MARCH 2019

Week 1 - March 10, 2019

Whoa, that month went by fast!   INDO CHINA summary

What a crazy memorable adventure with these incredible friends from England, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Canada & the USA.




One week in Thailand - biking, buddha’s, flower market, bathing elephants, the white temple, overnight train, petting tigers, mango sticky rice!!! floating market, train market (youtube)...


Highlights from Laos - 2 days sailing a long boat down the Mekong River, hiking, massages, Buddha’s, temples, a homestay w local villagers, street markets, #1 spring rolls, waterfalls...


Adventures in Vietnam - Crazy traffic in Hanoi & Saigon, golden bridge (in SunWorld), cable ride, Halong Bay, Hue, cooking squid salad & duck spring rolls, pagoda, Cu chi tunnels of the Viet Cong, basket boats, beautiful HoiAn (city of lanterns)...


Exploring Cambodia - cyclos  & tuktuks, sunset cruise, quad bikes (ATV’s), island tour, Angkor Wat, stilt village...and the horiffic S21 prison & the killing fields.


It was fantastic!  Still, we are SO HAPPY to be home. Being immersed for 3 of 4 weeks in communist countries leaves us grateful for our freedoms to choose our path and leaves us leery of big government.
We are currently finding pickle ball courts and temple time in Las Vegas. Who knows, perhaps we’ll find Donnie & Marie too?

Now we need to know about YOU.  May you each have a great week!  

Coming soon:
10th  Robert is 24 TODAY!
11th   Sabrina turns 3 tomorrow ;o}
12th   Dad Lane will be 71, yea!
14th   Bullocks celebrate 23 years together <3

We love you forever,
Momma C & Dad Lane
(G&G Howell)

Sent from my iPhone


Week 2 - March 17, 2019

'I-Rish' you a happy St Patrick’s Day!

Intertwined in this check-in are 10 of our favorite Irish proverbs.

1) May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

Last Tuesday Lane celebrated his 71st birthday in Vegas.  Nephews Marvin and Brent Howell took us to lunch.

2)  Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege.

3)  You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your father was.

Lane selected them, I stacked ‘em, we ate them…all!  (The candles once read ‘CELEBRATE’)

4)  May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, and never catch up.

5)  May the grass grow long on the road to Hell for want of use.

Who doesn’t love a good sno-ball cupcake?  For a limited time…in lavender.

6)  May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty!

7)   It is often that a person’s mouth broke his nose.

We returned to SLC yesterday and were immediately immersed is a creative cooking marathon with the Bullocks.  It was AWESOME!!!  Thank you ;o}

Today’s ‘green’ dinner.  

- newest edition, KETCHUP

- my sad face…I’m sorry I didn’t color the gravy.

8)  May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.

9)  You’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind.

10)  May neighbours respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and Heaven accept you.

Coming this week:

18th ~ FHE at Lincoln’s: Pizza, slides, tapioca (Are you coming? Sam? Meredith? RayDean?)

20th ~ we drive to McCall to visit Reta

21st ~ sweet Danika will be 3

22nd ~ we drive to visit the Hansen’s (then maybe Jerry & Erin, then Cameron & Kim)

24th ~ colorful Violet will be 5

We love you forever,

Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

We expect to be back in SLC around April 5th.

Week 3 - March 26, 2019

Hello kiddos,  I’m tardy with this email.  Life is fun, crazy and good…most days.  These days depicted below are made up of all that’s right in this world. 

Doodling, braiding, clowning, hugging, reminiscing, a good deed, nature walk, glow dance, matchbox car wash, birthday celebration, cookie making, school concert, manicures, FAMILY!!!   McCall, Idaho to Lake Stevens, Washington to Tigard, Oregon.  This weekend…Albany, Oregon!

"We are all stories in the end, just make it a good one.”   

We arrived at Jerry & Erin’s home Tuesday evening.  It’s spring break for Ava, Brennan, and Kaelyn…Erin too, who is working at the school.  Good timing FOR US!

Later lovely ladies and gents.

We love you forever,

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G & G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

Week 4 - March 31, 2019

Tomorrow is April 1st!  RUN & HIDE!

Last week we enjoyed time with the Adams family in and about Tigard, Oregon.

We found pickle ball courts, nice weather, a few geocaches, Tillamook Cheese Factory, Kaelyn’s first Big Mac, a beautiful (nearly cloudless) sunset, some whale spouts, a talented player of a 1-sting guitar, boom-boom balloon poppers, but mostly -  lovable, huggable kids (including the adult ones).  Thank you Jerry, Erin, Ava, Brennan and Kaelyn for a fabulous few days.  It ended toooo soon.

