April Showers bring May Flowers

Nichols, Phyllis Jean (Anania)
Apr 7, 1940 - Apr 25, 2009
Preceded in death by parents, Bruno and Sabina Anania; sister, Ann Marie. Survived by husband, Jack; children and spouses, JoAnn and David Medeiros of Omaha, Steven Nichols of Omaha, Karen and Lloyd Rose of Wesley Chapel, FL, Kevin and Deborah Nichols of Papillion, Colleen and Eric Newton of Omaha, John Nichols of Beatrice, NE; 12 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren; sisters, Rose (Leonard) Kohout, Theresa White, and Josephine Wiman; brother, Anthony (Debbie) Anania, all of Omaha; many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
SERVICES Wednesday 9:30am at the 72nd Street Chapel to St. Peter Catholic Church at 10am. Interment Calvary Cemetery. VISITATION with the family begins Tuesday at 4pm with Wake Service at 7pm all at the 72nd Street Chapel.
JOHN A. GENTLEMAN MORTUARIES 72nd STREET CHAPEL 1010 North 72nd St., 391-1664


April 29, 2009
Rose, Leonard, Michele and Family,

You are in our thoughts and prayers.
~ Kyle and Michelle Clover,St. Louis, Missouri


April 29, 2009
Dear Uncle Jack and Family,

We are not with you today in body; However, please know that we walk along with you in prayer as you lay an extraordinary, loving, woman to rest, your wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother. Please feel our love with you.

Our sincere condolences, love, and prayers are with you at this difficult time. Michele, Jason & Jessica
~ Michele Kohout Desmond,Attleboro, Massachusetts


April 29, 2009
To the Family of Phyllis Nichols,
I knew Phyllis from the BSDC Family and Friends meetings. It was a comfort just to sit by her and know that she understood our collective struggles and emotions. She kept careful notes in a special spiral. I had no idea she was so ill. I will miss her.
My sincere condolances to all of you.
~ Linda Horton,Lincoln, Nebraska


April 29, 2009
I am thiking of your family at this sad time of loss.
-Robin Anchors (friend of Karen Rose)
~ Robin Anchors,Fort Walton Beach, Florida


April 29, 2009
Kevin, Deb and Family, Our deepest sympathy to you and your family at this time. (Donna's Parents)
~ Bill and Diane Kubena,Brunswick, Ohio

April 28, 2009
So sorry to hear about your loss. Your family is in our prayers.

Bobby Kargle


April 28, 2009
To the Nichols Family:

I grieve with you for the loss of your wife, mother, sister, grandmother. I am so glad I was able to meet Phyllis when Karen and I were in Omaha last summer for our high school reunion. As Karen is like family to me, so are you my extended family. Please know you are all prayerfully thought of. May the peace of God fill you at this time, and give you strength to get through the difficult days ahead.

Vonda McEachern
~ Vonda McEachern,Colorado Springs, Colorado


April 28, 2009
Dearest Kevin & Debbie - Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time.
God Bless You. Love, Ray & Bev
~ Bev Winans,Missouri Valley, Iowa


April 28, 2009
Dear Uncle Jack and Family,

I Searched The Omaha World-Herald obituaries for the previous three days and how appropriate to locate Aunt Phyllis on page 5. I know that she was proud to be an "Anania" but she was a "Nichols" for more years of her life, almost a half of a century. That is a major accomplishment in itself!

"5", "fivecents", "Nichols", however you put it, she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother to the "Nichols" family. She loved all of you and she would burst with pride when she spoke of each of you.

Aunt Phyllis was a fine example of "LOVE". Beginning with the support to her parents, she stayed close to home to assist with her siser, Anna Marie. She was devoted to one man in "Holy Matrimony" for almost 48 years and a loving mother for nearly 47 years. After her family, rightfully so, because family came first, she continued to make a difference in the world. She was active in her community, serving as a Co-President to the PTA at Mason Elementary School to touch so many children and make a difference in their lives. She never forgot her extended family, friends, and neighbors, acknowledging countless birthdays, holidays, special occasions, and hospitalizations over the years. She kept everone near and far in distance, close at heart. She even found peace in a rainy day. The world needs more Aunt Phyllises.

