Monday, September 30, 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019

WEEK 1 - SEPTEMBER 8,  2019
Here’s a first!  NO PHOTOS.  

AND - We are staying put for the next 4 weeks.  
It was a nice surprise to be invited for a lunch of Lincoln’s swedishes and later dinner with the Bullocks.  Thanks guys!  

Top ten happenings of our week in random order:

1)  Completed a wonderful Labor Day trip to Vernal with Lincoln and Carrie’s family. 

2)  Carolyn attended a bridal shower…with 45 other ladies!  Unbelievable.  (FYI: for Jordan Shumway’s fiancé.)

3)  We ordered canvas prints for our new home decor.  (reminder - we have family photos from Cam and Lincoln.  Anyone else?)

4)  Lane ordered a projector for viewing movies with YOU!

5)  Carolyn learned what a Tee Nut is.  (Curtis came to do repairs on CarLa and advised me how to complete our custom ottoman.)

6)  Whew!  CarLa is now 95% ready for her new owner.  He comes September 19th.  Cross your fingers that he falls in love with her.

7)  Almond Joy’s are heavenly.

8)  I drugged :o} …eerrrr, dragged Lane to "So Happy Together" date night with John Bytheway, Meg Johnson, and Hank Smith.  A nice event but NOT worth the $50 ticket.

9) Today we attended our last meeting with the Country Crossing 2nd Ward.

10)  We watched the rebroadcast of President Nelson’s 95th B-day party.  We highly recommend it!


Important dates:
8th - Justin is 18 today!!!
9th - RayDean’s 20th anniversary of her 29th birthday ;o}
9th - President Russell M Nelson turns 95
12th - Carrie celebrates turning 42!
12th - Lane’s 1/2 birthday
15th - Maybe Brian will blow out 41 candles on a rice krispie cake.
19th - House "walk through" with contractor.  Yippey!!!
19th - Show off CarLa to buyer from New Hampshire 
25th - Close on house ((6152 W Poplar View Drive, South Jordan, UT 84009)
25-27th - paint, wallpaper and hang curtains
28th - Clean out Lincoln’s garage day!  (aka move-in day) 

How are you doing?!

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



SUPPLEMENTAL CHECK-IN 9.9.2019

Hi Kids,

For those of you who have absolutely nothing else to do on Saturday morning, September 28th, we are offering an exercise program with a bit of a twist…
Join us at Lincoln’s garage from 9:00-11:00 am.  We will be doing deep-knee bends and weight-lifting.
First we pick up boxes and a few heavier items (group therapy),  Then we stack them on a trailer. 
Then, 7 minutes away, we reverse the process at Lane & Carolyn’s new home.
Finally, to compensate for any weight loss in the process, we will serve donuts, milk and cider.

Whatever you do…don’t cancel anything important for this event.  And no RSVP’s, please

Love,

Lane & Carolyn


WEEK 2 - SEPTEMBER 15,  2019

Howdy!  We are enjoying another delightful & relaxing Sabbath.  Stake Conference was today.  We hope you are well.  PLEASE keep in touch.  And PLEASE consider sending us a casual family (landscape) photo.  Here are some guidelines per Costco’s website.



1)  Have you tried ‘double pie-face’?  Whip up a game if you are able. 


2)   Wall paper is BaAack!  At least on 3 walls of our new house.


3)  Cooking class with Gerber kiddos was Thursday.  Mini pizzas and donut hole/fruit kabobs.


4)  Life at Lincoln and Carrie’s continues to bless our lives.  We get a comfy place to sleep, space to create, a garage to hog, all while surrounded by family whom we cherish and appreciate.  (tip: don’t hide Peanut M&M’s in someone’s clean socks.  They WILL freak out!)

Important dates:
15th    Brian Hansen is 41 TODAY!!!
19th    Randi Scott celebrates her 33rd birthday.
19th    Our final walk-through of our new home.
19th    CarLa meets her new owner - fingers crossed.


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



A CHECK-IN...OF SORTS

Happy Friday everyone!

Good news and bad news…

Good News first - Carrie has single handedly moved 2/3 of our things out of her garage and into OUR garage.  She’a a champ.  Lincoln assures us that this in no way is any indication that she’s ready for us to move out of their house.  Haha.

