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Lark Ranch – The Best Place To Experience Fall In Greenfield, Indiana
I’ve lived in Indiana my whole life. I won’t tell you exactly how long that is, but let me assure you, it’s quite a while. As a life long Hoosier, I pride myself on knowing what is going on in my own backyard. But every once in a while, something like this pops up and it’s new. And after I experience it for the first time, I wonder how the heck I’ve gone so long without it.
Enter Lark Ranch.
Lark Ranch is a family farm that actually has two locations, one in Greenfield and one in Loogootee. While I have plans to visit their second location, I haven’t been there (yet!) but their location in Greenfield has left us awestruck.
When you arrive to the Ranch, it is in a place, just that you would expect: surrounded by cornfields. Pulling in, our kids were immediately excited.
Immediately into the ranch, we were greeted with fun things to do. One thing our kids immediately gravitated to were the ginormous chairs. Furniture you are encouraged to climb on?! What?!
But the giant furniture goes well with the life size birdhouses they have! Isn’t this playground fun? Speaking of playgrounds, throughout the main areas, there are tons of place for kids to play. There are tires to climb on, giant ‘blobs’ to bounce on (like trampolines!), and gems to mine.
What else do they have to play on? A giant slide
(Insider tip….if you ride on the grey carpets you will fly down!)
Tractor pedal cars (that clearly adults love too)
A swing ride
Jumpers
A rock wall
Train rides
A corn maze
A fire pit and SO much more!
Lark Ranch is also home to a really great pumpkin patch! Take the train ride and find the perfect pumpkin.
And the animals!!
We can’t forget the animals! Turkeys run loosely around the ranch. And they also have lots of chickens.
You can find the horse grazing, but he will come up to the fence and let you pet him! So will the donkeys! There are also several sheep in a pen that walked right up to us.
The pig pen was a popular spot with our family.
While we were all in love with this lady here,
Her piglets totally stole the show!
And they come running when they saw us!
In all, our first Lark Ranch adventure was amazing. And we can’t wait to head back for our next fall expedition! Admission is only $12, making it a really affordable way for our family to get away. And you really do feel miles away. I’m so excited to share with everyone our Lark Ranch experience!
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Disclaimer: My family was invited to experience Lark Ranch, but we were in no way compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. I wrote this article simply because we loved them so much, that I wanted to share!
Market District Grocery Store + GetGo = Big savings!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Market District & GetGo for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
A while ago my mom asked me if I wanted to go shopping. Of course I said yes. Who doesn’t love shopping? When I got over to her house I asked her where she wanted to go. “Market District. It’s the new grocery store in Carmel.” 
What? She wanted to go grocery shopping? That’s not what I was expecting! But you guys! Have you been? Because this was the most amazing grocery store I think I’ve ever been to! A true foodies dream! 
When we first walked in I thought to myself ‘This store is so pretty!’ I loved the details (like this free produce stand for kids!), how light the store was and it smelled AMAZING. (Tip: This is not a store you want to shop at while hungry!) 
My second thought was, ‘Oh man. This store must be expensive.’ But I was so wrong! To my surprise, the groceries were priced the same as my normal grocery store. And this store has some major perks! 
One, their selection is amazing. And on top of that, it’s all amazing quality. Their produce, meat and their bakery were all 100% top notch! 
Two, they have tons of ‘specialty’ items that I can’t find in my other grocery store. An olive oil station, fresh pasta, and so much more. 
Third, they have a huge variety! 
Fourth, if you are an allergy sufferer or you have one in your family, there is a big section just for you! Some stores have gluten free areas…but they are pitiful! Market District has a great selection and they are really awesome with their signage. 
Fifth, it’s fun! They even have a sweet section with the most amazing gelato. MOST.AMAZING. 
Sixth and Seventh are all rolled into one here. They have awesome staff who are around the store just to help you. Can’t find something? They will get it for you! Need to sign up for fuelperks+? They will get you taken care of before you check out! (And yes, feulperks + is number 7 on our list!) I signed up for my card and it took literally 15 seconds. 
