Saturday morning of our family get together, some of us took a stroll through the Haymarket farmer's market – on the street (and surrounding blocks) where we had dinner and ice cream the night before. (I regret the Russian store that I didn't get to visit.)
The old train depot and train tracks border one side of the farmer's market and a train happened to rumble by which scared BB. A band was setting up next to this mural.
There were a number of pick up trucks, including the white one on the left side of this picture, selling a load of sweet corn. This guy billed his as "Maizingly Sweet", and he had a line customers (unlike other stalls).
Getting a latte at The Mill and eating our farmer's market baked goods: poppy seed kolache; almond cream croissants; and chocolate ("stuffed") croissants, my favorite!
After waiting an hour for Drew's third sister Theresa, who was theoretically en route from Colorado, we decided to mobilize for the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland (between Lincoln and Omaha). We arrived just in time to catch the only tour of the day, but I wasn't able to listen in for keeping the girls constantly moving and engaged in something. Thankfully they had little models and activities for kids scattered throughout the museum.
There was this neat little toy in the lobby, which had tubes of blowing air to push plastic balls through three tubes on each of four sides. I never quite figured out how it was supposed to work, but all the kids loved when someone would get the combination just right and the balls would come spewing out one side. There was also a flight aerodynamics demo station in which you could fold a paper airplane according to a manual and then clip it into a wind machine to see it fly; and one of those static generators that could make people's hair stand up.
A mock setup of some plane: the cockpit and the navigator's spot just behind.
Come to find out there was a whole other half of the museum that we almost didn't see.
I'm not sure what this was supposed to be a model of, but the up-down flaps and tail actually moved when they pulled on the stick and pushed on the foot pedals.
Aunt Christie as an astronaut. The girls weren't tall enough (and there was no stool) to get their heads through the opening.
A model of the inside of the space shuttle, which interestingly has over 800 knobs and switches and zero cup holders. There was also this little wooden space shuttle, which you could try and land on this tiny little platform via a zip line.
A mosaic tile flag drawn by grade schoolers.
Some super cool plane that Drew could tell you the name of.
We got some fantastic hamburgers and onion rings at Stella's near Offut AFB on the south side of Omaha.
We took a side trip to St Cecilia's Cathedral, which was just finishing up a wedding when we arrived.
Christie trying to reach Theresa for the tenth time that day: we were beginning to worry that Theresa had car troubles and was stranded on the side of the road somewhere.
BB's fake hair kept breezing into her face.
On our way back to Lincoln (in the late afternoon), you'll be happy to hear that Theresa *finally* called us to say that she had reached said city earlier that morning!
We'd been promising the girls a swim all week, so we seized our chance during some down time before dinner. Aunt Christie brought some flotation devices: princesses for the girls, Sponge Bob for Theresa's boys.
Aunt Maria helping Christian with his floaties.
Alan and Christian.
Theresa and Maria looking at an album of their family photos.
Our walk to YiaYia's for pizza and beer.
Harriet let BB push the horn button.
This was one of those college hangouts where you have to order and serve yourself, and shout across the table in order to be heard. Right after our first pizza arrived, we managed to get another set of tables so we could all sit together.
G got to ride (and honk) on the way back.
Christian pushing BB.
The big mirror on the second floor at the Creamery where...
you guessed it, we got ice cream again.
