Take me out to the Baaaaalllll Game!

The ICubs start playing home games this weekend! Woohoo!  To show off the new locker rooms for the home and away teams, they hosted an open house for the public this weekend.  What a fun event!


 It was certainly crowded since they gave away free hot dogs, chips an drinks AND free tickets to a home game in April, but it was really cool to get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes areas.  We got to check out their gym, the indoor batting cages, the dug outs, the Cub Club and see Cubbie Bear too.  

They said the event was such a hit, they will surely be repeating the event in the future.  Make sure you like us on facebook and we'll you updated when we get any news.




If you haven't been to an ICubs game, they are very family-friendly.  They shoot prizes from cannons between innings and Cubbie Bear always makes an appearance. Make sure to bring a swimsuit or change of clothes for the kids on warmer days to splash in the fountain.  



Tickets to games are very affordable, general admission seats are about $10. They often run groupons for discounted admission and they have package deals as well.  Check out all of the options here.

Skyboxes are a fun way to watch the game with a group, so if you have the opportunity to check out a game in a skybox, do it! Great idea for an adult birthday party!

They also do kids birthday parties!  How fun would that be for your kid to take friends to a ball game, play in the kids jungle-gym area and eat hots dogs together and watch the game.

"Like" their facebook page for updates on events, tickets specials, etc.  And make sure to catch a game this season!

FREE classes at Scheels for kids!

I just found out about the Scheels Kids Klub!  Scheels offers free classes for kids on a number of different topics for 4-12 year olds a few times per month.  It looks like all of the Scheels stores offer the kids club, but I'm specifically referring to the schedule at the West Des Moines/Jordan Creek Mall location.

They do anything from fudge making, fishing 101, bike safety and holiday events and more.  All free!

They start at 6pm on the designated night and they last about an hour.  Parents are invited to stay, or shop for the hour.  Kids are also treated to a piece of fudge during the class.  These classes sound really fun!

Here is the upcoming schedule of classes.  Just make sure the Des Moines store is selected.  You can also pick up a schedule of the classes at the coffee shop on the first floor of the store.  You can sign up at the customer service desk or call 515-727-4065 to register.  Kids meet at the large tree in the middle of the store and then are taken to the activity for the evening.

What a cool way to introduce kids to new sports, have fun and give Mom and Dad a break!  Check it out!

The schedule hasn't been updated for 2014 yet, but Dec 13th @ 6:00pm is the kick off party! Call to register!

Where Monkeys Hang

While the thought of tons of jumping kids in one place makes me cringe a little, kids just love Monkey Joe's in West Des Moines.  And I've come to accept that Money Joe's isn't so bad when it comes to play places for kids in town.  For $8-$10, your kid can have hours of fun jumping and then hopefully an early nap or bed-time as a reward for Mommy and Daddy.

I've been impressed with the safety measures each time we've visited.  They have a parent and their children wear wrist bands and they check your band to make sure they match up with your kids every time you enter or exit.  They seem to be really good about this.

They have cubbies for shoes and jackets and they make each child wear socks.  The store is generally clean and the inflatables are fun and they have a few to cater to each age group.

They have a small arcade area in the back, and I like that it's in the back because it's a little bit out of site and it keeps my kid from asking for quarters every two seconds.

They offer a selection of pizza, wings, candy, etc. if you or the kids get hungry.  The prices are comparable to other place places in town and the pizza is pretty good.

We have been impressed with the birthday parties we've attended too.  You get your own room that is "color-coded" so kids know which room to return to to get something or food, etc.  The inflatable chair that the birthday kid gets to sit in is always a hit and Monkey Joe even makes an appearance to give the birthday kid a gift.  They offer pizza, cake and drinks and prices for parties run from $149 to $289 depending on how many kids you have and if you have your party on a weekday or weekend.

Check out the calendar here, for daily specials like Facebook Fan Monday and Two Fer Tuesdays.  They also run coupons on sites like groupon and living social occasionally, so keep an eye out for that.

The most delicious shed in town...

One of the first places I recommend for Des Moines area visitors to check out, is the Machine Shed Restaurant.  It's in Urbandale, right off of Hickman road.

What an awesome place to give visitors a taste of Iowa.  Tractor rides, farm-fresh food and Iowa souvenirs all in one place.  You can of course make this your meal break on a trip to Living History Farms too since it's right next door.

The family-friendly restaurant has something to please everyone.  It's not your typical fare either.  Breakfast specialties include over-sized cinnamon rolls, carrot cake pancakes and much more.  If you tell them that "You love eggs" they'll add in an extra egg to your order for free.

They do a fantastic weekend brunch that is only about $11 and includes endless hash-brown casserole (amazing), bacon, eggs, sausage, waffles, pancakes, pastries, fruit, etc. Kids are a reduced price.

