HARVEY

The Howell RV

Harvey

----- A pictorial -----

60 day renovation

Would you believe that Harvey has 56 cabinet / drawer fronts!? 

We are grateful we had a garage for our paint booth.

Each door was reattached with 16 screws.  
It was like putting together a giant jig-saw puzzle.  

It was time consuming but oh so satisfying!

I finally caved and ordered this overpriced, peel’n'stick paper, 

imported from South Korea.  I even had extra to stick behind 

the bathroom sink.  Peel and stick backsplashes are all the 

rage in the RV world.  Just ask our neighbors.

This is the last major project of my life.  

We love the results.

But never again!

July 2016

Greetings to our precious, poignant, posterity!

Spent time with Tom’s family for 4th of July bike parade prep, 

gourmet pizza and Aunt Shalaun’s cinnamon rolls. 

                                                            (Adie and I are twins, born 55 years apart)

We visited and played with Lee and Spencer, and cuddled Russell.  

Then we accepted an invite for a late dinner with Steph and Jerel.

We popped in to thank the Gerbers for loaning us a self-pitching tent.  

Stayed at the New Howell Hotel 

(Lincoln & Carrie's new home in Daybreak)

The 4th was glorious.

The weeks after the Creek reunion we visited personally 

with 5 of Lane's siblings and all 9 of our Howell kids living in 

Utah ending with the Kelley family. It was an eventful trip.

We returned to Florida and started thinning out our "stuff".  I said good-bye to my hammock...it was the first item to sell as we rid ourselves of most of our earthly possessions. Really, our kids should be thanking us, this is most often their task after parents hoard newspapers, Kerr canning jars and scraps of foil for 20 years. 

There is a baby at my house!

And it all started with a trip to the airport last Wednesday.

G’pa Lane told me we were picking up a work client at the Ft Lauderdale airport so I was walking curbside with a sign for “Martha Nyasi”.  In the distance I saw a lady with a baby.  She waved in my direction.  I looked over my shoulder to see who she was waving down.  I was thinking “where is her ride?”   As I got closer, the woman began to resemble…JAMI!  My daughter Jami !...and my G'daughter Danika !  I was totally shocked.  I kept thinking that I still needed to find “Martha".  I wandered back to find Lane waiting in the car to let him know that I saw Jami.  It all happened in slow motion.  At some point I stopped searching for Martha and offered Jami and Danika a ride home.  Dumbfounded!

After Danika got acquainted with G’pa Lane we hung out at home, 

splashed in the backyard pool, visited the Keys, 

climbed a lighthouse, and swam in the Atlantic ocean.  

Sunday Danika and Jami helped me make a 'fruit' cake 

for fireside refreshments.  (Thank you Pinterest)  

My advice to my family - press forward as you grow a testimony of 

Christ that will strengthen you all the days of your life.

It was over all too soon.  

Jami and Danika flew home to Cleveland 

and back to the arms of Chris. 

Other news:

                         ~  Our 5th-Wheel got delivered to our pad July 15th.  

                         ~  We began renovations on “Harvey" 

                             (who needs a fireplace in Florida anyway?)

                         ~  Held a yard sale.  Sold everything but the yard ;o}

                         ~  We will move to Harvey August 9th.

                         ~  We are getting more excited each day. I am dead serious!

June 2016

Oh baby!

Centerville, Utah.

The blessing of Sabrina Edith. 

She is such a sweet child and fits perfectly into this family.

Same day. Washington.

The blessing of Hatcher John.

What a hunk and a chunk.  

The scale is still tipped in favor of the females in this family.

Displaying the quilt that my mother gave us last Christmas.

Youth Conference this summer was held locally.

Lane & I conducted a workshop on dating - "Girl Code / Guy Code"

CREEK FAMILY REUNION

Callie's family joined in for the "local day".  

Dinner, talent night, and giant banana split.

All of my siblings were present!

 Britni's family joined us after the location shifted to Wyoming.

The Grand Tetons

Camping, hiking, moose-sightings, the Bar J, campfires, games

 We returned to SLC just in time for Sarah's farewell 

and to pop into the MTC to hug the fantastic Bangals,
our best friends from the Philippines.

 Russell Dean H. was born June 27th.  

Three adorable sons for Sam & Jamie.

After watching Maggie’s WILD 1st grade 

performance we join the Hills at Lava Hot Springs

 for camping, cookouts, waterslides and Diving Jon.
(Jon's t-shirt slogan, Youth Conference - The Faith Awakens)

Our first granddaughter arrived in time for us to meet her.

This means RayDean and Jon are grandparents.

Darren and Stephanie are parents.

(Have you ever seen a happier first-time grandmother?)

Little BIG News!

We’re moving by August 8th!  

Same stake, same callings, new adventure, new challenges.

Many upsides to owning WHEEL ESTATE.  

Walmart is closer.  Church is closer.  A simpler lifestyle.

Faster chores.  No yard work.  The 70” TV will fit!  

We no longer will have to park or do laundry in our broom closet.

(Our current home has no proper utility room or broom closet 

so our laundry facilities are in the garage where we also 

store our broom and vacuum…oh, and park the car.)

Here’s our new home “Harvey” (Howell RV) 

June 7th - Lane to Carolyn "Let's go look at travel trailers in Ft Lauderdale."

June 8th - Lane "Let's go look at 5th wheels in Ft Meyers."  We purchase one.

June 9th - Lane to landlady.  "This is our 60 day notice."

July 15th - Free delivery to our site 

August 8th - out of the house

May 2016

It's been tons of fun Hatcher!  But time's up...

Although playing with the Hansens (& Adams) 

in the terrific Northwest was priceless - 

there's still no place like home. 

