School Begins

I was sad to see summer come to an end this week....

We started school on Wednesday. Grant started 7th grade @ Bunsold Middle School and Shelby started 5th grade @ Creekview Intermediate. Libby will start preschool in two more weeks! It was a crazy busy week with new schools, new schedules & new "wake up" times! :-) Everyone survived and I think we've gotten into a routine. Grant is playing middle school football and hockey this year. Its pretty hectic right now but he's really enjoying the chance to play football with his friends from school. He had his first hockey game of the season this weekend as well. As usual, he is making us proud on the field (or ice)!

Everyone leaves the house at different times this year...so I didn't get a chance to take the standard 1st Day of School pictures...but here are some from Friday night when the kids were getting ready to go to the 1st High School football game of the year.

Happy 10th Birthday Shelby

Saturday was Shelby's 10th birthday. Where, or where do the years go? Seems like just yesterday we were anxiously awaiting her birth, Grant was "almost 3" and Libby wasn't even a thought.

Shelby has grown up so much this past year. She is excited about starting Intermediate School this week & she loves cheerleading! I can only imagine the wonderful things that are in her future!

We love you & are so proud of you Shelby...our sweet, caring, kind, beautiful middle child!

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Shelby with Libby at her birthday party

Happy 4th Birthday Libby!

It's hard to believe that she is 4 years old. She is such a sweet girl in every way & truly the light of our lives. It's really sad for our "baby" to grow up....but we've enjoyed every minute of these past four years! We LOVE you Libby!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

My Champion

Grant's baseball team is AMAZING! I know I've said it in previous posts....but seriously, this team is unbelievable! This past weekend they won the USSSA AAA 12U State Championships. This is a BACK 2 BACK State Title for 5 of these boys. Amazing! Grant pitched on Friday night, 6 innings, allowing only 1 Hit! Great Job Grant and Coach Mike!

Wow....

In an effort to NOT top Mike's running accomplishments--I've been holding off on Grant's.

His baseball team is off to a superb start this season. After 21 games, their record is:

20-0-1 (including 2 Tournament Championships!)

WOW is really all I can say about this awesome group of boys. They are all funny, smart & talented kids and they also have amazing families. I'm sure most people think we're nuts....with the schedules we keep, but we wouldn't have it any other way! Congratulations to our Super Team! :=)

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Cap City Half Marathon

Mike ran the Cap City Half Marathon this morning in downtown Columbus. What an accomplishment! If you know our family @ all---you know what an amazing transformation Mike has made over the last 18 months. There are not words to describe how proud we all are of him.

Congratulations Mike!

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Congrats to our neighbors & friends who also ran (Brian, Eric, Kevin & Matt)!!

Shelby's DI Trip to Japan

Shelby was lucky enough to participate in DI (Destination Imagination) again this year. Her team & her fabulous coach (Miss Brown) worked very hard for several months on their challenge. Their competition was 2 weeks ago in Delaware, OH. They placed 4th overall...which is a HUGE achievement!

We are so proud of you Shelby!

Hockey Over?

Grant finished up his hockey season this past weekend in Nashville, TN at the Country & Western Showdown. His team had a fantastic season...with WAY more wins than losses. They were 1st place in 3 tournaments (including the one this weekend), 2nd in another. They tied for 1st in the league & won the league year end tournament.

Congratulations Grant!


Now...on to baseball!

Buckeye Cruise for Cancer 2009

Mike & I had the pleasure of going on the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer in February. We went with our great friends, Lance & Karla. It was an AMAZING time for a great cause. The men were star-struck the entire team & were smiling non-stop as they rubbed elbows with all the Buckeye greats! The gals were just happy to keep a drink in hand & soak up the sun! We stopped in Key West, FL & Cozumel, Mexico. Mike & I visited the Mayan Ruins @ Tulum during our stop in Cozumel. WOW! That was beautiful & very educational.

Picture Pages

A blog buddy tagged me for a photo meme. Like her, and many moms, I too have a mazillion photos. But here's the one and the rules.

1. Go to the the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.

2. Post the 4th picture in the folder.

3. Explain the photo.

4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun!

This is Mike running in a 5K this past August!

Fellow Bloggers being tagged are:

Brad & Angie, Lori, & Jaime. (can't come up w/4 who haven't already done it)

Merry Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas to All!

I've never been one to write a "Christmas letter"...while I really do enjoy reading other people's when they arrive in the mail! We've had a wonderfully blessed 2008. Our three children are healthy, active & successful in just about everything they do.

Thank you to all our family & friends who have touched our lives this year!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

See you in 2009,
The Howard's

Conversations with a 3 1/2 year old

Libby: (yelling) "Mom, I need to show you something"
Me: "What is it Libby?"
Libby: "My baby, her mouth, look"

I look. The baby's mouth. Has pepperoni in it.

Me: "Libby why did you put pepperoni in your baby's mouth?"
Libby: "Mom, she was really hungry"

Congratulations...Again!

Grant's hockey team is on a bit of a roll. They won the Pittsburgh Vipers Thanksgiving Tournament this past weekend. Congrats!

Oh how I long for these days...

On a cold, rainy day when it's 33 degrees...just barely hovering above freezing--I long for this day again!

Halloween 2008

Congrats Caps!

Grant's hockey team, Columbus Capitals, won the Rock-n-Roll Cup in Cleveland OH this weekend! Congrats Grant!

Ahoy Cap'n!

to err is human, to "Arrrrr" is Pirate!

Autumn Days

"For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together.
For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad."- Edwin Way Teale

The Wrath of IKE

Really....who would believe that the remnants of a HURRICANE that hit South Texas would find it's way to the midwest and Ohio?? After last Sunday & the week that followed...I am a believer. Sunday afternoon delivered Ike to us with a bang. We experienced sustained 70+ MPH winds for about 6 hours. The girls & I drove home from Dublin watching in disbelief as trees were snapped & I had a death-grip on the steering wheel. When we arrived home, we found a home without power and minus some siding. We spent the next few hours watching our neighbors homes lose various pieces, parts, trees, etc. We joyfully ordered a pizza as the power did not return.

As day became night, it became obvious that DP&L had bigger & better things to fix...so we scrambled for flashlights & candles and warned the kids about opening the fridge. When the next morning brought more of the same, it became apparent that this might be something we were going to live with for a while.

Four days later, our power was restored. All-in-all, life without power was a small "inconvenience". We got just a small taste of what the people in Texas & Louisiana are still living thru and our hearts & prayers go out to them. We were blessed with friends who opened their homes for laundry, lights & Sunday night football!! We were creative in cooking on the grill and we gave the fridge a much needed cleaning!

May we remember to always help our neighbors in need and be thankful for what we have. I think the kids will remember this week for a long time to come...

Happy 12th Birthday Grant!

Grant chose to have a birthday lunch @ House of Japan....so, that's what we did yesterday. It is so hard to believe that you are turning 12 today. It really seems like just yesterday when we brought you home from the hospital. Wow....from 6lbs 12 oz to 5'2" & strong.

We love you and are so proud of you Grant!