Salisbury House & Gardens

I had always heard the The Salisbury house was a beautiful place to visit, full of history.  It's on Tonawanda Drive in Des Moines (not far from the Art Center).  But, with a little one, I never really found a time to visit.  That is, until I realized all of the fun events that they do throughout the year!  We went to their Halloween event last year, and my son couldn't wait to come back for this year's event.  They had face painting, Story-time with Dan Wardell, fantastic decorations, crafts, spooky science experiments and more. It's a great event.

I had no idea until this year that they had Christmas-time events too!  We attended the Chocolate-making class hosted by Beaverdale Confections at the Salisbury House and it was a blast!  My six year old can't stop talking about it.  It was only $20 and he took home over 30 pieces of chocolate!

Luckily, my friend Lisa was able to attend the Gingerbread house workshop and she was nice enough to share about her experience with us!  Thanks Lisa!  You might remember Lisa from her last guest post about The Little Gym =)

Hi!  Lisa here guest posting today about the Gingerbread workshop at Salisbury House in Des Moines.  

My 6 year old has been asking to make a gingerbread house, and I’ve been wanting to see the Salisbury House-so this was a perfect fit!!  

We opted to purchase one house and one student ticket for $20, but if you have more than one child, you might want to purchase more than one house.  

We were greeted on a very cold day by a nice volunteer in a big golf cart offering rides up from the street (overflow parking) to the house.  Once inside the house, we were led downstairs to a room that smelled of candy!!  The gingerbread house kits came with candy, but the volunteers had provided a ton more!  There was a lot of decorating, and a lot of eating the candy!!  Christmas music was playing while everyone worked away.  After we were finished, we were encouraged to leave our gingerbread house to dry and take a walk around the house.  

My 6 year old enjoyed the tour as much as I did!  Our favorite room was Edith’s bathroom…check it out and you’ll see why.  The Salisbury House was beautifully decorated for Christmas!  This included a huge tree, some local celebrity decorated gingerbread houses, and Santa in the garage next to a gorgeous red Packard!  Overall, a great local experience.  They have a lot of events and are supported by donations so check it out!  http://salisburyhouse.org/

Make sure your follow us (Eat Play Love Des Moines) and The Salisbury house on Facebook so we can remind you about upcoming events! =)

Illumifest

Illumifest held on September 28th, 2013 at 4200 Mills Civic Parkway (West Des Moines City School Campus) is A Fall Festival of Light. It offers a variety of activities and events for people of all ages!  The excitement begins Saturday afternoon with the inagural edition of the Illumifest Car Show.  The carnival rides and games will open Saturday morning and run throughout the day, and well as a wide variety of food stands.  Saturday evening will feature many of the Illumifest events that have made this festival the fastest growing community event in West Des Monies. 

*all information taken directly from Illumifest website.

Schedule of Events 4200 Mills Civic Parkway Saturday - September 28, 2013
Illumifest Car Show Registration	11:00-2:00pm
Carnival/Food Vendors Open	1:00pm
Illumifest Car Show	2:00-4:00pm
FREE Paddle Boat Rides	3:00-8:00pm
Chinese Association Displays and Exhibits	4:00pm
FREE Lantern Making (Limited to first 1,000 people)	5:00pm
FREE Hot Air Balloon Rides (Rides are limited  & allow only two people per ride, riders must meet height restriction to ride)	5:30pm
FREE Facepainting by Library Teen Board in the    WDM Library Cafe.	6:00pm
FREE Outdoor Movie - Disney's  "Brave"	7:30pm
Fireworks Extravaganza over the Campus Pond	9:00pm
Festival Concludes	9:15pm

The hands-on lantern making activity starts at 5:00 pm.  Get creative and decorate a paper lantern to light the night!  Each lantern comes with its own LED light to illuminate your creation!  Supplies are limited to the first 1,000 people, and when they are gone...they are gone.

FREE Disney/Pixar movie "Brave" will be shown on a HUGE outdoor screen Saturday evening!  Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy this fun movie on the lawn of the WDM Library at 7:30 pm.

FREE hot-air balloon rides will be available Saturday evening starting at 5:30 pm.  Three balloons this year for shorter waiting lines!  Weather can play a huge role in the number of rides available.  Rides are limited to only 2 people per ride, and riders must meet a height restriction in order to ride.   

Weekend Review - June 28th - July 1st

June 28th
unWINEd
Come out to the terrace overlooking Grey's Lake every other Friday evening from 5:30pm - 8:30pm for live music, beer and wine.  Burgers and other food will be available from the grill. Music by Soul Searchers on June 28th.

June 28th - 30th
Des Moines Art Festival

June 28th
Yoga at The Glen
6pm-7pm 
All ages welcome!
Free outdoor yoga compliments of Power Life Yoga to live music!Yoga starts at 6:00pm, stay and enjoy the music until 11:00.
Every participant receives a free bottle of water and a complimentary sweat towel.
Caribou Coffee will be serving up free fruit smoothies. Enjoy a drink on Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar's patio.Caribou Coffee will be serving up free fruit smoothies. Enjoy a drink on Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar's patio.

June 29th, 2013
Downtown Farmer's Market
7am to noon

June 29 - 30, 2013
ArtsFest Midwest: The Other Art Show
Iowa State Fairgrounds' Varied Industries Building, Des Moines
Sat 10 - 6 p.m.; Sun 10 - 5 p.m.
Admission: Free

June 29, 2013
Iowa Barnstormers vs. San Antonio Talons
Wells Fargo Arena at Iowa Events Center, Des Moines
7:05 p.m.

June 30, 2013
Sunday Tunes @ Summerset Winery
Music by Abby Normal, Food by Local Yocals

June 30, 2013
Live At The Creek Kickoff with Decoy & Fireworks

Join us for “Live at the Creek” summer concert series, presented by Stivers, every Sunday from 5 – 8pm at Jordan Creek Town Center! Enjoy live music from the amphitheater or one of the five lakeside patio restaurants, and a wine & beer garden next to the amphitheater. “Live at the Creek” summer concert series is a great way to spend your Sunday evenings. Admission is free and will feature crowd favorites including Decoy, The Tony Valdez Large Band & Retro Rockets, Boomerang, Final Mix, Flipside, and Pianopalooza. Jordan Creek Town Center, “Live at the Creek” FREE summer concert series, Sundays 5-8pm, June 30th through September 1st. Time: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm, Location: Lake District

July 1st, 2013
Dishcrawl Des Moines - Celebrate Des Moines Independence from boring food.
Landing on the week where our nation celebrates it’s independence, we have set up a Dishcrawl adventure for you. This Dishcrawl takes place in the western part of Down Town Des Moines. Whether it be a twist on a traditional favorite, or exciting new dish at a Des Moines treasure, you don’t want to miss out on this Dishcrawl! 

This event is presented by your local favorite blog, Eat, Play, Love Des Moines. “Looking for fun, fresh places to go in Des Moines? We are giving you reviews of the best places to eat, play and enjoy Des Moines. We'll show you things to do you never even knew existed! We know you'll love Des Moines too!”
It's a guessing game! We’re keeping the names of the restaurants we will be visiting a secret for now, but here and there we’ll give you some hints. Follow us on Twitter @dishcrawldsm and be the first to know!
Where to Meet Us: All ticket holders will be notified of meeting location via email, 48 hours prior to the event.

June 8-July 14

Family Summer Camp at Bass Pro Shops Altoona Iowa

Noon to 5 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday Free crafts, special workshops for kids, and activities! The fun starts at noon (unless otherwise noted)! Activities: Our new Daisy BB Gun inflatable shooting range The fabulous FREE wildlife carousel Casting Buckets Soft Foam Shooting Arcade Workshops (See schedule below) Crafts (different craft each week) 12 – 2 p.m. Homemade Ice Cream - Saturdays only 5-6 p.m. Each child will receive ONE free lanyard (while supplies last) and then earn a FREE pin at the end of each workshop they attend. Here's the workshop schedule: Tuesdays Noon - Bird Watching 1:00 - Fishing 2:00 - Archery 3:00 - Outdoor Discovery 4:00 - Backyard Adventure Thursdays Noon -Archery 1:00 - Shooting & Hunting 2:00 - Wildlife Exploration 3:00 - Water Safety 4:00 - Camping Saturdays Noon - Fishing 1:00 - Water Safety 2:00 - Hunting & Shooting 3:00 - Outdoor Discovery 4:00 - Bird Watching Sundays Noon - Hunting & Shooting 1:00 - Archery 2:00 - Wildlife Adventure 3:00 - Camping 4:00 - Backyard Adventure

Follow us on FACEBOOK HERE for the most current updates and happenings =)

Des Moines Arts Festival

Don't miss this year's Art Festival!  This is an awesome annual event and the 2013 Des Moines Art Festival will be held June 28th (11am-10pm), June 29th (10am-10pm-fireworks at 10pm) and June 30th (10am-5pm) in Downtown Des Moines' Western Gateway Park.

This Art Festival is one of the best in the nation and it's FREE!  Of course you'll want to purchase some yummy food from the vendors and maybe even some art. But, perusing is free!  There are some events you can sign up for in advance for a fee like canvas painting classes as well.

There is music, dancing, games and art projects for kids, food, lots of fun and of course great art!

Check out the Des Moines Art Festival's website for more info about the festival, lodging if you're coming from out of town and more.

This is a really fun event to experience Des Moines and all of the local talent, a bunch of local restaurant offerings and see the beautiful sculpture garden downtown.  Check it out!  A very family-friendly, awesome event!

Free (& really cheap) classes for kids and adults @ Michaels!

Every month Micheals stores hold free (some include a small fee, $2 for supplies) craft classes for kids in their stores.  Just click on the link here and choose your store to see the schedule for the Michaels store in your area.  

