Wednesday, July 31, 2019

JULY 2019

WEEK 1 - July 7, 2019

Fans of Freedom,

1)  Monday we moved out of CarLa and into Linc & Carrie’s spacious guest bedroom suite.
We listed her for sale.  Wednesday we joined Sam & Jamie and their family for a belated b-day celebration for 3 year old Russell.  He loves chocolate!



2)  In the words of Jerel, "American celebrated the first exit from Brexit".  Hills hosted, games were played, raindrops were dodged, a smorgasbord of picnic fix’ins’ were devoured.  What a fun time!


3)  My nephew Kendric married Leyla in a small civil ceremony prior to their sealing October 26th. I enjoyed assisting my little sister with decorations and flowers.  Congratulations!

Have a great week and tell us what you are up to.  Curious minds want to know.

Coming soon:
7th ~ Today is Tyson’s birthday!
12th ~  Greg’s anniversary of his arrival on the planet.


We love you forever!
Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane
801 499 7994


WEEK 2 - July 14, 2019
Dear family,

Quick synopsis of our week.

1) Cooking class with Gerber girls.  They actually liked the hot dog pancakes my momma used to make.  (I need to ask her where she got that idea.)  They are weird yet wonderful.  

2)  We hit up the pickle ball courts 2 or 3 times.


3)  Indoor picnic with our favorite Filipinos on the face of the earth.  President and Sister Bangal just finished their mission to Baguio and came to SLC to visit their family and presented the opportunity for us to also see them!!!  We love them like family!


4)  Taco night with Tom and Lincoln’s families.  Lane’s guacamole was a hit, as was Shalaun’s Texas Sheet cake.  Happy cousins hopping around on the tramp.  Genna exploring.  With Emy missing the number of boys vs girls we’re tied at 8 each…counting adults.  Good times!



5)  Our house continues toward completion this fall.  This week: windows, roofing, and plumbing.  Fortunately our builder did a quick remodel of the basement from 1/2 bath to full bath (per our house plans).  This week pre-sheetrock walk through and electrical.  Our furniture is nearly 1/2 purchased.
Main floor: Great room, office, full bath, laundry, master
Basement: family room, guest bed and bath, unlimited storage (especially for those of you who stored our stuff over the years.


6)  We’ve had a handful of nibbles on our RV, nothing solid.


7) My nephew Jordan got engaged yesterday to Kasja (in NYC’s Central Park).  Wedding, September 14th.  When the Shumway sons get serious they GET SERIOUS!


Coming this week:
17th-20th  RV trip with Bullocks
18th  Jerel gets to cook his own birthday dessert - dutch oven style!
21st  Maybe Ava will bake her dad’s cake and find room for all 38 candles.  Happy Birthday Jerry!

We love you all forever,
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994



WEEK 3 - July 23, 2019
Us again,

We had a terrific week.  Here’s why…

1)  Cooling off at Gerber’s.  Hansen’s brought their 5,500+ mile road trip closer to an end by dropping by the 2 Howell homes in Daybreak.



2)  An RV trip with Bullock’s.  Part 1: Fish Lake  AKA "napping time”  ;o}  (my bad, no photos of the fish)
Prizes: 
3rd place - Biggest Fish (caught while asleep) - JOSH
2nd place - Most Bites (without catching a fish) - AMANDA
1st place - First Caught AND Most Caught (6) - CARLIE
Grand prize - Biggest Fish (huge!) - JEREL


3)  RV trip continued.  Part 2:  Capitol Reef
Happy Birthday to Jerel!  Sunset Point stroll, Gooseneck’s hike, Cassidy Arch hike. 
Pros:  Great dutch oven meals, FAMILY!, relaxing, games, beautiful scenery, hiking.
Cons: Caden was missing, hiking  ;o}


4)  Cassidy Arch! (L to R;  Josh, Jerel, Carlie, Amanda, Steph)


5)  We really appreciate the accommodations provided by the Bullocks prior to CarLa being listed to sell and now Lincoln and Carrie while our home is built.  

I love the silhouettes of Callie and her 5 babies at the Oquirrh Mtn Temple.


6)  This next item is NOT part of what made last week terrific.  Where we are right now, Tuesday the 23rd...
Yesterday Lane had surgery to remove part of his swollen prostate that was causing him grief.  He should be discharged after lunch.  Better days ahead.

