Look Away

Symphony

Last Sunday afternoon John and I took our nephews downtown to see the Omaha Symphony Orchestra.

It was specifically geared toward children and families and the boys got to try out a violin before the show started.

Checking out the program before the show, learning about all the different instruments

I think it was exciting for them. As the musicians were tuning their instruments Paul kept asking "Are they playing a song now?"

We had a good time (even if it did take place during naptime).

Omahaw

My friend Michelle came to Omaha last weekend from Chicago and we spent the weekend bumming around town.

We went to several antique stores and wandered around playing with all the weird stuff. Like old toasters...

We also walked around an art gallery/artist studios where Michelle pondered the deep meaning in this painting. She takes this stuff very seriously...

Beautiful fall view of downtown Omaha...

I love this old building. It's completely covered in old painted-on signs on both sides.

Perplexed

My dad was visiting from Peoria this weekend and Saturday was a beautiful day. Amongst many other things we stopped at a park to throw a Frisbee and just hang out. We walked past a group playing some sort of sport which involved dressing up in strange Renaissance clothing, throwing a ball, and poking each other with large baton-like objects. We think they made it up.

Anyway, this shot makes me laugh.

What you can't see is that they are a mirror images of each other and they each have one hand up to their chin and one arm across their stomach. Funny. They stood like that for a while trying to figure it out.

Visitors!

Our friends Mitch and Kathleen came to visit us this past weekend from Chicago. They were the first in a string of 3 visitors we will have in a row. We were so excited to see them because we were starting to feel a little disconnected. It was a gray, rainy weekend but we didn't care.

We went downtown to the Old Market on Saturday and walked around. There was a little farmer's market that was very cute and, as Kathleen put it, "wholesome".

How cute is this guy organizing his tomatoes? Dressed up like a conductor.

My brother told me that it looked like nobody ever hung out in the Old Market. The last time I took pictures down there it was like 6:00 on a weeknight and I avoided getting people in my shots. So this time I tried show that the Old Market is not a ghost town. It's actually very lively and there are always street musicians and people eating outside.

I had to have them

Shrine

Yesterday John and I went to a state park near Omaha to do some hiking and just be outside. On the way there we stopped by a beautiful structure called the Holy Family Shrine. It's a church that was recently built on a hill amongst natural prairie grasses and wildflowers. It's open to visitors and we had been wanting to stop by and see it.

Normally there is a stream of water running through this crack in the walkway but they were working on it while we were there.

Water runs underneath the alter

Water runs in these holes under the pews

When we were back outside I bent down to take a picture of the church and realized my head was about 4 inches from this! That thing was at least 2 inches across. Guh-ross.

Later in the day, on the other side of town we saw this praying mantis

I think he was looking for the Holy Family Shrine.

Big Band

Last Wednesday John and I went to watch his dad Paul's band play. It's a dance band that plays big band music and Paul has been a member for about 45 years! The band itself was celebrating it's 60th year and the band leader's 80th birthday! There were about 200 people there and most of them were regulars who had been coming to see them for years. Not only that, but they all danced the entire time, and were still dancing when John and I left at 11:00!  Wow.

I'm glad I got to see the band play because I know it has been a big part of their family for so long.

Paul:

The band leader on the left, Paul in the middle:

Dancers:

Rockin out:

Paul serenading the ladies:

Yes, John and I Polka'd and Waltzed and Two-Stepped but I don't have any photos of it because I don't have a third arm. I guess you'll just have to imagine how fabulous of a dancer I am (hint: not at all).

The Old Market

Sorry to keep you waiting after the tease last week.

I have been doing some freelance graphic design at a company that's located in the Old Market area of downtown Omaha. It's a very old part of town (hence the name) and has amazing architecture and brick streets. There are old brick buildings that used to be warehouses and manufacturing plants that have been converted into restaurants, shops and lofts. It seems like Omaha is trying to preserve the history while giving the area more modern uses. Anyway, I absolutely love it down there and usually spend part of my lunch break every day walking around. About a week ago I walked around after work and took about a billion pictures. Lucky for you I edited them down a little but there are still a lot. So I am posting one of my favorites here, but go view the whole set here.

The Essence of Cool

This is also my pick for My Best Shot Monday.

Sneak Peek

More to come from this set...

Soaring Wings

Last Friday John and I went to a little vineyard in the country called Soaring Wings with some friends. They have live music in a little amphitheater on the weekends and one of our friends was playing. It was gorgeous but crazy hot and humid. I'm sure we'll go back again. I bet it's beautiful in the fall.

Idol Fever

The American Idol auditions came to Omaha last Thursday and Friday. Omaha was the only city in the midwest to hold auditions so it was kind of a big deal for the city.

A sign outside a clothing boutique downtown

The day before auditions started one of John's former elementary students from Chicago called him to say that he was coming to town to audition. He is 16 now (the youngest you can be to audition). John had him in band and choir in elementary school but continued to stay in touch with him and gave him some voice lessons along the way. So when he and his family got into town on Thursday night we met up with them downtown for a bit.

On Friday morning we were curious to see the hype so we headed down to the Qwest Center and met up with John's sisters Lorie and Julie and Julie's boys Joey and Ryan.

Joe and Ryan are ready to audition

Killing time acting like weirdos

We met Brandon Rogers from last year's American Idol

I think this bronzed girl made it to the next round but her dress was so short that when she turned to walk away you could totally see her butt. Classy.

All of the people who made it to the next round actually have to come back in about a month. That's when they have a chance to audition in front of Simon, Paula, and Randy. So are you dying to know whether John's student made it to the next round?! Well, he did! I have a picture of he and John together but I can't post it because it's supposed to be a secret. They aren't supposed to tell anyone but their family whether they are moving on or not. So if he gets on tv, I'll post the picture and tell you his name. We are crossing our fingers for him!