Tag Archives: Lost in Fun

Easter Weekend 2023

We had a wonderful Easter weekend with the family in Omaha and have had a week of the most perfect weather ever to enjoy it. Naturally, that meant multiple Easter Egg Hunts and extra time outside all around.

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On Wednesday, Sam came by to spend some time with Hannah for the evening. She brought along a 1990 board game called Meet Me at the Mall, which Lexi apparently used to play when she was little.

Jake was back from Mexico and brought along a giant sombrero (which Aaron tried on) and a poncho, both of which he wore to Royal Rangers that evening. Aaron, in the meantime, got to make some cardboard “Armor of God” on his little group, dressed up as little soldiers in the Lord’s Army for evening. Yes, sir.

On Thursday, I dropped by the Pizza Ranch to hear from self-professed “tax geek” Bryan Sloan with the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He talked mostly about taxes, specifically the EPIC tax being proposed and Gov. Pillen’s current tax cut plan before the legislature. I also got to chat with a handful of other people about politics, including current craziness happening in the state legislature.

Then that evening, I made some unleavened bread to celebrate Passover, which we had with a little Kosher wine. Aaron got to try kneading the dough as well, which I found to be quite therapeutic to smash repeatedly on a flour-covered cutting board.

I took Good Friday off completely, specifically so we could take the kids to Lincoln for a long-overdue trip to Lost in Fun. They hadn’t been there for over two years — and will be aging out of it soon — so we wanted to give them both another chance to bounce on a jumping pillow, jump into the Space Pit, and run around playing with a few of the games and climbing through an obstacle course together for the afternoon.

Afterward, we got some smoothies from Pho Ngyuenn down the street and then explored some of the park and trails over by 22nd and Q. There was a small playground and some stone statuary and furniture for the kids to explore, and Aaron and Hannah walked around the river going through a “level” before we called it a day. Then we got some Chinese food at Egg Roll King before heading home (though I was tempted to explore the “Meat and Beer” across the street, which I presume has plenty of both).

The came Saturday. We managed to take the kids to two Easter Eggs hunts (out of the dozens and dozens happening in the area). The first was at Christ Cathedral up the street from us, which is where the family who started the Our Gathering Place dinners happens to attend. I got to meet Pastor Kevin Johnson, and the kids got to gather a few egg and get a few prizes from the prize table before having some hot dogs for lunch downstairs. We also got a nice family photo out in the foyer.

Afterward, we went down to Everett Park for a second Easter Egg hunt with Bellevue Christian Center. Hannah got a bucketful of eggs with candy as Aaron got some time on the swing and had his face painted (and Hannah got a spider on her hand). He and I did a little sword-fighting afterward before heading home.

Then came Sunday! We got up wit h the kids and let them look for their Easter Baskets to start the morning, which contained candy and a few UV “invisible ink” pens that U showed them how to use. We put on our Sunday Best and got a family photo before heading to church. We got to see several classrooms decorated as various scenes from the Easter story in the bible, including Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Empty Tomb. Someone also left Pastor Ron a giant Marshmallow Peep.

We returned home, where the kids got to have another Easter Egg hunt in our yard. Vivian and I spent a little more time afterward getting Easter Dinner ready and tidying up the house a bit. Vivian made a lovely glazed ham with pistachio fluff and broccoli casserole, and I made some mashed potatoes and deviled eggs. We had the whole family over — Vivian’s parents and mine, Uncle Jonny, Uncle Nathan, and even Cheryl. Donna brought a trio of pies and Uncle Nathan brought some donuts, so we had more food to go around than we knew what to do with.

Happy Easter!

Snow Time like the Present

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So, it’s still winter, but we’re always finding things to do, both inside and out. For instance, Hannah broke open the geology kit she got for Christmas and has been proudly showing us the rocks she’s dug out of it.

Then on Friday last week, Grammy stopped by to help Hannah and her friend Sammy make and decorate some cakes together. They created a few cupcakes first for practice before putting together some lovely cakes with underwater themes — complete with gummi fish and sea creatures. The girls did all the decorating themselves, and Hannah got to cut herself a little piece afterward — right from the middle of course.

The weekend was full of cold and cloudiness, so we decided to take the kids down to Lincoln for a trip to Lost in Fun — our first time there in about a year and a half. Usually, I have some other business in Lincoln to warrant such a trip, but this time it was entirely just to get out of the house. Hannah got plenty of time in the foam ball pit, climbing on the walls to jump in — or be thrown in by daddy. Aaron discovered the ball cannons and got to explore some of the large “Habitrails” with Hannah, and both kids had a little time on the bouncing pillows as well.