Can you guess where we are today?…and who’s winning?

Coming soon:

April 3rd ~ Kaelyn will be SEVEN

April 5th ~ We return to South Jordan, UT

April 6th, 7th ~ General Conference!  Get your questions ready...

April 7th ~ Jami & Chris Robison celebrate 5 years of marriage

Oh, and don’t forget...

We love you forever,

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

FEBRUARY 2019

Week 1 - February 3, 2019

Farewell to ARIZONA,  You’ve been a fine time.

1)  Last Thursday, dinner with choice friends formed in the Philippines.  Great folks from the Mesa/Gilbert area.  The man in the white shirt, President Peterson, a Mesa stake president was called as our mission president.  The other two couples asked to serve with the Petersons.  Us?, we just got lucky.  

2)  Cheryl England Moss, daughter of my mother’s husband, is battling a mean cancer.  She is winning!  And guess what?  She lives in Mesa, a mere 3 miles from our RV park.  

3)  Did you know that Pro-golfer Rickie Fowler is a Patriots fan?  How do we know that?  Well, because our nephew, Kirk Allen, was paired with Rickie during the Pro/Am round on Wednesday.  On short notice Kirk was able to fly his son, Jenner, to PHX to be his caddie, landing within an hour of tee-time.  Our mission, to get Jenner from the airport to the Phoenix Open in Scottsdale before 9 a.m.  Mission accomplished!

4)  

5)  We got booted from Mesa on Thursday because no space was available to stay put.

We drove to the desert oasis of Quartzsite.  Plenty of space here.  It is known as the largest gathering of RV’s on the planet.  This tiny town of 3,500 swells to 1,000,000 once the RV’ers arrive in January and February.  We counted 58 RV parks here, the rest choose dry-camping or boon docking on the vast BLM land surrounding the town.

Side note:  We built this puzzle, then noticed our neighbors license plate.  Wouldn’t the 2,448 miles of ROUTE 66 be a memorable road trip?  Let’s go!

 6)  Mindblown!  Today in the little branch of Quartsite we arrived 10 minutes early to a jammed packed parking lot.  Chapel overflowing all the way to the back of the gym.  We sat in overflow - the RS room - where sacrament was viewable by video and the emblems passed to this large gathering by 13 elderly Elders.  Surprised and impressed.  It was marvelous to behold.

7)  We are ready for something new.  Our duffles are being retired as we try out this duffle/backpack/on wheels.  

Just to keep you in the loop with us here is our travel plan.  Tomorrow we move to LA, store CarLa and fly away on Tuesday.

Coming this week:

Feb 3       Genevieve is 1 TODAY!

Feb 4       Callie will be 34 tomorrow

Feb 4       Rayson turns 41 tomorrow

Feb 6       Brennan celebrates 9 years this Wednesday

While we are traveling:

Feb 12     ‘Elder’ Joseph will be 19 

Feb 24     Britni turns 36

Feb 27     Chris marks 39 years

Feb 28/Mar1  Tesila has been around for 11 years

March 6    Emeline becomes a teenager

March 7    Lincoln + Carrie celebrate 18 years of marriage

March 10  Robert will be 24

March 11   Sabrina is 3!!!

Upon our return to California we plan to drive up the coast to Oregon & Washington before returning to Utah - perhaps early to mid April.

Stay in touch.  We LOVE hearing from you.

We love you forever!

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

Nothing more until we return from IndoChina...

JANUARY 2019

Week 1 - January 6, 2019

Dearest Children,   HAPPY 2019!!!

Not many photos this week.  But oddly enough, we discovered a handful of treasured friends nearby.

1)  Just 3 miles away we found “Elder & Sister” Campbell, great friends we served with in the Philippines San Pablo mission and we’ve actually stayed in touch over the years.  We love their grafted tangerine/grapefruit tree.

Our Mission President and the office couple are also from here so we are planning on the eight of us spending an evening together.

We are also just a few miles from my step-sister Cheryl England Moss.  She’s been recovering from cancer treatments so we have yet to get together.

I crossed paths with Sister Blackhurst in ‘our’ local ward today.  We served together in the NYNY North Mission in Harlem!

As we were leaving the temple Thursday Heather Jefferies (Crawford) stopped to share a hug.  (Of the famous Orem Jefferies, and we worked together at Macey's)  Isn’t that awesome!?

Small world.

2)  I’m pretty pleased to have finished the Book of Mormon challenge from the prophet.  And happy that some of you did the same.  There’s still time to begin.

While underlining each reference to God/Christ I was stunned how short my red pencil was at the end.  I kept reading over and over, have faith in Christ.  

