Barry & Christy

Monday, December 22, 2025

2025 Christmas Letter

Dear Friends & Family,

I hail from a heritage of women who appreciate some merriment in life. Maybe you do too. Below are just a few humorous memories from our year.

Actual things we’ve said to our kids this year:

Please keep the fly swatter out of the oatmeal

Don’t use your spoon as a sword!

Don’t use your sword as a spoon!

Please don’t brush your nose with your toothbrush

No running with a sword!

No running with the ipad!

No running with your instrument!

Please stop eating your leg!

Please don’t hand me your snot

Frozen peas go in your soup, not in your armpit!

Actual places we have found our children’s socks:

In the firewood bag

Under the porch

In the garden

Under the swing-set

Countless loose socks around a certain child’s carseat

In the sink

In the garage

In the gravel pile

Under the front bushes

In the basement

Along the driveway

And many, many more…

Mabel (age 3) to Mommy -- “Oh my dear Mommy! I have holes in my ears! TWO holes in my ears!”

Amelia (age 8) found Mabel (age 3) sitting naked on a chair holding a stick with her wet undies hanging from the end, almost like one would hold a marshmallow over a fire. Amelia asked Mabel what she was doing and Mabel responded “Just waiting for my undies to dry!”

Wishing you many moments of joy and happiness in 2026,

Christy and the Howe crew (Barry, Ansel-10 yo, Amelia- 8yo, Conall-5yo, Mabel-3yo)

PS Here are some pictures from the year!

Monday, December 23, 2024

2024 Christmas Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

Pruning seems like the right metaphor for our family in 2024. Last year, I (Barry) gingerly snipped a few branches on each of our young apple, peach, and pear trees. This year, I grew wiser and more ruthless, whacking off what seemed like a shocking amount of branches. The fruits of this cutting lesson were manifest in our first real crop of apples and peaches.

Christy and I have also made some painful cuts on the farm by scaling back our gardening ambitions. We have recommitted to pruning out the little sprigs of time we waste here and there on our devices. We also regularly face pruning dilemmas with my work responsibilities and running. Ansel and Amelia have pruned free time as they work on homeschool and music practice instead. Even Conall and Mabel are learning to help more with family chores and participate more fully in family endeavors.

What fruit have these pruning activities yielded?

-The three older children started learning how to downhill ski at the Camden Snow Bowl (just 10 minutes from our house!)

-The kids have all participated in swim lessons at our local YMCA and have made great progress

-Ansel and Amelia are learning piano, Amelia is about to have her Suzuki book 1violin recital, and Conall is starting cello! Mabel attempts to play all of her older siblings instruments, especially Amelia's "'lin" (violin).

-we hired an architect and ultimately finalized plans for our last (?hopefully!) big renovation push on our house

-began work on an apartment/guest space above our garage. It should be finished this year, so consider yourself invited over for a visit!

-Absolutely soaked in the delight of having a two-year old in the house!

-Christy continues to lead out in a homeschool nature group

-We joined a Charlotte Mason homeschool co-op where the kids have participated in art, civics, and made lots friends

-harvested a great crop of strawberries

-made our annual camping pilgrimage to Metallak Island on Richardson lake, Maine.

-spent many hours reading and crafting by the fire as the weather grew colder

-have filled our days to the brim with both the hard and the incredible good of homeschooling our children

Pruning is hard. We don't always get it right. But the fruit is worth it, especially the spiritual fruit of Divine love in our hearts and the character's of our children as they grow. We pray that all of you will taste at least a hint of that fruit in the coming year.