Gifts From the Heart

Last Christmas Grandma Howes made all the grandkids fleece blankets. Grandpa didn't think the blankets were that good of an idea, but the kids have absolutely loved them. They were a huge hit. This year Angela made the boys robes and PJ's to match their blankets. Thanks to Grandma Wooner for finding the material needed to match Spencer's blanket.

Angela did a great job, and the boys love them!

Preston and Spencer Wearing Their Robes and PJ's

Photo taken: December 25, 2008

Christmas Morning

I know it is hard to believe, but it's true! The kids had us up at 5:30 this morning... The sun wasn't even up yet.

Think Preston is Excited?

Spencer in His New Chair Sporting His New Cap!

Ruby Checking Out Her Hair Dryer!

Santa was pretty good to the kids this year. Their big present was an Xbox with 4 different games.

Mom made the boys fleece robs and PJ's. I will post a blog about them next.

Photo's taken: December 25, 2008

Gingerbread Houses

Preston and Spencer made these fine 'gingerbread' houses, out of 'graham crackers' in school this past week. Spencer wanted to munch on his tonight, and Mom wouldn't let him until Dad had a picture!

Preston and Spencer

Photo taken: December 24, 2008

The Stockings Were Hung By The Chimney With Care

Spencer, Ruby, Preston

Photo taken: December 21, 2008

Christmas Lights

Yesterday evening we took a ride around the valley to enjoy the holiday lights. It is somewhat of an annual tradition for are family. After we had our fill of the decorations, we stopped at Burger King and enjoyed a hamburger together.

Photos taken: December 20, 2008

Preston and Spencer's Ornaments

Today Angela and I went to Preston and Spencer's class at school. The class told us about what they have been learning about Christmas. They have learned about traditions from each continent. Then they showed to us, decorations they had made that represent a tradition of Christmas for each continent. This afternoon they hung their decorations on our tree.

South American Fruit Basket

A Penguin

European Stained Glass

Photos taken: December 19, 2008

Ruby's Ornaments

Ruby made these fine Christmas ornaments out of popcicle sticks and yarn, at school.

Ruby with Her Green and Red Ornament

All Three On the Tree!

Photos taken: December 17, 2008

Prestons Favorite Recipe

Sometime ago Ruby made the family Shepherds Pie. She got the recipe from a cookbook, that we had bought her, for kids. We have modified the recipe somewhat since then but we still make it often. It is absolutely Preston's favorite recipe. He often ask for it, and when we do have it he always has seconds, and sometimes thirds!

A GIRL!

Ruby and Connie Lou

Girls are a rare thing in the Howes family. My parents now have 31 grand, and great grand kids. With the birth of Constance Louise to my sister Racheal and her husband Jay the count now stands at 27 boys and 4 girls. If you have a look at kids that are under the age of ten, the count was 20 + boys and 1 girl; Ruby. Now she has some company, and Ruby couldn't be happier!

Congratulations to the Gubler family and there new little sister.

Photo taken: November 29, 2008

Thanksgiving Trip

We traveled 1,500 miles over the Thanksgiving holiday. We drove to Twin Falls Idaho Tuesday night after I got off of work. Wednesday we drove to Fallon. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Grandpa and Grandma Wooners house.

Ruby Mashes the Spuds!

Glen Carves the Bird



Grandma Made the Best Dinner Ever!




Ashley and Melissa Laughing at ME!





Wesley and Mellany Behind Bars!

Preston Chowin Down

Mellany and Wesley Finishing Up

Photos taken: November 27, 2008

The CHRISTmas Tree - 2008

The Hunt

Ruby, Preston, Spencer

The Perfect Tree
Preston, Ruby, Spencer




Loaded
Angela





Is it Straight
Spencer





The Decorating Begins
Spencer, Ruby, Preston




Getting it Perfect
Ruby, Preston







Almost Done
Ruby, Spencer, Preston






Great Work
Spencer, Ruby, Preston

Photos taken: December 6, 2008

Where the Heck Have We Been?

