Post-Reinforcement Pause

It's Sunday afternoon and all is quiet at 105 Golden Eagle. The farmlands that surround us are covered with beautiful white snow, and there are kids sledding down the hill behind us, shouting and laughing with glee as they compete to see who can go the farthest. We have a fire glowing, and the cats are stretched out contentedly at the hearth. Our lives have been in such a whirlwind these past few weeks, we've declared today a day of true rest. No matter that there are still cards to write, gifts to buy and wrap and cookies to bake; today is a day to pause, reflect and replenish. Last night we went to a neighbor's Christmas party and ate and drank and laughed and talked with new friends and old. Last week we hosted an Open House of our own for about 75 friends and neighbors, complete with heavy hors d'ouevres and a pianist at our baby grand, while the kids made Christmas ornaments in the basement, watched Christmas movies and admired their own smiling faces on last year's Christmas cards that decorate the basement tree. And no party could be complete without a Steeler's game, with men gathered 'round the wide screen to jump and shout in those last few moments of yet another turn-around in Steeler City. The piano player didn't mind; he's a native of Pittsburgh, and wonders about the score while he plays sing-a-long carols.

I love this time of year. People smile and hug and strangers say nice things to one another. Houses are filled with wonderful smells and the streets are shiny with pretty lights. I remember a Christmas song my mom used to play on the piano, about how the things we do and say at Christmas are so special, and if we could only capture those feelings for the whole year through, what a wonderful world it would be. I'll have to find that music, and learn to play it myself.

Love,
Diana

We are Pilots

Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well this holiday season. I know that keeping warm is more difficult for some than others, but with Seattle on the brink of our first big storm of the season, I have managed a hiatus to Florida and California for a couple weeks.

Anyway, I've been up to the usual over the past few months: no good. I flew my final mission of the year back in early October with a fairly young crew, making things a little more exciting than normal. We spent a couple nights in Germany before heading to Manas via Afghanistan. Manas isn't actually too bad a place: you can actually drink beer and they have washers/dryers we can use. In fact, here is the AF link to Manas. However, it actually looks more like this photo below.

Looks AND feels like a concentration camp!

Besides Manas (which I admit did not have snow at the time, but instead has little annoying rocks that we have to walk over) we also ended up in Plovdiv, Bulgaria for a night. It was a bit rainy and we only spent about 3 hours in the downtown area (aircrew has to sleep and preflight the aircraft at some point), but they had a very well preserved Roman theater and the remains of an old Thracian settlement. Other than that, it felt like Eastern Europe/Turkey/Mexico, which I highly recommend!

Anyway, I spent about 12 days doing that before heading out to Oklahoma for Instructor School. Can you believe it? I'm actually certified to teach people stuff now! Though at times it is difficult to remember what that stuff is...hmmm...oh well. But seriously, I learned a lot and got some good flying in, which was especially nice since I won't be flying from January thru May (more on that below). Altus hasn't changed much since my last trip there a year ago, but it is close to some of the Texas Grangers and I was able to make a trip down to Austin to see Philip, Tammi, Logan, and Lacie, plus catch a Horns game. I also made a few weekend trips to Dallas with some friends - basically I left Oklahoma at every possisble opportunity! I love Texas, btw. People are friendly and there are things to do, good food to eat. yay. Oh, and plenty of Tito's to drink.

Phil, Aaron, Tim, and Raph drinking Tito's BEFORE the tailgate

So, I finally graduated from Altus for the 3rd time on Nov 20th, and on my way home, who do I stumble upon at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, but Angela! So we took a pic. You may recognize her from the hit series on NBC, "The Office" on Thursdays.

She's actually very nice in person...and REALLY short!

I wasn't back in Seattle very long before heading to Covina for Thanksgiving which was a nice break from all the hard work I've clearly been up to. Megan and Becca weren't around, but Jonathan and I made the most of things with our parents for the big day, with Sarah, Josh, and Will even joining in the fun. We played a stupid board game as well. If you have more than 6 people, I do NOT recommend this game. Trying to play with more than the MAX limit, when combined with alcohol, may induce brothers to say mean things to each other. Just sayin'.

