Is this an "ok" T-shirt for a 7th grade girl to wear? The school thinks not-and the girls folks are going to court. Here is the story...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,530284,00.html?test=latestnews

The Gregersons

Last night I sadly read that another of Mom's sisters just passed away...& I am just realizing that the whole first part of my childhood/young adulthood book is about over. Those chapters for the most part are history. And, a wonderful history it was!

I remember fondly so many things about Mom's sisters and brothers...from my first airplane ride with Cal (yes, doing loop-de-loops) & screaming and laughing to get togethers out at Oray & Lucille's farm...remember the keg of beer in the root cellar? Well, the adults were drinking & so were the kids, all of that came to an abrupt stop (the partying) when someone, possibly Mom (remember she was their Mom), put their foot down because Bud had a "drinking problem." I remember riding the Great Northern train with my cousin, Janice, to St. Paul to stay a week with Sylvia, Cal & Edna. We were both about 10! (What were our parents thinking??) Once there, we got reacquainted with our aunts and uncle in a way that didn't happen when we were all together. We got our first escalator ride and our first trip to Como Zoo, where we rode the tilt-a-whirl for 12 straight times! Another interesting thing that happened is that it was so hot & Cal was at work so it was just the girls...& Sylvia & Edna took off all their clothes except their bra & panties & encouraged us to do the same!! Wow!! Mom would've never allowed us to do that!

I loved Babe...she was kind and thoughtful...always interested in everyone. Carol & I went camping with Babe & Louie when we were in Washington one summer. She was the one that cut everyone's hair when we got together especially when we were going to have our pictures taken! Afterall, she had gone to cosmetology school, but everyone got the same haircut!
She married a wonderful, loving man, Louie. Louie loved kids and paid attention to us...teasing & joking.

I remember coming home from school one day and Mom was cooking something in a large pot & when I looked at her, she was crying...I asked what was wrong...& she told me that another sister had just been diagnosed with cancer. These sisters and brothers were like Mom's first kids...and I know she misses them, just like I do.

My early life was especially good because I got to know my aunts and uncles well. I will miss them.

Rest in peace, Babe.

The 4th is always fun in Bemidji. The carnival next to Paul and Babe, the beer tent, the parade...bingo, water ski show...while its almost the same from year to year, there is a small town charm about being in Bemidji during the 4th. And don't forget the fireworks...carnival food...(Stittsworth Brats for me)...and fireworks around a campfire...fishing... followed by a fish fry with the Shrivers...

July 1, 2009

It's almost over-summer I mean-although weatherwise, its really just getting to the northland...flowers are blooming...kids are swimming...but its almost done. The days are already getting a bit shorter...I haven't even camped yet...

Moving...

Good email, Gary...thanks for sending it.

So, the news for Mandy and I is that we just moved from St. Paul to Hugo this past Friday. Our new address is:

5702 126th St. N
Hugo, MN 55038

Have a good night, all.
Matt

Blogging with the fam...

I had forgot how much I enjoy blogging. When we blog we leave a piece of digital history for everyone to see...your family can look back and see what you were doing at different phases of our lives...

This blog had a couple of beginnings---but it stretches back to Aug 3rd, 2005-lots of announcements (Nathan's getting married) to updates on Bryce and Hildur's heath...today is June 30th 2009-both at still up and about...

Times have changed...new technologies (Facebook) put a damper on this blog and others-the last entry in Lois's cooking blog was in Oct 2008-but Pete's was just yesterday.

I hope we can all keep on blogging and telling our family stories...oh yeah-Arron's getting married...Miranda is coming home for it and today... we had a bear...

Early Morning Surprise

At 4:30 am the phone rings...I shake out of bed-run to the answering machine to get the phone-our next door neighbor Joel was already talking...the first words I heard was "...a bear is wrecking your bird feeder..." I went to the window and looked at the feeder and indeed it was a bear-a big bear. I ran and got my Nancy...she came running... Now I don't know how to gage how big a bear is but when he stood up next to the feeder-he was just the right size to eat directly out of it without have to stretch to reach or bend over...my first guess is nearly six foot tall. We got the camera out but no pictures we good enough to post...sorry...we're sleepy and it darkish out. What a early morning surprise.

Emma's (almost) famous

We were not aware of this, but a reporter from the local Sun interviewed several kids at Pilot Knob Elementary. But we received an email yesterday from Emma's teacher and learned that Emma is on the Sun website and on youtube. Check it out!

