Dear Kids,

McKay’s baptism yesterday was really a nice event.  Besides the baptism itself, one highlight was Dallin and McKay singing a duet.  Who knew?  Another highlight was Allen arriving in uniform with all his police gear strapped around him.  The boys were thrilled.  Al was on duty, so of course he had to have all the gear.  It was great.

Donna and Bevan got home from Boston Monday night, and all their kids had done fine at Nora’s house.  Bevan’s time in the marathon was 3:15.  BTW, Vanessa’s talking about doing the Squaw Peak Trail run on June 11.  It’s 50 miles of punishing turf.  She has new strategies for this time around, and she thinks it might not be so brutal.  Let’s hope.

Upcoming events: (1) Family book club here on May 8 at 5 pm.  We’re reading Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith.  Be there or be square.  (2) Super Sunday on May 22, at a spot to be chosen by Allen.  We’re going to be honoring the 5 high school graduates for 2022. (Aaron, Ben, Sarah, Emma, and Del) (3) June 2, remember, is our 50th Anniversary party, probably at 6 pm, at Francis Park.  There’ll be Bam Bam barbeque and lots of fun.  (4) July 9 is the Allen family reunion at Laurie’s house in Mapleton.  I’ll have more details when it gets closer.  (5) The Ackerson family reunion will be at Bear Lake July 28-31.  Same spot–Rendezvous Beach.  One detail we didn’t know last time is that every car past #12 has to pay a $50 camping fee.  So if you can manage it, one car per family.

My last chemo was nearly two weeks ago, and I’m having a CT scan tomorrow to see how my tumors have done.  I’m betting they really shrank, because I’ve been breathing so well.  I’m sure all your prayers have been helping me, too, especially the prayers of your kids.  Heavenly Father really listens to them.

Thanks for all you kids do for Dad and me.  We really appreciate it.

Lots of love, Mom

 Dear Kids,

Happy Easter, everyone.  The Party at Nora’s house yesterday was a blast, and the only hang-up was Dallin getting lost, temporarily.  Thank goodness he was only playing football with another family over in the park.  With his hoodie up, it wasn’t obvious that was him.  Dad located him.  (Dad had on a Centerville Police hoodie Allen gave him for Christmas, and he looked very official, looking for a lost child.) Dallin only felt bad that he missed the Easter egg hunt, but McKay shared his eggs with him, and several other kids did, too.  All’s well that ends well.

McKay’s baptism is next Saturday morning (the 23rd) at 10:30 at Nora’s church.  There will be a lunch afterwards at Nora’s house.  Since we’re having so many events in April, we’ve decided to put off Super Sunday until the end of May.  It’s Allen’s turn next.   It will be interesting to see where he decides we’ll meet.  All you kids have done a super job of hosting.

The first meeting of our new family book club went really well last Sunday.  I think these books can become an important part of our family culture, like Nora bringing black cookie dough to make Jenny Linski cookies, and some red for the cat’s shawl.  Everybody knew what that was all about.  Our next book, suggested by Nora, is Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith.  I read it already, and I really enjoyed it.  It’s short and funny, and I think you’ll all like it.  There are plenty of copies in all the libraries around here.  We’ve sort of decided to hold book club on the second Sunday of each month, so it won’t be too close to Super Sunday on the fourth.  That would make our next meeting on May 8th.  I’m already looking forward to it.

Donna and Bevan have been backpacking around Boston since yesterday morning.  In the afternoon they took a trolley tour which Donna said was really interesting.  On Monday Bevan will be running the marathon, and as soon as he’s done, they’ll jump right on their plane for home.  Their kids are at Nora’s.  (If it sounds like Nora’s been busy lately, she has. And how!)  We’re hoping Bevan gets a good time on the marathon, but the bottom line is, it’s Boston!  What could be cooler?

Enjoy your Easter Sunday, and enjoy what it really means.

