Maras Family Update...finally!

Finally finding some time to update this darn thing...sorry it's been so long! This past weekend Chris and Tony stayed overnight at the Omaha Zoo with their Cub Scout Pack. This was definitely a thrill for Tony. Above is a picture of the whole motley crew! The zoo does a nice job hosting over night's such as this. They stayed in the "Exploration Station" which is the safari-themed trail-head at the zoo. Zoo staff stay overnight with them, lead them on night hikes, play games and provide snacks and breakfast. Livie and I opted out of the experience. One mom who attended woke up with a cockroach on her arm...enough said.
Not a great picture, but I had to include a night shot of Tony's beloved Desert Dome. Underneath the dome is the "Kingdom of the Night" nocturnal exhibit...another of Tony's favorites. They got to visit at night when all the lights are ON, very cool according to my 7-yr. old. They also got to tour the jungle exhibit where the lights were OFF and bats and monkeys were on the prowl.

Just a cute picture of Tony and his best pal, Sam. Chris didn't get any pictures of where they "camped" but I'm grateful he took the camera and captured what he did.

Chris came home with a terrible "kink" in his back and spent the next 24 hours on the living room floor with a heating pad under him. We had 4 tickets to see "Magic Tree House - The Musical" in Council Bluffs, Iowa the next day. Since he was laid up, we invited Olivia's friend Maggie to come along. For those of you who don't know, Magic Tree House is an awesome series of children's books. Liv read every one when she was Tony's age, and Tony currently devourers them as fast as he can check them out from the library.

The musical was held at the Mid-America Center which is also a hockey arena for the Omaha Lancers. I'm quite certain there was ice still under the floor because it was FREEZING in there! The kids didn't seem to mind as they were all on a sugar high from the treats they got at the concession stand. As I type this our friend Maggie is in New York City with her Dad for a week. We can't wait until she gets home and tells us all about it!!! Lucky little girl!

Sorry to be a "Debbie Downer" but I feel compelled to add one last thing to my blog today. At 1:00 this afternoon, a funeral will be held for my dear high school friend, Lori Luoma (far left). She passed away Nov. 11th after suffering a brain aneurysm while on vacation in Phoenix. It's been quite a shock to all of us who knew and loved her. This picture is from May of this year...all the planets were in alignment and she along with another dear high school friend, Carol, were able to meet me for dinner one night while I was in the Twin Cities visiting Erin. I am so THANKFUL we had this visit as we had not seen each other for at least 10 years. I am so THANKFUL that I have this last memory of a fun night filled with memories and giggles. I chose this song for my blog today because Lori and I were editors of our Senior Yearbook and this song was the theme we chose. I think of her every time I hear it. We will all miss Lori and I'll never understand why her time on this earth was so short.

On a lighter note, we will be leaving Tuesday for much needed vacation to Denver (via Amtrak!) over Thanksgiving break. I will probably not post until we get back.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all we hold near and dear. Take a moment to hug the ones you're with...life is a precious gift. We are thankful for you all and miss you everyday.