Three Weeks in Washington Jan/Feb

It was time for another trip to see the kids in Shelton and Vancouver, Washington so we took a more adventurous route after the plane by light rail from

the airport... and the ferry to Bremerton where Lee picked us up. We took the ferry a couple more times while we were there but with the family for Zachary's birthday.

Joshua is six months now and so cute!

Zach and Whitney had some fun with the segulls following the ferry. Zach turned 12 on Jan. 29th and Whitney turned 16 Feb. 1st.

We went to the museums by the Space Needle and saw the largest guitar in the world. Then we went to the movie "Tron" on the big screen.

Another day when Emily was at school, she pulled out her loose tooth.

That Sunday at church, Zachary was ordained a Deacon. We're proud of Zachary for the good boy he is.

And glad that his grandpa could be with him on this special day.

Since Jeri's sister, Linda, and husband, Rashadd, live not too far away, we decided to go for a short visit. They were at their new place where they manage a large storage unit facility. We got to see their new apartment that is in the same building. It was great to see them!

I (Jeri) continued on in Washington, after that week, at Spencer and Jane's house in Vancouver. Bruce had to fly back to his job. I didn't remember to grab the camera charger before he left, so I didn't get all the pictures I wanted for the rest of the time.

Norah is such a good baby, other than she takes very short naps and doesn't let her mommy sleep very long at night. She loves being down on the floor and is just figuring out the Johnny Jump Up.

Wyatt loves all activities. He's so smart and loves his story/singing group at the library that I got to take him to.

He needed a haircut, so I got to take him for that also. This is after the haircut.

I loved spending time with all my children and grandchildren in Washington. Thanks to everyone who made our stay comfortable and fun!

NEW YEAR 2011

Well, I believe that was about the longest I have left the Christmas tree and decorations up at our house (January 5th). But this year is a little different. There was so much snow around that it still seemed like Christmas. And since Denis and Sarah returned to the U.S. 7 months earlier than we previously thought, they were my Christmas surprise. Sarah and Denis decided that after 2 months of him trying to get a job in Ukraine (besides him performing a few nights a week), they would get Sarah back in school here and find jobs here. Of course, the family is all happy about that. We have given them free reign of the basement to live in and of course love having them upstairs also. Our December was wonderful with Spencer and Jane's family here for the Christmas week. Wyatt is such a fun little boy to be around and loves his Grandpa and Grandma. Norah is a very good baby and I just couldn't get enough of holding her!

Before the snow grew to be over a foot deep, Spencer and Wyatt went outside and played for a while. They threw snowballs and built a baby snowman.

Wyatt remembered his Grandma Great when we visited her on Christmas Day.

For Christmas Eve we had a traditional ham and turkey dinner and Candace's pretzel jello salad was the hit of the night.

We had an evening of sharing by everyone

and then Christmas morning ate our traditional cinnamon-roll breakfast.

Raidon came over with Andy and got better aquainted with his cousin, Wyatt. He even got to spend a night with us. We fell asleep watching "Shreck". With Skype on the computer, we got to spend a little time with family that weren't in Utah. The gang got to hang out at Diane and Dallon's house in Ogden that they recently moved into. Sophie played with the little cousins and showed us her newly painted yellow and pink bedroom. She doesn't like me taking her picture.

Family, friends, and neighbors were very generous with all their thoughts and gifts to us. We're thankful that we have such good people around us. Please accept our heart-felt thanks!

Bruce and I look forward to our trips this month to see my parents in Alabama and hope to spend time with Kathy and Keith. Then we will fly out to Washington again for Zachary's birthday and ordination into the Priesthood as a deacon. I can't believe how fast they are growing up as well as Whitney who will be turning 16 on February 1st! We hope to see Linda and Rashadd at their new home too.

HOWARD HOLIDAY HEADLINES 2010

Picture taken February 2008

A big HELLO to all our family and friends at this festive time of year. We have grown this year from 18 to 21 in numbers. Our main headlines this year were Joshua Johnathan Christopher born on August 3rd to Lee and Karyn's family and Norah Jane born to Spencer and Jane's family on October 13th. Then we enjoyed the wedding of Sarah and Denis Fedotov on October 29th, making our 21st member of the Bruce and Jeri Howard family! We have tried to see each of our families as often as possible throughout the year but it is never enough when about half of us live in Washington state (Lee and Spencer's families) and the other half in Utah. We are spoiled living only five minutes away from Jared and Candace and see them at least once a week. Andy has an apartment in Salt Lake not too far away and Diane and Dallon have just bought themselves a house in Ogden.

We enjoyed a visit from Lee's family in April and celebrated Easter and Raidon's 2nd birthday together.

In May we were able to visit Bruce's father's grave on Memorial Day and took some beautiful Iris from our garden. It's always nice to be able to visit with Bruce's mother.

July was a busy month when Jeri's Garrard family held their family reunion at Daytona Beach, Florida. So before we flew there, we drove to Washington and wished Wyatt a happy birthday early and visited the families there.

We then picked up two of our grandchildren, Zachary and Emily, to go with us to Florida. It made our trip so much more fun to have them along.

The hotel on the beach with all the swimming pools gave us much to do as well as a night out on a small cruise ship for dinner one night.

Jeri's sister, Kathy Underwood, with Zach and Emily

It was wonderful to see so many of Jeri's family there in Daytona. Thank you to sister, Jeanette, and her daughter, Kristina, for all the work they put into it!

Then we flew back to Washington and drove home to Salt Lake.

The next day we picked up Whitney, Lee and Karyn's oldest daughter, from the airport so she could attend EFY at Utah State in Logan. We had time to go to fireworks on the 24th of July with Jared and Candace first.
Whitney was excited to find her dormatory room.

For Christmas last year we told our children that we would begin having Howard Family Reunions every year. So we found a summer home outside of Boise, Id that would fit all of us in. In August everyone in our family except for Sarah, who was in Russia/Ukraine, got together for about three days. We had a great time and it was so fun being all together. We were able to meet our newest member at that time, baby Joshua, and even Great Grandma, Edna Howard, was able to come. We're still working on where we will go next year.

Joshua was blessed the first Sunday of September, so Bruce, Jeri, Jared, and Candace drove to Shelton together.

Some of the Conway nephews and nieces that live in Washington made the trip there also and stayed for a nice dinner at Lee and Karyn's house.

In September Bruce's mother organized a get-together picnic in Orem. All his side of the family came....

....including his sister, Carolyn and husband, Craig Lasker.

Our oldest daughter, Sarah, began attending the University of Utah shortly after returning from her mission to Ukraine in August of 2009. Majoring in Russian, she was able to do a study abroad program there beginning in June. After six weeks when it was over, she wanted to fly over to Ukraine to see friends from her mission....one being Denis Fedotov, who served in the same mission. They had been in touch since her return the year before. As it turned out, they fell in love and became engaged.

It was a short engagement as they returned to Utah to get married in the Salt Lake Temple two months later.

They decided to live in Kiev, Ukraine for about a year after honeymooning at Newport Beach, California.

Wedding planning was about all I (Jeri) did September and October when I wasn't working, going to Choir, eating, or sleeping. But everything turned out wonderful and the bride and groom were, and are, very happy. We really are excited to have Denis for a son-in-law. He is everything we have wanted for our daughter.

We were able to fly to Spencer and Jane's home in Vancouver, WA the middle of November to meet our new granddaughter, Norah.

They are always a joy to be with and they weren't able to attend the wedding because of Norah just being born.

The kids all had fun at Chuckie Cheese Pizza while we were there.

Jared and Candace have decided to adopt a child as soon as possible. They have been working hard getting their home ready and making the adopton arrangements. We wish them blessings in order to receive a little one soon.

Andy became a General Manager for Dominoes Pizza like he was a few years ago. He decided that this is what he enjoys doing and is good at it. He is able to have his son, Raidon, on weekends and we look forward to geeing them both on Sundays if not more.

Diane, out youngest, and Dallon Wheatley were married just one year ago on November 15th. They recently closed on their first home and are now in the process of moving in. It is in Ogden not far from Dallon's work and Diane will begin working for Convergys at home. They now have custody of three-year old Sophie.

Taken at our August Howard Family Reunion before Norah was born. Our grandchildren: Raidon, Wyatt, Whitney holding Joshua, Zachary, Sophie, and Emily

So this was our life for 2010. In the wintertime we have to hunker down inside when the snow blasts us like it has so far this season. And in the summertime we like to work out in our gardens, growing flowers and vegetables and berries. Jeri still works as office manager for a dentist and has 1 1/2 years left in the Tabernacle Choir. Bruce is still with ATK where they have had many lay offs this year. His job changes as people leave but he keeps hanging on. Retirement is not too far away. We've also, with some encouragement from our children, become more conscious about our health and have joined a fitness center where we excercise as well as do a lot of walking outside. We're trying to eat healthier and not as much. It will be a life-long process, but one that will hopefully keep us enjoying our family for many more years to come.

We hope you have a blessed Christmas and New Year. We are thankful for you and for our Father above who makes all things possible. We celebrate the birth of his son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

All our love,

Bruce and Jeri

OUR 2010 NOVEMBER

Norah Jane Howard was born to Spencer and Jane on October 13th, making our 8th grandchild. Bruce and Jeri were able to go see her and the rest of our Washington families the first part of November. She is a beautiful and very good baby.

Wyatt loves his little sister and Jeri enjoyed playing with them both.

After they unwrapped Norah's present, Wyatt tried to wrap himself up.

One day we took Wyatt to get his first hair cut at the salon. He was so good and held very still.

Grandpa got a hair cut at the same time and they both looked very handsome!

Lee's family came to Vancouver to see us and especially to see Norah for the first time. Joshua is just two months older. Someday they'll be able to play together.

We all went to Chuckie Cheese so the kids could have some fun together and we got a bite to eat.

Later after we came back to Utah, we got dumped with snow a few times. This is our back yard when Bruce is shovelling a path for our dogs early one morning.

Last Tuesday we had blizzard conditions and Jeri's Tabernacle Choir rehearsal was cancelled, which doesn't happen very often.

Bruce's 60th birthday landed on the day after Thanksgiving this year, so we had seven that day for dinner and five on the actual day of Thanksgiving. It worked out better that way for the married couples.

This is the group on Bruce's birthday. Somehow, I didn't take a picture when Andy, his friend, Liz, and Rick Garrard came on Thanksgiving Day.

Our little Sophie looked very pretty and had a fun day.

This weekend I got our Christmas decorations inside the house set up. Hopefully we'll have a warmer day outside to put up some lights. I couldn't resist turning Clark into a reindeer for a picture.

Raidon came over and enjoyed the decorations but had the most fun just climbing inside the storage boxes.

He wanted Grandma to put the lid on and stack Santa on top of him. Don't worry.... Grandma was careful not to keep him in there too long so he didn't suffocate.

We have talked with Sarah and Denis quite often on Skype and they are doing well. You can see her blog from my list above. I told them I would send my chili recipe that Denis liked so well when they were here, so I will include it below. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying the Chistmas season. We will get a Christmas letter out sometime in December. Love, Jeri

CHILI

1 1/2 lb. hamburger (I used ground turkey)

1 large green pepper

1 large onion

2 (15 oz) cans red kidney beans

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes (I used frozen tomatoes, with the juice, from our garden and omitted the water below.)

2 cups (15 oz) tomato sauce (I used a can of tomato soup)

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1 Tbs chili powder (I only put in half as much for a milder chili)

2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed

1/2 ground cinnamon

1 large bay leaf

In a large saucepan, cook ground meat with green pepper and onion until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain off excess fat. Add the rest of ingredients and simmer 1 hour stirring occasionally.

As you can see, I made a lot of changes to the recipe, but it is good either way.