Remember 2020 by Creating a Family Time Capsule + GIVEAWAY

* I received a complimentary 2020 Family Time Capsule Kit 

from Circa Legacy. All views and opinions shared are my own. *

2020 has been quite the year and will be one for the record books!  So that is why I was so excited when Keesia of Circa Legacy reached out to me about her 2020 Family Time Capsule Kit.

Falling out of Summer

I don't know about you, but I'm loving this time of year!  The busyness of summer has ended and at the same time, the harvest pace of fall hasn't begun.  It is the perfect few weeks to just stop, relax and reflect.  One thing I got to thinking about this week was our family's Summer Bucket List we made at the beginning of the summer.  So with a few weeks left before our family gets into harvest mode, let's check out to see how we did!

1. Go Camping at Beed's Lake or Pine Lake - We didn't get this accomplished but we did do a lot of backyard camping.  So I'm calling this one half-way done!
2. Host a Baconfest on our farm - This didn't happen and won't be happening.  I guess we'll just have to go to area Baconfests this winter to make up for it :)
3. Check out RAGBRAI Bicyclists as they come through North Iowa - We didn't do this either!  We saw RAGBRAI support teams but decided to stay away from as much RAGBRAI traffic as we could.
4. Have fun at a Surf Ballroom Rock "n" Tots lesson - We not only had fun at one Rock "n" Tots class but the entire summer's worth of classes.  This was a great program that we look forward to participating in again next year!

   

   LP channeling his inner Buddy Holly
   while playing his rubber band guitar
   on stage at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake

5. Watch one of the Fireworks Shows during the Pyrotechnics Guild International (PGI) convention - We had good intentions to go up and watch a show but never made it!  Next year!
6. Go to an Iowa Cubs Baseball Game - We didn't get this accomplished either!  Maybe I shouldn't have looked at our bucket list...
7. Shop the Des Moines Farmer's Market - I got to do this with my Mom and one of my sisters earlier this summer!  I enjoyed everything from my breakfast burrito, to picking up some salsa, to purchasing some cute clothes and toys for the kids.  The Des Moines Farmer's Market really does have a bit of everything!
8. Visit a Science Center or Children's Museum - I am happy to say that we have gone on a couple two-day getaways this summer and one was to Des Moines a couple weeks ago.  We visited the Iowa State Fair, the Blank Park Zoo and the Science Center of Iowa.  The entire family had a great time!  There were so many hands-on activities at the Science Center.  We will definitely be back and will be sure to check out more science centers on our travels.

   

   LP testing his Lego car at the
   Science Center of Iowa

9. Go on an Iowa Ice Cream Trip - Throughout June's Dairy Month we traveled to an Iowa ice cream destination weekly.  We had a lot of fun visiting Decorah's Whippy Dip, Hudson's Hansen Dairy, LeMars's Blue Bunny, and Mason City's Birdsall's.  I think we might just have to do this again next year! 

   

   MP enjoying her own ice cream cone at Blue Bunny in LeMars

10. Continue our Tradition of going on a Family Vacation - And this is going to be happening soon!  We are excited to get away for a few days in South Dakota.  I'll be sure to post about our trip afterwards!

So, we didn't do as well as I thought we did, but nonetheless, we've had a great, fun-filled summer.  Did you make a Summer Bucket List?  How did you do?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Iowa Ice Cream Trip Second Stop at Hudson's Hansen Dairy

I'm so excited to update you on my family's "Iowa Ice Cream Trip" during the month of June to celebrate National Dairy Month today, by sharing about our trip to Hansen's Farm Fresh Dairy outside of Hudson last week.  It is fun to set out on a new ice cream adventure each week and we thought one of our ice cream destinations had to be Hansen's Dairy, so we could have a first-hand look at the process and story behind our ice cream.

Hansen's Farm has been located outside of Hudson, Iowa for around 150 years and currently the 6th generation owns and operates the farm, with the 7th generation growing up and living on the farm.  Twelve years ago when 5th generation owners and operators, Jay and Jeanne Hansen, saw that four of their children wanted to come back to the farm they knew they needed a way to add value to their family dairy farm, so the 6th generation that wanted to come back to the farm could, and that is how the on-farm creamery began.  In November of 2002 construction began on the creamery and in February of 2004 the creamery produced its first gallon of milk.

