HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MERRY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING FFIONA.  Here's a cute photo of her giving me another lesson with my new Nook.  Surely but slowly I'm getting it (I think).  I'm wearing my cute new top that Rebecca gave me and the BEE necklace that Haedyn gave me.  Thanks for helping to dress Grandma Gloria!!

 

 

Holly dear, here's a photo I told you I'd send of the darling jacket you sent me for Christmas.  It fits perfectly and I wore it again when I taught R.S. yesterday.  Thanks again!!

 

 Justin tries his hand at another Howells family Christmas tradition.  The  fabulous candy cane pastry.  He is a natural and learned the process quickly (I haven't raised any dummies) and just like Brady has experienced when he's gifted many away, Justin's friends were amazed at his baking skills.

 

 

 

Justin and I find a faster and easier way to make Maids of Honor.  Hurrah!!!

All worked hard to get Katie's and Justin's Christmas goodie bags made, decorated and delivered. 

Hyun is..............well having a great time with his new Bamboo drawing pen and pad.  Maybe someday if he works hard he'll be a great cartoonist like his uncle Brady and he can write and draw his own cartoon strip, books, or work for Disney or Pixar.  Go to it - your future awaits your talents!!!

Holidays with Grandma

Here are some extra pics to augment moms post

It's Beginning to look a lot Like Christmas

We decided to get a real live tree this year since the mice got into our garage last year and cut the wires to our prelit one.

The kids all helped out with the decorating

 Haedyn put the star on top!

 

Hyun & Taryn put decorations near the top

They all posed cute for the annual Christmas picture!




Ffiona and Taegan sang Christmas carols when the tree was complete!



We Participated in a Charity  Feis Last weekend to benefit those affected by Superstorm Sandy- Ffiona got her first Trophy at Championship level, so did her friend Yalissa & Her friend Natalie got 1st!
                                                              (I made all 3 dresses)

 

Monday we made our gingerbread houses for FHE. Ffiona filled the inside of hers with candy!

 

UPDATE FROM COLORADO

Wednesday it snowed so Katie and I prepared gingerbread for construction when Justin came home.  They had fun doing their own houses and Katelyn was happy that daddy helped her so she could put the most candy on hers.

One morning I cooked whole wheat crepes for kids who absolutely love them made with Nutrella, bananas and blueberries.


On Thursday Justin took the day off and took all of us the the Denver Space and Science Museum.  We watched an interesting presentation on Super Volcanoes in the Planetarium and then spent time in the space area before going out to lunch and to the Denver Mint.  We had a nice tour of the plant and we were hoping to see them stamping out silver dollars like this did the fish during Pepperidge Farm tour.  But it was not running that day.  We each received a new penny and an unstamped penny as souvenirs.  But then we went to the Federal Reserve where we saw a $100,000.00 bill, $30,000.000.00 stacked up in glassed off area, tried to pick out the forged $20 bills and left with $165 in real bills.  They were shredded in tiny pieces in a little bag, but the kids didn't care.  They were rich!  Justin will blog some cute photos.

  Yesterday Katie and I made about 300 sugar cookies and soft ginger snaps to bag with measuring spoons  or cups and tied with cute bow and tag.  It was a lot of work and unfortunately the altitude (6000 ft) got to me and Katelyn read to me while I rested on bed.  Then later we all frosted the cookies for Santa and family.  The whole family delivered 42 of gifts today to friends and neighbors.

Feeling better today and am getting better acquainted with the Nook Brook, Sunshine and family gave me for Christmas.  I can view the scriptures on it now so I won't have to carry that large quad to church.  I'm good at crossword game and getting better at Sudoku (more difficult that my big book at home).  This morning Katie helped me access my email account on it as I was having trouble accessing that feature. When I return to G.V. I am hoping for more instruction from Brooke and Ffiona who both use their Nooks a lot.

Looking forward to your updates on your Christmas preparations.

TRIP TO LONGMONT

I arrived safely yesterday to lovely weather before the snowstorm hit this morning and am thankful for that.  The kids and even Katie are hoping for a white Christmas so they can get out and play in the snow.  We had a few days of rain over weekend and my rain gauge showed about 1.3 inches - that was good as we really needed it.  I delivered the goodies I'd made for neighbors and took another  computer class before I left and was happy to learn a few things to help me become more proficient. 

The AZ family came down for our Christmas get-to-gather and kept me laughing most of the night (except for the part about the First Christmas).   After dinner, First Christmas review, we played games and exchanged gifts.  It was a fun evening and we had lots of fun.

I went to the pageant with family and was totally unbiased when I thought Taryn should have won it but soooo glad to learn that organizers have offered to sponsor her in the AZ state pageant also.  Taegan enjoyed playing flag football on the boys team (albeit in the rain).  I think she's papa's girl for sure.  Hyun, Haedyn and Taegan's new haircuts looked great.  And my sweetheart, Ffiona is willing to help GG with her new Nook device, yea!

I'm heading for the treadmill now (since I can't walk along the golf courses here) to walk a mile or two before the kids and I make gingerbread for the family construction tonight.  Justin wanted me to make the delicious Christmas pastry and I wasn't sure of all ingredients so he called Brady as I knew he had it and is probably making dozens to pass out to friends and neighbors.

