# 3 on the BUCKET LIST........

Number three on the Bucket List is to go down to the Gene Leahy mall on Thanksgiving night and actually witness the "flick" of the switch for the annual Christmas lights.  We have been saying for years that we were going to do this and even though we have seen those lights all lit up for years, we have never actually been there for the "official" lighting.  We finished the turkey early today and decided that if we didn't mark this off our list today that well.... it would be another year before we could.  The temperature outside was a brisk 39 degrees and it was nice and toasty inside.   We had full tummies but this was the year that we were going to do this.  We put on the layers and the ear muffs and off we went!    We got there waaaaaaaaaay early because after all they usually have 30,000 plus people at this annual lighting.  I was so thankful that the wind wasn't blowing because that could have been miserable, especially since we had about an hour and a half before the switch was going to be "flicked"!  It was a beautiful afternoon for November in Omaha and you gotta love Con Agra for the free hot chocolate AND WHIP CREAM!!!  It was just what we needed to wait it out!!!  An added bonus was that we met and spoke to Mayor Jim Suttle!  Too bad he didn't make the Bucket List this year so we could cross off another thing this weekend!  Sorry Mayor...maybe next years list!!!

Notice that the grass is still green in the mall and there is no snow on the ground! 

This photo was taken around 4:45 so we only had about another hour or so to wait!  I still wasn't frozen at this point in the evening! But it wasn't dark yet either AND they still hadn't "flicked"  the switch!! 

Finally....at 6:00 the switch was finally "flicked" and it was worth every single minute of the waiting!  Once again...I can't believe we had never done this in the 21 years that we've lived here!!!  We truly do take so many things about Omaha for granted!  Can't wait for the other 21 things on our Bucket List........

THE Bucket List....

well actually it is a Nebraska Bucket List!  We were talking a couple weeks ago and how sad it is that you never really take advantage of the opportunities right in your own community.  We have lived in Omaha for 21 years and there are a number of places and attractions that we have never "done" but have always thought that we would some day.  We decided that life is clipping along at such a fast rate that if we don't make a conscience effort to "do" these things that we'll never get to them.  We sat down with a piece of paper and a pencil and started making our own bucket list.  The only rule is that it had to be within a 50 mile radius of Omaha to start out with and once we get that list completed, we will expand our area on the next list.

 The first one was the Bob Kerry bridge. The bridge to no where!   The sun went behind the clouds as soon as we started the walk so it was pretty cold and windy but I can definitely say that I would go back and walk it again when the weather is warmer.  We walked half way across the bridge just so I could get a picture of the Nebraska/Iowa line on the bridge!  I'll finish that walk on a warmer day. 

   1. Bob Kerry Bridge

2.  The IMAX theatre at the Henry Doorly Zoo

I can't believe we've never been to the IMAX with all the times we've been to the zoo but we

made our first trip and marked another thing off our Bucket List!  I have a very weak stomach....very weak!  I knew if there was any flying involved in this movie that it would be all over. This would be the end of my Bucket List!  So I strapped on the Sea Bands and off we went! 

 Luckily there was no flying involved and I was fine!  The show was awesome!  And to think that this has been here for all this time and we just now took advantage of it!  I can't wait to get through the other 22 items on our Bucket List!

Happy Birthday.........

It's safe to post this picture today because the hubby never reads my blog anyway!  I love it when November 18th rolls around every year because for the next 28 days we are the SAME age!  I need to rejoice in it while I can because believe me the other 337  days of the year he is rejoicing in it!  So for now we've both made it over the hill.  In 28 days I'll be a little further over the hill but for now it's a tie!

She loves her RUNZA.....

You know what I'm talking about when I say the word "RUNZA" if you grew up in or around Nebraska.  RUNZA opened their first "Drive Inn" in Lincoln in 1949.  According to Wikipedia, a RUNZA is described as a type of pastry filled with ground beef, onion and cabbage.  And that is exactly what they are!  And they are so yummy!  Not to mention their french fries and homemade onion rings are to die for!!  Ask anybody who knows my mom and they'll tell you how addicted she is to these wonderful little RUNZA'S!  

We always have to go to Runza whenever she comes into town...always the first night she's in town!  I recently went back to surprise mom for her birthday and all she could ask me was why I didn't bring her a RUNZA!!  Yeah.....I could have packed a cooler I guess and stopped in North Platte and put it on ice until I got there but I guess I wasn't thinking.    Mom had a rough week with doctor appointments and test while I was there so I promised her that we'd get OUR RUNZA!!!  Some how...some way...we'd get it!!!

