zzz
Dr. Becker, Teresa, Gina, McKenzie, Rebecca, Dan, Simon the Cat and friends and Council Bluffs PetCo team, it was so nice to meet you all! And Dr. Backlund, it was very nice to see you! We had a very fun afternoon.
From,
Joy the Puppy and me :)
Archive for the ‘Walking Around Omaha’ Category
Nice to Meet You!
Wednesday, May 18th, 20112010 Nebraska Humane Society Walk for the Animals
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Phil the Puppy – ready for the Walk!
The 2010 Nebraska Humane Society Walk for the Animals was a very fun event! The Family Finch Dog Pack consisted of Russ, Jodi, Erika Workman (an honorary Finch) and me and our kids and dogs: ours-Ebony the Lab Mix, Noodle the Poodle and Joy the Puppy…and Phil!, Jodi’s-Taco the Belgian Malinois and Erika’s-Bella the Long-Haired Chihuahua.
We saw tons of gorgeous dogs and between us could identify all but one by breed (a BEAUTIFUL huge Great Dane shaped dog with tan and dark brown Mastiff-like markings). We saw lots of friends and pet companies and rescue groups we love…
♥ ♥ ♥ Good to see you! ♥ ♥ ♥
Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue
Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska
Last we heard, Nebraska Humane Society was very close to meeting their fund-raising goals for the day. That will help so many pets!! Thank you SO MUCH for supporting Family Finch and the Nebraska Humane Society!
Grown-ups Left to Right: me, Erika (with Bella), Russ, Jodi, the other dogs: Ebony, Joy, Phil (in the carrier!), Noodle, Taco
Joy, Ebony and Noodle in a calm moment
The Beautiful Bella Workman
Gorgeous Taco Dog
Ebony and Phil chat before the walk
And we’re off! A beautiful walk around the outskirts of the Nebraska Humane Society campus
2010 Nebraska Humane Society Walk for the Animals – Coming Soon!
Thursday, August 26th, 2010In one month from today, we are taking all three dogs on the Nebraska Humane Society 2010 Walk for the Animals. I think it will be a very fun time!
All proceeds raised go to support the dogs and cats (and little guys!) of Nebraska Humane Society. I think they should label the corner behind the cats “Miscellaneous” as a joke, but maybe some people would not get the joke and then it would not be a good label. That’s where all the non-dog and cat pets are. I LOVE that corner!! In just the past few months, they have had super cute newborn fuzzy white bunnies, painted turtles, ferrets, rats, gerbils, budgies and even a cockatiel.
ANYWAYS, Russ and Jodi and I are all attempting to raise money for the Nebraska Humane Society. You don’t even have to bet on whether I will finish the mile or number of laps or anything. You can pledge a set amount…or just wish us well (which is free!)
Here’s my link! Here is the link for Family Finch (Jodi, Russ and me)
If your business would like to become a corporate sponsor, here is the link…I have read through the list of sponsors, you would be in the company of awesomes!
Dog-Friendly Places in Omaha
Monday, August 9th, 2010Maybe with a bit of encouragement, all of Omaha will begin to shift to a dog-welcoming atmosphere. How fun would that be? If you know of dog-friendly businesses or events, let me know and I will add them. If you OWN a dog-friendly business, let me know and I will add it and also say, I think you are awesome.
Check out this site that I LOVE – Go Pet Friendly – and thank you guys for allowing me to link to your site! My little blog post here will have Omaha-specific information as I collect it. Go Pet Friendly has country-wide information, including pet-friendly hotels! Very fun site to visit, even if you do not happen to be heading out the door with your pup!
Also check out Fido Factor – They also have helpful information on pet-friendly places! Pretty soon we will be able to walk in about anywhere with our pups!
Omaha Pet-Friendly Places…
Pumpkin Patch at 120th and Military – inexpensive pumpkins and very dog friendly! Support your local farmers! October 14, 2010 *Just in time for Halloween!* Thanks Alicia!
PetSmart – 6 area locations
Outdoor concerts at Shadow Lake Towne Center
Jazz on the Green concerts at Midtown Crossing
Bookworm Bookstore 88th and Pacific
Canfield’s Sporting Goods 84th and Center – They may even take your dog’s picture and hang it on their wall!
Trocadéro “Lifestyle and Accessories Emporium” – Old Market
Underwood Hill’s Presbyterian Church – This church in Dundee has special services to which pets are invited. I was reminded of this great program recently when I saw a fellow grocery shopper with a Underwood Hill’s T-shirt with paw prints on it.