Anyway, we followed up Turkey day with a little get together on Saturday night and had a nice turnout. Katie drove down from SB, the Bruner boys made it back, and then add some friends and mix it up with parents, a hyper-active golden retriever, some snacks from Trader Joe's and a jaunt to BevMo. G2G...noob. I don't know if there are any pics, but we had fun....but not too much ;)

Anyway, I've been back here in Seattle for the past 2 weeks getting ready for a 120-day deployment to Qatar. I leave at the very end of the month and will be back in mid-May, hence the no-flying comment earlier. Al Udied AB isn't so bad these days, with wi-fi in some places and a brand-new gym complete with 4-lane (indoor) swimming pool. I'll probably be working 12-hour shifts, everyday, for 120+ straight days...but I won't have much else to do but eat, sleep, and workout, so that will be fine. The goal is to be in triathlon shape by the time I get back, so no excuses. In fact, I just bought a new pair of speedos that I conveniently left in Covina, so I'll be sure to collect them when I go home for Christmas.

Next week I'll be in Florida for a little training, and then Vegas/Covina the week after that. So, if I don't see you before I leave, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Oh yeah...don't forget about the Armed Forces Bowl on New Year's Eve; Air Force v. Houston...go Falcons!!

Love,
Aaron


By the way, my post title is a song by Shiny Toy Guns. Check them out, and make sure you listen to "Rainy Monday" too! Sehr gut, danke!

Bedtime at Betz's

Did you ever lay on the floor and look at the lights on your Christmas tree? Maybe you still do. This is the view at our house this December; Celia & Colby are relaxing together in front of the tree at the end of a long day... (although niether of them are really looking at the tree?)
Hoping all you Herberts can enjoy some twinkling lights and are feeling richly blessed this holiday season.

Thanksgiving Day 2008

Photo credit goes to Cherie Tolliver, who captured Jenni, Andy, Grandma Rosie, Kate, Maggie & Celia, Katie, Abby, John David and Grandpa Rod all together on Thanksgiving. And by phone we visited with lots more family... would love to see more pictures posted here! Hope your holiday was stuffed with good food and good times.

A grateful thought turned toward heaven is a complete prayer... Amen!

The Highway 1

It turns out that northern California is as beautiful as the southern parts. I went camping and hiking with the girls in Big Basin Redwoods State Park last weekend, and other than all the "Yes on 8" signs [in support of the proposed ban on gay marriage], I thought the northerners were quite lovely.

I'm still training for the Pasadena Half Marathon on Nov. 16th, and then will be homeward bound for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to see everyone!! And I think I may even be able to make it to the Granger Post Thanksgiving Bash when I get back to Cali.

GO VOTE TOMORROW!
xoxo
Kate

Happy Halloween

It's not the ghosts and monsters that are scaring me this year -- it's the news. But then I get some great email from Kate, or a new picture of Celia from Jenni & Andy -- or Diana makes me laugh -- or Jeannie helps me solve a problem -- or I listen to Danny spout something wonderful in Italian (as a result of spending hours with his Rosetta Stone lessons) -- or brother John and I argue* about whether Issue 6 is good for Ohio -- or Katie Herbert walks over & stays for dinner -- or Owynn agrees to help me sell something on Craigslist -- and I am somehow less afraid. Living without electricity for 5 days following the "remnants of Ike" windstorm that blew through Ohio last month made me think a lot about the word powerless. The lights are back on, and I know I'm never Powerless -- but I thought I'd let you all know that this fall I am feeling especially grateful for this great big wonderful family. Heads up to the west coast folks -- Kate's planning to run the Pasadena Half-Marathon on Sunday, November 16 -- before heading home for Thanksgiving.

* Most Herberts & Herbertians get that arguing is not at all the same as fighting, but I wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding there.