We called it a day after about two and a half hours, and we stopped by Big Sal’s for some pizza for dinner on our way out of town (per tradition).

On Sunday evening, I visited Converge Church in west Omaha with my dad for some “Burgers and Batman” with the men’s fellowship group there (fellowship being code for “pigging out”). Someone had been having fun in the snow out front and made a giant “Kool-Aid Man” sculpture, which can be seen quite plainly from 144th street. Inside, the men had brought a couple dozen foil-wrapped “sliders,” and they asked us all to bring along various sides and ingredients to put on them. I got some peanut butter and pickle for mine, along with some guacamole and bacon.

After that, we settled down to watch The Dark Knight Rises, the third installment in he Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy. I’d seen the movie way back in 2012 with Vivian and Hannah at the Boulevard Drive-in Theater in Kansas City, but I wound up missing much of it because Hannah got cranky and unhappy toward the end instead of falling asleep as I’d hoped. I rather enjoyed it the second time around, partly because it was made back when Hollywood had no problem portrays cops as the good guys, particularly when fighting an angry mob of anarchists.

We had a little more fun on Monday, when Aaron got to make some homemade ice cream as part of a school project. That meant mixing up some chocolate and cream in a bowl along with a few cups of actual snow scooped up from our yard. Then we actually gave it a taste, and it wasn’t too bad, though the kids both wanted the “real thing” afterward.

I watched Groundhog Day on groundhog day with Vivian, one of my favorite movies that doesn’t seem to get old after all these years. Then on Wednesday, we took the kids sledding out by Bellevue East once again. The weather was predicted to turn much, much colder, so we enjoyed the above-freezing temperatures for just a bit before calling it a night.

Millard, Museums, and Lost in Fun

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Summer vacation’s officially over now, and fall-like weather is starting to make a welcome return. That seems to mean packing more fun into every possible moment, right before I turn one year older.

We kicked off our busy weekend with our old friends Randy and Jolene to celebrate their son Emmett’s birthday. They had it down at Eagle Ridge Park, which had a playground and a splash pad separated by a small bridge, so we wound up wandering between the two with the kids to play and get wet, alternately. Randy grilled some hot dogs, and Jolene brought out a piñata for the kids to take a couple whacks at before we had cake.

We had a handful of old friends with their own kids, as well as a second birthday party next door, so we had a veritable zoo of kiddos playing together most of the evening. Mostly, though, it was just gorgeous, end-of-summer weather. (We also got some cool shades to take home afterward.)

The next day, I was able to drag the family all the way down to Millard to enjoy at least one legit parade together before the summer ended. It was the perfect morning for a parade, cool and cloudy with a slight breeze. A handful of our favorite politicians were walking the catawampus Main Street, including Mayor Stothert, Don Bacon, and state senate candidate Andrew Sakalosky (as well as a guy with signs for a dozen more). Most of the parade had local businesses and churches giving out candy (and frightening children), as well as some Irish dancers, Country Kickers, and a few marching bands. A few men riding lawn tractors pulled a train of kids through the parade, and one guy rolled a giant beach ball toward the end (for reasons I can’t explain). One float even featured the model of Millard itself.

Our kids got a decent haul of candy, and then we stopped by BIG Meats afterward so Vivian could get a nicely-marbled hunk of beef to take home (as thanks for letting us use their parking lot).

On Sunday, we spent the evening at the Children’s Museum with the kids. They got a brief look at their new playground outside before going in to have the usual run of their balls in pneumatic tubes, makeup table, model river water table, pretend cooking, Gordman’s animal slides, and baby hospital. We had the most fun upstairs for an “Enchanted” traveling exhibit that featured such things as a “hall” of mirrors (which was about the size of a closet), a blacksmith table with a giant foam hammer, a bubble fountain, and a stable with a dozen plush unicorns for Hannah to care for.

The whole night was hosted by the Autism Society of Nebraska, which had some of the sensory overload of the Museum tamped down just a tiny bit, (though with all the kids running around you might not have noticed).

Hannah started the second grade on Monday (with a picture, of course). Then we spent a long, fun day in Lincoln on Tuesday. The kids got to play at Lost in Fun down in South Lincoln, getting their fill of a foam ball pit, climbing wall, and bounce house for most of the afternoon. In the meantime, I did some freelance work for my old company Land and Sky, shooting video and taking pictures of beds, continuing a gig I started some 15 years ago.

