Vacation Time (Part 1)

Last week we took our first real family vacation--back to Omaha, where we lived for three years.

Crossing the state line, we noticed one big change right away--the speed limit has changed from 55 to 60. Those 5 miles make a big difference after five and a half hours of driving 65-70.

We stayed on base. Jack really liked our suite--he asked if we could live there forever.

Thursday morning we went by the clinic where Jay used to work. Doesn't every family do that on vacation? The hospital (where Jack was born) is closed now, so it appears that they just call the building "Ehrling Bergquist" now.

Another change: the new hospital they are building directly behind our old apartment. I am really glad they weren't building it while we were living there!

After the clinic, we headed to the Omaha Children's Museum, where Jack played in a fake corn field. Only in Nebraska. And maybe Iowa.

The light piano

The museum currently has a neat exhibit of robotic dinosaurs. Jack really liked these!

The ball area was also a big hit--literally.

I so think we should use this as our Christmas card picture this year. We had a ridiculous amount of fun playing with this thing. So ridiculous that I would even say it was worth the $27 for the time we spent playing with it. Seriously. (Maybe this should be on my list of quirky things?)

Jack seemed to like it as much as I did.

What is a kids' museum without face painting?

We wrapped up the day with dinner with some of my friends from Grace Abbott. These ladies are the best.

Now that I don't have to live there, I will admit that I really like Omaha--probably much more than Jay does. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that his time there was spent with lots of late nights and body fluids while mine was spent shopping and reading. Nothing at all. Even though we were only there for three years, there was so much going on during that time that it really seems like a big chunk of my life was spent driving on Highway 75 (How on earth did I ever make that commute every day??) and quizzing fifth graders on Nebraska history. And while almost everyone Jay knew then has moved on, my friends are still there. Which is why I've started the campaign for a yearly trip to Omaha. We'll see how that turns out.

Stay tuned for pictures from Day Two!