Poisonous Nuts and Bow Ties

You know how if you're a Herbert, you're probably Welsh, or late most of the time, or a Scotch drinker? Well, if you're a Betz, you're likely to be a Buckeye, a huge fan of The Ohio State University.
Last time Chip and Diana were in Columbus (or maybe a couple times ago now) Diana and Andy talked about a bow-tie shaped flag to hang at the Betz OSU tailgate spot. Diana may have mentioned that she'd sewn some golf course hole-marker flags, and Andy must've realized Diana could sew flag-type material, and an idea was hatched. I recall the conversation beginning at Mom's house, over questionable cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, with sketches on yellow legal pads, next to a list of all the addresses where Uncle John had ever lived... and then the idea was revisited more recently at El Vaquero, our favorite local Mexican restaurant, over chips and salsa and queso - definitely not questionable - and some napkin mock-ups were involved.

*Some background here, for Herberts who may not be Buckeye fans or who may not have heard of Gordon Gee (Gee like "geek", not like "gee whiz".) Gordon Gee was the beloved president of OSU in the late 90s, early 2000s, when Andy was in college there. Gee left, and tailgating, among other things, changed, a lot (most significantly, for the Betzes anyway, was that the new president cracked down on drinking... like even if you were 21 and behaving responsibly, you could be arrested for drinking at tailgating.) Gee returned to OSU last year, and is known not only for being very visible on campus and loved by students and staff, and for being less stringent about responsible drinking, but also for wearing bow ties.

Last week, we received some color swatches in the mail, with instructions to approve the most accurate shades of scarlet and gray. Mere days later, we found this "prototype" in a package slipped through our mail slot.

Today, we took the prototype to tailgating, and gathered some feedback from focus groups; Diana sent a spreadsheet with questions and options regarding the flag, and we tried to address all of her concerns. For example, yes, the flag does flap and furl in the wind. And yes, the craftsmanship is impeccable. And yes, the striped pattern in perfect - it matches one of the ties Gordon Gee wears often. Andy's favorite part is that it's a flag that looks like a bow tie - it's not just a flag with a bow tie on it, folks, it really, truly looks like a bow tie.
We will send feedback to Diana this week, so as to make minor adjustments for a perfect final product (althought the Betzes would be proud to continue to hang the prototype). Kate and I were wishing, as we talked over the phone this evening, that we had half the energy (and talent) that Diana has...

Summer Days in Seattle

Hey all, it's been awhile since I (or anyone for that matter) have posted. My apologies, but I'm back! What are the rest of your excuses??

My mom and dad visited me up here in Seattle this weekend and we had a great time. We visited one of my favorite Indian restaurants on Friday night after they arrived and made it an early night since we had a big day of sight-seeing to do the next day.

On Saturday we started with a lovely breakfast at Portage Bay Cafe I drove them down to base (McChord AFB) and gave them a tour of my squadron and a C-17. Then we cruised back up north for a little football party my friends were having, where my parents finally got to meet some of the amazing people I hang out with, and my friends finally got a little peek at how I turned out the way I did...everyone had a fun time as usual, with lots of beer, bourbon, and champagne flowing, despite Air Force losing a close match to Utah. We finished the day at a really great restaurant in West Seattle called Salty's, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect as we ended up with a table right on the water with an incredible view of downtown. All-in-all, an awesome day.

Sunday was great as well, starting out with a walk through Seattle University before breakfast, followed by a bus ride over to Pike's Place Market. It was fun to watch the fish guys to their thing and browse the enormous supply of flowers, fresh produce, and various other wares. Afterward, I gave them a short driving tour of Lake Washington and several Seattle neighborhoods before we toured Stone Gardens, my rock-climbing gym, and the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which had actual Salmon in the fish ladder! Soooo cool. We finished off the weekend with a nice lunch at Norms, a super-cool bar/grill that lets you bring your dog INSIDE!

