Where We've Been

Things to do in Jamestown, North Dakota

There are so many interactive things to do in Jamestown, North Dakota, that we didn’t want to leave. Trust us when we say that you’ll want to...

Why you should hike the Prairie Earth Trail near Pawhuska, Oklahoma

The Prairie Earth Trail system was a pleasant surprise that we found less than 20 miles from our home in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. The day after Christmas...

Actually, it is rocket science! Our visit to Space Center Houston

Space Center Houston is just what the child inside you wants it to be. As you drive up to the entrance, your view is dominated by a 747 with a space...

Explaining shiplap and shams to my husband at Magnolia Market

I’m still not quite sure how I convinced Steve to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile and lodge as well as Magnolia Market within 24 hours, but I...

Our visit to The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond’s Mercantile

About 12 hours after Steve finished his last school board meeting and his ended his career as a middle school principal, we were on the road for a...

Nebraska’s Nicest #1 – Innkeeper Jeanne Goetzinger

by Ann | Jul 26, 2014 | Feature Places to Stay, Places to stay, The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

I met Jeanne Goetzinger several years ago, when my daughter, Meghan, and I were exploring northwest Nebraska. We saw a lot of interesting things on that trip, but none was more memorable than the straight-talking, curly-haired woman who greeted us in the parking lot...

Nebraska’s Nicest #2 – Toadstool Geologic Park

by Steve | Jul 23, 2014 | The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

Ann insisted we go to Toadstool Geologic Park on our Nebraska trip because it was such an incredible and unique place. As we rounded the bend into Crawford, Ann reminded me that we had a 19-mile ride on a bumpy road to get to Toadstool. I decided then and there that...

Nebraska’s Nicest #3 – Neon Bar and Grill

by Steve | Jul 14, 2014 | Places to stay, The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

The Neon Bar and Grill, located in the Motel Raine in Valentine, Nebraska, makes #3 on our list. Normally, we would not have expected to put a restaurant on our list, especially one located in a motel, but this trip around Nebraska made us learn to open our minds and...

Nebraska’s Nicest #4 – Circle C in Cody

by Ann | Jul 12, 2014 | The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

After driving past more than a dozen dying small towns in rural Nebraska, we knew there was something out of the ordinary when we approached Cody, population 155. It's sign read, "Cody welcomes you. A town too tough to die." Many of the towns we had passed on our...

Nebraska’s Nicest #5 – Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park

by Steve | Jul 11, 2014 | The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

Ashfall Fossil Beds is located somewhere along Robert Frost's "Road Not Taken" outside of Royal, Nebraska (population 63). The truth is the road to this place should be taken. By everybody. Ashfall, discovered under a cattle pasture, is unlike anything you've ever...

Nebraska’s Nicest #6 – A Kiss on the Butte

by Steve | Jul 10, 2014 | Experiences, Feature Romance, Romance, The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

Can I tell you something personal? I kissed my wife on the butte. It's okay, though, because there was no one around to see us, and the scenery was so beautiful, I just had to kiss her. On the butte. And she liked it. I know that joke is a little juvenile, but I...

Nebraska’s Nicest #7 – Chimney Rock/Scottsbluff Monument

by Steve | Jul 9, 2014 | The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

Any trip through western Nebraska should include a stop at Chimney Rock National Historic Site and the Scottsbluff National Monument in the Scottsbluff/Gering area. I say this, because these are beautiful places with cool history. These monuments are located along...

Nebraska’s Nicest #8 – Wildflowers & Prairie Grasses

by Ann | Jul 8, 2014 | The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

Our list of Nebraska's Nicest would not be complete without a mention of the wildflowers and prairie grasses of Nebraska. Throughout our more than 1,200-mile journey across the state, we saw extraordinary displays of colorful flowers growing on the roadsides, near the...

Nebraska’s Nicest #9 – Cody Park

by Steve | Jul 7, 2014 | The Midwest, USA, Where we've been

I have to admit, I was pleasantly shocked when I saw Cody Park--I did not expect to find such an amazing park in the middle of North Platte, Nebraska. In my defense, our visit to Cody Park came early in our Nebraska trip, so I had not yet become accustomed to being...