There are exactly two RUNZA Drive Inn's in Colorado.  The closest one was 55 miles away in Loveland!  We left the doctors office and drove to Loveland in 45 mile an hour winds and the temperature must have dropped 30 degrees on the drive up there.  We didn't care though...we were going to get OUR RUNZA's!  You have to understand that there is such a thing as a "good" RUNZA and a "bad" RUNZA!!!  After twenty years of eating these with mom, I know she doesn't like a "bad" RUNZA!!!   Believe me, I know!   Mom is telling me as I'm fighting the steering wheel in the 90 MPH wind gust that this had better be the  "best" RUNZA that she has ever had!  YIKES!!!  The pressure is on!  I was kind of nervous as I was ordering for us....I had a lot of pressure on me! These had to be the best ever!!   Luckily they weren't really busy and the RUNZA's were absolutely perfect!   The fries were perfect and the onion rings were to die for!!  The guys that worked there were great and actually took this photo for us!  Thanks guys.  When we were leaving they asked mom how the Runza was and she said that it was the "best " one she had ever had!  EVER!!!!  And I would have to agree! And I was so relieved!  

We laughed all the way home because it just goes to prove that we would do anything for "OUR RUNZA'S"

Looking back on this day too just makes me smile because it truly was the "best" RUNZA ever with my mom!!!  EVER!!!

Time Flies.....

Has it really been five months since I last posted? I know I've been told that it's been that long...you know who you are!   Has it really been five months since the American Idol finals?  My goodness how time flies!  It has been a crazy summer to say the least.  Hopefully things will slow down this winter and I'll be able to post a lot more often!   There now...does this count as a post??? I think it does.  I promise it won't be five months again this time!  More later!  You know who you are!

YES.....

I said at the beginning of the season that I wasn't going to watch Idol this year. NOPE....it was a waste of my time. Well that lasted a couple weeks and then I was hooked AGAIN!!! Kris was my favorite from the very beginning! Week after week.....he made it! Week after week...Tracy and I had a little show down on Wednesday mornings since she was an Adam fan from the beginning! I was nervous last night...and it's only American Idol for goodness sake!!! And remember I wasn't going to watch it? Soooooooooooooo glad I did and so glad of the outcome! But I'm not watching it next season!!!

I'm NO trader.....

I recently flew out to see the kids for a quick four days and was presented a challenge...I guess we shall call it! I think the way the challenge was worded was to just "TRY" Peets coffee!! Something to the effect of I owe it to myself after drinking that STARBUCKS stuff? Come to think of it....was it referred to as "stuff" or something else? Any way....I was up for the challenge! I told Michael and Courtney that I HAD to have Peets while I was there... at least once!!! I googled Peets and there are as many Peets in California as there are Starbucks! Geeze! Maybe even MORE!!! Well come to find out THE original PEETS is in Berkeley and it was just a hop and a skip away from the kids!!! Only problem was that it had been closed down for renovation! Oh no!! Well it was re-opened when I got there. WHEW!!!!!!! and not only was it re-opened but it had been renovated into a museum.....shall we call it? We went to brunch for an early Mothers Day and then headed over for me to fulfill my challenge!! Michael and Courtney have always been great sports for the Starbucks photo's because of my Starbucks book!!! Now I'm asking them to pose in a PEETS of all places?

As you can tell...Michael wasn't too sure about this one! Should he really be doing this? But I assured him that it was ok....I needed the "proof" that we were there! I bellied up to the counter and ordered and for a minute I felt like a trader but I got over it!!! After all...I just needed the proof!! I didn't have to like it and it didn't have to make the switch!! I knew I could do it!

OK...I didn't travel all this way for the challenge and then not complete my mission! I took my first sip as the kids watched on!! OK....OK.....it was good!!! It was good!!! So good in fact that I decided that it even warranted a new mug to go with my Starbucks collection!!! Once again...here's PROOF!!!

I'll admit that it was a good change!! I had accomplished my challenge! I had the prooof! Only problem was that as I was wating to fly out from the Oakland airport...guess what! No Peets in sight!!! BUT..there was my good ole' familiar green logo....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Starbucks at last!! I'm no trader!!!

Long weekend....