Continually pray unto God the Father 

in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, 

that he, through his infinite goodness and grace,

will keep you through the endurance of faith 

on his name to the end.

I started it again Tuesday…but at a slower pace this time.  Everyone keep being good to each other, kind to strangers and adventurous.

3)  We played pickleball 6 days last week! 

4)  Lane’s doctor appointment Wednesday resulted in 2 cortisone shots and delayed knee surgery.  (He even played pickleball before the appointment so it would be nicely swollen.)

COMING THIS WEEK:

7th - We fly to Boise, then drive to McCall, to spend time with Reta and Gary, and giving some relief to their kids who have been aiding their parents nearly nonstop for 2 months. (Update: Gary is no longer taking food or water, just pain medication)

9th - Audrey celebrates her 11th birthday - yippy!

10th - Darren & Stephanie Hill have now been married 5 years - woo-hoo!

11th - Carlie turns 19…enjoy your last year as a teenager

FUTURE PLANS:

February 4-March 9 we are traveling again with G Adventures to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.

Mid-March we’ll be driving CarLa up the West Coast.

Late May/early June two weeks in Ireland.  This is a Lane guided tour. 

(If you interested in traveling with us get in touch with us soon.  If you don’t come see us, we’ll come see you!!!)

We love you forever!

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

Week 2 - January 14, 2019

McCall calls,

1)  How did we get here????    We sent Reta a text on the 5th offering our support as Gary had moved home under hospice care on the 3rd.  She took us up on it and we arrived in Boise on the 7th, spent one night in Meridian with cousin Darrin and drove up to be at Gary’s bedside 9 hours before he passed.  

2)  Gary was passionate about many things, first was his family and a close second was his train collection.

Gary was also exceptionally organized!!!  (Here’s Darrin looking over the files…one for each train, in great detail.)

3)  Our support has shifted to distracting Reta.  We are very good at it.  Lane can tell travel stories and share puns.  She’s had her first ever artichoke.  Lane taught her to eat tapioca the right way…hot, with chocolate chips rather than cooled with crushed pineapple. 

4)  We’ve built puzzles, played rummikub, and Five Crowns.

(I think this is the worst hand I’ve had since Brian stacked the deck against me in Washington.)

5)  Love this!!!

We hope to see some of you this weekend as Gary’s services are Saturday in McCall.  Thanks for your prayers of comfort at this sad time.  Reta is amazing and we are so grateful to spend this time with her and get to know her family  better.

Coming this week:

14th ~ Meredith blows out 35 candles!

14th ~ Cameron passes out blowing out 45!

19th ~ Allen funeral with a family reunion on the side.

20th ~ We fly ‘home’ to Mesa.

We love you forever!

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

Week 3 - January 20, 2019

To our most favoritest human beans on the planet,

1)  We were honored to be invited to spend time with Reta and Gary before his passing, January 8th.  His sons had left that morning to return to their work and families.  Our responsibility was to help Reta keep Gary as comfortable as possible;  propping up his head, positioning pillows under his ankles or turning him on his side, giving him morphine and anti-anxiety meds every 2-2.5 hours, putting lotion on his hands, knees and feet.  We had only been with him 8 hours. He rested in the living room as Reta, Lane and I sat at the nearby dining table.  His breathing slowed and quieted.  We stood around his bed as Gary took his last breath.  Remarkable and sobering.  I calculate that in Gary’s 83 years his lungs and heart had enabled him to take well over 650,000,000 breaths.  We witnessed his final one.  It truly was a privilege to be with this beloved brother as he crossed from this mortal life to the next.

2)  Reta and Gary were married over 58 years.  They took their 4 children on a cruise to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary.

3)  McCall is some distance from our family but somehow each of Reta’s surviving siblings made the trip. Six! 

Which, coincidentally is the same number of our kids who attended (Roy and Savannah too).  We appreciate each one of you, knowing that you would have joined us if you could have.

Gary spent 2 years in the US Army and was presented with military honors.  The tribute was especially poignant in this forested cemetery blanketed with fresh snow. 

4)  Lane was enticed by the snow and ice in McCall, spending many hours shoveling and breaking up ice to clear Reta’s driveway.  Still, we both smiled as we viewed it from our rearview mirror and headed back south.  We flew to Phoenix early this morning from the Boise airport and we were back in Mesa by 9:30 a.m.  It’s been a restful day and I feel like a zombie, probably look like one too  ;o}

5)  My favorite sacred hymn was performed at the service yesterday.