Thanks for glancing and reading.  We hope you are well.  We are grateful for answered prayers that keep you safe, especially while on the road (you know who you are).

Coming this week:
23rd  Taggart’s birthday is today!!!  He’s eleven.
24th   In 24 hours Luke will be 12 (Old enough to be a beehive)
25th   Maggie will turn double digits - TEN!


We love you forever!
Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994



WEEK 4 - July 28, 2019

Greetings one and all!

Do you feel loved?  Needed?  Appreciated?  We hope so.  Because you definitely are!!!  LOVED.  NEEDED.  APPRECIATED.  Just the way you are. 

A few highlights from our week.

1)  Lane recovered nicely from his surgery.  A little relaxing.  A slower pace.  Maybe he’ll be back on the pickle ball court in a few more days.


2)  Slowing down we watched a storm come through the valley, then we were WOW’d by this double rainbow.


3)  Birthdays happen.  Here are photos from Luke and Maggie’s birthdays.  They each picked their breakfast and dinner menus.  And since we are living here we SCORED!  The food was so yummy!


4)   Our home continues to move toward completion.  Concrete steps, a short driveway, and back patio.  Oh, and SHEETROCK & MUD!!!   Walls are nice.



5)  Since we left Homestead Oct 2017 we’ve been transient church members.  No callings.  
So today was amazing because I was asked to teach RS.  It was a good experience.  Whew.  I’m grateful to have that good experience behind me.



6)   Barbara Smith was General Relief Society President in the 70’s.  A true hero to me!

Coming soon:

30th…G’ma Elna has her long awaited cardiologist appointment.
30th…David England’s birthday
31st…Chloe will be 7!

Goodnight.
We love you forever!
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994

Sunday, June 30, 2019

JUNE 2019

Fabulous Fam!  Honestly this is a monthly check-in.  A look back at JUNE!!!


1) IRELAND with Bullock’s, Linc & Carrie, and Bells seems like a faint dream.  I’m thankful for photos that help prompt my memory ;o}


2)   Between trips I took Sophie shopping for ONE gift.  She picked out her 18 top choices and then narrowed it down.  G’ma had to have steely resolve to buy only one (okay, I bought two).  Next, there was the annual Bee’s game, courtesy of the Scotts.  And our home gets a foundation!



3)  Road trippin’!  Justin earned the rank of Eagle Scout (Oregon). We stopped in to catch up with the Adams family (Oregon).
Then north for Rockwell’s baptism (Washington).  These grandkids are all outstanding (and their parents too).  We miss living close to them.



4)  A handful of pics from the road.  Salt Flats ~ inspiration from kids ~ Nature is beautiful! ~ Tillamook Cheese Factory ~ Mo’s chowder at Haystack Rock ~ World’s largest spruce ~ Seaside ~ Fresh crab! ~ Sol Duc Falls (Olympic National Park)



5)  We cherish the Dad’s in our family.  Isaac played the piano in his class talent show.  ‘Our' pickle ball courts have officially opened. My brothers pulled off a CREEK family reunion in 2 weeks on the one weekend my Indiana sister came to town.  Simple. Sweet.  Sensational.



6)  My sister Charla has hosted a bday party for our mother for the past 5 years.  It was yesterday and Charla is already planning next year’s.
Last evening Carrie and Lincoln invited us to the DayBreak Luau.  Bullocks too.  The round 7-seat Family Fun Bike was unbelievable and hilarious to ride.  Taco cookies look better than they taste, trust me on this.
We are selling CarLa.  She has been returned to her former glory.  Bye-bye pink flamingos.  : (

Dates to celebrate:
JUNE
5th  Randi & Roy have been married 6 years!!!
7th  This day Erin is the birthday queen.
7th   It’s happy 'cake & presents day' for Stephanie (B)
7th   Jon needs 2 boxes of candles ;o}
10th  Sweet Sophie is FIVE!!!
11th  Happy 22nd Birthday to Sarah
24th  The ‘triplets’ are 6 (Heston), 14 (Danny), & 16 (David)
27th   Thumbs up for Russell who celebrated his 3rd birthday 
30th   Our first Great grandchild is THREE today - yippie for Hailee

***Bring on JULY***
7th  Birthday greetings to Tyson next Sunday


We love you forever!
Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994

Friday, May 31, 2019

MAY 2019

Week 1 - May 5, 2019

Hola familia, May 5th is:
This week we finalized our home plans with Springhouse Village in DayBreak.  We also impressed our doctor during our annual checkups due to our weight loss and healthy gains in blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  Lane’s knee surgeon says he’s doing great - but to stay off the Pickleball court for 3 more weeks. 