Anyway, tt was sad to see them go, but wonderful to finally show them Seattle all the same. So, if any of you are ever around, I'll make sure we have some fun up here too. And, yes, we DID get some pics, but they're all on my Mom's camera, so maybe she'll make a post and put some of them up. Take care everyone!

Aaron

Living it up in Santa Barbara!

Hello everyone! Sebi and I have settled into Santa Barbara...

I got started on my six month contract at Cottage Hospital, found a yoga studio, and most importantly - found the farmers' markets! Kingsolver's "Animal Vegetable Miracle" was recent inspiration for being more of a locavore, and it's just too easy out here. There's a market close by nearly every day of the week.

I've been working a ton but the picture is of the Channel Islands - where we sailed out to go on a day hike last weekend. This is a beautiful place with lots to do!

Have to send a quick Happy Half Birthday to my sister -- since her real one keeps getting usurped by births and major weather :)

Love to you all,
Kate

Dispatches from an Air Mattress in Jersey

Hey fam!!

Judson here.
How in the world did I end up in Jersey, you ask? Here's the scoop:

So I graduated in May from BGSU with plans to move to NYC and participate in the teaching fellows program. I got to Brooklyn, where I had arranged to sublet for the summer, and kind of realized that I REALLY wasn't ready to go back to school. (The program was half teaching...half being taught). SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, relying on my 10 years of foodservice skills I landed a serving job at Gramercy Tavern at Park and 20th in Manhattan. Lovely area, great place to work. www.gramercytavern.com

So, my sublet in Brooklyn ended and I moved across the Hudson to Jersey where I cohabitate with three lovely young singles like myself. Thanks Craigslist!!!

When not working I am exploring the city and catching up with some friends from college who have found themselves here too. AWESOME. I even made it to the beach for Labor Day!

Hope all is well for everybody!
Cant wait to get visitors....but let me get some furniture first!

MUCH LOVE
Besos y Abrazos,
Judson "Whoops, I changed my mind at the last minute" Morrow

Betz Family Blog

We're gonna try our own little family blog. Check it out if you have a moment, comment if you're so inclined, check back often for updates if you're interested.

www.betzfamilycolumbus.blogspot.com

Baby Betz # 2

Some of you may have already heard that Celia will be a big sister soon (well, in about 7 months). Our second baby is due March 3 (which is the exact same due date Celia had, although she arrived March 7, sharing Jenni's birthday). We're excited!

The photo above was taken in July, on our back deck. Yes, it's a little white-trash-esque, but Cel was having fun!

Happy August!

It sounds like everyone (well, most everyone) is making some time for relaxation and rest this summer. Most excellent! Rob, Aaron, Jonathan, Becca and I had a wonderful time at the Granger family reunion in Grand Haven, Michigan last week. We missed having Megan along, for sure! I will be starting a new job around the first of September. I am going to be the Administrative Director of Human Resources for the Walnut Valley Unified School District. This is the district I taught in for 13 years. I am really excited about returning and working with old friends again. Megan turns a quarter century old next week and we will be meeting up with her in Las Vegas for a fun weekend! Love and blessings to all.

Sunny Torrey Pines

Hello all! I was lucky enough to have Jenni visit for the weekend: pictured here at Razor's Point in Torrey Pines...

We were beach bums in Coronado, Ocean Beach, and La Jolla. We've each read a couple of good books and eaten lots of good food.

Thanks to both of Celia's Grandmas, and mostly to Andy for giving my sister the peace of mind to come out for a couple of days without worrying about Celia!

Also, HAPPY first anniversary to Andrew and Libby!

