Siouxland Families

I love outdoor art, from sculptures to murals and even colorful graffiti, and there's a surprising amount in the Siouxland area! If you can't resist posing in front of a trendy mural, love digging into the history of an old store logo, are inspired by statues that draw your eyes to the skies, and smile when you see funky spray paint designs in a surprising place, here's where to look in Sioux City, Sioux Falls, and other Siouxland communities:   Outdoor Art in Sioux City  Trinity Heights Trinity Heights on Sioux City's North Side showcases a wide variety of Catholic religious art, including 30-foot tall statues of Mary and Jesus made of steel by artist Dale Lamphere (who also created Dignity of Earth and Sky in Chamberlain, SD.) For more information, check out my post about visiting Trinity Heights . Downtown Sculpture Series The Sioux City Art Center has a large collection of outdoor sculptures, and while some are on display on the museum grounds, many others are place

Late summer in the midwest can mean high temps and high humidity, and those are the perfect conditions for some intense storms! While we can't control nature, there are some things we can do to help keep our families safe in a storm. I got to chat a bit with Ashley Ware, an insurance expert with 17 years of experience, who is now the CFO of  $ Aware , a claims consulting business in the Kansas City metro area. She's also a proud mother of 3, and Ashley and her husband have spent many storms in the basement with their own kids. Based on her advice and some other tips from around the web, here's how parents can plan for those thunderstorms that tend to come with high winds, and sometimes hail and even tornadic activity: Stay informed Watch for storm predictions from local weather. While many storms fizzle out or aren't a big deal, keep an eye for the ones that look like they are likely to be big problems so you aren't caught by surprise. Some of the best resources for

One of the fun things I've discovered in the past two years is how many Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota attractions, agencies, and businesses have free printable worksheets, activity sheets, coloring sheets, or other fun for kids on their websites! These fun printables are great for any kid, including kids who are homeschooling, planning a trip to one of these sites, to supplement learning in school, or just to color and complete for fun! So here are some of the best I've found, and I'll update this post as I find more:  Lots of free printable activity sheets from the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center & Betty Strong Encounter Center featuring information about the Corps of Discovery and Lewis & Clark Expedition. Loess Hills Coloring Book from the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway Railroad Activity Book from the Iowa DOT includes dot-to-dot, word scramble, crossword puzzle, coloring pages, and more. Word searches and farm animal coloring sheets from Living

**This post now updated to reflect 2023 information** Scarecrow Farm in Lawton, Iowa is hosting their annual Sunflower Days (Previously called Sunflower Festival) this September! Here's the scoop on how Siouxland area families and visitors can enjoy this fun event: When is Sunflower Days? Sunflower Days 2024 will be held on weekends in September including: September 7th & 8th September 14th &15th September 21st & 22nd Where is Sunflower Days? Sunflower Days is held at Scarecrow Farm at 1592 Charles Avenue in Lawton, Iowa, about 10 minutes past the Sioux City Menards on Highway 20. There is ample free parking at Scarecrow Farm. What can you do at Sunflower Days? At Sunflower Days at Scarecrow Farm, there will be a wide variety of fun, including: Lots of sunflowers! The center circle of Scarecrow Farm where pumpkins ready to buy are placed during pumpkin season has been taken over as a sunflower field, plus there are several more acres of sunflowers

 Sioux City is notorious as the place of death of the only member of the Corps of Discovery--Sgt. Charles Floyd-- and to commemorate the occasion, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center has long held various events on the anniversary of his death, such as reenactments and a memorial encampment. But beginning in 2021, the center is upping their game and having an entire week of events, now known as Sgt. Floyd Week! William Clark with Meriweather Lewis and his newfoundland Seaman When is Sgt. Floyd Week? The first annual Sgt. Floyd Week is August 15th through 22nd, 2021. Events will be happening at various times throughout each day! Where is Sgt. Floyd Week? Almost all of the events happening on Sgt. Floyd Week are at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and Betty Strong Encounter Center, along the Missouri Riverfront at 900 Larsen Park Road, and in front of the Sergeant Floyd Riverboat Museum and Welcome Center, which is just across the parking lot