I was praying that Aunt Phyllis would hang on for 2 more weeks until I got to Omaha so I could see one last smile with the sparkle in her eyes, hear one last laugh from her, feel one last hug from her, and hear her say, "Hi Shell". How selfish of me when she was suffering so badly. I hope that I am able to see all of you next week when I get to the big "O".

I know that Aunt Phyllis is in a better place looking down on all of you and awaits you with loving, open arms when our Lord calls. Until then, may you find comfort in knowing that she no longer suffers in our Lord's arms. May time and fond memories help to heal your pain and sorrow as you grieve.

Aunt Phyllis and all of you will remain in my thoughts and prayers. She continues to live on in the hearts of all of us that she touched and made a difference in our lives.

Our deepest, deepest, condolences, Love & Prayers, Michele, Jason & Jessica
~ Michele Kohout Desmond,Attleboro, Massachusetts


April 28, 2009
Uncle Jack and Family, My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Aunt Phyllis has always been one of God's Walking Angels on earth. Always soft spoken, with a kind word for all. Hearing her sweet gentle voice was always a comfort. She would always put a smile on my face whenever I talked to her; and I’m certain on everyone else’s as well. She was always being the Mom, the friend, the comforter; the person with wisdom and love to share with all. I’ll always treasure my memories of her. We are all sad for the loss of such a wonderful soul. She will always be an inspiration for all of us to emulate. Now she's watching over us all. We are all blessed to have a loving Guardian Angel. May God comfort you in all in the days and weeks to come. Love, Lenny Joe
~ Leonard Kohout,Los Angeles, California


April 28, 2009
Dave, Joanne, and family.
I was very sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prays are with you all. God Bless.
Linda Hernandez and family.
~ Linda Hernandez,Omaha, Nebraska


April 28, 2009
Dear Jack,Karen and family.
Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. We were so very blessed to have been able to spend sometime with you and Phyllis in Omaha. That will always be one of our most cherished memories.
Our love to you all.
Bill and Terry Smith, Ovid, NY


April 28, 2009
Jack & Family: So very sorry to hear about Phyllis..........what a very kind and loving person. Our prayers are with all of you. God bless
~ John & Sandy Bogema family,Omaha, Nebraska


April 28, 2009
Steve, my preyers, thoughts and love are with you and your family. I am so sorry for your loss. God bless
~ Salvatore Fois,Nuoro, Italy


April 28, 2009
Dear Jack and Family.My prayers and thoughts are with you.We were all so blessed to have Phyllis in our lives.She was a very special soul.Now we have a beautiful guardian angel to watch over us.Thankyou for all the wonderful memories and times.May God comfort and carry you all.Cousin Jeffrey
~ Jeffrey White,Omaha, Nebraska


April 28, 2009
Kevin, Deb, KT and Tim, We are so sorry for your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Love, the Elshaw family
~ Beavercreek, Ohio


April 28, 2009
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
~ Mike and Sue Bolgar,Papillion, Nebraska


April 27, 2009
Our deepest sympathies to you and your family. You will be in our prayers. God Bless. Mindy and Ted Bosanek


April 27, 2009
Steve, Our prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time. All our love, Betty & Terry
~ Betty DuBois,Atlanta, Georgia


April 27, 2009
Kevin, Deb and BOYS, so sorry for your loss. Our love and prayers are with you. Dave and the girls.
~ Dave Kozol,omaha, Nebraska


April 27, 2009
Jack and family, Our sympathy on the loss of your wife, mother, and grandmother. Phyliss was an inspiration to us all. God Bless you -Love Marky & Bill Weeks.
~ Marky Weeks,Omaha, Nebraska