Back from Boston

Each summer Rod and I try to visit some place that we've never been before... and here we are enjoying Boston... where we were amazed not only by an incredible sense of history, but also by the friendliness and helpfulness of the people we met. (The gentleman who volunteered to take this picture was waiting for his son to come in from a sailing lesson on the Charles River.) If and when you decide to visit Boston, we'd recommend staying at the John Jeffries House in Beacon Hill, parking your car and buying a linkpass for the T, -- oh, and taking comfortable walking shoes for exploring the Freedom Trail, Newbury Street, Harvard, and the Emerald Necklace. Along the way to and from Boston, we stopped for BSO concerts at Tanglewood -- imagine watching and listening to John Williams rehearsing a performance of his film scores -- and a Sunday morning worship service at the Chautauqua Institute. I remember Liddy happily recounting her visits to Chautauqua, and now I certainly understand why she loved spending time there. It's currently my first choice of possible locations for our next family gathering... check it out at http://www.ciweb.org/ and post your thoughts.

Midshipman Maggie

I totally lifted this photo from Katie Herbert's Facebook page -

it's of John David, Maggie and Abby. I told Katie she should post it (she showed it to me on her phone), but I'm not sure she has internet access right now... So I decided I would! Katie stopped by Mom's house the other evening when Celia and I happened to be over for dinner (Andy's off fishing in Canada), and we all visted in the backyard - I think Mom has photos of Katie and Celia and me to post later... Anyway, Katie shared Maggie's address in Annapolis, and said that Maggie's on crutches after having been twisted in ropes and gotten her legs bruised. And, Katie said Maggie might be a little homesick; she's been at the Naval Academy since early July, and was allowed to make her first phone call this past weekend. I just sent her a quick note today, and I'm sure any of her siblings will share her address with you, if you'd like to write to her. I think Katie was going to make and send Rice Krispie treats; what a sweet big sister!

Chip and Diana's Sharkfest Adventure

Well, we trained hard and we felt ready. The water was 57 degrees, the swells and chop were stronger than the crowd expected...and still, WE JUMPED OFF THE BARGE HOLDING HANDS. Chip was brave and strong and quietly began about the task of swimming; Diana treaded water and carried on very loudly about how cold the water was. The good news is: after about 15 minutes, our hands and feet were numb and didn't hurt anymore.

Then we never saw each other again until it was over. We both made it about half way....and while our dreams of bounding out of the water at the finish line were not realized THIS YEAR...we had great fun. Truly, preparing for this event was an experience unto itself. As for me, I've never had a bib # at all, let alone one on both hands, and the microchip strapped to my ankle was kind of cool looking. I almost forgot that it's there so they can find your body if you don't return to shore....oh, and to mark your swim time (so they say). Take a look at our web page to see the story unfold: http://www.stevers.org

Year is half over!

Sup folks? I hope the summer heat isn't keeping you down.

First off, a matter about this word, blog. As you can see at wiki (one of my favorite website, btw), it's merely a combination of the words "web" and "log"...a weblog...or as with the evolution of so many words, shortened to blog.

So, on to bigger and better things. I managed to finish Seafair marathon yesterday in a respectable manner, though not quite the result I was hoping for. I ended up with a 3:31 after I cramped at about mile 21, and had to slow down a lot. Fortunately, I am actually recovering fairly well so far. Good thing too, since I've decided to run Portland at the beginning of October, so the quicker I can get back on the road the better.

In other news, as long as I can't run for a few days, I ended up buying the video game Rockband...and I have successfully wasted a solid 6 hours of my life since Sunday night. If anybody wants to play online (PS3) my username is Grinch17...I'll play whatever instrument you don't want too, but I won't sing. I hate to brag, but I'm pretty good...kind of a big deal.

So, that's pretty much it. I'm headed back on the road tomorrow for a 10-day trip, which really blows since I'll miss the 4th, a really sweet Foo Fighters concert that I've been waiting to see since March, and most importantly a really good friend's wedding (and bachelor party of course) that's here in town. But, at least I get to see my parents and Becca (plus the rest of the Granger clan) at the end of the month in Michigan.

And, since I don't have a very good camera and haven't taken any pics since the last post, here's a pretty cool pic of two C-17s in Kuwait.

Oh, and Kathmandu sounds aiight.

