The Cookie of the Summer: S'more Cookies

This spring, our youngest daughter had a very specific request for her school birthday treat: S'mores Cookies. So, we started searching for recipes online and in cookbooks that looked soft, chewy and packed with all of the classic s'more flavors. We found a recipe that looked good and sent them off to school and hoped for the best. The verdict? Her classmates loved them. Her teachers loved them. And our family absolutely fell in love with them.

In fact, we loved them so much that one of our other daughters decided these were the cookies she wanted to bring to our County Fair next week. Since then, we've baked batch after batch, tweaking little things here and there until we've landed on what we think is the perfect version!

Knee High by the 4th of July

Every Fourth of July, our family has a tradition of taking our annual "Knee High by the Fourth of July" photo in one of our cornfields. It's a fun chance to see how much the corn has grown, and capture how much our #1 crop has grown - our kids, from year to year. These photos help us document the story of another growing season, another year of memories, and another Independence Day spent right here on our Iowa farm.

Southeast Iowa Freedom Rock Tour

This Memorial Day, our Iowa Freedom Rock journey continued through southeast Iowa, where we visited the Freedom Rocks in Jefferson, Van Buren, Lee, Des Moines, Henry, and Louisa Counties.

One thing quickly became apparent during this trip — Civil War history runs deep throughout Southeast Iowa. Many of the stories featured on these rocks highlighted local soldiers, Medal of Honor recipients, military units, and communities that played important roles during the Civil War and beyond.

My kids standing next to the Lee County Freedom Rock
Memorial Day 2026

Iowa Ice Cream Road Trip at The Olde Creamery in Rockwell, Iowa

Summer can feel like you're constantly on the go. So that's why a quick Iowa Ice Cream Road Trip pit stop is always worth the break!

This week, we found ourselves traveling between a 4-H workshop and a softball game with just enough time to grab supper. Instead of stopping at the gas station or grabbing some fast food, we made a stop at one of our family's favorite places: The Olde Creamery in Rockwell, Iowa.

2026 Family Summer Bucket List + Printable

Today is the last day of school for my kids which means it's the start of the summer for our family. We spent some time over the last week thinking about some fun things we'd like to do over the next few months and this is what we came up with!

Create your own Summer Bucket List with my FREE Printable

As a to-do list fan I love the bullet notes and calendar space so you can think how to schedule everything!

Oreo Dirt Cups

Around here National Oreo Day feels like a pretty good excuse to make a sweet treat in the kitchen. Over the years I’ve shared several Oreo favorites on the blog — Oreo Fluff, Oreo Balls, Oreo Brownies, and even Homemade Oreos. But one dessert that always gets big smiles from kids is Oreo Dirt Cups.

Crockpot Chorizo Hashbrown Casserole

Chorizo has become one of my favorite pork products over the last several years. I love its bold, slightly spicy flavor and how it turns simple ingredients into something crave‑worthy. This Crockpot Chorizo Hashbrown Casserole is a perfect example — comforting, flavorful, and flexible enough for breakfast, brunch, or even taco night.