Heads up!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will not have a post tomorrow but I will have one Monday. I am not quite ready to make my next post. Just a heads up.

Alexander Haag

My plan of scanning some old photos and posting them on my blog really didn't work out like I had planned. I am still going to try to get some photos from the past posted on here but it just won't be this week. I wanted to make sure I got a post by Friday so maybe I will make an extra post of "Alex" pictures once I get this whole scanning thing figured out.

Okay - so person number one that I would like you to meet is Alex Haag. Alex graduated from Republican Valley High School in 1999. I met Alex while attending Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte. After he graduated from MPCC he went on to UNK and graduated with his degree in Ag. Business. He lives in Indianola now and that is where I spend most of my weekends also! Since I wasn't able to use any pictures (yet) from our Mid-Plains days I just chose a couple pictures from the past year.

New Year's Eve 2007. He's real big on PDA!

Alex is a good cook when he gets in the "mood" to cook. Here he is doing what I like to call the "cooking dance" and the food he made up that night was very good!

Whenever Alex isn't at work he likes to go out to their family farm. He seems to be busy all the time if it's not at their farm then he is helping someone else on a different farm. This particular day we were helping a friend move cattle and Alex is on his horse Thunder.

Alex does not hunt. We were just out at the farm one day shooting some old guns.

This is a photo of us one night at Night Tracks in Indianola one weekend when his family was all in town.
Alex does not ride bucking broncs or bulls (or Dusty) but he does do some team roping. Obviously in this picture he is not roping but joking around on Dusty. Whenever they have roping practice at the arena in McCook Alex tries to make those. Last year he never competed in any competitions but the year before I went along with him and his partner to Broken Bow; it was a good time! Consider yourselves introduced to my pal Al! Next week we will be meeting his sister, Lindsey, one of my best friends!

Something to look forward to...

I have decided to try something new with my blog here at the beginning of the year. Why? Basically because I need to get a new digital camera and just haven't taken the plunge yet. Anyway, I have friends that don't live in the surrounding area (and friends that don't know the state of Nebraska stretches further west than Lincoln) that none of my friends here in this small village know. I want to change that! I am going to be doing a little "segment" each week of people that I would like all of you to meet! I am anticipating hilarious-ness (and tears) since some of these pictures date back 8 years ago! I am going to try to keep as much personal information out if the "segments" as I can but still enough for you to get an idea of who this person is and why they are my friend, or why I might still be their friend! I am going to HOPE that by every Friday I can give one person their "15 minutes of fame" on my blog. I hope you enjoy meeting new people because I know this is going to be a fun trip down memory lane for me!

Nick and Lindsey

Hey guys! I was wondering if you would send me those pictures from the time Alex and I were there visiting. Also, Lindsey I don't know if you still have them or not - but I can't find my Fort pictures. I know you sent them once but yeah - who knows where they are now. Anyway - if you have them could you please send them to me. Nick, aren't you proud - I am updating the blog!!!

Mama Cat turns 50!

For those of you that attended the surprise birthday party for my mom's 50th birthday, you know this post is really late!!! We have been so busy at work that I just have not had a chance to keep this thing updated! I am going to try to stay on top of things but I can't make any promises!! Anyway - we (me, Steven, Emily and Joseph) had a surprise birthday party for my mom. She was really surprised and had no idea! She told us that she knew we probably were going to have a party but she didn't think it was going to be the weekend before her birthday. There were a lot of people that showed up and it was really a lot of fun. These are some pictures from the evening.

Her birthday cake that Julie Vrbas made - it looked and tasted great!
The Humphrey fam. Steven, Janae and Evan were able to make it back and Emily and her boyfriend Justin were also able to make the trip. Mom had no idea they would all be coming back!!
My friend Dusti also made the trip!!! I met Dusti when I was going to school in North Platte and then she was one of my roommates when I lived in Omaha. She lives in Cody with her dad and she made the trip for the party!

Me and my sister

Not a really great photo but it's the only one I had of just Steven.

Emily Joseph

My mom and her mom. My grandma made the trip from Norfolk to surprise Mom. Along with my grandma, my grandpa and my aunt Debbie also came to join in the celebration.

My mom, Grandma and me.

Broseph and Gma.

Aunt Debbie and Grandma. Debbie is the second oldest of five; my mom is the middle child.

My grandpa Bob and Mom.

Grandpa and Debbie.
Mom opening some of her presents.

Grandpa, Mom, Debbie and Grandma. It was so great that they were able to make it back for the birthday party on such short notice!!

Something was pretty funny!! I made up flyers (which is in her hand) and put them around town letting everyone know that her birthday was on the 4th and to stop up to the elevator for cookies, rolls and coffee. The headline said - Look who is excited to turn 50 - and there was a picture of her when she was young and she isn't smiling at all - she actually has a scowl on her face. That may have been what was so funny in this picture.

