Ten years of traditions

It was a whole decade ago, back in 2006, that I first started a humble little blog over on blogspot.com. This was back before the age of social media, so telling friends and family what you were up to was done via blog post back then rather than via status updates. As such, I'd found many of the new friends I'd made swing dancing had blogs of their own, including a lady named Vivian I had been trying to get to know better. So, I signed up to have a blog of my own, and I've been updating it regularly ever since, documenting my entire relationship with Vivian in the process. So, to commemorate these past ten years, here is a list of my top ten favorite traditions that have come about in my life since I started this little blog. Enjoy!

1. The Applejack Festival: It seems the only time we get down to Nebraska City is when thousands of other people are jamming the roads to watch the parade or buy caramel apples around town during the Applejack Festival. We always start our visit by getting pancakes from the Pancake Man down at the fire house. Then we might check out the used book sale at the library before taking in a parade, sampling apple wine down at the Arbor Day Farm, or picking apples up at Kimmel Orchard. Hannah and Aaron have gone every year of their lives (so far).
2. Vala's Pumpkin Patch: The pumpkin patch / amusement park out in Gretna is a tradition for anyone with kids or who are kids at heart. The jumping pillows, go carts, the mechanical dragon, and acres and acres of play areas are a draw for us and lots of other people each year. The price of admission goes up every year, but I have a whole blog entry to help you save money.
3. Shakespeare on the Green: Nebraska Shakespeare puts on a comedy and tragedy at Elmwood Park every year for free (with donations), so we usually make a day of it coming early to lay down a blanket and then hang out on the green with our friends, a bunch of snacks, and a bottle or two of wine.
4. Friday Fish Fries during Lent: I have to credit Eric/Onion-Boy with introducing me to the uniquely Midwestern (and Catholic) tradition of standing in line for hours drinking beer and then gorging on fried fish, all inside a church. St. John Vianney has been our Fishy Friday destination for years, not just for the assortment of beige, carb-laden food, but also for the live music, raffles, bake sales, and more. Good times never seemed so good. (So good! So good!)
5. The Cheese Party / Hors D'oeuvres Party: We hold one of these every year, alternating between the two themes. Vivian and I love food, and having some kind of party / competition with our friends has been a great way to break through the gloomy months of winter, post-Christmas.
6. Christmas at Union Station: Kicking off the holidays wouldn't be complete without a trip to Union Station. Vivian and I go with the River City Confectioners to help visitors decorate cookies while Hannah and Aaron see Santa. Then we'll join the crowd as everyone sings along with a Christmas carol or two before watching the Mayor of Omaha light up the tree.
7. Concerts at Memorial Park & Loessfest: every year, a couple well-known bands come to give free concerts in the metro area, and I always look forward to seeing who they'll be. We've seen Kenny Loggins, Kool & the Gang, Joan Jett, Eddie Money, Chicago, Three Dog Night, Loverboy, Pat Benatar, Smash Mouth, Uncle Cracker, Sugar Ray, Styx, Foreigner, and even the Beach Boys with John Stamos, and we usually bring the kids along for the ride.
8. The Sushi Anniversary: When Vivian and I made our dating relationship "official," it was immediately after a trip to Sakura Bana for sushi with friends on January 26, 2007. Every year, we mark the occasion by having sushi someplace. It's usually in Omaha, but we once celebrated at the Rio's seafood buffet in Las Vegas.
9. First Date Anniversary: Vivian and I went to the (now closed) French Cafe for our first official date (before we made it "official") back on Dec. 23, 2006. Every year, we mark the occasion with dinner — often in the Old Market — and then a brief walk in the bitter cold to see the Christmas lights at the Gene Leahy Mall. We also buy some Christmas fudge down at the Old Market Candy Shoppe.
10. Wedding Anniversary and Comic: Every year on July 19, Vivian and I have a tradition of celebrating our anniversary by going someplace (usually with a swimming pool or a water park). Sometimes it's a trip to Kansas City, a road trip to Mount Rushmore and back, or just a drive across the river to Des Monies. We finish the day with a lobster dinner to commemorate our honeymoon in Bar Harbor, Maine, and I present Vivian with a comic illustration of our year together.

2015: Year in Review

2015 was another very good year!
Here are some of the fun things we did to pass the time.

