Saturday, July 31, 2021

July 2021

July 2021

7.25.2021

Hey kiddos,

I sent you an email only Saturday, which was not early but rather 6 days late.  But who cares what day it comes?  I just want to keep the door cracked into your lives so you’ll reach out and share news or pass along photos of your own. Maybe include us in important events or even trivial random experiences.  

1)  Did you notice we had a myriad of birthdays recently?  5 in a row.  Son. BIL. G’son. G’son. G’daughter.
2)  The last two of those were in Lincoln and Carrie’s family; Maggie & Luke.
3)  Today they combined to share a birthday dinner and dessert.
4)  We were lucky to be invited…maybe since we are sleeping in the downstairs guest room?
5)  Good food is served routinely here.
6)  The chef’s hat is passed around freely as everyone here can cook SOMETHING.  Just like in many of your homes.
7)  The Grand Teton was first scaled in late July 1872 - 116 years later my daddy climbed it.
8)  On July 29, 1958 NASA was created.  
9)  40 years ago this week Lady Di wed Prince Charles in London. Her advice to her sons “If YOU are lucky enough to find someone who loves you, then protect it.”
10)  Hmmm, in 6 days we’ll be ‘living’ in London for the month of August.  Then on to Tbilisi Georgia, Istanbul Turkey and Vienna Austria.

Calendar dates:
July 31st ~ captivating Chloe will be 9 years old. Yippy!
August 1st ~ Lane and I are scheduled to begin a 6 day quarantine in London.
November 25th ~ Save-the-date for Thanksgiving with the Howells.  It is our year to host.  We’ll get serious with plans by mid November.

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


7.19.2021

Dear cherished and beloved family,

 I’ve been laboriously reviewing, sorting, editing, adding keywords and deleting photos all week long.  I created a collage of tiles for this week’s picture of the week. 
1)  These are amazing decorative tiles.
2)  Which two are repeated in the collage?
3)  I photographed them in Stone Town, Zanzibar.  (one of many reasons Zanzibar was my favorite stop in Tanzania)
4)  Each one was located in the Dhow Palace Hotel, where we stayed.
5)  Some were embedded in the pool deck chairs, others trimmed out a table, or livened up a corner cabinet.
6)  I researched the Basel Mission Tileworks company 1865.  They were the first tile making company in India.  
7)  It’s important to learn something everyday.
8)  I recently learned that my favorite animal is the hippo, with the flamingo taking a close 2nd.
9)  I was sent to earth to learn a certain number of things.
10)  Right now I am so far behind that I’ll never die  ;o}

Important dates:
July 21   Jerry tops off his 4th decade.  
July 22   Gaylin had another birthday.  He’s really old.
July 23   Taggart is a teenager! 
July 24   Luke is a ‘teacher’, officially...but without the university degree
July 25   Maggie celebrates turning 12.


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


7.13.2021

Hey lovers of ice cream, sunsets, and air conditioning,

1)  Saturday (July 10th) Jerry & Erin hosted a BBQ at their home in Eugene, OR.
2)  Britni and the Hansen kids hung-out at the Adams for the week, waiting patiently for their new home to get final approval.
3)  We attended a quilt show in Sisters, OR with Kim & Cam before meeting up in Eugene.
4)  15 came together for great food and one of Britni’s perfectly timed photos.
5)  Jerry has mastered the art of the BBQ dry rub.  Finger-licking’-delectable!
6)  Britni surprised Jerry with an early b-day piñata and pie.
7)  Cam & Kim provided a shaved ice dessert.
8)  The leftover ice provided foddor for kids.
9)  A full on ice water fight ensued.  G’pa & Cam vs kids.
10)  We all missed Brian…and the rest of you.

Special dates:
July 12th  ~ Greg is still on the sunny side of 50.  (born in 1972, you do the math)
July 17th  ~  we drive home early to deliver a car to Justin.
July 18th  ~ Jerel is rockin’ his 50’s.  (born in 1970, he’s got one foot solidly past the half century mark)

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


7.4.2021

KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE

Hi! 

