October 7, 2018

Why Omaha Families Will Like OK Go’s Concert

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OK Go is coming to Omaha, you guys. Do you know how many times I’ve watched OK Go’s “This Too Shall Pass” with my son? So many, I could recreate their Rube Goldberg Machine in my dreams.

OK Go The Live Video Tour 2018
OK Go performs in Omaha on Oct. 19, 2018 at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Photo courtesy Omaha Performing Arts

So, when I heard the OK Go: The Live Video Tour is exactly what it sounds like – live music and with video – I thought, this show is perfect for him. I’ve got the details on the Oct. 19 concert below and…a giveaway!

Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Omaha Performing Arts for this post, who is providing the tickets for the giveaway. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.

OK Go: The Live Video Tour In Omaha

OK Go, the rock band famous for their wildly creative videos, brings their unique magic to the stage in 2018. They’re performing at the Holland Performing Arts Center in Omaha on Friday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m.

Tip: Any chance you get to see a band you like play at the Holland Performing Arts Center, you should take it. 

According to the press release: “As you might expect from the pioneering band who danced on treadmills and in zero gravity, this show is unlike any you’ve seen before: it’s a film screening and a rock concert rolled into one.”

OK Go The Live Video Tour 2018
OK Go: The Live Video Tour is in Omaha on Oct. 19, 2018. Photo courtesy Omaha Performing Arts

Not your typical concert, the band will perform their songs live and in sync with 20 of their iconic videos. There will even be an interactive piece that the audience will perform. Between some of the songs, the band will do a Q&A with the audience. 

“Like the band, the show defies categorization, but bring your family and expect dancing, joy, and wonder,” according to promoters. 

Let’s hear from the band about why this is a show is going to be great for families (the video takes a while to appear on this page, so sit tight, it will appear soon):

https://www.facebook.com/OmahaPerformingArtsOrg/videos/499258843818738/?xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDtIpzpJYDZjGxxeU0pzpjKmx-yLNRt_ZMWT8EnJ5exd1YyFgKi6L1oNv7saO6AfbsSeMtPWHdJMUufWfrIkOtG1ICg3yNLRdIYjwj6Gz_lD9kmBFDmOhwuZkQXl6RQyyo9JaTcwkj_uvqHEirw-EkINNjxLVUPQo52MWlpOMHIAUca146E&__tn=-R

If you go

OK Go: The Live Video Tour

When: Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.

Cost: $35-$50. Purchase tickets at TicketOmaha.com or save on ticketing fees and purchase in person at the box office located inside the Holland Performing Arts Center.

Giveaway

You want to go, right? 

I’ve partnered with Omaha Performing Arts to giveaway a set of FOUR tickets to OK Go: The Live Video Tour! Please enter through the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on Sunday, Oct. 14. One winner will be drawn and contacted via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is drawn. Must be 18 years old or older to enter. Tickets have no cash value and may not be exchanged for another show. Good luck!

Filed Under: What To Do In Omaha Tagged With: , ,
April 27, 2018

Nebraska Authors {Giveaway}

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I may have mentioned a time or two (or 100) that I wrote a book last year. “Lost Restaurants of Omaha” – it’s a good read. 😉 I’m in good company – a few of my fellow bloggers have become Nebraska authors, publishing fantastic books in recent months, too. These helpful nonfiction books are dedicated to saving you money or suggesting things to do in Omaha and across Nebraska. Basically, read them all so you can save money to explore Nebraska.

Read on because once you learn about these new books, you’re going to want to read them on the NEW Kindle Fire 7 tablet we’re giving away!

Disclosure: Giveaway not affiliated with or associated with Amazon. Oh My! Omaha is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

 

Five books have been published by myself and fellow bloggers in the last six months – “Lost Restaurants of Omaha,” “100 Things To Do In Omaha Before You Die,” “The Extraordinary Art of Budgeting,” “The Extraordinary Art of Meal Planning,” and “Detour Nebraska: Historic Destinations and Natural Wonders.”

“The Extraordinary Art” Series

Local author, Nicole McDonald, shares money saving advice on her blog MomSavesMoney.net and teaches classes in the Omaha area. This year she released two new books in her popular Extraordinary Art series. Her expert advice in “The Extraordinary Art of Meal Planning” will help you take back family dinner while saving time and money. If you are ready to live debt free and in financial freedom, check out her third book in the series “The Extraordinary Art of Budgeting.”

money saving books

Learn a bit more about Nicole in this Omaha Bloggers feature!