Blake and MP became good friends during our time at the farm
Here he is telling us about the dry cows
(a phase in the lactation cycle where the cows don't produce milk)

It was a lot of fun to go on a tour of Hansen's Dairy by 6th generation farmer, Blake Hansen.  Blake primarily works with the dairy production side of the farm.  His three brothers specialize in the creamery (milk processing and delivery) and crop production.  The farm currently has around 350 heifers and cows.  Most of their herd are Black and White Holsteins, with some Red and White Holsteins.  The cows are milked every day at 4am and 4pm.

One of the kids' favorite stops on the tour was at the calf huts, where calves live from the first day of their life to a few months old.  Calf huts are used to help reduce disease, stress and injury.  LP really enjoyed petting the calves.  One neat thing about Hansen's Dairy is that they give every calf a name that is associated with their family line.  In the photo, Skittles (whose Mom is Snickers) is licking LP's hand.

The kangaroos loved giving MP kisses

Another favorite stop was seeing the farm's Kangaroos and Wallabies.  Hansen's Dairy logo is a cartoon Wallaby (a miniature kangaroo) with a Dairy Calf in its pouch.  When Blake was in college he went on an international study abroad trip to Australia and he loved the wallabies and kangaroos, so when the creamery began, they incorporated the wallaby into the logo and Blake decided to purchase three wallabies as pets.  Today, one of the original wallabies is still at the farm, along with three kangaroos.

Our other favorite stop was the tour center, where they had a lot of fun kid and educational activities, as well as products for sell.  We had some ice cream at the center and brought home some milk, cheese curds and ice cream!  It was hard to choose what ice cream to eat after the tour, as well as what to bring home, since they have over 30 flavors!  What we love about their ice cream is that it is very rich and thick.  They also sell butter and ground beef.

You can buy Hansen's Dairy products (including their delicious ice cream) at many locations across the Northeast quadrant of Iowa, or if you are ever in the Waterloo area I recommend you going to their Moo Roo ice cream store or their Dairy Outlet store, or head out to the Dairy Farm outside of Hudson.  They have products available at their tour center.

Have you ever been to a Dairy Farm?  Check out all of their ice cream flavors - what would you like to try?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Be sure to check out our First Iowa Ice Cream Trip Stop and what other fun things we have planned on our Summer Bucket List.

Iowa Ice Cream Trip First Stop at Decorah to "The Whippy Dip"

One of our family's Summer Bucket List items is to go on an "Iowa Ice Cream Trip" during the month of June to celebrate National Dairy Month by visiting an "ice cream destination" weekly.  We figured our first stop had to be at one of our all-time favorite summer ice cream stands, The Whippy Dip in Decorah.  We made our annual pilgrimage last week and I'm excited to share about this nostalgic landmark today on my blog and on Travel Iowa's blog as part of a collaborative "Favorite Summer Flavors" post.

MP and LP sitting outside of
The Whippy Dip deciding what to order

"The Whippy Dip" is a seasonal walk-up stand that serves creamy and rich soft serve ice cream, along with a lunch and snack menu.  A neat side note is that "The Whippy Dip" sources its milk form a local dairy.  You wouldn't expect anything different in Iowa's dairy country!

Cookie Dough Tornado

"The Whippy Dip" keeps its ice cream simple by offering only vanilla and chocolate flavors and then letting you make your dish unique by providing many mix-ins.  I personally always go for a Cookie Dough Tornado with chocolate ice cream (think Dairy Queen's Blizzard - but better!).  They double layer the delicious chocolate soft serve with real cookie dough (not the cookie dough balls found at other ice cream places.  I'm talking about a scoopful of real cookie dough so you can have some in every bite) and mix it up.  Then they add a little extra cookie dough on top!

If you're passing through Decorah this summer, or if you're within an hour's drive... be sure to make a stop at The Whippy Dip!  They are open daily from 10am to 10pm and are located at 131 College Drive.

LP enjoying a chocolate cone at The Whippy Dip

Have you ever been to "The Whippy Dip"?  What is your favorite ice cream flavor?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Check out our Week 2 stop at Hansen's Farm Fresh Dairy outside of Hudson, Iowa.

Wordless Wednesday - Fun in the Snow

This winter has been extremely cold, so the kids haven't been able to enjoy the snow for quite awhile.  The last couple of days we've been able to catch a break from sub-zero temperatures and were able to have some fun!  I'm so thankful and appreciative that I get to make these memories with my family.

When I asked LP if he wanted to take a picture
with the snowman he decided to go behind it
and then impersonate the snowman's hands

Be sure to Comment for a Cause!