It’s Independence Day!  Hurray!  
BBQ a piece of meat. 
Nibble on potato salad. 
Spit watermelon seeds. 
Light sparklers. 
Burn TNT black snakes.

Here’s our picture of the week...



























1)  Thursday we started a road trip.
2)  First stop: Bonneville Salt Flats.
3)  It was our FIRST visit.
4)  Lane drove a whopping 100 mph.
5)  We demonstrated our best jump…this was the fourth attempt ;o}
6)  Stop #2 was the Redwoods.
7)  Stop #3 was the California coast.
8)  We love a good road trip.
9)  Hint: if you are traveling to the beach avoid a weekend, in the summer, with a holiday, after 16 month house-arrest.
10)  Happy 4th!

You are all winners.  Every one.  But WE won the mostest.  It feels like we won the lottery when you became part of our lives.  We are eternally grateful for you and to you.  Believe in yourselves.  Love and support each other.  Do good things. 

We love you forever!
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994
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Wednesday, June 30, 2021

June 2021

6.27.2021

KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE

Good evening kinfolk,

I spent the last 2 days with my delightful mother.  She has been home 9 days recovering from an attack on her heart.  She is a peach.  Delightful as always.  She needs rest, is learning to eat with her left hand, and is eating slightly less butter.  ;o}

[picture of the week]

1) we enjoyed our 20-day trip to Tanzania
2) my favorite part was strolling around Stone Town on Zanzibar Island
3) Freddie Mercury was born in Stone Town (phenomenal lead singer of Queen)
4) the top 3 exports in the 19th century were slaves, ivory, and spices
5) atrocities inflicted on humans by humans are unfathomable 
6) Sultans once ruled here
7) the architecture is impressive
8) our route home took 35 hours
9) Josh met us at the airport Friday…THANKS!
10) we always love returning to America.


Important dates:
June 9th  - Great granddaughter Allison celebrated her 1st birthday.
June 24th - "It’s great to be 8!”  Just ask Heston.
June 24th - “Watch out world”, Danny is old enough to drive.
June 24th - David is a handsome 18 year old.
June 27th - Russell turned FIVE TODAY!
June 30th - Great granddaughter Hailee will be 5 and signing up for Kindergarten.

Speaking of FIVE.  Here is the answer to what constitutes finding the Big 5 on Safari:
Lions (we observed dozens), elephants (we ‘captured’ dozens), cape buffalos (we hunted down dozens), leopards (we spotted 4), black rhinos (we saw 3, but only through binocs)  

Important dates continued:
July 1st - Lane has a second procedure to remove additional skin cancer from his nose.  
(It’s Basal Cell Carcinoma, BCC, the least risky skin cancer, when caught early it’s curable.)
July 2nd - we plan to leave for a road trip to visit 3 kids in the NW.
August - visit London
early September - tour Georgia (a former Soviet Republic)
late September - tour Turkey
October - visit Vienna, Austria
November - home again 
November 25th - THANKSGIVING, “Save-the-Date”.  We host this year.
December - still home.

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


6.18.2021

[submitted by Lane]

Hi family and friends,


After a 10 hour bus ride across Tanzania, we spent the night in an inexpensive 15th floor suite ($47) overlooking Dar es Salaam and the Indian Ocean. 

Today we take a ferry to the Island of Zanzibar and a remote beach resort for more adventure. 


Since leaving the safari, we’ve been flying by the seat of our pants, taking one step at a time. 


Here’s a small reminiscence of safari days…


Hippo Hilarity

Watching Carolyn get excited, point, laugh and almost jump up and down was as much fun as watching the huge hunks of hippos themselves. They take a deep breath and then sink into the water for 20 minutes to keep cool.  But their tails twitch every minute or two to swish a little water onto their exposed backs. And now and then one will twirl their ears, give a gargantuan yawn or roll on their side, showing their pretty pink underbelly.  As a side note, they purposefully poop in their ponds to create a “soup” in which to spend their leisure time. Carolyn could never get enough hippo time and watched longingly with the binoculars as we drove away. 

