Guaranteed happiness {christmas trip in omaha}

omaha

*

we had such a relaxing trip to omaha.  the snow slowed us down–which was fine with me!  for two days, all did we relax.  wonderful!

*

omaha3

*

video games, snoozing, reading magazines, watching movies, sipping hot chocolate, you get the idea.

*

omaha4

*

i think it’s safe to say, matthias looooved the snow.  it was a completely different experience from the coast of california.  wading through knee deep snow kept him very happy.

*

omaha1

*

steve’s family is british, so that means mince pies, crackers (the rolled up tubes filled with goodies) and roasted potatoes.

*

omaha2

*

these pics above were taken right after i told matthias to be careful, then he fell in the snow.  it was hilarious.

i’m heartless, i know.

*

omaha7

*

a highlight of our trip was meeting staci, jim, vinny and leo.  staci is an online friend and vinny (pictured above with david) was also born with cdls.  we met for pie and immediately connected.  it’s crazy how similar our experiences have been.  when you meet another family with cdls, it’s like meeting extended family.  we could have talked all night. you can get to know staci and vinny here.

*

omaha6

*

they have a 5 year old (Leo) and he and Matty had a blast eating ice cream, playing superheros, and coloring.

*

omaha5

*

Vinny is sooo darling.  I completely fell in love.  Oh, he is so charming.  I could go on and on…

*

omaha9

*

We loved our snowy trip to Omaha.  Please tell me about your holiday!!

32 comments

  1. I was just playing ‘catch up’ on your blog and saw this post! Couldn’t believe you were here for Christmas!! πŸ™‚ Isn’t Omaha great? I can’t believe how much snow we had here this year!!

    Also, got the ‘From Up Here’ necklace in the mail the other day from the contest! I just love it! Thanks again!!

  2. So glad you were able to avoid our arctic temps that came after New Year’s!! I live about 75 miles from Omaha in southeast Nebraska. I adore your blog and my teardrop necklace…thanks for all of your inspiring posts!!

    Happy 2010!

  3. This is the first time I have seen your blog and I have really enjoyed it. My daughters and I each got one of your necklaces for Christmas and we love them! This summer while playing football with my brothers I “stoved” my ring finger on my left hand and have not been able to wear my wedding ring since then. But, now I have the necklace with the small circles with my initial and my husband’s – and I love it. My youngest daughter got her name on the small circle and my oldest (15 yr old) picked out the bird necklace. We love the simplicity and quality of your pieces. I am excited for you that you have been able to make a business out of your talent. Congratulations! by the way, I loved the packaging too – it was right in line with your style.

  4. Lisa:

    Always a joy to visit your blogsite, read your postings, savor the photographs and enjoy life through your eyes and that of your family.

    Along with my four siblings, 8 of our 10 children plus 13 of our grandchildren, we gathered at my brothers beautiful “decked out” Victorian home in Long Beach the day after Christmas. I saw some lovely necklaces made by you for my nieces. Stunning! It’s always a day filled with good company, food – naturally and lots of laughter!

    God bless you and your family as we race towards 2010. I trust we’ll see each other sometime during the year. If not your sweet face, I get to see your double almost weekly! πŸ™‚

    Much love,
    Debby

  5. Lisa:

    Always a joy to visit your blogsite, read your postings, savor the photographs and enjoy life through your eyes and that of your family.

    Along with my four siblings, 8 of our 10 children plus 13 of our grandchildren, we gathered at my brothers beautiful “decked out” Victorian home in Long Beach the day after Christmas. I saw some lovely necklaces made by you for my nieces. Stunning! It’s always a day filled with good company, food – naturally and lots of laughter!

    God bless you and your family as we race towards 2010. I trust we’ll see each other sometime during the year. If not your sweet face, I get to see your double almost weekly! πŸ™‚

    Much love,
    Debby

  6. Oh my-Vinny is every bit as adorable as David, so so sweet! It is wonderful to find someone who KNOWS what it is like to be in your shoes, I know.
    We are in the Highlands of Scotland, so our Christmas is very crackers-roast potatoes-brussels sprouts-turkey..although my Australian/Hungarian background gives it some additional touches (or confusion-depending on how you look at it!!). We were just husband, small daughter and I this year-first time in ages. A very laid-back, snow mobile play, do what we like kinda day..I think we needed it!!

  7. This was the first time in YEARS that my husband and I did not travel. We have not been getting along for some time, and think we’re ready to end our 5.5 year marriage. So needless to say this was not a good holiday.

  8. Our lovely South Georgia Christmas was sunny weather, high of 68!! But my folks turned up their a/c so the house would be cold enough to turn on their gas fireplace!! fun times! Merry Christmas!!

  9. How great that you were able to spend time with family and meet your online friend. What a cutie Vinny is…just like your David. I would love to try some British food, too. We went to Oregon where Liz & Gregg went to visit Danielle. Figured if we wanted to be together as a family, we had to travel, too. So we spent a couple of days together before L&G left for NYC. Then we had the rest of the week with Danielle and her boyfriend and his daughter, Lily. It was a good time. A couple of things fell through, so didn’t work out like we were hoping, but we still had a nice visit with Danielle. Then we went to SLO for a couple of days to spend time with family and friends there. Missed seeing you and the Theules and others who were gone. But it was a good time there and Al did a great job preaching. Just got home today. Hope you had a good safe time and safe travels. love and hugs to you and your family

  10. Looks and sounds like a wonderful time! How great that you were able to connect with Staci and her adorable boys. That must have been really special. We had our first Christmas at home. It was low-key and lovely. We’re headed to Southwestern Iowa right by Omaha for New Year’s at the farm.