Me, Mom and Emilia. The glasses make me laugh!!

Mom and Broseph feeling the love.

Torwards the end of the night!!!

It was a lot of fun and it was great that the party was kept a secret!! Thank you to everyone!

Chadron State Football Game

Alex and I had been wanting to make it to one of Mark's games and it never worked out. We finally were able to go to the Homecoming game this year - which they won so it was even more exciting! We stopped and saw Andy, Libby and the kids in Ogallala on Friday night (and watched McCook defeat Ogallala) and then left for Chadron Saturday morning. It was a nice weekend of travel and football!

This is a picture of Mark that I stole off his facebook page. I didn't take my camera into the game so I didn't have any pictures to post of him. Not sure what game this picture is from.

This picture isn't very good because it was taken at night - but this is the hotel where we stayed in Chadron. This is an old Bed and Breakfast called The Olde Main Street Inn. If I remember correctly, the place was built in the 1890's. We chose to stay in this hotel because it was close to the resteraunt where we ate that evening.

These are in the lobby/bar when you first walk in. I just thought that the "barrel seats" were neat.
A piano in that hallway up to our room.

We stayed in the Mari Sandoz suite and this is the entrance into the room. To the left is the kitchen and a very small bathroom and to the right is the bedroom with a television.
This is Alex wearing Mari's hat that was made out of some sort of feathers.Self explanatory.

An old type writer that was in the bedroom. I thought it was neat.
The old stove in the kitchen.

Monday, October 13th

I had an eye appointment Monday morning and since it was Columbus Day and Alex had the day off I decided to take the whole day off as well. After my appointment I called my mom to see how work was going and she told me that Sarah and Joe had had their little one the night before. Alex and I finished up some errands we had to run while in McCook and then went to the hospital to see the Vrbas family.

Dad, Mom and lil Sawyer Jane! She is just so adorable! I told them I was going to bring big sis, Peytie, a present too (a big bag of candy) but I didn't think the 'rents would appreciate that! Sarah and Sawyer
I absolutely love this picture!! I just think it's a great picture of Sawyer. She looks so much like Joe and she has the prettiest hair ever!!!
I was able to hold her as well! I was excited to hold her but I was so nervous I would drop her on the "hand off"!! I mean seriously, she wasn't even 24 hours old yet - that is the youngest I have ever held a baby - No lie! It was nerve racking - but she was so well behaved! For a little while then I had to hand her back because I think I was making her cry! Anyway - Congrats to the Vrbas fam!!!

When we were finished at the hospital it was time to get to work. We moved a bull and two heifers to the farm in Danbury. Did I mention it rained all weekend, too?

Here Bob is pulling us out because we were stuck!!!

A present from Bob while he was pulling us out!Bob sliding around on the road after he pulled us out.
Washing the Dodge. Needless to say, we didn't go and get the rest of the heifers because it just wouldn't have worked!

New Vehicle

Yes, it is true! I finally broke down and bought a new vehicle. I didn't actually break down like you might think - the 'ole Cav is still kicking! Anyway, on Saturday, October 11th I bought a 2003 GMC Envoy! I still have the 210,000 mile purple prize that you all know and love but I just won't be using that to travel any where outside of town! So, here is a picture of my newest purchase!

As soon as I bought the vehicle then it started to rain so here it is a little dirty from that!

Feed Rack

I am sure many of you were starting to worry that Alex and I haven't been spending time at the farm - but no worries - we have been! I looked through all the pictures that I have taken this past year and I could not find a before picture! I know that I have one but I obviously didn't save it to the computer. Alex wanted to build a feed rack on the west-ish (yes, that is a direction!) side of the pens at the farm. If I could have found a picture from before that would have been nice but here are some pictures as we (he) was working on it and then when the feed rack is almost complete.

Here is the work site.Alex cleaning out the holes.
Some more cleaning out. I actually did help this day. I believe I cleaned out one hole, possibly two, and then I was either bored or tired. Can't remember which - I just know I wasn't really of much help!

Here Alex is again working. I believe this day we came back and had to re-clean out the holes because it rained and had filled them in again. Yeah, I definitely did not help this day. I had already cleaned out one from the time before so I passed on helping this day!!
I did actually help him load up the railroad ties to be moved over to where the feed rack would be built. I guess I did help a little more than I thought! This is a picture after all the dirt work had been completed.
This is the feed rack. I only took a picture of the part that is actually complete. If it wouldn't have rained I am sure it would have been complete this past weekend - oh well I guess there's always next weekend! Farmer Al

Then we went to the Rocket after we left the farm and this Alex with Dan Haag. I think this is their way of hugging....