Happy Birthday to Sam

Our nephew Sam is 16 today! What a great age -- what an exciting Birthday! Bob and I and the entire Hougen family met up for dinner last night in celebration of Sam and my birthdays. I still say it -- we're twins, that Sam and I! I think he really believed it when he was very young, and even if he really didn't believe it, well I like to think he did! This is Matt and Sam, and, it's almost a rare occasion to have Matt around..... What a fun evening we all had.

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY SAM :)

Who Do I Work For? LodgeNet

The day is here - the sale of On Command is complete. We were sold to our largest competitor -- LodgeNet, housed in Sioux Falls, SD. So, today is my first day of work - we are now considered 'The New LodgeNet'. Now, day 1 is difficult to know if you are going to like the Company - or if they are going to like me for that matter, but here is how we celebrated the new Company! First Day - Champagne and Cookies....... I think I'm liking it so far :)

Happy Birthday to Higgy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIGGY :)

Bob's best friend, Higgy passed away April 8, 1995 - 1 week after his 45th birthday. I can probably say -- Higgy was Bob's best friend, and I often think that if he had not passed on, the three of us would be living together :). All in good company, he was a GREAT guy, and I miss him dearly myself. So, today is his birthday and and he would have been 57 today. Each year, Bob and I visit Higgy's grave and have a beer with him. Most people (probably the normal people) adorn their loved one's graves with flowers - Bob and I always leave a full can of beer for Higgy. Well, if he were alive we'd probably be drinking a beer with him anyway!

Happy Birthday dear friend, Higgy! We love you!

Emmett Walker Anderson

We have a new family member! Emmett Walker Anderson was born yesterday, March 20, 2007. Welcome to the world Emmett! It will be so much fun watching him grow up.

Congratulations to Luke and Karen!

He's beautiful :)

Cabbage Galore ...

Years ago -- and it's probably been at least 15 years ago, my Mom sent me this article of my Uncle August (her brother) from the local newspaper for some of the smaller towns in ND - the Emmons County record. Bob and I have a little mail bin in our kitchen where we keep stuff - local menus, coupons...etc. I have had this picture in that little mail bin for years and every time I sort through the items to clean it out, I find this picture and it makes me smile. It's getting real old and yellowed now and kind of frail. Thanks to scanners, I'm able to capture this picture and, better yet - share it for everyone to see. For anyone that knew Sybella and Auggie, this will make you smile :) And, it really is one news worthy head of cabbage!

Just in case the caption isn't legible - here is what it reads:

"August Ternes of Linton grew some giant size cabbage in his garden. He brought a 20 pound head to this sister Sybella Rahrich who lives in Bismarck. She says she made twenty some quarts of sauerkraut from the head."