April 27, 2009
Uncle Jack,
We are so sorry for you loss. We are praying for you and the family. Hope to see you when we come to omaha in july.
David, Sherry
Thomas Franks
~ david franks, thornton, Colorado

April 27, 2009
I am so saddened by the loss of such a kind and loving person. My thoughts are with all of you.
~ Grace Meehan Eckler,Omaha, Nebraska

April 27, 2009
God Bless you, Jack and Family.
~ Mary Teresa Anania,Omaha, Nebraska

April 27, 2009
Dearest Nichols Family,
You all brought such joy to my dear friend. She so loves each and every one of you. She was and still is such an inspiration to me. The very gentlest person I have ever known.
~ Raydelle Meehan, Omaha, Nebraska

Sweet!

The Easter Bunny made an early trip to the house this year. Why didn't he bring carmel apples when I was a kid? We love the Easter Bunny very much and can't wait to see him again.

We are also celebrating the first day of Spring. Well, it isn't so much a celebration of Spring as it is the celebration of water in the pool! The water is definitely still cold, but the kids can't wait to swim. I'm still confused about why I can't get them to take a bath, but this will do. Only a few more months until school is out for the summer and they can swim everyday.

This weekend is another basketball weekend. Joey's team remains undefeated, and Mike's team has only one loss. The games are very exciting and the boys are doing awesome!

Jacob is doing great in school. He was moved up to the first grade class for reading. He is reading at the same level as an average first grader. Not bad for a kindergartner! He lost his first tooth this month. In April, he will be performing at the Performing Arts Center with his class for their K/1 Spring Show. They will be singing Sesame Street songs.

Our local Relay For Life will be in April also. Kristina is taking all of her money to school for a fundraising challenge. If the school raises $2000, the music teacher will shave his head. She already went to the dance. It was a fundraiser also. The teachers supervised, and they had a real dj playing music. The cafeteria was transformed into a dance hall, complete with disco lights. Kristina had a great time and was one of the last to leave!

We are all looking forward to our big Easter Celebration at church. The kids are helping me to run the games for my class. It should be a good time for them. We are playing games and giving away prizes & lots of candy.

As always, we miss our family. New York and Nebraska seem so far away. We hope this helps you to keep up with what's going on here. Leave us comments!!! We want to hear from you.


Tip: If you want to make the pictures bigger, just click on the picture.

Sports & Theater

Our entertainment budget doesn't go very far with 6 people in the family, but this weekend we were able to get in two basketball games and a few hours at a festival. Then Monday night, we went to the theater to see a Broadway show. Okay, not exactly Broadway, but it was as close as you can get for $25 for the family.

On Saturday, we started the morning with team pictures. It usually take a month before we get them, but it's nice to have a record of how much the kids are growing. Looking back at the pictures from when they played basketball 6 years ago really puts into perspective how fast the years have gone.

The boys both had the honor of starting off the game by getting the jump ball for their team. Mike's game was first and again this week, he was the top scorer for the U12 Bulls. He was up against the Rebels. They are coached by the coach he had last year, Coach Rodriguez. Rodriguez had a sentimental speech last year about how he was going to pick everyone from the team to play again because he had such a great group of kids. Well, he didn't pick any of them, except his own son, and the team hasn't won yet. In fact, Mike's team, coached by a female, is the number one team so far this season. Mike is the top scorer with 21 of the team's 42 points.

Joey's team had another great week. He is with the same coach that he had last year, Coach Scrimali. Joe is the rebound man. Anytime the other team gets near the basket now, all of the parents start yelling, "Rebound, Joe"! He gets nearly every rebound and helped his team to score over 60 points again this week. These games are very exciting to watch.