Work - it's a job joy

Today my "job" felt a lot more like joy than work! Well, I ought to back up and say that most days, "work" taking care of Celia is full of joy, and I count my blessings to be home with her. But, today I did my first real, big-market voiceover gig!
I've been with a talent agency here in Columbus since shortly after Celia was born, and I've auditioned for spots through them, and I've sent my voiceover demo all over town. Lately I've had a couple of auditions a week (fortunately, the studio is just a couple blocks from home) and I've learned a lot in the process. Apparently The Columbus Dispatch thought my voice matched their message, so I recorded 5 scripts for radio and TV for the Dispatch today.... It may not be quite as cool as Uncle Danny's role in The Muppets take Manhatten, or as Josh and Will's work in CA, but I am pretty excited!
When the producer e-mails me the MP3 files of the spots, I'll try to link one of them to the blog :)

How's work going for you? Or, if you're on summer break, what have you been up to?

Oak Hill to Kathmandu

Okay, we have some generational issues to reflect upon. Rosie, Rod, Chip and I recently discussed the pros and cons of Oak Hill, Ohio as the location for our next reunion, and decided there just wasn't enough happening in Oak Hill to make it a happening place. We figured Jackson would be better. :-)

Meanwhile, Kathmandu sounds great, wherever it is. I once recruited a nephrologist from Tibet (no kidding), and he really liked me. He'd claimed political asylum and was working under a special visa...some pesky problems with the Dali Lama, as I recall. Anyway, he was so appreciative of my work I'm sure he'll remember me. How far is Kathmandu from Tibet? I'm sure I could find this guy (once I remember his name)....I'm figuring he can hook us up with his family and we'll have a blast.

Kathmandu anyone??

Hello all!

It has been too long since the Herberts reunited!!! (To those of you who either missed or were too cool for the Wales trip in '05 or Haydenville in '07... your loss).

We need a date and a plan for the next large get together.... I'm thinking: The Himalayas, Summer 2010. But I'm open to suggestions. If anyone is interested feel free to check out this website:

http://www.geckosadventures.com/default.aspx

Gecko's is a tour operator group that specializes in multi-country trips through different regions all over the world. They were given the Responsible Travel Award for Best Tour Operator of 2007 (I included this little factoid just for you, Mom). They cater to solo and small group travelers, but I contacted them about the idea of a family reunion and they LOVED it (even though I warned them they'd be both in love with and extraordinarily sick of us by the end of the trip).

If no one else is feeling the Himalayas, we could go for Latin America, Africa, or even Antarctica. Don't you worry -- I'm sure Diana can sniff out some Herbert ancestors on any continent...

Hey everyone!

Many thanks to Jenni for starting this blog. I think it's a great way for everyone to stay in touch :) I'm not great at blogging, even being one of the youngest here, but this is something that I can get on board with.

I hope everyone is doing well and it's so exciting to see what everyone is up to these days. As for me, I recently moved to Colorado and have started a nursing program here. I'll be graduating next summer, and from there have no idea where I'll be moving. I'm excited about it nevertheless. As a recap for my family, Suzie and Scott are still making it in Birmingham, with only Allie left living there. Allie will be starting her senior year in August and then she'll be heading to college somewhere. Josh and Will are still doing their thing in L.A. and loving it. Hopefully we'll be able to get the rest of them into posting here as well. The internet is certainly a great resource. I'm off to work on some homework for the evening. Take care! Talk to you all soon!

Swimming to Shore

Thanks, Andy, for getting me started. It is yet another example of your leadership and courage as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Herbertians.

I have done a little research on this business of blogging, and confess it perplexes me a bit. But I found a definition that attracts me: a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page. Oooh...blogging is right up my alley. I have many thoughts, and while sometimes not linear, they are most certainly are chronological.

So here's one of my thoughts for the day: will Chip and I actually jump off the barge at Alcatraz on June 28 and swim 1-1/2 miles to shore?

