Merry Christmas

We are one week into our Christmas vacation and have had a lovely relaxing time.  I thought I would share with you a few of the things we have been up to.  

Milo was my first model after I unwrapped my new camera lens!  Isn't he handsome! Also check out our completed Advent calendar.  One of the day boxes fell off and Milo chewed it up before we could put it back, besides that, I have to say it turned out pretty adorable.  

For Christmas Eve and Christmas day our friend Brittany stayed at our house and enjoyed the holidays with us.  She is wearing the scarf I made her for Christmas.  Not too shabby, huh?

Edna found the boys some fun beer toys for Christmas.  Here they were trying to figure out how to use their new beer belts.  Uncle Ryan thought maybe he could use his as a kid carrier.  

This is Arabella.  She is just too cute not to share. 

Also too funny not to share...Ryan also got a pair of onion goggles for Christmas.
What a hunk! 

Our break has been filled with relaxation, friends, and way too much food! Here are a few things we have accomplished with our time off from work.  We spent some time reading/napping. 

I washed and organized all the baby's clothes.  Now I just have to find a space for them all!  I never realized how much space such a little baby could take up! 

 Ryan built his new toy.  It is a salt water fuel cell car.  Then he let it ride around the floor and Milo chased it, while barking loudly, for as long as we could stand it!

Yesterday I hemmed all my maternity pants, so I can finally stop wearing them with 4 inch cuffs.  While I had my machine dug out, I decided to try my hand at an applique.  I added the tie to the tiny onsie you can see below.  I think Baby Howe is going to be one styling little guy.

Lastly, I added the picture of Baby Howe and I at 30 weeks.  This was taken on Christmas day.  It is hard to believe that in only 10 more weeks we will get to meet our little man!

Snow, Snow, and More Snow!

For a little over a week we have been getting snow almost everyday.  Wrangell is so beautiful covered in white.  The green from the trees peaks through and the occasional sun shines brightly off the snowy mountain tops.  The weather has been pretty mild most days too.  This weekend we were able to get outside and do some snowshoeing.  Below are some photos from our adventure.  

Milo loves pouncing in the snow. 

He kept sticking his head down into the snow. 

Thanks to AJ's awesome Christmas gift,
our car has been transformed into Rudolph!

Tonight we went to the Chorale's Christmas Concert.  Our friend, Brittany met us there and we throughly enjoyed the music.  Afterwards we were headed to the car and I excitedly told Brittany she needed to take a look at our awesome Christmas car! Unfortunately, when we got to the car, it was missing an antler!  As you can imagine I was extremely bummed, especially because I had only put the decorations onto the car yesterday.  Immediately Ryan blamed it on some youngster, but then he remembered what really happened... 

On the way to the concert, Ryan farted and quickly opened the car window to try to let out the stink!  At the time neither of us thought about the poor antler that had fallen into the road.  

Despite knowing that it was probably lost forever or broken, we drove home super slow with the bright lights on to try to find the missing antler.  Just as we were about to admit defeat, I spotted a little brown antler lying in the road.  Much to our surprise it was still intact and didn't seem to have been ran over!  It was a Christmas Miracle!  When we got home we moved the antlers to the back windows and put on the child lock so we don't have another case of the missing antler on our hands! 

"Midnight" Madness

Wrangell holds an annual festivities they call "Midnight Madness" in which the stores have sales and they stay open late, all they way until 8PM.  The high school choir sings Christmas songs, Santa comes to visit, and they light up a big tree downtown.  Ryan and I moseyed on down and joined in the fun.

We made some purchases at the craft sale.  Milo got a stocking stuffer, some homemade doggie treats.  I bought some yummy Filipino food.  Ryan picked out a nutcracker.  It is pretty great!

Also I wanted to post a picture of Ryan's Christmas snacks as proof that I did in fact bake for him. 

December in Alaska

Hi!  I am sitting in school super early on a saturday morning administering the SATs.  So I thought what better way to use my time than to write a blog post for my friends and family!  Christmas is in full swing at the Howe household.  Decorations are up, we have a cozy fire every night, and delightful music is often filling the room!  Oh and check out our tree... it is so beautiful!  Last year I decided to be Martha Stewart-like and decorated our tree in silvers and blues, but Ryan HATED it!  He made such a stink about having a traditional tree with gaudy decorations and the color red.  So I after Christmas last year, we picked up a bunch of cheap ornaments everywhere we went.  I have to admit I can't stop getting lost in our tree this year, it is so much better and Ryan was right!