 

These following numbers were accumulated a few at a time during long, bumpy drives over dirt roads in the Serengeti. Many sightings had unique stories to tell. The larger numbers came thousands at a time and were sometimes overwhelming. 



We love you and think of you often. 

I’ve imagine a get together with videos, slides and stories but Carolyn says we would just bore you to tears. 

See you in a week — or later in some cases. 

Dad & Mom


Sent from my iPhone


6.16.2021

Hello 👋🏻 

From Tiffany, ClimbKili employee, you’ve seen some of our pics and a day by day account of the safari that might have been. Actually we met with our guide the day we arrived and soon had shuffled the 5-day itinerary, adjusted for road conditions, and added 3 days.  

You should know that Hakuna Matata is real here!  Warthogs are ‘pumbas’ and a dozen ‘simbas’ rest on ‘pride rock’.  “No worries” is repeated often. 

The wilderness is thrilling, discovering wild things large and small. Quickly learning that lions can be hidden in 2 feet of grass, that leopards drag their kill by their teeth up into acacia trees, that zebras & wildebeests make a great defensive team - the 🦓 have heightened hearing, the wildebeest have better eyesight. 

I actually watched a male lion, a herd of wildebeest, a family of cheetahs, zebras and elephants cross behind our safari jeep at various times over the course of 6 days. So, I hesitated to go behind our vehicle, in fact, we are warned to stay in the jeep. But when faced with 3 more hours in the Serengeti before returning to camp, you can bet I did ‘go’ behind the jeep. 


We opted to sidestep the Maasai and instead visited the Click and Datoga tribes, 2 of the 125 remaining tribes in Tanzania.  For example, our guide/driver is born of parents from tribes. He is university educated, speaks Swahili, English, Spanish and several dialects.  

Click people

This beautiful tribe has self-isolated.  They don’t know the earth is round, men have walked on the moon or that humans are inside the big metal birds. Most shockingly is the fact that they openly reject running water, sanitation, education, improved nutrition and any efforts to become civilized. We hunted with 5 of them. With bows and arrows they brought down 3 sparrows, killing 2 of them by biting their heads or smashing them on the ground. We watched them pluck off feathers, roast in coals and eat them. 

They remind me of the Lost Boys in Neverland.  Astonishing!  The absurdity of their lifestyle is all the more unbelievable due to the fact that they live 3 miles from a modern town. 

Datoga people

This tribe farms, trades, and are accomplished blacksmiths. Practicing polygamists.  One toddler tried running away with us. 

We finished up by taking a village walking tour before returning to Arusha, our starting point. 


Our trip is 1/2 way through. Today we take a 12 hr bus ride to Dar es Salaam, a city of 6 million and former capital. Then we finish with 5 days on the Island of Zanzibar. 

We’ll be home soon. Please let us hear how you are doing.

Love, Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)

Sent from my iPhone




6.6.2021

Hello precious peeps,

As you browse this email you’ll understand why I could not choose only 1 photo. 

4 beautiful G’daughters performed with excellence during their recent dance concert. (Callie knows these girls love pineapple so she started a new tradition…funny & fun!) Pictured L to R Sophie, Sadie, Raylie, Chloe


3 handsome G’sons all graduated at the same time on the same day - June 2nd. Congrats to each one!  Keep moving forward and keep making us proud of you. 
Pictured L to R Josh, David, Matthew


Lastly, I got my 10K steps today between the SLC & JFK airports. AND it's already Sunday here. We board our next flight in 10 minutes. 

Signing off.  I’m hustling to make the flight. 

Important dates;
June 7 ~ Erin is 36
June 7 ~ Steph is 45
June 7 ~ Jon is 54
June 10 ~ Sophie is 7
June 11 ~ Sarah is 24
We’ll be traveling in Tanzania, East Africa until June 24th. You might receive an update or two this week from our safari guide.

