We "Camped" in a Yurt!

We took the kids yurt camping! Camping is a loose term here.

Yurts are semi-permanent structures, and they kind of remind me of a circus tent. They're becoming a little common in state parks throughout the country, and I thought it would be a good way to stay overnight at a state park with the kids. The yurts have bunk beds, a futon that folds out into a full bed, and electricity. There's also a facility located there with a flushing toilet, running water, and a shower. It was a perfect weekend getaway with two little kids.

The only public yurts in Iowa are these two at McIntosh Woods State Park, which is in the northern part of Iowa (about halfway between Des Moines and Minneapolis). The state park itself is pretty small, but it's located on Clear Lake, which is large & beautiful. We could see the lake from our yurt! I wrote about our yurt camping adventures on my travel blog, here.

Pella Tulip Time!

Spring is here, and we decided to enjoy the day down in Pella for their annual Dutch festival called Pella Tulip Time. If you're ever in Iowa in early May, be sure to check out this fun & inexpensive event. I blogged about the day trip here, but here is our day in pictures:

MONSTER Jammies!

I got a coupon code a couple of days ago in an email from Children's Place for 40% off, plus free shipping (no minimum). I picked out sunglasses for Jo, which came to $1.70, as well as a T-shirt for her that was under $4 after the code. Then, I went to search for spring jammies, since the kids really only have winter pajamas that fit them. I saw these monster pajamas and knew they'd be a big hit! They're normally $12, but I got them for about $7. I placed the order Tuesday night, and they already arrived today! I don't think I'd ever ordered from the Children's Place before (I gave them my email when I found a pair of clearance pajamas in their store last month), but I'll have to remember to order from them in the future.