5 Family-Focused Tips for visiting Maquoketa Caves State Park We recently got back from a week-long family camping trip to the Maquoketa Caves State Park in eastern Iowa. As a family with three young children (currently 2 1/2, 5, and 7), I’m writing this post as a family-focused resource for others who may visit in the future. I didn’t find… Read More
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Planning a Family Trip to Maquoketa Caves State Park
Planning a Family Trip to Maquoketa Caves State Park When you think of Iowa, you likely don’t find yourself yearning to plan a family trip to this corn-producing, fly-over state. Iowa doesn’t seem like an intriguing destination for family fun, but today, I’m going to prove you wrong! Here’s everything you need to know to plan a successful family trip… Read More
Quick Trip: Exploring Colorado for a Red Rocks Concert!
Eric and I made a quick trip to explore Colorado and celebrate our 9 year anniversary at a Red Rocks Concert! We spent about 48 hours out there and it was such a nice break from the daily grind. The main reason we landed on CO for this trip is because I just happened to see that one of our… Read More
3 Reasons Why We Love County Fairs (as seen on Des Moines Mom)!
The unsung hero of easy, affordable, and really fun entertainment during summer break are local county fairs! While the Iowa State Fair might be the country’s most popular fair (see my satirical post on why you should NOT visit the Iowa State Fair here), I’m here to tell you why you need to add county fairs to your Summer Bucket… Read More
Make Summer Picnicking Easy with Kids
When I think of summer, I often think about picnicking with my family. And when I think about picnicking, there are a few key items that I love having that make summer picnicking easy with kids! As with all “firsts” in parenthood, doing things with kids for the first time can be a bit daunting, so I hope this post… Read More
Parks + Picnics 2023
WHAT IS PARKS + PICNICS? The Parks + Picnics 2023 program is dedicated to providing the “where” and “when” for meet-ups for moms in Central Iowa. Sometimes that’s the biggest hurdle – figuring out where and when to go. This takes the guesswork out of it, and also provides a safety net that you won’t be alone… there will be… Read More
A Family Adventure to the Wisconsin Dells
A Family Adventure to the Wisconsin Dells We ventured off on a family adventure to the Wisconsin Dells over spring break this year, and boy, was it fun! I’ll be honest, I don’t set high expectations for family trips with three small children. LOL But this trip to the Wisconsin Dells was different (in the best way possible), and just… Read More
6 Favorite Experiences from our First Family Trip to the Great Smoky Mountains
I thought It’d be most helpful to share 6 favorite experiences from our first family trip to the Great Smoky Mountains! I’ve included a ton of photos in this post because they just bring things to life. A trip to the Smoky Mountains is a great escape for any stage of family life, but we found it to be very… Read More