“100 Things To Do In Omaha Before You Die”

Omaha is often called the best-kept secret in the United States. Once they’ve been there, visitors tend to fall in love with the city and its people. Referred to as the Gateway to the west, Omaha has so much to offer, from history, hiking, and an exciting local beer scene to great food. Tim and Lisa Trudell from the popular travel blog, The Walking Tourists, take you on a tour of Omaha’s unique and interesting sites and include some fun facts and helpful tips in their new book, “100 Things to Do in Omaha Before You Die.” Whether you are up in Omaha, call yourself an Omahan now, or are just passing through, this book will make you stop and say, “I didn’t realize that was in Omaha.”

things to do in Omaha

Learn more about Lisa and Tim in this Omaha Bloggers feature! I created my own Omaha Challenge inspired by the book.

“Detour Nebraska”

“Detour Nebraska: Historical Destinations and Natural Wonders” explores both the familiar and lesser know places worth exploring across Nebraska. Author Gretchen M. Garrison finds Nebraska to be a fascinating state. She started writing about the people and places or Nebraska both past and present on her blog, Odyssey Through Nebraska. Whether you are an armchair explorer or an adventurer, this book is your guide to knowing more about Nebraska.

I wrote more about the things in “Detour Nebraska” that I want to add to my Nebraska Bucket List in this post.

“Lost Restaurants of Omaha”

“Lost Restaurants of Omaha” shares the stories and photos behind some of Omaha’s iconic restaurants that have closed. The history of famous eateries go beyond the food on the menu and dive into the families that ran them and the roles they may have played in historic moments in the city. Restaurants featured in the book include French Café, Piccolo Pete’s, Mister C’s, Ross’s and Bohemian Café, and more than two-dozen more.

“Lost Restaurants of Omaha” is written by yours truly, Kim Reiner. Interested in author appearances? Bookmark this post; I update it regularly.

Nebraska Authors’ Giveaway

To celebrate the release of our new books, we are giving away a Kindle Fire 7 Tablet – 8 GB ($49.99) to one lucky winner. Easy entry using the Rafflecopter form below. Winner will be selected May 13 and contacted via email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: What To Do In Omaha Tagged With: , ,
November 14, 2017

Best Omaha Christmas Experiences {Giveaways}

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A few weeks ago, I shared the following list for a quick game of Omaha Holidays Never Have I Ever. It featured some of most unforgettable Omaha Christmas experiences and holiday traditions. Did you play along? (I got 1 point since I’ve never heard one of the holiday concerts at Joslyn Art Museum…I made up the list, so I guess it’s tilted in my favor.)

With Never Have I Ever, the fewer points the better. When I first shared this list, most people were getting 11 and 12 points.

 

I’ve created lists like this before (like this crazy popular one), and usually, people can brag about how many they’ve done on the list. But, for this list, most people commented saying they hadn’t done ANY of them…or maybe only one of them.

So, let’s fix that. Time to send some readers and their families (or friends) out to enjoy some of Omaha’s most unforgettable holiday experiences.

Omaha Christmast Experience Giveaway

You can enter all giveaways or just pick the ones that interest your family the most. Giveaways start at 7 a.m. on the days listed and winners will be drawn at about that time, as well. Good luck and may this be a holiday season you’ll never forget! Thank you to all the organizations listed below that provided the passes for these giveaways!

 

Win admission for 4 to The Durham Museum

The Durham Museum’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony is Nov. 24, 2017. The largest indoor tree around is on display through Jan. 7, 2018. Photo courtesy The Durham Museum

Every year, The Durham Museum kicks off “Christmas at Union Station” with a huge event to light the enormous real tree in the lobby. It’s an unforgettable experience singing with hundreds of others and then joining in the countdown. Winner of this giveaway could use their pass to attend the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 24 from 4 to 8 p.m. (tree lighting will be around 7 p.m.), or visit another time. “Christmas at Union Station” runs through Jan. 7, 2018, and has quite a few special events throughout the season like nights where you can see Santa at the museum and the Ethnic Holiday Festival.

Giveaway begins: Nov. 14 (winner will be drawn and announced on Nov. 16)

Prize: Admission for four (4) to The Durham Museum

To enter: Visit Oh My! Omaha on Facebook and comment on the post specific to “Christmas at Union Station” for your chance to win admission for four to The Durham Museum!

