Take the family on a weekend outing—for a good cause—at Children and Families of Iowa’s annual Kidsfest. This family-friendly event (the largest children’s festival in Iowa!) will be held the weekend of March 6-8 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Varied Industries building. The event features games, attractions, and entertainment for kids and their parents. And attendees will be glad to know that proceeds from the event go toward CFI’s many programs for families, children, and teens.

Tickets for the event are $7.50 per person and are available for purchase at the door. Local Fareway stores and Veridian Credit Union locations will offer coupons for two dollars off of admission.

At Kidsfest, little ones will be able to have fun in a variety of ways. The event features inflatables, face painting, a circus train, and even a finger print photo ID booth for young aspiring detectives. Children will also be able to meet their favorite superheroes, Star Wars characters, and princesses. Even if the weather outside is stuck in winter, your kiddos will be able to spend a few hours burning off some energy among the booths and attractions at Kidsfest.

The event features two new private parties this year: a Snow Queen and Ice Princess party on Friday at 6:00pm and a Superhero party on Sunday at 10:00am. Each party is limited to 100 attendees, so be one of the first 100 guests lined up at the southeast entrance before each party and you will receive a free party ticket with paid general admission.

Kidsfest isn’t just about games and activities—kids will also have the chance to see live entertainment that emphasizes wonder and learning. Two new stage shows are coming to Kidsfest this year: ventriloquist Lisa Laird with Pockets Full of Fun and national TV meteorologist Nick Walker, who teaches children about weather through song as “The Weather Dude.”

You can also tell your kids a little bit about the organization behind Kidsfest. CFI is a nonprofit organization with several locations throughout Iowa that seeks to help families, children, and teens. CFI offers resources to help victims of domestic abuse, create safe homes for children, and prepare teens for future success. For more information about Children and Families of Iowa, visit their webpage.

While your family is having fun, you’ll also know that you’re supporting an organization that gives back to other families right here in Iowa. And you’ll be able to teach your kids about what it means to help others. As the people at CFI like to say, Kidsfest is about “kids helping kids.” And that sounds like a good party.

Wondering how best to woo your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? Your heart is surely full of love, but even if your pockets aren’t quite full of cash, you can still spread some romance. If you’re looking for lovely ideas, we’ve got you covered with options on both ends of the spending spectrum. Read on for a little Valentine’s Day inspiration that is sure to delight your significant other.

Send a love note!

(Almost) Free Option: Bust out the glitter and paper doilies.
Remember the big, heartfelt, handmade valentines of youth? Bring back the homemade lovin’ by cutting out a big red paper card and filling it with intricate details to your heart’s content. Artistic ability isn’t really a requirement, since your honey will most likely appreciate the sentiment behind it. Be sure to write a sweet note on the undecorated side of the valentine!

Spendier Option: Order the flowers and/or chocolates.
Red roses are the classic option for this holiday because of their stunning presentation and obviously romantic message. But there are a multitude of other floral arrangements—just ask your florist (Boesen and Hy-Vee Floral are great local resources for flowers). And if flowers don’t thrill your significant other, chocolate is always a good option. Check out Chocolaterie Stam or The Chocolate Storybook for local confections.

Listen to a little love music.

(Almost) Free Option: Make a Valentine’s Day soundtrack.
Include songs that are meaningful to you and your sweetheart: your first dance at your wedding, the song you blasted in your car the first summer you were dating, the song that most reminds you of your significant other when you are apart. There’s something about music that expresses more than words do alone—so take a little time to sit back and enjoy it with your loved one.

Spendier Option: Take in some live local music—like The Max Wellman Big Band at the Des Moines Social Club.
Head to Des Moines’ new creative space/bar/lounge for a night full of Big-Band music. The concert will be held in The Basement, which is an intimate space inside the Social Club that would be perfect for a Valentine’s night on the town. Grab a drink, lean in close to your table mate, and take in the gorgeously lush sounds of Big Band.

Dance!

(Almost) Free Option: Recreate a Dance Floor in Your Living Room.
Hang some heart garland, lower the lights, and practice your best Dancing with the Stars moves in the comfort of your own home. Dress can be informal or black-tie, and the bubbly is optional—the important thing is that you move.

