Omaha: Jewel of the Midwest

Several weeks ago I was finally able to take my trip to Omaha after it was cancelled due to the Snowmaggedon. I visited my best friend Teri, who many of your know as the bridesmaid who enthusiastically caught the bouquet at our wedding.

Laugh all you want, this tradition totally works! Teri and Jay are planning a wedding for October 16, 2010 in Thief River Falls, MN. I am super pumped to be her Maid of Honor!!

Here are Teri & Jay after the proposal downtown Omaha:

When I worked at NWA I made impromptu Omaha trips fairly often, so wanted to make sure to keep the tradition going especially since there is much to discuss with wedding planning!

One thing we did was scout out locations for the Bachelorette Party/Shower weekend. We both share a love for wine and cheese, which we both discovered on our college trip to Australia and to the Barossa Valley. Part of the festivities may be at the modern new Corkscrew Wine & Cheese boutique.

Also we checked out the posh and swanky (for Omaha) Magnolia hotel, which is in the heart of the Old Market District where we'll likely be hanging out for the evening.

We also went to an open skating session to brush up on our skills since part of her wedding reception includes ice skating for the guests and wedding party.

Teri, it was fun to see you!! I'm excited to see you at your bachelorette and at your wedding!

-Laurie

In the News

Every spring in Minnesota, there is flooding. It just happens. I remember high school field trips to help sandbag nearby cities.

We were not really surprised to see our old riverfront apartment in St. Paul in the news lately because of the impending Mississippi River flooding.

The latest news seems to indicate all of the apartments and condos in the neighborhood will stay dry. This new development was built above the floodplain to withstand floods for this very reason!

Photo credits: http://stpaulphotos.com/

PS – we still have blog catch up to do… so stand by!!

-Laurie

Our Cat is Spoiled

After conducting some unofficial market research, I've come to the realization that people are most interested in reading about our cat on this blog.

Recently we've noticed Jimmy likes to find water from alternative sources than his water dish, like the faucet, the shower, and occasionally our drinking glasses if his head can fit. We found out it is especially important for cats to drink a lot of water as they age. We want to make sure our child beloved Jimmy is around as long as possible. What better excuse than to buy some overpriced, over-hyped, giant plastic gadget promising to solve all of life's problems???

We bring you the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain:

After intense research of the online reviews (I can't believe 402 people actually bought this, let alone had something to say about it) the Drinkwell Platinum emerged victorious. I'll spare you the marketing video, but the features include patented 5-inch free falling water stream, a six segment charcoal filter, adjustable speed controls, and a 21-cup water reservoir.

We ordered it online and were just a little overwhelmed with the assembly:

We read the manual and had it figured out in no time. Our first thought: it sure is ugly.

Cat drinks water.....It works!

We've had the fountain for over a week now, and have noticed that Jimmy is drinking more water and does not jump in the shower anymore. Success! We hope our geriatric cat lives many more happy and healthy years.

- Laurie

Best. Surprise. Ever.

Pardon our blog tardiness, here we are back to reporting after a few weeks of laziness.

Let's flash back to a great weekend several weeks ago. Bobby told me he was planning something special for us to do that weekend, and that it was a secret. When the surprise Saturday arrived, he ran some errands in the morning, came back, hopped in the shower and told me we would leave after he was ready. The doorbell rang, which only happens when we order pizza, so I reluctantly went down and opened it.

On our doorstep were three of my best friends from Minnesota: Gemma, Steph, and Jen. Surprise!

Bobby had picked them up from the airport, and the four of them had been scheming about the surprise for months. I had never been so surprised in my life and we were all moved to tears!! I seriously have the best friends ever. The hardest part about being here is missing family and friends from home, and a visit from these ladies could not have come at a better time.

After I figured out what was going on, and realized we had two full days together, we started making the most of it! Did I mention the ladies had each brought a bottle of champagne to get the party started? Best friends ever!! We kicked it off by heading to the city for lunch, then checked out the Capitol and great view of the National Mall.

Bobby had kindly made reservations for us at the historic Old Ebbitt Grill, which is right next to the White House and is the oldest saloon in Washington. We proceeded to drink wine. Lots!

The next day we were out in full sightseeing force and made the rounds between the Lincoln Memorial..........

....... the Washington Monument and the frozen Reflecting Pool......

........the Jefferson Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Marine Corps War Memorial.......

.......the National Museum of American History........

........and the National Museum of Natural History.........

Whew!! These ladies do not mess around! We relaxed for dinner in Georgetown before bringing them back to the airport.

For me, the weekend ended as quickly as it started. I miss these girls terribly, but it was so fun to get a chance to show them around our new city.  Jen, Gemma & Steph - thank you so much for coming! I will never forget how amazing it felt to see you on our doorstep!

- Laurie