 

Win 4 tickets to Omaha Community Playhouse’s “A Christmas Carol”

Jerry Longe plays Ebenezer Scrooge during his journey with the Ghost of Christmas Past. “A Christmas Carol” is at Omaha Community Playhouse through Dec. 23, 2017. Photo courtesy Omaha Community Playhouse

It’s safe to say that after four decades of presenting “A Christmas Carol” at Omaha Community Playhouse, it’s an Omaha tradition. Charles Dickens’ tale about Ebenezer Scrooge is truly a classic, and OCP has perfected it with exquisite costumes and sets, impressive effects and the great choreography. “A Christmas Carol” runs Nov. 17 through Dec. 23 at Omaha Community Playhouse. I’ve seen it a number of times and I’m pretty excited to take my son to his first performance this year. Stay tuned for my review!

Giveaway begins: Nov. 16 (winner will be drawn and announced on Nov. 18)

Prize: Four (4) tickets to see Omaha Community Playhouse’s “A Christmas Carol” on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m.

To enter: Visit Oh My! Omaha on Facebook and comment on the post specific to “A Christmas Carol” for your chance to win four tickets to see this holiday classic at the Omaha Community Playhouse! Tickets may not be exchanged for a different performance.

 

Win 4 passes to Lauritzen Gardens’ Holiday Poinsettia Show

Laurtizen Garden’s Holiday Poinsettia Show runs Nov. 24, 2017 through Jan. 4, 2018. Photo courtesy Nebraska Tourism

Lauritzen Gardens displays thousands of poinsettias each year in its gorgeous Holiday Poinsettia Show inside the floral display hall. The 20-foot tall poinsettia tree is impressive for sure, and kids are certain to love watching the model train move around the display featuring miniature Omaha landmarks. Keep tabs on special holiday events planned through the season, or when you can see the Holiday Poinsettia Show AGLOW, here. The poinsettias are on display Nov. 24, 2017 through Jan. 4, 2018.

Giveaway begins: Nov. 20 (winner will be drawn and announced on Nov. 22)

Prize: Admission for four (4) to the Lauritzen Gardens

To enter: Visit Oh My! Omaha on Facebook and comment on the post specific to “Holiday Poinsettia Show” for your chance to win admission for four to Lauritzen Gardens!

 

Win 4 tickets to Ballet Nebraska’s “The Nutcracker”

Nebraska Ballet presents “The Nutcracker” Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. the Arts Center at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs and Dec. 2 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. at the Orpheum Theater. “The Nutcracker” is an annual tradition and must be seen at least once! Set to one of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s most famous scores, it includes a cast of 130 professional and student dancers, and features lavish sets and more than 250 beautiful costumes.

Giveaway begins: Nov. 22 (winner will be drawn and announced on Nov. 24)

Prize: Four (4) tickets to see Ballet Nebraska’s “The Nutcracker” on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m.

To enter: Visit Oh My! Omaha on Facebook and comment on the post specific to “The Nutcracker” for your chance to win four tickets to see this holiday classic at the Orpheum Theater! Tickets may not be exchanged for a different performance.

 

 

Win admission for 4 to Omaha Children’s Museum

“Santa’s Magic” runs Nov. 24 through Dec. 23 at Omaha Children’s Museum. Photo courtesy Omaha Children’s Museum

Full disclosure: I work at Omaha Children’s Museum. Omaha Children’s Museum has its annual holiday interactive show, “Santa’s Magic,” that runs Nov. 24 through Dec. 23. The show includes includes indoor snowfall (AKA, bubbles), which I’ve seen first-hand a number of times and it never gets old watching children delight in the magic. It’s also a pretty awe-inspiring experience for kids to have Santa call them by name to hear their wish list.  The show is included with admission.

Giveaway begins: Nov. 27 (winner will be drawn and announced on Nov. 29)

Prize: Admission for four (4) to the museum

To enter: Visit Oh My! Omaha on Facebook and comment on the post specific to “Santa’s Magic” for your chance to win admission for four to Omaha Children’s Museum!

 

Win 4 tickets to Omaha Symphony’s “Christmas Celebration”

Every year, Omaha Symphony presents a family-friendly holiday show called “Physicians Mutual Omaha Symphony Christmas Celebration,” complete with soaring classic and contemporary Christmas songs (of course) and the always-memorable dancing Santas. Broadway singers join with conductor Ernest Richardson and the Omaha Symphony in the show. I’ve brought the kids to it before and I can affirm this show appeals across generations. “Christmas Celebration” is at the Holland Performing Arts Center Dec. 9-17.