In celebration of our 7th wedding anniversary, we're participating in the 16th Annual Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim, which honors the "swim the Anglin Brothers and Frank Lee Morris successfully attempted in their escape from Alcatraz on the night of June 12, 1962. Who knows where they are now? Who cares?!!". Herberts around the world can check it out at http://www.envirosports.com/events/event.php?eventid=2190

Today as I look out over the farmlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, sipping my coffee with our dog at my feet, I'm thinking: YIKES.

The Picture at the Top

This will be Diana's first official post (with help from Andy) until she figures out how to blog... blog, lets think about that word... as an aside: I love it when nouns are turned into verbs in the English language... I am going to try out some new ones... how about this one.... "I am going to finish couching here before I car my way over to the bar to beer it up a little." Works pretty well! Try it with your neighbors and friends. I bet you'll get some strange looks followed by sudden understanding. Anyway, copied below is Diana's email explaining the photo we attached at the top of the blog. Thanks for your help Diana!

By the way, Diana (and Rod, Pat, Rob, Steve, Scott, our newest member Andrew, and everyone else to whom this applies), I will be creating a sub-section of this blog that will be password protected for only those indoctrinated into the Herbertian group. This is where those of us who married into this wild Welsh family can spout about all the strange things and odd commonalities peculiar to the Herbert Clan. Diana, we should try to recreate the initial list of things we came up with in Wales...

Okay, so none of the above was Diana's first official post yet... sorry Diana. So far, it's all been my post, so below will be Diana's first blog entry.

Andy B.

Attached is a picture of the sons of Thomas and Elizabeth (Davies), who are also grandsons of John and Jane (Jones) Herbert. John T. Herbert (in the picture, far right) is your great-grandfather, and the father of our Thomas the
Governor.

Most of the Herberts we know, including the Gills, Millns, Stevers, Morrows, Grangers et al, are descended from the John T. Herbert in this picture. The other folks with whom I've corresponded, like Jenni in Wales and Jim in Texas, are descended from cousins of John T.

And I'm still trying to figure out what a blog is, even though, in true Ukrainian style, I jumped on the bandwagon and am participating enthusiastically.

Aaron was right (it took me 4 hours)

Hello all! yes, i know its taken me a while but,...well, I'm just not as cool as my son Ben (who is currently typing this for me) ^_^ if it wasn't for him i would be dead on the streets hoping & begging for technological help...but anyways...wow theres so much to talk about yet so little space & i have used up a good amount of it already. So!...donut give up on me i will try to input as frequently as Ben (the one who's typing) is available! I'm heading off to Maggie's graduation this weekend & then Ben & Hallie are going to camp the following weeks so chances are i won't be able to type on this thing considering i don't know how... but oh well! maybe i will surprise you all! or even myself...

XX Kisses!

Memorial Day Weekend 2008

Thank you, Jenni, for creating a Herbert blog! I love that all the cousins are keeping in touch -- so many stories and accomplishments to share. Thought I'd follow Judd's tuxedo tease... it's true... brother John and I spent a day in January unearthing old uniforms and other treasures... including a book of Byron's Poems that was presented to J.T. Herbert in 1886 by his students, one of Kathy Granger's girl scout notebooks, the plaid tuxedo -- which John claims to have worn back in the 60's -- and more.

Chip, Diana, Jeannie & Walt are celebrating this weekend together in Pittsburgh -- Rod and I are catching up on the homefront, and sending best wishes out to all the Herbert 2008 graduates -- and to Matt as he completes basic training in the U.S. Army. Our love to all... rht

(Now let's see if I can actually post my first ever blog!)

MASTER...of the universe!

HOLA!!!!
hope everyone is awesome-town!














I have WHOLEHEARTEDLY rejected social network sites but this bad boy is something I can hang with. Heeeeeeeey Cuz(s) (Aunts/Uncles/Amigos!)

