10 Weeks!

In exactly 10 weeks from today I will be in a big Boeing Airplane flying over a little lake known as "THE ATLANTIC!" That's right, in 10 weeks I am COMING TO AMERICA!!!!! The excitement is overwhelming, despite the fact that I havn't even packed yet. However, I do have a full list with everything I need to pack, want to buy, want to eat while in the US, and naturally want to bring back from the US. Right now the biggest thing I want to bring back is chocolate chips. It was a problem in India and also here as Nestle and Hershey have not hit the chocolate chip market. It is truly sad to think about billions of children in the world growing up with never being able to sink their little teeth into a fresh chocolate chip cookie. MMM!

Chocolate chips are just the tip of the iceberg as 14 months away from the U.S. have allowed for lots of cravings to build up. DQ cheeseballs anyone?

See you all in 10 weeks! Only 1,680 hours and I will be back on South Dakota soil.

Brötchen Delivery

We have recently discovered a small town German perk thanks to our neighbor lady Karen. One evening while chatting with her we learned that there is a specific service available in our town. Per our request every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning around 6:15 AM an old green jeep rumbles down our street. They pause for only a minute before dropping off the ordered goods and continuing on their route.

Can you guess what they bring?



Our front doorstep at 6:15 AM.




Our bundle of goods! Yes, fresh baked brötchen (hard rolls) delivered to our doorstep. We no longer buy bread and watch it go to waste, but have fresh bread delivered. I am turning into a real German as I smear my brötchen with margarine and add a piece of salmon for breakfast. I remember the first time I had hard rolls for breakfast with Ben at his parent's house in December of 2006. My first impression was not a good one as most Americans find them tough and untoastable. However, over time a person really enjoys them with fish, meat & cheese, Nutella, Marmalade & Quark (kind of like sugarless yogurt) or with a hard boiled egg. Now I don't know life without them.



My fresh "normal brötchen" with fresh salmon. In the background is my 7 grain hard roll that I spread fresh Stabe honey on and pack for my 9-9:15 AM breakfast break at work. Ben's dad has several bee houses and produces his own honey. I am growing to enjoy it too! What's next?

Happy 90th Grandpa!

Grandpa and Grandma Wettig

As I reflect back on how many 90th birthday party's I have been to in my life I can only remember or think of two. My first was in January on Grandpa Wettig's real birthday and the second was Saturday night at his rescheduled, because he was sick, summer grill out birthday party. The party included 60 plus people in the small town of Soergenloch. Willy from the Mooseberg Lodge hosted the grill out and the event went wonderfully. Grandpa is currently strong and healthy, which is the most important thing. He was finally able to stand up and give a speech at the birthday party that he has planned for more than 3 years. I enjoyed a shot of Schnapps with him at 11:30 pm and have to say it was the most hopping 90th ever. Alles gute Zum Geburtstag Opa! Bis 95!


The family all dressed up in German Robin Hood clothing from their short, yet entertaining skit.


Ben with both of his grandfathers. On the left is the young one Manfred at 86, Phillip in the middle at 90, and Ben on the right. Both grandpa's fought in WWII!