By Rachel Gnagy 
Update – Winner!
Congratulations to: Suzanne Mezzocchi! Suzanne, please send me an e-mail to [email protected] and we’ll get the details to you. Congratulations!
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You know those times where you make plans and have big ideas about what you want to happen? And then it turns out completely different from what you had imagined? We seem to have that a lot.
“The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9
Our family vacation this year took place in Colorado. We spent a few days with my family in Winter Park and then planned to take the boys hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. Well. Isaiah got sick and we ended up going home three days earlier than planned. So then Sam and I thought we might take a trip to Colorado for our anniversary. We planned to go sometime in the fall, just the two of us, to enjoy some time together before Baby #3 joins our family. Great plan. But then Malachi got sick and our lives turned upside down.
We didn’t feel we could take more time off of work and away from the boys but we did still need a getaway, even if it was just a short one, to focus on each other. And that is how we ended up in Kearney for a weekend. No kids. No diaper bags. No responsibilities. No obligations. Just us.
We drove to Kearney on Saturday morning, with nearly two whole days of ‘getaway’ time in front of us. Our first stop was Baristas because I didn’t have time to make coffee that morning before we hit the road, and listen: mama needs coffee. With my delicious cafe breve in hand, we made our way downtown. Our goal for this getaway was to do things that we would not normally do. We are not avid shoppers, but there were several shops on The Bricks that interested us. We especially enjoyed the antique shops downtown, From The Attic and Home Thyme. It was fascinating to wander through years of books, art, collectibles, furniture, and tools. I fell in love with almost every piece of antique furniture I saw and Sam enjoyed poring over old wood carving tools.
We had reservations for supper at Sozo and were excited about eating somewhere that didn’t serve chicken nuggets. Let me tell you, we were not disappointed.
The bacon wrapped pork tenderloin with roasted brussels sprouts was the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. Delicious.
We spoiled ourselves by ordering dessert. We chose crème brûlée, as it was something new to us and not an option we get very often. Wow. Perfection in a ramekin. Sam is still talking about it!
We hit up the newly expanded Hobby Lobby and almost didn’t make it back out – that place is HUGE. We bought a coloring book and new set of markers to entertain ourselves while we relaxed and watched TV at our hotel.
We stayed at the Best Western Plus in Kearney and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The suite was spacious and inviting, and the king-size bed was amazingly comfortable. They also serve a hot breakfast, which is a huge bonus for me! I love having lots of protein at breakfast and it was wonderful to have options like eggs & cheese and sausage.
On Sunday morning we went swimming at the hotel. Or planned to go swimming, I should say. I had packed my swimming suit and just substituted a maternity top instead of my normal top. Well. I tried to put on my swim shorts and… let’s just say the last time I wore them, I was not seven months pregnant. I don’t know what I was thinking when I packed them!
So I put on my pajama pants instead and just had my feet in the water. We had a good laugh about it and Sam still got to enjoy the pool.
Later that afternoon we headed to the mall and watched Ant-Man (I apologize, Mr. Ant-Man, for cutting your head off in our selfie). I am not easily entertained when it comes to movies but I actually really enjoyed the film. It’s not a new release, but none of the current movies appealed to us, so Ant-Man it was!
We also went to the Museum of Nebraska Art that afternoon. I especially enjoyed the ‘This Big Land’ exhibit featuring the prairie hills and skies of Nebraska. Remember our goal for the weekend? Doing things we normally wouldn’t do. Antique shopping, a suite in a hotel, a fancy dinner, going to a movie, and visiting an art museum definitely fulfilled that goal!
The Archway is another huge attraction in Kearney. We had recently been there so we didn’t stop this weekend. However, if you are planning your own getaway to Kearney, don’t miss The Arch!
Our sincere thanks go to Her View From Home and Best Western Plus for making this weekend possible for us.
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Now on to the details of how you can win an overnight New Year’s Eve stay at Best Western Plus Mid Nebraska Inn and Suites + $40 at Old Chicago + late check out (and free breakfast!).
1. Head on over to Best Western Plus Mid Nebraska Inn and Suites – Facebook page and give them a like.
2. Leave a comment on this article or leave a comment on this Facebook thread. (That’s how we properly get your name entered!)
That’s it! Contest ends at noon on Monday, December 28. Winner announced that afternoon on Facebook and on this post. Winner chosen at random.
A HUGE thanks to Best Western Plus Mid Nebraska Inn and Suites for their spotlight sponsorship this month. We appreciate you guys so very much. I know them personally – and these guys are good people. We like good people. We know you will, too.
224 2nd Avenue S
Kearney, Nebraska, 68847
308-234-2541
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