Subway in the Old Market (outdoor seating)
Upstream in the Old Market (outdoor seating)
La Buvette in the Old Market (outdoor seating)
Farmer’s Markets – Old Market (Saturdays), Aksarben (Sundays)
Come to think of it…The Old Market and the surrounding areas have amazing dog walking and hanging out areas.
McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe 302 South 38th Street (outdoor seating)
Trovato’s Italian Restaurant – Dundee (outdoor seating)
Chipolte Mexican Grill (outdoor seating)
Goldberg’s – Dundee (outdoor seating)
Nebraska Humane Society – in designated areas
QC Supply in Elkhorn – went there today (Sept. 27, 2010) with Noodle the Poodle, LOVE this store!!
Old Chicago – beer garden at Old Chicago of 76th and Cass – I will find out about other locations! It will be fun to support this one – I love their food (and drinks!)
Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios – 50th and Dodge
Call a business or restaurant ahead if you are unsure if they welcome pets! Even if they say “no” you will get them thinking!
*****
Some stores will make exceptions if your pet is cute enough. Russ and I would always walk to Blockbuster’s in Littleton Colorado. I would stay outside with our dog Benji while Russ went in to get our movie. One time, the manager came out to the parking lot to pet Benji and said, “You can bring him in if you want to.” I always did from then on, and we rented movies there more than ever to say “thank you” to that kind manager. It is a very good memory now over ten years later.
OK, this one is not official, so don’t go bringing your dog in to Sam and Louie’s just because you brought him on errands and didn’t think through how hot it is out! But I DO want you to support Sam and Louie’s, specifically the one near 72nd and L Street! I went there with my friend Erika, and we overheard a guy at the bar saying he was just going to get a drink or two while his dog waited in the car.
Both of us have dog-loving qualities that are about one hundred times stronger than our introversion (which is a pretty strong trait in both of us!) ANYWAYS, the manager there ended up relenting to our pleas (so we let go of his ankles and stood up), and Ray Charles, the very cute, very blind, very brachycephalic Boston Terrier got to sit under his owner’s feet at the bar instead of in the hot car with the windows up during the lunch hour. Thank you Very Nice Sam and Louie’s manager. Because I no longer get my movies at the Littleton Blockbuster’s, I will transfer all of my love for the Blockbuster’s manager to you and express it by buying your pizzas and sandwiches as often as possible.
Thank you to Alicia Weiland, Jen Howell, Jess Kamish and Russ Finch for help with the initial info gathering. You are three of my favorite women and my absolute favorite guy.
Walking Around Omaha, October 2009
Friday, October 23rd, 2009Omaha, After Psalm 122
We stand as a city united under God,
Omaha with her incredible diversityand blend of unique personalities.
We are compassionate.
We are creative.
We are hard workers.
Add the power of God Himself, and amazing things occur.
God is at work everywhere on every level.
He is directing the path of the believer and drawing the unbeliever to Himself.
Great things are happening.
Greater things are brewing.
If you love Omaha, pray for her.
Pray for the violence to end.
Pray for our neighbors to be housed and fed.
Pray for a loving home for each pet.
Pray for healed marriages and families….for met ends….for a family for every conceived child,
…and that each would be loved throughout their lives.
Pray that God’s amazing works would continue until darkness can find no corner of Omaha left in which to hide and must flee.
Peace be to Omaha.
Walking Around Omaha…February and March
Monday, March 9th, 2009March 9, 2009 In which I became a slacker, then became encouraged and pulled my act together…
I hit a lull in February, but kept walking some. My daughters and friends kept me going. We were in Portland during the first week of March for a Banfield conference and are now home, and I am walking with renewed energy!
Westwood Church sponsored a great women’s conference by Set Me Free Ministries that-strangely-focused my goal of walking on every street in Omaha. My friend Stephanie Olson and her sister Joy (I LOVE that name!) started Set Me Free, and this, their first conference, was just really encouraging. The day before, my friend Tracey Gardner, who was the main character in the Everything drama* that was a part of the conference, said that she and her dogs would walk with me.
And the night before the conference, I walked with my daughters and our dogs around the church and the neighborhood, and prayed for the next day and for the people I knew who were still at church working hard on preparation, which reminded me I am walking with a purpose. I had started to lose focus and feel like I was just walking. Omaha, as I mentioned, is big, and I was becoming overwhelmed.
