Our Happy Thoughts

Dene' and I are a little off schedule for blogging on a common theme (see what's happening at Ave). With Dene' and Tyler down at Ave, and Ashley, Alex, Michael and Liam here visiting we decided to blog about current events for awhile. (check out the Cranes in Lincoln)




Going to the zoo and breakfast at Panera and bed time stories and playing in the backyard and lots of Thomas the train...we are enjoying our time together. Here are a few pictures of our adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                        I pray your summer has started with happy thoughts too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suger and Spice and Everything Nice

What flavor was your week? Was it smooth and cool and simply delicious? Or a little dry and stale, burnt popcorn in the microwave type week? If it was anything like mine, it was probably a little of both. (Check our Dene's flavor of the week.)We went to Dubuque last weekend and had a wonderful time...then said goodbye to Dene' and Tyler until when...? What is "good" about saying "goodbye"? Not much. But they are off on an adventure that they are excited about and I believe it is where God is leading them. That's a good thing.

We video chat with Mom and Dad  almost every Saturday morning. They have coffee and yummy things with any family members that drop by and Cindy and I get to be a small part of that via the computer technology age. That is a blessing...and we feel like we are there. Almost.

We get to see our grand boys via video chat too...Michael likes to watch himself in the video screen chewing on almonds...it's pretty hilarious. The video chats help us to stay connected from a distance.

Pope Francis said "If a person's prayer life is boring, that generally means that he or she is focused too much on the self and not enough on Jesus and the needs of others." Oh...that's me.

 I am very thankful for all our family and their well being. We feel far away at times...probably because we are...but that's what is.

 

Thanks for letting me wine a little.

           

May your week be sugar and spice and everything nice...with a very little burnt popcorn.

Come Sail Away

If you said 'Styx' for the song-group in the title...you may give yourself a point...but that's another blog.

Dene' and Tyler have left the "Port of Dubuque" and are heading to Belmont, NC via Montgomery, AL and summer training in Ave Maria, FL. That's a lot of sailing.  But before they left Cindy and I spent the weekend in Dubuque doing some of our favorite things...spending time with our kids and eating angry noodles!

We went to Galena, a little town in Illinois that has some wonderful shops including one with 100 varieties of popcorn of which we always partake, and a canning shop which offers wonderful samples. We took Fannie to the river walk AND (drum roll please) went downtown to a restaurant called "The Crust". When our waiter came and asked us if we were ready to order, I told him I was ready two weeks ago and had come from Lincoln, Nebraska for the angry noodles. He wasn't sure what  to say but took our order anyway. Angry noodles are hot and spicy and delicious. It is worth the drive to Dubuque :) Cindy and Dene' had something called "Thai one on" which was a spicy pizza with a peanut-ginger sauce. Tyler...like the wonderful son-in-law he is...had angry noodles, too.



Galena...I stole this pic from a previous bog of Dene's.



Fannie says lets get walking.



Dubuque was still in bloom and very pretty.



River walk.



"The Crust"...ya!



Angry noodles.

We left Dubuque Sunday around 1:30pm and dodged severe weather all the way back to Lincoln. Just west of Des Moines on I-80 we hit a downpour with some hail and missed a tornado by 40 miles which crossed the interstate behind us. We thank our Lord for safe travels and pray for all those affected by the storms these last few days.

Dene' and Tyler left this morning (Monday) for a long journey to Montgomery.  Cleaned their apartment, locked the keys inside and walked away.

We look forward to our next adventure down to North Carolina. I just hope they have angry noodles there.

(See Dene's goodbye to Dubuque.) 

Nature

I wanted to blog about playing with nature...but the longer I thought about it we don't really play with nature...nature plays with us. We might be in nature (check out Dene', Tyler and Frannie), watch nature, hide, run from, complain about, pray for, be in awe of, taste, feel, hear and just let nature be nature...but do we play with nature? I think nature not only plays with us but enjoys messing  with us.

There is this tree at the end of our block that I believe is the prettiest tree in Lincoln. We get to see it go from dormant, to bud, blossom, to peak and finally green up. It is incredible.

The tree

Lovely

 I do have a neighbor who has a yard with grass like a golf course...just beautiful. I did catch one dandelion growing in the yard so took a picture.

The one and only

 

 This spring has turned out to be great for the blooms in the trees. Good moisture and cool weather.

Two blocks down Vine street

I took this pic in  park by my office.

 Each spring I get to 'work in nature'...kind of participate and help nature along.