• In January, we attended a belated New Year's Party and watched some football with my dad. Hugh turned 50, and I saw Tom Becka live at the Pizza Shoppe. The weather was also unseasonably warm, which meant lots of quality time at the park. Also sushi. And cookies.
• In February, we got a big snowfall and watched the Super Bowl with the family. Hannah made a snowman, and we hosted our fourth Cheese (and wine) Party. For Valentine's Day, we had dinner at Malara's with Twin Valley Church and had a five-course dinner with wine-pairings at James Arthur Vineyard. I also saw Jessica Hische at the Waiting Room and had watched MST3K with the folks over breakfast.
• In March, we celebrated my parents' 40th anniversary at Big Mama's Kitchen (and then at our house for a slideshow). The Mayor of Bellevue read to our kids at the library and we attended fish fries at St. John Vianney and Holy Name (with and without lines). We had a picnic in the park and Vivian got to be on TV. We also took the kids to Lincoln for a day-trip for Lost in Fun and Big Sal's Pizza, and we also celebrated Uncle Jonny's birthday with homemade pizza and Intellivision.
• In April, Hannah hunted for eggs for Easter, and she got to see some baby robins at grandma and grandpa's house. Hannah and Aaron got to enjoy tulips, lilacs, and other blossoms. Vivian and I saw Brian Regan and had pizza on a date day, and then we made dumplings for Jen's birthday. We also had the Mills over and flew a kite with grandma and grandpa.
• In May, we saw the Cinco de Mayo parade, went to Lindy in the Park, and toured the Lauritzen Gardens with our friends. Sherry and Bob came to visit, Hannah made mud at Mudpies, and we celebrated Mother's Day with our three moms (and handprints). I also got to see Chicago (and Fake Journey) at Loessfest. And finally, Jenny and Kody got married up in Iowa Falls. Also: fun in a box.
• In June, Aaron turned one year old and got to celebrate with a water table and a birthday picnic in the park with his friends. We saw As You Like It and Othello with our goofy friends at Shakespeare on the Green and then saw Eddie Money and Joan Jett at Memorial Park . I visited Spielbound , we saw Big Hero 6 at the Sumtur , and we took the kids to a splash park and the Children's Museum over lunch. Hannah also saw Mary Poppins at the Rose and both kids got to ride in their new wagon.
• In July, we celebrated the Fourth with a cookout at our house, a parade, and Patriotic Cheesecake and ribs at my parents' house. Jack took us on a riverboat ride for Donna's birthday, Anne and Brandon got married, and Vivian and I celebrated our anniversary with Amato's, a water park, and Joe's Crab Shack. We went on a camping trip without the kids, I lost my shirt, and Hannah picked her first tomato. I also got to meet Scott Walker and Marco Rubio.
• In August, we got to meet Dr. Ben Carson at a big Family Festival in Council Bluffs (also Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal). We visited Werner Park with a few of our friends, had one last Lindy in the Park, and saw Cinderella at the Sumtur. I also celebrated my birthday with the Jitterbugs, friends at Spin pizza, and a Beatles tribute band.
• In September, Hannah started preschool, and we had ribs with my folks for Labor Day. We went camping with our kids and the Mills family, and then we got pancakes and did dinosaur things at the Applejack Festival. We visited Gifford Farm, saw some cows at the CenturyLink Center, and Hannah and Grammy both entered a cake show (and Hannah won first prize). Vivian also had a birthday involving Kirk Cameron, the Cheesecake Factory, a Supermoon Lunar Eclipse, and Outback Steakhouse (and eventually JNO).
• In October, Hannah got her Big Girl Bed, and we visited two Pumpkin Patches: Vala's and Bloom Where You're Planted. We had a Hayrack Ride at the Hall's and went to Jitterbugs both for a Reunion Dance and a Halloween Dance (in costume). Jenny had a Back to the Future Party to celebrate Marty McFly's arrival. We also had trick-or-treating as a family at the Mall, at Gifford Farm, and on our own street, of course. Also Chris Christie.
• In November, we said goodbye to the Rietjens with burgers, Chick-Fil-A, and a baptism. Phil and Hannah both had birthdays, and Presidential candidates Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, and Marco Rubio all came to town. We also had Thanksgiving and kicked off the Christmas Season at Union Station (with Mayor Jean Stothert).
• In December, dad made ribs for a joint birthday party with mom. Vivian and I went to the Institute Christmas Party and then we took the kids out for sushi. I saw presidential candidates Mike Huckabee, Bernie Sanders, and even Donald Trump. We also had a full-on white Christmas with a snowman and two Christmas dinners, and we rang in the New Year with Fondue, per tradition.

