Dear Kids,
          Thanksgiving is over, and now Christmas is knocking at the door. By the way, thanks to everybody who helped make our Thanksgiving wonderful. Thanks especially for the great food you brought! It was the best of everybody’s cooking. (Even Smith’s.) We were blessed with a beautiful day–a good day for hiking up the hill, or loafing, or whatever. Also, for giving thanks.
          John and Heather are settling into their new house, and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s also very grand. When they were showing us through it, I kept thinking we’d seen it all, and then we’d come to another part. Their lot is more than an acre, so there’s lots of room for Heather to garden (and for the deer to come and grange on it.) Last night all our Heber Valley and Kamas Valley families were there–sort of an informal house warming–and the cousins were romping around in their usual fun way. Dad and Tom and Nora and I came late, because we were at the Messiah practice in Heber. (Tom persuaded Nora to join up.) By the way, having Nora sit next to me at Messiah practice is the best help I could ever have. She and Tom are both "Mr. Wilson protegees," and they really know the Messiah. The altos also had a lady who used to sing in the Mo Tab, and she really knew it, too. For one practice at least, I had it made. Our performances are on the 14th and the 15th, which brings up the family Christmas party, which will probably be on the 14th, in Heber. Our Messiah dress rehearsal is at 8:30 that morning, and the performance that evening is at 6:30 or 7:00, I think. So, maybe we could make the performance part of the family party, at least for the grown-ups. It’s a sing along, so you can join in! 
          Nora’s kids seem to be settling in at school here. Dad drives Adelaide to the middle school first thing on his route, and then he comes back for the rest of the kids, and takes them down to the bus stop at the bottom of the hill. All the small-town perks are in place. Nora was able to buy a resident family pass to the fitness center because the lady at the desk was one of Paige’s teachers at school, and recognized her. Benjamin’s new friend in his class is our bishop’s son, and takes piano from me. I only wish Nora and James could live here forever, (and all the rest of you, too–we’d be like the old-timers with their big family compounds) but the new house in Centerville is progressing. Sigh.
          But life is good. I love you all. Mom