A Lil Of This & That

Life has been CRAZY around here. Hubs and I have both been super busy and the kids have been too. I figured it was about time to update you on the Howells:)
It's kinda my fault that we've been extra busy. A couple of weeks ago,I created a Hubby-2-Do-List and I created a wifey-2-do list too. I figured that way hubby would know the things that I'd like done(that I can't do myself) around our house, without me having to nag tell him and I wouldn't forget the things I need to do. I decided the best place to place his list was above the toilet in his bathroom...lol Noone really uses that bathroom so I figured it would give him something to look at...lol I am proud to say, he has started and completed a couple of those things already!!!! Way to go hubby!!!!!!!! These lists are something we've always done and it helps to keep us motivated.
As for me, DFCS has kept me so busy and so have the kids. The Jelly Bean now has 4 or more appointments each week (2 in my house & 2 or more out of my house).
I've been having some allergy issues that have been driving me nuts,so I haven't felt like me lately. I've also got poison oak(which I'm highly allergic to) on my arms. I think I caught it from handling Jacob's clothes, because he got into some last week. That stuff has been driving me crazy. Then my friends little one year old was here last week and he almost closed the door on his hand. I jumped to grab the door and ended up getting my own fingers mashed(better me than him),which bruised three of my fingers and caused blood to build up under my nails...grrr I was told most likely I will loose three of my nails...grrr So I've had a time with my hands this week. Other than that, life is really going good right now!!!! We've got alot of great things going on in our lives. God is opening doors and blessing our family. He is good...always!!!!

Here are a few pics of the Howell bunch....

Samantha and Ashley

In Panama City Beach Florida.

Samantha and Ashley along with Samantha's MIL and SIL took a trip to Florida last week to spend a little time on the beach. They had a great time!!!

Ashley came home for one night, but she's been gone ever since. She is going to be babysitting over the summer, so she is going to be pretty busy.

Look at that beautiful beach picture below, Ashley took it...geee I wish I was there.

But I'm glad Ashley got to go.

We are in saving money mode,so we are skipping vacation this year:(

But if I was going on vacation,that is where I'd want love to be.)

Ashley and her friend Hannah in Florida.

Samantha caught one!!!

Another good picture of Samantha.

Lee and Samantha are doing great. They are looking for a place of their own, They have been living with Lee's dad in his basement(which is like a mini house) but they are ready to have their own space. I hope soon they will have their own home. Lee just got a new job working where Anna's hubby works and he really seems to like it...so life is good there too.

 Below is a picture of

Samantha's Dog...well it was...

Samantha came over yesterday to let us meet her new baby. She just got an 11 month old husky puppy. She was so excited. She decided to tie it to a tree (since I don't like dogs in my house) and she was not thinking(none of us was) that the dog had not been on a leash before and would not know how to act. Well, the first thing the dog did was wrapped his self up in a little tree that was planted right next to the tree he was tied too. The dog twisted his self so much that the rope wrapped around his neck so tight that he couldn't breath. I ran to grab a kitchen knife to try to cut the rope off ,but it was so tight that we struggled to get to it to cut, which took a couple of minutes. The dog was already going limp and we all panicked...really. It was so scary. I finally decided that I'd rather just take a chance at cutting the dogs neck ,then I would to just set there and not do nothing, because it was going to die. We managed to get it cut off,and somehow it didn't cut his neck(which still amazes me because we didn't even have finger room between the neck and rope). We did chest compressions until the dog finally came back to himself.  I ended up peeling one of my finger nails back and popped it loose trying to save that dog...ouch! I told you I was having a time with my hands this week.
Then, after all that we went through to save her dogs life, It decided to run away today and they haven't been able to find it. So they are heart broken.