Spendier Option: Des Moines Tango Valentine’s Dinner and Dance.
Looking to impress your valentine or to learn a new skill together? Head downtown to the Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel for an evening of tango and Argentine cuisine. The night starts with an optional tango lesson for newcomers and then continues with a three-course meal and dancing. Live music will be provided by the Des Moines Tango Trio. What could be more romantic than dinner and dancing from south of the equator?

Valentine’s Day is devoted to love, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be expensive. Whatever your budget may be, you’ll find the right recipe for romance from among these options. Just remember, whatever you end up doing this Valentine’s Day, spending time with your sweetheart is what counts.

If you’re looking for a different option for a Valentine’s Day evening, the Waukee Area Arts Council has a very interesting option. A classical quartet sets the tone for a velvet-draped table-of-two complete with a bottle of red wine, shared dessert, ah there must be romance in the air…and then cue the set-stage for the Valentine’s Day Puppet Massacre. Upgrade on those boring plans, it may be time to celebrate the day of love a little different this year in Waukee.

Promoted with a cherubic Cupid stabbed in the back with one of his ubiquitous arrows, this is a different kind of “happy hearts day” show. Kevin Coble and his merry band of puppeteers are taking their troupe known as the Jester Puppets to an older age group (18 and up, for some language) than their usual packed summer agenda of kid-oriented public library programming.

Coble and the puppets of various shapes, sizes, furs, tails and horns will tell a mocking tale of love with a strong dash of cynicism and heavy hint of humor. The hour long show will flow with music and sketches led by enigmatic ringmaster Coble.

Cindy DePond, Director of the Waukee Area Arts Council, said Valentine’s Day Puppet Massacre is a different kind of show breaking the barriers of the idea of “small town entertainment.”

She recommends for those easily offended to avoid this puppet show for adults, and make alternative holiday plans.

“It is not designed to be a romantic Valentine’s Day show,” DePond said. “But, you can make a great night out of it. Eat dinner at one of the restaurants in Waukee, come to the show and hit a bar afterward for a drink on the way home.”

A chocolate reception including hot chocolate, coffee and sweets will follow the performance.

Get your tickets before this intriguing show flies by; all tickets are $10 and benefit the Waukee Area Arts Council. Reserve your seat by calling 515-402-7870, at Waukee Hardware, at the door the night of the performance (based on availability) and online.

Find it: ArtsCentral, 405 Maple Street, Waukee
When: February 14, 8 p.m.

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Photos Courtesy of the Science Center of Iowa

If your family is looking to shake off the winter doldrums this time of year, here’s one way to do it: experience a taste of what earthly life was like millions of years ago. The Science Center of Iowa is taking visitors on a journey across millennia with its Ultimate Dinosaurs exhibit—a special feature that will only last until April 12^th. The exhibit showcases twelve fully articulated dinosaur specimens, bringing the amazing discoveries across the scientific world right into our own Iowan backyard.

This exhibit may not be familiar to those of us who live in the northern hemisphere. That’s because these dinosaurs evolved in isolation from their northern cousins after the great landmass Pangaea split in two during the Mesozoic Era (around 250-65 years ago, if you were wondering). Hailing from the areas of modern South America, Africa, and Australia, and bearing names such as Giganotosaurus, Austroraptor, and Malawisaurus, these specimens inspire wonder in the minds of visitors. The examples of these exotic creatures also give us a fascinating look at how continental drift can have long-term effects on entire species.

Ultimate Dinosaurs combines the (really) old with the new in its use of ‘augmented reality’ devices to give visitors a glimpse at what these dinosaurs may have looked like when they roamed the southern hemisphere millions of years ago. Visitors can make their encounter with the dinosaurs breathtakingly vivid by holding up iPads to virtually ‘layer’ the exterior appearances of these creatures over their skeletons. There is also a multi-user game in which players use iPads to try to place modern continents into their proper Pangaea formation. Of course, these modern tools can only help to frame the amazing specimens themselves.

