A Deep, Resonant Baritone Sound Fills Our House

Deanna (aka, Yo Yo Nelson) has started taking cello lessons. She is very serious about learning the cello, and she has found a slightly eccentric but highly knowledgeable instructor here at the University. Deanna was able to find a cello very quickly through the miracle of the Internet. Stringworks, one of the premier stringed instrument retailers anywhere, is in Appleton, Wisconsin. The cello was at our door in less than two days, and the coffin-like box that it came in is now suspended in our garage.

Some bow practice.

More bow practice.

Columbia Fleece Models

Dave and Rich often borrow one another's jackets, sweaters, and hats. Dave says, "I feel less jealous of Rich's great taste in clothes if I can occasionally wear one of his cardigans or blazers."

Doesn't Lauren Look Great?

2006 is treating Lauren well! Here she is modeling the cute tee shirt that she's going to loan to Hannah if her new gold shirt and brown jacket don't match the green and gold-sequined skirt.

A New Teenager!!!

Hannah turned 13 today! Having a New Year's Day birthday can be a little rough because everyone's celebratory spirit has been worn down by the previous week of holiday making and staying up until all hours watching movies. Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, Lauren, and Rich were up to the challenge, however. After opening some really nice presents (digital camera, new shirt, and brown top to go with her green skirt), we had Deanna's especially tasty deep dish pizza and a Cold Stone Creamery cake--"A Cheesecake Named Desire."

Hannah is excited because Grandma and Grandpa found a great brown jacket to go over this gold shirt. She's especially excited because it might go with her new green skirt with the gold sequins (from the Thanksgiving shopping spree).

Lauren picked out a funky, busy long sleeved tee shirt for Hannah. Hannah thinks it's pretty cool, but Rich wonders how Han will wash it with its dangling dice and other sewn-on baubles. Lauren suggested simply "throw it in the wash."

Hannah makes a wish before huffing and puffing. She did manage to blow out all 13 candles--even the one we stuck into the side of the cake--leaving no boyfriends for her! She thought this was fine, giving me a double high five.

Hannah cuts the cake.

On New Year's Eve morning, every branch and bush was covered in a layer of frosty, white snow.

Christmas in New Holstein

The whole clan met in New Holstein over the Christmas holidays this year.

Hannah, Lauren, Deanna, and Grandma Irma watch the festivities unfold.

What could it be?

Madalyn stirs the ice cream batter in preparation for the first batch in the Nordgren's new machine.

Christmas Stereo

Our stereos have been small, bookshelf models that last about a year before they begin having trouble playing CDs, so we were pining for a big, high powered, deep base stereo with a high-quality CD player. Serendipitously, my mom and dad (Carrol and Terry) gave us just such a high fidelity sound system for Christmas.

The Sony CD player holds 300 CDs, so we don't have to handle them anymore. Deanna created an index that we can revise and print. The "amplituner" is a Yamaha.

Each speaker is about three feet high. We have never even come close to seeing how loud they can go for fear of reprisal from the neighbors.