What is an OmaHeck...

It is likely you have never heard of an OmaHeck. We kind of made it up. Here's a little history:

When I moved to Utah in 1990, I was introduced to a brand new phrase: "Oh my heck!" I guess it means "wow", "no way", or "that's surprising." It serves as a multi-purpose expression and possibly a swear :-0 (as in "Oh my heck, you are a jerk!)

When the family left Utah and settled in Omaha, NE (2004), we became "OmaHecks."

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Yeah, that's it!

So I decided that I needed to reassert my prowess in the kitchen. Cyndie rocks the kitchen, and loves it so much, and with our schedules, responsibilities, Church Callings, Work requirements, I cook rarely, if ever. In fact, Cyndie is reminding me that the word I am looking for may in fact be spelled P-O-W-E-R-L-E-S-S-N-E-S-S.

The idea was that I could do something with the boys, teach them a skill, spend time together, and make sure they know that food doesn't just magically appear. Not to mention that since I don't cook too much, I don't want them to get any crazy stereotypes about dads not being in the kitchen.

When Sunday arrived, I committed that this was going to be the day. To use a good Argentine phrase, we were going to make bread "sí ó sí"(literally "yes or yes" meaning no other options, roughly equivalent to American English's "come he## or high-water", edited-this being a family blog). After being in meetings all morning, having Church from 1-4, ending up on the stand during Sacrament Meeting (the Bishop and Second Counselor were away, and the First Counselor asked me to join him, making me "the substitute Bishop" according to Tate"), eating dinner, and cleaning up, I was ready.

The boys and I got the ingredients, some mixing and measuring tools, and got to work. The yeast performed remarkably. The flour mixed perfectly. The sugar and eggs blended exquisitely. It was everything I had hoped for. We were all excited until we realized it was about 7 pm and read that the directions called for letting the dough raise for 3 hours, pounding it (Tate and Dane's favorite part), splitting it, putting it in pans, and letting it raise for another 90 minutes. I did the quick math and realized that we'd be up until midnight if we followed those plans. Time to call in the reinforcements!

"Mom, we need your heelllp! Dad really screwed up this time!" the boys called out. Laughing, Cyndie sauntered in to the kitchen and proceeded to save the day. We let the dough raise until we went to bed, then let it continue to raise in the fridge overnight. Next day, she and the boys cooked it up. It baked wonderfully!

Prologue

It would seem that Cyndie was right at the beginning at this post: she can spell and and has a better vocabulary than me. But I have to tell you that last night, while Cyndie and I were out on the town, I said that I wanted to make more bread with the boys, and she confessed that when we ate the last of the bread, she was disappointed. So maybe I didn't screw up too badly.


What Happens If That Runs Out?

Tate is an avid reader and loves to learn new things. He has discovered the world of minerals, plants and resources.

Whether through lessons in school, or his own reading regimen (we truly aren't sure), he has become concerned about depleted resources and species of plants--and animals, for that matter--becoming extinct.

The "perseveration" aspect of Autism comes in to play here as Cyndie and I get to answer the same questions about non-renewable resources running out, so we can't have gas, electricity or other items he considers critical.

Daily, he includes in his prayers a plea to Father in Heaven that "non-renewable resources won't run out, and that endangered species will not become extinct." It is quite a show of faith. Recently, we were talking and I could tell he was in a bit of a funk. It's often hard to get him to open up about emotions, but I probed a little and he told me how concerned he was about non-renewable resources going away (he had asked me not to stop for gas only a few days earlier when we were out together for some one-on-one time).

I wasn't sure what more I could tell him, so I went to a higher source. I shared with him what a college professor used in a class as "The Lord's view of economics" (remember, I was an Econ major at BYU). The message comes from Doctrine & Covenants 104:13-18 and teaches us that the responsibility of those with resources have a responsibility to take care of those without. The Lord also teaches us in verse 17 that "the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare" for he "prepared all things". We talked about how we could waste and mis-use the things God has given us, but that if we take care of them, God will take care of us, and we should take care of each other. He chippered up, and though still concerned, he's pretty conviced that God will see us through. Good kid.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Great Wolf Break

As I mentioned in the last post, our boys have been on spring break for the last week. I was able to arrange my schedule and we took off for a couple of days. We drove to Kansas City and hit the Great Wolf Lodge http://www.greatwolflodge.com/. One of the greatest inventions of all time.

The wind and snow whipped outside, then there was a thunderstorm. Meanwhile, we were carelessly playing in a wonderful waterworld (and I'm not talking Kevin Costner).

What could be better than having 1000 gallons of water pound you on the head every 5 minutes? Maybe riding a river through a pitch black tube while rocketing around corners and hitting sharp drop-offs that make your heart skip a beat? For the more timid, riding on a floating donut around a lazy river. Or playing in the treehouse where every corner has a tool to splash, dump or spray someone, but beware, standing still long enough to use the tools makes you a target as well!

We had a great time together and a load of fun. We are both water logged and a bit dehydrated, but anxious for our next trip.







Opinions are like... well, everyone has one!

The other day Cyndie left me a voice mail at work, concerned over a scheduling conflict between the two elementary schools represented in our home. I can hear noise in the back ground reminding me that it is spring break and the boys are home. Cyndie tells me about the conflict and says she wants my opinion. Just then I hear the voice of a cartoon character respond with glee-and a bit of incredulity, "You want my opinion?!?!"

If I didn't live in the house, I'd have been curious at how Cyndie timed the question on a voice mail with something from Cartoon Network. But, since I do live in the house, I knew it was actually Dane. He of the cartoon voice.

Cyndie responded to Dane that she sure did want his opinion, but that right now she was leaving a message for Dad. I don't know what the rest of the message said, I was too busy laughing becasue I could hear Dane hopping away, chirping in his little animated voice, "Yipee, I have an opinion!"

We knew that, D-Max, but we are thrilled you've realized it.