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

Sent from my iPhone


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Tuesday, June 1, 2021

May 2021


5.31.2021

Sweet, salubrious & sanguine scions,
(delightful, pleasant, happy, family descendants)

Last week we went to Paris...





(wait for it)...





Idaho. 

1) a nice little road trip
2) 25 minutes north of Garden City, Utah.
3)  Paris Tabernacle was completed in 1889.
4)  Paris boasts at least one creepy antique shop...
5)...which redeems itself by selling delicious Zotz candy. 
6) we drove back to Garden City on the shore of Bear Lake. 
7) Bear Lake has about 50 miles of shoreline 1/2 in Utah, 1/2 in Idaho. 
8) ...known as the Caribbean of the Rockies
9) ...area is famous for raspberry shakes
10) Cam & Kim hosted us - THANK YOU! 
(we missed Matt...and ALL the rest of you)

Important events;
May 31st ~

June 2nd ~ David’s HS graduation day
June 2nd ~ Matthew makes a cap & gown look good! 
June 2nd ~ A ceremony of distinction for Josh 
June 5th ~ Randi & Roy’s 8th Anniversary
June 5th ~ we begin our flights to Tanzania,  2 layovers, arriving on the 7th. Home again on June 24th. 

We are adding you to our safari contact list. The travel guide might send you a few updates while we are camping in the Serengeti watching for the Big 5.  Who can name the Big 5 animals we hope to shoot - with our iPhones? 

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

Sent from my iPhone


5.23.2021

Far-reaching Fond Felicitations Formidable Family,

Last week my family (minus one sibling) shared a meal on the occasion of my mother’s birthday.  I remember thousands of sit downs (meals) with this group of siblings in the 60’s and 70’s, none of which were as enjoyable as this one. Time is a great teacher. We have learned to converse politely, eat our vegetables, overlook faults, laugh uncontrollably, love unconditionally and appreciate parents. 

“Family life is the best method for achieving happiness in this world, and it is a clear pattern given to us from the Lord about what is to be in the next world.” -S.W. Kimball



1) Keep us from pettiness.
2) Let us be thoughtful in word & deed. 
3) Help us to face each other in deep trust without fear or self-pity.
4) Help us to guard against fault-finding...
5) ...and be quick to discover the best in each other.
6) Guard us from ill-temper.
7) Remind us to take time for each other.
8) Help us to be generous with kind words and compliments. 
9) Teach us never to ignore, to hurt, or take one another for granted. 
10) Engrave charity & compassion on our hearts. 

Important dates:
May 26th - We return to South Jordan after a great week at Bear Lake w great people. 
May 27th - Kylie is legally twenty-one. Happy bday! 

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

Sent from my iPhone


5.17.2021

'Sup Spectacular Stars in our Splendid Sky?


Last week we spent 3 days in DisneyWorld…a special place which I vowed not to cross the threshold again.


1)  I did it, totally masking my 2018 negative memories.
2)  25 years ago we stood in this very spot - Casey's Corner.
3)  It was our 3rd date.
4)  Revisited Wednesday - still in love.
5)  Magic Kingdom - thunderstorms kept ride lines fluctuating.
6)  Animal Kingdom - “Expedition Everest” was up and running. We even waited to ride Avatar Flight of Passage.
*In these non-Kingdoms of isolation, not a turkey leg could be seen...
7)  Hollywood Studios - We took the Millennium Falcon on a Smugglers Run, got abducted by the First Order and were rescued by rebel scum during Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy’s Edge. (hottest new ride is DisneyWorld)
8)  A twice daily lottery, or virtual queue, limits the crowd and wait times are acceptable. 
9)   Covid restrictions are partially lifting this next week.
10)  Would I return again?…nah.  But everyone should attend Disneyworld at least once.


Upcoming Family events:
May 19th  Stephanie Hill celebrates her birth
May 19th  My Mother is 86 years wonderful!
May 20th  Amanda can officially DATE!!
May 20th  X & KC sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, married a dozen years.
May 20th - May 26th  We road trip to Bear Lake at Cam & Kim’s invitation.
May 21st  Caden blows out 23 candles.
May 22nd  Rockwell is one…decade!
May 22nd  Samuel Lane is a FOrTY Y.O.