I returned to Miami yesterday.  

 Lane is the king of pampering.  

I think he missed me a little. 

Have a smashing Mother's Day wherever you are! 

Three cheers for Mom. 

Moms are nice. 

Moms are important. 

We all love our moms. 

Remember YOURS!

This past week we redeemed our Christmas 

gift card from the Bullocks and L&C Howell.  

THANKS!!!  

(Dinner and theater tickets - in SLC!)

While in SLC I stopped by the old homestead (West Jordan):

…covered my gray…and lost a ponytail.  

( My daughter Callie lost hers last week)

(I've tried thrice to go red.  It lasts for about 2 minutes.)

Picnicked with 40 locals!  

(my battery died so I missed photographing a few…) 

Played with g’kids.

Uncle KC & Aunt X came to discover life in south Florida.  

And celebrate their 7th anniversary - whoop!

Uncle KC sports seaweed dreds on south beach 

and a gecko earring in our backyard.

They hit all the hot spots and then some more 

- up in central Florida in Orlando.  

Can you guess which two of these four gators are fake?  

Aunt X shows no fear.

Universal and Isles of Adventure took us to the land of Harry Potter, 

butterbeer ice cream and a squeamish game of quidditch.

Lastly we tried teaching Bumblebee how to do the funky chicken.  

He failed!

President RMNelson assigned himself to South Florida this weekend 

and we were blessed to sit front row last night and feel the 

warmth of his smile, the generous love and concern for us.  

He left this apostolic counsel: Feast upon the word, 

apply the teachings of Jesus Christ, be joyful in His service, 

and a blessing of healing and health, according to His will.  

I love this great man.

This week we just stay home. Hmmm.  Not sure how I feel about that.

(thumbs twiddling)

* * * * * * * * * *

Staying in town felt pretty nice.  

We pretty much sat still and didn’t do much.

Finally we got off our duffs and drove to Jungle Island, 

a fly free zone to many macaw’s, houses a 

famous liger, a rare white leucistic alligator, and more. 

The liger, not to be confused with the tigon, is named Hercules 

and is the world’s largest living cat.  He was lazy or shy 

and just appeared as a huge clump of fur in the shade (no photo). 

Memorial Day weekend we raced the storm clouds to Loxahatchee, Florida to visit Lion Country Safari and an attached mini amusement/water park.  It was wild.  But even wilder was our race down the dry slide on gunny sacks.  Lane cheats!  

(Some of these photos spilled over from Gatorland)

Mini-road trip. We drove the stake president to visit the 

Key West branch.  I met a fine cambodian sister, Bopha. 

She is newly called to serve in the YW.  She came 

to the USA with her husband and daughter Lucy to 

give her a better life.  As an infant Lucy nearly died 

in a Cambodian hospital because she was near dozens 

of seriously ill children with no separation.  

Bopha taught me “Lucy is my life, my heart and my eyes.  If she 

is not here my heart will stop beating and my eyes will not see."

A Miami friend asked me last week if my husband and I might 

consider serving a senior mission.  I told her of course, we’ve 

come and gone twice.  This Wednesday marks 3 years since we 

returned from the Philippines.  Think she is trying to tell me 

we’ve worn out our welcome here?  J/K.  I think.

Much love.  

Enjoy summer.  

Eat watermelon tomorrow.  

Fly the American flag!  

Appreciate our veterans.  

Oh, and google ligers and tigons.  

April 2016

Greg came this month!  He stayed until Wednesday morning, April 13th.  

We spent Monday and Tuesday sightseeing and fishing in the Keys.

On Friday, April 15th, I threw Lane a belated B-day party.  Like 4 weeks belated.  The element of surprise is guaranteed when the surprisee forgets he had a birthday.  

Yes, I put 68 candles on his cake.  

Nobody would eat it for all the wax drippings.  

3 dozen friends came to eat meatball subs and suck helium.

Our Church service took us to KeyWest on the 17th.  

Tough gig, but somebody gets to do it!!!  

Afterwards a sweet couple took pity on us and 

invited us in for a traditional roast beef dinner.  

“God does notice us, and He watches over us.  

But it is usually through another person that He meets our needs.”  

~ Pres. Spencer W Kimball   

So true!!!

This was parked in their front yard…

One day we will miss these pristine waters.  Can you name the color?

Ocean Spray * Cool Aqua * Sea Mist * Morning Tide * Lagoona Teal

I’ve been kicking’ it live with the Hansen’s in Lake Stevens Washington 

since the 23rd. --I was listed as the 4th standby passenger on a 

sold-out flight to get here and miraculously was the only 

one to get a coveted boarding pass.

    --Lane tagged along a day later.

Violet is reminded she has a grandmama from Florida.

We played the waiting game for 3 days...then Baby Hatcher arrived.

  

    8 lbs 12 ozs of extreme cuteness from an unbiased g’ma  

Several days later I finished weaving in the loose ends (all 750+).

Then Britni and Brian celebrated the 10th anniversary 

of becoming parents on the 29th…

coincidentally that is also Dalia’s birthday!  ;o}

Jerry & Erin’s family dropped by the Hansen’s over the past weekend 

(minus Jerry who had work commitments).  So fun!  

But it would've been even more fun WITH Jerry.

My sweetie made hand-dipped chocolate-covered-cinnamon-bears for me.

Oh how I hate to love them!!!  And he knows that.  But he made them anyway.

He says "you don't have to eat them".  

Oh, but I do.

   Just you wait - g’kids fill a space in your heart that you never knew was empty.

I fall into bed happily worn out each night.  

Other news this month:

 The Gerber’s celebrated their 7th anniversary on April 25th.  Congrats guys!

Remembering Dillon, who turns 10...in Earth years.