Exploring our Backyard: Community Bowl in Dumont, Iowa
What does one do with two teenage boys when its 95+ degrees on a holiday weekend? And you can’t go far from 
home due to the hubby’s job? You take them bowling of course! And, that’s exactly what T, M, & a friend did on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend, we headed to Community Bowl in Dumont, IA.
Community Bowl
Dumont, Iowa is a booming town of 637 (according to the 2010 census), however they do have a gas station, lumber yard, bar & grill, antique store, grocery store, and a bowling alley! Community Bowl recently reopened with new owners at the helm and for a sleepy small town bowling alley, they are doing a fantastic job! This small, but clean bowling alley features 6 bowling lanes, a jukebox, arcade room, bar, and PIZZA!
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Exploring Our Backyard: Simply Nourished in Clear Lake, IA
Do you ever admire someone from afar (on social media) and when you finally get to meet them, they are just as fabulous in person as they are on Instagram?! Well, for me that was the case with Simply Nourished in Clear Lake, Iowa! Thanks to friends, I had been encouraged to follow Simply Nourished on Instagram and fell in love with the products they offered there and the ideas of how to use them! I recently got the opportunity to visit their store in Clear Lake and I was not disappointed.
Clear Lake is one of my favorite towns to visit and it’s a handy 35 minutes from home. However, due to busy schedules I don’t get there often enough! Recently, while in Clear Lake looking for flowers, we dropped by Simply Nourished!
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Exploring our Backyard: Happy Acres Nursery in Osage, Iowa
Osage, Iowa, is a great, charming little community, full of delightful gems! One of them is Happy Acres Nursery on the edge of town!
Exploring our Backyard
This past weekend, my mom and I took our annual garden shopping trip! This is something we have been doing at least once a year for the last 4-5 years! This year, we decided to explore a new nursery! Traditionally, we have stuck closer to home (it is almost an hour drive to Osage for us), but this year, the nursery that was always our “go to” for annuals (plants that only bloom one season and then die) is no longer open! As I was looking for new supplier, I remembered that a friend of ours owned a nursery in Osage! We happened to run into said friend at a track meet and I grilled him about the items they carried at their nursery. It was decided then that Happy Acres Nursery was where Mom & I were destined to land!
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Block 10 @ 1921 City Hall: Where Coffee & History Collide
Where do I spend the most time in Sheffield, Iowa? It’s at work, but the second place I spend the most time at is Block 10 @ 1921 City Hall. This is a fantastic coffee shop around the corner from my office! For the first 2.5 years I worked in Sheffield there was no coffee shop, but thanks to Randy and Holly Coffee, we don’t go without any longer! There’s just something wrong with a gas station cappuccino…or whatever they want to call it! So, I’m thrilled they are a part of our community!
This “Season”
There are certain times in our yearly calendar in which we don’t travel far from home. Or, if we do, it’s to track meets, baseball games, basketball games, etc. There are also times of the year that we don’t travel far due to T’s job! (Read more about that here!) So, since we can’t get in the car and drive for hours and hours to explore, I thought it would be a good time to focus on what we have right in our own backyard! That means we’re starting with one of my favorite places in my backyard, Block 10 at 1921 Sheffield City Hall.
Nickelodeon Universe & Moose Mountain: Fun at the Mall of America
If Disney World is the happiest place on Earth, then the Mall of America is the happiest place in the Midwest! Recently, my three favorite guys and I found fun things at the Mall of America with Nickelodeon Universe & Moose Mountain Adventure Golf!
Christmas Time
For the last two years, T and I have given the boys a shopping spree at the Mall of America for their Christmas present! Last year, as we roamed the stores shopping for their gifts, we realized that at the ages they are, maybe they would like to shop for their own things, so we suprised them with a trip to the mall, an overnight stay at a hotel, and of course money to spend as their gift! As it turned out, they loved the gift and actually asked to do it again this past Christmas! It made our Christmas shopping so much easier and so we were more than happy to oblige!
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Where do you go to slow down? I can’t say that we have ever had a regular place, but now that we have visited Dubuque, I think we have found it! Recently, T and I headed over to Dubuque for a quick 24 hour trip to have some time to ourselves and slow down! We stayed at the Hotel Julien and spent many hours just “being” together! While we explored a few fun, but low-key places, this was probably our favorite and where we will return time and time again!
Eagle Point Park
For a whopping $1 per car, you get free reign of Eagle Point Park, which is owned by the City of Dubuque. Take your time driving through the park and enjoy the many different levels of scenery! Stop and explore the old buildings, lodges, and shelters that can be rented for a variety of events! While we were there, we saw a 1st birthday party, a kids birthday party, and a wedding set up! This would be an amazing back-drop for any event! Then, head to the Mississippi overlook! While we enjoyed explore several parts of the park, this was by our favorite!
The Barrel House & Ice Cream – Dubuque, Iowa
Supper at The Barrel House and a snack of ice cream set the tone for our outstanding trip to Dubuque, Iowa a few weeks ago! While we were there, we grabbed 2 full meals and a snack! Breakfast in the morning was a Caroline’s Restaurant which is in the Hotel Julien and we highly recommend!
The Barrel House
For supper when we arrived in town, we headed to The Barrel House and what a treat it was! It’s location is super handy when you’re staying at the Hotel Julien as it’s right across the street, which is one of the reasons we selected it!
Port of Dubuque River Walk
On a gorgeous day in Dubuque, Iowa one wants to enjoy the river and the weather! We love walking along the Port of Dubuque River Walk! Here you can slow down, enjoy the view, some art, and history all at the same time!
River Walk & Art Sculptures
This walkway is a paved trail that runs along the port/river and is adorned by lots of art sculptures! Enjoy the view of the different art as well as reading about them at each stop!
The Hotel Julien Dubuque: Making You Feel Special
T and I recently made an overnight trip to Dubuque and stayed the Hotel Julien Dubuque. WOW! The Hotel Julien knows how to make a person feel so special! Not only do they have spectacular accommodations, but the small things add up to make you fee extra special during your stay!
The Hotel Julien Dubuque has been present in historic downtown Dubuque for over 130 years! After a $33 million renovation, they are shining brighter than ever! Between its historic attributes and modern finishes, the Hotel Julien Dubuque is the prime example of a sophisticated hotel! Not many hotels can claim to be modern and historic, luxurious and comfortable, but yet the Hotel Julien does just that!
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This was not my first visit to the Minnesota State Fair! In fact, it was actually my 3rd or 4th visit. I do however consider myself an expert in fairs! Not only was I involved with the Franklin County Fair in my hometown for more than 10 years, T and I love visiting different fairs and especially the Iowa State Fair!
So, what’s so great about the Minnesota State Fair?
Things To Do
You will not, I promise, run out of things to do at the MN State Fair! The choices are endless!
1. Math On A Stick
If you have small children, we recommend heading to Math On A Stick! Created as a way for kids and adults to both enjoy mathematical skills without actually doing equations, there are several stations that challenge kids to use their logical and creative brains at the same time! The stations can change each day as well! The day we visited, there was a station that used balloons to create different shapes, etc. Even the big guys found it entertaining!
Tips for Visiting the Iowa State Fair
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