Who else got sunburnt recently?
It is a classic springtime tradition in Iowa, getting sunburnt on the first weekend of 70-degree weather. We all rush out and show off our pasty legs and blinding white arms only to regret it later that evening as we search for the aloe vera.
Spring is the time to casually sip on some lattes and claws, praying to whatever higher being will listen to make sure our kids are not running through the just watered grass seed… Obviously, we clearly enjoyed the recent weather given the newly pink faces and slightly peeling shoulders
Our kiddos are taking every single opportunity to run out the door and get outside. Can’t blame ‘em. We are about to be reminded why we live in the Midwest, a nice spring day can’t be beat, and it is why we put up with the cold dredges of winter.
Oh, but, in case you forgot…. it’s Iowa, Don’t be surprised if everything you just read is a lie and it snows one more time….
Gif by justin on Giphy
Have fun this week.
Adventures Ahead📅📅
Check out some below happenings in the CR area!
Have an event suggestion? Just click here and let us know what it is.
Wednesday, 4/29
Family Art Night: Gem Mosaic
Cedar Rapids Downtown and Ladd Libraries, 5:30-6:30 pm
Join us for Family Art Night this Spring! Different art supplies will be provided each program for families to experiment and learn new concepts with. Each program will be presented at Ladd and Downtown with the same materials.
Thursday, 4/30
Teen STEAM
Cedar Rapids Downtown Library, 4-5 pm
Join us every other Thursday for various STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, & math) projects.
Cedar Rapids Kernels home game vs. WM White Caps
Veterans Memorial Stadium, 6:05 pm
Purchase tickets here.
Friday, 5/1
Spring Fling at ABC Acres (Saturday as well!)
ABC Acres (6657 Mt Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403-7175, United States), 2-6 pm
Join us at ABC Acres for a full weekend of spring fun, fresh food, and family-friendly activities as we celebrate the season!
Cedar Rapids Kernels home game vs. WM White Caps
Veterans Memorial Stadium, 6:05 pm
Watch baseball and enjoy 2 for 1 drinks!
Cap off the evening with some fireworks after the game.
Purchase tickets here.
Saturday, 5/2
Kentucky Derby Party
Big Grove Brewery, 11am-10pm
We’re off to the races... Join us for Derby Day at Big Grove! 🎠 Stick Horse Races - 4:30 PM 👒 Hat Contest - 5:00 PM 🥃 Mint Juleps & Kentucky Mules
Maifest
Amana Colonies, All-day (Sunday, too!)
This traditional German celebration features music, dancing, family-friendly activities, and a festive parade through the village.
Don’t miss the parade at 10am!
Princess Tea Party with Cupcake Decoration, Ballerina Theme (Sunday, too!)
French Pastry by Sandrine, 312 Crescent St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, 4-5pm
Tea Party with Cupcake Decoration, défilé of the little misses in their princess dress, some little dance, and picture taking!
Purchase tickets here
Sunday, 5/3
Maifest
Amana Colonies, All-day
This traditional German celebration features music, dancing, family-friendly activities, and a festive parade through the village.
Princess Tea Party with Cupcake Decoration, Ballerina Theme (Saturday, too!)
French Pastry by Sandrine, 312 Crescent St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, 4-5pm
Tea Party with Cupcake Decoration, défilé of the little misses in their princess dress, some little dance, and picture taking!
Purchase tickets here
Hiawatha Farmers Market
Guthridge Park, 10am-1pm
Whether you’re shopping for the week or simply enjoying the atmosphere, the market is the perfect place to gather, explore, and support local.
Monday, 5/4
Chalk the Farm
Old MacDonald’s Farm, 10am-6pm
Help kick off the season by decorating the farm sidewalks with colorful chalk art. Draw pictures, create hopscotch boards, or let your imagination run wild as the farm opens for the year.
Tuesday, 5/5
Tie-Dye Workshop
Big Grove Brewery, 6-8pm
Join The Mobile Tie-Dye Company for a hands-on tie-dye workshop where you’ll create your own one-of-a-kind masterpiece! No experience needed, we’ll guide you every step of the way.
Tickets and more information here.
Grown-Up Getaway… 99 problems and a kid ain’t one.