What is fuelperks+? introducing fuelperks + : an awesome reward system that allows you to earn rewards on things like your groceries (even with their Curbside Express online orders!), gift cards, your prescriptions, health/beauty products, purchases at their in-store Starbucks or their signature restaurant, dry cleaning by Dress For Success, or purchases inside GetGo including their made to order subs, burgers and your fuel purchases. WHEW! Lots of places to earn rewards! 
Now, what exactly are you earning? FREE groceries OR FREE fuel! How awesome right! For every $50 you spend at Market District and GetGo you earn 2% off a future grocery order or 10 cents off per gallon of fuel. You can save your perks and add them up to save even more – up to 100% off a $100 grocery order or a free tank of gas (up to 20 gallons). 
If you use choose to have your prescriptions filled at Market District you will get the choice of 5% off a future grocery purchase or 25 cents off per gallon of fuel! Don’t forget to take advantage of their perks on gift cards! Earn 10 cents off per gallon at GetGo or 2% off future grocery purchases. Be sure to check out the fuelperks + video for more information!
There are honestly so many ways to save on top of Market District’s great prices! Deals on groceries….specialty items I can’t get anywhere else….plus the option to earn free groceries/fuel? I’m in! After our quick trip, I’ve already earned 10 cents off a gallon on our gas! WOO HOO!
Indiana, RFRA and Why It’s Partially My Fault
I have never written anything like this. Normally it’s all rainbow pancakes, fashion tips for women and new recipes to try out at dinner. But I’ve never felt like this.
I’ve never felt ashamed of my home. Embarrassed. And sad. Until this past week.
And I’m partially to blame.
Now, don’t think I have a crazy ego or that I have some sort of power over the government. I don’t.
But I will admit that I didn’t vote. I said that I didn’t know enough about the canidates to make a decision.
Baloney. I could have found out. I could have put in the effort. And I didn’t. And I now regret it.
For me, personally, the biggest problem of the RFRA has nothing to do with what is in it or what isn’t in it. It’s over the fact that majority of people seem to be very much against it. But yet, the leaders who we chose to represent us voted it saying that it is something we would want.
And perhaps the people in office voted just the way that the people who voted them into office wanted them to. And if that’s the case, well, where was everyone else on election day? Why weren’t we voting someone into office that adequately represented our views?
I’m embarrassed because I feel like this bill does not reflect not only myself, but so many Hoosiers. I’m ashamed that it’s giving my home a reputation. And I’m sad because I feel as though it is lying about my faith.
My God would never say no to anyone. He wouldn’t turn someone away because of sin. He gave up everything for us so that we could gain everything in Heaven.
If a company doesn’t want to do business with someone because they’re gay due to religious beliefs, then I am not worthy to do business there either. I’m getting divorced. I had my son when I was young and unmarried. I’ve gotten angry and said things I don’t mean. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve done things that were wrong and not proud of. The hardest part for me in growing in my faith has been accepting that even though I’m not perfect and even though I am in no way worthy of it, God loves me anyway. He forgives me. He understands. He will never hold it against me. And while I may not think I’m worthy of it, God finds me worthy enough. I’ve been saved with the most amazing and compassionate grace. My God loves.
One thing that God calls us to do is show others our faith through our actions and to help bring others to God. I am so sad that I feel like this bill does the complete opposite. For those people who haven’t had the chance to have a relationship with the Lord, I sadly believe that things like this push them further away. They think that God doesn’t love all. And it’s the furthest thing from the truth.
I really hope and pray that Indiana lawmakers make this right. Our state has so much to be proud of. So much good. So many amazing people.
This RFRA doesn’t define our state. It does not define the Hoosiers who live here. And please know that it even though it is called a Religious Freedom bill, it doesn’t represent many people’s religion either.
You better believe that from here on out this woman will be educating herself on the candidates in office. She will be in line to vote. It’s time to take back our offices, get educated and put people in charge who will do their job correctly. They aren’t (well, they shouldn’t be) there to serve their own personal agenda. They should be able to say I made a mistake. They should put the views of their district, state, and/or country ahead of their own. They aren’t there to vote for themselves. They are there to make decisions for the people. Decisions that the people would make if they were able to be there themselves. The people we elect into office are called representatives for a reason – they should be representing us, our ideas and our vision.
And while I’m so sad and disappointed with the leaders of Indiana, I will still be here telling the world that I think Hoosiers are amazing people. That Indiana is a great place to live with some of the coolest shops, businesses and attractions. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover and so I just ask you that you don’t judge a state by a group of officials.
