From Karen in Des Moines

• Hi to all!
  
  This is from Karen Reding, daughter to Bob (#2 of 11), writing from Des Moines, Iowa.
  
  Thanks to whoever established this blog. My husband's family has a website on "Myfamily.com" which has been a wonderful way for us to stay in touch with his brothers & sisters (all 12 of them!). I just love the Internet and how it has opened doors to staying in touch with those who are far apart. My Mom was here at Christmas and commented how much we use our computer! She has given us strict instructions not to purhase a computer for her, however!
  
  A side note, please let me know where to send my brothers' e-mail addresses. I know they would be interested in joining in on the blog.
  
  I live in Urbandale and have 3 children. Jenna is 16, Nathan is 13 and Ben is 10. My husband, Tony, works as an IT Manager at The Principal Financial Group and for the past 2 years I have been doing some part-time bookkeeping for two small law firms. Tony and I met at The Principal in 1988 and were married in 1990. I continued to work there until 1997 when we had Jenna and Nathan at two different day cares and neither of them had openings for the baby on the way. I was home full time until about 4 years ago when I found some part time bookkeeping work.
  
  I have been thinking about what I can remember growing up being a Licht. Here are a few things that come to mind:

• The cookie jar at Grandma Licht's, mostly, perfectly round sugar cookies.
• The white propane tank on Grandma & Grandpa's farm, climbing on it.
• Playing in the corn cribs on Grandma & Grandpa's farm.
• Climbing a plum tree on G & G's farm and falling out of it. The grass underneath was so long and soft, it felt like falling on a pillow!
• Crossing the field at G & G's with cousins and going to the river to skip rocks.
• When Grandma stayed with us at Christmas when my Mom's Mom passed away and Mom was gone for the funeral in California. Grandma Licht curled my hair all wrong!
• Going to Chicago to visit the Heinitz's in their BIG house! Riding the "el" to downtown Chicago. What a thrill! Seeing the swimming pool where Jackie and Jan were life guards (I think!)...I thought it was really cool.
• Going to New Ulm to visit Gordon and Betty and family and for a German festival.
• Reunions in Dubuque with the aunts, uncles and some cousins.

My Mom is doing well. Osteoporosis has made her quite bent over and frail but she gets around amazingly well. She had an eye-lid lift last May in Des Moines and stayed with us for the week of the surgery. Spring is such a busy time of year for us, she was ready to go home after watching us run in circles around her! She has some good friends in Fort Dodge who check in on her regularly and pick her up for lunch or coffee now and then. She always goes to church on Saturday nights and every week, has supper with 2 friends after the church service.

Once again, this blog is wonderful. I'll look forward to new posts!

Sincerely,

Karen