Bad News - No donuts and cider Saturday because there won’t be much left to come help us with.  J/K about the donuts and cider.  Come and see the house if you like, but there is no urgency to come spend 2 hours exercising with us as we had hoped.  There will be  a few things to do, much to see and donuts to eat.

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

WEEK 3 -  SEPTEMBER 22,  2019
                                (skipped)

WEEK 4 -  SEPTEMBER 30,  2019
Hey all!

We missed taking photos of Carrie dropping off multiple truck loads, nearly singlehandedly.
We missed taking photos of our garage loaded with ‘empty’ boxes and then Isaac, Slater and Maggie smashing them.
We missed taking photos of the family and friends loading Lincoln’s trailer to get our last loads over to our house.
We missed taking photos of Roy doing a precision cut out of my Ikea shelves to fit over my heat register in our office.
We missed taking photos of Greg, Lincoln, Tom and Roy hefting the 85” TV onto it’s mounting bracket over the fireplace mantel.
We missed photos of RayDean, Carlie, Steph and Jerel putting together furniture - tables, lamps, chairs and a 200 piece puzzle that became a desk.  Randi lent a hand where possible and Savannah nibbled on donut holes ;o}
So, without any evidence to proof that we moved, it appears a miracle has occurred to get us situated so quickly and completely.

We thank ALL who came to assist us.  It already feels like home!  Come see us anytime!!!  Our first official guests were Lincoln and Carrie, who joined Lane Saturday evening in watching the Utes beat Washington State.  

1)  CarLa is sold and her name has been changed to TOY II.  We don’t even miss her…since she is stored at the Bullock’s until Jim from New Hampshire comes to retrieve her in mid October.


2)  Our cottage is located at 6152 W Poplar View Dr.  South Jordan, UT 84009


3)  Lincoln and Carrie just NOW surprised us by dropping off our front porch glider!!!  (I’m dressed for painting the guest room)

4)  Yesterday we attended our ‘HOME’ ward for the first time!  It was marvelous, welcoming and filled with folks of all ages.  AND it was also the ward’s first week being a ward.  A new bishop, etc…along with the overview of the new Children and Youth program for the world.  Life is good!

5) Sunday afternoon Lincoln invited us over for Carrie’s belated birthday feast.  So much fun!  Thank you.


6)  My mother and David stopped by last evening for a tour and a few housewarming surprises.  What a treat!


7)  Tis the season for candy corn (and extra teeth brushing)!  YUM!



Coming this week:
~ A bit more painting, wallpaper, curtains, hardware attached, etc. etc. etc.
~ October 5th & 6th General Conference
~ What are YOU doing this week to keep life interesting?
~ More family photos for our honor wall??? (We have 6)

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

Saturday, August 31, 2019

AUGUST 2019

Week 1 -  August 4, 2019
Oh happy august summer sabbath day ~

1) Last week Chloe celebrated her 7th birthday.  She is awesome, and so was her cake.  Callie is a cake magician…raspberry and peach swiss meringue buttercream, sautéed peach filling, raspberry reduction, etc.   SOOOO good!



2)  We continue to make great strides in preparing to have our new home furnished before closing…which seems to be towards the middle to end of September.  Lincoln and Carrie are sacrificing valuable garage space while we collect deliveries and build boxed furniture.  Oh, and sewing curtains.  Bathroom tiles went in.   It’s getting exciting!


3)  On occasion I help Isaac contain his marbles.


4)  NEWSFLASH ! ! !



5)   Today Lane started an afghan for our new place.  Come cuddle up with it next to our fireplace this fall.


Coming this week:
5th  Tomorrow Slater will be 8.  Eight is great!
6th  Savannah-banana turns ONE!
8th  Katie X leaves the 'roaring 20’s' behind.  Thirty?!
10th - Slater’s baptism 2 pm / Savannah’s bday party 4 pm

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


Week 2 -  August 11, 2019
Funday-Sunday!

What a fun weekend we have had…so far.
 