Our Busy Month

              Hope You are all Having a festive Holiday Season!  We have been so very busy this past month! Here's a long recap!

The weekend before Thanksgiving, Taryn, FFiona & I flew to Seattle for
                                              Oireachtas (dance regionals).

Ffiona was sooo EXCITED!!!! 

  

This was Ffiona's first flight anywhere! We drove the last 2 years to Sacramento & Anaheim

She and Taryn did Great! and they had so much fun at Pikes Place, the Space Needle and Dancing everywhere and I was Just Glad to be done sewing all those dresses and vests! 

 Ffiona danced the best I've ever seen her dance but didn't recall - her 2 best friends did and she was so happy for them.



Taryn Qualified For Nationals Again and Placed 30th in the Region.



For Thanksgiving Dinner Grandma came over and then played twister and Under your Undies !! Its all fun and games!



 

Hyun has been busy driving and drawing  He's getting to look more like his Dad every day- don't you think?!



Like Father, Like Son!

Brooke Has been busy with the Rapid response team all month - someone has to climb those mountains and ride in the Black Hawks! As long as it's not another 2 week deployment out in the desert like he did all fall- we are all happy!!





"the Ladies like"

a new Haircut

Hyun is a real Lady's man at school- all the girls love him & want him to draw them pictures- of them!

 

 

new haircut

Taegan has been a very busy girl.  This fall she started playing Flag Football at school and was so excited when they were going to start a girls team! Unfortunately it fell through due to a lack of girls wanting to get dirty and mess up their hair. Now Taegan and her friend play on the boys team. they held a tournament last Saturday - all day with 4 other schools and had teams for 3 grade- she & her friend were the only girls playing!

playing center

Taegan also started playing Violin at school and private  Voice Lessons and is loving them both. She also got her long red hair cut off & into a sassy new cut this week!

Haedyn is still clowning around, being sweet and silly- so silly that last week he forgot to let us know he had a recital until it was the night before! Apparently they play enough violin at school to do a concert! He's also loving scouts and his Montessori school!

 

 

Taryn decided to try something new and competed in the Miss Tucson/Rio Nuevo Outstanding Teen Pageant last weekend. They only crowned for the Miss Tucson OT title and she didn't win.  But the Organizer contacted me the next day to let me now how well she did and that they wanted to Sponsor her for States. They also said even if she didn't plan on going to States, they were so impressed that they wanted to give her the Title of

 

 Miss Rio Nuevo Outstanding Teen 2013 

FOURTH COMPUTER CLASS

I took another computer class this morning and learned how to use the snip it tool to capture photos, articles, ads, most anything on the net.  I think I'm really going to like it.  My instructor (Danish and still has an accent) doesn't blog so I'm trying this out to see if it works and will report back to her.   This is my desktop clock with semi current time, with my favorite name and color and my Providence yard in the background. 

                                                          COOL!

MAMA BEAR'S UPDATE

Brooke and family came down for Sunday dinner and FHE and he kindly repaired the fairly new hammock that I bought last year.  Those pesky little pack rats came back to the home neighbor Jack and I destroyed last December and they chewed off much of the rope on one side of the hammock - revenge chewing???  So after Brooke repaired it with new ropes, Haedyn tried it out to make sure grams doesn't fall on her head while reading on lovely warm afternoons.  Thanks guys.

After dinner Brooke told us about his very iteresting new training with his Rapid Response Team.  Part of his training was with the famous blackhawk helicopter, getting to know all about it, safey issues, etc and then flying all over the valley which was fun and much nicer than the second part of the training.  This included them hiking up and down mountains on a seek and destroy mission.  They accomplished their goal, but I'm sure he wished  that each night he could soak in those Lava Hot Springs in ID.  Good thing those mountains aren't the Rockies.  He continues this regemine until just before Christmas.

When they left I sent 20 completed blankets for Sunshine to take to her friend who is a nurse at the neonatal unit at Tucson Medical Center (the one dad was in before he died).  I hope they use every one and will continue to make more amid my other projects.

Lance had knee surgery yesterday afternoon and when I talked to him today he was resting in bed with an ice machine hooked up keeping the swelling down.  I walked another mile and a half today after going to an estate sale, but my abdoman is simply killing me right now.  Usually walking helps me.

Love you all,  Mama Bear


Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!

Hello my beautiful family,
Happy Thanksgiving.  Hope you all enjoy time with family and friends (and eating too much turkey dinner of course).  
We have much to be thankful for.
Peace and Love,
Hamilton Howells

Happy Birthday Mary!

Hope Brady made you a delicious cake to celebrate. 

Have a super-duper, uber fun birthday Mary.  We love you! Cheers: Reba, Jesse, Dylan and Rowan

 

 

MAMA BEAR'S HELPERS

It's so nice to have some men around the house to work on my "honey do" list. 

Hyun helps his dad repair broken kitchen table leaf.







Hyun removed shed door to shave off bottom for easier opening.

Taegan and Haedyn sort through books, games and toys to be donated.




Brooke also found scraps of dad's old wood and made two risers for my folding table for cutting quilt blocks.


When I emailed last I forgot to tell you
 that gas here is 44 cents a gallon cheaper than when I filled up in Logan before I came down here - it's $3.19.  That's another reason I like to join these other snowbirds.  I've signed up for 4 computer classes next month to learned more about this new operating system.