Dear Family,

I hope that all are reasonably well, that everyone has enough money for a weekly ice cream cone (whole story there), and that each is aware of how much the Lord has blessed us. I know that many of you have gone through some pretty tough times this last year....but as I listen to the news, I realize that we ARE blessed to be in this country where we can go to bed in safety....in heated homes....with indoor plumbing. The average middle class American actually lives in more comfort than most of the Kings of England did. Think about it!!

Any way, as I reflect on the past year, I realize that I live in the hollow of God's hand. We have money worries, and job worries and health worries, like pretty much all of us, but they are minor.

Our big activity this year has been attempts to remodel part of the old house. Jesse wants to be sure that if family needs (or wants) to come home, they have somewhere to stay. We are taking the two small bedrooms in the old house and turning it into a larger bedroom with a large closet. We are also going to expand the bathroom in the old house and redo the plumbing. Jesse refuses to pay someone else to do what he can do ( he is actually a good plumber) so the work has gone verrrrrry slowly. For example, it took all of Saturday to install a new door. Old people get very tired very quickly. And now, with tax season upon us.......This all was started because of necessary repairs to the subfloor on the west side of the old house, so we will keep plugging as time and energy dictate.

As far as we know, our children are all at varying stages of doing okay. Aaron has completed his third quarter of his computer animation education. I asked how many quarters he still has to go and he doesn't know. Kallee is struggling with great determination to become accepted into the music education at Utah State University. Chosing the arts as a major is a hard, hard road.....the evaluation of talent as well as effort can be a heavy burden on the ego. The amount of hours required by an arts major is also unbelievable. Kallee is very talented and a very hard worker. I hope that she is blessed with the success she deserves.

Loren is trying to find his way at UVU. He is blessed with the Asplund curse.......smart enough to do anything, but he hasn't found something he loves enough to dedicate himself to it yet. He stays active socially, and much to his mother's dismay, seems to have lost all his razors. His beard is full and silky....but it is still a beard.

Justus is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. He had approximately 1.5 years to finish a Secondary Education degree in Biology. He plans to work towards a career in school adminstration. His wife, Rochelle, recently got a really good promotion where she works.....but longs to be a stay-at-home Mom with Paden. She is totally justified in that goal, because Paden is the most handsome young man in the whole Universe. He is 16 months, walking everywhere and beginning to talk, and trying EVERYTHING. They were at our house over Christmas and I think he fell off every piece of furniture in the house. He has a sunny disposition, an adorable laugh, and an unending supply of curiosity.

Dallas and John, to our great delight, are still in Bridger Valley, with John working for the local Rural Electric Co-op. They also provide wireless internet, and John is over the Dish Satelite internet service. I believe that they really like his work. Dallas is still working one day a week for the Public Health as an RN. I know how much they like her and she likes it too for the most part. She just finished a stint of sustituting for the school nurse who was on maternity leave. After working full-time for two months, she has decided that she is not in a hurry to return to the work force. Hannah and Sarah are both beautiful and growing like weeds. Sarah has discovered the power of the temper tantrum.....mostly in the interest of getting a bite of whatever food you have. She loves adult food and wants to try everything. Sarah is very social and outgoing. At almost 11 months, she is standing and wants to walk, but the balance isn't quite there yet. Hannah just went through the trauma of a brush with one of her friends (Dallas' friend has triplet boys just a few months older than her). As far as we know, she was wrestling around with one of the boys and climbed on his back. He tried to buck her off and their heads banged together. It smashed into Hannah' jaw, displacing the front four bottom teeth. They took her to an oral pediatric surgeon in Odgen who decided that there was too much damage and removed all four of them. She seems to be recovering quickly and unrepentantly. She still loves "Signing Time" but has broadened her movie selections to include "Cinderella" "Peter Pan" and "Monsters Inc." Hannah is not one for change, and she approaches any new experience with extreme caution and judicious doubt.

Jesse and Ruth are still working away at their jobs: Accountant at a CPA firm, and Financial Manger for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way, respectively. The downturn in the economy could effect both our jobs, but we can only continue to do the best we can. Jesse is leasing his land and his herd of cows to a neighbor as a solution to the changes which occurred when Jerry sold his ranch to buy a new one and move to Riverton, WY. We hear they are happy there and truly pray for their success, as we do for all of you. Jesse is currently Elder's Quorum President, and Ruth is jobless at church for a short stretch since being released from the Stake Young Women's Presidency.

I have become a very lazy correspondent again. I am sorry, but the truth is that my natural state is "at rest" as all physicists can attest. I will attempt to get a force to move me better in future. Still my love is there even if my letters aren't.

(Oh, the long story: My first year at BYU, I was on a tight budget. If I did good during the week, I had enough left to treat myself to a $0.50 ice cream cone at the Couger Eats on Saturday afternoon. That is still my yardstick for tight budgets and how well I stick to them. Not quite there yet)

Happy New Year!

Love, Ruthie