For those wanting to dive deeper into the world of dinosaurs, the Science Center has even more to offer. The film Flying Monsters is playing in the Science Center’s Blank IMAX Dome Theater. This film gives an in-depth look at pterosaurs, which were flying dinosaurs with wingspans of up to 40 feet.  The museum also has live supplemental programming in which museum staff present activities and discuss ideas with kids and their families. Visitors can build model ‘pterosaur gliders,’ solve puzzles representing how scientists put fossils together, and learn more about study of paleontology itself. Such a wealth of activities ensures that little ones stay busy and that kids and parents engage in learning together.

The exhibit is also open during SCI’s monthly special admission nights: Mixology Night for the 21+ crowd and the reduced-admission Family Night. Whether you want to bring all the kids or unwind with a drink and some live music, you’ll be able to bask in the awe of Ultimate Dinosaurs’ prehistoric specimens.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s not often that Iowa becomes home to dinosaur fossils. If you’re looking for wonder (and maybe a little adventure for the kids), check out the amazing creatures at SCI’s Ultimate Dinosaurs.

The book is a member of the popular Eat This, Not That! family of books, in which Zinczenko and Goulding compare menu items at popular restaurants to illuminate which choices will have the least negative impact the health of the consumer (because, let’s face it, eating out is rarely good for one’s health). For the Cook This, Not That! versions, the authors present simple and delicious at-home alternatives to well-known (and often highly caloric) menu items.

In Cook This Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide, the authors expertly guide the reader through a slew of recipes representing a broad spectrum of tastes. Dishes such as chicken fried rice, Mexican hot dogs, and Dr. Pepper ribs all have a place in this collection. A full-page photo accompanies nearly every recipe, and as you thumb through the images of juicy beer brisket and creamy banana-rum splits, you’ll begin to understand why my copy of this book has something like half of the pages marked. And the best part is that each recipe shows you how to avoid consuming hundreds of extra calories by making your restaurant favorites at home.

I must add, however, that the helpfulness of this book is not limited to recipes alone. Zinczenko and Goulding have many things to say about how to approach eating in a healthy way, and they also include handy references such as nutritional scorecards of different types of foods and a list of food items that make up the ‘perfect pantry.’ In one of the early sections of the book, Zinczenko and Goulding lay out a list of every knife, tool, and pan that you actually need in order to make a complete kitchen—a list that rings up at just $331 total. They also lay out several meal ‘blueprints,’ which consist of food combinations so intuitive that they each need only a few sentences to describe. The overall aim of the book is to empower the reader to develop his or her own healthy cooking skills. And, with enough practice, you can even learn to cook without following a recipe word-for-word (if you’re scared by that idea, don’t worry, you can move at your own pace).

I highly recommend Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide because of its straightforward tone and engaging layout. If you’re interested in breaking free from a recipe rut and learning to make healthy alternatives to restaurant fare in the process, you’ll soon be proudly displaying this cookbook on your kitchen shelf, as I do. Oh, and they have an app for that too.

Today’s world is complicated. Work, school, family, sports, religion and extracurricular activities pull parents and children in several different directions. As a parent, you want your son to grow up to be a self-reliant, dependable, and caring individual.

Newly organized Cub Scout Pack 182 achieves these outcomes by combining fun with educational activities and lifelong values. It also helps parents strengthen character, develop good citizenship, and enhance both mental and physical fitness in young boys.

Cub Scout Pack 182 is growing and represents boys attending Maple Grove Elementary, but anyone who is home schooled or attends other schools are welcome to join the pack too.

Pack 182 participates in a variety of community events as well as organizing fun activities within its membership.  These include the annual Pinewood Derby, bowling nights, popcorn sales, family camping, summer camps, day camps, and so much more!

Each den of Pack 182 meets during the month in addition to the monthly pack meeting – which is where the boys have the chance to demonstrate the skills they’ve worked on throughout the month. It’s also a time where the boys are recognized for scouting accomplishments and awarded badges.

If your son is new to scouting don’t worry about what he may have missed.  Come watch Pack 182 at the next pack meeting Thursday, January 29 where they will be racing pinewood derby cars!

So, if you are looking for a Cub Scout Pack where your son can grow and learn through new adventures, community involvement and values that stay with them for a lifetime, stop by and visit Pack 182.

For more information, contact Patty Gilreath:
gilreapa@mchsi.com or 515-224-0693.