Golden Hour Date Night @ Bloomsbury Farms
Friday, May 8th, 5-8pm. Address: 3260 69th St, Atkins, IA
Just outside, a little west of CR is Bloomsbury Farms. Just a stone’s throw away in Atkins. Most people probably associate Bloomsbury with pumpkin spice lattes, mini-donuts, flannel, and pumpkins, at least we do. But! Not anymore!
It’s time for date night! Leave the kids at home with Grandma or their favorite babysitter and head out to Bloomsbury this Friday evening to experience Golden Hour, watch the sunset over fields of tulips while enjoying live music by Marques Morel.
How romantic! ❣ 🌷
More info and registration here.
Knee-Slappers😂🤣
Kid Tested & Approved
Knock knock…. who’s there?
Jewel…. Jewel who?
Jewel know once you open the door! 💎
Why did the lettuce win the race? 🥬 🏁
It was ahead!😅
What do you call a broken pencil? ✏
Pointless! 😆
🥁ba-dumm, tsssst…. 🥁
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Our first attempt at a 5-day meal plan.
Easy-peasy meals that EVERYONE hopefully eats.
Need to know Nuggets
Weather Report ⛅⛈
Wednesday, 4/29 | 60℉/41℉ | ⛅ |
Thursday, 4/30 | 57℉/36℉ | 🌧 |
Friday, 5/1 | 57℉/34℉ | ⛅ |
Saturday, 5/2 | 62℉/43℉ | ⛅ |
Sunday, 5/3 | 69℉/47℉ | 🌧 |
Monday, 5/4 | 68℉/45℉ | 🌧 |
Tuesday, 5/4 | 66℉/44℉ | 🌧 |
Oh…we secretly knew the perfect 70-degree weather we had last weekend wouldn’t last… expect a slight chance of rain pretty much each day over the next five days and make sure you have a sweatshirt handy, just in case the little ones insist on not wanting it.
Weather courtesy of KCRG.com
News Worthy Nuggets
Some interesting local stories from the past week:
Hawkeye Downs adds a racing class for kids 6 and under - from IowaNewsNow
Caitlin Clark is publishing a children’s book - from IowaNewsNow
Corridor Breweries earn medals in international competitions - from Corridor Business Journal
Soon-to-open Sub-Zero pursuing $196M addition in Cedar Rapids - from Cedar Rapids Gazette
A surprise history lesson!
May Day 🌸
Are any of the other months cool enough to have two holidays in the first 4 days of the month?!? 1) May Day. 2) Star Wars Day (May the Fourth be with you).
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But for all the non-geeks, let’s just talk about the first one…
May Day is actually a bit of a holiday mashup of ancient celebrations and worker’s rights. The holiday started thousands of years ago as Beltane and Floralia. Beltane is a Celtic festival (originating in the British Isles) celebrating the fertility of the land and cattle. Whereas, Floralia is Roman in origin and is a festival dedicated to Flora, the goddess of flowers, which celebrated the renewal of life.
By the late 1800s, it morphed into International Workers' Day, honoring the folks who fought for the eight-hour workday.
So, you’re celebrating the new flowers of Spring and the reason we don’t have to work 24/7. Win-win. Here are a few ways to celebrate with your kiddos:
Make May Day Baskets: Fill small paper cones with flowers or treats, hang them on a neighbor’s doorknob, ring the bell, and dash away before they spot you. It’s basically high-stakes, wholesome ninja training.
DIY Flower Crowns: Grab some pipe cleaners and paper flowers to turn the kids into woodland royalty. If they look majestic enough, you might even forget they haven’t brushed their teeth yet.
Maypole: Tape some ribbons to a wooden dowel or a rake and make Dad go hold up in the middle of the yard. It’s great for the kiddos and Dad’s shoulder physique.
Get Planting: Sunflowers or marigolds are fast-growing and hard to mess up. Just keep an eye on the little ones so your new seedlings don’t get “accidentally” pulled out five minutes after being planted.
That’s it for this week.
But, we do have a special request of you, and we apologize in advance for the groveling. If you like what we are doing, please spread the word!! Please ask your friends, neighbors, and grandparents to subscribe.
If you recall, after issue #2 went out, our subscribers more than doubled in a single day and then we tripled our readers in the following days. However, we have slightly plateaued…. only 2 new subs since Saturday. But who is counting?
See you later! 👋