Before we headed back to Omaha, we dropped by Big Sal’s to grab a giant combo pizza for dinner together. (Hannah wanted to stick around and shoot some pool in the meantime.)

Before we returned home, we swung by the Durham to see some dinosaur bones. They had several model skeletons, skulls, and even a model heart on display — as well as a giant, fully-assembled T-Rex skeleton named “Scotty.” The kids were a little more interested in a giant video screen that superimposed dinosaurs walking around on top of live video of themselves.

We also had enough time for a brief walk by other things, including a buffalo skin, some trains, and an exhibit on polio — which I explained to Hannah that her grandpa had when he was little. It came complete with an original “iron lung,” which a man down the street had to use when my dad was little. Polio is one of those things I’m glad we no longer have to deal with — through the magic of medicine and vaccinations (of which my mom was one of the first recipients).

Summer Wind-Down

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Things have been exciting as we’re gearing up for the big solar eclipse here in Nebraska. Of course, there are a few other fun things happening as summer begins to wind down.

We’re still enjoying the last bits of summer together, which means taking in one more movie at the SumTur (Finding Dory) and getting quality time at the local splash parks. The Fountains at Stinson Park are finally up and running, so I brought along my swim trunks for a run through them with the kids during one particularly warm lunch break.

We also dropped by Seymour Smith park for an afternoon run through the spray ground there after work. Aaron specifically wanted to see the “blue buckets” again after having seen them in action at his birthday party back in June.

On the Friday before the Eclipse, I took the day off to go to Lincoln with the kids for some quality time at Lost in Fun. I’d brought Hannah and Aaron there a couple times before when doing freelance work at Land and Sky during the day, and Hannah had been asking to return for over a year. We all got to jump on the bouncing pillows together and climb around in the plush ball pit, and Hannah and Aaron both got a couple hours of slides, carts, and bubbles together. Afterward, we had a late lunch at Big Sal’s pizza before heading home, per the norm.

That evening, Aunt Jessica invited us to spend some time in her apartment complex’s pool while it was still warm. The kids got to try out some goggles and beat each other with pool noodles for an hour or two as we finished off the day.

Then on Saturday, we went to Papillion for a Nebraska-style family photo shoot just in time to lose Hannah’s favorite toy, Zoe the Cat, making for a frustrating launch into Eclipse Weekend.

Pizza in Lincoln, Circus in Council Bluffs

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The weather has been steadily getting warmer here in Nebraska, making for several days where we can get some quality time outdoors without so much as a coat. On Wednesday last week, the Johnson Family took a road trip to Lincoln for a day nearly identical to the one we had in mid-March last year. I got to do a morning’s worth of freelance work for my old employer at Land and Sky, and Vivian took the kids to Lost in Fun in South Lincoln where they had a ball bouncing around and shooting hoops. Afterward, we all went out to lunch at my favorite pizza joint, Big Sal’s on 27th Street. The weather was so nice, we drove up the street for a little play time at Pentzer Park up the street to wear the kids out a bit before heading home.

In other news, Jack and Donna got to celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary with us over at the Crab Shack, we all got our fill of seafood before stuffing ourselves even further across the street at the Cheesecake Factory.

A few days later, the Shrine Circus was in town, so Vivian and Grammy took the kids down to the Mid-America Center to see them. It was Aaron’s first trip to the circus, so I had to be sure to get a picture of him with one of the terrifying clowns. They had tigers jumping through flaming hoops and a dog and pony show, just like our visit a few years ago. They also had some new acrobats, Mr. Springs and Tulga, and a whole team of “jumping people” AKA The Chicago Boyz, who Hannah seemed to like the best. I was able to take a break from work to join the family for a bit during the day, which was nice. Of course, the kids also had to get their own souvenir light sabers from the show, and we had to struggle to keep Aaron from whacking his sister on the head with his.

Holy Name and Homemade Pizza

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It’s been a busy week here in Omaha, with lots of fun involving food (of course). On Monday last week, with temperatures pushing their way into the 90s, the whole family took a trip down to Lincoln. I had some freelance work to attend to, and Vivian took the kids to Lost in Fun for an afternoon of bouncing around. Hannah had been there when she was just one year old, but now she was old enough to visit more exhibits than just the ball pit, such as the big ceiling-projected video game in the “dark room.”