Sunday afternoon, our church had what they called Harvest Sunday. We had food, jumphouses, and live music. It was a great time. We also had baptisms. At the very end of every baptism, Pastor Fred says that he is already wet and asks if anyone else wants to be baptized. Jacob said "I want to be baptized again".

The kids all had a great time on the rides. Joe and Mike had a jousting competition. Lots of fun!!


On Monday night, Jacob was in a musical. The teachers from his school and another elementary school put on a show. They performed several different numbers from a number of Broadway shows. Jacob's class played the part of forks and spoons for the "Be Our Guest" number. The video is on our YouTube page. He is the spoon in the middle of the group. It's like they put the spotlight on him. It's very cute.

That's it for this week. The kids are taking FCAT tests so there hasn't been any homework. Can't wait for the weekend!!!

Jake's interview about Dad

1. What is something dad always says to you?
I love you.

2. What makes dad happy?
When I do what he tells me to do.

3. What makes dad sad?
I don't know

4. How does your dad make you laugh?
he acts funny

5. What was your dad like as a child?
he was a very good boy

6. How old is your dad?
47 I think

7. How tall is your dad?
90 inches

8. What is his favorite thing to do?
stay home and watch tv

9. What does your dad do when you're not around?
working

10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for?
writing books

11. What is your dad really good at?
building stuff

12. What is your dad not very good at?
nothing

13. What does your dad do for a job?
he's a constructor

14.What is your dad's favorite food?
meat

15.What makes you proud of your dad?
Everything he does good

16. If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be?
Yogi Bear

17. What do you and your dad do together?
have gas station fun sometimes

18. How are you and your dad the same?
we both like to watch tv

19. How are you and your dad different?
I do homework, he does work

20. How do you know your dad loves you?
Cause everyday he says "I love you"

21. What does your dad like most about your mom?
when she gives him hugs and kisses

22. Where is your dad's favorite place to go?
Gas station for gas station fun

Interview with Jake

I got these interview questions from a friend. I thought the answers were adorable and I'm going to ask the other kids to answer these too!

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you.

2. What makes mom happy?
Me giving her hugs and kisses.

3. What makes mom sad?
When I say I hate you. (I don't ever remember him saying this, but it would definitely make me sad.)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
She bes funny. (Meaning she acts funny.)

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Kinda tall. (They've seen my elementary pictures where I was among the tallest kids in my class.)

6. How old is your mom?
44 (yep)

7. How tall is your mom?
40 inches

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Love her children

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Work on the computer.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Singing. (Obviously not a Simon Cowell personality.)

11. What is your mom really good at?
Good cooker. (My macaroni & cheese rocks! Just don't tell him it's Kraft.)

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Nothing. She's great at everything. (I'd like to record this for the teenage years.)

13. What does your mom do for a job?
American Cancer Society.

14.What is your mom's favorite food?
Ratatouille (Joey made this once. I guess I must have made a big deal about it.)

15.What makes you proud of your mom?
Everything.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Jerry (As in Tom and Jerry. I think it's just because he likes the cartoon.)

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Hug and kiss

18. How are you and your mom the same?
That we both love each other.

19. How are you and your mom different?
We don't have the same hair.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Everyday she says can I have a hug and a kiss.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
Fixing the roof when it's old and leaking. (Yes, this is important.)

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Nebraska (I thought he'd say "out to eat".)

Basketball Season

Joe and Mike are both playing Rec basketball for the Bulls. Joe is in the U14 division and Mike is in U12. It's great to watch them when they are enjoying the game. Yesterday, they were both "in the zone".

Joe's team won 62-19. He was one of the top scorers with 14 points. Mike's team won 21-12. He was the top scorer with 14 points.

Today, after church, we went to Joey's end of the season Soccer party. Their team played well this year, but they just didn't have the wins to show it. Joey will probably play with this team again next year. He really enjoyed soccer.

The coaches wife took pictures of every game. I added the link to the photos here. They are the Infernos.

We will have pictures of the Rose Bulls soon.