Tap dancing, hmmm...

Well, Stevie, I think it is awesome that you got up for your 8:00 class!

Perhaps I could expand my limited drumming talent by adding tap dancing to my shtick. I had an interesting experience with our new community band at the last rehearsal. Another drummer showed up who was blind (could see a tiny bit, but had a white cane), mostly deaf, completely toothless (awaiting his dentures), and elderly. Far from being pathetic and helpless, he adjusted my equipment to his specifications and never let me play! Joel keep making faces at me (like, "Say something!"), so after an hour, I cheerfully asked, "Would you like a break?" and he said, "Nope."

I finally got the idea across that I was supposed to practice too, but he still apparently views me as his roadie as his last words to me were what equipment to bring to the next session!

tilly and the wall

boy am I ever enjoying chicago. last night I went t0 my first 18+ show at the abbey pub. I saw tilly and the wall, who is now one of my favorite bands in the whole world. they have a guy on guitar who also sings, a man on the keyboard, two girls who sing and sometimes play instruments, and another girl who is the percussionist. she is a tap dancer though, and the other two girls tap too. they are so awesome cause they have a bunch of vocal harmony and they are really creative and energetic and fun and awesome. I think that one of them is my soulmate, but Im not sure yet. she doesnt look swedish, so I've got some mixed feelings. aNYways, chicago is cool and awesome and swell and I am doing really well. so this morning i went to my 8 oclock lit class and the teacher didnt come and I just got back and I had an email saying that she is sick. this is awesome.

Happy Birthday!!

ooh - you beat me to it janelle! Happy birthday!

Thanks

Thanks.

Janelle

Ready for your closeup?! Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Janelle!

wedded bliss

I took the train from chicago to sturtevant illinois yesterday for andrew papillon's wedding. tom was the best man and my mom and dad and beckie were all there as well. it was a really nice ceremony with a string quartet and trumpet player, but the reception was a little lacking. there was no dancing. I can't wait until tom and beckie's!

Is This A Sign?

So, I moved in on Saturday and all Saturday evening/night and Sunday morning/noontime there was a crazy lightning storm here. And overnight the cross on top of our chapel got stuck by lightning. Yes, the cross. And a huge chunk of stone broke off of it and the organ in the church no longer works. Everyone is really worried it'll break off and crush someone and so the whole chapel area is blocked of.
Liv

WOO

Hey, guess what family? I got into the Manitou Singers. That's the freshman women's choir here at St. Olaf. Woo.
Liv

Hoyme's Got the Power

Hey family! Well, I'm relaxing during another busy day in Hoyme. (It's my Home...with a Y) St. Olaf is a lot of fun and I've met a lot of people and they are all pretty cool. I met this kid named Stephen Anderson. He is really crazy and from Illinois. We hang out and it's fun. There are a lot of names spinning through my head...In conclusion, HOYME POWER!

Liv

State Fair

We're glad to hear that all the college bound Anderson's are settling in and set for a year of learning (and other experiences i'm sure). Good luck on the upcoming year.

We went to the fair on Friday and had a great time indulging in every manner of food on a stick - as well as enjoying the displays, rides and general good times at the fair. I think Maria's favorite part of the day was the Miracle of Birth Barn, while my favorite part was the Sweet Martha's cookies. I think I've eaten enough to last me until next year.

Good luck

Hello,

Just wanted to wish everyone good luck at college and with the empty nests! I hope one of you all gets married soon so I can come back and visit...Drink a tea at Blue Mondays for me, Liv!

See you,
Ingrid

Um Ya Ya!

Here's the view you get after hauling bags and boxes up three flights of stairs to Liv's new digs on the St. Olaf campus (click the picture for a bigger version). I guess you don't HAVE to haul stuff up there to get the view, but that's how WE did it.

Liv is all moved in and happy with the execution of her design for the room she shares with Katie. (Chances are she'll be posting some pictures of the room herself.) We had a nice day helping her settle in, as well as hearing *delightful* speeches from the faculty. As Stevie said of one of his professors, they were a bit "longwinded."
We weren't able to indulge in any tears on our way home because, due to a sudden storm, the visibility was poor enough.

books are very expensive

Andersons at the Fair, 2005 (click for a bigger picture)

We've been busy at the Fair! Besides Norris, Teresa and Joel marching (well, rolling) in the parade on Friday, we (Joel, Teresa and Liv) have been volunteering at various booths, and entering our creative works in the competitions. Norris is also judging 4H talent. All told, we managed to score 14 free tickets!

well

chicago is pretty awesome. there are these thrift stores here that i would maybe compare to the salvation army or goodwill rather than savers because it isnt as neatly kept up as savers but there are still lots of nice namebrand clothes. the stuff there is way better any of the aforementioned stores because the prices are ridiculously low. I bought two pairs of polo khakis and a pair of tommy hilfiger cords for 7 dollars total. and today I bought a biker/messenger style of backpack for only 90 cents. I am pretty impressed at my frugality and vocabulary at the moment. classes start tomorrow and I am taking intro to the bible, studies in literature, intro to the personal computer and internet and then some fruitcake class. my email is sanderson7@northpark.edu just in case anyone wants to send me a friendly greeting or whatev. also, if you would like to visit me, feel free to stop on by. just make sure that i know you are coming first. well I better go party.

Empty Nest

Nancy and I took a big step towards empty nesterdom this week when we deposited Stephen and many of his wordly possessions at North Park University in Chicago where he is beginning his freshman year. Tuesday we traveled in two vehicles with the family of best friend and roommate John Robert Madsen to Woodale, Illinois outside Chicago where we had reservations. Wednesday was spent on campus participating in a variety of orientation activities for students and/or parents. The high point of the day for me was unloading the vans and bringing the boy's belongings to their third floor room. This was accomplished with the able of assistance of returning student/staff who did all of the carrying up the stairs. At 4:00 Stevie and I walked Nancy to the elevated train station near the campus. She took that train to the Amtrak station and proceeded to Galesburg to visit her parents down on the farm for a week. After one more parent session I said good bye and left for home at 5:30. In Chicago rush hour traffic it took me one hour to travel the first 25 miles. I arrived at home at 1:00 A.M. Study hard and have a great year Stevie and John.

Twins Game

I had one free ticket to last night's Twins game against the White Sox. It was probably one of the most exciting Twins games I've ever been to. The Twinkies were held hitless through the eighth inning when Jacque Jones hit a home run. It was the only hit the Twins got all night, but it was enough as they pulled out a 1-0 win. I heard on the radio its only the second time in Twins history that they've won a game with only one hit.

After the game I took a few pictures on the way back to my car. Here's one of them:

Good luck Stevie!

I had a good time over at Mom and Dad's house last night saying goodbye to Stevie as he embarks on his college adventure. Although I didn't realize that you were going to be staying on the "North Ark"? Is that something like Noah's Ark?. In any event, good luck Stevie!

On Sunday Maria participated in a lake baptism at Lake Minnewashta in Carver County. It was a very meaningful time, and some of the testimonies (including Maria's) were very touching. It was a beautiful night, and I was very proud of Maria for going up there and speaking as I'm sure it wasn't easy to do. Great job honey!


Maria is the third from the left in the water

goodbye

well I leave for chicago and northark today. I am excited and I am sure that it will be a lot of fun. wish me luck. goodbye familia.