Giveaway begins: Nov. 28 (winner will be drawn and announced on Nov. 30)

Prize: Four (4) tickets to Omaha’s Symphony’s “Christmas Celebration” on Friday, Dec. 15.

To enter: Visit Oh My! Omaha on Facebook and comment on the post specific to ” Omaha’s Symphony’s Christmas Celebration” for your chance to win four tickets to the Dec. 15 performance! Tickets may not be exchanged for a different performance.

 

There are dozens more holiday performances, shows and FREE activities around Omaha in 2017. See the Ultimate Omaha Holiday Events List for details.

 

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Filed Under: What To Do In Omaha Tagged With: ,
October 16, 2017

Forever Forest At Omaha Children’s Museum

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Omaha Children’s Museum had a sneak peek of its winter special exhibit, “Forever Forest,” last week. And it. Was. Awesome. It’s open now, so you can see it for yourself. There’s a giveaway at the end of this post to make your next visit FREE!

Ok, full disclosure, in addition to being a blogger here, I work at Omaha Children’s Museum. So, No. 1, last week wasn’t the first sneak peek of the exhibit for me. No. 2, I’m an employee there, so you know I’m biased.

But, it’s still awesome.

What to expect

From transportation to home construction, “Forever Forest” covers many areas where trees play a role in our lives.

“Forever Forest” is simply teaching families how we live, work and play thanks to trees. To do so, there is a part of the exhibit that reflects the forest, forest life, and recreation in the forest; then there’s the transportation of lumber and processing it into the everyday products we use. And finally, the real-life applications of what we use wood for.

Pretend fishing at Omaha Children’s Museum. The fish and poles have magnets on the ends.

There’s a lot packed into this space, and I envision a lot of time spent here on cold winter days.

What’s next for “Forever Forest”

Omaha Children’s Museum is taking “Forever Forest” on the road for its first-ever national touring exhibition. After Omaha, 2,000 square feet of the exhibit will begin a tour to other children’s museums, science centers and other cultural institutions for several years (likely, 10).

The termite colonies inside the “Forever Forest” exhibit at Omaha Children’s Museum. Kids can use a magnifying glass or camera to see the termites up close.

If you’re good at math and measuring, and have seen the museum’s upstairs exhibit space, you know that there is way more than 2,000 square feet up there. We’re lucky in Omaha, and have a lot more space than the typical museum has for a traveling exhibit. So, here in Omaha, you’ll see a lot more than what hits the road.

Some of the things unique to the Omaha exhibit:

– Climbable tree trunks donated by Fontenelle Forest (one has a verse etched into it by local artist, Watie White)

– Toddler space with a little playhouse

– Camp Cottonwood, where the museum’s education department will hold four different programs

– Termite display (way more fun for my kids than I expected)

– Kayaks and camping area with a pretend pond perfect for fishing.

And quite a bit more!

 

Forever Forest Giveaway

Want to see it yourself? Omaha Children’s Museum is providing a family four pack of passes for one reader to visit! To enter, just use the Rafflecopter entry form below. Giveaway ends Sunday, Oct. 29, at 11:59 p.m. CST. Must be 18 or older to enter. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to see another new exhibit in Omaha? I’m giving away four passes to The Durham Museum, which just opened “Zoom Into Nano.” Enter the giveaway here (it ends Oct. 22, 2017, so don’t wait).

Don’t Miss Another Giveaway

Subscribe to the FREE twice a month e-newsletter sharing what’s new in Omaha, giveaways, family travel ideas, and more! Subscribe here.

Filed Under: What To Do In Omaha Tagged With: , ,
June 22, 2017

Customizing The Perfect Invitations At Basic Invite

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Basic Invite has solved two of my main gripes about ordering invitations online: Their customized orders are have nearly unlimited color choices and they make it easy to gather everyone’s addresses.

I wanted to share more about this company because they’re sponsoring a giveaway $50 to shop Basic Invite to one lucky Oh My! Omaha reader. Read on!

Colors Choice For Invitations

Cute Basic Invite Baby Invitations

Basic Invite offers 180 color options for their customizable cards.

I love ordering customizable invitations, but on other sites, the color choices are limited (or changing the color isn’t even an option). With Basic Invite, you can change the color of each element on the card to over 180 different color options. And you can see those changes with Instant Preview.

Plus, there are 40 different envelope colors. The days of white and off-white only are over.

Samples

Basic Invite Birthday Invitation

Customers have the option of ordering a sample invitation to see how their design looks before placing their final order.

