#215 of 365~A Sweet Nomination

Recently a friend of ours nominated me for a "New Mommy" contest.  It was an opportunity to win all this baby stuff at an upcoming "Baby Expo."  I didn't win, however I could have cared less about the stuff as her words of kindness overwhelmed and warmed my heart-the biggest prize of all.  This family has seriously blessed my life by allowing me to have a friendship with their children and the opportunity to be apart of their family life.  See her story here:

"Before she began the journey of motherhood, she mothered our child from Haiti. She dreamed of hugging, playing and educating her own child.  But daily she loved and mothered her students at Brownell.  Every parent could share a Kassie Mayo story that would touch hearts. She loved and cared for  three of my children as a teacher. I am most grateful to this amazing mom-to-be for her relationship with Via;  it began weeks after Via came home from Haiti.

 Via started at BT preschool, age 5, and had only been in America three weeks.  Kassie and husband Nick had been to Haiti on missionary trips;  she was a perfect choice to help Via transition to school.  I could tell a million stories, but one photo, captured on the first day, tells the story and predicts their future relationship.  Via did not want to leave me and she cried as I left the room.  Kassie spent the entire day with a scared, crying child. This photo shows an exhausted Kassie on the floor, cradling a sleeping child.  Kassie gained Via’s trust and love that day. Their relationship continues to this day.  

Kassie and Via have had ‘dates’ and exchanged letters as Via has grown up. Kassie is  a family friend we cherish.

She and  Nick are active in their church and have a faith life that should be an example to all.  They prayed and hoped for a child.  They sacrificed financially.  Kassie has undergone invasive treatments and horrendous side effects.  Their pregnancy is a miracle and a miracle baby arrives in June.  This amazing mom has been mothering many children for ten years.  And all  children and their families are better for having Kassie Mayo in their lives."

One of my favorite photos of us

#211 of 365~Omaha Steakhouse Tour

My friend Tina took us on another culinary tour of Omaha, but this time it was of Omaha Steakhouses.  Now most who know me know I'm not a HUGE meat eater, I don't know one cut from another and meat is meat to me.  However, this was a fun experience and I was able to visit four Omaha staples dating back to 1922.

Our first stop was Casio's in "Little Italy."  Established in 1946, owned by a 3rd generation family member, their able to seat 900 patrons at one time.  Casio's served us a bowl of mostacholi with their 7-hour simmered sauce, a piece of tenderloin brochette, and one of their famous bread sticks baked in an old fashioned oven. If you come to Omaha, this is a staple you HAVE to visit: http://www.casciossteakhouse.com/ordereze/default.aspx

Our next stop was Johnny's Cafe. The oldest of the original "Italian Steakhouses," they opened their 1/2 ton doors in 1922 and are currently ran and owned by a 3rd generation family member. Here we received a braised short rib in au jus that literally fell off the bone. While it was a bit salty for me, I'm looking forward to visiting again. http://www.johnnyscafe.com/

Following Johnny's was another "Italian original"-Piccolo Pete's Restaurant: http://piccolopetesrestaurant.net/  Opened for over 80 years, this South O staple did NOT disappoint.  Tender bites of prime rib was served with a side of tator tots. This was probably my favorite of the meat dishes as it had that authentic meat flavor not at all overpowered by their signature rub. 

The last stop of the night was none other than Warren Buffetts favorite lunch spot-Gorats.  Newer than all the the others, Gorat's opened it's doors in 1940.  A new owner took over two years ago and remodeled the entire inside so it looks nothing like the original: http://goratsomaha.com/ Our final meal was fresh cut onion rings, garlicky bruschetta, and thinly sliced rib eye that was a little to undercooked for me in my current state.  Our tour guide finished off our tour with peanut-butter chocolate cupcakes from Gina Sterns Pastries: http://www.ginasternspastries.com/

#210 of 365~LNA Launch Party

As most of you know, Nick is the President of our neighborhood association.  Last year, he began to envision a new look, style, and feel for the organization.  He set up a team to begin researching branding opportunities where yours truly was able to meet with four different agencies and bring back what I found to the board.  We ended up partnering with the branding company Jackson+West who just happen to also live in the neighborhood! Jackson+West is "a multi-disciplinary creative agency, based on the idea of creating beautiful and meaningful work for people we believe in." Check out their website here: http://jacksonandwest.com/  We had a wonderful experience working with them and I even had the chance to write content for the website: http://lnaomaha.org/

To celebrate the new logo and brand, the LNA board and membership outreach committee, put on a launch party and invited the neighborhood, community leaders, young professionals, and friends. Local neighborhood business Tin Box Weddings hosted the event.  They do unbelievable work, click the following link to see what they do: http://tinboxweddings.com/  We had a great turn out and Nick was even interviewed by Channel 6!  Check out the following link for the article and video: 

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Leavenworth-Neighborhood-Association-Moving-Forward-297600461.html

LNA VP, President, past member, and branding company Jackson+West

Awesome music provided by Tin Box, LNA President and his "First Lady"