At the beginning of the week we took our Christmas card  photos and our cards are being processed now, so you can look for those in the mail in the next few weeks!  When I was picking out the best photos and doing some editing, I couldn't believe how big my belly has gotten!  I want to share a picture, but you'll have to wait to get our card!

We have been watching the snow line creep down the mountains around us for weeks and for the last few days we finally have snow!  In fact when I look out the window right now there are fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky.  Of course the snow here is nothing compared to what I grew up with; as soon as it hits the ground it turns to slush and yuck.  But it is pretty when it is coming down!

For other news, I am almost done with my multicultural education course.  I just finished my last lesson and have two weeks to turn in my final project.  I cannot explain how good it will feel to be done with that!

For now that is all I can think of.  We love you all very much!

Travels & Thanksgiving

 Last weekend I got to go to Anchorage for some educational training.  Ryan decided to take Friday off of work and by a ticket to go with me!  We needed a little get away, since we probably won't leave Wrangell again until the baby is born.  So we hopped on a jet and got to Anchorage Friday afternoon.

Our friends Edna, Matt, and their daughter Arabella picked us up from the airport and took us out for some delicious pizza! We spent every second (besides the time I was at training) with them and had a fantastic little vacation.

We ate tons of food, shopped like crazy, and even made a trip to the bowling alley for some cyber bowling!  The first game I did awful (as usual).  Everyone was in the hundreds and I had an 84.  I was actually really happy with that because I usually score somewhere around a 60.  Before we started the second game I told them all, I was just hustling them and I was going to kick their butts the next game.  We all almost died when I won!  They were pretty disgusted with the fact that a pregnant lady beat them!  

Our flight home was beautiful.  This was the Wrangell St. Elias mountain range, which is near Anchorage, as we flew over it.  I hope it makes those of you who are coming up, even more excited to come up and visit us in April (although you won't see this same sight, I promise you will think Southeast Alaska is just as amazing).




When we got home, we picked up Milo and gave him all his new toys and bones.  He was one happy puppy!

Our trip was so much fun!  We enjoyed seeing our long lost friends and spending time in a different place, but we were happy to be back to our cozy little home.







This week was Thanksgiving, so school was only in session until Wednesday.  That same day we got to pick up our friends, Andrew & Erica, who came down from Anchorage to visit us for the holidays.  Andrew and Ryan grew up together and it felt like they were never apart even though we haven't seen them in a couple years!


















On Thanksgiving, Erica and I baked pies to contribute to the feast we ate at our friends', Megan & Jason, house.  They were a smashing hit!  One was a german chocolate pecan pie and the other was a pumpkin pie with a yummy strudel topping.

The next day, instead of battling people in stores shopping for the best deals like everyone else on the planet, we were able to take a relaxing drive and see some of the beauty Wrangell has to offer.  Everyones favorite spot for the day was Petroglyph Beach.  Andrew and Erica found some sea anemones in a couple different tide pools and Milo thoroughly enjoyed sprinting around in the mud!

Obviously we would love to be home for the holidays and miss you all so much, but we are so thankful to have such good friends.  Our vacation has been lovely and we were surrounded with fun and friendship.

Now it's time for the Howe Christmas celebration to begin! We have put up the tree and several of the decorations and Pandora has been set to Christmas music for the last 3 days.

We love you all and miss you dearly!
Love, Heather, Ryan, Baby Howe, & Milo

Whoa, Baby!

On Tuesday I hit the 24th week mark of my pregnancy.  Baby Howe is as large as an ear of corn (about 12 inches long)!  Everything seems to be going well.  For the first time in my life I have a rock hard stomach! Recently the doctor did a blood test and I found out I am anemic, but I am hoping by taking some extra iron each day I will get back on track begin to feel less tired.

Last week I took some more pictures to share with you.  My belly is expanding and I am now able to feel the our little guy kicking me.

I also wanted to share with you Ryan's latest purchase.  I would also like to note that I did not approve this!   He is so excited to own a red track suit.  What a weirdo! 

Halloween

Happy Halloween!  This was the "costume" I made for me and Baby Howe.

Milo really liked batting the pumpkin around & wanted to get his picture taken too.

Tonight Silje was getting a lesson in brewing from Uncle RyRy.  

Then she got a little carried away and started splashing the grains around!