Winner!!

While the girls and I were out shopping last night, we came across a claw machine. I have always told them that claw machines are a huge rip off, and it's not even worth it to try getting a toy out of them. I know I have spent many quarters during my 32 years, and never have I won anything out of a claw machine. So last night while we were at Toys R Us, the girls saw a claw machine and it had Smurfs in it. Sydney about died. "Do you want me to try and get Papa Smurf?" I asked her. "YES!" she said. I thought why not prove my point that these things are just a huge rip off. I'll put my quarters in, and we'll leave empty handed. Guess what actually happened?

Woohoo!! Take that, claw machine!

My garden

My vegetable garden has been a huge success this year. Just look at all the produce we've gotten out of it!

Memorial Park Fireworks

Last night, we went down to Memorial Park for their annual free concert and fireworks. We were all excited about going, and Briana even told me she has been waiting all year for it! We had to park about a mile away and walk to the park, since the rest of Omaha had already taken the close parking spots when we got there. Then, we didn't get to see the bands that were playing at all because the girls were so tired from their mile-long hike. So, we just put our picnic blanket down on the grass and made the best of our three hour wait. After all, we were going to be seeing FIREWORKS!!!

While we waited, we doused ourselves in bug spray and got into an intense game of duck, duck, goose. Then the girls snacked on kettle corn. The fireworks were supposed to start at 10 pm, and we were really hoping they would be prompt. They were! At exactly 10:00, the fireworks started, right above our heads. Literally. Right above our heads.

"I think they've got their aim a little bit off," Mike says to me as I'm craning my neck upward.

"HOLY COW, did you see that?" He asks Briana

"What?" she asks,

"A peice of shrapnel almost hit me in the head!!"

"WHAT???" she asks again.

"I think we're in the fallout zone!!!" he tells her. Nothing like staying calm for the sake of the children. Meanwhile, I've got my neck craned upward and I am determined to watch every single falling flame to make sure we don't leave with fires in our hair. Next to me, Briana starts wimpering. "I want to leave," she whispers to me. I can't even take my eyes off the fireworks for a second to comfort her because I don't want something to land on us. "I really want to just leave!" she tells me again.

Needless to say, we left early. And, we didn't catch on fire. I can't believe we walked two miles, and waited three hours to almost be burnt to bits. Tonight we're going to the Rosenblatt fireworks, and all I have to say is we will be sitting far away!