For dinner, we drove up to Big Sal’s and gave Hannah and Aaron her first taste of mom and dad’s favorite pizza place in Nebraska. Yes, Aaron got to nibble on bits of black olive and pizza crust, and Hannah managed to finish a whole piece by herself.

The next day was St. Patrick’s Day, so we got to imbibe in our annual tradition of corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and red potatoes. Every store was selling out of corned beef up until March 17, and then the price plummeted to less than $1/pound, so we picked up some that on sale to have a couple reubens down the road (which were, in fact, invented in Omaha. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.)

No green beer or Bailey’s, however — I’ve given it all up for lent.

On Friday, we had our second Fish Fry of the year, heading up to Holy Name in north Omaha with a cluster of our fabulous friends. I’d heard about this fish fry from our mutual friend Lisa, primarily being one of the first and biggest fish fries in the area. It was also notorious for having one of the longest lines, which was quite ironic, because when we arrived, there was absolutely no line at all. Seriously, we were able to walk right in, but we stood in the hallway for some time just to get the whole standing-in-line experience. (A crowd outside was hanging around for the same reason, I expect.)

The cafeteria was packed pretty tight, however, steaming hot and filled with the smell of fried fish that stuck to your clothes. The fish itself was hands-down the best I’d had at any fish fry before. We had freshly-battered chunks of pollock that were steaming and delicious the moment they were put on your plate. I washed it down with a can or two of Cheerwine that I smuggled in from outside and a fun night of goofiness fueled by deep-fried goodness.

Then on Saturday, we celebrated Uncle Jonny’s birthday down at my parent’s house. Jonathan had been wanting to relive his childhood, so my dad put out the lawn flamingos and spent the afternoon playing Intellivision and eating homemade pizza for dinner (literally the way mom used to make). Vivian also brought along one of her legendary chocolate cheesecakes.

We brought the kids along, too, of course. They got some time being cute with grandma and grandpa, which included learning the joys of chasing a red dot from a laser pointer all over the house.

Where’s the beef?

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The fun just doesn’t stop for the Johnson Family! Last Friday, it was our turn to set up at Jitterbugs Night Out, so we naturally brought Hannah along for the ride. She tended to be a handful upstairs, toddling out onto the dance floor and trying to participate with the Lindy Hop lesson, so I took her downstairs where the older folks at the Eagles’ Lodge got to go all gooey over her. Vivian and I stayed long enough to have a dance or two together, and we also said hello to an old friend, who’d grown his hair out and decided to show up.

On Friday, I took a trip to Lincoln with Vivian and Hannah to celebrate my old friend Mike Duewling’s 50th birthday. It was a reunion of sorts, as I got to see several familiar faces I hadn’t seen in many years, ranging from high school classmates to friends from one old bible study or another. For whatever reason, it was a men-only affair, so Vivian took Hannah to a cute little children’s activity center called Lost in Fun. Hannah was too little for most of the activities, but she did enjoy swimming around in the ball pit.

Sunday, of course, was the Super Bowl, so Vivian and I crashed at the house of church friends Kelly and Andy. Pastor Drew and his Crew stopped by to play with Hannah as we watched the game (or pretended to, anyway). I think Hannah was rooting for the 49ers, and the blackout pushed the game a little beyond her bedtime.

On Tuesday night, the grandparents treated us to a baby-free evening of fun. We had a Groupon for the Pizza Shoppe in Benson that was about to expire, so we decided to spend it while taking in a live comedy show from 88 Improv! We invited a whole troop of our goofy friends, which was perfect as the group decided to play a series of improv games rather than their usual “long form” improv show. That meant we had volunteers from the audience coming up on stage to be “handy” with the players. Vivian provided some manual dexterity, and I got to be a bit of a poser, seeing how long I could bend over acting crazy in a slideshow routine. It was a fun time, as always, and our Groupon paid for our whole pizza. What could be better? Well, maybe Stilton Blue Cheese ice cream from Ted & Wally’s. (Yes, we did that.)

By the way, where’s the beef?

The Cornstalker's Journal: Matt & Vivian's Blog

Family, friends, and food (and sometimes politics) — our life in Omaha since 2006!

Tag Archives: Lost in Fun

Easter Weekend 2023

Snow Time like the Present

Millard, Museums, and Lost in Fun

Summer Wind-Down

Pizza in Lincoln, Circus in Council Bluffs

Holy Name and Homemade Pizza

Where’s the beef?