1) Saturday afternoon started with Slater’s baptism.  He proved it really is great to be EIGHT!  Congratulations to Slater and his entire family.  Shalaun spoke & played clarinet, Audrey played prelude and postlude and all songs in between, Emy played a duet with her mother.  G’pa Lane told stories and it ended up being a great talk on the Holy Ghost.  

2)  Next up was a birthday party extraordinaire.  Savannah-banana celebrated turning one.  Roy and Randi threw her a delightfully fun and delicious party with a focus on the tropics and bananas.  AND 3 cakes!  Each one better than the last.  Happy Birthday sweet Savannah.  You are a real doll!

3)  We only had to drive to Provo to find a party with plenty of Miami flair.  Our friend's son was married in the beautiful Payson Temple so we were able to visit with some stalwart and steadfast amigos from south Florida.  The dancing was Cray-cray!  


4)  Hope is one of my favorite feelings.  

4)  Calling all families!  Here’s your weekly reminder to share with us a high pixel color photo of your family (square).  We will then enlarge it for our wall of fame.  






















5)  Most of last week was spent putting together our unique puzzle...which we call our home.  Sewing curtains, ordering wallpaper, building more boxed furniture, purchasing fake plants, etc.  We guesstimate 5-6 more weeks.  Soon the trim work will be done, indoor painting started and the exterior stucco applied.

6)  Meanwhile, CarLa is luxuriating at the "RV spa” getting a few wrinkles smoothed out.  No buyer yet...

Coming this week!
August 12th ~ Cam & Kim’s 23rd wedding anniversary - "woo-hoo"
August 17th ~ Linc & Carrie ‘cash-in’ their 2018 Christmas coupon at a Demolition Derby.  CRUNCH!  CRASH!  SLAM!
August 17th ~ Carolyn will be 61 - texts are the perfect gift this year!

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



Week 3 -  August 18, 2019
Hello most loved humans on the planet,

I had a great 61st birthday yesterday!  Thanks for your thoughtful expressions of affections.  I return them each 100 fold.  Twenty-four hours in and  61 is already a great year!

Moving on.

1)  Callie invited me to conduct a weekly cooking class.  This is week 3.  No bake cheesecake.   Great little chefs!


2)  Our ‘Acacia' floorpan seems perfect for us.  We shall see.  Base coat of stucco went on this week.  And the cabinets arrived!
I trimmed a plastic bonsai tree, modge-podged 2 suitcases with travel ’stickers’ to stack for an end table.  And we now have 7 stuffed kitties and a mommy cat for g’kids to play with.
 

3)  When I eat potato chips I have to eat them in size order…smallest to largest.  Is that weird?  Do you have a quirk like this?



4)  Last night Linc, Carrie and 4 kids redeemed their Christmas gift card for the Spanish Fork Demolition Derby.  
Eat funnel cake whenever you can!!!


5)  Look for the sunlight through the clouds.  Opportunities will eventually open to you.  G.B.H.

Coming this week:
August 20th ~ The Kelley’s celebrate 15 years of marriage!
August 23rd ~ This date marks Jon & RayDean’s 29th anniversary!
August 25th ~ We will meet Cam, Kim, Justin and Anissa at Crater Lake for 3 or 4 nights of camping.




Week 4  - August 29, 2019
Hey, y'all


August 25-28
Time spent with Cam, Kim, Justin & Anissa
CRATER LAKE RV trip


Goofing around, reading, hiking, playing games, swimming (Cam, Anissa & Carolyn), star-gazing, relaxing, sightseeing, teasing, all capped off with another of Cam’s award-winning foil dinners!  We had a great time with this wonderful family.  We even snapped a photograph for the "family focus wall" of our new home.  (13 more needed)

Lane is an excellent driver of CarLa.  Yet, he managed to let me drive a rugged, twisty canyon enroute to Crater Lake.  He held his breath and didn’t blink the entire 45 minutes.

"Obedience allows God’s blessings to flow without restraint” ~President Nelson

Important happenings:
Darren Hill turned 26 on August 27th!
We stayed in Winnemucca, TWICE!…in one week.
We anticipate a terrific RV trip with Linc & Carrie’s family this Labor Day weekend.



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

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