Rocky Mountain “Hi!”

The Waites are still up to no good, no bad either; basically we're just up to nothing but the ordinary and mundane. As I sit here typing, I can't help but think of the pile of laundry that awaits me upstairs, the mold growing in the shower, the cards still needing to be sent, the decorations still needing to be put out and chestnuts roasting on an open fire...This is the only time of year that the ordinary can be extraordinary simply by adding a few holiday songs, isn't it?!

We had our ward Christmas Party on December 3. Whitney got to dance with her Dad to "Santa Baby," mom got to help make up the dance, Emma practiced the dance a few times and backed out the last minute (you know she definitely doesn't get that from me) and the audience got a kick out of the whole thing. Overall it was a lot of work and a lot of fun. Iwish we would have taken a camera, but I'm not that organized. We'll have to find a video copy for you all. This was Jared's first "dance recital" from the performance perspective. He admitted to being nervous when the curtains opened and thinking, "What am I doing standing on a stage in a Santa hat, holding a candy cane in front of people I have to socialize with for the next?? years?!" I think it would seem like a bad nightmare to many, but he ended up holding his own and the crowd loved seeing all the dads dance with their little 3-4 year-old girls (who were wearing red-sequined Santa hats and red feather boas--not the snake, the accessory).

We had a great time in Tennessee for our Thanksgiving break. The weather was cold enough for snow, but without a single flake (besides myself, of course--that one was for you, Howard) in sight. Nashville is only an hour and a half from Huntsville, Alabama so we took the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to go tour the Space museum there. There were absolutely no lines for any rides or movies, so we got to see

and do all we wanted, including Whitney who found her new talent in life: she mastered the art of rock-climbing at the "Mars" rock wall. She was actually really good and even mastered repelling the first time (she made some of the "old men" who were climbing the wall look a little silly).

The museum is!a little different than I remember it being 25 years ago.! We couldn't get close to the rocket (the one they have in segments!on its side in the outside exhibit) since they're in the process of repainting it. The large water tank they used to use to train the astronauts wasn't there either (there was a smaller one, but only "Space Camp" kids get to "see" that). They were also missing what I remember to be a walkthrough replica of a shuttle. A few other things seemed to be missing in the outside exhibits,

though I can't rely too much on my five-yearold-little-girl memory since that part of me also remembers throwing the "tea" crates over the side of the Boston Tea Party ship then walking to the Philadelphia mint; that's just a slightly longer walk than the marked "Freedom Trail."

While in Nashville, we also got to spend an evening looking at the Christmas displays in the Gaylord Opryland plaza. They have thousands of lights and decorations. If you haven't heard, Gaylord Opryland is a group of hotels all connected together through a central indoorwith-that-outdoor feel plaza (store fronts, balconies, trees, fountains, etc.). It was pretty fun, especially since it was also the week that all

the "National Beta" clubs of Tennessee were hosting a conference (many, many 12-18 year olds running around). It brought back memories of school trips we got to take (though our hotels were never as nice as this one, need I mention the "green well motel").

The girls enjoyed being with their uncles, especially Skylar, 9, more than anything else we did. I guess that's usual. It actually reminded me a bit of Dave when he was that age and could entertain little kids pretty easily and genuinely. Needless to say, we all had a good time. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Season. We wish we could spend time with any and all of you and have some of those

Christmases of yore, but I guess that's why we had/have such wonderful traditions in our families, so we can always feel at home whether that's at Mom and Dad T's or at our own homes in Utah, Colorado, Massachusetts or Ohio.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for teaching us the importance of traditions and helping us start our own. Love you all!! Happy holidays!!!!!

The Waites