This signature event has become a favorite for local mothers, and we always look forward to gathering together for a few hours of learning, socializing, and fun. The 6th annual Bloom: A Mini Conference for Moms did not disappoint, as we enjoyed a lovely event with 100 local mothers on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Once again, we were proud to be selected by the City Moms Blog Network as one of 50 cities across the nation to host a Bloom event and bring together local resources and businesses to support moms and give you all a place to connect.
This year featured another impressive panel of experts, a drool-worthy snack bar, endless coffee and mimosas, and exciting giveaways for our guests to enjoy! Here are the highlights of the day and details for how to connect with the incredible experts, vendors, and sponsors that made Bloom such a special local event.
Our Sponsors
This year we were thrilled to partner with University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and Psychiatric Associates as the official Co-Hosts of Bloom. We are passionate about ensuring mothers have information and resources to stay physically and mentally healthy, and these two partners are fantastic organizations that share our dedication to supporting Iowa City area families.
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital provided a few medical experts for the panel portion of the event and staffed an informational booth with safe sleep experts from the Safety Store to provide further education and product tips to moms with infants. We are continually grateful to have Iowa’s only nationally ranked children’s hospital present at our events, and readily available to treat our children.
Psychiatric Associates has a team of wonderful, board-certified psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors to provide comprehensive services for children, adolescents and adults at their offices in Iowa City and North Liberty. Their experts are dedicated to meeting your mental healthcare needs with uncompromising discretion, service and excellence in every aspect of your experience. They were a great addition to Bloom this year!
We’d also like to extend a special shout out to our five local Hy-Vee stores for supporting us as the official Food Sponsor this year (see more below) and to Birdsdream Design for capturing photos at Bloom. Show them your love–they are wonderful to work with!
The Venue
Bloom took place at the Celebration Farm in the gorgeous Timber Frame Barn again this year. Mother nature has been consistent and dished up cold, rainy weather for six years in a row but this venue is warm, inviting, and absolutely beautiful so we didn’t mind! If you are interested in hosting an event at Celebration Farm please visit their website or call 319-631-8116 today!
The Expert Panel
The highlight of Bloom is always the panel of local experts, who graciously spent their Saturday morning answering a long list of parenting related questions from the audience. This year’s panel was stacked, and they were full of helpful information, advice, and support for moms with a wide array of expertise related to health, child development, safety, and family life. Thank you SO MUCH to all of the panelists who joined us; to read more about each of them and the work they are doing in our community, click here. We encourage you to connect with these experts if you have additional questions or concerns related to their expertise.
Pediatrician: Adam Brown, MD
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
Speech-Language Pathologist: Sonia Culver, M.A., CCC-SLP
Enrichment Therapy and Learning Center (North Liberty)
Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner: Ann Glick, ARNP
Psychiatric Associates
Attorney: Nick Herbold
Herbold Law PC (Iowa City)
Safety & Injury Prevention: Pam Hoogerwerf, BS
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital Safety Store
Pediatric Otolaryngologist: Deborah Kacmarynski, MD
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Family Chiropractor: Laura Murphy, DC, DICCP
Hope Family Chiropractic (Coralville)
Nurse-Midwife: Christina Shutters, ARNP, CNM
University of Iowa Gynecology/Midwifery Clinic
Real Estate Agent: Marcy Willier
The Bails Team at Urban Acres Real Estate
The Food
If the Panel of Experts is the main attraction the epic food is a close second and we have to thank our local Hy-Vee stores for making that possible! Our guests enjoyed a fully-stocked “Cravings Bar” complete with a donut wall, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, piles of pickles, chips, Oreos, chocolates, and some other seemingly random items that YOU all told us you craved during your own pregnancies. And since moms deserve a little extra pick-me-up on a Saturday morning we provided bottomless coffee + mimosas (and mom-mosas for those that can not or do not partake in alcohol or caffeine). It was a real treat for all of us!
As moms that tend to do a lot of grocery shopping we can attest to the incredible selection of specialty items and fantastic customer service that Hy-Vee offers and we are grateful for their involvement in our community. Stop by to shop at one of the 5 local stores on Waterfront Drive, 1st Avenue, Dodge Street, on the Coralville strip and in North Liberty — or better yet, shop online with Hy-Vee Aisles and they’ll deliver it right to your door.