Hopefully if one positive thing comes from this mess (and yes, it’s a mess!) is that people like me recognize the significance on why we need to be out there voting!
You can register to vote here.
Indiana State Fair
I was super excited to get to go to the Indiana State Fair this year! I haven’t been in a LONG time! The weather was perfect, it wasn’t crowded, and it was filled with awesome food, great shows, really neat vendors and lots of bloggers! 🙂 Indiana’s Family of Farmers was nice enough to send bloggers to the fair to learn about the exhibits, farming and to experience first hand why farms matter!
When we got to the fair we were taken on a tour of the newly renovated Coliseum. It looked really awesome and it was really cool that they kept the original integrity of the building. When wee were in the Coliseum touring, some of the kids were showing their 4H cows. I never knew how much work went into showing animals! These kids have put in so much time and effort! It was really neat to watch.
Of course the State Fair had lots of animals! We walked around and looked (and fed!) them. How adorable is this baby goat?
One of the kid’s favorite exhibits was the Seed Survivor exhibit! We learned all about seeds, water and soil. The kids even got to plant their own Sunflowers to bring home! (Free event!)
There were tons of exhibits and hands on things for the kiddos!
Of course we had to head over to the Midway! What is a fair without rides? 🙂
Both of the boys really loved the BMX show! (Free event!)
And we couldn’t get out of the fair without stopping to see the tractors!
The whole time I was at the fair, I kept thinking, I can’t believe it’s taken us so long to get here! Why didn’t we do this last year!? If you are thinking of going this year here are some discounted days:
Tickets at the door are $20, but you can purchase tickets for just $10 online here.
You can also go on Tuesdays for only $2 admission.
Other ticket discounts:
8/7 – Indiana State Employee day. Employee’s get in free with ID.
8/7 – All military members and veterans get in free with their ID
8/14 – Free admission for AAA Members
Other discounts;
Tuesdays – $2 food specials, Rides $2 each
8/11 Wristbands only $15 for rides! Wristbands get you unlimited rides from noon-10 PM.
Thanks so much Indiana Family of Farmers for hosting us at this year’s State Fair!
Homemade Kale Chips with Sea Salt (Green BEAN Delivery Review and Coupon Code!)
I was so excited when Green BEAN Delivery emailed me a few weeks ago to see if I would be interested in reviewing their service. Organic produce? Delivered right to my door? YES, PLEASE!
The process is so simple. Simply go to Green Bean Delivery’s website and check to see if they service your area. Then, choose the size bin you would like to have delivered and how often you would like a delivery. In a few days you will get an email telling you to customize your bin. <— Awesome right? I love how you can choose what products you want to go in!
For us, this was perfect. It happened to be a summer camp week so I needed lots of fruits to pack for snacks! I chose the $35 bin (and yes, that price includes delivery! In fact there are NO membership fees! Plus you can use the code 15IAFLml for $15 off your first order! $20 for $35 worth of produce DELIVERED! Get it here!)
It was delivered on time and packed SO well. I was a little worried because well, it’s summer and hot! The order comes in a big plastic tote. Inside is a styrofoam cooler and ice pack. Perfect for keeping your produce nice and safe.
The produce quality was amazing! I was so impressed with it!
For fruit we got:
– Strawberries
– Blackberries
– Bananas
– Peaches
– Plums
– Nectarines
– Lemons (THESE are HUGE! Around here they are like gold!) 🙂
– Kiwis
– Apricots
– Pineapple
And for veggies:
-Broccoli
-Corn
-Kale
– Romaine Lettuce
I also loved how I could see what farms some of my produce came from! Pretty cool!
Green BEAN Delivery has more than just fruits and veggies! You can also have meat, cheese, eggs and other groceries delivered too!
Remember use the code 15IAFLml to get $15 off your first order! (Sign up for Green BEAN Delivery HERE!)
So the fruit got packed up in lunches for summer camp. But with the kale I made the most delicious homemade Kale Chips! If you have never had Kale Chips you are missing out! These have disappeared pretty quickly, but I was able to save a few to top on my Caesar salad at lunch and it was amazing!
This is SUCH an easy thing to make too! Seriously, one of the easiest recipes ever!
