medawyn Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 It is looking seriously like we will be relocating in the next four weeks. My DH had a job interview/offer out of the blue, so things are happening quickly and unexpectedly. I'm not currently worried about homeschooling (although I've looked into the regs), because my oldest is only 2.5 We clearly have a lot of time to worry about that later! I'm not even sure what I'm asking - my head is spinning! Great things to do with (little) kids? Areas to look for houses or to avoid? Reasons to love the area? We are coming from northern California, so this is going to be a big change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted November 6, 2015 Author Share Posted November 6, 2015 Bump. Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 My sister lives south of CR in Iowa City. She and her hubby are from the Silicon Valley Bay Area. I think they really like it; the homeschooling community is great and there are tons of resources. Because the weather is so nasty, there are also a lot of things to do indoors in winter. Emily 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 I can't say a lot my hubby grew up their and we have visited a few times. I believe their is a fair amount to do and the people are nice their are parts that still haven't recovered from the big flood in 08. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 PMing you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 A cousin grew up there and LOVED it. She lives in Florida now, but will always be an Iowa girl and has wonderful memories. I've heard nothing but good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 My sister lives south of CR in Iowa City. She and her hubby are from the Silicon Valley Bay Area. I think they really like it; the homeschooling community is great and there are tons of resources. Because the weather is so nasty, there are also a lot of things to do indoors in winter. Emily Iowa winters are a good time 'cept those days when your face will freeze from being uncovered. You get used to anything above about 10 or 20 below. A windchill much colder than that really does feel chilly. ;) We had friends visit Iowa this year from Oregon - land of no wind unless you're on the coast and she was very surprised at the wind.... We told her we call it "breezy." But the one thing I've learned is we have sun, sun, sun, sun here. I adore the sun. The PNW was REALLY hard on me because of their cloudy SEASON. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily of the Valley Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 PM'd you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinaBlue Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We just tagged along with my husband on a business trip in October. We were only there a week, but I liked it a lot. Other drivers were very patient! My kids spent hours at the Iowa Children's Museum. I think they'd move there just for that! Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 We had friends visit Iowa this year from Oregon - land of no wind unless you're on the coast and she was very surprised at the wind.... We told her we call it "breezy." But the one thing I've learned is we have sun, sun, sun, sun here. I adore the sun. The PNW was REALLY hard on me because of their cloudy SEASON. Oooh, this I will like. Growing up in MI, we had clouds from Nov-March. Drive my mother (and later me) crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Welcome to Iowa!I can't speak specifically about the CR area. (I have never lived near that part of the state). However, I have several friends who have located to Iowa from the coasts, and they consider it to be a fabulous secret for the high quality of life.--Compared to the coasts, housing is affordable. You can purchase a bigger house. --Comparably low crime rates. We HAVE experienced crime twice in the past couple of years. Drunk college students busted a pumpkin during the Iowa/Iowa State game. Someone broke into our unlocked garage and took some polished rocks and a freezer meal. If this is our experience of "crime," I think we can survive it. --The public schools are usually top notch. Realistically many of us homeschool Kindergarten; not so many of us homeschool high school Chemistry. Choose wisely when deciding on a community. However, in our area, there are MANY good school districts that I would be comfortable to send my children to academically.We also have "open enrollment" of our public schools. Suppose you live in community A. If you want your child to attend school in community B, you can do so if community B has room for them. You DO need to fill out a little paperwork for this privilege, and you are responsible for transportation.--In Ames, we have a vibrant homeschooling community (and we are secular atheists)! I would hope that CR has a community of homeschoolers for you to find support, inspiration, and friendship.--The state colleges are affordable. Many Californians come here because the out-of-state tuition is cheaper than California in-state tuition.--Weather: This week has been blue skies and a crisp 60 degrees Fahrenheit all week. Other than Wednesday's expected rain, it will be the same this coming week. It's great sweater weather! (Usually it is much colder, but this is the warmest year on record globally).--Economically, as a state, we have our share up ups and downs, but the ups are less grandiose and the downs are less devastating. Stable.--Politically, the state is pretty evenly split between liberals and conservatives. If we aren't purple, we are close to being so. And for the most part, even though our state government is mostly Conservative, they are moderate enough to (mostly) not go off on ideological crusades the take the state policies off a cliff. I hope the Conservatives of the state can say the same thing for our Liberal leaders.--A really great state Constitution. I know that this is not specifically something that one looks for when house-hunting, but, yeah, our state Constitution is really well written.--Iowa's renewable energy sector is growing by leaps and bounds. As you travel around Iowa, watch for the large trucks hauling windmill blades. See all those windmills on the horizon? Few of them existed 10 years ago. Iowa is the Saudi Arabia of Wind. KaChing. KaChing. KaChing. $$$$$$$--Iowa is well known as a computer science hub. The area south of Des Moines is known as the "Silicon Valley of the Midwest."--That horrible smell as you pass the hog lot? That is the smell of money in Iowa. If you choose to live in the country, be aware that your farmer-neighbor will fertilize his fields for two week a year. If you choose to live in the country, deal with it. It's only two weeks.--Iowa is great for bicycling because it is so flat! We also have RAGBRAI (the annual bike ride across Iowa), which will affect you whether you ride a bike or not. Look for the "Rails to Trails" trails of old railroad pathways and bridges that cross the state. They are a flat way for your family to go bicycling and have little traffic to deal with. Lots of nature on these trails, too, since they are located away from busy streets.--Being located in central Iowa (we're a little more central than you will be), you will centrally located to several weekend vacation spots: Chicago, the Wisconsin Dells, Sioux Falls SD, Omaha NE, and Kansas City MO.ETA: Minneapolis MN.--I tell the international students that they are lucky to study in Iowa. Iowa English is considered to be the "best pronounced" grammatically and orally. When Hollywood actors go to coaches to learn how to speak clearly and without an accent, they are learning Iowa English. --Iowa Nice. I'm told that we are just "nice" a state. The people are nice and will do everything they can to help you if they just know of your need.Extra: Here are a few Iowa videos with attitude. Do NOT watch if you are easily offended. They use adult language, and the narrator talks smack about other football teams. The last one listed is the "clean" version.Iowa NiceHawkeye Nice (about the University of Iowa in Iowa City)Cyclone Nice (about Iowa State University)Farmer Nice Iowa Nice (Clean Version) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We lived in Cedar Rapids for four years, plus six more years in the general area. That was over 20 years ago, but it was one of my favorite places to live. Cedar Rapids is large enough to have many of the things larger cities have, but small enough that you can get around easily. We especially LOVED the parks. There are several with lots of variety and most of them have community swimming pools. We had our favorite pool (Noelridege) where we went most often, but if we wanted to try a different one our season pass allowed us to go to any of them. (Not sure if they still do it that way now!) There are also several other outdoor areas nearby for hiking, fishing and camping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexigail Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 I'll send you a PM when I get to a computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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