Happy Birthday Betty -

Betty, you have been a part of the family for ever - or so it seems. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Hope you are feeling better, have a great day. Hope some of the family was able to celebrate with you!

Tomorrow is Rachel's Birthday!

Rachel, let me be the first to wish you a very happy birthday! You have always been there for me for everything - especially just to talk. Thanks for being so supportive when I was in Catholic Daughters and every other hair brain idea I had.

This is a great picture of you and Virgil! I hope you will have an absolutely glorious day, you most certainly deserve it!!!

Happy Birthday Jerry -

Actually yesterday was Jerry's birthday and tomorrow is Rachel's birthday, so it is appropriate to have a picture with both of them in. See all that gray hair Rachel has - Jerry put it all there!!

If you look real close, he still has a little bit of a scar on his lower lip. He was ridding his bike down Jackson in a blizzard and was in front of Vilmain's Grocery Store when he rear-ended a car and split his lip on the license plate. He always did everything at wrap speed, especially riding his bike!

I have a confession - And I need help!

OK, I have been a little preoccupied this week - and it's all Kenny's fault!!!! He sent me this email asking who Afferen Umthun is and it got me working on the family tree again. I have gone through many Umthun names and have not been able to find an Afferen or what ship they came over on and actually what part of Germany they came from.

So, I am reaching out to all of you in Germany who read this blog, can you help me find out more of our ancestry. This is what I have so far:

Stephen H. Umthun (1903 - 1971) St. Paul, Iowa

Parents:
Joseph Umthun (1868 - 1930) St. Paul, Iowa
Anna Krittenbrink (1877 - 1909) St. Paul, Iowa

Maternal Grandparents:
Henry Krittenbrink (1828 - 1909 Hanover, Niedersachsen, Germany
Margaret Mertens (1832 - 1909) Hanover, Niedersachsen, Germany

Paternal Grandparents:
Henry Umthun (1826 - 1904) Hanover, Niedersachsen, Germany
Wilelmina Dierker (1837 - 1907) Hanover, Niedersachsen, Germany
Married: 8 April, 1856, West Point, Iowa USA
Children:
Henry J. Umthun (1857 - 1935)
Katherina Umthun (1858 - 1915)
Elizabeth Umthun (1859 - 1946)
Mary Umthun (1862 - 1931)
Bernard Umthun (1863 - 1931)
John Umthun (1866 - 1937)
Joseph Umthun (1868 - 1930)
Anne Umthun (1870 - 1940)
Caroline Umthun (1872 - 1952)
Margaret Umthun (1874 - 1948)
Wilhelmina Minnie Umthun (1876 - 1965)

Paternal Great Grandparents:
Afferen Umthun (?) Hanover, Germany
Elizabeth - (?) Hanover, Germany

If anyone has any information at all on any of the above people and whether or not Afferen Umthun is related in any way please email me at: umthunfamily@yahoo.com

This week in the Umthun family -

Tomorrow is Judy's birthday, gosh I can remember so many, many birthdays for Judy. Ohhh, that doesn't sound good, but . . . I also remember the time I took Judy and Patti with me to school for show and tell - how did we ever get that past Grandma and Betty???

And we the birthday for the Lisa's twins - shown here with their grandpa, Frank and Dad. They love to play golf and I hear they are pretty darn good too! Happy Birthday Eric and Daniel!!!!

It's never too late, Kati -

How do you like this Kati?? You thought I forgot, didn't you? Well . . .
This is you at your First Holy Communion, your grandparents really thought you were the most beautiful child on the face of the earth. You were so instrumental in getting your grandfather well after his surgery. You would entertain him standing on the couch of their living room singing at the top of your lungs from Pepi Long Stockings. (And you were pretty darn cute!)

Here you are with your family, Marcy, Kevin, Jared and your own little bundle of joy. You not only have one, but you have two little bundles now.
Hope you had a wonderful day, Kati!

Internet problems!

Yesterday, I went to get on the computer and could not access the Internet! I kept working to see what may have been wrong and I called my computer expert - Jeff! He told me to go to one of the local coffee shops that have free Internet service to see if it was the computer or the service, I found out it was the service. He looked up the telephone number on line (gosh, I couldn't even do that!!!) and I called to report my service down.

It was all automated - gave my telephone number, the automated person looked me up and asked what the problem was. If telephone problems, press 1; if cable problems, press 2; if Internet problems, press 3. I pressed 3 and the automated person said "one moment please while I look at your service". I waited, it came back on and said that "the services was interrupted and they would 'ping' my network, allow about 60 seconds". I was automatically disconnected. I shut everything down, went and made myself some tea, came back and everything worked great.

I wonder if I talked with someone in India??? Nah, I could understand them!

Mary Ann's Birthday!

A beautiful picture of Chuck and Mary Ann from their Wedding Anniversary, they both looked so well and happy.

The six of us girls together in Omaha, this was after Mom had died and Mary Ann, Dorene and I took Jane out to see Bernie and Jean - we had such a great time.

Mary Ann's entire family - and all their spouses. Now even the grandchildren have grown up and have started families, can you believe it?


The last picture I have with Dorene, Mary Ann, Bernie and myself - can you believe that both Dorene and Mary Ann are both gone as well and now its just Bernie and me! It just doesn't seem possible! Oops, don't want to end on a sad note -

Mary Ann was always the life of the party - I can remember as a young girl Mary's friends would drive by the house and honk, (this was waaay back before there was a lot of traffic in Eagle and the road in front of the house was gravel) Mary Ann would race to the door to see who it was. She always had funny stories and jokes to tell, Mom would love it when Mary would come to visit, she kept everyone in stitches. She had a great knack for remembering jokes -

Happy Anniversary Virgil & Rachel -

WOW, you guys look great! Hope you are feeling as good as you did then and look as good! Good grief Virgil, I looked at the year you were married, 1955 this makes your 54th wedding anniversary. What a blessing and wonderful role model you two have made! Hope your day is filled with wonderful visits and cards from family and friends. Love you both!
Keep tooling around in that cute little cart and keep hitting those golf courses - I think it is very, very good for you. In the words of "Tony the Tiger" have a GREAT day!

Happy Birthday Connie -

Connie with JoEllen at the reunion - Hope you have a wonderful day!!! Are you here in Florida yet?

Connie laughing with Becky - are you here in Florida yet??

Connie with that cute little Nadia - I bet mom doesn't have a picnic in the middle of the living room, after the lights are out like aunt Chris does!



Connie with Ivan, what a joy to have two wonderful children that keep you on your toes - but I'm sure Aunt Chris might put a few little ideas in their heads.
Have a wonderful day Connie!!!!!

Look whose birthday is the 2nd!

Well, Chris this is your day and what are you going to do with it???? I know your folks are down here, so are you going to celebrate BIG or small today?

I bet you miss that precious Nadia, wish she could be here to celebrate with you!


Yep, this is Chris with her hair down - and still going strong! She was instrumental in making that Reunion week-end one of the best of all times.


All the people involved in making the reunion happen - thanks Chris for all your hard work and hope you have an absolutely wonderful day!!!!!