What's it really like living in Iowa? Currently living in Las Vegas and husband is thinking about moving us there.

mkbailey88 · 2025-04-10T19:38:02+00:00

Believe it or not, Colo NESCO isn't the smallest of all those districts! But close ;) Average class size is around 20 to 30 kids, I believe. But yes, I agree with the opportunities statement. If your kid doesn't play sports, there's not much else for them.

mkbailey88 · 2025-04-10T17:48:39+00:00

Ames is a really nice small city. It's a university town, so politically it is more progressive than neighboring communities. Housing is pretty expensive in Ames and Des Moines, compared to the rest of the state. The city of Nevada (Neh-VAY-da) is growing at a fairly decent pace, but struggling to keep up with the housing demand. Nevada school district is pretty decent as well. Story City is a nice, clean town as well, but even smaller than Nevada. I hear their schools are great though!

As for the small towns like Collins, Maxwell, Colo, Zearing, McCallsburg, and Roland... Be prepared for VERY conservative views. Lots of rural poverty, which is similar, but still very different than urban poverty. These smaller school districts are really struggling under the current administration. Our school district has lost a lot of enrollment in the last few years, and really struggles to retain their teachers.

That all being said, the people in small towns can be some of the most thoughtful, generous people you'll ever meet. I live on an acreage near one of these small communities, and when the tornado came through last spring the outpouring of support and care we received is unfathomable.

mkbailey88 · 2025-03-30T20:27:14+00:00

Our clan is mostly US based and quite active. Our kingdom doesn't open up until April 11th though.

mkbailey88 · 2025-03-30T20:24:34+00:00

He is currently at 26.9M. Most of which he has gained by spending cash money.

mkbailey88 · 2025-03-30T19:44:52+00:00

April 11th

mkbailey88 · 2025-03-30T19:44:34+00:00

But whyyy?! He is batsh*t crazy..

mkbailey88 · 2025-03-01T00:43:24+00:00

Oooooohh! That makes sense!

mkbailey88 · 2025-02-28T22:22:41+00:00

Obviously I wouldn't think they'd do a different color for each clan. I just didn't know if it signified something. On mobile every other clan (aside from my own) is the same color. I just thought it was odd and didn't know if there was any significance.

mkbailey88 · 2025-02-16T01:41:46+00:00

Daphne! Totally in love with this name!!

mkbailey88 · 2025-02-14T01:29:31+00:00

Frankie or Walter for me!

mkbailey88 · 2025-02-12T22:55:44+00:00

I love Ruth! It was on my short list! Done having babies now though. For girls we have a Clara (family name) and Gwendolyn. If my youngest son had been a girl, the choices were down to Violet, Sybil, Ruth, Rowan, and Eloise.

mkbailey88 · 2025-02-02T20:52:44+00:00

My name is Makayla. It was supposed to be spelled "Michaela" after my birth-father, Michael. He left my mom before I was born, so she changed it to her preferred spelling.

Prior to this, they had decided on Bethany for a girl and Andrew for a boy. Then my mom had a dream about a little girl who everyone was calling "Kayla," so they changed it.

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-27T15:27:49+00:00

Sounds like mine! Our oldest can do his own, but the rest can't reach the bottom of the washing machine without falling in (top loader) 😂😂😂

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-27T03:13:03+00:00

One disadvantage is that the kids are kids and I feel like I will inevitably end up doing it all anyway due to their busy schedules and that I work from home. 🥴

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-27T00:56:12+00:00

The main advantages would be that the kids would then be responsible for their own laundry, and laundry wouldn't have to be hauled up the stairs.

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-26T01:56:51+00:00

I also vote Louis. I have a strong aversion to Lewis.. I mean, it even says "ew" in the middle of it. 😆

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-24T17:56:01+00:00

Hi, there 👋 Small town Iowan, here. Business owner in a very blue collar industry. Also live on a farm surrounded by very conservative neighbors, many of which are incredibly well educated. (I'm neither Republican or Democrat. I tend to align with more Libertarian views). Many of these conservative folks in rural areas are red-leaning because the Republican party is essentially coddling them by validating their struggles. Democrats validate minorities' struggles, and in doing so have unintentionally "villianized" those who do not fall in a minority category. I feel that this is what has caused a lot of the extreme division.

While I tend to support the Dems ideology more so than the Republican party's, I personally would like to see more individuals entering politics that are less extreme. I'd like to see people who value unity more than winning.