The from-scratch gravies, sauces and sides for the lunch and dinner items make them extra special.  Look for Iowa-chops and beef entrees. The salad bar is good and heck, everything is good!  Ultimate comfort food.

 If you want to impress visitor for a casual, Iowa-inspired meal, take them here.  We've never had a bad meal at the Machine Shed.

PS. They've also just started doing cooking classes for adults and kids!  The kids classes are FREE and the adult classes are only $20 and includes dinner!.  They look super fun!  Here is the info.

Teddy Bear Connection

We had a great experience the other day at The Teddy Bear Connection at the Merle Hay mall.  I thought the items were a little more reasonably priced than some of the other stores that offer these bears in the area.  If you've never been to a "Make your own Teddy Bear" type place, kids pick an animal to stuff, name, dress and bring home.

They have a large selection of bears/animals that are only $9.99.  Nathan picked the dinosaur which was one of the 8" bear choices for $9.99.  It wasn't too small at all.  

The staff was very helpful and friendly.  They let him help to stuff the bear, add a sound ($3.99 if you choose to add it) and they had him make a wish and add a heart to the bear.  They let you pick the name of the new stuffed friend and the birth certificate is included. You can buy a small box for only $.99 if you want one.

You can stop there or add some clothes to your new friend.  The outfit for the 8" bears were about $8 for a set.  My son was so excited about his new dinosaur that he didn't care if he was dressed, but I know some kids would be more insistent that they get an outfit, so keep that in mind.  The salesperson was not pushy at all which was great.  They also had some seasonal items at the front desk that were marked down.  

We've been to birthday parties before at bear-building places and they are always fun, but can get pricey.  I think The Teddy Bear Connection would be a great option for a birthday party at $9.99 per child for a bear. With no other costs of you want to keep it at that.  You can of course choose to let kids add more items to their bear for added costs.  You can bring your own cake and drinks and they have a party area right in the store.  

We have had great experiences at most bear-building stores, but we especially liked the prices at The Teddy Bear Connection.  Check it out.

Tip: If you "like" them on Facebook, they often run specials and have contests for free bears.

Chocolate, Chocolate everywhere!

I'm not sure why I've never stopped into the Chocolate Storybook on Grand Ave in West Des Moines before.  I've driven by 1000 times and always say that I'm going to stop in (when the kids are in school of course). Probably the sheer fact that I know how many calories would be consumed if I dared to enter.

But I took the plunge and went in the other day.  This store is so cute!  It's been there since 1985 and it looks more like an ordinary house from the outside, but the inside is floor to ceiling chocolaty goodness.

The store is welcoming and the staff is happy to point you in the right direction.  They have lots of choices for gifts, celebrations, graduations, sports-themes, etc.  And they of course deck the store out to celebrate the upcoming holiday.  Since I stopped in right before Easter they were doing personalized fudge and hollow (filled with chocolate candies)  Easter eggs.  Very cute!  And who doesn't love gift with their name on it?!  I picked up some chocolate-covered oreos and some dark & milk-chocolate bunnies.  So good!

The chocolate items are handmade and they pride themselves on using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients.  You can't go wrong with anything in the store really.

Tip: Check out the website before you head over.  It can be overwhelming to chose what you want since the store is packed with items.  Most of the items found in the store can be found online, so get an idea of what you are looking for and the prices first so it's not so overwhelming when you get there. You can even pre-order personalized items right online and indicate when you'd like to pick them up!  Makes things much easier =)

Also, if you sign up for the e-mail list, they will e-mail you a coupon for your next purchase online or in the store.

Check them out for gifts, the next holiday or event or just because you need some chocolate. So good!

Let out your inner cowboy (or girl) at Pizza Ranch!

There are a few Pizza Ranches in the area, including Ankeny, Altoona, Indianola and Waukee.  While Pizza Ranch is a chain, I love how much they do for the community.  They are always doing fundraising events to support local schools, sports, churches and other community organizations.  They donate a portion of a nights sales, or let the organization participants clear tables to earn tips that go to the organization.  Very cool.

They have a lot of selection on the buffet and you can request pizza toppings to be prepared for the buffet as well.  They also offer gluten-free pizza and take allergies seriously.

The environment is fun and very family-friendly.  We are fans of the cactus bread on the dessert table. Yum!  It's strudel and fruit-topping pizza and goes great with the vanilla ice cream also on the buffet.

The fried chicken is also popular and I've even witnessed fights over pieces of fresh chicken as it comes out from the kitchen.  Ok, maybe not actual fights, but people are really passionate about this chicken I tell you.

There are some online coupons here.  And the full menu can be viewed right on the website.

For a reasonably priced family meal, check out your nearest Pizza Ranch.  The kids will love it and you may just like it too.  You pay at the counter and can immediately start getting your food, so no waiting for hungry kiddos.  The food is pretty good and if you go on a fundraising night, you might be supporting a good cause too.  Check it out.