What is your favorite Disney character, or movie?  Mine is Tangled.  Flynn Rider’s smolder is irresistible.


We love you forever!   Have a fabulous week.  It’s SPRING, the most glorious time of year.
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994


5.4.2021

Tuesday of last week...May the fourth.

All you Jedi fans grab your lightsabers and fight in the name of the force,


1) happy Star Wars Day! 
2) __________ , I am your mother ;o}
3) George Lucas preached thru his movies the importance of friendships. 
4) Stand by your friends thru thick & thin, happiness & sadness, success & failure. 
5) respect other people & their point of view.
6) fight the dark side and do not become a Sith Lord. 
7) Never say “it can’t get worse than this.” 
8) find your personal Yoda, a wise mentor to guide you. 
9) Do, or do not. There is no try. 
10) The force is strong with all of you. 

How did YOU celebrate the 4th?
We ate Jabba the pizza Hutt, Chewbacca Chips, Yoda Soda, Luke Sky-Water, and Wookie Cookies.

Important dates:
May 7th - Issac is now 9, hurray! 
May 10th - we visit Batuu in Hollywood Studios
May 12th - Happy 11th Birthday Raylie 
May 13th - we fly back from DisneyWorld

I’m operating without my computer so pretty please forgive me if I miss an important date. 

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

Sent from my iPhone




5.2.2021


Hello! 

We went road trippin' last week. 

1) we drove to Lake Stevens, Washington
2) this is the Hansen hilltop
3) the house will be complete in June
4) we had a painting party 
5) we had a staging coupe
6) and a birthday party for Dalia (15!)
7) we departed Washington Thursday
8) we stopped in McCall Idaho to play games with your Aunt Reta
9) we arrived back in South Jordan last evening
10) five minutes ago we boarded a flight to Orlando

We'll be back on the 13th.

I'll announce bdays next email. The plane is taxiing. Bah-bye!

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

Sent from my iPhone
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Saturday, May 1, 2021

April 2021


4.25.2021

Knock-knock…Who’s there?…It’s me, Momma C (G’momma),



1)  Our new digs.
2)  Still in DayBreak, just 2 miles closer to Walmart ;o}
3)  This is already our 4th night.
4)  We feel very comfortable.
5)  My momma made us this quilt. 
6)  Come visit when you can.
7)  Thank you Lincoln & Carrie...
8)  …and the kids who’ve sacrificed more than their gaming TV.
9)  Home Sweet Home.
10)  Home is wherever Lane is.

Our renters are in, happy, and grateful.  They love our home.  We feel like it is in very good hands.

Although we are staying with Lincoln and Carrie we are receiving mail at: 
Lane & Carolyn Howell
c/o Bullocks
3460 W Spring Day lane
South Jordan, UT 84009

So the travel adventure begins.  Here are our plans for May.
April 30th - May 5th   Road trip to Lake Stevens, Washington at Hansen’s request to stage their home for sale.
May 6th - 8th   Visit with Reta in McCall, Idaho
May 9th - 13th   DisneyWorld, Florida
May 14th - 19th   Stay at Lincoln & Carrie's
May 20th - 26th   Bear Lake, Utah at Cameron & Kim's invitation 
May 27th - 31st   Back to Lincoln & Carrie's

Coming soon:

April 25th - Gerber’s have been hitched a dozen years.
April 26th - Today is Hatcher’s 5th birthday. 
April 29th - Dalia was born on this momentous day fifteen years ago.

May 2nd - Benjamin Hill turns THREE!!!

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


4.19.2021

Salutations!

A beautiful high school senior, daughter of our new bishop, spoke in sacrament meeting today…the first entire gathering of our ward which split and was formed during covid.  I digress.  She gratefully acknowledged that her parents are her support system.  And actually said, “This cool cat, whom you guys call ‘bishop’, asked me to speak today."  She badly injured her ankle in February, during the time Juliard was holding final auditions for dance submissions.  Her dream was crushed.  She spoke on unfairness.  Quoted Elder Renlund’s conference talk, “Rather than becoming bitter, let [God] help you become better.”   She heard his entire talk loud and clear, spoken directly to her.  

