Siouxland Families

In light of all the recent AI advances and their prevalence across the internet, especially on blogs and social media pages, I have investigated these tools and spent a lot of time and thought determining what place they might have in my writing and content. And upon this reflection, I pledge to: not use AI-generated images or written content on my blog or social media platforms to notify you my readers if I change this policy at some point in the future I have been watching AI explode as a tool in the blogging, advertising, and social media content creation spaces in recent months, and while it's impressive what AI can do, I also feel like its inherently incompatible with the core of what I want to offer as a writer, and what I like to consume as a reader and viewer. I haven't used AI to generate the images or text for my books, on this site, or for my social media channels, and I plan to keep it that way. I want to produce content that is authentic, accurate , and creative.

I'm thrilled to announce that I am the newest member of the  Shop Iowa Squad ! Each year, Shop Iowa looks for Iowans to help spread the word about the great finds available on the Shop Iowa site and I was chosen this year which means I'll get a few freebies, plus a lot of great info AND a coupon code for you! But what is Shop Iowa, what are these great finds, and what is Shop Iowa Day? I'm excited to tell you all about it: image courtesy of Shop Iowa What is Shop Iowa? Basically, Shop Iowa is a website that lets makers and stores from around the state list their items on their own pages, making it easier for the customers who want to shop local and the shops who want to sell to them find each other. Like a cool craft fair, but one that you can browse from your own couch anytime! What can you buy from Shop Iowa? ornaments from Donna Rae on Shop Iowa The myriad stores that sell on Shop Iowa offer a huge variety. Not everything sold fits nea

If the kids in your life are fans of tractors and farm themed books, they're going to love  The Tractor Squad by Heather Dawn Torres. In great news for Sioux City readers, Torres will be appearing in person at Book People so we can meet her and discover this cute book. Here's what you should know about Torres and The Tractor Squad : cover of The Tractor Squad, image courtesy of Heather Dawn Torres About author Heather Dawn Torres author photo courtesy of Heather Dawn Torres Heather Dawn Torres is an Omaha-based author and mom who grew up on a northwest Iowa farm and says she sometimes used books as a way to get out of chores!  The Tractor Squad is her first book, and a sequel, The Tractor Squad Saves the Day is scheduled for release in April 2025 You can learn more about Torres and her books on her author website . About the Tractor Squad The Tractor Squad is a brand-new picture book about a friendly group of tractors, released on September 3, 2024. It i

Sierra just opened a brand-new location in Sioux City on September 14th, 2024! This exciting brand is bringing fantastic deals on outdoor gear and other things active families want and need and I'm excited to share all about it in this sponsored post. Here's what Siouxland shoppers should know about Sierra:  What is the Sioux City Sierra store? Sierra is a new discount outdoors store from the same parent company as TJ Maxx and HomeGoods. Sierra features high quality apparel and gear for all kinds of adventures, like hiking, watersports, and camping. They also have pet care items, home decor, toys, and other surprise finds that are perfect for outdoorsy families. Expect top brands and quality for great prices at Sierra! Where is the Sioux City Sierra store? The Sierra store in Sioux City is located at 5751 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City, IA 51106. There is free parking in the lot that Sierra shares with Marshall's and Ulta. If you're travelling, t

Grab your coziest boots and sweaters (or maybe a pumpkin t-shirt for this year's weather!), 'cause it's time to celebrate fall! Every year, businesses and attractions around Sioux City join in the same weekend in October to have autumnal fun, and from the sounds of things, 2024 might be the best year yet ( sidenote: this post was originally published in 2021 and is now updated with 2024 details.)  Sioux City Fall Festival 2024 will be Saturday October 12th and Sunday October 13th, and here are some of the fun fall and Halloween themed events you can look forward to happening in Sioux City that weekend:

The Spot Espresso Bar and Cafe is THE spot to go for a treat in Akron, Iowa. I got to stop by the Spot in September, and I'm excited to spread the word about it! Here's what you should know about the Spot next time you're going to or through Akron: Where is the Spot The Spot Espresso Bar and Cafe is located at 351 Highway 12 in Akron, Iowa. It is right across the street from the Akron City Park where community events like the Great Akron Scarecrow Festival is held ,and shares a building with Rise Fitness. There is a large lot with free parking for customers at Rise Fitness and the Spot. Drinks at the Spot Espresso Bar and Cafe As you might guess from the name, the Spot Espresso Bar and Cafe has an extensive menu of espresso-based drinks, but also other coffee and tea drinks, smoothies, and energy drinks. I had a mocha frappe and also tried a sample of their cold brew coffee with foam, and they were both well-made, but very d

This is a bit different sort of post than what I usually put up here. But I love writing. And one of the many things I love to write about here is kids' books! I think it's so fun to see the creative books other authors come up with and spread the word about them. But I also have a dream of writing my own, and this month to stretch my writing skills, I decided to participate in a fun little contest called " Fall Writing Frenzy " where writers are invited to write an autumn themed short (super short, under 200 words!) piece based on their choice from several inspiration photos.  I was charmed by a darling little hedgehog, and I came up with this idea for a nonfiction picture book about fall food. I found it very interesting to research, because to be honest, I hadn't really ever looked into whether the leaves turn beautiful colors in Australia (they do!) or if they eat pumpkin-based foods in fall in Chile while we are celebrating spring here (they do!) If this was