Scientific studies (and, perhaps, common sense) have demonstrated the importance of the family meal, and yet lots of Americans still find it difficult to summon the time, energy, and skills necessary to get a home-cooked dinner on the table. According to the USDA, the total percentage of calories consumed by Americans at home dropped from 82.3 percent in 1977-78 to 68.5% in the years 2005-08. Sure, dining out is the easier option, but nothing compares to the warmth and comfort of gathering your family to eat in your own home. If you want to practice the art of a home-cooked family dinner but find yourself strapped for time (or ideas!), check out the following tips for less-harried home cooking.

1. Have a back-up plan. Keep some simple recipe ideas in your back pocket, whether that means making omelets because the pantry is bare or grilled cheese because the chicken burned.  By learning how to make a few things really well, you’ll take the pressure off of yourself if you run out of time for a more elaborate meal.
2. Dust off the slow-cooker. If you dread the thought of having to cook after a busy day at work, you have a friend in this appliance. There are a myriad of easy, delicious recipes all over the internet, some involving as few as only three ingredients. Simply cut up a few things the night before, dump the ingredients in the slow cooker before work, and then come home to a stress-free dinner.
3. Make a meal plan for a whole week. Sit down on a lazy Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon and write out what you plan to make for dinner during the next week. You’ll save money at the grocery store by avoiding purchases that you won’t end up using, and you’ll have more time to look up new recipes to incorporate into your repertoire.
4. Combine homemade and convenience foods. Who says that you have to eat a meal that is 100 percent home cooked? In order to keep your sanity, you might have to shred up a store-bought rotisserie chicken for your Tuesday-night tacos or throw some frozen pot stickers in to bulk up your stir-fry. Spend some time reading the nutrition labels of convenience foods at your grocery store, and then stock upon the items that will aid your dinner efforts without negatively impacting your health.
5. Cook when you have the time. Every year, my mother-in-law makes homemade ravioli for Thanksgiving and Christmas. How does she do it? She makes it all (with some helpers) a few weeks ahead of time and then freezes it. You can incorporate this practice into your own home, making several freezable meals at the beginning of the month (or whenever you have time) and enjoying results of your hard work later, on busy nights.

If you want to gather your family and friends around the table but find yourself overwhelmed by food prep, give these ideas a try. After all, it’s best to sit down to dinner with the calm demeanor necessary to truly enjoy the company—and the food.

Now that the holiday season is over and the kiddos are back in school, you may be tempted to think that fun won’t return until springtime. However, Waukee Parks and Recreation has an answer to the winter blues: Waukee FamilyFest, an event where kids can play while their parents mingle with other young families. Local businesses from the Waukee community will also be there to spread the word about their wares and services. The event will be held on Saturday January 17 from 9:00am-12:00pm at Point of Grace Church in Waukee.

At the third annual Waukee FamilyFest, inflatable playgrounds, games, and prizes sponsored by local businesses will be the order of the day for kids, while parents will be able to enjoy getting to know others in the Waukee area. Danae Edwards, of Waukee’s Parks and Recreation, says that the idea for the event was prompted by a desire for the growing Waukee community to come together in the midst of cold weather: “The Park Board and Parks & Rec Staff wanted to create an event for kids and families to get out of the house during the winter. Let everyone burn off a little energy and congregate with their friends.” According to Edwards, the Parks and Recreation department created this event in order to help create a stronger community in Waukee: “We are trying to help promote our Waukee businesses to all of the new families that move to town while giving our residents a chance to get to know other families.”

Edwards also acknowledges that the event serves as a gathering opportunity for Waukee’s many new residents, saying, “Waukee is full of new, young families that would like the chance to get to know one another so this is a great opportunity to meet other families and to get to know some of the smaller mom-pop businesses in town.”

Edwards points out another perk of the event: “It’s great for businesses and families alike because it is free! Businesses can participate at the event free of charge while promoting their business and hopefully drawing in clients/customers.”

So, there you have it: a fun, free, kid-friendly event where everyone may gather indoors during Iowa’s bitterly cold January. Whether you’re new to the area and want to meet other families while checking out the Waukee business scene or you’re a longtime resident hoping to free your cooped-up kids from your house on a Saturday morning, look no further than the Waukee FamilyFest to meet your needs.

View the event’s webpage to find additional information, including the event’s contact person and the address for Point of Grace Church.