The special treats didn’t stop there either, we just couldn’t have a mom’s morning out without some custom cookies from Vanilla Beans and Daydreams. They were almost too pretty to eat… but so delicious when we did! If you have a special occasion coming up or just want a unique dessert that packs a major WOW factor, then contact Michele here.
The Vendor & Informational Booths
BeneYOU with Dawn: Who else wants to feel better, have better focus, grow in confidence, and add simple fun to their lives? If you want any or all of these, look no further! BeneYOU with Dawn provides products, information, and community to growing into a better you from the outside in or the inside out – however you choose. Learn more here.
Bright Light Design Studio: Bright Light Design Studio is owned by Mackinzie Rekers. She is an artist with a passion for illustration, pattern design and handlettering. She creates things like unique stationary, whimsical illustrations and home goods with the goal of bringing a light and joyfulness to your space. Follow along @brightlightdesignstudio.
Chomp Delivery: CHOMP is our favorite way to order takeout or delivery from local restaurants! We love that it’s owned and operated by 20 of the busiest delivery restaurants in the Iowa City area and that it’s SO simple to order on the web, or via CHOMP’s mobile app. Whether you’re busy helping your kids with their homework, buried in paperwork at your desk, watching a football game or just too exhausted to cook, CHOMP has you covered! Follow them on Facebook for the latest deals and promos!
Cielo Goods: Cielo means “the heavens”. Monica Berry designs and creates Moon Warmers (therapeutic neck wraps and eye pillows) and sweet clothing for women and littles. She believes everyone deserves to be enveloped in heavenly comfort and beautiful style. Her clothing items are available at local markets and the Moon Warmers may be ordered on her website. Follow along for local market announcements and to swoon over these lovely items on Facebook and Instagram, too.
Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center: Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center (North Liberty) offers evidence based programs for your student in the areas of reading, math, writing, speech, language and social skills. They offer small group and individual sessions to provide a tailored program to meet each child’s academic and communication needs. Their free screenings can help determine if your child is on the path to success. Learn more here, connect on Facebook here.
Hope Family Chiropractic: Dr. Laura grew up a sick child with asthma and allergies that were helped by chiropractic care. She’s passionate about providing great care for pregnant women, babies, and children so the next generation doesn’t have to endure a childhood like hers. She’s board certified as a pediatric chiropractor and provides high-quality services and most importantly, hope, to all patients across the lifespan at Hope Family Chiropractic in Coralville.
Hy-Vee: We enjoyed having a Dietitian from Hy-Vee with us at the event as well. She prepared some fantastic samples showing some different ways for busy families to enjoy a quick and healthy breakfast! It was a big hit and we can’t thank Hy-Vee enough for all the ways they treated our guests at this event. Connect with the store near you on Facebook for deals and promos: Dodge Street, Waterfront Drive, 1st Avenue, Lantern Park (Coralville), Crosspark Road (NL).
Let It Go Journeys: Becky Julson is an authorized Disney Vacation Planner that specializes in Disney Destinations and is passionate about making the planning process not only easy & efficient, but as fun and magical as possible! She knows how to save you time and money and is committed to giving you the best experience, tailored to your individual needs and desires. Becky can be as involved in the planning process as you prefer. Whether that entails simply booking your vacation while you handle the details with her in your corner, or you would rather she go the extra mile and give you complimentary itinerary assistance down to fast pass selections and advanced dining reservation assistance. Best of all, her services are always FREE to you! Connect with Becky here to begin discussing your next vacation.
Mary Kay: Sue treated us to samples and endless advice on how to take care our skin and embrace our natural beauty! This company has so much to offer and Sue is fabulous at helping you find the perfect items to keep your skin looking healthy and gorgeous! Contact her for a custom facial or shop here.
Mead Johnson Nutrition: From a newborn’s essential first nutrients, to a toddler’s balanced diet, every day, more children in more than 50 markets around the world depend on Mead Johnson products to deliver optimal nutrition. They provided wonderful giveaways and Enfamil product samples and rebates for every mother!