2014 Wrap-Up

That does it for 2014! It was quite a year to say the least. Here are some pictures of the things that happened!

• In January, we rang in the New Year with black-eyed peas and had dinner at the Kuemichels' new house. He had an hors d'eourves party, went on a sushi date, and Hannah played with her friends outside.
• In February, we got a membership at the Children's Museum, we had a Nifty-Fifties Party at church, and we had some meatloaf and ribs for Valentine's Day. Hannah also made her first snowman and got to go to the circus. My parents also moved back to Nebraska after more than a decade in North Carolina.
• In March, we had a pink and blue party and learned we'll be having a boy in June! We went to Jitterbugs' Night Out (twice), dropped in on one of Kaleb's Game Nights, attended a fish fry, a St. Patrick's Party, and wished Little Matthew Happy Birthday. I went with Hannah to mud pies, took Vivian out to Big Mama's Kitchen, and also brought Hannah to the Benson Library to meet Clifford (among other people). Mom and dad also provided free babysitting until they bought a house, and then we took them to Venice Inn to celebrate.
• In April, we ended lent with pasta at St. Pius X, we grilled out with Jack and Donna, had a freak snow, and took Hannah to her first Easter Egg Hunt. We had Easter dinner with all four grandparents for the first time and went to Venice Inn a couple times more to say goodbye. Gifford Farm got threatened by a fire while Keystone Drugs Homecare actually burned down. I also met Yaron Brook from the Ayn Rand Institute while the Mills had another baby.
• In May, we celebrated Cinco de Mayo at the tail end of the parade and then flew a kite with grandpa, Hannah painted a cup for Mother's Day and played in some mud. We visited the Lauritzen Gardens with grandpa and grandma Johnson, raided Wohlner's before they closed, attended JNO and Lindy in the Park, saw Frozen at the Sumtur, saw a concert with our friends at Stinson Park and then saw Loverboy, The Guess Who, and Three Dog Night at Loessfest.
• In June, Hannah helped make a pizza and got to play in some sand. We also got to attend Shakespeare on the Green and see Uncle Kracker, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, and Blues Traveler at Memorial Park. Best of all, of course, we welcomed our son Aaron Edward into the world.
• In July, we celebrated the Fourth with burgers and fireworks at our house, a parade, and barbecue ribs with the family. We went to Louisville Lake with Libby and friends and then went to Lincoln to celebrate our anniversary with flowers, a snake, and selfies. Eric also had a hot, hot birthday, and Vivian and I went to the ballpark for hot dogs.
• In August, Tamra had a giant Jenga birthday, we went to the Sumtur twice more, we had a baby shower at work, and we celebrated my birthday in Lincoln with pizza, wine-tasting, and hot dogs. We also went to Cedar Rapids for a big family reunion celebrating my Uncle Ben and Aunt Carol's 50th wedding anniversary.
• In September, my folks took us to Johnny's Cafe for a belated birthday. Vivian and I spent a day at Fun Plex, Laughed Our Way to a Better Marriage™, and took Grammy and Hannah to see a balloon glow. We also attended the Applejack Festival, had a birthday by the lake with Venche, visited Gifford Farm, and dropped by the Eagle's Lodge once or twice. We even did some painting and camping for Vivian's birthday.
• In October, we visited the Farmer's Market, went on a hayrack ride, and visited Vala's with our friends. We went to Cedar Rapids for a family wedding with some fall fun in the Amana Colonies afterward. We also participated in every aspect of Halloween, from Trunk-or-Treat at the Y, to Trick-or-Treating in our neighborhood (with horses), and dropping by Jitterbugs Night Out. We also had Aaron dedicated at our church with a bunch of family and friends in attendance.
• In November, we got a big, new dining room table to make it easier to celebrate Thanksgiving. We got to visit the Zoo for free with Hannah, played a bit in a light dusting of snow, and celebrated Hannah's third birthday. We also went see Santa and the tree-lighting at the Durham, per tradition.
• In December, we celebrated Christmas with all four grandparents (and Uncle Jonny) for the very first time. We hosted a smashing party with with gifts and games at our house, checked out some Christmas Lights, Aaron looked cute in his new blue suit, and we had the traditional Christmas Eve service at Twin Valley Church. We also took my folks to the Children's museum and rang in the new year at the library and at our house with a Cheese Fondue (and football).

