Omaha Getaway

A month ago, Jim and I had a nice little retreat.  His parents took the kids for us while we headed to Omaha for an education conference and a little fun.

We arrived at 3am Saturday morning, slept for a few hours, and then began our weekend.  The conference was all day Saturday, and, despite being sleepy, was excellent.  I particularly appreciated hearing Nicholeen Peck speak that day.  After the conference we took a little power nap and then headed to the Winter Quarters Temple.  I don't think I've ever been so sleepy during a temple session, but it was a much needed temple visit. 

On Sunday we enjoyed the chance to rest.  We went to church and attended a fireside where we again had the chance to hear Nicholeen speak, but otherwise we relaxed in our hotel.  It was a lovely day.

On Monday we had some fun before heading home.  We started the day by visiting Boys Town.  I read the book years ago, and was inspired by the story behind it.  So I was excited to see it.  I'm standing in front of Father Flanagan's house in the picture.

Our next stop was lunch at an awesome little cafe called 'My Crepes'.  I'd HIGHLY recommend it to anyone visiting Omaha.  The food was SO tasty and very authentic (Bosnian).  It was a little family run affair.  We were pleasantly surprised.  I believe this is the first time I've ever taken a picture of a meal at a restaurant.

After lunch, we watched 'Mom's Night Out' in the theatre (I laughed and cried...), and then headed home.  It was a great little trip. 

Baby Birds

A few weeks ago I looked out the window to see the kids chasing a small animal through the corn field.  Upon questioning, I learned that they'd been chasing a bird.  They'd seen it fall out of a tree and wanted to put it back in its nest.  Later, they showed me where the nest was and we discovered that it was a nearly full grown robin.  It sat SO still hoping we wouldn't notice it.

A few days later, I came outside to see the kids sitting under the slide and acting very suspicious.  Upon inspection, I discovered that they had once again found the same baby robin.  This time, however, they'd put it in a nest (an abandoned one thankfully) and covered it with a towel underneath the slide.  The little bird was extremely content.

It was pretty darn cute, but we returned it to it own nest, and made it clear to the kids that they needed to leave it alone.

Then a week ago, the kids found another baby bird.  This time they found it in our garage, so they rescued it in a wet sand bucket.  The poor thing was half soaked.

It fluffed back up after a while.  We think this one was a baby quail.  A neighbor took this one since we had no idea where it came from.

Kids Say

Alex was singing 'Let It Go' and he said to me, "Mom, a little of 'Let It Go' was stuck in my throat!"

I asked Alex if I'm really old now because I had a birthday.  "No, cause your face isn't really old!"

Annie was walking around in her dress up high heels, "Mom, I should teach you how to walk in high heels!  Do you always think, 'How in the world does she walk in high heels?!!'  That's what you always think, huh?"

Alex, "A wind knocked down my waterbottle!"  Me, "Why'd it do that?"  Alex, "Maybe it didn't like my waterbottle!"

Alex noticing that I was washing my bedsheets, "Mom, did you wet your bed?"

Alex, "Mom!  A bird picked me up off of my feet!"

Alex came downstairs with a blanket cape, "I'm Superwash!"

Alex listening to morning sounds, "The birds are barking!"

Alex after we drove somewhere, "The sun followed us!"

I told Alex to blow on his food to cool it off.  So he first blew into his hand, then said, "I don't have cold air!"

Logan referring to Abby, "She tells me all her secrets!  She once told me that she doesn't like to be told no!"

We were at a park one day and there was one of those 'In memory of...' benches.  Logan read that and came to me, "Mom!  Somebody is buried under that bench!"

We broke two lawnmowers one evening within a five minute time frame.  Alex was concerned about how one broke while Jim was trying to fix one of them. "If it's a rabbit or a turtle that would be BAD!"

Alex, "All my feelings are wet!"

Alex, "Mom!  I saw popcorn on a apricot tree!  Really!  Popcorn is on apricot trees, right Mom?"

Alex, "If the popcorn is still on the trees at church I'll be proud!"

Alex looking through a Disney book with multiple stories came upon 'Tarzan'.  He said, "Mom, look!  There a naked man outside!  That not good!  It's not good for a naked man to be outside, right?  Or not a naked girl or boy!!!"

We heard a rumble outside, so Alex opened the front door to check for a storm.  After listening for a minute in which there were no noises, "It's just quiet thunder!"

Alex standing on the uneven part of our dining room floor, "Mom, see how our house is rocky right here?  It is sinking into the fire down there!"

I told Alex that he'd already had a banana.  Alex, "Nuh-uh!  My feelings don't feel like it.  Seriously Mom!"