Comments for a Cause - Franklin County Freedom Rock

We have had a beautiful start to the month of May here in Iowa and I'm excited to share with you about this month's Comments for a Cause program.  To start though, let's talk about last month's cause, the Ashland Community Foundation Fire Relief Fund.  In the month of April I had a total of 53 comments, creating a $26.50 donation to help ranchers from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado that lost livestock and their homesteads due to the wildfires.  Before I go on, I have to let you know that this part of the country has been given another brutal hit by Mother Nature.  Last week a devastating and unimaginable April snowstorm hit Kansas and Colorado, leaving over 20" of snow in many parts.  Ranchers were unprepared and the snow has killed cattle and damaged the area's wheat crop.  To learn more, please read my friend Nicole of Tales of a Kansas Farm Mom's latest post.

Now moving onto May, I'm excited to be helping a local cause, the Franklin County Freedom Rock.  During the month of May I'll be donating $0.50 for every comment made on my blog to assist with the cost of having my county's Freedom Rock painted.

The Franklin County, Iowa Freedom Rock is a part of a the Freedom Rock Tour, where artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II, is painting Freedom Rocks in all of Iowa's 99 counties.  Back in 1999 Sorensen painted the very first and original Freedom Rock in rural Adair Conty as a way to honor America's veterans.  It became so popular, and so many people were moved by it that in 2013 he started the Freedom Rock Tour.  As of today, 59 county Freedom Rocks have been painted, and many more, like Franklin County's are ready and on the list to be painted next.  Sorensen is able to paint 10-12 Freedom Rocks a year and estimates the program will take 10 years to complete.

The Franklin County Freedom Rock was moved to its final resting spot at the end of February 2017 in Coulter, Iowa, at the trailhead of the Rolling Prairie Trail that goes from Coulter to Waverly, Iowa.  The 20 ton rock was donated by Martin Marietta of Mason City and moved courtesy of Dave's Crane Service of Union.  The rock will be painted in the future by Bubba Ray Sorensen in its own unique way that honors America's veterans.  So far the rock has had all donated costs and services, but a fund has been set up to pay for the painting of the rock.  I'm excited to help support my county's rock!

What I love about the Freedom Rock Tour is that it not only pays respect to Veterans, but many rocks have local ties to them and shares the faces of real, local veterans.  The original Freedom Rock even has ashes of veterans in the paint.  I also love the tourism aspect of the tour.  My family and I have checked out a few county Freedom Rocks and I hope to visit the original sometime soon.

And for those of you who aren't from Iowa, the Freedom Rock Tour is now going national!  Bubba Ray Sorensen is now setting out to paint Freedom Rocks in all 50 states.  He has rocks in Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin so far, and plans in place for the state of Washington's next.

Have you ever seen one of the Freedom Rocks before?  Have you ever been to the original Freedom Rock?  Remember to Comment for a Cause all month long!

5 Family Winter Fun Activities in North Iowa and Beyond

The last couple of weeks have kept most North Iowans at home due to snow, wind and below zero temperatures.  But this weekend looks to be changing the pace and is going to be a great chance to get out of the house.  Here are a few things that my family suggests you enjoy!

Support Make-A-Wish at Battle of the Badges

Every winter our family loves going to at least a hockey game or two, and one we always make a trip for is the annual Battle of the Badges that raises money for Make-A-Wish in North Iowa.  This is a friendly, charity hockey game that puts North Iowa police officers against North Iowa fire fighters.  It is a lot of fun to watch, and our favorite part is when they have North Iowa Wish Kids come out for the first puck drop.  This year's Battle of the Badges is tomorrow night, Friday, February 19th at 7pm at the North Iowa Ice Arena in Mason City.  There is a $5 admission for the game that is donated to Make-A-Wish.

Members of the Fire and Police Hockey Teams for the Battle of the Badges

Fly Away at the Color the Wind Kite Festival

Our family thinks kites are cool no matter the time of the year, but going to the Color the Wind Kite Festival on Clear Lake is really cool. Professional kite flyers from across the country come out to Clear Lake to fly their giant kites!  It is so much fun to see the huge variety of kites and see a kite dance show.  This year's Color the Wind Kite Festival is this Saturday, February 20th from 11am to 4pm on Clear Lake along the Downtown Seawall.  This is a free event.

The huge variety of kites at the Color the Wind Kite Festival

Go Roller Skating

I will always remember roller skating in PE at school growing up and have to admit, up until last year I hadn't laced up since I was a teenager.  To my surprise, my roller skating skills came back to me pretty easily.  Our family loves going to Roller City in Mason City each year for the Make-A-Wish Skating Party.  This is a great chance to practice your moves, play some classic roller skating games, and support local wish families.  The party is this Sunday, February 21st from 1 to 4pm at Roller City in Mason City.  There is a $5 admission that includes your skate rental.  $3 of each admission will be a direct donation to Make-A-Wish.

