Nebraska..the Good Life

“Nebraska?! You wouldn’t like it there. It is flat and just full of cornfields. You’ll never be happy going to that state.” I remember one of my track coaches’ telling me this when sitting in his office discussing schools that had offers on the table to run for them finishing out my collegiate career as a hurdler. The options were plenty from North Carolina to Texas, Arizona to mountains of Northwest Washington, schools lining the pacific in California to edging the coast in Florida. I had really liked Nebraska’s approach in whenever they called though, it was just like talking to family and they truly wanted to get to know me as a person. This is why I chose to make Nebraska my first official visit and from the moment of arrival it felt like home. The pace was slower, the people were extremely nice and the environment family focused. Before leaving the recruiting trip I committed to Nebraska and have never looked back.

What is so captivating about a state whose name means “Flat Water” that can pull away a San Diego beach girl? Here are 10 Fun Facts about the state I have called home for the last 12 years.

Population of Nebraska is over 1.865 Million, but 89% of the cities in Nebraska have fewer than 3,000 people

The Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo was recently named the “Best Zoo in the World” and contains the World’s Largest Indoor Rainforest. Ironically my previous hometown of San Diego their Zoo is number 2 (http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/05/travel/tripadvisor-best-zoos/)

On football game days’ Memorial Stadium, home of the Huskers becomes the 3rd largest “city” in the state continuing its NCAA sellout streak that has been held since 1962.

Nebraska Huskers Memorial Stadium seats over 90,000 after its recent stadium expansion that opened in 2013 that I was able to help design, manage the construction and outfit.

Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the State of Nebraska, after Omaha. Home of the University of Nebraska where I obtained my degree and ran track, the Sower, a 19-foot bronze statue representing agriculture, crowns the Capitol.

Home to many inventions known around the world including TV Dinners, Kool-aid, Vise Grips, Crash walls used in Nascar, the Reuben Sandwich and the 911 Emergency System, Nebraska has many creative thinkers!

Nebraska is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States and is the only state in the United States with a unicameral legislature. Although this house is officially known simply as the "Legislature", and more commonly called the "Unicameral", its members call themselves "senators". Nebraska's Legislature is also the only state legislature in the United States that is nonpartisan.

Nebraska is home to the International Quilt Center & Museum, and the National Roller Skating Museum

Many Internationally famous people have come from Nebraska including Fred Astaire, Malcolm X, Johnny Carson , Larry the Cable Guy, Warren Buffet and Henry Fonda to name a few.

The University of Nebraska leads the Nation with the most Academic All-Americans across all sports leading over Harvard, Stanford, Notre Dame and other prestigious academic schools. Even the Cornhusker football team has produced more Academic All-Americans than any other Division I school

In 1950, Omaha became the home of the College World Series now played at TD Ameritrade Park.

With all of these fun things to do in Nebraska, where can you most often find our family when we go on our “Family Fun Dates”?

Here are the Top 5 places we love to have our adventures together:

1. Hiking through the woods. Nebraska has many great parks, but our favorite is Mahoney! http://outdoornebraska.gov/parks/park_pages/Mahoney_SP/

2. Bike rides or running together. There are over 131 miles of hard surface and crushed rock trails for us to explore. We typically stop at a playground, fountain or garden to explore during our rides. One our favorites is Sunken Gardens that has two large coy ponds and adjacent sculptural fountain http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g45667-d2292606-Reviews-Sunken_Gardens-Lincoln_Nebraska.html

3. Attending the Farmers Market to support local growers an small business’s while enjoying the newly redeveloped family friendly downtown Lincoln Haymarket http://lincolnhaymarket.org/events/farmers-market/

4. Cheering on Husker Athletics at sporting events http://www.huskers.com/

5. Fun indoor play! Mahoney indoor playground, Air and Space Museum, Lincoln’s Children Museum, Amazing Pizza Machine and CoCo Keys are our top spots http://www.amazingpizzamachine.com/

Top 5 local date night spots if you visit our hometown!

1. Venue http://www.yourvenue.net/
2. Misty’s https://www.mistyslincoln.com/ordereze/default.aspx
3. Fireworks http://www.fireworksrestaurant.com/
4. Indigo Bridge and Books http://www.indigobridgebooks.com/philosophy/
5. Flatwater Grill and Bistro http://www.flatwaterbistro.com/

Interested in finding out more or visiting my home state? Here are a few useful links:

http://www.visitnebraska.com/

http://www.lincoln.org/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g45667-Lincoln_Nebraska-Vacations.html

Live what you Love,

Maggi
Your Mrs. International 2014

#GiveShoesGiveLove