  11. Merry Christmas from Central Nebraska! We got lots of snow also – not quite as much as Omaha but still lots. Love visiting your blog πŸ™‚

  12. Great pictures. And I can totally relate when you said that meeting/connecting with someone that has a child with the same disability as your own is like an extended family. So true, only those that truely experience it daily know what you are going thru. Also wanted to let you know that I saw your ad in the new MOM magazine – love the laundry line necklace.

  13. Hi there! What fun pictures and what a lovey time you must have had!!

    Our Christmas was very nice in So. Cal!! Filled with lots of time with family, lots of yummy food (even though my oven stopped working – ugh) and lots of movies and games! We drank hot chocolate and coffee – stayed in our jammies late in the day and enjoyed every bit of it! I slowed down – soaked up my sweet kids and all the love the lavished on me – they are 10 and 11 and wanted to cuddle all weekend! πŸ™‚ Feeling blessed and refreshed!!
    Hoping you week continues to be restful!!
    xoTiffany

  14. My mom surprised me with one of your necklaces!! I got her one last year….I had no idea she saved the info so she could order me one. It’s so very special to me. Thanks for making it! πŸ™‚
    Glad you had a Merry Christmas–Happy New Year!
    xo – Julie

  15. Oh Lisa your Christmas sounded wonderful. I love it when a connection is made with a new friend and it feels like they’ve been apart of your family forever! A true Christmas blessing πŸ™‚
    wishing you a wonderful and very blessed New Year,
    xo,
    LuLu

  16. Love the pictures!
    We didn’t end up having a white christmas (last year we had so much cars were stuck on the street because they couldn’t clear the snow)
    The holiday went by in a blur of grandparents, good food and lots of flying wrapping paper.
    Now we’re cleaning the house to get ready for the next party….New Year’s Eve. Which will inlcude 6 adults, 2 6-year olds and 4-2 year olds! Bets on the kids making it to midnight at the parents falling asleep by 11?

  17. My hubby bought me the tiny initials necklace, so I had a great Christmas!! I love it, haven’t even taken it off since he gave it to me!!

  18. My mother came in from Baton Rouge, La.- very far from the California coast! We shopped, made homemade banana chocolate chip muffins, and enjoyed the snow. They left this morning so I am now looking forward to watching movies and curling up on the couch (we’ll see if the kids let me!).
    The picts of the kids on your blog are adorable!! Very handsome.
    Stacy

    stacyhenagan.com

  19. On christmas eve I had a fish dinner with all my boyfriend’s family, who is from Naples (Italy), the dinner is traditionnaly made by fish..so yummy!
    then we went to the christmas mass at midnight, the day after we wake up very early to unwrap the presents all together (even if we went to bed at 2:30 a.m. in the eve’s nigh after the mass!!).
    As in the italian tradition, we had another big meal for lungh on christmas day, and day played with childrens and chat a lot.
    It was a lovely christmas with family!!
    πŸ™‚

  20. Your pictures are so fun! :o)
    This year was extra special to me.
    My aunt flew in from CA (where I am from) for Christmas.
    She is my only living family and very dear to me.
    I moved from CA 10 years ago, and this was the first Christmas we spent together since 1999!
    Usually we visit during the year. But it was so special to have her with us when we decorated the tree, cooked a Christmas meal, and finished last minute shopping. I miss her so much. :o)
    Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

  21. I’m with Peggy. The gloves! And the zipped up jacket! I imagine they must not have stayed out in it long. The pictures are great as always. We stayed right in our hometown where all our relatives live except for my sister. My husband was off for the first time in four years! All his family was able to be at my husband’s get together and my family at ours. It was the first time in years that has happened. Nice.

  22. What a great feeling to connect with someone the minute you meet in person. It truly feels like “friends forever”. Sounds like you’ve had a wonderful visit, Lisa. Love the pics, but the grandmother in me says, “Where are their gloves??” Thanks for sharing a little piece of your world with us.

  23. oh my goodness, the baking looks divine!
    And we got lots of snow too–which i love.
    and how special it is to have friends who feel like family…perfect.

  24. what an amazing time you were able to have with ‘family’. i can only imagine what it must be like to be in the company of others to totally understand what your journey is with david. ours was not a white christmas, although em and will kept asking, “when is it going to snow?”…very cute. i got a dslr!! i’m a bit overwhelmed with it and wondering if i should exchange it for one that also does HDvideo or just keep the one i got…but is was an amazing, lovely and fun christmas. each year with kids as they get older just makes it all the more awe-filled. xo

  25. Love the pics. Our Christmas was quiet and beautiful in S California with two of our three adult children. The oldest is in Florida with the grandkids so we missed seeing them but are blessed in knowing they too had a great holiday.We are now just enjoying the week before New Year’s with relaxing and many leftovers.

    Blessings to you and safe travel home. Happy New Year!

  26. Love the pics. Our Christmas was quiet and beautiful in S California with two of our three adult children. The oldest is in Florida with the grandkids so we missed seeing them but are blessed in knowing they too had a great holiday.We are now just enjoying the week before New Year’s with relaxing and many leftovers.

    Blessings to you and safe travel home. Happy New Year!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *