After our family vacation to Hawaii this summer, we came home with more than just great memories and lots of photos — we also came home with a newfound appreciation for SPAM! And considering SPAM is packed only about an hour from our home, we decided it was time to make a road trip to Austin, Minnesota, to learn a little more about the canned pork product our family had been enjoying so much.
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.
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| My kids standing next to the Lee County Freedom Rock Memorial Day 2026 |
It's June Dairy Month, which means our family is continuing our tradition of visiting different ice cream shops as part of our Iowa Ice Cream Road Trip! What better way to kick off this year's celebration than by sharing about our visit to the Wells Blue Bunny Visitor Center and Ice Cream Parlor in the Ice Cream Capital of the World, Le Mars, Iowa.
Happy May Day! Today, alongside preparing May Day baskets with my kids for our neighbors, I am also planning my annual trip to Floyd, Chickasaw, Howard and Mitchell Counties, where I love exploring the various Mennonite Greenhouses. These greenhouses are bursting with colorful flowers, robust vegetables and thriving plants, and are worth the trip to see!
People have been telling us for years to go check out The Filling Station in Madrid, Iowa and we finally made a trip this summer and it won't be our last! There's something for everyone at this seasonal ice cream shop that serves both hard and soft serve ice cream.
It's June Dairy Month and our family loves to celebrate by going on an Iowa Ice Cream Road Trip. This year we kicked off our 10th annual road trip by checking out all three locations of The Olde Creamery in North Central Iowa in Garner, Mason City and Clear Lake (the Clear Lake location is now closed but you can get The Olde Creamery ice cream at Charlie's Soda Fountain in Clear Lake).
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| Enjoying The Old Creamery Ice Cream at the Clear Lake, Iowa location |
One of our family's favorite ways to explore the state of Iowa is by visiting the different county Iowa Freedom Rocks. All 99 counties in the state have a uniquely painted mural, showcasing local heroes and stories honoring area veterans painted by Iowa artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II. Here is a look at all of the county Freedom Rocks located in Eastern Iowa.
One of our family's favorite ways to explore the state of Iowa is by visiting the different county Iowa Freedom Rocks. All 99 counties in the state have a uniquely painted mural, showcasing local heroes and stories honoring area veterans painted by Iowa artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II. Here is a look at all of the county Freedom Rocks located in Central Iowa.