2013 in review

Happy New Year, everyone! 2013 was an exciting year for the Johnson Family.
Let's look back at some of the highlights.

• In January, Hannah met the Duweling family in Lincoln and said goodbye to Lisa's mom. We also hosted our bi-annual cheese party and had our annual sushi date.
• In February, we celebrated Mike Duweling's 50th birthday, watched the Superbowl, went on stage with 88 Improv, had a Murder Mystery party at church, made meatballs with Phil and Jen, and watched the Oscars with Bente and friends.
• In March, we went fish-frying, visited Harold Lloyd's house with my brother Jonathan, had a St. Patrick's Day ingredient party, and took Hannah on her first Easter Egg hunt.
• In April, I saw graphic design hot-shot Aaron Draplin. We also took Vivian's co-workers swing dancing, helped Tamra move, and got Hannah her very own swing.
• In May, I attended a workshop with Christian and Jenny. We also cracked open a piñata, celebrated Mother's Day, took Hannah to Gifford Farm, attended a Friendship Program prom, saw John Stamos and the Beach Boys, had a reunion with Vivian's youth group, and saw a movie at the Sumtur.
• In June, Amber and Cliff got married, we had Father's Day, Vivian and I went camping, we saw Pat Benatar and Loverboy at Memorial Park, and then saw Titus Andronicus at Shakespeare on the Green.
• In July, we shot off some fireworks, saw Twelfth Night at Shakespeare on the Green, watched the Stormchasers as Hannah rode a merry-go-round, and celebrated an anniversary with a drive-thru safari, swimming, and lobster. Mike and Merinda got married, and Hannah got to see clouds. Matt also appeared in a book by Clark Howard.
• In August, Vivian and her mom did some painting, Tamra and her dad celebrated a birthday and a retirement, and the Jitterbugs danced at Friendship Program. We rode on an air boat, we had Lindy in the Park with live music, and I celebrated my birthday with burgers and hot, hot dancing.
• In September, we said goodbye to Jessica, and Hannah got her first haircut. We also took Hannah apple-picking in Nebraska City, entered a corn-eating contest (with Hannah), and got to see Johnny Boyd and his band at Cowtown. Vivian also had a sushi-licious birthday.
• In October, I took Vivian to see Les Mis and we took Hannah back to Gifford Farm. PK got married, we visited Vala's with friends, got some pumpkins, and went hayrack-riding with our church. We also had Halloween with friends, more friends, the YMCA, and the mall. We also learned that we had a member of the family on the way!
• In November, we took Hannah to a park or two and hung out with the Lenart family. Mom and dad came to visit and stayed for Thanksgiving dinner. Hannah turned two years old and had a party with a bounce-house and a bunch of her friends. We also took Hannah to see Santa at the Durham Museum and watched the tree-lighting.
• In December, we decorated for Christmas, rang a few bells, and visited the zoo with friends. We attended a work Christmas Party, hosted one at our house with a roaring fire, and celebrated seven first dates. Hannah went on stage for Christmas Eve and we opened presents with family before celebrating the New Year with our friends at Twin Valley Church.

So what awaits us in 2014? Well, a new child for one thing, and we can't wait to see what other surprises the new year has in store for us.

Our home for the holidays

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Vivian and I just wrapped up a busy couple of weeks playing host to my parents visiting from North Carolina. During the day, they went with Vivian and Hannah to all their fun, weekly activities, such as attending Mud Pies at the Fontenelle Forest and Storytime with Mrs. B at the Bellevue Public Library. We also spent a couple evening catching up with them, playing a few games, and watching some of our favorite shows together. We also went out to Stella's for some of their classic burgers-on-a-napkin.