There are a lot of talented limbo skaters at Roller City

Eat Local Delicacies

We love going to different local town's food festival and events every year and this winter includes some of our favorites!

Last night we traveled down to Conrad, Iowa for their American Legion's Lamb Nut Fry.  It takes places the third Wednesday of every month with a "R" in it.  It starts at 5pm; adults are $20, which includes all the nuts, fries and salad you can eat.  Come early and hungry though, because a few hundred people show up to each Nut Fry.  The money from each Nut Fry support local scholarships.

We are looking forward to St. John's Annual Aebelskiver Dinner on Sunday, March 6th in rural Hampton, Iowa.  Aebelskivers are delicious Danish "pancake puffs".  They serve the aebelskivers with sausage and all the fixings!

Lastly, the Annual Coulter, Iowa Fish Fry is a must!  This year's Fish Fry is Thursday, March 31st at the Coulter Community Center.  This Fish Fry has been going on since the 1950's and not too much has changed since the original, including their delicious fish batter recipe and secret tarter sauce.  The Fish Fry raises money for different community projects.

Some Aebelskivers cooking on the stove top

Explore the Ice Castles

This is where the "and beyond" comes into play...  I couldn't make a Winter Family Fun list without including our family's annual tradition of going up to Eden Prairie, Minnesota to check out the Ice Castles.  The Ice Castles are built by placing icicles by hand and running water.  In the "growing phase" they make 10,000 icicles each day.  The end product is amazing and a great place for kids, and adults, to let their imaginations run wild.  Our favorite parts of the Ice Castles this year was the giant slide and maze area.  Our tip is to wear snow pants and plenty of layers so you can fully enjoy everything the Ice Castles have to offer!

LP and MP choosing what "door" to go through in the Maze at the Ice Castles

So why wait?  Get out and explore this winter with your family!  What is your family's favorite winter time activity?  What would you add to the list?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Girls Night Out: Christmas Edition

* I received a discounted rate to facilitate my review.  

All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Between spending most of my time with people ages 4 and under, getting ready for taxes, and making sure I'm keeping up on my holiday check list, I was in desperate need for a Girls Night Out!  Luckily for me, the North Iowa Bloggers had a fun night planned this week at the Carlson Tree Farm in rural Coulter, Iowa, which is only 6 miles away from my house.

The North Iowa Bloggers at the Carlson Tree Farm
Mary of Natural Plus Nursery, Katy of Learning As I Go, myself,
Donna of DonnaHup.com and Alicia of The Pork Diaries

For the second year in a row with the North Iowa Bloggers, and third year in a row for me, I made a wreath as part of the Carlson Tree Farm's weekly Wreath Workshops.  The Wreath Workshops begin in mid-November and wrap up in mid-December.  They announce the workshop times and dates in the fall on their Facebook page and this year all the spots were filled in literally just hours!  From an idea that started five years ago as a fun thing for Michelle of Carlson Tree Farm's Moms Group to do, to having 250 people participate this year, I'd say the Wreath Workshops are a success!

Wreath in Progress

And why wouldn't they be?  In an hour and a half you go from a wire wreath frame, to picking out your favorite combination of evergreen branches to clamp down on the frame, to picking out your favorite ribbon, cones, berries, ornaments, etc. to make the wreath personalized to you and your home.  The atmosphere is casual, fun, and dare I be corny by saying merry!  Cathy and Michelle of Carlson Tree Farm are great leaders in both stages of making the wreath and want to see you succeed and have a good time.

Me and my wreath!

And I have to give a special thank you to Michelle of Carlson Tree Farm.  The North Iowa Bloggers have changed a lot in the last year.  There were a few of us that participated both last year and this year in the Wreath Workshop, but we were without some great members from last year - Beth Ann and Jeni who both moved to North Carolina and St. Louis respectively, and Amy who passed away in a car accident.  Amy left an impression on Michelle, as she did with so many people, so she made a wreath for this year's group to decorate that was then donated and given to Amy's parents.  This meant so much to all of the North Iowa Bloggers and Amy's parents.  We had fun decorating the wreath with "Amy's style" and reminiscing about our dear friend.

The North Iowa Bloggers with Amy's Wreath

So thanks to the North Iowa Bloggers and Carlson Tree Farm for helping me have a great time at a much needed Girls Night Out.  Have you ever made a wreath before?  What is your favorite "Christmas" Girls Night Out activity?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Wordless Wednesday - Supporting Our Local Tree Farms

We are so lucky to have two great family tree farms

 in less than 10 miles of our farm!

Family photo next to our Christmas Tree
from Meyer Family Trees of rural Hampton, Iowa

Wreath Making Class
at Carlson Tree Farm of rural Coulter, Iowa