Fanci Freez

When I was in Idaho for Banana Ball, Kari suggested lunch at Fanci Freez. Fanci Freez been around since 1947 and has won quite a few "Best of Boise" awards. I happily agreed. Everything on their menu looked pretty good, but when I travel I tend to order things you can't get anywhere else, particularly if they're significant to the area. I have never seen a Huckleberry Cheeseburger before and huckleberries are Idaho's state fruit, so that's what I ordered. Doesn't it look amazing?!

The Huckleberry Cheeseburger features a burger patty with fresh huckleberry spread, lettuce, onion, and blue cheese on a corn-dusted bun. I paired it with a huckleberry milkshake. When in Idaho, always get the huckleberry!

After we ordered our food, I intended to take pictures, read the plaques on the wall, etc. but I was immediately distracted by crayons and a stack of coloring pages. I sat down and started coloring. Our food was ready really quickly - usually a good thing, but I had barely made any progress coloring! I reluctantly set my coloring page aside. We ate our food and it was SO GOOD. I will definitely be requesting Fanci Freez and the Huckleberry Cheeseburger next time I visit. 

Back at Kari's house, I finished coloring while the rest of the family played  games. 

I colored the whole page with the crayons at the restaurant and the Twistables that Kari had. Her tabletop is textured, so I got a cool effect coloring the title and background. 

It turns out that this coloring page wasn't just something fun to entertain kids and craft bloggers waiting for their food; Fanci Freez is running a 79th anniversary coloring contest. I can't enter since my page is here with me in California and not turned in at their Meridian location, which is fine since I don't know that the contest is for 54-year olds. 

I've added Fanci Freez to my list of restaurants you should definitely visit when you're in Idaho. No doubt I'll be back! And I'll be having the Huckleberry Cheeseburger every time. 

Banana Ball in Boise

Trevor and I flew to Boise, Idaho two weeks ago to visit my mom and my sister's family. We chose the timeframe we did for a very special reason: we were there to attend a Banana Ball game. I've been wanting to go for years, so it was so exciting that it was finally going to happen. After we weren't chosen during the lottery for tickets for the game in Sacramento, my sister (Kari) and brother-in-law (Brian) worked hard to secure tickets for us in Boise. I am so grateful!

If you're not familiar with Banana Ball, it's a highly entertaining, fast-paced version of baseball with rules designed to maximize the action. The antics of Banana Ball lead to comparisons with the Harlem Globetrotters, although there are key differences. Banana Ball games are not scripted and all six teams within the league compete to win, whereas the Globetrotters always play the same opponent and (nearly) always win. 

This was the first time that Banana Ball came to Idaho. The people of Boise, particularly at the host venue of Boise State, were really excited.

 

In the days before we flew, I was really nervous that the game was going to be canceled or postponed. Not only was the temperature in Boise topping 100°F, but the air quality was absolutely horrible, with numbers reaching well into the Hazardous level. Fortunately, the air quality improved significantly before the game. It was still smoky (and HOT) but not dangerously so. Hurray!

The game we saw featured the Party Animals vs the Texas Tailgaters. I decided to root for the Party Animals. 

The Party Animals' mascot is named Pharty. He has quite a backstory. 

Our group was seated in three different areas. Kari and I were together. 

Here is Trevor with my mom. And Brian with Timothy and Allison. 

  

We arrived in plenty of time for the pre-game festivities. 

We weren't allowed to bring water into the stadium (100°+) and the lines to buy water were outrageous. Brian stood in line to get waters for all of us. He and Allison came by to deliver them. 

While our seats were good for watching the game and the antics, they were pretty terrible for photography. All my pictures are through a net and into the sun. You can barely make out the Boise Bronco on the field toward the back. 

During the pre-game (and throughout the game) there was so much going on. It was hard to know where to look. The guy in the blue morph suit was slowly making his way toward the pitcher while teams of dancers were performing and players were in the crowds giving away stuff. 

The music is constant. Literally. Songs change every 10-30 seconds and there is no break between them. Songs play throughout the game, which is not a thing in standard baseball. There's always somebody dancing somewhere. 

Because the Boise games were played at a football stadium and not a baseball stadium, there were some quirks that were a lot of fun. One example: there were no dugouts, so all the players were just right there. 

To our left, a make-shift bullpen. 

It was a HUGE relief when the sun finally dipped enough to be partially blocked by the stadium. It was so hot and it made a big difference not to be in direct sun. 

The friends of Brian who were sitting with Kari and me left with 30 minutes on the clock to avoid the crush of 36,000 people. Timothy, Allison, and Brian took their seats. 

Kari, Mom, Trevor, and I left with 15 minutes remaining so that we too could get ahead of the masses. 

The Party Animals ended up winning the game 4-1. Yea! 

Watching Banana Ball in person is a fantastic experience, but so is watching it on TV. I was really happy to see the game on YouTube. It was great fun to watch the things I saw from a better angle... and even more fun to see the things I completely missed! 

I am so glad to have been to a Banana Ball game. I would happily go again, although ideally on a much cooler day and in real seats instead of bleachers. I'd especially like to see the original team, the Savannah Bananas, play. Huge thanks to Kari and Brian for everything they did for me to experience this bucket-list item!

The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 3: Hawaii to Iowa

This is the third post in a series. I recommend reading the first and second posts before this one. Today I'll be picking the city in Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 3: Hawaii to Iowa

 

The city I am most interested in visiting in Hawaii is Kula on the island of Maui. It's a small community known for its farms and botanical gardens. There are a lot of farm and garden tours that sound really interesting. I would most like to tour the Kula Botanical Garden and then take the Haleakala Creamery Farm to Spoon Tour.

When we traveled to eastern Idaho in 2021, we didn't end up going to Pocatello because the place I most wanted to visit was closed on the days we were passing through. The next time we're headed that direction, I'm going to prioritize visits to the Museum of Clean and the Idaho Museum of Natural History.

The city I most want to visit in Illinois is its capital, Springfield. Springfield is one of the five remaining state capitals I haven't visited. There are a lot of neat things to see and do there, most of which are related to Abraham Lincoln. My top two attractions are the Illinois State Capitol and Museum and the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

South Bend is the city I'd most like to visit in Indiana. The first thing I'd do is tour the University of Notre Dame. My second activity would be the National Studebaker Museum. 

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I want to visit the Ice Cream Capital of the World. Le Mars, Iowa certainly got my attention with that nickname! Le Mars produces approximately 200 million gallons of ice cream per year, more than any other city in the world. The first place I'd go is the Wells Visitor Center, so I can learn more about how all that ice cream is made. Then I would head out on an Ice Cream Sculpture walk, to find the 55 six-foot tall decorated ice cream cones that decorate the streets of Le Mars. 

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Have you been to any of these cities? Do you have recommendations for other attractions I should visit? Let me know in the comments!

Idaho, December 2025

This layout includes 10 pictures from the five-day visit Trevor and I made to Idaho in December 2025. We stayed at my sister's house as usual. We filled our days with lots of games, good food, and family time. We went for a walk to investigate the nearby construction; Allison intentionally stepped in a hole with no concern for what might be in there while Trevor behaved like the Californian he is, fascinated by a frozen puddle. 

 

Idaho, December 2025 (affiliate link)

One day, my mom took Trevor to the World Center for Birds of Prey. (I skipped it because I'd been there twice before, most recently in 2024.) While they were gone, Kari and I planned a June 2026 trip to California for our mom. We just got back from that trip, so I'll tell you about it tomorrow. 

Gold, Silver, and Coal Mine Cart Craft

Today I have a 3-in-1 craft for you. Follow the simple steps to make a traditional mining cart out of paper, then "fill" it with gold, silver, or coal. It's a great project to accompany a study of the role that gold, silver, and/or coal mining played in your state's history. Affiliate links below. 

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The most famous gold rush in history took place in my home state of California. Following the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848, approximately 300,000 "forty-niners" poured into California the following year, hoping to strike it rich. California isn't the only state with a gold rush. The Klondike Gold Rush (1896-1899) is almost as famous. Approximately 100,000 prospectors hiked through Alaska on their way to the gold fields. Other states with significant gold rushes include North Carolina (1802), Georgia (1829), Colorado (1859), and South Dakota (1874). 

What do Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and New Mexico have in common? Each of these states had a silver boom in the late 1800's. Nevada, nicknamed the Silver State, had the first silver rush in the US in 1859, following the discovery of the Comstock Lode in Virginia City. Nevada remains a major silver producer today, along with Alaska, Idaho, and Utah. 

Pennsylvania is the birthplace of the coal industry in the US. It had the largest anthracite deposits in the world during the 19th and early 20th centuries. West Virginia has been one of the top producers of the softer bituminous coal. Kentucky, Illinois, Wyoming, and Montana all have played a significant role in the production of coal. 

Gold, Silver, or Coal Mining Cart

Materials: 

• cardstock (medium and dark brown)
• scissors
• black ink
• craft glue
• circle punch
• black colored pencil
• gold, silver, or black glitter paper

Steps:

Cut a 6" x 3" rectangle of medium brown paper and set it aside. Then cut seven strips of medium brown paper, each approximately 6" x 0.5". Ink the edges of the strips, then glue them to the rectangle. 

Cut 1/4" strips of darker brown to make the metal trim that secures the boards. Glue the pieces in place (2 horizontal and 3 vertical) as shown below. Then trim the edges to give the mine cart its trapezoidal shape. Punch a pair of circles from the dark brown. 