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Kale
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Cut your Kale into bite size pieces.
- Rinse it and run it through your salad spinner.
- Coat the Kale in olive oil.
- Spread a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. If you have a baking mat to put on the baking sheet those work perfectly too!
- Sprinkle with Sea Salt.
- Bake for 6 minutes and flip them over. Bake for an additional 5-6 minutes. Keep an eye on them, you don’t want them to burn!
- Let cool completely and enjoy!
http://itsafabulouslife.com/homemade-kale-chips-sea-salt-green-bean-delivery-review-coupon-code/
I did receive a complimentary Green BEAN Delivery box for compensation for this post. But please know, I really loved them! In fact, we plan to use them in the future!
2014 Health & Fitness Expo
When the Indy Geek Girls asked me to head over to the Channel 13’s 2014 Health and Fitness Expo I was pretty excited! We weren’t able to make it last year and I heard really awesome things about it. Before the expo started we chatted with the news team and even got to see their helicopter (and meet long time pilot Butch Bates!)
Inside, we were greeted by a few of the Colt’s Cheerleaders and got to see just how big and how many vendors were ready for us to explore!
There were lots of booths set up that did free health screenings. You can learn all about your blood pressure, BMI, even oral health screenings! This is a great place to start and can lead to new health goals or some important discussions with your doctor! (Here Josh was getting a scan of part of his nervous system! How cool! I didn’t even know they could do that!)
There was more than just health screenings! We learned a ton! And the booths were great for the whole family! At the Marian University booth they had tons of hands on activities to help teach about germs, the body and a glimpse inside the world of a doctor/nurse. Josh really loved finding the heart beats and pulse!
We also learned about proper helmet safety. Turns out that the helmet we used at home is to small! So we are off today to buy another one that fits properly.
(Want to know if your child’s helmet – or your own – fits properly? It’s a quick and easy check!)
Josh and I learned all about safety in the car. Did you know that in Indiana kids need to be in a booster seat through age 8? And that kids under 13 should be in the backseat. Or do you know the safest seat in the back for the child to sit? It’s in the middle! (As long as it has a lap belt and across the shoulder!)
We also got to learn about driving and the dangers of texting and driving. Josh got to put on the simulator glasses and ‘drive’ with and without distractions. He did fairly well! He only was caught speeding twice. But, sadly, he did run over a pedestrian. It’s a good thing we have a few more years!
At the 2 Nurses and a Dummy booth we got a quick hands on training of CPR. It’s harder than it looks! (You can find out about taking a class here!)
I promise you will not be able to guess! This hamburger from a local fast food place is 7 years old!! And it’s been sitting in a garage! YUCK! I couldn’t believe it! It goes to show the importance of clean food!
In the same booth we saw this awesome growing planter! She has everything from mustard greens to celery growing. It grows indoors (this is actually from her living room!) so she can eat fresh vegetables all year around!
There were lots of great booths around for ways that you can not only get a good workout, but that you can help out great causes. One of the booths that we stopped at was the Alliance for Lupus Research. Did you know that this organization was created by one of the founders of Johnson and Johnson? Joining the walk is free and Johnson and Johnson pay for all of the organizations costs. That way 100% of the donations that they receive can go right to lupus research! (The walk in Indianapolis is June 14. You can get more information here.)
There was lots of activities for kids! Josh played tennis not just once, but twice!
I absolutely loved the NJTL of Indianapolis! (It stands for National Junior Tennis League!) The prices are really awesome and NO child is turned away from learning and playing if they are having financial trouble. There are summer leagues so make sure to check them out! They are perfect for all levels! Get more information here.
Nine13Sports had a really awesome display! The bikes were connected to a television and you had to race your opponents! Joshua was way into it! No way was he letting any adults beat him! Nine13Sports is a nonprofit who helps bring bicycles and bicycle programs to kids! You can learn more about them here.
There were also the Colt’s football training area, obstacle courses and MORE!
We couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to Rowdie – the Indianapolis Indians’ mascot! (Check out their schedule here!)
We had so much fun at the expo! We can not wait to go again next year!
October Bucket List
It’s October – my favorite time of year! Here are some things I want to make sure we do this month. I would love to find out what you are planning on doing with your family this month!