Life IS unfair.  Christ came to make everything fair.  In His time, in His way.  I know it will all be made fair.
Related note.  Never, never throw stones.  Be stonecatchers y’all.   



1)  Last evening we had a fondue dinner with our immediate neighbors.
2)  there are already 14 homes that share our back driveway/alley.
3) soon there will be 8 more.  
4)  22 residences make for quite a block party.
5) we met to share food, stories and say goodbye…though a temporary bah-bye.
6) Wednesday is the last night in this house.
7) Thursday we store the beds downstairs and move our clothes and my desk to Lincoln and Carrie’s. (Thanks guys)
8) Friday we have reserved for deep cleaning the house.
9) Then Friday night and Saturday we continue our DoorDashing routine.
10)  Life rolls on.

Happening this week:
April 22nd ~ the perfect day to appreciate the life of Dillon and ponder what he’s doing, besides being missed.
April 25th ~  it’s Gerber’s wedding anniversary, a dozen eventful years.

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


4.15.2021

Hello fine youngsters,

While packing up our office/craft room I rediscovered this drawing of Belle.
[picture of the week]

 
1)  I want adventure in the great wide somewhere.
2)  Look, there she goes, that girl is so peculiar.
3)  That girl is strange, no question.
4)  Dazed and distracted, can’t you tell?
5)  No denying she’s a funny girl that Belle
6)  A dreamy, far-off look
7)  you’ll see she meets her Prince Charming
8)  but she won't discover that it’s him ’til chapter three!
9)  he stole my heart I’m hardly breathing
10)  They both want more than this provincial life.

Provincial life:  unadventurous, not knowing about people and events in other places, limited concerns or interests

Staring at this piece of art I began to see similarities between Belle and me.  I am a brunette.  My favorite color is yellow.  I am a florist by hobby.  I like adventure, but who doesn’t?  My peculiarity isn’t limited to being LDS; I’m often weird and unusual.  As months speed by I become more dazed and easily distracted.  My type of funny is an adjective “difficult to explain or understand”.  I assure you there are moments when Lane will attest that I am difficult…totally.  I, like Belle, met my Prince Charming - me at 37.  (Once in a blue moon.)  And in a mere 7 days we leave our beautiful home for time with family and far off places.  Bring on the “GREAT WIDE SOMEWERE!"

One mystery remains.  The artist who drew Belle did not sign it.  I have my best guess but I’m asking for the artist to claim her work.
WHO DREW THIS PICTURE FOR ME?

Family happenings:
April 13th - Alta is now & forever in double digits!

We love you forever…and always will.
Scatter smiles & sunshine  Ü
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
801 499 7994


4.5.2021

Post-Easter salutations.  We mailed cards and flip-books.  We Doordashed early to get Saturday off.  We watched general conference.  We got by without coloring eggs.  And…


1)  We hosted the Kelley family.
2)  Sadly Tyson was traveling for business.
3)  We ‘partied with the fun chicks’.
4)  We doubled up the flimsy paper plates so they would hold more food.
5)  Heston split his and agreed that yes, 2 plates did hold more food  ;o} , huge laughter.
5)  These kids LOVE their veggies…except the one that rhymes with Hatcher.
6)  Meredith makes award-winning salads Every. Time.
7)  Taggart found the octopus after several hints.
8)  Alta hid it because she tied for the discovery.
9)  We also had one of our seminary students (Miami 2015) come stay one night and introduce us to her fiancé
10)  Heston loves to build puzzles.

Did you see what I did there.  I wrote two number 5’s. 
Dinner was followed by the last session of General Conference.  I took an unplanned but appreciated nap.

Coming this week:
7th  Jami & Chris celebrate 7 years as Mr & Mrs.
18 days until we leave our sweet house.

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


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