VERSE 3:

Be still my soul the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord
When disappointment grief and fear are gone
Sorrow forgot love's purest joys restored
Be still my soul when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last

6)  January 20th 

- today is National Cheese Lovers Day

- a total lunar eclipse night 

- the 1st radio broadcast of the Lone Ranger (1930)

- the Patriots qualified for Super Bowl 2019!!!!!  

     

Coming this week:

21st   THATCHER will be 3!!!

23rd   KC is Thatcher X eleven.

26th   Tom’s sweetheart was born on this date in 1981

26th   Jamie & Sam celebrate 8 years of marriage

Please share with us how you are doing...

We love you forever!

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

Week 4 - January 27, 2019

Marvelous Mesa Memories…

1)  These cacti are beautiful!!!  I want one.  But what’s the point?  

2)  The Mesa Temple, considered a ‘pioneer’ temple, is under renovation so here is a photo of the Phoenix temple taken Thursday.

3)  This is Taco country!

4)  I spend most afternoons wearing out trying to keep up with Lane on the Pickleball court. 

5)  We snapped some unremarkable passport pics required for our February trip.  

Photoshop makes me smile because I’m appalled by my turkey neck.

We snapped our license plate because we can’t memorize it  ;o}

6)  After a few tacos or burritos Mesa provides a rest stop.

7)  I went to a stake fireside and was so thrilled to hear “Angel Lullaby” played as a musical duet.

Today was ward conference.  84 youth!  30 are Laurels.  WOW.

8)  Don’t be a nag, like me.

I love it!  Simply do what you can do.  

Coming this week:

January 28th - Spencer will be 4

January 29th - Jami’s 32 birthday

January 31st - We drive away from Arizona and spend 4 days at the Cali/AZ border.

February 3rd - Genevieve turns 1

February 4th - Callie & Rayson’s birthdays!

February 4th - We drive to LA and store CarLa for a month.

Feb 5th to Mar 9th - We tour Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand

We love you forever!

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

DECEMBER 2018

Week 1- December 2, 2018

It’s December 2nd.  CHRISTmas greetings!

1) 5 grandkids opened CHRISTmas pillowcases yesterday.

2) Last evening we ‘attempted’ ice skating on Tuacahn’s fake ice.  Super challenging, even with my lucky pants.

3)  The St George temple grounds are marvelous to explore, as is the visitor center, complete with several challenging video games.

One morning I happened upon the newly displayed full size nativity and the CHRISTmas story told via hidden speakers.  It was special.

4)  Today we ward-hopped to the McArthur’s. Afterward we broke our fast and Lane concluded the meal with his notable tapioca.  Debbie is a spectacular niece and we cross paths at every possibility.  We visited with Cade, Dillon and Paige.  Curt remains bedridden most days, challenging beyond my imagination.  His numerous doctors, altho’ nervous to prescribe continued $2000 a day Rx’s, are still searching for clues that might improve his quality of life.  If you’ve got a second to add Curt when you pray for Reta and Gary he would appreciate it.

5)  Days, weeks or years can be challenging - it’s necessary for our sanity to find humor and pass it along.  

It’s been a good week.  How was yours?

Coming this week:

7th ~ We move CarLa to Las Vegas

8th ~ Roy’s birthday

We love you forever!

Week 2 - December 9th, 2018

Greetings to our fabulous family - wherever you may be!

We be in Las Vegas, having moved here Friday.  Life 2 hours SW of St George is different.  The sun sets at 4:30.  Temps are up.  We removed the blanket from our bed. More palm trees loom over the RV park.  Not much grass to be seen…anywhere.  Oh, except the temple grounds.  

1)  Does this remind you of anyone?  Not me, I hope.  If so, I repent now.

2)  Time in St George last week meant time with extended family.  Paul/Angela and Preston/Lorie’s families. (2 of Ron & Phyllis Sue’s sons.)  Kids loved 'Boom Boom Balloon’ game.  Paul’s daughter Ava gave us a preview of her guitar recital.  I met niece Debbie McArthur at school for a visit during her lunch break.  Her husband Curt is still requiring round the clock care and her burden is heavy.  I stayed long enough to entertain her 2nd grade class and they gave me the Hawaiian wave as I scooted out the door for a pickle ball date with Lane, Paul and Preston.   To our adult kids:  take every opportunity to spend time with Howell or Creek cousins.  They are so worth seeking out and would love to get in touch.

3)  Super worthy sign hanging in the hall of George Washington Academy of St George…one of the top rated schools in the state.  (A Charter School)

To each of you…YOU are the reason we are here as your parents and g’parents.

4)  I like this photo from our temple visit yesterday.  CHRIST is celebrated in certain parts of sin city.  

Be assured that what we do in Vegas won’t stay in Vegas.  (What a horrible slogan for any city to embrace.)

