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traveling home to iowa family time state fair food

traveling home to iowa family time state fair food
By Admin

Traveling Home to Iowa: Family Time & State Fair Food

Some of you have been reading my blog for the past fifteen years, and you know I spent much of my childhood and teen years in Iowa. My parents were military, and when my dad retired, we settled in my mom’s hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa. Even though I don’t live there anymore, I still love Ottumwa. It’s not the same as when I was a kid, but it always fills me with nostalgia when I visit. We always make sure to stop by my favorite spots like Grahams, The Canteen, and my grandma’s house.

I’m excited to share this travel recap blog with you today because it’s about one of my favorite places. Next month, I’ll be sharing blogs from Germany and Italy, but deep down, I know they won’t be as special as this one—a place that will always hold a special place in my heart.

Watch this blog come to life in my video diary!


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My mother-in-law flew in on Wednesday to help care for my son while Kyle worked. My mom and I headed to the airport at 4:45 AM for a Des Moines, Iowa flight! I used my flight points with Southwest, which meant we had to take a flight with a stop in Denver. It’s not always easy to find direct flights into Iowa with Southwest. However, my mom and I had fun traveling together, giving me time to drink coffee, read my book, catch up on blogs, and relax. I don’t get much of that as a mom at home; I’m either working or handling mom duties. It was a nice break!

I started A Court of Wings and Ruin and love it so far. Many people told me they didn’t like the third book, but it has hooked me. There is so much to soak in while reading this series, so I’m trying to take my time and savor every chapter. Another girl was reading this book on my flight, and we totally gave each other that look, like we were both wearing the same team shirt.
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When we landed in Denver, we had a few hours to waste. I planned on editing my apple crisp recipe, and we picked up some breakfast to split since we were both getting hungry. We stopped at Modern Market Eatery and ordered the omelet with cheddar cheese, kale, peppers, tomatoes, bacon, ham, toast, and potatoes. Their lunch menu looked really good, so I highly recommend stopping there if you’re in the Denver airport.
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Surety Hotel in Downtown Des Moines, Iowa

In the late afternoon, we finally made it to Des Moines, Iowa, and headed to the Surety Hotel Downtown for the night. We planned to grab dinner and hit the pillow early to wake up, work out, and get ready for a road trip to Ottumwa, Iowa, to see my grandma.

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