Boo!

Happy Halloween!

Hey Taegan, It's your birthday!

Happy 14th Birthday Taegan.  Have fun celebrating with Grandma Gloria and family & friends.  

Love, Montana Howells/Casterson

Hamilton Happenings

We went to Idaho Falls last weekend to see Jesse's brother and family.  Our dear friends Kahne, Nat and Acacia joined us.  As you can see below, there is no fun being had.

Yesterday our family went to gather wood for our fireplace (our main source of heat).  This is the first time we went as a family.  Jesse fell 4 trees, limbed and bucked them all.  The boys and I rolled them down the hill and stacked them in the truck.  It was fun, but exhausting.  I have a new found respect for my husband who has been gathering wood for us since we moved here in 2008.

pure cuteness

Where's Jesse?

The boys did a great job entertaining themselves while we waited for the next round of wood to load.

Here are a couple random photos:

Rowan loves to bake bread with me.  He also LOVES to stack wood with his dad.  He is an amazing helper.  Today is the last day we will be 4.

UPDATE FROM PROVIDENCE AND TUCSON

Last Monday quite a few relatives on both sides of her family met for a graveside service at Logan Cemetery to bid farewell to Constance Lewis Hammond.  The home left the casket open so we could all see her one last time.  A few sprinkles didn't dampen the gathering and I visited with some relatives I haven't seen for 20/25 years (they were children at the time).  Kate drove up to go with me while Lance and Becky were climbing the steps of the Statue of Liberty.  Their kids all went together last Christmas to give them this wonderful week plus trip.

These are the baskets I put together with all the foods that Connie loved that I canned, bakery items that she loved and  a box of Bluebird chocolates that she adored and used to send to all her friends and relatives in Logan, Providence, SLC and elsewhere.  Thanks Holly for those large Stampin Up  flowers that added so to  the decor.  One went to Marcelyn's family and the other to Boyd's.  Brady, Phillip asked about you and what you were doing.  He's bald now and is a computer hacker.  

The next day I flew to Tucson to "supervise" the three youngest children while Brooke, Sunshine and Taryn flew to Great Britain for Taryn to participate in dance competition this weekend.  The weather is gorgeous and warm in low 80's (I may have to come down here in October next year instead of November).  I'm going to keep busy by sewing on Sunshine's huge dress order while she's gone.  Ha, you think I'm kidding don't you!

Yesterday we walked two blocks to a great park with a .5 mile walking path so I could begin my walking regimen to get my cholesterol back down where it was last year.  Ffiona and I did 4 miles, yea!

We spent four hours today going to Green Valley so kids could swim in my pool with water the perfect temp and then we greeted the Termagon guy.  We had to move all furniture out or to opposite side of room and he had to untack and roll up most of the carpet in my office/sewing room.   Another               dastardly termite had a party there and invited many friends leaving a brown mess on the carpet.  I've gone two years without a problem, but I guess those little critters found that crack in my floor.  

to be continued......

ENDURED TO THE END

Dear Aunt Connie passed away yesterday after living in a retirement center for eight months.   She was 102.5 years old and her memory was still great until the last few months when she didn't eat much and slept much of the time.  She was ready to go Marcelyn said when she called last night.  I took this photo at our Lewis Reunion two years ago while she was telling us some great stories of the Lewis family.  She will be buried in Logan Cemetery on Monday afternoon which I plan to attend.  I admired her constant positive attitude and anytime I felt blue or down I'd call her to get a boost of that positive energy for myself.  I'll miss her, but I know there is a big party going on in heaven as she reunites with her sweet husband, Dean, and her wonderful parents and her fun siblings.   

Is Gija concerned?

Caught my cat sitting on my scale. Not sure why he felt the need to weigh himself, but he is an even 10lbs!