Lots of mulch

Flowers ready to be planted

Daises

Fuchsia

On our deck

More nature

If there is any game I play with nature it is picking up sticks. A simple game really...I pick up sticks...and more sticks and more sticks before I mow. I think it's my tree's favorite game to play with me...it doesn't seem to get tired of dropping the branches and watching me pick them up.

Fun game



After I mow, the tree is still playing games...I think it's just messing with me now.

 

Check out Cindy's blog on playing in history next.

Who thinks the Bill of Rights is a pretty darned good thing?!

A business trip took me to Philadelphia last week where I was able to play in history.  Although, flying there might fall under playing with nature.

I arrived Sunday late afternoon, in time to scout out the area for how I wanted to spend Monday morning, before the meeting started in the afternoon.

My hotel was within easy walking distance of several old, beautiful Catholic churches and Independence Hall.

The oldest Catholic Church in Philadelphia, founded by Jesuits.

Thanks to music practice I was able to go in.



I was hoping to be able to go to daily Mass here on Monday. The Mass time didn't fit my schedule, but I was able to go to Mass in the chapel at St. Mary's Convent at 7:30 am, which was a perfect start to my day.

After Mass I found a bagel shop at the corner of 5th and Walnut, where I studied my map and fine tuned my plans.  I picked up (free) tickets to tour Independence Hall at 11:30, then headed to the Constitution Center.  Anyone who knows me knows I am seldom early.  I had a good half hour before it opened, so visited the Liberty Bell.  I hadn't planned to stand in line to go through security to see the Liberty Bell.  I expected it looked like its picture.  The line was short and I had the time, so I did.

Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in the background.
(My cell phone doesn't do well with light/dark contrasts.)

At the Constitution Center I watched a program that was a combination of oratory presentation and an audio visual show, presenting what lead up to and the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  After the show, I, and several school groups, walked through the Constitution Center museum.  I got to vote for my favorite president (George W. Bush). 

I toured Independence Hall and a small building next to it that housed the House and Senate for the 10 years that the federal government resided in Philadelphia.  That was cool - getting to see where John Adams was inaugurated as the second president.

The picture above is the room in Independence Hall where the Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.  Most is a replication, but the chair at the head table is the chair in which George Washington sat as he presided at these meetings.

You learn this stuff in grade school, so it's familiar, but I really appreciated the opportunity to be reminded of where our country started and the price that many have paid (and continue to pay) for the freedom we have .  (Hence, the movie quote from "Field of Dreams" that titles my blog.)

I also saw Ben Franklin's grave, the house Thomas Jefferson rented and in which he drafted the Declaration of Independence, Christ Church (Episcopal), and the house in which Dolley Payne Todd  lived before she married James Madison.

As often seems to happen when I travel for work, I was there over a Catholic Holy Day - Ascension Thursday.  I was able to go to Mass at 7 pm Wednesday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

Holy Trinity Catholic Church - the second oldest Catholic Church in Philadelphia.

 

Before we left for the airport on Thursday, we had time to tour the Philadelphia Mint. 

 

What I did learn, while playing in history, that I didn't know before, or had forgotten?

John Adams was our second president (pathetic, I know).

Our Navy was started in order to protect merchant ships from pirates.

The War for Independence was supported by France and Spain, and financed by the Netherlands.

The federal government was located in Philadelphia for 10 years (1780 - 1790, I think).

The Liberty Bell's name has nothing to do with the War of Independence but with the Abolition movement and women's rights.

Not all colonies supported religious freedom.  William Penn, in Pennsylvania, adamantly did.

If there is a letter on a coin, it identifies in which Mint the coin was made.



 

How to Build a Tree House

   First close your eyes...take 5 deep breathes and let them out slowly...now picture a place that is peaceful and enjoyable...a place that has wonderful memories. This is a tree house. Cindy has learned a number of relaxation techniques and one she has named a 'tree house'. Taking yourself to a place you have been (or a place only in your imagination) where you are at peace. This works especially well at night when you are trying to go to sleep after a stressful day. We have a number of tree houses and will ask each other at night "are your in your tree house? Where is it...describe it to me." It works...try it!


This pic is over our bed reminding us of tree house memories.



Mom painted this...I like to go fishing here in my dreams.



Another painting of Mom's...this is my dream house.



A favorite tree house is Harney Peak in SD!




What a view.

Cindy in her tree house




Dubuque...Dene' and Tyler's place is definitely a tree house.

We had the privilege of staying at Barb and Jeff's (Tyler's parents) condo in Naples for a tree house experience. Yea!

 

Tree House!

Tree House!

 

So go to your tree house...it's the place to be!

 

See Dene's tree house here.

 

See Ashley's tree houses here.