Coming this week:

Tomorrow cousin Stephen blows out 15 candles.

13th ~ Uncle Tom and Aunt Shalaun celebrate their 15th year of marriage.

We love you forever!

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

Week 3 -  December 18th, 2018

Freakin’ Fabulous Festive Family ~

1)  One week until CHRISTmas!!!  Last week I decorated CarLa.  It took 10 minutes.

2)  Saturday morning Lincoln called and invited Lane to ordain him a High Priest.  So we drove up.  Carrie’s super excited to sit with 5 kids while Lincoln sits on the stand as a member of the bishopric.  

3)  I was able to spend Sunday morning with the Gerbers and see Payden WALKING!

Callie is a marvelous singing time leader in Primary and nursery. 

4)  We drove back to Vegas Sunday night so we could check-out and move to Valley of Fire Monday morning. 

I learned that our RV resort is actually in Overton, Nevada (about 20 minutes from Valley of Fire State Park). 

Overton wins the award for the best decorated trash cans.  Each one is wrapped.  Also each roadside bench.

(We found free candy canes offered on this one.)

5)  Today I swept off a weathered tennis court and taped lines on for pickle ball.  We played until we tied at four games each and it was too dark to see the ball.

6)  I threw out my feather duster.

7)  I like this sweet rock nativity.  But be wise and don’t build your house on the sand ;o}

Coming this week:

TOMORROW Payden is ONE!

TOMORROW Lee is SIX!

22nd We move to Mesa for 5 weeks.  Address below.

Keep in touch.  We love you forever,

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell) 

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

Orangewood Shadows RV Resort #9

3165 East University Dr

Mesa, AZ 85213

Week 4 - December 23rd, 2018

Sabbath salutations,

We just ended a 5 day stay in Overton Nevada.

1)  Besides playing daily pickle ball we went exploring…  ("Double Negative" trench in upper left and upper right photo)

2) 

3)  Can you read this without scratching your head in bewilderment?

Double Negative is a piece of land art located in the Moapa Valley on Mormon Mesa (or Virgin River Mesa) near Overton, Nevada. Double Negative was completed in 1970 by the artist Michael Heizer.

The work consists of a long trench in the earth, 30’ wide x 50' deep,  and 1500' long, created by the displacement of 244,000 tons of rock. Two trenches straddle either side of a natural canyon (into which the excavated material was dumped). The "negative" in the title thus refers in part to both the natural and man-made negative space that constitutes the work. The work essentially consists of what is not there, what has been displaced.  See picture 1) for a close up of one trench.

4)  We left Overton yesterday and passed over the Hoover Dam. Lane drove CarLa through the checkpoint and over the actual dam.  Next he drove her across the new bridge straightway to Mesa, Arizona. I followed along in the CR-V.  We’ll live in Mesa for 5 weeks.  Then…?  Any recommendations?

5)  O holy night the stars are brightly shining 

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger

In all our trials born to be our friend

Truly He taught us to love one another

His law is love and His gospel is peace

Look below for a coloring page.

This week

24th -  CHRISTmas Eve (we plan a lowly shepherd’s dinner for 2)

25th -  CHRISTmas day

28th -  Lincoln’s birthday!

We love you forever!

Scatter smiles & sunshine Ü

Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

haP2Bmi@gmail.com

801 499 7994

To inform you that Dad Lane / G’pa Howell is announcing a coloring contest using the coloring page from today’s Sunday Check-in.  

Contest is open to ALL ages.  Multiple prizes are available.  Email or text your artwork to us by Christmas night. 

What are the prizes?  There’s only one way to find out…

Merry CHRISTmas!

Week 5 - December 30th, 2018

Tootle-loo 2018! 👋🏻 

It’s good to see you go.  How do you feel about it?

Personally I feel that the best is yet to come. Maybe the best WILL come in 2019...I really hope so. 

1)  Here’s how CHRISTmas day looked for 2 seniors without family. 

Shepherds dinner for 2. 
Heston & Alta provided paper trees.
Lane refashioned my ring. 
We played pickle ball.
A 300 piece puzzle is my limit. 
Plenty of citrus trees here. 
Baby Jesus got snuggled in the manger. 

2)  We received 28 entries to our last minute contest. Prizes were mailed on the 27th.

3)

4) Gilbert Temple Friday


5) Jesus Christ - 

Coming this week:
31st ~ ladies over 8 finish the BoM?!
31st ~ New Year’s Eve
1st ~ Happy 2019!!!

2nd ~ Michael will be 27⭐️
5th ~ Sadie celebrates turning 3🕒

We love you forever,
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

Unfortunately sent from my iPhone because our WiFi is useless today.