Our first Halloween in our New Home

Of course, I wanted to hand out candy....paying for it though:)....we got a huge bag and I've had a ton of fun handing it out and dressing our cute pups up for Halloween!! Another first for the Oliver's!!

Decorations!

Our Pumpkin dedicated to Marcus and his recovery!

A tinkerbell fairy and a hotdog!

Supporting #21

Marcus Lattimore Day #21-10/29/2012

I have been a USC fan as long as I can remember, since I went to my first game with my dad and stepmom as a kid. I dreamed of going to USC and then did. I also attended USC for Grad School. I cannot explain the joy I feel during football and baseball season, but especially football!! I just love it. Every opportunity I get to attend a game, I do it!! This past Saturday, I was on the way to a friend's wedding when the infamous injury of #21 took place. Since Marcus Lattimore came to play at USC, I was a fan. From everything he is, everything he says, and all he stands for, I admire him. He was coming back this season physically stronger than ever after tearing his ACL last season, but unfortunately was hurt again in the last game against Tennessee. The out pouring of love, faith, support, and prayers from the Gamecock nation and football fans all across the country is just mind-blowing. He is not just a football player, he is a man of God, a role model, and someone I hope others look up to. Talking to those who know him, they say, he's everything you've heard-kind, generous, steadfast in his faith, thanks God for all he has, and gives God all of the glory. He was just named team captain, and I know that the Gamecocks could not have asked for a better leader. His faith, strength, and positive outlook is so refreshing, and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for Lattimore in the future. Happy 21st Birthday and Happy Marcus Lattimore Day!!

Play Date

Last weekend, Andrew and I visited a college friend. Jennifer and I met on our first day of orientation at USC. We bonded over the fact that we had both been dating our boyfriends for almost 1 year. A few years later, her boyfriend proposed, and they got married. The same happened for Andrew and myself, a couple years later. Jennifer and I have kept in touch and had lunch over the summer. I got to meet her adorable little girl, Raegan.

Here are some pictures from our dinner and play date:) Raegan was in love with Andrew...

She kept handing Andrew her feet:)

playing with me, not sure about posing though...

But of course, she posed with Andrew

Just so cute 

Color Me Rad

Oct. 20, 2012 was my second 5K!! I ran this one with my dad and a friend from high school. I had a few coworkers, other friends, and even a current student run the race, too. It was COLD but a lot of MESSY fun. It was hard to run through the color stations where they bombed you with color, but lots of fun!!

check out some pictures below:

All white & clean

Cold but fun!

the crowds

The start...

Messy!!

Colored!!!

All Clean

I think my goal for running to try to run one 5K a month...here it goes...

State Fair Adventures

The SC State fair is one of my favorite things about October, besides football, of course...and it's here!!! Andrew and I made it a date night and have some good (really bad for us) food and enjoyed a sea lion show, along with being on the news:) and enjoyed walking around. He is not a fan of fair rides, but I am, but we saved the money and didn't go on any rides (I need Amy back from Minnesota, she loves the rides as much as I do). Here's a recap of our fair adventures of 2012:

Since the fair grounds are right across the street from my most favorite place in Columbia, I had a to take a picture of the new board, now that the outside is finished:)

The start of the night

Enjoying his turkey leg

He played every instrument to play a song...

Sand sculpture

Mine and Amy's favorite ride

2012 Fair Visit

Childhood (and still is) favorite ride, too!

Just love it! 

To end the night...a sea lion show

Great visit, had a corn dog, fries, and of course ended the night with the famous, Fried Snickers, YUMMMMO:) Andrew enjoyed his sausage dog, turkey leg, and fresh lemonade:) 

My 5K Adventures Begin

Saturday, October 6th...that was the day...the day I was dreading..my first 5K. I've heard to get yourself motivated, it's good to sign up for an actual 5K so you will work for it! So I did, but then I signed up for another one, even sooner than the first one. Last year and a few years ago I walked in the Palmetto Walk for Life, which raises money for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. They added a 5K race and this year I decided to take the plunge and go for it!! So yesterday, I did it!! I ran a 5K in an actual race, with an actual race bib and chip!! :) (things I knew nothing of before this race). Don't get me wrong, I was excited but nervous (that's the reason for saying I was dreading it).


