Siouxland Families

 RAGBRAI-- the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa-- began in 1973, making this it's 50th anniversary, and to celebrate, the ride will be 500 miles long, from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River (it's traditional for riders to dip their tires in each!) The 2023 ride will take place from July 22nd through 29th, 2023, and the overnight stops were announced the last weekend of January: Sioux City Storm Lake Carroll Ames Des Moines Tama-Toledo Coralville Davenport The kickoff expo will take place here in Sioux City, and I'll share more details once they're available! There are usually around 10,000+ riders each day of RAGBRAI, plus their support teams and friends and family, but this might be an extra big year due to the fun anniversary. So here in Siouxland we should plan on a huge influx of visitors that week and in the days right before RAGBRAI starts! If you are someone interested in participating in RAGBRAI, their website, RAGBRAI.co

I received a free review copy of Like Me so I could check it out and spread the word about it, and I'm so excited! Book links are affiliate links which means your price stays the same, but I get a tiny chunk of Amazon's profits if you choose to buy. If you've been around here long, you may already know that I have a super cool son with Down syndrome and that I adore reviewing books from fellow Midwesterners, especially picture books. So when I heard about Laura Wifler's new book about kids with special needs, I knew I needed to check it out.  Laura Wifler is a writer from central Iowa who founded Risen Motherhood with her sister-in-law Emily to "help moms connect their faith with their motherhood." Through Risen Motherhood, Wifler reaches hundreds of thousands of women around the state, the nation, and the world with her inspiring messages for moms on social media, on the Risen Motherhood podcast, and in her  Risen Motherhood book . Wifler's author websi

Starting January 28th, 2023, Siouxland families have a delicious new option for dinner! Here's what you should know about the fresh place to eat in Merrill, Iowa: Where is Duckie's Roadside Cafe? Duckie's is located at 117 Main Street in Merrill, IA in the same place as the former Emma Rae's Cafe. It's less than a half hour from downtown Sioux City via 75 north, or about an hour and a half south from Sioux Falls. There is free parking on the street in front of Duckie's. What kind of food is served at Duckie's Roadside Cafe? Duckies believes "Food Feeds the Soul" and specializes in comfort food including American, Asian and fusion fare, like her signature Pho nachos, which include fried rice noodles, pho seasoned meat and the other toppings you'd find in a pho but served on tortilla chips instead of in broth! On social media, Duckies Roadside Cafe has been sharing photos of some test items and they include things lik

I first wrote this post in early 2020 when the KC Chiefs were headed to their big win, but these tips are fun for any game, from pre-season to the big one. I've had a KC Chiefs fan idea board on Pinterest for years but thought it might be more convenient to have some of my favorite ideas all together in one blog post. So, if you're looking for ways to party like a KC Chiefs fan this football season, check out these ideas:

Every month I bring you the best things to do in Sioux City and Siouxland, from storytimes and crafts to music festivals, streaming concerts, and holidays from silly to serious. This January, you might also be interested in my posts on indoor play in Sioux City , indoor play in Sioux Falls , and Snow Sports in Siouxland .  I hope this event list inspires you to go make some happy memories with your family this month! Now updated for January 2023! Sun 1/1 Happy New Year's Day! Mon 1/2 Tues 1/3 Weds 1/4 10:30am:  Library Storytime  at the Morningside Branch of the Sioux City Public Library Thurs 1/5 Fri 1/6 Sat 1/7 10:30am to noon:  Saturday Art Lessons: Northern Lights Pastel Drawings  at the Sioux City Art Center for ages 8+, or younger artists accompanied by an adult helper, $7 per artist Sun 1/8 Neighborhood Family Fun Night  at the Long Lines Rec Center with FREE food and fun hosted by the Sioux City Neighborhood Network, Sioux City Police Department, and more.  Mon 1/9 Tues 1/

Cooking together with your kids can be a great way to make mealtimes more fun, increase the odds of kids actually eating well, and help tweens and teens develop the culinary skills they'll need to be independent in a few years. So from time to time, I'll share fun recipes that I've found work well to make together with my own kids. Have a suggestion? I'd love to hear it! One of my favorite NYE traditions is to eat appetizers all day long, from lunchtime to midnight, so thought maybe people would like to hear about one of my kids' favorite hearty apps to make together: sheet pan chicken nachos! These chicken nachos are super easy and my tween and teen gobble them down. Here's how we make them:  Ingredients and Equipment You Need: Cookie sheet Parchment paper Tortilla chips Fajita blend shredded cheese Canned chicken Taco seasonings You can totally use a packet or the seasonings of your choice or Make your own! I use garlic powder, onion powder, oregan