It's February 1

And that means:

Happy Birthday Gary!

We're Back

Its been a while but now we are back-New computer and Hard Drive so we're all set!

A Honor Roll

Its time to celebrate-Joseph, (my nephew!) made the A Honor Roll! What a big deal-

His mom Vicky works with him every night and practices his spelling and math-What a great accomplishment! Way to go Joe...! I am very proud of you!

i3DVR

My first day is the 8th of December. I will be flying out to Toronto and spending a week or so in processing with I3DVR. Then off to Texas with the VP of Sales. Then home for the holidays. n January, I am back to Texas and Oklahoma for the first full week. Then back to Toronto. 
The adventure begins...

My New Job

This past Monday I traveled to Buffalo, NY to interview for a new sales position. And before I got back to Bemidji on Wednesday, I was offered and I  accepted the position.

I will be working from home, selling into Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Texas and others I can't remember. I will be working the phones to extablish a route then fly to meet these clients. 

Next week I will be traveling to Toronto for training-Then around the 15th, I will be going to Texas for one week to train with the VP of the company.

I will be selling I3DVR camera systems to integrators and dealers-a much different sell than what I do today. 

Its very exciting...

Holiday Brew

                                                                                                                  The Holiday brew is complete and now in the bottles-Just gotta wait about 10 days then the holidays can begin!

Too Cold, Too Soon

It looks and feels like January out today.

• I had to "warm" up my car for the first time today!
• I wore my Columbia (both jackets) for the first time today!
• I put my Sorels in the car for the first time today!
• I unpacked my cuddleduds for the first time today, too!

I knew it was coming...but...so soon? I just wasn't ready today.

Why Beer is Better than a Woman

Top 25 reasons way beer is better than a woman-                 (I didn't say they were good reasons)

1. You can enjoy a beer all month. 

2. Beer stains wash out. 

3. You don't have to wine and dine a beer.

 4. Your beer will always wait patiently for you in the car. 

5. When beer goes flat you toss it out. 

6. Beer is never late.

 7. HANGOVERS go away. 

8. A beer doesn't get jealous when you grab another beer. 

9. Beer labels come off without a fight.

 10. When you go to a bar, you know you can always pick up a beer. 

11. Beer never has a headache. 

12. After you have a beer, the bottle is still worth a dime.

 13. A beer won't get upset if you come home with beer on your breath.

 14. If you pour a beer right, you will always get good head. 

15. You can have more than one beer a night and not feel guilty.

 16. A beer ALWAYS goes down easy. 

17. You can share a beer with your friends. 

18. You always know that you are the first one to pop a beer. 

19. A beer is always wet. 

20. beer doesn't demand equality. 

21. A beer doesn't care when you come.

 22. You can have a beer in public. 

23. A frigid beer is a good beer.

 24. You don't have to wash a beer before it tastes good. 

25. Beer always comes in multiples of six.

Deer Hunting and Light Dusting

Minnesota Deer Hunting started today-And the hunters were blessed with a near perfect snowfall-In Turtle River we got about about one inch-Just enough to track the deer!

Big Time History

No matter what I or anyone else believes or  practice politically-America voted a black candidate as the president of the United States.

Truly historic and I wish him well!

Natural Resources and the Arts

Minnesota voters will be asked to vote on a constitutional amendment to establish a fund for 25 years to aid natural resources and the arts. We are being asked to raise our state's general sales tax from 6.5 to 6.87, a small priceto pay, to ensure our future family's health and well-being.

It covers our drinking water sources, wetlands and wildlife habitat, arts and cultural heritage, parks and trails, and our lakes, rivers and streams.

This is so important and I hope that each voter reads this question carefully and responds positively. What better gift could we leave as our legacy?

Vote Early, Vote Often

I agree with Alicia-there are lots of people who do not vote. And thats not all bad.

There is one person I know that most likely will not vote-and in my opinion, that is a good thing. They don't know nor do they care who or what is on the ballet.

I think people who do not know who the candidates are or what the issues are-should not vote. Unless, of course, I can show them MY sample ballet, (with my choices filled in) and show them who really matters (to me).

 I believe that neighbors helping neighbors and family helping family get to the polling places is a good thing but when buses of "helpers" show up in critical states to "help" all they are doing is helping their canidate (all sides are guilty)

Nancy and I (and the rest of Turlte River) have already voted-We vote by mail- and in my opinion every one should do it that way We have a have a two week window in which to vote.  No stress, no problem and most every one here votes.

Let the games begin.