After only about four hours of sleep Saturday night and about the same on Sunday night this is exactly how I felt starting my week on Monday morning. After my daily fix and three Advil's..I was good to go! Just proves that anything is possible with enough java!!!

Too long with no Starbucks.....

Can sometimes lead to this! I'll get it one way or the other!

Starbuck's withdrawls.....

Sorry to say that it has been a LONG time since I've gotten a new photo AND since I've added a new page to my Starbuck's album. This little artist drawing will have to do until I head out to California and find some new material!!! This photo was actually taken in Benecia last year and has since been closed! :(

Chocolate Barbie?

It was only fitting that I would get my Barbie Collector Catalog today in the mail since today is officially Barbie's 50th birthday!! Tracy sent me a link to a Hard Rock Cafe Barbie a couple of weeks ago and although it was lets say.... UNIQUE...I really wasn't too jazzed about it. That Hard Rock Barbie was in the new Catalog too but...so was this one!! Can you believe it? They actually make a Hershey's Barbie now!! AND she's only $43.00!! Hard Rock Barbie was $76.00. Sorry but that makes "Chocolate" Barbie that much better!!! It's kind of hard to see from the scan but her dress is actually done in brown and silver just like the Hershey Kisses!!
Sorry but what happened to my Classic bathing suit Barbie? I also heard a little tidbit about Barbie today. Did you know that Barbie has had 108 career changes in her life? Counting all the different "series" they have had through the years. I wonder if "Chocolate" Barbie makes 109????

Sorry Barbie!

WARNING: Just in case you couldn't quite read the "naughty" word on the Barbie quote! Happy Birthday Barbie!!

Happy Birthday Barbie....

Seems that almost everybody is coming to the top of "THE HILL"...you know the one where one day you're all of a sudden OVER THE HILL. YEP...even Barbie is turning the Big 50! Barbie???? How can Barbie be 5o? There was a big celebration for Barbie's birthday this last weekend in New York even though she doesn't officially turn 50 until March 9th! They had a fashion show and everybody was there. I mean everybody...including Ken and Skipper and Midge!! Barbie and I go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back. I remember playing Barbie's for hours and hours. We would drag everything out and play non stop from Friday after school until dinner time on Sunday. It was great childhood therapy! I'll drag all my Barbie's out one of these days and that will be another blog post! Until that post I'll just leave you with this little bit of "Barbie" that I came across a couple of years ago and keep on my desk for a little bit of adult therapy!!! Sorry Barbie but it isn't easy on the other side of THE HILL!

Old Men and Big Glasses.......

We've always had a thing around our house about old men and big glasses. Have you ever noticed or wondered why old men always wear big glasses? ALWAYS!!! There was a time in the 80's when big glasses were "IN"...or so we thought!!! Ken had them!! In fact we even have pictures of Michael when he was little wearing Ken's old man/big glasses! Now the thing around our house is old ladies and big watches!!! What is it about old ladies and big watches????

They're everywhere you look!! Or so I've been told!! Don't you know that they are "IN" ? I actually know what it is with old ladies and big watches though!!! It is the only way that I can tell time! I wore my other watch for three months with a dead battery and really didn't even miss that I couldn't tell the time!! I couldn't see the numbers anyway. It was stopped on 2:55! I was still in the habit of looking at it even though I couldn't tell the big hand from the little hand!! It was always almost 3:00 to me! Not a problem with this one though!!! I might as well carry a wall clock around on my arm! That being said though, I still wonder what the deal is with old men and big glasses?

Addition to "THE BOOK"...

It has been a long time since I've added a new layout in "the" STARBUCKS book. While the kids were home they were great sports and went to Starbucks and actually posed for this picture and then sent me the photo when they returned home!!! What a great surprise!! Thanks guys...I love it...you're the best!!!!

It's everywhere.......

Sometimes I get the feeling that I've got paper and scissors and fonts and glue on my mind 24/7 but this is a bit ridiculous!!! I wonder if it ever changed to "Don't Scrapbook" i didn't stick around long enough to see!

A girl can dream.......

You only have one life to live! You owe it to yourself to choose a career that coincides with your passion. You know what they say.....Do what you love and love what you do!!!!!! Even if it's only a dream!!!!

Breakfast of champions????

You know it is going to be a good day when you can spell "fun" things in your morning bowl of Alphabets cereal!!!!

Happy Birthday Michael!!!

We hope you're having a great 25th birthday in Portland!!!!!