Katie has been enjoying her summer break. She's been spending a lot of time at her grandmothers and with her friends. I want my kids to be close to their grandparents and I'm glad that they enjoy being with them ,because I know their grandparents enjoy their visits. Katie has been doing lots of dating, fishing,swimming, and taking lots of fun pictures. I wanted to share a few she has in her photo collection. *I didn't take these pictures*. This is Katie in her grandmothers pond. I thought it looked really neat.

and in the grass.

Katie with one of her friends.

I thought I taught her not to play in the road...lol

Down on the farm...

She's been down to the farm too, riding horses with Tiffany.

She loves horses too!

I need to try to get some new pictures of Jon to add. He is always on the go. If he's not working,he is at church, or hanging out with friends. He is my most faithful child when it comes to church. He really enjoys church and never misses a service or Sunday school...if he can help it. I'm really proud of the young man he is becoming. He will be leaving next month for a trip to Florida too. He is going to spend a week there with some of our church family/friends. He is really excited and looking forward to that.

Jacob Noah, hasn't been doing so well this week. He had a tummy bug with a sore throat and a high 105 fever. However, he is seldom sick,but when he gets sicks he runs very high fevers...which causes him to hallucinate....which was really bad this time. But, he seems to be getting better this evening...thank goodness. I hate when my little man is sick.

Corey,Anna, and Brookelyn at Dylan's graduation.

Congratulations Dylan!!!!!!

Brookelyn with Uncle Dylan

Corey and Anna are doing just fine. They work alot which is fine with me...lol. because when theyare at  work, lil Brookelyn stays with MeMe:) I really enjoy that little punkin.
I love the stage she is in now. She reaches for your face and gives you kisses now and she tries hard to talk to you. She is just precious. I took her today to see my Mom and Mom loved that. Then I took her to see Anna at work. Anna was so excited to share her baby with all her co workers.
Brookelyn will be starting physical therapy on Friday ,in
hopes of building up strength in her neck muscles. If you notice in most of her pics her head leans down and to one side...therapy will help to fix that.

Ashley and Katie with their friend Tiffany at the Rome River Jam.

Update on Jelly Bean...

Jelly Bean turned 4 months this week!!!!!

She is eating a little now by mouth. It's not enough to come off of the feeding tube,but a little is better than what it was. She takes about 1-2 ozs per day by mouth now. However, the formula she takes in the pump has a terrible taste that she doesn't like at all. So they told me to try another formula by mouth ,mixed with sweetener for flavor. She likes that formula's taste better ,but it's kinda upset her tummy and made my 100% content little baby into a fussy one these last two days. I

just don't think this formula is going to work . So I'm not sure what we are going to do about that. She will be going to the doctor tomorrow and I've got to talk with her about it.

 Jelly Bean started therapy last week with Babies can't wait. They will be coming to our house working with her twice a week .for now .in hopes that they will help her to come off of these tubes.

Look what we found in our back yard this week.

It's a hornets nest...ewwwww

I'm glad we found it before our pets or kids did.

Other than that...

We were blessed to have Bailey here last week. She stayed a few nights with us. We spent a couple of days at her Daddy's house in the evening putting a new swing set together for her. We had bought her one a while back so that she would have something to do for the summer and I'm so glad we finally got it together. She called today and said she has been playing on it everyday. I love her little phone calls. It makes me happy to know that she thinks of us and that they let her call us.

We also get to have her again next week for vacation Bible school!

I'm so excited about that and I'm really looking forward to VBS 2010!

Bailey really enjoys church and being with other kids.

I get to take her and 4 of my other fosters next week...yay!!!!!

One more thing before I go...

Please remember my Mom. As many of you know my mom has been having alot of health issues for a long time now. The doctors have tried all kinds of procedures and each has only been temporary fixes. So next Tuesday they are doing to do a pretty serious surgery on her back in hopes that it will help her with her legs and with walking. Please keep her in your prayers. They have put this surgery off as long as they could,but it's come to the point now that it has to be done. Thanks in advance for all your prayers.

Have a great week everyone and thanks for stopping by:)