Finally an update!

Wow, I even forgot that I had this blog. Sad, huh? And I think I only have 4 people who follow it, so I don't know if you guys want to hear from me in this format!

Well, ok. I have kept my mouth shut on Facebook about Steve Jobs. But I'm just going to say it here. Steve Jobs will NOT R.I.P. I'm not sure people know what that even means. But Steve Jobs was a Buddhist and so he will not be at peace for eternity. Sorry to say, but that is just the way it is. If he did not know Jesus as his personal Lord, then he won't R.I.P. Yes, I know. I'm being politically incorrect. Also, I read on Wikipedia (and EVERYONE knows you can trust explicitly what you read there, right?) that he did away with all philanthropy for Apple Corporation. How selfish is that? One of the richest companies in America? I don't care if you don't give it to a church. You aren't going to help out the medical researchers? Maybe he should have donated money to finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. Just sayin'. Ok. I've said it. That's all I have for tonight.

Christmas in Germany

I was REALLY late getting this year's edition of the Hepler Family Newsletter out. It has been an interesting Christmas for us! We still wish you and yours a blessed New Year and hope that your Christmas was blessed as well.

Herb celebrated his 60th birthday in September and was surprised by his sister, Vicki, and our son, David, who came to help celebrate. Nothing much has changed with me. I still play a lot on the computer, especially on Facebook. I also have been playing on the Wii Fit (and have lost about 17 lbs. as a result! Yeah!) We are both still working at the same places (Herb at American Eagle and me at Hurst Metallurgical).

Since David had come home for Herb's birthday, we decided to go to Germany for Christmas this year. After an interesting (to say the least) time getting there, we all arrived safely. Laura and Alisi spent one night in the Amsterdam airport. Herb and I missed one flight on Saturday, and then the next day I flew to Munich via Frankfurt, and Herb had to fly to Paris and take the train from Paris to Munich (dealing with 2 large suitcases!) Vicki also came, but she got there with no incidents!

We rented cars and got to see quite a few of the sites in and near Munich, including the Christkindl Markts (Christmas markets). It was Laura and Alisi's first time to go, and they want to go back (but maybe in the summer!)

David has taken after his dad in his love for cooking - and cooked a traditional German Christmas meal, with goose, knodel, red cabbage, and as a nod to our tradition, sweet potato casserole! Later in the week, he cooked steak, and only after we all tried it, did he tell us that it was ostrich steak! We also had traditional German food at several restaurants, and we all sampled what everyone else had ordered. It was great!

Christmas Day was spent with our friends' Sigrid and Volkor Ladig. Volkor and Herb had ridden down Highway 1 in California together several years ago.

On 2nd Christmas day, we traveled to Schloss Linderhof and Schloss Neuschwanstein and Alisi got to be in the mountains for the first time!

I am sure that this will be a Christmas that we will all remember!

If you haven't had a chance to, please check out the pictures I've posted on Facebook of our trip!

Its been a long, long time...

I have not posted a blog this year. Sad. I think it is because I say what I want to say on Facebook. And tonight Facebook is down. That, too is sad. I love to keep up with what is going on in the lives of my friends. Scott got out of the hospital; Pam has had a hard week; Genny didn't like the band at the football game; Steve had a birthday. How much more we know about our friends than before Facebook. Now, I know some people say, "Oh, I don't want to get on Facebook because I stare at a computer all day long." Well, are you staring at the heart of your friends all day? Many people share their heart...pass on prayer requests...quote a Bible verse... or just say something funny. Not the same thing as 'staring at a computer all day long.' It is very likely that, if you happen to be reading this, you also are on Facebook, so you may agree with me. But I just wanted to say I enjoy what I guess has become my main hobby...Facebooking!

'Tis the Season

Herb's sister from Michigan is here for Christmas, and David is here from Munich. So what is required? Mexican food! Lupe's is a little restaurant that is close by, so we decided to go for supper last night. I had never noticed it on the menu before, but there it was. Family platter - for 6 - $49.99. There were 6 of us so we gave it a try. It was soooo good! We each got a plate with rice, bean soup, guacamole and pico de gallo. And then they brought out a huge platter with sauteed onions and peppers, chicken, brisket, shrimp, talapia, steak and ribeye. Of course we tried everything (except for Laura and Alisi, who don't do fish and shrimp. That's ok... more for us!) We all had more than we should have and it was all delicious, and we still had leftovers to bring home!

Now..... For Christmas Alisi got a Wii and Laura got the Wii Fit. So we've been playing that and we have especially enjoyed the hula hoop, ski jump and ski slalom. So last night (after eating way too much) I did the Super Hula Hoop... Well, in the middle of the night I had the biggest case of heartburn I have ever had! Two Rolaids, a cup of milk, a candy cane and some herbal tea and I finally felt better. Whew! Getting too old for either that much food or that much exercise - or maybe both!

It has been a wonderful Christmas this year (even with the heartburn!) I hope yours has been great too!

O Christmas Tree

Well, we have the tree decorated. It is a hodgepodge of ornaments...angels, snowflakes, icicles, ornaments made for kids at school, ornaments made by kids at school, ornaments collected from travels here and there, some given by friends and even ornaments of felt made when we were first married 38 years ago and couldn't afford anything more. But it is our tree and we like it this way. Alisi is so proud to help, even though she got tired after it was half done and just handed ornaments to us. She would often ask where this one or that one was from and she is very excited about the whole season! She set up her Fisher Price nativity and then practiced "Jingle Bells" on the piano. (She won't be able to attend her first recital because it conflicts with the "Imagine Christmas" musical at church and she had committed to being at all of the practices and performances before we knew when the recital would be.) So we are slowly but surely getting into the Christmas spirit and I hope that it lasts!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Well, many people that I know have already decorated for Christmas, but I just got our autumn decorations put away this morning. The trip to Germany has put me behind in preparations....but certainly got me into a Christmas mood! We always have to rearrange furniture a little for the Christmas tree and every year that gets more complicated for some reason. Herb did get the boxes out of the attic, but we are getting no where fast!

Tonight the kids' choirs from church are going to ride on a trailer and sing Christmas carols in the Euless Parade of Lights. And this morning was 'Breakfast with Santa' at school. Last night we had our Connection Department Christmas Party - it was a murder mystery dinner theater and everyone had a part! It was a lot of work for those who planned it, but Wanda and company did a wonderful job and it was lots of fun. And the food was catered from Babe's. Yum. So lots of activities but I just hope that we can all remember the most important thing - that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"!

Thanksgiving dinner

Well, we certainly had a different Thanksgiving dinner this year. David got out of the hospital this afternoon and his good friend Sammy picked us up and dropped us off (it is only about 1/4 mile away, but would have been a loooonnnggg walk for David!) Then Sammy's wife cooked rouladen, red cabbage and potatoes - a delicious German meal that is her husband's favorite! Sammy is German and his wife, Brandy, is from Kansas City - but she has been here for 6-1/2 years. She loves to cook and does a great job of it! David is certainly glad to be home finally and is doing okay, as he puts it. I think he is doing quite well.