Since we really didn't take a vacation this year, we decided to take a mini weekend vacation. We wanted to go somewhere we had never been and that was close. So we decided on Omaha and we could take a day to go to the zoo. We left Friday after I got done with work at 330. On our way up to Omaha we stopped at a restaurant named Apple Barrel. Kinda a cross between Applebee's and Cracker Barrel lol. Every time we go on a little road trip or vacation one of my rules is that we don't eat at a chain restaurant or some where we can eat here. I have always liked to try new things and I am trying to warm Matt up to it. Still a work in progress but he is enjoying it!
After we ate we had a little less than an hour to our hotel. It took about 4 hours to drive up to Omaha from Gardner and that was including sitting down for dinner. We got to the hotel a little before 8 and just relaxed in the room for the night since we knew we were going to the zoo the next day.
The next morning we woke up, ate breakfast at the hotel which was delicious! They had an huge arrangement of things to eat. Eggs, sausage links and patties, biscuits and gravy, cereal, yogurt, milk, cinnamon rolls, pastries, juices, pancakes, bagels and fruit! Great breakfast, hot tub was hot, pool was heated but the bed's stunk! And the pillows were not very comfortable. Should have brought our own pillows but I decided not to at the last minute. From now on, we are always bringing our pillows!
On our way to the zoo!
We arrived at the zoo and the weather was perfect for it! I believe it was 77 degrees when we got there. This was Andrew's first trip to the zoo. A lot of first's on this trip for him! We started out by going to the desert dome, went to the aquarium, ate lunch which we were able to bring in, went on a train ride which was Andrew's first, saw the monkey's, lions and tigers and bears OH MY! lol. We saw a lot of animals which was awesome. The only thing I didn't like was that they didn't have any elephants but we were told they are coming in the future. We saw my second favorite animal though, the turtle.
When we were in the aquarium, they had a section at the beginning where you could touch different sea creatures. Andrew touched a starfish for the first time and so did I!
Getting ready to swim for the first time!
Andrew's new buddy Squirt.
First time on a train!
We stayed at the zoo till about 2 pm that day and went back to the hotel to rest. After getting something to eat at Cane's (famous for their chicken fingers) which was delicious, we went swimming!
Swimming for the first time with daddy!
Kick, kick, kicking!!!
Andrew had a great time swimming and did so well. He will be a natural like his mamma! Sunday morning we left the hotel and headed home. We were going to try to go to a cupcake place that was featured on Cupcake Wars on the Food Network but downtown was blocked off for a race. So we headed home. Stopped in Iowa to eat lunch at a great pizza place and do some shopping. Then we stopped at an antique mall in St Joseph Missouri. Matt and I always have fun going to these types of places. I think we spent almost 2 hours there! Here are a couple of pictures I took as well some of the things I bought for the house!
Andrew was out after we got in the car.
Here is a decorative basket with pumpkins and leaves in it that I bought.
These will be for next year.
Cute laundry sign that is hanging up now!
This was the bag everything was in. All their bags had a cute little trinket on it!
After we left the antique mall, we continued to head home. Stopped at Hy-Vee to eat dinner. Overall we had a great little mini vacation to Omaha!
Here is a link to more pictures from the trip:
Looks like you guys had a great time, I hope you liked the zoo as much as I love it! I'm going to need you to go back and get the blue trunk for me, that would be a great photography prop!!
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