I also managed to get some much-needed work on the house done with the help of my dad. Among other things, we got a new flagpole mounted on the front of the house, which had been a gift from my in-laws on my birthday this year. It was a great chance to try out my new drill with some screwdriver bits. Nothing more father-and-sonly than that. Jonathan came down a little later as we all had a fairly standard Thanksgiving meal together: turkey, stuffing with gravy, poppy-seed biscuits, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, potatoes, pearl onions, Taber salad, sweet pickles, green olives, and grape Martinelli's. It was the first time I'd had Thanksgiving with my parents since they moved to North Carolina over ten years ago.

The next day, mom and dad left for North Carolina, and Vivian, Jonathan, Hannah, and I enjoyed some fairly quiet Black Friday shopping. One advantage to all the stores moving their sales up to Thursday is that the stores are relatively quiet on Black Friday, with plenty of deals still waiting for us on their respective palettes. That evening, Vivian and I took Hannah to the Durham Museum once again for the annual Christmas Tree lighting. Grammy and Papa were at their stations once again at the cookie decorating booth, and Vivian and I took turns with Hannah as she went to see Santa and then made a candy cane out of pipe cleaners and beads. "Vintage vocalist" Michael Walker was on-hand again to channel Frank Sinatra in the minutes before the main event, and Omaha's New Mayor Jean Stothert joined David Mangelsen and a few other keynote speakers on stage to count down the tree-lighting once 6:30 rolled around. People then rushed the stage for some yule-tide photo opportunities before heading home.

Vivian and I spent most of Saturday recovering from our Thanksgiving activities. On Sunday, we had a Soup Potluck at Twin Valley Church, immediately followed by some decorating for Christmas. Vivian and I took turns watching Hannah inside and out while putting up some garland and getting other ornamentation in place with the rest of the church. The day wound down fairly quickly as we continued to dig through all our leftovers from our four or five days of feasting, and we easily managed to pack away enough food for leftovers for the next week (or two). It'll be nice not to have to cook for a while!

Curry, hayracks, and a pumpkin patch

The month of October is always jam-packed with fun events with our circle of friends, and this weekend was certainly no exception. On Friday night, Vivian and I dropped by the Regency Lake & Tennis Club to attend a wedding reception PK with a bunch of her former co-workers. PK and his new bride are both from Nepal, and brought an entire cross-section of his family to come and celebrate in true Nepalese style. There was some amazing ethnic food available out front — chicken chhoyla, vegetable pakoda, palak paneer, rajma, chicken tikka masala, and mutton curry — every one of which was a new treat for us. Hannah even got to try a few bites, though she seemed content to munch on shrimp crackers and naan. I'm definitely grateful that the venue allowed PK and his family to bring their own food. Afterward, we got to burn it off with some dancing to energetic music once a few of us got over ourselves. Naturally, there were about a dozen cameras pointed every which way, so people had a few inhibitions before hitting the floor, but once PK's mom got into the fun, nobody wanted to sit it out.

On Saturday, we continued the fall traditions with a trip to Vala's Pumpkin Patch. This was Hannah's second visit to Nebraska's famous autumnal amusement park, and this time around she was big enough to participate in some of the "big kid" attractions, such as the jumping pillows, the new Big Slide, and even the family-sized go-cart (though I did the pedaling and steering while Vivian held on for dear life). Of course, we had to bring a gang of our great friends to join in the fun (and the lines). Li Ya also brought her little boy, who immediately took a shine to Hannah. A crashed for food when necessary between trudging through a corn maze and pumpkin mine, and we grabbed a photo opportunity on a giant chair, in a coffin, in the gift shop, in jail, and by a pile of pumpkins when we got the chance (with the help of some friendly passersby). Hannah also got to see a pig race, a dragon or two, and definitely enjoyed the storybook village, riding in a pumpkin carriage and giving Little Bo Beep a hug. We finished off the night with Amazing Arthur (where I missed Jenny getting called up on stage), and found our way out through the gift shop, grabbing an obligatory caramel apple along the way.

On Sunday, the Halls opened up their home again for another fun campfire and hay rack ride with our friends at Twin Valley Church. It was a gorgeous day for being outdoors and riding around in the countryside. Hannah is old enough now to play with the cluster of little friends from church who came along for the event, and she got to discover some of the fun of riding in a tire swing and eating tasty fall things in front of a campfire. One of the things I love best about our little church group is how much fun we all seem to have together. Of course there were plenty of pictures being snapped from every angle, so Teresa recruited a couple of us to snap pictures of her family while we were being so shutter-happy.