Beyond customizing the colors, you can customize fonts. After all those customizations, you’re going want to make sure the cards look good. Basic Invite has the option of ordering a printed sample of your invitation. You can order your actual invitation to see exactly how it will print as well as the paper quality.

I haven’t come across too many invitation sites that allow this.

Easy Address Collection

Gather addresses and send invitations effortlessly through Basic Invite.

Basic Invite makes it easy to request addresses. It’s just three steps: Share a link, collect addresses, and get free envelope printing. I have a friend who’s expecting her first baby, so collecting her family’s addresses this way would be so easy! Time to get some baby invite inspiration with these baby shower invitation ideas.

Don’t forget to order the matching thank you card for a baby shower and inexpensive birth announcements.

More About Basic Invite

Basic Invite has been designing custom stationery since 2006. It started out as a site to customization wedding invitations, and has grown to an all around stationery design company with products ranging from baby shower invites to birth announcements and even personal stationery products. All things wedding related – invitations, save-the-date cards, table place cards, and guestbooks – are very popular on the site. Basic Invite’s best-sellers are the gold, silver, and rose gold foil invites that are our best sellers. I love the look of the rose gold!

Win $50 to Basic Invite

Basic Invite is giving away $50 to an Oh My! Omaha reader! Not planning a wedding or having a baby? There are plenty of things to spend it on – business cards, Christmas cards, birthday parties, a variety of printable items…you’ll find something cute to buy.

Enter easily using the Rafflecopter entry form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Must be 18 or older to enter. Deadline to enter is Sunday, July 9 at 11:59 p.m. CST. One random winner will be drawn within 48 hours and contacted via email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before another name is drawn. Good luck!

 

Love giveaways?

Check the Giveaway Page to see more giveaways on Oh My! Omaha.

 

Stay in the know

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Basic Invite. 

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With:
April 17, 2017

Strider Bikes Lincoln Race On June 10

By 17 Comments

I had a bike coach tell me his kids learned to bike using a balance bike. So I followed his lead and got one for my son.

Here’s how the balance bike works: Little ones learn to balance on a two-wheel balance bike and are able to progress easier to two-wheels with pedals, skipping the whole training wheel headache. That’s how it worked with Farley. We’re working on getting kid No. 2 to master the bike now.

Not a single bike ride with training wheels for these two.

Strider Bikes is a giant in the balance bike industry, selling more than 1.5 million bikes. They’re known for durability and high performance. They reached out to me to tell you about an upcoming balance bike race. I was all for this campaign because I love encouraging bike in Nebraska, and I’ve seen first-hand that balance bikes work…and now know not to settle for anything less than a Strider!

2017 STRIDER Cup Series

strider bike race lincoln

The Strider Cup Series race is in Lincoln, Neb., on June 10, 2017. Photo courtesy Strider Bikes

Do you have a kid who’s 5 years old or younger and a total champ on his or her Strider bike? Sign him or her up for the STRIDER Cup Series race in Lincoln, Neb., on June 10. Sounds totally cute and fun. There will even be an Adventure Zone riding area separate from the race where little ones can test out demo bikes (with helmets). It’s a place for children to try out a Strider Bike if they have one and play “in the zone.”

If you go

When: June 10, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (race start times vary for age groups and a special needs wave)

Where: Tower Square in downtown Lincoln, 1300 P St., Lincoln, Neb.

Cost: $25 (plus service fee), and includes a Strider jersey, number plate, and goodies

Register here (registration closes June 9)

** Be sure to check the race website for packet pick-up details and times

Now here’s Strider Bikes race nitty gritty: Genuine Strider Bikes are the only balance bikes allowed to race. You can find them at quality bike stores and online.

But I have great news for you…you can enter to win a Strider bike right here on the blog!

Strider Bikes Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to win a Strider Sport, just in time for the race! These bikes are easy to adjust so they’re good for both an itty bitty 18-month-old or sturdy 5-year-old. They’re a step up from the basic model, with a padded seat, foot rests, and mini-grips designed for tiny hands to have better control.

It’s really simple to enter. Enter through the Rafflecopter entry form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You must enter by 11:59 p.m. April 30. One winner will be randomly chosen within 48 hours – be on the lookout for an email! The winner will have 48 hours to respond before another entry is drawn. Must be 18 or older to enter and a resident of the United States. Prize is valued at $119.99.

Disclosure: I was compensated for writing this sponsored post by Strider Bikes. Opinions expressed are my own 

Filed Under: Nebraska Tagged With: , ,
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