Use a colored pencil to add grain, knots, and shading to the wood. Add dots to mimic rivets on the metal. Draw spokes on the wheels. 

Glue the wheels in place and you have your mine cart. 

Cut a piece of glitter paper (gold, silver, or black) and glue it behind the mine cart. 

I wish I'd thought of this idea a couple of decades ago so I could have made these with my 4th and 5th graders. I had a space above my chalkboards that would have been perfect for displaying a long line of mine carts holding gold.

State Name Art: Ohio, Idaho, Montana, and Maine

It's no secret that I love name art. Over the years, I've shared 47 unique ideas for creative projects using my name (or yours, if you aren't named Cindy). Today's craft is a little different because it features the names of states inside their silhouettes. This would be such a fun project to do with a class of 4th graders studying their home state, or with fifth graders who are each working on a different state report.

For my samples, I chose four states with distinct shapes to see how well my idea would work. I started with what I thought would be the easiest (Ohio) and worked my way toward the most challenging (Maine). It took a bit of creativity to fit the names legibly, but figuring it out was so much fun! I'm really happy with how these turned out. Affiliate links below.  

 

State Name Art

Materials:

• Bristol vellum
• Flair pens
• colored pencils
• microtip scissors
• colored cardstock
• glue stick

Steps: 

Print or trace the outline of a state onto Bristol vellum, or the paper of your choice. (Bristol vellum is my favorite when working with colored pencils.) I made the outlines using PicMonkey graphics, but there are a lot of places to find outlines. You can also have students draw their own outlines or use pre-prepared tracers. 

Use a pencil to LIGHTLY sketch in the letters of the state. Make adjustments until you are happy with the letters. Don't be afraid to have missing parts of letters (like the M in Montana) or distorted letters (like the E in Maine) as long as the state name is legible. Outline the letters with a Flair pen, then color in all spaces that aren't part of the letters.  

LIGHTLY sketch a scene across the white space that represents the state. When you are happy with it, fill it in with colored pencils. I chose fields and a classic red barn for Ohio...

... forests and a mountain for Idaho...

... a sunset behind the mountains for Montana... 

... and a lighthouse on a rocky shore for Maine. 

When you are done coloring, cut out the state and glue it to colored construction paper. 

I had so much fun making these that I will definitely be doing more! I have no intention to do all 50; I learned just how much work it is when I colored in all 50 state quarters coloring pages. It took me eight months, working on four at a time. On the other hand, never say never! 

The Best and the Worst of the 50 State Seals, Part 2

This is the second post (of five) rating the designs of each of the 50 state seals. I suggest starting with the first post, which gives the background and explains the criteria I'm using for grading. 

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Rating the State Seals: Hawaii through Maryland

Hawaii's state seal was adopted at statehood in 1959. It features King Hamehameha, the goddess Liberty holding the Hawaiian flag, a rising sun, a phoenix, 8 taro leaves representing the 8 main islands, banana leaves, ferns, a kapu stick, and more. The state motto, written in Hawaiian, translates to “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.” There is no question that this seal represents the state well with all those elements, but the resulting design is very crowded. It would be a much better design with just half the elements. 

Design 2.5, Representation 5 = 7.5

The state seal of Idaho was updated in 1957 to highlight Idaho’s main industries (mining, agriculture, and forestry) and the state’s natural beauty. The woman symbolizes justice and the virgin land of Idaho and the man is a miner; together, they protect the items shown in the shield. Idaho's state flower (syringa) is represented, as is the state motto. It represents the state well and is nicely balanced, if a bit crowded. I'd change the colors to be more harmonious. (Fun fact: Idaho has the only state seal designed by a woman.)

Design 3, Representation 5 = 8

The state seal of Illinois was most recently updated in 1869, replacing the original seal that was nearly identical to the seal of the United States. The design features a bald eagle in profile, on a rock, holding a shield, with a banner in its beak proclaiming the state motto (State Sovereignty, National Union) reading from bottom to top, with a twist in the banner that makes word Sovereignty upside-down. There is an oddly-shaped sunrise over water. I am not a fan of this design. While it no longer looks like the seal of the US, it still has many of the same elements, including a shield with 13 stars and stripes. Illinois is the 21st state, not one of the original 13 Colonies. The statehood date (1818) appears twice, which is unnecessary. There is no reason for 1868, the year the seal was redesigned (before being adopted in 1869), to appear on the seal. I hate the spacing / kerning of the text. 

