The Mart

Pre-Jackson, Drew & I were pretty faithful about Friday night date nights. They weren't always fancy. In fact, they were rarely fancy. But they were always fun. A little chunk of time once a week to just be a couple. To laugh, talk about things (some serious, some not), plan for our future, etc. The things we did back when we were dating - before work, a mortgage and life as a grown up got in the way. Basically, to remind ourselves why we chose each other as our partner in this thing called life. I probably didn't appreciate date night as much as I should have back then. And with Jackson in the mix, for many reasons, they happen much less frequently. In fact, as I type this, I realize that perhaps we need to make an effort to resurrect the date nights of old. Not weekly, it's just not all that feasible any more. Maybe monthly would be a good start.

But I digress. So far, I haven't even mentioned what I sat down to write about in this post - our trip to Nebraska Furniture Mart on Friday night. As a family. A slight departure from date night's of the past, but fun nonetheless. We'll call this one a family date night!

Nebraska Furniture Mart has been a staple in our married life. We purchased our first real piece of furniture from them (a brown leather couch that Drew still cherishes) just a month after our wedding. We drove to Omaha to pick it out. A year later we made another trip to Omaha (I believe the leather recliner and entertainment center came home with us that time). When they opened up the Kansas City branch of Nebraska Furniture Mart we were beyond thrilled and have remained loyal customers of "The Mart". Off the top of my head I can think of TV's, stereos, living room furniture, washer & dryer, refrigerator and nursery furniture that we have purchased over the past several years.

The main purpose of this particular trip was a leather ottoman, to replace the glass and iron coffee table that has already done a number on Jackson. New carpet and a king-sized bed were also on the list of things to "just look at". On the way there, Drew declared that trips to The Mart always evoke feelings of excitement and fear in him. Excitement I could understand, and Drew confirmed, "because you never know what you're going to find". But fear I didn't get. His response, "because you never know what you're going to find". And how right he is.

It was a successful trip. We came home with this ottoman.

And a king-sized bed that will be delivered this weekend.

But we've been wanting one for a really long time. And it was on sale (box springs free with the purchase of a mattress!). And there was no interest financing for 21 months. And we're helping the economy. And, well, The Mart just has a way of making us buy things.

We completed the family date night with dinner at Granite City Brewery (which, for the record, was just okay - and overpriced). Jackson was an absolute trooper the entire time.

I think he liked Nebraska Furniture Mart, too.