When training I hit quite a few bumps in the road and school was the biggest bump. Once school started back, I was so exhausted, running at the end of a long work day seemed impossible, but I found (of course, as I always do) when I actually did it, I began to feel better and more energized.

This past week came and I said I'm going to run 3 miles a day to prepare, Andrew was smart and talked me out of it real quick. I ran 1 mi on Monday, less than 1 mi on Tuesday (at Girls on the Run-the running mentor program with 3rd-5th grade girls at my school-which I love, by the way), and then 3 MILES on Wednesday!!! I was so stoked than I actually finished 3 miles NONSTOP, I was slow but I did it. I knew I could and I made my mind up-I will run 3 miles tonight-and I DID!! Then on Thursday I ran about 1/2 mile (walked most) with the Girls on the Run, and I took Friday night off!!

On Saturday morning, I had 2 goals:
1. Run the whole race, no matter how slow
2. Beat my own personal best (and really only 5K time) of 45:25

Unfortunately, I didn't accomplish both goals. I ran all but one block of my race, there was a super hill LOL in mile 2 and I trucked it up the hill, but then realized at the top, I'm not running, RUN ALEX is what I thought, but then my body said no, so I walked one block before finishing the rest of the race by running.

However, not necessarily intending to, I made my 2nd goal-I finished with a time of 41:28!!! I will say mile 1 felt like a breeze, mile 2 was the HARDEST and involved the death hill, and mile 3 was easier than mile 2, I think because I knew I was almost there, so the adrenaline was pushing me!! I was proud to finish!!!

My second race is coming up on Oct. 20th-the Color Me Rad race and I think my Dad is going to run with me, along with a student in my class and her mom!! How exciting and fun!! I can only go up from here, if I keep running!!

Here are some pics:

Pre-Run

                                                                 Almost there

I can do it....       

                                                                Finished!!!

Thanks for all the support and encouragement!! I appreciate it!!!

Now to keep it up!!

Baby Adventures: Baby Howe has been Revealed

Baby Howe is on the way. Some of our best friends, Jamie and Jordan, are having their first baby. They wanted to surprise everyone with the baby's gender and they wanted to be surprised, how fun!! So we stepped up and said we wanted to help throw their gender reveal party; so Jessie and I got together and made it happen.

Most of the girls voted girl, but the boys all voted BOY and some of the girls, too! We played an Old Wives Tale Game, asking Jamie a question and based on her answer we told her whether the tale said it was a girl or boy. The boy votes won again...and guess what?! The sonogram showed, it's a BOY:) Mr. Tucker Scott Howe will be arriving sometime in mid-February!! I cannot wait to see him, he is literally going to be the cutest baby boy:-)

Here's a recap of all the fun:

Choose your team

getting set up

Skyping with family

Parents to be!

food is ready

boy or girl?

blue vs. pink

getting set up

cute name tags created by Jessie

Pinatas by Jessie, put your order in now:) LOL

which team are you?

Blue? no way!

Are you team pink or team blue?

YUM!

Pinata with Jamie taking the first swing...boy or girl??? (great job Jessie)

Blue=BOY!

Yay for Tucker Scott!!

One proud Daddy to be!

So, as you can see there were many votes for pink, but we all embraced the results:)

Proud, beautiful, glowing Mommy and one ecstatic Daddy

watching the ultrasound dvd:)

watching the ultrasound

So excited to be a part of this new family's life and cannot wait to meet little Tucker Scott:) Congrats Jamie and Jordan!! We love you and baby Tucker!!! 

The Howe's Baby Blog