          On Christmas day I’m fixing Christmas dinner at our house, and we’re planning to eat about 1 pm, but we could move that back an hour or two if that would help anybody with their scheduling. Afterwards we can play games, so bring anything new you got for Christmas, or anything old, either. I’m willing to break away from chess for at least one day. 
          And of course Thursday will be our sledding party at the cabin. I don’t know who’s coming, but it will be fun. I’ll be making sloppy jo’s, and why don’t you all bring your Christmas leftovers: cookies, candy, other goodies, or even real food, if there’s something you didn’t eat up. There’s plenty of snow on the sledding hill, and the forecast is for mostly sunny with a high of 30 degrees. There will be no stoppin’ the fun!
          What a great life we have! Lot of love, Mom