Love, Mom

 

Dear Kids,

The first meeting of our family book club will be this afternoon at 5:00 at our house.  We’ve been reading Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill.  You don’t need to have read all of it.  I’ve read it twice, I liked it so much.  The author definitely understood cats.  The idea behind the book club is that we’ll choose books you can read together with your kids, and then we’ll meet once a month or so to talk about them.  I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.  

And next weekend is Easter, so we’ll be meeting at Nora’s on Saturday (the 16th) at 2 pm.  Bring eggs for your kids, and you can call Nora for a food assignment.  It’ll be cool that day, probably about 50 degrees at Nora’s house.  Whatever the weather, whatever the menu, whoever can come–it will be great fun.  

Some of you have asked if there’s going to be an Allen family reunion this summer, so I asked Bonnie, and this was her answer: Laurie Jacobson has graciously offered to host on Saturday, July 9, in their backyard.  They have a large space with a pool, basketball court, patio area and a lot of grass for volleyball, etc.  It will be the usual where everyone brings their own food and drink and we enjoy visiting while the kids play.  I will get back with everyone on details of time (morning) and other details, but put Saturday, July 9, on your calendars.   Please let your children and grandchildren know about this.  

So we have that to look forward to, and our own Ackerson family reunion at Bear Lake the last weekend in July.  So many good things up ahead!

Sharon has had two job offers from hospitals, and she needs to do some shadowing to learn more about both places.  One job is med surg (you know, medical, surgical) and the other is intermediate care.  One starts August 1, and the other on August 26.  Naturally I hope she takes the one that starts later, so she won’t have to leave our family reunion early, but in the long run it won’t matter.  We’re really proud that she’s done so well!

So much is going on!  Dad and I are really lucky to be matriarch and patriarch of such a great family.  Love, Mom

Dear Kids,

Hasn’t Conference been wonderful? I’ve enjoyed all the sessions so far, and I’m looking forward to more today.  BTW, thanks to all of you who came and made our soup dinner a success.  And thanks to Bevan and the guys for taking the little boys to the park so we could watch the women’s session in peace.  It was wonderfully quiet.

Our Easter picnic is coming up a week from Saturday, on April 16, at 2 pm.  Allen says some of his favorite childhood memories were the Easter egg hunts we had with Grandma Allen.  I sure have great memories of those days!  And now we can be grateful to Nora for hosting so many Easter shindigs at her park.  (Yeah, we know she doesn’t own it, but she might as well.)  We hope to see you all there!  Bring enough Easter eggs for your family, and we’ll put them all together, like we’ve done before.  Bring your baskets, too.  For food assignments, call Nora.

Right now Nora’s family is off on their revenge cruise.  Dad looked them up yesterday afternoon on his phone, and they were on the dock in Long Beach, California.  So obviously they’re on the water, now.

Nora has had a great idea for a family book club.  The idea is that we choose good books you can read together with your kids, and we’ll get together for our “club” once a month, on a Sunday night while people are here at our house anyway.   Our first club will be held a week from today at 5 pm and the book is Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill.  (She also wrote The Fire Cat, and he shows up in this book, too.) I know this is short notice, but once we get rolling we’ll let you know in plenty of time.  So far, Nora’s and Donna’s families are on board.  Join us if you like!

Allen called me from Zions, where he had gone for a law enforcement conference.  He got there a couple of days early and had already hiked the 38-mile traverse.  I was so jealous!  Oh, well, my life is full of fun–just not that kind.  My chemo this last week wiped me out quite a bit, but as long as it’s attacking my cancer  can’t complain. 

I called Jana McGettigan to catch up on her life, and she had a really serious case of covid.  She was in the hospital three days, and has had a hard recovery.  Glenn has retired from Ensign College and I hope they’ll be able to have a lot of fun adventures together.  Kara is a “vet,” having put in time in the army.  Remember how we used to tend her on Sunday afternoons when she was a tiny baby?  That’s enough to make us all feel old. 

  Oops, my letter’s too long.  If you made it this far, thanks for your patience.  I love you all!

Mom