#117 of 365~Greetings from Buffalo!

Hello from Buffalo!  The land of chicken wings and pizza, Niagara Falls and Fantasy Island,  the Buffalo Bills and my Fathers family.  After being told by doctors that my stress level was waaaay to high, Nick asked if I would like to go visit my family in Buffalo for a few weeks-of course I said "Yes!"  While he wasn't able to come with, it's the best anniversary gift he could have ever given me.  Being amongst my family here has already helped this still grieving heart and I love being able to relax and refresh away from Omaha (it gives me new perspective) and I've only been in town two days!

Right away, things got crazy as we played a super funny game called, "Who Am I" with my Great-Cousin Tina, her daughter Jayla, and my Great-Great Cousins Braden and Lincoln.

Such Characters!

Then it was off to Fantasy Island, a humble little amusement park I remember coming to as a kid and hearing stories about from my aunts.  My cousin Shayla and I hit our all time favorite rides that we ONLY ride with each other-the teacups-and then we were off paddling in a canoe yes, canoes  at an amusement park-and riding this crazy spinny thing called the "devil's pit."  Let's just say I felt that ride down to the pit of my stomach and realized just how old I'm really getting!

After spending time on several rides and splashing in the water park, we headed home for our annual "Welcome to Buffalo Dinner" of pizza and wings.  LOVE it here!!!

#115 of 365~Prairie Life

Once again I found myself out on the Nebraska Prairie learning all I could about our states natural habitat.  There's nothing quite like the chorus of birds and whispering knee high grass welcoming you to the sacredness of all things beautiful.

“You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.” ~Mary Oliver

#106 of 365~Relay For Life

2014~Survive and Thrive

Relay for Life

This year, friends and family from team Survive and Thrive banded together to walk for a cure. With 63 teams and over 544 participants, we helped raise $170,900!!!  We had a lot of fun creating capes for this years Superhero theme and I walked in honor of my aunts Diane and Dawn, my cousin Allaina, my friend and co-worker Terry, my friends brother Brian, another friends uncle Joe, Team Jack, and Alex's Lemonade stand.  I walked in honor of my childhood friend Jennifer, my Great-Uncle Rick, and Survive and Thrives team cook and my dad-Tim.

We had a lot of fun pretending to be sumo wrestlers, winning the "Best Use of Duct Tape" award, watching our cousin Shayla and 2 nieces Ava and Esme as "Hush Angels," seeing our brother-n-law Paul win the frozen t-shirt contest, and hosting our annual food stand.

While it was bittersweet this year being there without dad, I also know he's super proud of us for continuing to not just Survive, but to Thrive!