I haven't had access to a computer, (at home), the past few weeks. Ours has been having problems, and I finally had enough of it, so I ordered a new one. It arrived today! So now the Howes Family is connected to the world once again. I still need to download some software and install the hard drive off the old computer onto the new one, but it is nice being connected once again. I have a lot to catch up on, and I promise to over the next week or so. So check back, there will be new content...Promise!

NFL Week 11 Results and Week 12 Picks

Angela's Picks

Craig's Picks

This Past week Angela won! She beat me by one game. For the year I am well ahead of Angela. I am up on her by 14 games. I am so far ahead there is almost no chance for her to catch me. however if you look at it week to week, I have won 6 times and Angela has won 5. Much closer. And not only that she has won 4 out of the last 5 weeks!

I Spy

I Spy

Photo taken: November 15, 2008

NFL Week 10 Results and Week 11 Picks

Last week Angela and I picked the exact same games, which was pretty amazing considering that there were no bye's, so we were the same on 16 games. Even more amazing we only missed 1 game last week. 15 for 16 is impressive! So who won? Well Angela did! She beat me by score on Monday Nights game!

By the way, I am still whooping the so called experts over at ESPN.

Now for this weeks picks. We didn't do a repeat of last week and pick them all the same.

Angela's Picks

Craig's Picks

Check back next week to see how we did.

All in a Days Hunt

Friday I went hunting with John Cunningham. John is the Safety and Enviromental Manager at Smoky Canyon. We where hunting elk. We finally saw four elk very late in the day, that were very far off. We did not have time to put a stalk on them. however we did see all kinds of wildlife throughout the day.

This beaver was working hard at building a damn in the nearby creek. He was puttting the hurt to several aspen trees.

We saw deer all day along, including these four. We saw several nice bucks. Of coarse deer season is closed in the area we were hunting!

We also saw a few moose, including this cow and calf. Besides the animals above we also saw a couple of golden eagles, a badger and lots of water fowl.

Photos taken: November 7, 2008

Witch Emily

Halloween night we participated in a couple of the local trunk-or treat activities. Auburn had a trunk-or-treat at 6:00, and then Afton had theirs at 7:00. It was great fun. Emily came as herself! OOPs...just kidding she dressed as a witch, and a good one at that! She made her own costume! The homemade costumes are always so much better, don't you think?

After trunk-or-treating we let the kids hit a couple of streets in town. We went down Madison Ave. When we came to 5th street the kids knocked on the door of the house the we rented for 6 months, when we first arrived in Star Valley. I asked the kids if they recognized the house. The boys did not at all, and Ruby said, "yah??? It looks familiar, but I can't quite place where I remember it from"! The house has been fixed up very much since we lived there! It is now a much nicer house.

The Headless Horsemen made an unexpected appearance at the trunk-or-treat in Afton. It is truely one of the best costumes I have ever seen! It sure is a local hit.

Photo taken by Angela: October 31, 2008

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Fresh From the Oven

Each year at Halloween, Angela makes us a batch of roasted pumkin seeds! The kids and I love them. They are easy to make, the hardest part is getting the gunk cleaned from the seeds.

Photo taken: November 1, 2008

NFL Week 10 Picks

Angela and I picked exactly the same games this week. We have been picking for years now, and I can't remember a time when we both picked exactly the same! So this week it will come down to the score, so this week I will post are picks for the total score of Monday nights game.

Angela - 51

Craig - 39

NFL Week 9 Results

How time flies! I have so many things that I have meant to post about lately that I haven't got to yet. I am going to try and do some catching up today!

Here it is Saturday and I haven't posted last weeks results for our weekly pickum contest. That wouldn't be so bad but one game for week 11 is already in the books!




This past week I bested Angela by a single game. She has been in a groove lately, and has been picking very well.

Preston and Spencer's Costumes

We took the easy way out with Preston and Spencer this year. We bought their costumes! Shame on us!

Photo taken: October 31, 2008

Master Pumpkin Carvers

This year Dad handed over the carving tools and let the kids do their own! I didn't help in the least bit!

Preston's is Always Going to do Something Goofy

Spencer's Distorted Face

Ruby's Snaggle Tooth

Photos taken: October 29, 2008