So, Monday afternoon I defended my thesis. Im proud to tell you all that I now have my Master's in Spanish. Que bien!! In three short weeks Im off to NYC to begin my training as a Teaching Fellow. Im in the process of finding a summer place...I heart Craigslist.

In other news. I'm a dad.

Host dad. My roommates and I have adopted a charming Saudi Arabian boy. His name is Abet, he's 25, and he is in the states to learn English. We are giving him a room, making three meals a day and showing him around. So far, my roommate Brandon and I have quite disagreed on the peanut butter to grape jelly ratio for Abet's lunchtime sandwhiches. :::Sigh::: parenthood.

Love you All!!

Oh...the photo. My roomies and I hosted "Millenium Prom" at our place. It was our last hoorah before graduation. The plaid tuxedo I am wearing (hard to see in the pic) is a Herbert family heirloom. No joke!

Besos y Abrazos!

my sister rocks

Yay for the blog and for an easier way to stay in touch since it seems we are all so busy!

I'm still living it up in San Diego for the summer, and then probably heading to the bay area in August. I just spent a couple of nights camping in Utah and hiking with some of my girlfriends at Zion and Bryce Canyons -- good times. Am very excited for my next travel weekend - a visit to Ohio in June....

Also, I just want to say I'm glad that the Herberts have a collectively high IQ [it's e when you're b!]. Bloggers with bad grammar and spelling (or those who don't understand homophones) are not permitted to post on our family blog :)

Much love to you all!!

Hey everyone! So, this is a blog huh? I've never been a part of one...nice. Great work on the blog Jenni! And of course, a shout out to Katie for coming up with the idea and persuading Jenni to get it done. I'm a huge slacker.

So, I've gotten to chat with a good amount of you over the past few months since I joined FB in Jan. A lot of you are up to some pretty fun stuff. I think the only cousins that are not on FB are the Haydens (Ben and Haley are def not old enough, but Matt is just slacking here) and my sister Megan. Everyone else has a pretty good showing though, which is awesome. Seems like everyone is doing really well too.

As for me, in March I flew out to Louisville to visit Megan and Mom for Easter. We had fun but it was cold. And of course, we made it to the Woodford Reserve Distillery for a little tour and taste test (my fav part of course). Here's the picture of us right before our taste! I bought a bottle too, so drinks on me next time any of you come to visit.

I've been busy with the Air Force mostly over the past few months. I became an Aircraft Commander in January and that has been fun. For those of you that don't know, I fly the C-17. It's been a busy year and I think I've been out of town almost 90 days so far. So, it's nice to be in Seattle and enjoy my city. This weekend I'm actually going to Sasquatch, a big music festival that should be a blast. My friends and I are camping out all weekend, which is always an adventure. I'm also training for the Seafair Marathon right now. It's on June 29 and will be my 3rd, so hopefully I'll get some good runs in this weekend on mornings before the shows start.

If anybody needs a call out from a live show, lemme know and I'll do my best.

Finally, if anyone can shed light on picture placement on blogs...that would be nice.

Aaron

Herberts on the Web

Since Kate has been in San Diego (she left in February), I have promised, on more than one occasion, to create a blog - mostly, I think, she wants to see photos of Celia. I am not especially technically savvy, but I hope to give this a try - and I hope you'll join me. Please help us keep each other "posted" by adding to this blog when you have time. (If you don't have a Google account, you'll need to create one in order to post. It's relatively easy. If you have trouble, e-mail us: jbetz1383@wideopenwest.com) As creator of the blog, I'll need to add e-mail addresses as "team members" in order for others to post -- I've added some, but please send me other family e-mail addresses so I can add them... I have not intentionally left anyone out, but I'm afraid I don't have everyone's e-mail.


And for Kate, and the extended family, here's a Celia update!

Celia's 14 months old now. She loves to read books, and to put toys "in" bowls and buckets, etc. She'll eat just about anything, but is especially fond of cottage cheese. Her favorite word, currently, is "shoe." She likes to swing at the park, wave "hi" and bye, and give super-slobbery kisses.