1)  Callie invited me to make a Harry Potter sorting hat using tips from pinterest.  I had fun making a big mess!

2) Caden left yesterday for a summer job in Texas.  But prior to his departure there was a gathering to remember him and have bday cake 3 weeks early.  He will be missed!  (pictured with Caden is his dear friend Taylor)  If you don’t have Stephanie’s recipe for Warm Winter Lemon Cake - get it fast!  (Okay, I’ll add it to the bottom of this email.)


3)  Yesterday Alta chose to be baptized, just like Jesus, and we are so happy for her decision.  She had a room full of supporters and a big brunch buffet back at home.

4)  Later in the day we watched Meredith and Lincoln play in a pickle ball tournament.  The weather was beautiful.  They played hard, they had fun and they didn’t medal ;o(   

Tom and Shalaun invited us over for a belated bday pizza party for Lane.  The food was sooo good, the kids delightful and the evening memorable.  
(I also photographed these 2 cereal box puppet theaters - so creative) 

5)  This scripture speaks to me.  Choose wisely.
This coming week:
May 7th - Isaac turns 7!!
May 12th - Raylie will be 9, yea!

Eat a taco today.  We love you forever,
Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994

BONUS: Top this with fresh raspberries.




Week 2 - May 12,  2019
Happy Mother’s Day everyone!  If you are not a mother you invariably have one.  Cherish her and remember that she did the best she could with what she knew at the time.  With age comes wisdom.  And for this momma wisdom came coupled with regrets.  Yet happily the title of mother is eternal so there’s still time to improve.

1)  Random photos of our week.


Coming this week…

Sunday, May 19th is Stephanie Hill’s birthday...
AND G’ma Elna Creek will be 84!
      

We love you forever,
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994



Week 3 - May 19,  2019
Hello spectacular family specimens, 

Last Tuesday I had another colonoscopy.  What a bummer.  That 10 years went by really fast.  Be sure you receive this important cancer screening per your doctor’s recommendation.
Friday I fainted in my 4th temple.  (I only faint in temples.)  I wake up and think I’m in heaven.  ;o}

Photos highlighting our week:
Spring blooms outside the temple.  Our basement is dug.  Jami & Kamden visit Utah.  Maggie performs brilliantly at her dance recital.  My nephew gets married (the first of my baby sister’s 7 adult children).


Coming soon:
Today is Stephanie Hill’s birthday AND my mother celebrates her 84th year!
20th ~ Amanda will be 14
20th ~ X & KC commemorate 10 years of marriage
21st ~ Caden turns 21
21st ~ Lane & I travel to Ireland (returning June 2nd or 3rd)
          (FYI: joining us will be X, KC, Carrie, Lincoln, Stephanie & Jerel)
22nd ~ Rockwell will be old enough to be baptized
22nd ~ Sam looks to blow out 38 candles
27th ~ Kylie marks the 19 anniversary of her birth

We love you forever,
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

APRIL 2019

Week 1 - April 7, 2019

Hi!

1) Our NorthWest road trip made for a fantastic loop.  And visiting Reta, Hansens, Adams, and Albany Howells, was a blast!

2)  Our route took us through 4 temples and past Shoshone Falls.  I apologize for the numerous times I drove without stopping to see this falling water when my kids were young. 

3) As of last Wednesday we is back in Utah.  Returning to CarLa feels like home.  After all, we’ve done the full-time RV scene for over a year now.  This marks a turning point.  We have started to look forward to 2020 and where we may land after we settle.  On Friday we actually walked through a few show homes in South Jordan.  It’s a start.  The home must have room for a machine that churns out these babies.
 

4) Lane and I are also drawn to pickle ball courts.  So a neighborhood with courts will score points with us.  We got in some practice time Thursday when kids invited us to join them in Farmington.  It was a beautiful day and these new courts were great to play on!

5) I dropped in on my mother and Dave.  Hugging Curtis was a total bonus.

6) Isaac dropped in for a chat and some painting.