Montessori School of Iowa City: We are always happy to have our partners from the Montessori School of Iowa City (serving Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty) present at our events! They offer a private Montessori education for students ages 2-6. The Pre-Primary program is for 2 to 3 year olds and Primary preschool and kindergarten program is for 3 to 6 year olds.. They also have Before School and After School child care available and are currently enrolling for Summer School. Learn more here or connect on Facebook here.
Perfectly Posh with MoPosh: Mom life might not let you have a whole day off, but if you can take just a minute to take care of yourself you’ll be better able to do all the other things you need to. Morgan can help you find fun & affordable, naturally-based skin care and pampering products for all ages, genders, & skin types! Get the goods here.
Psychiatric Associates: When you or a loved one need help with a mental health concern, the Psychiatric Associates team is here for you with a broad array of services for children, adolescents and adults at offices in Iowa City and North Liberty. The team is dedicated to meeting your mental healthcare needs with uncompromising discretion, service and excellence in every aspect of your experience. Learn more here or connect on Facebook here.
Scentsy: Scentsy has more than warmers and wax! They have beautiful diffusers and amazing-smelling oils, cleaners, body products, laundry products and much more! Local rep, Pamela DeKeyser can help you find the perfect gift for yourself, family or friends! Connect with her here.
The Bails Team at Urban Acres Real Estate: If you are ready to buy or sell in the Iowa City area, you need to connect with The Bails Team! They put 100% effort into finding you the highest quality options on the market for the best price. Mike Bails, Phil O’Brien, Marcy Willier, Chelsey Riggan, and Briley McAtee are problem solvers, not sales people. They’re also patient listeners who will work with your vision, whether that’s finding a home to raise your family or a space to grow your business. They have an intimate knowledge of the community because they’ve established their own families and livelihoods here. Connect with The Bails Team on Facebook here or explore listings here.
UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital: UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital is a leader in family-centered care, which includes the family as members of the multi-disciplinary care delivery team. Experts were on hand to answer questions related to pediatric health and safety! Explore services here or shop the Safety Store here.
US Cellular: Technology has quickly become a staple in the home of today’s modern families and US Cellular can help you stay up to speed and connected with the latest trends, changing technologies and reliable service. The Iowa City store joined us at Bloom to share information about the newest technologies and tips helping kids safely use modern devices. Learn more here!
Usborne Books and More: We can’t get enough of this children’s book company. The books range from newborn to teen and they are the most exciting, engaging, and educational books on the market today. They have everything from books for teething, doodling books, encyclopedias, chapter books, and even sticker books. Local rep, Ami also offers great incentives when you host your own party (in home or online). Learn more here or connect on Facebook here.
The Swag & Giveaways
Last but not least we LOVE the opportunity to gift our guests with awesome giveaways and bags full of freebies to take home! A huge shout out to all of our swag sponsors, who sent wonderful goodies and samples home with every mom, all bundled together in the adorable tote (courtesy of the City Moms Blog Network).
ENJOY YOUR SWAG FROM: Barre3 in Iowa City, Beauty Counter by Vanessa Wiest, BeneYOU with Dawn, Bug Soother, Chick-Fil-A, Chomp Delivery, Enfamil, Enrichment Therapies, Hotworx Coralville, MAM, Nanno, Scentsy, The Bails Team and Willowwind.
FEATURED GIVEAWAYS provided by: BBox, Babo Botanicals, Barre3, Beauty Counter with Vanessa Wiest BeneYOU with Dawn, Bug Soother, Chick-Fil-A Coralville, Doe A Deer Design, Ergo, Vanilla Beans & Daydreams, MAM, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Montessori School of Iowa City, Nanno, North Dodge Coffeehouse, Painting for Cheese, Scentsy with Pamela, Silikids and Stuck on You.
Thank You
Last but not least, THANK YOU to all of you lovely ICMB followers for braving the wind and rain to spend the morning with us! We are so grateful for each and every one of you, and we hope to see you at upcoming events as well. Be sure to check out our Facebook page for more photos from the event!
If you are interested in joining our VIP email list to be one of the first to find out about upcoming ICMB events and/or being added to one of our neighborhood playgroups, please email us at [email protected]. We can’t wait to connect with you soon!
