Blog Catch Up

We just finished up one of our busiest weeks ever! The week started with Olivia's first softball practice. I didn't bring the camera, but let's just say she took one in the head within the first 10 minutes. Yikes. She's got a couple more under her belt and is really improving fast! The next night was her Spring Sing/Choir Concert. 5th graders are invited to join a special choir to perform at the Sing. She went to school early one day each week to practice.

Here she is modeling her new outfit. Good thing she loved it so much, because she had to wear it again two days later.

Livie's best friend Maggie is being home-schooled this year so we brought her along to the Spring Sing with us. Video taping the performance drained my battery but I had enough juice to snap one quick picture of them. They've been pals since 2nd grade and are both growing into beautiful young ladies. Since my battery died I was unable to get any pictures of getting ice cream afterwards....a family tradition of course!

Two nights later was the 5th grade band concert. They have come amazingly far in one year of playing. Very impressive! This is a picture of the group of 5 best friends who are all in band together. Flute, clarinet, clarinet, clarinet and saxophone respectively. Four of them are all on the same softball team. Really sweet girls from wonderful families. Following this post are videos from both the choir and band concerts if you'd like to watch.

Friday after the band concert Papa John and Gramma Nancy came for the weekend. We hadn't seen them since Christmas so we all were looking forward to their visit. Olivia's dance recital was Saturday and it was so nice to have them there to watch. Olivia got them both to play HORSE with her on Saturday before the recital. Oh, Joanna how I wish you were here to watch this. It was HILARIOUS!!!! Olivia had them doing all sorts of funny shots from backwards.....

... to one leg in the air. They were both good sports and we all enjoyed the show! :) We were so glad to have beautiful weather while they were here and spent most of the time outside.

Saturday evening was Liv's dance recital. The theme was "decades" and her Hip-Hop class was the '80's. They did a rendition of "Addicted to Love" so they wanted to resemble the girls from the video...remember????

Sunday was another beautiful day so we ventured into Omaha. As I have mentioned before, we are trying to visit all 6 eateries featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" that the Food Network show visited in Omaha last summer. Amato's was the third. They are only open for breakfast and lunch and are famous for their home-made Italian sausage and ricotta pancakes.

Afterwards we decided it was a nice day to wander the zoo. Peacocks were in all their splendor as it is mating season. They roam freely at the Omaha Zoo and the males were strutting their stuff trying to attract a mate. John and Nancy had never seen this before so it was a treat.

They are amazingly beautiful aren't they?

Tony was excited to get to see his favorite animal, the okapi, up close. It's usually hiding in the back of it's enclosure. That thing has a freakishly long tongue.

I had fun snapping some close-ups in the Butterfly Pavilion.

Sunday evening we grilled steaks and had chocolate cake for an early "40th birthday" celebration for Chris. Here he is reading a WITTY poem I wrote telling him that he was going to MN for the fishing opener. I flew him to Bemidji Friday where his dad picked him up and took him to the resort "the guys" fish at every year. He'll be home Monday afternoon and I hope he had a wonderful time.

So the kids and I are on our own this weekend. Yesterday (Sat.) after a fun day outside gardening, practicing softball, etc... we enjoyed BANANA SPLITS FOR SUPPER!!!! Tony could not believe his luck. While we watched a movie later that night we had crackers, cheese and meat so we feel like we balanced it all out nutritionally.

Today is Mother's Day and we'll head for Omaha to do some shopping for our upcoming vacation. School is over a week from Tuesday and I only have 3 work days left. WAHOO!!!!!

Well, I think that's it....glad to finally be all caught up with my blog. Have a great week!