Below is the May schedule for the West Des Moines store on 22nd street, but just choose the store nearest to you for the classes in your area!  

FREE Family Craft Time Free, Materials Included
Create a thoughtful bouquet for Mother's Day. Dads, Cre8time with your kids to craft something special for Mom.
Mon May 6, 5:00pm - 7:00pm

FREE Family Craft Time Free, Materials Included
Make a gift Mom is sure to appreciate long after her special day. Dad's Cre8time with your kids to craft something special for Mom. Create a FREE coupon book for Mom this Mother's Day.
Tue May 7, 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Kids Club - Mother's Day Heart Necklace $2.00, Materials Included Kids, make a lasting impression on Mom with a heartfelt Mother's Day thumbprint necklace. It's just $2 per child, for 30 minutes of crafting fun. All supplies are included. Register for a session every half hour from 10am to 11:30am.
Sat May 11, 10:00am - 12:00pm

Kids Club - Celebrate Your Hero $2.00, Materials Included
Kids, celebrate your hero with creativity! Create a thoughtful badge and certificate for your favorite hero while Mom shops. Just $2 per child, for 30 minutes of crafting fun. All supplies are included. Register for a session every half hour from 10am to 11:30 am.
Sat May 18, 10:00am - 12:00pm

Kids Club - Craft Your Own Superhero $2.00, Materials Included
Kids, get creative with your favorite hero! Make a crafty replica of someone you look up to while Mom shops! It's just $2 per child, for 30 minutes of crafting fun. All supplies are included. Register for a session every half hour from 10am to 11:30am. See an associate to reserve your spot today!
Sat May 25, 10:00am - 12:00pm 

They also hold lots of adult classes for free or for a fee that you can find on the same schedule!  Some of them look really fun!  Scrapbooking or cake decorating anyone?

Ps. Michaels is also a great places to hold a kids arts and crafts birthday party!

Chick-fil-a Family Nights

Looking for anther FREE family activity in your neighborhood?

Check out Chick-fil-a's Family Nights!  The Family Nights are held at the Chick-fil-a at Paradise Point (The one on Mills Civic in West Des Moines-not in the mall) usually on the 1st Monday of every month.  Check out their facebook page here to be kept up to date on the latest events.

Some upcoming Family activities for 2014 include:

January 28th 5pm-7:30pm- Calling all Super Heroes!  Grab Your Cape and come see Batman and Spiderman.

Family Night Events include a craft, visits from the Chick-fil-a cow and theme related activities.  Registration is not necessary for the monthly activities, but may be required for special events such as the "Mother-Son-Date-Knight" that was held in April, a super fun FREE event that included ice cream, goodie bags, entertainment and more.

*All dates and activities are subject to change. "Like" them on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on events.

Family Nights - Valley West Mall

The Valley West Mall in West Des Moines offers a Monthly Family Night free of charge!  Activities include face painting, crafts, inflatables and character visits.  The events can be pretty crowded, so we recommend getting there early.  The face painting line is usually the longest, so if you think your kid will want their face painted, it's a good idea to get in that line first.

The events are from 6pm to 8pm on the selected Tuesday nights, and the calendar they have right now includes the following dates for 2013:

Tuesday, May 28th: Meet Sleeping Beauty
Tuesday, June 25th
Tuesday, July 30th
Tuesday, August 27th: Magic and Comedy shows
Tuesday, September 24th: The Little Mermaid
Tuesday, October 29th: Trick or Treat night

If you need more info, you can contact the mall's guest services at 515-225-3632

If you are looking for something free and fun, check out Family Night at the Valley West Mall.  It will be crowded, but the kiddos always have fun.

Creative Treasures

I have two boys and therefore don't get as much "crafting/creating" time as I wish I had. I'm blessed with three goddaughters who are perfect for doing such outings with!

I gave one goddaughter a gift certificate for Creative Treasures in Ankeny for her Christmas present. We also took my oldest son (6yrs) with us and we had a blast! The staff was very helpful and their projects turned out beautifully. 

Here's the basics. First, you pick out your project. Do you want to make a mug, plate, cup, magnet, wine holder, or something a big more complicated? Then you select your paints and paint your masterpiece taking as much time as you need. Next, leave it for the staff to fire it in their kiln. One week later you pick up your creation and take it home to enjoy. 

They also have a jewelry-making area. I've used this area before to make a grandmother's bracelet for my mom. And I used them again after the latest grand-baby was born. I took back the original bracelet, added the new name/birthstone, and they restrung it for me (at a small cost). 

Need a birthday party idea? Check out Creative Treasures! Need a wedding gift idea? Check out Creative Treasures!

Hint: 

Jewelry Section--
thousands of beads!

• Be sure to check their weekly schedule. Some days they have free or 1/2 price studio fees which can save a lot of money. 
• Need collegiate or high school accessories? They had some ideas that would be great gifts for any type of fans. 

Paint Selection

Party Area

Finished Projects!