Durham Museum 2018

We also went to The Durham Museum this weekend which is a train museum in downtown Omaha. After Amtrak was created, Union Pacific Railroad closed its Union Station in Omaha, but the station was preserved as it was for a museum.

Outside the museum

Checking the schedules or mugging someone

The Benson trolley

James is going to drive the trolley

Can't be worse than me driving a car

Miranda's turn!

Getting on the Union Pacific train

 

Inside the train

 

Fancy part of the train

Kevin found the bar cart

Toy train village

Omaha tribe tipi

James likes it

Miranda disappears inside

Love the buffalos!

Dundee Parade 2018

Dundee is a nice residential neighborhood in midtown Omaha, and near to the downtown. Dundee actually used to be its own town (just like Millard where we live) but Omaha annexed it in 1915. Anyway, I specifically wanted to go to the parade because Kara Eastman sent an email about it. Off we went!

Waiting for the parade to start

Back row

Roxane Gay's High School

All the groups threw candy to the kids! It's like Halloween!

 

Republic candidate for Congress

 

Eat more chicken

Democratic candidate for Congress, Kara Eastman, wooo!!

Miles Waggener Reading 2018

Kevin went to the undergraduate program director, Miles's reading at Mister Toad's monthly "Imaginary Gardens Reading Series." I asked him to snap a picture.

 

Miles reading

Imaginary Gardens Reading Series at Mister Toad's

Kevin's New Job at UNO 2018

Kevin started his new job as the Program Coordinator of the MFA in Writing at the University of Nebraska at Omaha! He's also teaching in the undergrad UNO Writer’s Workshop as an Assistant Professor of Fiction. He's really excited about the new challenge and I'm super happy for him. I think it's going to be great for our whole family to be in here and to be part of this community.

In the hallway

His office with the Long Island print above his desk

His grandfather's radio on his desk

The mace club is a gift from Kristina

He tolerates me pretty well

Miranda's First Day of Pre-K 2018

Miranda started Pre-K in Omaha two days after James started, but as usual, I tried to get a few pictures of both of them on James's first day, so I have some fake first-day photos for her and some real ones. Omaha doesn't have free Pre-K through the public schools but the public schools do have a program you can pay for, and luckily we got in off the waitlist. Unfortunately, it's at a different public school than she will attend next year (where James goes now). Miranda isn't too worried about it except when we're in the car a long time to pick her up and then pick up James.

Fake first day picture

Sibling picture!

With mom

Her real first day, posing with brunette Barbie (Whitney?)

At school in her favorite play area

Dismissal with her teacher Mrs. Weaver. Great first day!

Playing basketball after school with neighbors Emma and Hogan

James's First Day of 2nd Grade 2018

James's first day of school in Omaha was really something special! We took pictures in front of our new house, there was a jazz band playing outside the school, the kids all line up by class with their teachers then each class is cheered as it goes in, and it was my first time solo-driving him home from school! What a big day! After school, they had first-day-of-school cookies and then the kids took their scooters to the park.

The banister will help with measurements

Second-grader!

Miranda starts PreK on Wednesday


It's also Kevin's first day of school! He has a new faculty orientation!

Jazz band at the elementary school!

They were excellent and really made the day special!

A little fun at the school playground

 

His class area

Some classmates

 

Mrs. Crites greeting students

James's class going into school to wild cheers!

I hope you love it here, little buddy!

First-day-of-school cookies

Riding their scooters to the park

Pre-K Open House 2018

Miranda's Pre-K is a special public school program that's only open at some of the public schools near us, so she'll be attending a different school than James this year. So we took her to a separate open house for her school. Miranda didn't seem as shy or worried as she has been in the past. I think her time at Wisdom Tree got her really comfortable with school plus she got to meet her teacher last week and her teacher is really kind and lovely.

Miranda's Pre-K classroom

Miranda immediately settled in when she saw the toys

Found her favorite nook

The kitchen set is her favorite

Miranda's teacher Ms. Weaver on left

Miranda talking with one of the staff

Indeed, this is a big adventure for all of us!