We had a terrific vacation to Seattle! We made it home last night about midnight and hit the ground running today. Here are some photos from our trip. You can view the entire album on Facebook.

Big thanks to D+C for hosting us and helping us experience Seattle to its fullest!


Pikes Place Market, downtown Seattle


Lake Diablo in the Cascade Mountains


Seattle skyline from Gasworks Park

> Visit Facebook album

Hello from Seattle! We have had the best time in Seattle, I have lots of photos to share from our days in the city, the space needle and puget sound. Today, however, we are headed here:

..when's the party?



Sweet Giana is turning one on Saturday, July 11. It's hard to believe that she is a year old. One year ago I was frantically checking my email from somewhere in Africa waiting to hear the good news. Oh what I would give to have been there! I won't be missing the party, that's for sure! The party is "ABC Theme"...



and of course while the rest of us will be enjoying birthday cupcakes I hear Miss G will be having her very own big girl cake! I can't wait!



Here are some pictures I had on my computer. See you Saturday G!

We are headed to Seattle this summer to visit D&C and we're very excited! I've visited Seattle with my family years ago and Aaron has never been, so we have much to look forward to. Today Aaron is narrowing down our list of things to do/see. Here's our research list thus far ...

Pikes Market

Experience Music Project, http://www.empsfm.org/

Bainbridge Island

Cascade Loop

Vancouver Island, Whale Watching

National Geographic Seattle Guide

Seattle Times, "Seattle on the cheap"'

Have you been to Seattle? What would you suggest we do/see? Comment on this post or send us an email at lauraleighbrooker@gmail.com.

We had a great weekend in Merna for the Fourth of July weekend. My Dad's birthday is the 4th and my Uncle C's bday is the 8th so we go the extra mile to enjoy each other and the weekend.


The weekend even included a "girls night" with my friend Miss Amy Lynn and her mom. We felt so special and declared the evening, complete with the festive tray from Sur la Table, a new tradition!


Aaron and would both agree there was no shortage of scrumptious food. We spent most of our dining time on the deck ... Aaron is obviously thrilled!



Highlights (in no particular order)

1. Parade - "the best parade I've been to in years!" said Aaron
2. Eating sunflower seeds while watching softball
3. Seeing friends from high school - "cheer cheer for 'ol A-M High..."
4. Girls Night
5. Tiffany Theater in Broken Bow - you should go, it's nice!
6. Merna Bar?
7. Seeing my brother J
8. Howie had a handkerchief on; super cute!
9. Giving away heirloom books

We hope you all had a great weekend!

Love,
Aaron & Laura

I finished my Heirloom Project- Yipee!!- and over the weekend I gave my Dad, my uncle and my grandma albums with photos of our family and homestead. It was really special!

I also organized and archived the photos, which is a relief because it is a much better way to store the photos.

Here are some page views. You can also view a preview of the book by visiting my profile on Blurb.com. Here's the link.



Thanks for reading. Now, go tell your family you love 'em!
~ Laura

Check it out! We had our first official Kettle Corn show over the weekend. My brother met up with us and brought his popcorn popper (CapitolKettleKorn.com) and we setup for the four day show.





Aaron was the salesman. I was the bagger. Jeff was the popper. I am so thankful for my parents, for the way they planted this entrepreneurial spirit within us. I know we will look back and be even more thankful for this time we spent together doing these things. I already am thankful!



Thanks again Jeff for spending time with us. I loved having you around and I'm so proud of you!



Oh, and if you live in the Lincoln/Omaha area and didn't make it to Papillion Days you can order Kettle Corn online! Visit http://capitolkettlekorn.com/contact.html

Happy snacking!

We welcomed Uncle Doug to Omaha on Tuesday. He was visiting from Seattle to visit family & friends and what fun it was to spend some time with him AND Jake who joined us from Lincoln.

We had a lot of laughs! Here's picture of Doug getting out of the Park Ave after we parked it in our tiny garage!


When it came time for dinner Aaron was quick to suggest The Ethiopian Restaurant just North of our house. You run the risk of them having run out of food (no joke) but this time we ended up being the only ones in the restaurant and the food was terrific! We shared two plates, lamb and vegetarian with injera.



We always so glad to have company and every time that Doug comes he brings something special. It really makes me feel just that - special! - for days after! This time he brought some wine and flowers.


A gal's workspace just looks so much more inspiring with some fresh flowers! Thanks Doug :)



All for now.
Lots of love!
A&L

Did I mention that this guy right here is a professional disc golf player. Just look him!


Official gear. Check. Plethora of discs for every shot. Check.
Oh, and did I tell you that he is rated 3rd IN THE STATE!


Yep! Reason enough for a big grin! We'll keep you posted on the rankings as the season goes. Here are just a few more summer shots. We now have a yard worthy of laying on. Awww...the little things.

by Jeff Slobotski on June 15, 2009

We recently had an opportunity to catch up with Laura Brooker after hearing great things about the work she’s doing and some of the plans she has.

Laura shared that she’s been turning creative ideas into coordinated print and web designs for about five years now and the process requires that she listens well and guide her clients through until the clients tell her “Holy cow, I love it!“…otherwise known as the “holy cow moment.”

That’s the reaction graphic designer Laura Brooker, owner of holycowdesign.com, wants her clients to have. That reaction was the inspiration for her catchy business name and process.

Originally from Merna, Nebraska and an alum of University of Nebraska at Kearney, Laura moved to Omaha in 2007 for an opportunity with Orion Healthcare Technology. It wasn’t long before she met her husband, Aaron, and after they were married and celebrated a honeymoon adventure to Africa and Israel. When they returned to Omaha in August of last year, she made a move on the opportunity to work alongside her tech-saavy mom (thewebservant.com).

Laura specializes in identity (logos) design, print design and branding with the majority of her clients being small business owners, life coaches, and non-profits.

To this point, Laura has conducted no advertising and most of her business comes from word of mouth or from working with thewebservant.com. She’s just begun to work with other creatives here in Omaha and is truly passionate about what’s in store for the Omaha area.

As one of the goals of Silicon Prairie News is to build and connect or innovators and creative class, we hope you check out Laura’s work and drop her a line to encourage her as well as ask any questions.

Laura is also involved in Renew Omaha, a project focusing on the urban renewal of some of Omaha’s oldest neighborhoods, and Moodie Board, the concept she pitched at the last Creative Capital Pitch Session.

You can follow Laura on Twitter at Twitter.com/holycowgal
Email her at laura@holycowdesign.com
and follow Moodie Board at Twitter.com/moodieboard.

Visit www.SiliconPrairieNews.com for more great stories and highlights!