I got to go to the conference with my Mom-in-law Karen and sister-in-law Kristi, two of my favorite people ever. And many more of my favorite people were there. Karen and Kristi both agreed to walk with me, so I know this year is do-able.
Then today, Dad called and took the girls to school and me to Starbucks on his way to work, and I was, again, so encouraged!
After coffee with Dad, the dogs and I walked around Hanscom Park, which was one of the areas I had decided to pray for when Luis Palau was in town. It is near 30th and Center Street. When we moved to midtown, I realized what a beautiful park it was, and over time I started hearing awful stories about what goes on there. In fact, while the dogs and I were resting mid-walk, we saw two police cars and one arrest. And that was mid-morning! In the park itself, there is a great little lake, a kid pool, tennis courts, two amazing greenhouses, a basketball court, a soccer field, and gorgeous trees everywhere. There is also a sign that tells the history of Omaha parks. The set of parks in midtown (including Hanscom Park and Elmwood Park) were designed by some famous park planner from Minneapolis in the mid 1800′s. I will find out his name for you and what he said about his vision for the park. (I did not have a pen. I just had my house key and a ROCK and a bunch of doggy walk bags!)
On the way back home, I saw my cousin Benjy (YAY), and then we passed a beautiful mural of Hanscom Lagoon, painted on the side of a building. Today makes me think that Omaha could be as incredible as God Himself must picture it…as cool as any of us hope it could be. So much of it is. I love our city.
*Did you notice I learned how to link things?? I started in January linking stuff I mention in the newsletter to their websites. How fun. Just a warning if you watch the Everything video…It is pretty intense. I wouldn’t let my daughters watch it. In fact, they changed it a bit for the Set Me Free conference because I had a really hard time with the gun scene. But it is an incredible drama, and you will never again wonder if God is on your side.
March 23, 2009 In which I go on a much anticipated walk to pray for our military and the dogs come down with three very serious cases of “Bad Dog” which, of course, does not really exist…there are no bad dogs…
Each of forty Omaha churches took one day of Lent (the forty days before Easter) to pray for a specific aspect of Omaha…Westwood’s day is today and we are praying for our military. How cool (I thought). I am not great at praying for huge general topics, so for weeks I have been looking forward to walking with the dogs around the VA Hospital near 42nd and Center and praying for friends, family and acquaintances who have served or are serving in our military. I figured that would be a great way to stay focused and to make a big huge concept personal.
So, the three dogs and I set out. I have taught them all to sit and wait at crosswalks and to speed walk across when I say “cross.” Impressive, huh? (Ha!) More importantly, it keeps everyone safe and well controlled when we are crossing busy streets.
At EVERY intersection today, between one and three dogs had to be reminded how to sit with a push on the butt. That is the FIRST command Joy learned, and Ebony and Noodle have known how to sit for ALMOST A DECADE! And, for the first time, Joy decided that “cross” didn’t mean speed walk straight across the street, it meant Ebony and Noodle will be speed walking across the street, so that will be a great time to bite their ears, cuz they will be looking straight ahead!
I am so tired! They are too, but they are happily resting and have no idea how frustrated I am! I guess that is good, and tomorrow is another day! What a bunch of dorks. I love them though. Maybe I will pray without them this time…
Walking Around Omaha…January
Monday, January 26th, 2009I will start to log my “journey” so far. Much of January has been much too cold for the undersides of my little Poodle’s feet. (OK, Noodle has been doing just fine…it is Ebony and I who get tired and cold the most!) But the walks we have had have been SO FUN.
Russ is helping me print maps off GOOGLE, and we are keeping them in a bright yellow folder on my art table and marking them as I walk streets. Omaha is much bigger than I realized, but it is early in the year, and I am optimistic! Maybe it can be done…We have walked with our family…Russ, Amanda and Abby, with our friends…Heather, Lu, Jodi (friend AND family! I am so blessed…), Elijah, and with our dog friends…Millie, Lucky, Jasmine, Benji, Oscar, Max and Taco. See if you can find them all in these pictures. When you find Millie’s picture, see if you know who her new family is! She is such a sweet dog!
We even got to walk with Scooter, an adorable little Terrier mix who had lost his way. His mama and little girl were out looking for him and we checked his tag and brought him home. This year is awesome. I told you it would be!
Here are some “Walking Around Omaha” pictures so far…
Happy 2009! Come walk with us…when it warms up!UPDATE May 5, 2009: Tammy Hall has found Millie a wonderful new home!! YAY TAMMY! And Congratulations Millie :)