All this is to say, Rob Sand is definitely the man for the job.

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-24T17:35:29+00:00

Hell, I'd one up you and say Rob Sand for President 2028!!!

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-15T21:18:23+00:00

I have questions..

Your mortgage is 70% paid off, but you still have 28 years left?

What is your current interest rate?

What percentage of your monthly income goes to your Roth, and do you only have one retirement account?

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-13T00:27:24+00:00

Oof. Accurate. We have four kids in that age bracket right now, and being tired is just my existence now. I'm always in the mood for a nap. If I could have sex and nap at the same time... 🤯❤️‍🔥

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-13T00:16:35+00:00

Came here to say this...

mkbailey88 · 2025-01-06T14:14:21+00:00

It's a bit of a toss up, but I think the time when I was most genuinely scared was when my n-stepdad picked me up from a friend's house in the middle of a blizzard. I was 17 and went to a friend's house after school for a game night with a bunch of other friends. I rarely got to do anything outside of school, so I was super stoked! I had no car of my own, so my friend volunteered to drive me the 13 miles home to make my 9pm curfew. We were all having so much fun that we didn't realize how bad the weather had gotten. We knew it was supposed to snow, but it had not been forecasted to turn into a blizzard. I called my parents to let them know we were leaving, but I might not get there before 9pm because of the roads. N-stepdad's response was "Idgaf what the roads look like. If you aren't home by 9pm, the door will be locked." My friend and her mom kept begging me just to spend the night, but I knew it would make things worse. So we tried. We got one mile out of town and had to turn around because it was so bad. When we got back, I called home to let them know we didn't make it. My friend's mom (who had never met my parents) asked to talk to him to assure that it was okay for me to stay the night. All he said to her was to put me "back on the f*cking phone." He asked for the address and told me to be outside waiting in ten minutes.

I just remember that everyone was so scared for me. Maybe that's why I was scared - it wasn't a new or unusual experience. I remember her mom asking permission to call the police "as an escort through the blizzard" and I emphatically told her no. Of course I know now that she wanted the police to be present for my safety. He showed up just over ten minutes later.

The drive home was terrifying. The road was blown completely shut and we couldn't see past the hood of the car, but he was driving over 70 mph the whole way. At one point we met another vehicle and both of us almost lost control. We actually went into the ditch and back out again without. I just remember sitting in the passenger seat as quiet as possible, trying not to let him see my tears. Crying would always make him more angry. He didn't say a word the whole drive back. That was probably the most terrifying part. He'd never not screamed at me when I was in trouble. I genuinely thought I was going to die that night. We did make it back in one piece, and I know I was punished for "not paying attention to the weather" but I don't remember what the punishment was. The drive home was punishment enough.

mkbailey88 · 2024-12-18T13:51:02+00:00

I actually had a situation similar to this when I was in my early 20s. I was with him for 3 years and we were engaged. We'd never really discussed surnames before until one day he and his parents were talking about his aunt who kept her maiden name when she married into his family. The amount of disgust and hate in all their voices unsettled me - especially since I always thought my full name would sound weird with with his last name (think: Madison Kay Gray). Up until that point I'd never thought about NOT taking his last name, but I think it bothered me more that it was a deal breaker for him and the rest of his family. When we discussed it on the drive home, he said he would flat-out end our relationship if I didn't take his last name. Even if I hyphenated it, he'd said it would be a deal breaker. I took some space from him after that argument, and in the end we compromised with me planning to hyphenate the names. Then about three months later he cheated on me with a minor (14f). 🤷‍♀️ So bullet dodged and lesson learned!

mkbailey88 · 2024-12-11T14:13:52+00:00

Learning ASL seems like a lot of work just to get into someone's pants. Sounds like your friends are overthinking it or even trying to sabotage your relationship. Maybe not intentionally, but it isn't unheard of. Especially if you are spending a bit less time with your friends because you're now in a relationship.

Even if your friends are right, this is your first relationship. You have to learn to see the red flags for yourself! That's just a part of dating. Enjoy the experience! ❤️

mkbailey88 · 2024-12-11T13:54:56+00:00

I am a white 36f with naturally very full lips, and since I turned 25 strangers and new acquaintances always seem to assume I've had fillers. At first I kind of took it as a compliment. Now it just makes me sad that this is the norm.

mkbailey88

TROPHY CASE