Design 1.5, Representation 1 = 2.5

The most recent version of the state seal of Indiana is from 1963. It features a forest with a man felling a sycamore tree, a bison running away, and the sun setting behind some hills. The designs in blue on either side of the date are the leaves of the tulip tree (the state tree), with dots and diamonds in between them for no apparent reason. (Am I the only one who sees a chicken?) There are 14 rays on the sun (Indiana is the 19th state, so this is not symbolic). I don't hate the seal, but I don't like it either. Without the text and the date, I would have never known this was supposed to be Indiana. Many states have (or had) bison, forests, and hills. 

Design 2.5, Representation 1.5 = 4

The state seal of Iowa was created in 1847, a year after statehood. It includes a soldier in a wheat field (the predominant crop of 1840's Iowa vs. the corn and soybeans that dominate now). He is holding a gun and the US flag topped with a liberty cap. He is surrounded by symbols of farming, mining, and transportation. The ship is the Steamboat Iowa, famous for holding the speed record on the Mississippi from 1843 to 1849. An eagle at the top of the seal holds the state motto. (Fun fact: The wording describing the seal is controversial, but it remains unchanged as of January 2026.) The design of this seal isn't terrible and it represents 1840's Iowa decently. The scale of the items is weird, unless that's a child's dollhouse with a working chimney. The motto is hard to read, since you have to start with the bottom left, move above it, then across, then down. I'd like this seal more without the soldier, US flag, and (especially) the gun.

Design 2.5, Representation 3 = 5.5 

The state seal of Kansas, adopted in 1861, focuses on the history of the state. It includes a sun rising in the east, a river and steamboat (representing commerce), a man plowing (representing agriculture), a settler's cabin plus covered wagons heading west (representing pioneer life and Westward Expansion), indigenous people on horseback hunting bison, the state motto ("To the stars through difficulties") and 34 stars representing Kansas' admission as the 34th state. This is a well-balanced design that represents the state very well. I appreciate that the original inhabitants are acknowledged (and not in an adversarial way). 

Design 4, Representation 4.5 = 8.5

The state seal of Kentucky was originally designed in 1792, then simplified 170 years later to portray "a pioneer meeting a gentleman in a swallowtail coat." Many believe the man in buckskin is Daniel Boone (a pioneer in the exploration of Kentucky) and the man in the suit is Henry Clay (Kentucky senator and eventual Secretary of State), but officially they are not specific people and instead represent all frontiersmen and statesmen. The seal also includes the state motto and goldenrod, the state flower. This seal could be so much better, but at least it's not too busy. 

Design 1.5, Representation 2.5 = 4

The state seal of Louisiana was most recently revised in 2006. The seal is very distinctive, featuring a pelican in her piety, traditionally a Christian symbol of self-sacrifice. The state motto (Union, Justice and Confidence) appears prominently. While the pelican might have first been chosen to honor the state's Catholic heritage during a time of anti-Catholicism elsewhere, I'd rather see the Pelican State design a more secular seal with a pelican that isn't actively bleeding. It's not the Self-Sacrifice State, after all. 

Design: 2, Representation 2 = 4

The state seal of Maine was adopted in 1820. In the center is a shield featuring a moose, resting in front of a pine tree, between the water and the woods. Two men (a farmer with a scythe and a sailor with an anchor) stand on top of a banner, on either side of the shield. The top of the seal has the state motto ("I direct") and the North Star. This design isn't particularly attractive, but it could be dramatically improved with just a few changes. I would expand the scene in the shield to fill the entire background of the seal, then move DIRIGO to where MAINE is located and write STATE OF MAINE in large letters across the top. Right now, the red DIRIGO banner looks like a brand name on a package of pasta sauce. 

Design 2, Representation 4 = 6

The state seal of Maryland is two-sided, but since the front was never cut and thus not used as a seal, I'll be focusing on the reverse. It was updated in 1959. It features the Calvert coat of arms being held by a farmer (holding a spade) and a fisherman (holding a fish). Behind them is ermine fur and at the top is a crest with two pennants. Below is the state motto. The literal translation is "Deeds are males, words are females" but in 2017 they changed the official translation to "Strong deeds, gentle words." The poorly-spaced text around the seal translates to "With favor wilt thou compass us as with a shield" and 1632 is the date Maryland was established. This design represents the origin of the (province then colony then) state well enough, but I think there is too much emphasis given to the founder. I'd like to see more of the natural resources, industry, or something else. 

Design 3, Representation 3 = 6

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So far, we have Arizona (10), California (9.5), Kansas (8.5), Alaska (8), Idaho (8), Delaware (7.5), Hawaii (7.5), Colorado (7), Florida (6.5), Maine (6), Maryland (6), Iowa (5.5), Kentucky (4), Louisiana (4), Indiana (4), Alabama (3), Georgia (3), Illinois (2.5), Arkansas (1.5), and Connecticut (1). Let me know in the comments if you agree with my rankings. Tomorrow I'll look at the next ten seals.