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* * *Happy Holidays* * *
Merry Christmas! * * * * * *
Hi! Hope this year has been full of blessings for you and yours!
We have had a good year. Busy and full of changes.
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Mark's a teenager now- 13. As tall as I am now. Nick crossed over into
BoyScouts this summer. He's 11. Jenny just recently lost her first front tooth- (slow like
her dad). She's 9.
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Our pond filled up in the spring and is now stocked with all sorts of fish. The kids
had fun fishing over the summer. This next year, the fish should be large enough to eat.
Allen and the boys built a little wooden 8 foot boat to use on it also. It's been so cold
already that they have even done some ice skating on the pond, around the edges where
it's not too deep. They skated on Thanksgiving day and just this past weekend.
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I put out a big garden again this year. Planted a strawberry patch, an asparagus
patch, and an herb/ perennial garden. I felt like I spent all summer pulling weeds!
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One of our hens hatched out 2 batches of chicks. Three in May and six in August.
Only got 3 new hens out of the 9 chicks. Oh well, more chicken and dumplings I guess!
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Jenny got a rabbit- a Silver Marten, in April for her 4-H project. She showed him
at the county fair in Aug. She won the "Best Opposite" with him against the
other silver
martens. His name is B B.
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Mark's project was Creative Writing. He won for his age group in the county and
got to go on to the Ohio State Fair to compete. He didn't place there, put did get 2
ribbons and a big trophy for it. He does have a gift for writing. I know I'm always
impressed when I read his stories.
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* * Nick's project was Archery for 4-H. There was no competition for him to do, but
I think he enjoyed it. He just won a coloring contest at school and received $10.00 for
it.
In Oct., he won a poster contest and received $3.00. Last year he won second place in a
newspaper coloring contest and won $5.00. Maybe we have an artist here? * *
In the spring, at school, all 3 of them had a book fair poster contest. They had to draw
about a book of their choice. Each of them won 1st place in their classes! I thought that
was so neat. They all got a free book of their choice at the book fair for their prize. *
In June, we went on vacation up into the U.P. of Michigan. We camped, of course.
Had a real nice time. Went to the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. Spent a day on Mackinac
Island-just beautiful! Went to Whitefish Point -to a shipwreck museum and lighthouse.
Took a glass bottom boat tour to see sunken ships in the lake. Our last night, we went to
a
50's musical show. Just had a real fun time. * * * *
* Allen just bought himself a small tractor on Saturday (9th). He has plans to build
another barn this spring/summer. Of course, he'll be planting more trees too. He only
planted a 1,000 or more this past year! He's still working at Sumark 6 hours a day and
doing side work at home... And always wanting to build something! * *
* * We changed churches this past spring. We've been attending Beech Grove Church
of the Brethren, just a couple of miles away. We haven't officially joined but probably
will
soon. I start typing the weekly bulletins the first of the year. We are also part of the
church's Dart Ball team. We play every Monday night against other churches. It's a dart
game, but with kind of a "baseball field" board. There are nine players to a
team and you
have to score runs to win and you throw the darts underhanded! * * *
* I'm still doing Moms in Touch Thursday mornings. Then at 3:00, I help with
the weekday afterschool christian program. We usually have around 10 kids that come.
This is a program the community has done in the county schools for 30 years or so.
They use to do it in the schools during 1 recess a week for 3rd graders and had 40 or 50
kids come. This year it didn't work out to do it during school. I pray it can go back to
that. So many more kids would be reached! * * *
* * Well, I guess that's most of what has happened this past year. Each month the
boys write up a newsletter on our home website. www.Bright.net/~Howellru. Our email
address is Howellru@bright.net. I still haven't took time to learn how to email, I know I
need to. I guess that can be one of my New Years resolutions. * *
* We have been blessed this year and I give God the Praise and Glory- For every
good and perfect gift comes from him (and he helps us through those not so
"perfect"
times too!) And of course, His most perfect gift-- We have in Jesus! What a
"perfect"
time of year to celebrate all of his wonderful gifts he's given to each of us. Let us all
remember them and Him all year long. It's the gift that keeps on giving! We all wish you
a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! * * *
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* * Merry Christmas and God Bless! * *