7) It’s conference weekend.  Between sessions Lincoln churned out delicious bass crepes.  ;o}

8)  Russell M Nelson.  How can you not love this man?...known to me as God’s prophet.  When he stands to speak I feel peace, when he teaches I hear truth about Jesus Christ, when he smiles I fell the love of God.  It’s that simple for me.  

9) The day ended with some quality time with my ‘little’ brother Chris and my dear SIL Lorie.  


Coming soon:
April 7th - Robison’s have been married for 5 years!!!!!
April 13th - Alta will be 8 years old - yippy-skippy!
April 20th - EASTER EGG HUNT 
                Saturday, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
                  Greg will host the event 
                  2551 Combe Road / Ogden, UT 84403
                  All ages welcome!!!
                  Please less us know who can attend
                  Bring baskets for goodies


We love you forever,
Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994


Week 2 - April 14, 2019
Hello folks,

Wow, this week zoomed by quick!

1) Monday we sat in Springhouse Village model homes for 5 hours.  They feel so comfortable.  If we move to west, west, west DayBreak will you come visit us?
We signed a contract Thursday.  I had second thoughts Friday.  The deal is in suspense for 2 weeks while I kick around other options.  

2) Tuesday we joined the Gerber’s as they capitalized on a Christmas gift to see “How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World”.  Thumbs up!  It was a fun afternoon.  Chloe and Raylie bundled up to walk the block with G’ma.  Sadie loves to splash in mud puddles (who doesn’t?).  Sophie likes to run circles around G’ma.  Payden giggles wildly when tickled by Rayson’s beard.  Callie knows how to do mashed potatoes right!  Thanks for changing to indoor plans when the temperatures dropped.  

3)  Wednesday the Centerville Howells performed - Emy, Audrey, Slater and Adelaide - at an impressive piano recital.  It’s notable that Emy and Audrey have been commissioned by their instructor to take on their own students.  We were blown away!  Keep making beautiful music.  

4)  One week until my favorite holiday.  I celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ everyday.  I am forever grateful for this gift, freely given and promised to all, like it or not.  There’s a lot of fluff associated with Easter - and I’m guilty of enjoying that part too.  We expect 49 egg hunters Saturday at Greg’s house. 



5)  Today we were invited to spend the afternoon with the Kelley’s.  A great meal.  Games.  Entertainment.  Tagg makes a great cake.  Alta turned 8 yesterday.  Tagg summed up his school science and history reports.  THANK YOU!  We enjoyed every minute.

Have a great week being amazing kids and g’kids.  We love you and are so proud of you for being fantastic people.
Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994



Week 3 - April 21, 2019
(skipped)


Week 4 - April 28, 2019
Hello young'uns,

Here’s what’s been happening in our neck of the woods, in case you are interested.

1)  This past Friday Lane had minor knee surgery to make some interim repairs so he can hike the glades O’ Ireland and do the Riverdance.  (Knee replacement might now be pushed 2-3 years away.  Hurray!)  We’ve enjoyed being neighbors to the Bullock bunch.  Amanda had a celebratory dinner last night for another 4.0 GPA - wearing stripes were optional ;o}

2)  April 19th - We were given tickets to a fabulous Easter concert on Temple Square and appeared on TV!  We also visited our former apartment building, which is being remodeled.

3) April 20th - Weather for the Egg Hunt was unbelievably beautiful.  We thank Greg for hosting it on his property.

4)  The first of my 5 Shumway nephews is getting married!  Judy is Vietnamese so we had a ton to talk about.  They will marry in the SL Temple and move to the Upper West Side of Manhattan for Caleb’s 4 year residency.  Kinda jealous.
(I don’t have a jumpsuit…yet.  But my niece Heather let me try one on.)

5) We’ve moved ahead with this ‘tiny?’ house plan.  My head is spinning.  All building and design elements must be decided by May 15th.


6)

Calendar:
Last week Matthew started working at my 2nd worship location, nicknamed by Lane, “The Church of the Walmart"
April 22nd - Dillon turned 13...in earth years.  Miss you buddy!
April 25th - Callie & Rayson celebrated 10 years of marriage
April 26th - Hatcher had a yellow construction themed party at age 3!!!
April 29th - tomorrow Dalia becomes a totally terrific teen
May 2nd - our favorite great-grandson, Benjamin Hill, will be ONE!
May 4th - Alta will be baptized

We love you forever,
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994